Spring Awakes Outside My Writing Cottage – Come Twirl with Me!

Spring Awakes Outside My Writing Cottage - Come Twirl with Me!

Today, the first day of spring!  I admit, I didn’t always truly appreciate spring especially when I was younger. I wanted to jump right into the heat of summer. But being I’m post menopause three years now, well, let’s just say that my body is much happier with the mild temperatures of spring.

The sun is shining today, wrens feast on peanut butter I put on a pine cone that hangs from a birch branch, Mr. red head Woodpecker chirps loudly feeding from the suet feeder outside my window next to my desk, Mr. Robin eats from a shrub, and a yellow finch sits atop a rock in the bird bath…

until Mr. Squirrel hops on top of the deck rail to take a drink which I’d never witnessed before (!) and oh, how I wish I could have gotten a picture! The snow, for the most part, except for areas where it does not get much sun, is gone.

Our yard is brown, but so alive with hope of what is to come! My whole body is tingling with wanting to dance and twirl!

And then there is this picture at the beginning of this post that I took of my writing cottage mid-morning. Likely in the photography world there is an explanation for that sun spot near the peak, that cascades in bubbles down the front and ends with an octagon shape mid-way. But no, I shall call it the magic of spring!

Mother Earth is waking up and gracing us with the sweet smells, sounds, and sights of all the promises that spring holds for us…and it’s the perfect (and needed) reminder for us that we take great care of Her and all the beings… from plants, rocks, trees, creatures and human.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

Celebration of the Feminine Spirit

Celebration of the Feminine Spirit
Painting by Lynda Richardson

For the paths we’ve already walked and for new ones on the horizon and where we stand now… this celebration of the feminine spirit and what we can accomplish on our own and together…

It is magical. It is powerful. It is beautiful. It is graceful.

This painting, made by my dear mama, in support of my vision and expanded work in the world…which now graces my Joyful Pause Studio.

New workshop in the planning stages: connecting with your totem animal through SoulCollage® coming this April to Joyful Pause Studio. If you don’t want to miss details on this workshop be sure to sign up for my newsletter here.  

My Perfectionist Kept Me Awake Last Night

My Perfectionist Kept Me Awake Last Night
My Inner Critic SoulCollage® Card

It was midnight when I found myself wide awake. Around and around and around in my mind went thoughts and worries about the workshop I’ll be facilitating tonight. Third in a series of five and tonight we will explore and create SoulCollage® cards for one or all of the following — Maiden, Mother and Crone.

I tossed and turned trying everything to talk myself out of my concerns.

As 2016 came to an end I knew in my heart I was being strongly called to facilitate many more workshops in 2017 and bring women together in circle to gently guide them to creatively tap into their intuition to connect with their True Self and live a more meaningful life.

In many ways this is new territory for me. Along with lots of researching and learning as I go it’s a new energy I’m working with that I’ve not before.

Most recently I was introduced to The Circle Way as a structure to help create a safe container for women to tune into their intuition, create and share their stories.

While I’m grateful to now know about The Circle Way and which I’m integrating in my workshops, it’s still new to me. I worry that I won’t do it “right.” And I’m realizing this is my Inner Critic, which is also disguised as my perfectionist, who is showing herself more often.

Even though I’ve done much inner work on myself, the thing is it is never “one and we are done” but that we will now and then be challenged. This is what comes with growing and evolving.

The good news is that I can now more easily recognize what is going on. So this morning I pulled the card I made to represent my Inner Critic.  Here she is in purple worried that others will talk behind her back saying she isn’t any good at this facilitating role.

And seeing in the background the Egyptian woman with her hands raised I heard her say, “Stop all the madness!”

It brought me back to my senses and understanding that my Inner Critic has my best interest in mind. My Inner Critic wants to keep me safe and protect me. She really means no harm. She just needed to be acknowledged for her important role in my life.

So I silently talked to her and said, “Thank you for your concern. I got this. You can now rest for awhile.”

It’s going to be a great night with my Women’s Circle!

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

SoulCollage® cards are not sold, traded, or bartered to respect the artists whose images are collaged in the cards.