by Kate | Feb 16, 2016 | chronic illness, Disability, kind promises, Surrender
I’ve been reading what Pema Chödrön has to say about patience. Lately, I’ve been struggling with physical pain and a dark mood. I want them both to go away right now. How quickly I move from discomfort to aggression! What if, instead, I bring curiosity to my...
by Kate | Feb 2, 2016 | Chronic healing, chronic illness, Disability, joy, kind promises
The other day I was painting an experiment: “Make marks in joyful colors with joyful motion; combine them into one piece of art.” Before I started painting, I imagined the motions I used to make with my paintbrush when I was happy. I could envision the swoop and...
by Kate | Jan 26, 2016 | joy, kind promises
I’m playing with the idea that joy comes when my body and mind are in the same place at the same time. When I paint, that’s the case. My hand is making motions, my mind is entirely focused on my senses: choosing the color, maneuvering the brush, watching for beauty....
by Kate | Jan 19, 2016 | joy, kind promises, meditation, mindfulness
I was googling for joy the other day… Let me take a moment to savor that phrase: “googling for joy.” For a learner like me the fact that a world of information is at my fingertips brings joy. The idea that this month I get to spend time learning and thinking about joy...
by Kate | Jan 7, 2016 | joy, kind promises
I am discovering that keeping my mental health while I am receiving skilled nursing care is easy. All of my resources are centered around one thing: getting well enough to be released. Everyone around me is encouraging me toward that goal. It’s once I’m out that...
by Kate | Aug 11, 2015 | joy, kind promises
Kind promise (draft): I will nourish my body, mind and soul attentively. Playing with this new promise, I want to capture the idea of doing what makes my heart sing in easy, frequent sparkles. So often, my thirst for accomplishment and approval draws me to the next...
