Today's pace of life and availability of options is all greater than one woman can take in and take on. I mean, this notion may seems crystal clear to others but for me, especially when living in the Bay Area, the limitless possibilities can get spinning before me like dozens of juggling balls I never intended to set into motion. I don't want to be a circus clown! So the paradoxical trick is to slow down, take on less, live a simple life as my friend Jennie suggested the other day.

Knowledge, creativity, healing, health, fun, work, organization, friends, beauty, revolution... these all are a constant hum in my existence. They are constructs of my mind, aspects I have chose to engage with, and also concrete realities of being alive (only in once sense... with another perspective we can see that this matter is mostly empty space and minute particles zooming around at cosmic speeds, motivated by an unseen force). But for the sake of straight-forward, grounded discussion, it's sometimes good to just look at things as solid.

So this buzz of activity is swimming within and without me and is also very still. I have the power to either animate certain objects and patterns or else to let them be.

There is no way to explain fully the benefits received from having a daily spiritual practice. They must be experienced to appreciate them even in the slightest. The ramifications of maintaining a dedicated practice, a routine return to the center of centers, cannot be conveyed in words to one who has not at least tasted these benefits pulsing throughout ones entire mind and body paradigm. I'm not even promoting this sort of daily practice for everyone. It just so happens that it helps me and is needed to fully support my Being. I have numerous friends who seem to get on royally in their own self-discovered or learned manners. It quite amazes me how they do it actually but I also understand that the causes for our all being unique is a phenomena of mind boggling complexity. We all have our own particular sets of needs and as a result of so many influences and circumstances. And I'm eternally grateful that I discovered a way to meed some of my most essential needs by having a spiritual practice ~ a habit of putting my mind towards that which touches the spirit... life knowledge, really. It would be an underestimation to only call it "spiritual"... holistic is more like it.

In this time of Fall, I am receiving the reminders from my ancestors (inner remembering and outer allies) to reflect on all that has come to pass in this year. To harvest and to celebrate the abundance, giving thanks continually for the fortune our earth bestows upon us in profound yet easily taken for granted ways. To sing and to pray, to slow down and nourish ourselves. To work with all of the energy of our love for those things that trigger meaningfulness for us. (Bioneers conference was this last weekend! Blessed Gathering of Brilliant Lovers of Life! www.bioneers.org)

So.... when it feels difficult to merge the daily life duties with the immensity of a spiritual, ancient-knowledge-informed consciousness, my intention is to simply practice kindness and friendliness with all I meet (including people, thoughts, objects, habits, cars, etc.)