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GridBlog Invitation

So I don’t know if any of you have this problem, but in my daily life I often have conversations in my imagination and then forget whether I said things out loud. My poor husband always looks a little worried about me when I start a sentence with “I am not sure if I actually said this to you or just imagined I did, but. . .” So the same thing happened with this wonderful GridBlog idea. I read about it at Kristin’s blog a week or so ago who heard about it from Bob at The Corner (click on this link

October 31, 2006

Loving everything that increases me. . .

I’ll take all the time I please this afternoon before leaving my place alongside this river. It pleases me, loving rivers. Loving them all the way back to their source. Loving everything that increases me. -Raymond Carver from a poem titled “Where Water Comes Together With Other Water” in a book by the same name. A student included this poem in her last reflection paper and it was one of those wonderful unbidden gifts of the day. I am in love again (how easily I fall in love with poetry!) I want to love “everything that increases me.” I want to love the

October 30, 2006

Moments in Time

I mentioned before borrowing some of Michael Meade’s CD’s from the library and listening to them while driving on my retreat. He has such a wonderful way of weaving in poetry and storytelling with his own insights about the mythical and imaginative life. In his CD titled The Great Dance: Finding One’s Way in Troubled Times, he quotes the poet Blake as saying “there is a moment of eternity waiting for you every day.” Meade sats the word “moment” comes from the Latin root momentus, which means to move. We are moved when we touch the eternal and timeless. There is a sense

October 29, 2006

A Quiet Sabbath Feast

It is just my husband and I to share our Sabbath meal tonight. I have been very tired the last few days because of some hormonal stuff, so I got the ingredients for two of my favorite, easiest, and most comforting dishes with the recipes below. The chicken is so simple and satisfying. It is adapted from The Taste of the Season: Inspired Recipes for Fall and Winter by Diane Worthington (I love her cookbooks and have several). She has you make a sauce at the end which I tried once but it didn’t work right and I discovered the chicken is

October 28, 2006

I want to free what waits within me. . .

I found this poem by Rilke today and I am in love, utterly and completely in love with his images. This is what I was saying in my earlier post on Living Intuitively, Unfolding Organically but with far fewer and more beautiful words. . . I believe in all that has never yet been spoken. I want to free what waits within me so that what no one has dared to wish for may for once spring clear without my contriving. If this is arrogant, God, forgive me, but this is what I need to say. May what I do flow from

October 27, 2006

November Gathering: Standing at Mount Sinai

Join us for our next Monthly Gathering on Friday, November 10th! We will explore the Holy moments of encountering the Divine at Mount Sinai using bibliodrama, a spontaneous role playing method for exploring sacred texts. Participants will be guided throughout the easy process. Sacred stories have profound energy and meaning. When you take a step inside them and speak from the spontaneity of your Soul, new understanding as well as deep personal relevance can emerge. All are invited to participate; and it is okay to come observe. Facilitator: Cynthia Gayle, MC, LMHC, CP is a psychotherapist, and a psychodramatist, with a specialty in bibliodrama, the exploration of

October 27, 2006

Exploring New Things

I realize that in my post earlier about all of the things that comprised my retreat I forgot to mention the art class I took at the end which was wonderful. The teacher showed us many ways of combining text and art and I was so inspired by her wonderful work. She likes to work small so she can do several pieces at a time. Below are some of my very beginning attempts at using embossing, graphite powder, crushed pastels, and colored pencils. The scanner doesn’t reproduce the color and texture very well and also cuts off the lovely white border created by

October 25, 2006

Signs and Wonders

As I shared before I left, this retreat was a time of remembrance for me and honoring of my grief and loss. Last Thursday was the third anniversary of my mother’s death and two months since we lost our beloved dog Duke. I drive out to the Hood River Valley in the morning, listening for how the day needs to unfold. I stop at Rasmussen Farm and pick out some vanilla pear jam, sugar dumpling squashes, and chestnuts to roast. I take in the beauty of brilliant purple cabbages. I visit the Pheasant Valley Winery because I read about their

October 23, 2006

Returning

I returned yesterday from my time of retreat and remembering. The Columbia River Gorge is stunning this time of year, I spent most of my time simply in awe of the beauty there, receiving the gifts. I have lots bubbling and stirring in me. Returning from retreat is always a hard transition time, especially since it is the middle of the quarter and I have quite a large pile of work waiting for me. There were so many gifts and I will be integrating them for a while. I will weave the threads of this small journey into the fabric of my life. While in

October 23, 2006

The Slender Thread

I am heading off for a few days of retreat this week. The idea began with an art class I wanted to take down in Portland over the weekend, knowing it meant I could also have a chance to see an old and dear friend from my doctoral program who teaches down there now. Then I realized after teaching my class Tuesday morning, there were only a couple of appointments I was able to reschedule to give myself a little window of retreat mid-quarter. I am longing to be out in the autumn splendor and have never been to the Columbia River

October 17, 2006

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GridBlog Invitation

Loving everything that increases me. . .

Moments in Time

A Quiet Sabbath Feast

I want to free what waits within me. . .

November Gathering: Standing at Mount Sinai

Exploring New Things

Signs and Wonders

Returning

The Slender Thread

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