Hello Kindred Spirit! When my youngest daughter was about eight years old, she used to place her hands on her slightly rounded belly and say, “I love my belly.” I used to marvel at this innocent expression of appreciation for her body exactly as it was. At the time, I recoiled at my own slightly rounded belly, desiring instead the sleek, flat, preferably ripped abs on the covers of grocery store magazines. Now, in my sixties, I appreciate that having such light-hearted affection for our...
25 days ago • 4 min read
The moment I arrived at the retreat center and settled into silence, something unexpected happened. On day one, instead of emptying my mind into a serene pool of nothingness, I was ambushed by a slew of creative ideas — including a very insistent vision of a Christmas play! I had intended to practice letting go of thoughts. However, what I noticed is that presence (with perhaps a bemused detachment) also creates space for whatever wants to bubble up. Doing Nothing, Seeking Nothing One of the...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit! The Fortress of My Mind Many years ago, I noticed a fortress in my mind—a place both protective and confining. I first wrote about it in a poem in my early book More: Journey to Mystical Union through the Sacred and the Profane, in a chapter called A Sexual Road Less Traveled. It was about fertile, uncharted territory—the ways our bodies can respond to things our minds balk at, and the courage it takes to explore them. For me, the fortress appeared whenever my mind...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit! Life Has Been Full… I intended to send out this newsletter earlier, but life had other plans. There was our vacation, then my niece’s wedding, and just this past weekend—our granddaughter’s birthday. It’s been a swirl of joy, celebration, and family presence. And now, finally, I get to sit down and write to you—to tell you a story that’s still echoing in me. On the Road NorthWe headed north mid-July in our van, weaving our way toward Bellingham with approach shoes, a...
3 months ago • 8 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit! The other day, Jay asked me to make him some oatmeal. Simple, right?I tossed some rolled oats into a pot, splashed in the water, brought it to a boil, and served him a steaming bowl of oat mush. He blinked at it, puzzled. "How did you make this?" he asked.I told him."No, no," he said. "That turns it into mush! When it's cooked right, the grains are soft but still whole—it's much better." It was a tiny moment, a small thing, but something in me shifted. Instead of feeling...
5 months ago • 5 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit! Breath is Calling Breath. It's been surfacing everywhere lately—in big moments and small ones. It started on May 11, 2025, when Jay and I finally used the Breathwork session gifted by our kids. On Mother's Day, we lay side by side while two gentle guides took us through what they called Elemental Rhythm Breathwork. We breathed Earth: count to 4 in, 4 out. Then Water: 3 in, 3 out. Then Air: 2 in, 2 out. And finally, Fire: quick, fast, forceful exhales—the breath of fire....
5 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit! Let’s talk about inner guidance.How do you access it—especially when you don’t know what to do? The Struggle to Market The other day, I found myself torn about how to proceed with marketing my book. Should I purchase a bunch of Naked in the Now copies from my publisher to bring to events? Should I focus more time and energy on promotion? I’m no marketing expert, but I want to give the book its best chance to reach the people who might resonate with it. I know that if...
5 months ago • 9 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit! We spent the morning coloring—notes for a stuffed unicorn, a birthday card for Jay, and a Mother’s Day card for Sanni. Juney, my granddaughter, carefully dictated a fun message to Jay about playing monster and a sweet one to her mom about reading books together. Then, we moved on to the next game. A bit later, Juney paused and asked, “Where is the ahvioope?”I blinked. “The what?”“The ahvioope,” she said again, slowly and earnestly. “Ahhh… vee… oop.” I was still lost....
5 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Kindred Spirit, The other day, after a fun evening of pizza, movies, and hot tubbing at Amma and Papa's house, Juney had to go home. Her dad had come to pick her up, but she was dragging her feet. Finally, she plopped down and declared: "I don't want to do what Life is doing!" I had to chuckle — what a succinct way to sum up the ego's dilemma! Her words captured that deep human impulse: to push against what we can’t control, to wish for something different, to resist the flow of Life...
6 months ago • 8 min read
New In-person Write by Red Rock classes starting on May 7 at The Blue Diamond Library! I have been approved to partner with the Las Vegas-Clark CountyLibrary District to offer a series of in-person free writing workshops at the Blue Diamond Library! These are open to the public, free and will happen on the first Wednesday of the month (excluding August) for the six months from 12:30 pm to 2 pm. This isn't your typical writing class. Rather than facing a blank page trying to share something we...
6 months ago • 1 min read