In Defense of Solitude

I sat in the grass, under the shade of a tree and breathed in and out. I tried to drop my stubborn shoulders, they have hovered near my earlobes for quite a while.

And I contemplated how I had ended up in this grass. On a beautiful day. With about 20 people I did not really know.

My spiritual director administrated a retreat for those who needed a day of solitude, prayer and direction. And I paid a small fee, hopped in a minivan with two friends from church and traveled one town over for the day. And I have a really hard time taking time to myself these days. But, divinely, I took the plunge and made time for the retreat.

In the morning, we had prayer time, a guided reading and then we were set loose on the retreat grounds to find a quiet spot for a few hours.


I was a bit apprehensive, I had no idea if I could sit in silence for 2 plus hours at a time, but here I was.

After a bit of silence, I felt myself drift away to this quiet, spellbound place--  as if the solitude itself was feeding my soul. Gently handing bits of bread and sips of wine.  It reminded me of the line in a Eucharistic prayer, "Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal."

The quiet was as satisfying as a cool drink after a hot day. A part of me that was bound up-- tied in knots slowly faded away as my pen struck the paper of my journal. And it was not all comfortable, but it was stretching and growing.

After a few sessions of solitude that day, I felt refreshed, whole and hungry for more time, more bits of bread, wine.

I am wondering how to get this type of solitude in my life without a formal retreat, without an entry fee and without driving to a venue a town or tow over for a lake view. How can I take this time in daily life?

So I started bit by bit. When I walk at night, I turn off my ipod and run towards the sunset.
I find a quiet spot with my journal on the front steps of my home. Even if it is just for a few minutes.

"Glaciers move in tides. So do mountains. So do all things." John Muir

Do you take time for solitude? Do you set aside time to be alone? What feeds your soul?

Love After Love
Derek Walcott

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

This Moment: On the Street Where You Live

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Joining Soulemama

Newsday on a Tuesday!

My brain is kind of confused about what day this is-- but I'm glad to be back in the swing of things and refreshed.

We spent the long weekend camping. We needed a break. A break from everything. I think more than anything we all needed some good food, sleep, fresh air and physical exertion. Funny. I already know this is what we need, I just need to remind myself once in a while.

Before this weekend, we had a crazy crazy few weeks. My family visited and it was so good to have them! Then two weeks of running around... plus the Isabel had swimming lessons (She passed Level ONE!).

And when we got to our destination, it as if we went from running crazy to a complete stop. And um... it didn't go well. I think we spent the day and a half detoxing the crazies out of our life. But once that detox was over-- we finally had a really good trip. I feel so bad for our camping neighbors who heard,"Truman, lay down. Truman, it's not time to get up yet. Isabel, no more crying..." Grr... I digress. We made it, and we have some great memories too!

*********
I just want to let you know a couple things:

Revisiting Sanctuaries is FINALLY going to start. Sign ups are now through Wednesday, July 13th. It starts July 18th. Please join us! If you want to see what the class is about you can read an excerpt here from Rhythm of the Home.

Rhubarb Sangria--- amazing, I posted it over at What am I Cooking?


*Um, yes, I haven't uploaded my pictures yet. This photo was from our last camping trip! 

Friends who make your heart soar...

"I think it's an interesting question to ask one self too, you know? And the question is when is the last time that you had a great conversation, a conversation which wasn't just two intersecting monologues, which is what passes for conversation a lot in this culture. But when had you last a great conversation, in which you overheard yourself saying things that you never knew you knew. That you heard yourself receiving from somebody words that absolutely found places within you that you thought you had lost and a sense of an event of a conversation that brought the two of you on to a different plane. And then fourthly, a conversation that continued to sing in your mind for weeks afterwards, you know? And I've — I've had some of them recently, and it's just absolutely amazing, like, as we would say at home, they are food and drink for the soul, you know?"

Have you heard this Krista Tippett interview John O'donohue? 

I had one of these conversations/evenings this weekend-- one that "continued to sing in my mind... that was food and drink for my soul." And I highly recommend it. 


Have you had good conversations lately?

I love:: Washing Dishes

I have this reminder at my kitchen window so I stare at it while washing dishes. It reminds me to not begrudgingly wash dishes, my internal dialogue isn't so fierce "WHY WILL NO ONE HELP ME???" and WHO MADE THIS BIG MESS??"

These questions have been replaced (most of the time with) little prayers for the person whose dish I'm washing, thankfulness for enough food to eat or just feeling the warm water, smelling the soapy-smell, appreciating this is my little bit of time alone. It helps make this mundane task, a stepping stone on my life towards gratitude.

I love:: a good deal!

Hello Loves,
I just wanted to stop by and let you know that TODAY ONLY, I'm offering Revisitng Sanctuaries at a 10% discount. So jump over and start the journey with us!

For Today:

I keep this little note tacked up on my computer screen. It helps me remember who I am, what I'm about and how to live my life. Even when it's hard to do these things.

Kerry is giving away a spot in Revisiting Sanctuaries today. Stop over!

Today is the Day!

Hello Loves, today is the day and the launch of my new website and eCourse: Revisiting Sanctuaries.

So many of you have expressed interest in signing up, I'm excited to be journeying with you!

His Girl Friday

This morning was wonderful. The kids have been crabby all week. You'd think with a week of snow days we'd be a little more joyful. But they have not been. Finally this morning, they slept until they woke up (which was on time!!) then all four of us snuggled in the big bed until it was time to get ready for our day.

I am eternally grateful for mornings like this. Happy kids: no teeth-brushing-negotiations, no snow-boot-wearing-negotiations and no coat-and-hat-negotiations.... ahhh wonderful.

Thank you for your reception to Revisiting Sanctuaries. All your words, calls and emails-- I am excited too! More information out next week. Plus a little look into the heart of it.

Here are a few things around the web that have been keeping me going this week.

This scene of Yosemite, I miss this place-- being thousands of miles away. 

I'm loving my free Owl Lover Calendar. You could make one too! 

This Recycled Canvas Bag from etsy. 

This week I made laundry soap and I'm reminded why I love this so much. Cheap and cleans our clothes so well! I'm not trying to jinx it but, we have had the laundry caught up for three weeks. That's the longest it's been caught up in our marriage. And something about a clean laundry room is more motivation to keep it cleaned up!

Eric made Chicken Stir-Fry with Soba Noodles last night. It is such an easy week night meal!

This sweet moment from by hand at home.

This perfect latte. Some wonderful looking eggs.

And this book. Which I'm devouring.

What have you been admiring? Give me some link-love for today!

Photo from Country Living via here. 

News! Revisiting Sanctuaries

It is a valuable practice at night to spend a little while revisiting sanctuaries of your lived day.  Each day is a secret story woven around the radiant heart of wonder.  We let our days fall away like empty shells and miss all the treasures.  -John O'Donohue
 
I read this quote last spring at Kerry's blog and it seemed to sum up all the things I had been reading, thinking about and trying to deciper in my own daily life. Really what I needed the most was honesty in myself. This honesty came through seeing. But I couldn't see with my eyes tightly shut, my ears closed and my heart firmly locked up.

What does it look like to view nature, family, community, gratitude all in the context of seeing our own life? How can I be a person of gratitude-- and have gratitude for the beauty in my daily life? 

I don't have answers, but I would love if you would join this conversation.

To open our eyes and ears-- for a deeper nourishment of self and in turn to nourish our community. What could life be like if I lived with my ears, eyes and heart opened-- what if you did it with me?

So I'm will host a five week workshop called, Revisiting Sanctuaries: a workshop for daily seeing.

This workshop is set up on a five week schedule. Each Monday you'll get a new workbook on a new facet of seeing-- with journal prompts, videos, thoughts, interviews, tutorials-- each week experiencing seeing in a different way. An 8x10 printable poster by artwork made by me. A private blog for deeper discussion, a private forum for conversations. 

Registration starts January 25 for $40. The workshop begins February 14th. But each week is set up to work along as you can.

So let's start together. And really see.