Water is winter's element, and it holds our emotions. The very nature of this season is to put us in touch with our shadow. The stillness of winter - the plants that seem void of life - invites us to see what’s been hidden deep inside, and to feel what we’ve been too busy to notice. But most of all and most of all, to slow down long enough to hear our heart's longing.

Many nervous systems are still recalibrating from the aftershock of last week’s events rooted in hatred and violence, as well as from the dense energetic field those events set in motion. From my perspective, constant commentary and repetitive replay only amplify and solidify the very intolerance we are here to heal. We are far better served by stepping away from division and reinvesting our energy in ourselves, our relationships, and our communities.

A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered with two colleagues in one of the most underserved areas of Appalachia –  through a mobile nonprofit called the Health Wagon.

Among the 3 of us, we cared for over 40 people in a day and a half of work.  Some of our main therapies were: homeopathy, craniosacral, and reiki.

Have boundary lessons been coming up for you as we wind down this final year in a 9-year cycle? I’m currently finding myself in yet another round of what I call boundary bootcamp.

We’re conditioned to see ourselves as physical beings who happen to have energy – and, in fact, our entire world is built around that assumption.

Yet, it’s actually the other way around: we’re ene.rgy first, and our body is formed from this energy.

I’m working in the DMV this week after an epic spiritual journey—after 37 hours of travel and 5 airports later, I returned just over a week ago. A couple thousand of us traveled to Kathmandu from all over the globe to attend ‘100 Years of Wisdom’ – a week of ceremonies to honor the life and celebrate the 100th birthday of His Eminence Yongdzin Rinpoche. 

Have you ever felt uninspired, stuck or unsure of what’s next?  Maybe your dreams seem so far away, or you feel dull and disconnected. These could be signs that your heart energy could be inaccessible.  Over time, we build walls around our hearts in response to grief, loss, or trauma. While initially a form of protection, these walls eventually keep us stuck, blocking the flow of vital energy needed for healing.

It happens every year – yet it never ceases to be amazing. The spectacular color change of the fall foliage is just so…soothing. Yesterday, I found myself utterly mesmerized by the sight of wind-induced golden maple leaf ‘rain’.

My summer has been quite eventful. Looking back at the time since moving, I realize that so much has happened (both externally and internally) in such a short period of time. So when things slowed down the past couple of weeks, I was so grateful!

The meditation retreat in Costa Rica stirred up a lot of big feelings related to my core abandonment wound. What I’ve noticed on retreat is that other attendees trigger you as if they were a family member – there’s a whole dynamic that plays out behind the scenes. Like a higher consciousness is conspiring on your behalf, pointing you in the direction of what’s needed next for your healing.

The process of transmuting trauma into strength can be arduous, but enhancing our inner light becomes a vital resource in this journey. It’s akin to nourishing ourselves with a spiritual vitamin—one that sustains us amidst an isolating culture and empowers us to carry on.

A little over a month in my new home and a deep sense of peace has set into my nervous system. I’m very grateful for the depth of sleep and spacious access to sun and sky vistas. My creativity has also been bubbling up. I recently painted a (temporary) child-like mural complete with misspellings to infuse support into my office/healing room. It turned out to be a powerful ritual!

Our earliest days within our mothers’ womb is an incredibly potent time – our experience could have ranged from cocooned bliss to that of extreme vulnerability. Marinating in our mom’s energetic milieu, being informed by the energies of her emotions, beliefs and ancestral energy sets the tone of our earthly life in seen and unseen ways.

Over the years, SO MANY women in my practice have asked how to get their libidos back – they are in a long term partnership and they’ve drifted into roommate terrain.

I know this is a big statement. One of the most avant garde intimacy programs I’ve found can help you radically shift your romance in a matter of months.

I’ve upgraded from a dark dwelling situation in Arlington for sunset views from the deck and front windows of my townhouse (well, I also get a great view of Home Depot’s roof, but I focus on the sky).

With the double snow storms and unprecedented cold last week, I felt like I could have collapsed into winter – sink into a minimum of movement until brighter days arrived.   As my connection to nature has intensified, I really feel the impact the season has on my body. 

One of the amazing things about travel is that it frees you up from the tethers of your current life.  This is what a pilgrimage is all about, and this is where I found myself after my recent exploration of the vast land of the Baltic Sea region and Portugal.