Embodiment

The Fullness of Being

I’m about to turn forty. An occasion worthy of being marked. And because I’m a person prone to reflection, story telling, and tradition, I have distinct memories of who I was at 25, 30, and 35. If I could sit in a room with these three radically different women, I can imagine the conversation. Each version of myself trying to convince the others to return to what I so strongly knew to be true in their time. As I enter a new decade—one that places me squarely in middle age—I realize I hold less tightly to ideas of truth. My ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2017-05-17T15:05:19-07:00May 17th, 2017|Art, Embodiment, Practice, Relationships|0 Comments

An Earthy Christmas Sermon (2016)

On Christmas morning I had the pleasure of bringing the message at Spokane Friends Church, which is a place that nourished me deeply when I had big, confused questions about God and spirituality and the world. I was honored to be asked to speak on Christmas morning and was surprised at how difficult a Christmas sermon is to write. What I came up with is deeply influenced by the earthiness of my new home (pictured below), by the love of Winter Solstice that I received from my grandmother, and by the Quaker dedication to Light that informs my understanding of God. ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2019-10-08T14:52:37-07:00December 29th, 2016|Books, Embodiment, Holidays, Nature, Practice, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality|1 Comment

Our Favorite Scriptures

Hello friends, This is the first of two community queries that I'm posting. I love scripture and I have a ton of favorite sacred texts. Over the years, I've shared many of them with you. But I would like to turn the tables here. I want to hear about your favorite scripture. I want to learn from you. And I want you to learn from each other. Let's inspire each other. Let's spiritually nurture one another. Please take a moment to share your favorite scripture with everyone in the comments below. Thank you for being a part of this community! I'm so ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2016-04-21T16:06:23-07:00April 21st, 2016|Books, Creativity, Embodiment, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga|10 Comments

New Year Intentions (2016)

As you've heard me say before, I love the New Year! I love turning the page to a brand new fresh year, full of possibility. I did away with hard and fast resolutions that start with "I will not..." a long time ago. These days I'm much more interested in positive intentions for the New Year. I'm interested in projects and goals. In 2015 my intention was to connect with nature in a deeper way and so my goal became to sleep outside more. So I created my "camp every month" project. And I did it! You can see pictures ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2019-10-08T14:56:53-07:00January 26th, 2016|Books, Creativity, Embodiment, Holidays, Nature, Practice, Relationships, Scripture, Spirituality, Workshops, Yoga|0 Comments

May there be peace on earth | Free practice (2015)

During the holidays we often hear the phrase "Let there be peace on earth." This a beautiful sentiment, one that I pray for everyday. Unfortunately, it's not a reality for many people. When I think about this, I often become overwhelmed. I'm unsure how to respond to all the needs within my family, my town, my country, my world. We are exposed to so much poverty, suffering, and terror on a daily basis. My prayers for peace feel inadequate. But prayers are powerful. I've been actively praying for the past 10-years. My personal understanding---and my theology---of prayer has changed radically ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2019-10-08T15:20:26-07:00December 8th, 2015|Asana, Embodiment, Holidays, Meditation, Practice, Pranayama, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga|0 Comments

Reflections for the Autumn Equinox (2015)

The autumn season is officially upon us. Time to start wearing scarves and drinking more hot tea. The equinox is the time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator (referred to as the celestial equator), making night and day approximately equal in length all over the planet. Today we will have the same amount of light and dark. From this day of balance, we will begin to slowly move toward more darkness than light. I always enjoy the changing of the seasons. The change provides us with a moment to pause and reflect every few months. Please enjoy ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2019-10-08T15:05:47-07:00September 22nd, 2015|Art, Autumn, Cooking, Creativity, Embodiment, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Recipes, Relationships, Spirituality|0 Comments

The Five Great Elements (Pancha Mahabhutas)

I've been called a tree hugger many times, which is a name I happily accept (and an action I admit to doing more than once!). I love trees. I love water. I love stars. I love nature. Recently I've been reflecting on the fact that I am nature. I've been studying Ayurvedic medicine (as part of my training in yoga therapy) and have been reading a lot about the Five Great Elements, which could also be called the five great states of material existence. As part of my study I've been reading about the creation story of Samkhya philosophy. Samkhya ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2015-08-20T14:49:02-07:00August 19th, 2015|Art, Creativity, Embodiment, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Pranayama, Religion, Spirituality, Yoga|0 Comments

Pancha Maya Koshas

July, 2015 The study of yoga takes a lifetime (or lifetimes). I have spent several years in full-time study of this ancient art and science and yet I'm constantly struck by how much more there is to study and understand. I have far to go (we always do it seems), but I'm encouraged and motivated by the very real ways that this practice has been integrated into my life. Yoga is the lens through which I look. My study and practice have slowly shifted my understanding, attitude, and actions. Life is change. And through yoga I have been able to ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2019-02-01T20:58:46-08:00July 14th, 2015|Art, Asana, Books, Creativity, Embodiment, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Pranayama, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Training, Yoga|7 Comments

Internal Spring Cleaning – Prana, Apana, and Agni

A Practice for Internal Spring Cleaning: You've probably heard the term prana before. But have you heard of apana? Or udana? There are actually 5 pranas. They're called the vayus or the "forces of the air." They are: Prana vayu, which governs reception (eating, drinking, inhaling). Apana vayu, which governs elimination (going to the bathroom, giving birth, exhaling). Udana Vayu, which governs growth and transformation. Samana Vayu, which governs digestion (of anything... food, thoughts, etc.). Vyana Vayu, which governs circulation. Much could be said about the vayus, but for today, I want to focus on the forces of prana and ... (Continue Reading)

By Summer|2020-05-18T14:31:09-07:00May 7th, 2015|Asana, Embodiment, Meditation, Practice, Pranayama, Spirituality, Spring, Yoga|1 Comment