meaningful rememberings from 2021 for 2022

and beyond…

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

“Lost” by David Wagoner

Currently [and yet also consistently] learning how to let go [or at least let be] while remembering that the things and people we love most are held tightly in our hearts wherever we go.

Some meaningful rememberings to hold in our hearts from 2021 that might be useful to carry into 2022:

• Cherish your friends and community, near and far. We need each other [whether we agree with each other or not].
• Savor the big and little moments alike. Practice mindfulness in all you do, as often as possible.
• Passivity and bypassing are unproductive. Setting healthy boundaries and uncovering / communicating the truth compassionately is loving to your Self and others. Repeat.
• Learn from and study with the masters who have studied with the masters. Stay curious.
• Question what you’ve been told to believe is “right” / how you’ve been taught to behave if it does not feel authentic. Just because a system says something is “right” doesn’t always mean it’s right for you.
• Healthy food / living is a privilege that we can enjoy and use as a tool to take good care of our Selves while also being more conscious of our advantage – and maybe even doing something to help bridge the gap in a broken system [i.e. supporting organizations like Edible Schoolyard].
• Physical ability and movement is a privilege that we can use as tools to maintain strength and flexibility while also resting and nourishing in ways that suit our unique needs.
• Self-love is an ongoing, messy, beautiful, long and winding road. As long as we commit to showing up for our Selves in literal sickness and in health, we will reap the benefits.
• Feel what you feel and honor it all. Mental health is neither to be minimized nor overlooked.
• Gratitude cultivates happiness. There is so much to be thankful for, all things considered.
• We can cultivate tools to support our wellbeing [i.e. gratitude], and also give ourselves permission to gently soothe / reach out for outside guidance when the tools don’t feel accessible.
• We have so much to learn from our planet and its peoples. Let Her / others teach you.
• Nature nurtures and we must reciprocate. It is no longer simply a matter of intention – it is imperative that we take more conscious actions for the health of mind and body of our Selves and each other.
• Do not discount the healing power of sunlight, sleep, and smiling. Wholesome food also helps.
• Dance a lot, give long hugs, and laugh often. These are also incredibly healing.
• Don’t forget to look up [physically and metaphorically].

What wisdom nuggets are you carrying with you as we transition from ’21 to ’22?

Read the newsletter for a holiday recipe roundup, eco-conscious gifting and savings for end-of-year and year-round, a new guided meditation, mindful living tools, and good vibes.

Thank you for being here – it means more than you know.

Take good care of your Selves and each other,

xo

S

Photo: Grove of the Old Trees / December 2021.