I have done a number of Vision Quests over the course of my adult life, but three, and now a fourth, stand out as pole stars around which the rest of my psyche and life revolve. The depth of insight into Self and world from these experiences is unmatched by
When I purchased my home in Asheville 3 months ago, along with a darling little cottage came an acre of beautiful gardens on the slope behind my house, complete with a gorgeous waterfall created by the previous owners. It was impossible not to fall in love with this place. Hook,
I have just spent my second night in my new apartment in Asheville. My mountain home is still home, but is on the market and so I make this transition in merciful stages. After the roar of quiet out there – only wind, rain, stars and forest creatures to talk
Rituals are symbolic acts, gestures that create a relationship between individuals or communities with the larger reality. There are daily rituals, which indigenous cultures describe as maintenance rituals, and radical rituals which address larger questions and transitions in life.
Then there are Rites of Passage. These are rituals that take one
Recently, with shifting circumstances in my life, stretching myself between town and mountain and not feeling exactly at home anywhere, imagining how to get my mountain home ready to be a rental – which means removing personal items from living spaces – I keep having this psychological sense of a
The new year has gotten off to a shaky start for me. The Full Moon is next Wednesay, the 19th. I will start a 40-day ritual that day which I am designing now. Career activating, butt kicking, hello world, here comes the sun, break through the dross, smile the bright
More than 20 years ago I had a dream that demonstrated to me the power of ritual. I will never forget it. It is one of my life dreams. In it, I was next to a lake and felt the sudden inspiration to perform a ritual there, next to a
I practice private rituals regularly to make prayers, set intentions, offer thanks or call in helps. The inspiration to do them usually comes spontaneously, and their design is simple and straightforward. Occasionally, and usually when I feel a very deep or urgent need, I plan ahead for a ritual that