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Celebrating Light: Winter Solstice
When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit. – St. Hildegard of Bingen A Story When the great Rabbi Israel Ba’al Shem-Tov saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light the fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted. Years later when a disciple of the Ba’al Shem-Tov, the celebrated Magid of Mezritch, had occasion for the same reason, to intercede with heaven, he…
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Gratitude: Celebrating Friendships
November is a time of remembrance and change. Tonight we lit a beautiful fire in our fireplace. I gave Judy a “fire back” with a ship on it last Christmas, fitting that we live on the Captain’s Mile of historical homes in Yarmouth Port. Nature’s Colors On All Souls Day we explored Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. My writing mentor and friend, Kathleen Spivack, asked us to drive her to a place she has sorely missed because of ill health. We put her walker in the car and found a sacred place to rest and take in the beauty. Kathleen awakens the artist for all those privileged to have…
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Summertime
In July I was at Endicott College for the wonder-filled International Women Writers Guild Conference. After waiting two years due to the virus, I imagined a peaceful time walking along the beach there. Instead, overwrought by the heat and humidity I got in my car and sought out a hairdresser at a Beverly salon. One more layer of my hair was removed but not before the room spun around from bending backward at the sink. The lady seemed to know all about the dizzies and brought me a cup of water. Moving into an empty dorm room made me realize I am not a kid anymore as I lay on…
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Twelve Signs of the Zodiac: Sagittarius: Adventure & Celebration
This is my last blog of 2021. I am grateful for all my friends and followers who have tuned in, commented and emailed as I explored this new medium. I began with the 10th sign of the zodiac last January and before I could harness the 9th sign of Sagittarius, the Archer’s arrow flew and I found myself back to the Sun in Capricorn and Christmas Eve! However, the planet Mars is now in the sign of Sagittarius for the next few weeks so there is plenty of Jupiter (ruler of Sagittarius) energy remaining: celebration, faith, adventure and wisdom. “Coming Alive” in 2022! My memoir, “Coming Alive” will…
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Twelve Signs of the Zodiac: Deep Diving into Scorpio
The Sign of Scorpio is symbolic of our New England fall: trees burst with energy showing off all their rich colors only to fall and return to the earth. People born under this sign understand its symbol of the phoenix rising from its own ashes. Pluto rules the sign – when that planet makes an alignment to your chart you also can experience the effects of change and regeneration. Keywords for this fixed water sign are: passionate, perceptive, resourceful, possessive, determined, and focused. Healing for Healers Almost twenty years ago, a group of healing professionals began meeting in Yarmouth Port for peer teaching and supervision. Over time, like the phoenix,…
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Twelve Signs of 2021 – The Spirit of Water
Settling into the water sign Cancer is like crawling into bed with a good book, dreaming in a garden or by the ocean, eating home-baked bread or tasting a blueberry muffin. This month I tuned into Louis Armstrong in my art studio. Lingering with him on a beautiful day he sang to me from his heart. Love to me, is like a summer day If it ends, the memories will stay. Still, and warm, and peaceful, Now the days are getting long I can sing my summer song. Cancer is ruled by the mysterious changeable Moon. The cycles of the moon are easy to follow. This past weekend the new…