old patterns

Lightening Up

I’ve been experiencing negative self-talk lately (inside my head), and some of it is about my current weight. I’m about fifteen pounds overweight and have been for several months now. Just a couple of years ago, I was at what I consider my ideal weight for the first time in my adult life. I was […]

Not-So-Sweet Emotions

I have an ambivalent relationship with sugar. My family has a history of adult-onset diabetes, and I’ve wondered if that’s part of it. It happens to be a food that I’m sensitive to, and interestingly, it’s my emotions that seem most affected. Sometimes I feel like I’m addicted to sweets, and crave them as a […]

This Is a No-Yelling Zone

Being an empath has its good points and its downsides. I’m afraid of other people’s anger. It doesn’t much matter if it’s directed at me or not – if I’m in the same space as someone who is venting their anger, I get scared. My breath becomes shorter, my stomach tenses up, and I may […]

Why Worry?

It seems to be part of our human nature to worry. In my opinion, it’s largely a waste of time and energy. If we’re creating more of what we focus on, then why manifest these unpleasant thoughts in our experience? However, “don’t worry, be happy” is much easier said than done. This Samhain I decided […]

News Burnout

In the first yoga class of the term, our teacher mentioned that she’d like to keep politics out of the yoga studio. No discussion of the election in the room, or even in the lobby. Several people nodded, and someone said “thank you!” My first thought was “huh? Why would we be talking about that […]

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plant…No, it’s a Faerie!

I’ve felt unsettled this week. Sort of uncomfortable, emotionally and physically, without any real reason behind it. My chiropractor noticed I’ve got issues. “Lots of movement in the area of changing roles, huh?” “Yeah, just a bit…” I have 10 days of work left, and then I’m free! Free to unschool and write and garden […]

What to do with Strong Emotions

I’ve been feeling a lot of strong emotions lately, and trying to figure out what to do with them. Ideally, it’s best to feel the emotion fully in the moment, and let it flow through you, not becoming attached to it. Sometimes, though, I’m in a situation where it’s not appropriate to cry or show […]

Authentic Service

As I learn more about my fire and my will, and explore what it means to be fully myself, I’m finding an interesting balance between self and service to the community. In the past, I tended to err on the side of being a bit too focused on other people’s needs and desires, to the […]

Dancing with Change

I have an interesting relationship with change. For one thing, I do it a lot. I’m not the same person I was last week, let alone months or years ago. I feel that this is a good quality, as I like to think I’m learning and growing, and that changing my viewpoint or expanding my […]

A Good Omen

Last summer I went to a Reclaiming camp for the first time, Vermont Witch Camp (VWC) to be precise. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. My studies there allowed me to reach a deeper place of connection with Nature, and a more consistent experience of being in my entire body […]