Down below you are seemingly endless depths. First, your own body, below the first inch of which is too appalling to consider visually. Then dirt, filled with insects, mud, grime, and a fiery core. Below that? An inhospitable vacuum. That’s above you, too. There are depths that aren’t physical, as well. The astounding degree to…
books
Freeing a hell of a bird
A soul could be a bird. In “The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea” by Axie Oh, the main character’s soul is a magpie, and I feel like mine could be some avian variety as well. I can feel it now, in fact. Fluttering madly in my chest, the ribs like cage bars. Such is…
The Everything Bagel isn’t Everything: Dealing with life’s meh
I’ve been going through it lately. A bad “it.” “It” can be a lot of things to different people, but “it”‘s are everywhere. I’m tired of “it.” Figuring out how to cope with “it” all has been a top priority for me, when I could figure things out at all. In my better moments, I…
Reading “The Secret Garden” as a monopod
This Spring’s been a weird one for me. Mostly because I’ve been totally one-footed due to surgery. I can’t put any weight on my left foot. Life as a monopod is not awesome, in general, I must say. It’s painful and inconvenient in the extreme. But one good thing about this Spring is that my…
Don’t let Amy Poehler become a Horcrux: Buddhism and the Self
Is meditating like taking the red pill in “The Matrix”? Yes, in fact it is, at least according to author Robert Wright in “Why Buddhism is True” – a book whose simplistic title does not do justice to its geeky and frankly mind-blowing innards. Wright holds that the clarity of meditation/mental work is so earth-shattering…
The Little Prince in the Government Shutdown
What is essential? To you, to your family, to the world? Are you essential? During this government shut down, that’s a question very much on the minds of employees on furlough. Those who are “essential” must come in and work, those who are not cool their heels at home. Who knows when anyone will get…
Introspecting your way from Obscurus to Patronus
If you look closely behind me, you might see my Obscurus. In its most developed, most destructive form, an Obscurus looks wispy, nebulous, and black. You might find it scarring people and wreaking havoc in cities. Mine isn’t usually so obvious to others, but to me it is no less powerful. The Obscurus is most…
Anne of Green Gables Flow at Prince Edward Island
Recently we had the pleasure of visiting Prince Edward Island, home of the beloved Anne of Green Gables. Here is a yoga flow chronicling my own attempt to channel Anne and live some of her adventures.
Wings of Fire Yoga Flow
Am I, a mature adult and mother, embarrassed to admit that I am a big fan of a dragon book series aimed at middle schoolers? Heck no, I am not. In fact, kids’ books are often the most free to play with weird ideas and spin them out as far as they can go. I…
Inspiring Writers in Fandom
Heroes don’t just save the day by punching bad guys. In both real life and fantasy, heroes save the day ultimately through art, through putting together ideas in a way that connects us all, that builds bridges of all kinds. My favorite medium is writing – so here’s an ode to my favorite writers in…