Archive for August, 2012

How to Plan a Blessingway

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

Last summer I honored my sister friend with a Blessingway.  Perhaps you are familiar with this beautiful way to honor a new mom-to-be  but I had never heard of it until a few months before. It’s a ceremony to show the new mom that she has a circle of women around her and they are supporting her as she prepares for the birth of not only this beautiful child, but a new woman… a mother.

It was my first time planning a ceremony like this so I kept it simple and drew inspiration from a wonderful guide:  Mother Rising by Cortlund, Lucke & Watelet.  I took into consideration the values and beliefs of the mother-to-be while putting it together.  The ceremony took about 4 hours.  This is how we did it: (more…)


True Friendship is…

Friday, August 3rd, 2012

According to my 2012 calendar, August 5th is International Friendship Day.  A quick online search shows that perhaps that date is wrong and it was last Sunday but I’m going to celebrate it anyways.

I sometimes find myself hanging back in developing close friendships with women because, well because… sometimes friendships hurt.  I have learned too that there is nothing like knowing you have friends who are there for you unconditionally.  So I started making a list of what I appreciate most about my closest friends and family.

(Written with humor and love.  After all, isn’t laughter one of the best parts of real friendship?)

True Friendship is… (more…)


Retreat Bliss: Taking my family along for the ride.

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012

I LOVE retreats!  I love planning them.  I love going on them.  I love learning how to facilitate them.  Whether it’s a self-imposed 15 minute break in nature or a weekend away to relax and learn.  I find tremendous peace in taking time for myself.

In the past, my least favorite way to retreat was when I attempted to “retreat” with my family.  After returning from a “relaxing” family vacation, I would feel like a I needed to go on another vacation by myself just to de-stress.  Something changed recently though when we decided we’d make an impromptu road trip and do some tent camping.  I’ve been traveling to Watkins Glen for almost 20 years with my husband Tom.  It has always felt like such a sacred place to me.  There is an incredible energy in walking the path of the gorge, through this crevice in the mountain that used to be connected.  There are gentle waterfalls that spill over your head as you climb the steps.

Even driving into the town of Watkins Glen and catching glimpses of Seneca Lake in the distance makes me feel all tingly inside.  My mom says my experience could be summed up as a “gorge-gasm”.  And she might be right. (more…)