Comforting Thought: How to take a spiritual detox from damaging media messages

When we constantly hear that we should be smart, better connected, more productive, wealthier – you name it – it takes real courage to claim the time and space to follow the currents of our talents, our aspirations and our hearts, which may lead in a very different direction.

Ancient Word of the Day: Humus

From the word ‘Humus’ come many of the words for being human and humility. For millennia and across many cultures, walking with your bare feet in the earth has been a sign of humility.

Ancient Word of the Day: Lavender

If you think that humble fragrance of lavender is only loved by aromatherapists and older ladies with a penchant for scented drawer sachets – think again. Lavender was officially the scent of elicit medieval sex, according to History of Sex author Kate Lister! Unlike exotic and expensive perfumes, lavender grows wild and plentifully all overContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Lavender”

Comforting Thought: The interconnectedness of all living things

Everything in its right place One feels keenly the sense of interconnectedness of all living things: a sense of everything being in its right place. This is biology as teleology, rainforest as pocketwatch fallen open on the path- but instead of the hand of God crafting its workings, coevolution is the force by which theContinue reading “Comforting Thought: The interconnectedness of all living things”

Comforting Thought: Real love allows for failure

Real love allows for failure and suffering. All of us have made mistakes, and some of those mistakes were consequential, but you can find a way to relate to them with kindness. No matter what troubles have befallen you or what difficulties you have caused yourself or others, with love for yourself you can change, grow, make amends and learn. Real love is not about letting yourself off the hook. Real love does not encourage you to ignore your problems or deny your mistakes and imperfections, You see them clearly and you still opt for love.

Book Review: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Dr Robin Wall Kimmerer

Robin Wall Kimmerer is a Botanist and an indigenous woman of the Potawatomi Nation in Braiding Sweetgrass she weaves together the two strands of indigenous wisdom and scientific understanding to create a wonderous union of the two forms of knowledge.

Comforting Thought: Don’t resist or block off your feelings

Real love for ourselves, by definition includes every aspect of our lives – the good, the bad, the difficult, the challenging past. the uncertain future as well as all of the shameful, upsetting experiences and encounters that we’d just as soon as forget.

This doesn’t mean that we have to celebrate everything that’s happened to us or write thank you notes to people who have hurt us. But, like it or not, the emotional residue of our experiences is part of who we are.

Comforting Thought: The Summer’s Day by Mary Oliver

“Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” -The Summer Day by Mary Oliver.

Book Review: Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet

Rating: ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ Publisher: Text publishing. Genre: Fiction, psychological thriller. Review in one word: Perky Scottish writer Graeme Macrae Burnet is the author of one of the best Scottish crime novels ever written His Bloody Project, which I have reviewed on this blog before. Burnet’s new book is yet another step back in time and anotherContinue reading “Book Review: Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet”

Powerful Thought: The dead bird urges you to write

Rachel Carson was urged to write ‘Silent Spring’ by the dead birds she held in her hands who called her to write.

She could not live, knowing what she had learned about DDT, without speaking, without – her gift – lifting her pen to write.