tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74750706094485106452024-03-12T23:19:53.258-05:00Enjoy and LoveThat's enoughLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comBlogger719125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-78296302740427794672017-08-27T18:14:00.000-05:002017-12-10T08:56:01.720-06:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QMWukWIrCAk/Wi1KzBY3MHI/AAAAAAAABeQ/tAdfK4amzdcHa7VxFzFxw8gLoCKyUvDtwCLcBGAs/s1600/tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QMWukWIrCAk/Wi1KzBY3MHI/AAAAAAAABeQ/tAdfK4amzdcHa7VxFzFxw8gLoCKyUvDtwCLcBGAs/s400/tea.jpg" width="500" height="350" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br>
One of my favorite things to do is to slow down and not rush. <a href="https://highgardentea.com/">High Garden Tea</a> is a perfect place to do just that. And the tea I bought there allows me to do that at home, too, although I can't wait to get back soon!<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-16771517757394645792017-08-13T17:26:00.000-05:002017-08-13T17:26:25.542-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J2ur1BIfTuQ/WZDQQtQ8cLI/AAAAAAAABc8/FQzc9elvWZQzoE1R6f6KlznhMO_-8gdLACLcBGAs/s1600/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J2ur1BIfTuQ/WZDQQtQ8cLI/AAAAAAAABc8/FQzc9elvWZQzoE1R6f6KlznhMO_-8gdLACLcBGAs/s400/books.jpg" width="500" height="350" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br>
Is anyone surprised to hear that reading is one of the things that makes me the happiest? Books teach me, keep me company, entertain me, inspire me, calm me, allow me to travel through time and space... the list goes on and on. Heck, tangentially they even pay my mortgage!<br><br>I am deeply and eternally grateful to all the amazing writers throughout history who have performed this powerful magic!<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-31217499847956922132017-08-06T19:29:00.000-05:002017-08-13T17:27:05.144-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xOqZsFzfxIA/WWlZmNIfoXI/AAAAAAAABco/ldT1SFjt0ygtD42NlwGUD2bOqJbQbwyUgCLcBGAs/s1600/green%2Breach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xOqZsFzfxIA/WWlZmNIfoXI/AAAAAAAABco/ldT1SFjt0ygtD42NlwGUD2bOqJbQbwyUgCLcBGAs/s400/green%2Breach.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br>
<center><i>"I rest in the grace of the world, and am free." - <a href="https://onbeing.org/blog/wendell-berry-the-peace-of-wild-things/">Wendell Berry</a></i></center><br>
How the heck did this plant know a support was there? I love how nature reminds me that the world is a place of mystery, wonder, and awe. Seriously, does this not blow your mind?! And these miracles are around us every day...<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-66478962305798495392017-07-30T17:46:00.000-05:002017-07-30T17:46:04.756-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQsfdrn-NXk/WVwYGf-C-7I/AAAAAAAABcU/3rr8bU8a274CUFlmxUpKxakPr5ibgARzgCLcBGAs/s1600/Pauline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQsfdrn-NXk/WVwYGf-C-7I/AAAAAAAABcU/3rr8bU8a274CUFlmxUpKxakPr5ibgARzgCLcBGAs/s400/Pauline.jpg" width="500" height="306.25" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="490" /></a></div><br>
<center><i>“Take a walk at night. Walk so silently that the bottoms of your feet become ears.” - Pauline Oliveros</i><br><br></center>
Wow!! These instructions by the late composer and deep listener <a href="http://paulineoliveros.us/">Pauline Oliveros</a> open up such a space of longing in me! Ah, to slow down and listen so intimately... At <a href="http://bigearsfestival.com/">Big Ears</a> this spring, I had the incredible fortune to witness <a href="http://www.alvincurran.com/">Alvin Curran</a> reminiscing about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QHfOuRrJB8">his dear friend</a>. It's a memory and inspiration that brings nourishment to my soul.<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-64320366119145359352017-07-23T17:27:00.000-05:002017-07-23T17:27:00.890-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjdXy1v0S6I/WVwV4Bdc3LI/AAAAAAAABcI/86bGobLYROkqy3fAB2SaXqSseZSkix6_gCLcBGAs/s1600/marilyn%2Brusekas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjdXy1v0S6I/WVwV4Bdc3LI/AAAAAAAABcI/86bGobLYROkqy3fAB2SaXqSseZSkix6_gCLcBGAs/s400/marilyn%2Brusekas.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div><br>
Color, color, color!!! I've loved <a href="http://marilynruseckas.com/">Marilyn Rusekas'</a> gorgeous pastels since I saw them in Boston about 20 years ago. In searching for an image to show you I was delighted to see that I've already shared her work here. Yes, I still love her and even remember her name.<br><br>Thank you, Ms. Rusekas for two decades of inspiration and joy!<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-26934257750463664702017-07-16T17:19:00.000-05:002017-07-16T17:19:00.167-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dko3mx8jb0A/WVwTb6GQVmI/AAAAAAAABcE/vxPdrN5xgH8JtvlW4MbR4gFXgXlpJn9xwCLcBGAs/s1600/Katherine-Ace_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dko3mx8jb0A/WVwTb6GQVmI/AAAAAAAABcE/vxPdrN5xgH8JtvlW4MbR4gFXgXlpJn9xwCLcBGAs/s400/Katherine-Ace_5.jpg" width="500" height="400" data-original-width="1024" data-original-height="818" /></a></div><br>
I saw an exhibition of <a href="http://www.katherineace.com/?cid=311">Katherine Ace's</a> beautiful paintings based on Grimms' Fairy Tales at the Parthenon during the spring of 2016. The memory of wandering through it still makes me smile and fills me with that glorious sense of possibility. I was enchanted by her use of rich colors and the way she played with the tales' symbols. Doesn't this just pull you in? So I have to kick off this series of posts here of course: "Many and many a year ago, in a kingdom far over the sea..."<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-45453963647092254232017-07-09T17:10:00.000-05:002017-07-09T17:10:10.826-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r4X5LdCcDVc/WVwRM_k1wyI/AAAAAAAABcA/Bzr9VpmuvG8pkGPu8Lu1ORIaKCuIUFwtQCLcBGAs/s1600/pink%2Bstars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r4X5LdCcDVc/WVwRM_k1wyI/AAAAAAAABcA/Bzr9VpmuvG8pkGPu8Lu1ORIaKCuIUFwtQCLcBGAs/s400/pink%2Bstars.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br>
<center><i>"Happiness is a form of courage" - George Holbrook Jackson<br><br>
"We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world." <br>- Jack Gilbert</i><br><br></center>
Let's be courageous, stubborn, and happy! Over the next few weeks I'm going to post things that make me happy. I hope it will make you think about what <i><b>you</b></i> enjoy and love.<br><br>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-89113049496028310312017-07-04T17:04:00.000-05:002017-07-04T17:04:53.901-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yHYNidi1w9o/WVwPhiin35I/AAAAAAAABb8/_ju1QgDcy7sDyqI7GFOybEL_YGm3SLymQCLcBGAs/s1600/orange%2Bflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yHYNidi1w9o/WVwPhiin35I/AAAAAAAABb8/_ju1QgDcy7sDyqI7GFOybEL_YGm3SLymQCLcBGAs/s400/orange%2Bflowers.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br><br>
<center>Do not try to serve the whole world<br>
or do anything grandiose.<br><br>
Instead, create a clearing<br>
in the dense forest of your life<br>
and wait there patiently,<br>
until the song<br>
that is yours alone to sing<br>
falls into your open cupped hands<br>
and you recognize and greet it.<br><br>
Only then will you know<br>
how to give yourself<br>
to the world<br>
so worthy of rescue.<br><br>
-Martha Postlewaite<br><br></center>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-65972305988219911192017-06-11T17:18:00.000-05:002017-06-11T17:24:52.646-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wRycCzshSuQ/WT29lnoFlFI/AAAAAAAABbo/lBI2-KA9KEgqQ7MLXMHZ35apNTwK1-kmACLcB/s1600/rest%2Bflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wRycCzshSuQ/WT29lnoFlFI/AAAAAAAABbo/lBI2-KA9KEgqQ7MLXMHZ35apNTwK1-kmACLcB/s400/rest%2Bflowers.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br><br>
Some of you may remember that <a href="http://enjoyandlove.blogspot.com/2011/01/rest.html">I chose "rest" as my word for the year for 2011</a>. It's also my motto for most Sundays - a day of napping and soul nourishment. I love rest. And one of the best things to happen this week was learning about <a href="http://www.intentionalresting.com/about/">Dan Howard</a>, a man with a deep appreciation for rest. This feels like a big discovery for me and potentially a real game-changer. He makes a helpful distinction between telling oneself to relax and inviting oneself to rest. Relaxing still seems to be a doing. Resting is more innate. So, the relaxation project becomes a rest invitation. I can feel a change already and I invite you to join me by watching this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNLvaBX5w7A">introductory video</a> and then checking out <a href="http://www.intentionalresting.com/">Intentional Resting</a> for yourself.<br><br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-84840563533061263372017-06-04T18:15:00.002-05:002017-07-14T19:32:46.654-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K97Sk489psY/WTSQ8aNzrcI/AAAAAAAABbU/hmsnqIZhLU8-3LNs36wd1U6CQyXtSQZRgCLcB/s1600/white%2Bflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K97Sk489psY/WTSQ8aNzrcI/AAAAAAAABbU/hmsnqIZhLU8-3LNs36wd1U6CQyXtSQZRgCLcB/s400/white%2Bflowers.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br><br>
<center>"Over and over, researchers studying happiness have found that the situational elements people crave — money, social status, possessions — don’t reliably lead to an experience of well-being. By contrast, learning to find joy in the present moment (a.k.a. focusing on experiences you truly want in your life) increases life satisfaction, improves health, and allows us to live longer, more fulfilling lives."<br> - <a href="http://marthabeck.com/2014/12/how-to-set-powerful-goals/">Martha Beck</a></center><br>
I've been enjoying playing around with Martha Beck's good magic that she describes <a href="http://marthabeck.com/2014/12/how-to-set-powerful-goals/">here</a> in more detail. Thinking of how I feel when I'm most myself — relaxed, content, and playful — and tapping into those feelings more and more often throughout my regular life, makes everything feel richer and more vibrant. <a href="https://elenabrower.com/">Elena Brower</a> describes this as my "<a href="https://elenabrower.com/the-frequency-of-home/">home frequency</a>" in her wonderful Sounds True audio, <i><a href="http://www.soundstrue.com/store/the-return-home-1.html">The Return Home</a></i>, which provides practical ways to connect to it. So grateful for all the wisdom and support available to us on our journeys!<br><br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-54633996078248904102017-05-28T18:54:00.000-05:002017-05-28T18:55:25.040-05:00<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UiRQ4m32HjA/WStg1YmUftI/AAAAAAAABbA/tD7b0lwQsnQv89LD_1XAxo_UePVS0jrSACLcB/s1600/love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UiRQ4m32HjA/WStg1YmUftI/AAAAAAAABbA/tD7b0lwQsnQv89LD_1XAxo_UePVS0jrSACLcB/s400/love.jpg" width="500" height="375" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></div><br>
<center><b>Love is the combination of self-love and compassion for others. -Emma Seppala</b></center><br>
I listened to a <a href="https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/metta-hour-podcast-episode-53-real-love-series-emma-seppala/">wonderful podcast</a> with two of my favorite people this morning and immediately knew what the topic of my post today would be! I wholeheartedly encourage you to take some time to enjoy this <a href="https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/metta-hour-podcast-episode-53-real-love-series-emma-seppala/">inspiring conversation</a> with <a href="https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/">Sharon Salzberg</a> and <a href="http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/author/Emma_Seppala">Emma Seppala</a>, in which they discuss the importance of combining service with self-care. Big stuff, friends.<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-79942709187608141382017-05-21T17:21:00.000-05:002017-05-21T17:21:26.138-05:00<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s_hozrrZae4/WSIO0lwguAI/AAAAAAAABas/fdSJtNOO70oSB9hpDhD00Okh5TAmAAC9ACLcB/s1600/petunias.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s_hozrrZae4/WSIO0lwguAI/AAAAAAAABas/fdSJtNOO70oSB9hpDhD00Okh5TAmAAC9ACLcB/s400/petunias.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></div><br><br>
How is your relaxation challenge going? I'm taking some slow turtle steps on my journey there. One thing I've been thinking about is how important self-care is in this process. And when I think of self-care, I think of wonderful <a href="http://www.cherylrichardson.com/">Cheryl Richardson</a> and her excellent book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Extreme-Self-Care-Transform-Month/dp/1401918298/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495404715&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+extreme+self+care">The Art of Extreme Self-Care</a></i>. I was browsing through it today and a couple of passages struck me that I thought I'd post here so I can come back to them and you might enjoy them, too. Hope so!<br><br>
<i>One of the harsh realities about practicing Extreme Self-Care is that you must learn to manage the anxiety that arises when other people are disappointed, angry, or hurt. And they will be. When you decide to break your patterns of self-sacrifice and deprivation, you'll need to start saying no, setting limits, and putting boundaries in place to protect your time, energy, and emotional needs. This poses a difficult challenge for any sensitive, caring person. Why? Because you will, for instance, disappoint a friend when you decide not to babysit her kids. Or you'll probably hurt your son's feelings when you tell him that he has to walk to his friend's house instead of always being chauffeured. Or you might anger your partner when you ask him to wash his own clothes. Because you'll be changing the rules of the game, certain individuals won't like it. But remember, if you want to live a meaningful life that also makes a difference in the lives of others, you need to make a difference in your own life first. That way your motivation is pure and without regret.<br><br>
...[I]f you're going to disappoint people the right way, the idea is to tell the truth with respect and care, not manage their emotions. While you can't control how someone feels or how they react, you <b>can</b> control how <b>you</b> feel and how you choose to make your point. Don't measure your success by the response you receive. Measure it by how you feel once your anxiety disappears. Do you know in your heart that you made the right decision? Do you feel relieved? Are you pleased with the way you handled saying no? Are you glad you did it? If the answers to these questions are yes, then you've done the right thing for everyone involved.<br><br></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-8931779226415186282017-05-14T18:28:00.000-05:002017-05-14T18:28:21.540-05:00<br><br>
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Here's something I read in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Get-Your-Mind-Into-Life/dp/1572244259">Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life</a></i> this week that I want to learn to live:<br><br>
<i>In our context, the words willingness and acceptance mean to respond actively to your feelings by feeling them, literally, much as you might reach out and literally feel the texture of a cashmere sweater. They mean to respond actively to your thoughts by thinking them, much as you might read poetry just to get the flow of the words, or an actor might rehearse lines to get a feel for the playwright's intent.<br><br>
To be willing and accepting means to respond actively to memories by remembering them, much as you might take a friend to see a movie you've already seen. They mean to respond actively to bodily sensations by sensing them, much as you might take an all-over stretch in the morning just to feel your body all over. Willingness and acceptance mean adopting a gentle, loving posture toward yourself, your history, and your programming so that it becomes more likely for you simply to be aware of your own experience, much as you would hold a fragile object in your hand and contemplate it closely and dispassionately...<br><br>
...In essence, instead of trying to feel <b>better</b>, willingness involves learning how to <b>feel</b> better.<br><br><br></i>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-14504045434364372642017-05-07T19:11:00.000-05:002017-05-07T19:11:22.029-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5tWFv05wMM/WQ-0hFGeZtI/AAAAAAAABaI/n0LpkvsvQX8D4XgjL2ymq6fUlYVVOiVLgCLcB/s1600/purple%2Bflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5tWFv05wMM/WQ-0hFGeZtI/AAAAAAAABaI/n0LpkvsvQX8D4XgjL2ymq6fUlYVVOiVLgCLcB/s400/purple%2Bflowers.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></div><br><br>
So I have totally fallen down the amazing rabbit hole that is all things Martha Beck. And part of this is taking a writing workshop with her called <a href="http://marthabeck.com/write-into-light/">Write Into Light</a>, which is actually what prompted my dusting off Enjoy and Love. We just wrapped up the first of three sessions and in the last class Liz Gilbert blew us away with her insights into the creative life and life in general. This part especially has been keeping me company since:<br><br>
<i>And that actually, if you really ponder how much your worrying has helped so far, and how much it’s made you a better mother, and how much your worrying has helped your children, and how much your worrying has helped your community, and how much your worrying is helping the world. I think if you’re very honest and you get very quiet, you’ll discover that the answer is not at all. Not one bit. In fact, the opposite. It has harmed you and everything, everything it touches. To me, the most radical thing -- I mean a revolutionary thing would be to see a relaxed woman walking around.</i><br><br>
Synchronistically two lovely little pocket-sized books have crossed my desk at the library in the past week: <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Relax-Mindfulness-Essentials-Thich-Nhat/dp/1941529089/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494201946&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+relax+thich+nhat+hanh">How to Relax</a></i> by Thich Nhat Hanh and <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Change-Entire-Doing-Absolutely-Nothing/dp/0743244729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494202012&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+change+your+entire+life+by+doing">How to Change Your Entire Life by Doing Absolutely Nothing: 10 Do-Nothing Relaxation Exercises to Calm You Down Quickly So You Can Speed Forward Faster</a></i> by Karen Salmansohn - fun!! I'll let you know how it goes being a radical, revolutionary, relaxed woman. Perhaps you'd care to join me?<br><br>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-18322565988301825192017-04-30T17:41:00.000-05:002017-05-28T18:59:11.539-05:00<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ftFQLLfzZx4/WQZlKfOFV_I/AAAAAAAABZ0/ekT5lr_-vaox3fiREVBjmlNbj43QjyGtwCLcB/s1600/trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ftFQLLfzZx4/WQZlKfOFV_I/AAAAAAAABZ0/ekT5lr_-vaox3fiREVBjmlNbj43QjyGtwCLcB/s640/trees.jpg" width="500" height="311" /></a></div><br>
Today I had the great good fortune to hear <a href="https://dghaskell.com/">David George Haskell</a> read from and speak about his newest book, <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/317034/the-songs-of-trees-by-david-george-haskell/9780525427520/"><i>The Songs of Trees</i></a>. You may know that <a href="http://enjoyandlove.blogspot.com/2011/03/enjoy-and-love-adventure-day-seven.html">I feel a deep connection with trees</a>, so of course as soon as I learned about this book I knew I had to attend the talk, held at our wonderful local independent bookstore, <a href="http://www.parnassusbooks.net/">Parnassus Books</a>. <br><br><i>The Songs of Trees</i> tells the stories of twelve trees from around the world, including one from Tennessee (he teaches at the University of the South, so not completely surprising). His first book, <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/309637/the-forest-unseen-by-david-george-haskell/9780143122944"><i>The Forest Unseen</i></a>, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, is a meditation on a square meter of old-growth Tennessee forest, which he compared to a Tibetan sand mandala in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6bD9HAy8QI">fascinating talk at the National Academy of Sciences</a>. All great stuff that you might enjoy, too! <br><br>What I'm really loving about Professor Haskell's writing is how poetic it is and how it makes science accessible and interesting for the layperson. So far <i>The Songs of Trees</i> reminds me a lot of Mary Oliver's nature essays in <i><a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318638/upstream-by-mary-oliver/9781594206702/">Upstream</a></i> - high praise indeed coming from me!<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-38660632071611185652017-04-23T16:07:00.000-05:002017-04-23T16:19:04.158-05:00<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmMfi_WuMiI/WP0XOKqDGtI/AAAAAAAABZY/bvzw2qN8IFIwlya9wMJ_Qlfbx0MWQ4QqACLcB/s1600/fool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmMfi_WuMiI/WP0XOKqDGtI/AAAAAAAABZY/bvzw2qN8IFIwlya9wMJ_Qlfbx0MWQ4QqACLcB/s400/fool.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></div><br>
<center>Are you the fool now?<br><br>
Sometimes we need to be wrong<br><br>
so that we can dance.<br><br><br></center>
<center>(The beautiful Fool card is from an old friend, the <a href="https://www.usgamesinc.com/Aquarian-tarot-deck/">Aquarian Tarot Deck</a>, illustrated by <a href="http://www.davidpalladini.com/">David Palladini</a>.)</center><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-38688443090602710082017-04-16T16:21:00.000-05:002017-04-16T16:21:26.345-05:00<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uSYpAvVYVJ0/WPPeoauJAAI/AAAAAAAABZI/5Lhu3M9qHnUtOeL0vikGSZcscQ86yaZTQCLcB/s1600/listening%2Bdad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uSYpAvVYVJ0/WPPeoauJAAI/AAAAAAAABZI/5Lhu3M9qHnUtOeL0vikGSZcscQ86yaZTQCLcB/s400/listening%2Bdad.jpg" width="400" height="391" /></a></div><br>
For almost as long as I can remember, I've been scared to death of death. I went through a phase as a insomniac pre-teen where I would lie awake all night, imagining the void. The idea of having no consciousness for the rest of eternity absolutely terrified me. And hand-in-hand with this fear was the sense that I couldn't survive the eventual death of my beloved father. How would I exist in a world he wasn't in? These fears haunted me.<br><br>
But the truth I've discovered is that even though my dear dad passed away in 2015, I don't live in a world without him. He lives every day in my heart and I often imagine that I can feel his funny, loving presence around me. In fact, I feel like we now have the relationship I always longed for with him. And so my greatest fear has become my most precious gift. I find I no longer fear death. It has made me re-evaluate a lot. I wonder what other great gifts await me. What great gifts await you in this beautiful alchemy of life?<br><br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-59894225953041951142017-04-08T18:49:00.000-05:002017-04-08T18:50:14.988-05:00<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmsjShF9Dpc/WOl1oCS1GhI/AAAAAAAABYs/7JHonVuTzw4yK0Aw3yczVegR5t_nh69_QCLcB/s1600/dark%2Bflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmsjShF9Dpc/WOl1oCS1GhI/AAAAAAAABYs/7JHonVuTzw4yK0Aw3yczVegR5t_nh69_QCLcB/s640/dark%2Bflower.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></div><br>
<center>We all need places -<br><br>
hidden and mysterious -<br><br>
for our dreams to grow.<br><br><br></center>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-80403276631917481812017-03-30T18:31:00.001-05:002017-03-30T18:46:47.663-05:00<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gU3nm_Gh5BI/WN2Yid1Vs6I/AAAAAAAABYE/hrmNviTXGQUBUDQWmf8oU6W76b_Nt_cVwCLcB/s1600/march%2Bgarden%2Bbigger%2Bjpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gU3nm_Gh5BI/WN2Yid1Vs6I/AAAAAAAABYE/hrmNviTXGQUBUDQWmf8oU6W76b_Nt_cVwCLcB/s400/march%2Bgarden%2Bbigger%2Bjpeg.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></div>
<br><br><center>Go deep to go wild.</center><br>
<center>Darkness in the mountain lake</center><br>
<center>is most familiar.</center><br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MzTMC5sY5Zw/WN2XiI585EI/AAAAAAAABX8/hoAl2BsJXEwrlvavyB9TUawN8__l-hONQCLcB/s1600/march%2Bflowers%2Bbigger%2Bjpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MzTMC5sY5Zw/WN2XiI585EI/AAAAAAAABX8/hoAl2BsJXEwrlvavyB9TUawN8__l-hONQCLcB/s640/march%2Bflowers%2Bbigger%2Bjpeg.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></div>
<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-42390880009026491012015-03-24T19:12:00.000-05:002015-03-24T19:12:31.370-05:00spring love adventure<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/16299160364" title="hyacinth love by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7627/16299160364_7f3cba8ed3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="hyacinth love"></a></center><br><br>
I ran across this quotation twice today and I thought to myself, "I need to remember this!" I wondered where to put it and then I remembered I had a blog! Hope anyone stopping by enjoys it as well. It resonates so deeply for me right now. Just love, love, love...<br><br>
<i>Your life will have a kind of perfection, although you will not be saints. The perfection will consist in this: you will be very weak and you will make many mistakes; you will be awkward, for you will be poor in spirit and hunger and thirst for justice. You will not be perfect, but you will love. This is the gate and the way. Whatever you desire for yourself, wish the same for others. If you expect something from people, give the same to them.
There is nothing greater than love. There is nothing more holy than love. There is nothing more true than love, nothing more real. So let us hand our lives over to love and seal the bond of love.</i><br><br>
-Eberhard Arnold<br><br>
Amen!<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-25035686282156871442015-01-31T17:36:00.000-06:002015-01-31T17:36:12.710-06:00contentment adventure<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/16338251666" title="morning snow by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/16338251666_c098219b80.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="morning snow"></a></center><br><br>
This was the view out our back windows last weekend. So fun to wake to a magical fairyland and still have the roads be clear so I can get to the farmers' market. It's quiet over here these days. Well, on the weekends. During the week is a whole other story, but these days I really do love it all. I love the non-stop activity of my work and the way it pulls from all my different strengths and interests and sometimes pushes me right to my edge. And I love the weekends and the deep rest I plunge into with naps, reading, movies, and more naps. I read this passage yesterday in Meghan Daum's beautiful book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unspeakable-Other-Subjects-Discussion/dp/0374280444/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422746180&sr=8-1&keywords=unspeakable+meghan+daum&pebp=1422746191247&peasin=374280444">The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion</a></i>, and it rang so true to how I feel about my life these days. I feel so blessed.<br><br>
"My goal in life is to be content. By that I don't mean 'fine' or 'basically satisfied.' I don't mean settling. I mean, for back of better terms, feeling like I'm in the right life. Contentment, for me, would mean living in a place where I felt like part of a community, doing work that feels reasonably meaningful, surrounding myself with people I enjoy, respect, and in some cases love."<br><br>
Yep, all that.<br><br>
And here are a couple of other things I'm loving these days:<br><br>
Jim Jarmusch's gorgeous <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycOKvWrwYFo">Only Lovers Left Alive</a></i>. Crazy title, crazy cover, crazy Vampire Movie premise, but, man, this is my new favorite thing. I can't recommend it enough!<br><br>
Also loving Tosha Silver's awesome class supporting her <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outrageous-Openness-Letting-Divine-Take-ebook/dp/B00J0YT4W2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422746842&sr=1-1&keywords=outrageous+openness&pebp=1422746851879&peasin=B00J0YT4W2">Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead</a></i> book on <a href="http://simonsays.com/Authors/Tosha-Silver">Simon Says</a>. Really brings the material to life. Such a different way to live - it feels completely liberating!<br><br>
I hope you're all doing well! Every day is getting longer up here in the Northern Hemisphere. That feels good, too...<br><br> Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-7660693025123478352015-01-01T12:08:00.000-06:002015-01-31T17:43:06.629-06:00peace adventure<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15980039719" title="red leaf by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7499/15980039719_7e346a7f74.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="red leaf"></a></center><br>
Wow! I just went back and read my post from January 1, 2014. That was a hard time and I'm sort of impressed by my moxy that I chose the word ENJOYING. Huh. Quite a word to choose when you're shaken by so much death around you, some I mentioned in my post and some way too hard and scary and huge to bring up there. And with Saturn in Scorpio, on an astrological level it was also not looking like it was going to be the easiest year. But ever the optimist, I chose ENJOYING. I can't say that word sums up the year completely, but there are certainly things I enjoyed. I loved getting time with family, even under really hard circumstances. I look forward to more visits in 2015, hopefully under more carefree conditions. I definitely have enjoyed seeing Rodg feeling better and making amazing music. I've really enjoyed being super lazy after quitting school and rediscovering the pleasures of reading fiction and napping, often as a combined activity for vast swaths of time. I've enjoyed slowing down and developing a healthy respect for rest. I've enjoyed some developments at work that allow me to follow my heart's calling in a more direct way. OK, maybe it wasn't such a bad word, but I am not choosing it again for 2015. This year I'm choosing PEACE.<br><br>
This word has followed me around for years. Decades ago I was obsessed with an amazing woman named <a href="http://www.peacepilgrim.com/">Peace Pilgrim</a>. Almost a decade ago I received Peace Dancer as my Buddhist name. And as a surprising development, I've discovered recently that I can slow my whole nervous system down if I say "peace" to myself while I breathe out. This is like magic to me, since I've been tormented by a speedy nervous system for several years, if not my whole life. It feels like shorthand for "Peace be with you." I'm not trying to change anything. Not trying to take my inner crazy and make it peace. What I really feel I'm doing is seeing it all and surrendering to it in a deep way, bowing to it and saying, as we did in my favorite part of church services, "Peace be with you." I may not understand it. I may not like it. But I'm done wasting my energy trying to figure it out or make it different. I'm done with the fight.<br><br>
So, too, may peace be with you all in 2015. May peace be in your own deep hearts and as a result in the crazy, mixed up, beautiful, broken world we're all lucky enough to be in. Peace.<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-12974109962878988272014-12-13T11:43:00.000-06:002014-12-13T11:43:52.395-06:00expression adventure<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15826572249" title="rodg and stan by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8606/15826572249_4b969c3788.jpg" width="500" height="252" alt="rodg and stan"></a></center><br>
By far the most fun event of the week was attending <a href="http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Cultural-Arts/Theater/Centennial-Black-Box-Theater.aspx">Free Form Friday</a> in a new performance space in Centennial Park, hosted by Metro Parks Nashville and Arts in the Park. I love seeing Metro do creative, cool stuff showcasing the amazing expression of Nashvillians, in this case the Voight-Kampff Duo and work by our good friend, Stan Link! Having just opened <a href="http://www.library.nashville.org/artgallery/art_home.asp">two shows</a> of local artwork at the library, I was delighted to shift to the creative world of music (plus there was a great visual component provided by Dig Deep Light Show). Rodg and Stan played one of Stan's pieces based on a bagatelle by Beethoven that they performed together last year and it was fun to hear it in another venue. Such a treat to be nourished by so much creativity!<br><br>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-35978192393369652892014-11-29T15:31:00.000-06:002014-11-29T15:31:27.973-06:00full adventure<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15906019521" title="look up by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7523/15906019521_98c4759a55.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="look up"></a></center><br>
What to say? So much has happened since we last spoke. So. Much. Some of it was hard. Some of it was simple. Underneath all of it was love. And now I feel like I've hit a patch of smooth river after crashing down the rapids. Here are some things I've seen and enjoyed in these past few weeks of this glorious life. And have I mentioned how grateful I am for you? Because I am.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15721953299" title="golden leaves by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7544/15721953299_b765d6c037.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="golden leaves"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15288350993" title="fall rabbit woman by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8633/15288350993_395eec95ab.jpg" width="500" height="321" alt="fall rabbit woman"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15288349093" title="look down by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7555/15288349093_dc2efacdb4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="look down"></a></center><br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15285745054" title="fall crocus by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8596/15285745054_66d03aaa9d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="fall crocus"></a></center><br>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SKKNpgylQPE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/29O_RqcKdqM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7ghwGOuuNy0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br>
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LB1eeHhqDZY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475070609448510645.post-64015642071033583782014-10-26T18:12:00.000-05:002014-10-26T18:12:28.220-05:00overwhelm adventure<br><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/37442733@N07/15451026870" title="fall flowers by Liz Coleman, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3951/15451026870_145672ee4b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="fall flowers"></a></center><br>
I know, not a new theme. And this time I can't even blame it on school because I dropped out last month, thank goodness! If I'm feeling overwhelmed between work and life then I can't even imagine school being in the mix.<br><br>
Here are some things that have been helping:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.waynemuller.com/cool_stuff/wayne_on_wednesdays">These words of wisdom from Wayne Muller</a> - love that man! He is so the voice of reason, now how to integrate it...<br><br>
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Open-Difficult-Times-Help/dp/0375759913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414364781&sr=8-1&keywords=broken+open+by+elizabeth+lesser">Broken Open</a></i> by Elizabeth Lesser<br><br>
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Way-Is-Mary-OMalley/dp/0972084886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414364811&sr=8-1&keywords=what%27s+in+the+way+is+the+way">What's In the Way Is the Way</a></i> by Mary O'Malley<br><br>
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Happiness-Learned-Bhutan/dp/1401945090/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414364844&sr=8-1&keywords=linda+leaming">A Field Guide to Happiness</a></i> by Linda Leaming<br><br>
If it feels like I've disappeared, I apologize. I'm having to concentrate on keeping the home fires burning these days, but this can't last forever, can it?<br><br>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01521424959799675536noreply@blogger.com