Beloved friends,
I have wonderful news to share with you on two fronts!
Cold plunging was a resource I shared last week and I said I'd let you know when I had the chance to explore that in the wild in my new home. Well, that very afternoon a new friend took me hiking along the Big Quilcene river. As we sat on the lush mossy bank, she said casually, "We could get in." And we did! The air was about 45 degrees and the water even colder. I let out a scream as I sank in. Between rounds we stood in our skins on the gorgeous mossy rocks just below the little stream in the image above, which feeds into the river. What a blessing.
Annnnnd my-and-our new website is live and ready to serve us! Deepest of thanks to my beloved husband James who created this for us. You can now check out my classes and courses, see which page we're at in the Reading Circle, book time with me 1:1, make payments and donations, read the newsletter, visit my bookshop, and access recordings of my teaching. There are three new recordings available today: Natural doorways to meditation (20 min), A clearing meditation (5 min), and a new version of the popular Sunning meditation (15 min). Perhaps you'll be interested to hear me say myself and my work anew.
At this point, darlings, I could use your help with a couple of things:
- At the top of the site is a big lavender “Subscribe” button. Clicking it will guide you through subscribing to the newsletter on this new platform. It would be helpful if you did so! I can’t wait to share this new format with you. You might notice the name is changing to We Are Beloved in alignment with the evolution of my knowing and teaching, which emphasizes freedom and belonging equally: we are one.
- Your wise eyes are a gift! This website is all new. If you find a typo, a broken link, or anything else that wants attention on beloved.org, letting me know is a wonderful thing.
- My next offering, Lovingkindness: A Course In Meditation & Living, will open this weekend. Currently there is still space! Registration will remain until the course is full. If there is anyone you think might appreciate this, just about the kindest thing you can do for me is to recommend my work.
I'm over the moon to be hanging out my shingle and throwing my arms wide to the world once again. Welcome. I hope to spend time with you soon!
Resources
Wonder and Healing
Did you know that other animals provide healing for each other? Matabele ants "have a special skill for healing their wounded comrades: They can detect when an injury is infected and treat it with antimicrobials" which their bodies secrete. May joy come to Robert T. Schooley, an infectious diseases specialist and phage expert who used this opportunity to note that ""societies succeed when they protect their most vulnerable". WaPo gift link. Chimpanzees, too, have been seen to treat one another's wounds with crushed insects; we don't yet know which ones. There is so much yet to discover about the life of the Earth.
Oh, the Mystery
I'm in tears at the power of it this 6.5 minutes after watching it again just now. Mary Oliver reads "The Fish", a poem about pain, the interconnection of life, and mystery; she reads "Wild Geese", then Coleman Barks asks her to speak about mystery -- and she does, with passion. If you have read and loved Rumi in English, it was probably Coleman's work that brought him to you. The chance to see these poets together is very special, as is the chance to giggle at Coleman being nearly incapacitated by his admiration for Mary.
Reclaiming Your Attention
At the turn of the year I stopped taking my phone to bed, which has been absolutely heavenly. It mostly lives on my desk now. This took a few tries, and each attempt taught me more of what I needed to replace my phone around the house: three clocks and a clip-on-book light. Now my head is clearer, sleep is deeper, productivity is higher and more easeful, and I'm reading more books. For March I'm putting my phone into grayscale. Want to join me? IPhone color turns back on with three clicks of the side button when needed. Research shows that "grayscaling improved perceived control over one's smartphone use, and reduced perceived overuse, online vigilance, and stress, but did not affect productivity or sleep quality. Overall, findings indicate that grayscaling is an effective strategy to reduce screen time and improve digital well-being." There are a zillion anecdotal articles about this experience if you want to Google up some inspiration!
iPhone: Settings>Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters. Toggle Color Filters on, select Grayscale. To set up the triple-click Accessibility Shortcut: Settings>Accessibility>Accessibility Shortcut>Color Filters. Android.
A Mental Knack
Carolyn Hax's advice column for the Washington Post is always a gem. I particularly enjoyed the way she described redirecting mental energy here in supporting someone dealing with anxiety and waiting to see their therapist; it's so concise and lovely: Catch yourself as you’re dreading a negative possible outcome, and redirect it to a positive outcome that’s just as likely. Both are equally speculative. Starve your doubts.
Pipwatch
Recently I shared with you the Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest Cam, and today I offer you the gleeful reminder that "pip watch" starts this Thursday, 2/29. Sometimes we put this on the big screen as an ambient delight, and I keep it in a tab in my main browser window so that I'm reminded to pop by every so often to see what Jackie and Shadow are up to in their nest. We should have baby eagles soon!
Speaking of Birds
Did you know that bird songs have positive effects on our wellbeing? I have read speculation among birders that this is because, evolutionarily speaking, birdsong is an indication of safety – they grow quiet in presence of predators. Whatever the mechanism is, birdsong can be a lovely addition to your environment and mental state. Spotify's Relaxing Birdsong playlist is a great option.