Summer in the desert
There was no slow down this spring, only an acceleration and a beckoning to keep up. Although winter has the reputation of being the time to relax and recharge during the darker days, I have long found summer in the desert to offer more time for being. I find that with longer days, there is more time to linger in the moment, to take our time and not race. The heat in our climate also naturally slows me down, I want to rest more and sometimes even hide from the sun.
There is a spaciousness in each summer day, with more hours of natural light, but the desert asks me to discern which outdoor activity I will dedicate the precious cooler morning hours to?
Today, it was massaging the horses. The flies were diligent in their buzzing and landing, but I wasn’t annoyed. I felt patient, and patience is the space where I softly expand my skills and experience so that I can be of greater service. Patience with the horses. Patience with the kids. Patience with my partner. Patience with myself.
This isn’t the patience that holds the energy of waiting. This is the patience that is plump with presence. I knew I wasn’t going to erase the flies from our experience so I chose not to give my attention to frustration or another emotion resonant with being annoyed by the flies. Instead, I brought my attention over and over to being with the horse in this moment and offering uplifted emotions of love and appreciation.
I believe it is the little things we do most of the time that shape the story of our lives, the things that we practice over and over again.
I am so grateful to have conversations with individuals about their practices because I’m pretty much blown away every time by someone’s story. This is also why I love reading memoirs. I am fascinated by life stories. There is something about each story that is both incredibly unique and also, relatable and inspiring. Here is a summary of a few conversations (episode links below) that are standing out to me at this moment:
Sarah Cook just published a book based on a project she did this past year where she wrote about wholeness for 40 days. The inspiration for the project wasn’t to publish a book, but the writing and offering was so beautiful that one of her clients said she would really like a personal copy in print form. This reflection sparked the inspiration for Sarah to publish a beautiful book titled, 40 Days of The Art of Wholeness. Sarah was on the podcast this past winter and we had a lovely conversation about heart coherence.
Listen: The Practice of Heart Coherence with Sarah Cook
Purchase Sarah’s book: 40 Days of The Art of Wholeness
Cheyenne Gawreluk is using her gifts to improve the lives of horses by caring for their teeth. We had such a fun conversation! Cheyenne is a retired rodeo queen that grew up ski racing. There is a depth to what she shares that I think will be felt whether you have interest in horses and skiing, or not.
Listen: Riding is the Spiritual Connector for Cheyenne Gawreluk
I recently took a Pilates class with Pamela Pack. In class, she shared a little about the “why” of her personal Pilates practice. I was reminded about our conversation on the podcast and how inspirational it was that she transmuted deep disappointment into becoming a top professional in her adventure sport of off-width climbing.
I’m headed to the Telluride Yoga Festival next weekend to experience an infusion of inspiration for my yoga and meditation practices. This has become an annual event for me and one that fills my soul.
There are so many great teachers in the line-up this year! I’m particularly looking forward to practicing with Elena Brower and Karl Straub. If you live in the region, they also sell day passes and if you would like to buy a last minute ticket, here is a code for 10% off: TYFLOVEMoabYoga10
Last, I’ve been thinking about creativity and how we don’t need to be good at something for it to bring us great joy or satisfaction. I’m currently experiencing this with watercolors. It is amazing how much peace and connection I feel from just five to twenty minutes a day. What would you do, or do you do, that you give yourself permission not to be good at? What if we did this with everything? This is the essence of practice, and play.
With Love,
Angela
Watercolor Play