The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Shambhala Mountain Center

1. Even though I haven’t been publishing as much of it here, I’ve been writing a lot. Last weekend I was at a writing and meditation retreat led by Susan Piver, and while I was there, I wrote and edited 12,000 words, (I was working on my book, which you may have heard me mention here before). I have so much to say, so much to tell you, kind and gentle reader, but right now so much of it is landing in that other container.

2. I understand now that as I writer, I need to live everything twice. I haven’t fully processed anything, don’t truly understand, and most certainly can’t let it go until I’ve written about it. Because of this, there are some very painful things I’ve lived in the past seven years that I’m not done with yet.

3. The theme for me recently seems to be “letting go.” I was reminded of it this morning as I went through my email. There was a message from Sherry at Simply Celebrate, a new blog post she’d written, {Permission Slip} Let it go!, in which she says, “I hereby grant you permission to stop doing things — especially things you really don’t want to do or are too tired to do — and allow yourself to simply enjoy the people you love.” And then a post from my friend Kat, who shares about making a brave transition in her writing life, It’s Time to Go. She was prompted by a painful experience, but is using it as motivation to take her power back. And a Daily Truth email from Brave Girls Club which reminds that it’s not only okay to let go, but necessary.

One wish: That we let go of whatever no longer serves us, that we process and understand that which we still carry with us and finally are able to let it go too, that we sink into a season of quiet and rest (even if just for a few days) in which we allow ourselves to enjoy those we love, and may we remember to include ourselves in that love.

Lory State Park, image by Eric

1. I am completely exhausted. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Do you ever feel like that, kind and gentle reader? So tired that it seems like it would take days and days and days of doing nothing but sleeping to recover?

2. Recovery is exactly what I need. I realized really quickly at the beginning of December that all the things I’d planned to do, to offer and to be, just weren’t going to happen. I was disappointed, but I had to let go, had to lower the bar, and had to be okay with that — and I am, mostly.

3. I’m calling my power back to me. All the ways I am extended and open, giving and doing, all the places where I am reaching out, I am pulling that all back in. Most importantly, I’m letting go of worrying what anyone might think about me doing less.

One wish: That we can settle in to the quiet of this season, sink into the truth of what we really need — love, stillness, nourishment, and rest.