with the light of day

I wrestled in the dark of night

With the light of day I quit the fight

 

There are just times when life is challenging. Sometimes the source is obvious – I can see it and others can as well. We can point to it and say – ah, yes, that is why you are feeling this way. At other times I can’t pinpoint the source of my malaise. It’s almost like all the cells in my body have conspired to set me straight – and I don’t even know how I’m off course. 🙂  Often a good night’s sleep will bring things back into balance. Sometimes it takes a good dose of sunshine, or friendship, or self-compassion.

 

* I took this photo on a fresh new day at sunrise on the beach at San Agustinillo, Mexico.

befriending

befriending

inside my head
the little voice
whispers worldly words
that I want to push away

resistance raises
her arms to fight
then I remember
to take a deep breath
to slowly walk up beside the voice
acknowledging her wisdom
grateful for her good intentions
and to stand calmly in her presence

from this accepting space
the world opens
and I feel free
to write a different story
that moves me
in the direction
that I truly want to go

 

Today’s post is a tribute to Teresa, who led restorative yoga classes at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for breast cancer survivors back in 2012. One day in our practice she invited us to befriend, rather than resist, our natural unpleasant thoughts…to try standing beside them versus pushing them away. I remember the sense of calm that came with her invitation and this fresh relationship.

This post is also dedicated to ‘Coach Christina’ who guided me for 6 months in early 2012 at a time when unwelcome thoughts were abundant following my mastectomy. With her guidance and incredible loving support, I was able to befriend and shift my thoughts in ways that brought welcome catharsis.

I am so grateful for the wise leaders who guide and inspire me.

 

* I took this photo in San Agustinillo, Mexico. These two little guys capture so nicely how I would like to be friends with those sometimes unhelpful voices in my mind. 🙂

Creating the World

Creating the World

Our meeting creates light,
nourishing our souls.
Reaching deep into our roots,
we find our personal truths.

Our conversations flow like water,
sharing the essence of who we are.
Encouraging each other in our growth,
we sustain each other.

Our curiosity anchors us.
Trusting the direction of our hearts,
exploring infinite possibilities,
we relish in the mystery.

Our energy is power.
Bringing our brilliance to life,
shaping our ideas,
we celebrate our discoveries

Kindred spirits on a journey,
we share a belief
that we can create the world
as we want it to be.

I wrote this poem about Blair and me. We’re neighbors and have been friends for somewhere on the other side of 10 years. We connected back then, just after I’d gone through Radical Leadership, and she’d completed training in law of attraction. There was something that pulled us together, and it was powerful. Still is.

During our decade of friendship, almost every month we’ve made time to share lunch together, usually at a little Thai restaurant in Iowa City. We’ve created amazing possibility at one of the little brown tables, always decorated with a single flower poised in a little vase, usually the table tucked in the corner. Our lunch dates are like a sanctuary to me. I feel safe to open to my fears. I feel held and supported. I feel opened and alive. I open to dreaming and creating my life as I want it to be. What a gift.

* I took this photo at Playa Fuentes along the northern coast of Cantabria, Spain.