The tea cup warms my hands as I sink back into the leather recliner and snuggle my feet under a fleece blanket. The only light comes from the lava lamp on the mantel and the faint glow of the skyscrapers across the way. There are no sounds at all. Branches make a sumi painting of … read more The quiet hours
Tag: spirit
An act of faith
I believe in the Light. I believe the Light pulses in every living thing, in every part of the world, in every corner of the universe. I believe that all we see and know comes from the power of the Light. I believe that every life’s purpose is to manifest the Light, in all its colors. I believe that … read more An act of faith
The curious woodpecker
I was quietly enjoying my research this morning when a visitor came to my second-floor office window. It was a pileated woodpecker, clinging to the window frame as he peered in. He just sat there, looking at me, and I stared back. He wasn’t pecking, he just looked and looked. At me, at my office, around … read more The curious woodpecker
Poverty amid plenty
I am taking a video inventory at the rental house, in case it burns to the ground. My voice is clinical and flat as I pan the camera around each room, peering into cupboards, narrating. Here in the kitchen, we have an electronic food scale and a manual scale, we have pots and pans brought … read more Poverty amid plenty
Emotions for sale
What emotion are you selling? the webinar host asks us. That’s the question you have to answer. Good question. Another question might be, Why do you want to sell emotion? I’m watching the second in a series of free webinars about marketing your art. The host is selling us the emotion of happiness, the artist’s … read more Emotions for sale
Kandinsky on materialism
Feeling deprived of spirit and art, I started the morning by re-reading Wassily Kandinsky’s “Concerning the Spiritual in Art.” That got my day going right. One of the quotes I highlighted: Our minds, which are even now only just awakening after years of materialism, are infected with the despair of unbelief, of lack of purpose and … read more Kandinsky on materialism
Swimming in beauty
Before my aneurysm, I went to water aerobics and swam laps in this pool. I was very purposeful – get in, get the exercise, get a shoulder massage from the whirlpool, get out. It was only when I began to use the pool more slowly – in the open area outside the lap lanes – … read more Swimming in beauty
Other gifts, too
About a month into my recovery, a friend who is an herbalist and practices traditional Chinese medicine told me: “Your shen had a fright and has yet to fully return. Taking baby steps to make things nice and cozy ‘in Lisa’ will entice your shen’s full return.” She recommended herbs, meditation, looking at green things, being … read more Other gifts, too
Day 91: Calling
My chiropractor is a compact, athletic guy who can adjust my neck and spine with the ease and speed of a hotel maid making up a bed. My limbs fall like sheets under his hands, and he tucks and straightens until I am aligned to the structure I was manufactured with. I appreciate anyone who does their job well; … read more Day 91: Calling
Day 76: Heart’s desire
Friday my fortune cookie said, “Your dearest wish will come true.” Well, that would be nice. Maybe then I’d know what it is. In the early 1990s, I was struggling to figure out my next steps in life. A very wise friend of mine told me, “The hardest part is knowing what you want.” So … read more Day 76: Heart’s desire