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Happy 2015 Everyone!
I guess it has been a while since my last letter and looking back I see how quickly the past few months have flown by! The holidays have a way of creating energy and momentum and accelerate the feeling of time passing. And here we are mid February, in the blink of an eye. It comes and goes so quickly, time, and yet, how frequently do we observe and appreciate this ? This thing we perceive to be infinite, is so finite. We can observe the passing of time as a thing to assume, take for granted and ignore, but if we think about it, our time is valuable, and precious, and each and every moment is unique.
I’d love to be able to honor and have gratitude for each and every valuable moment, no matter my judgment of my experience.
In the current moment, I have been working to remain aware of my physical intuition in these winter months. As animals our bodies do respond to our environments, and the seasons are no different. Ayurveda and other Eastern philosophies would encourage us to be aware that winter time is a time for hibernation, rest and storing up of energy to sustain a long, cold and dark winter hideout. In the cold northeast we are impacted by this winter weather and often are compelled to actually hibernate like our furry counterparts. I say tune into this! Come winter we need more sleep, more food, and maybe a bit more calorie saving stagnation to fuel our bodies through these freezing dark days. Our bodies are created to survive, and they often know better than us just what we need to do so! If you are interested in reading more, here is an article about following your winter intuition and tuning into to the seasons in yourself! (Shout out to Caroline Grace Ashurst acupuncturist and healer extraordinaire who shared this with me)!
I also know that I have felt compelled to be more creative and have more alone fun, and have been exploring ways to expand my personal horizons that are totally unrelated to work! An intention that I have for this new year (and every other) is to focus less on work and more on the other important parts of my life. My first step is trying to get back into being artistic by making a conscious effort to take pictures daily, or when I am able to. Truly the first step is acknowledging that this part of me is important and deserves to be fostered, encouraged, and woven back into the fabric of my daily life. I spent countless hours of my adolescent and young adult life in a darkroom and haven’t touched an enlarger since I was in college, which is farther away than I care to admit. I hadn’t thought about this in years until I started to dig through my old negatives recently and had the realization (a pretty obvious one) that a very important part of my life has been forgotten in its newest version, a part that is still very important and needs to exist. So, a photo hunting I will go. I gotta feed myself and honor those parts of myself that keep me passionate and alive, and always keep my eyes open for opportunities to attract magic into my life.
A difficult thing I did want to share is that a friend of mine recently and tragically lost a parent, and I have been rocked to the core with emotional reactions to this loss. My friend’s mother was a being full of life, love and positive energy. She exuded so much goodness and touched each person she interacted with. Her passing is a loss not just to those who knew her, but to humanity in general as people who are so full of love are essential to creating, maintaining and inspiring love in others, and society as a whole. I have been flooded with awareness and gratitude for what I have, for love shared and for the universal magic experienced. It has reminded me to be present in the moment, to savor each precious experience, and to appreciate emotions both positive and negative as a part of this cosmic ride. I want to encourage each and every one of you to have gratitude for whatever you have, and to appreciate sources of love, positivity and connectivity in your lives wherever they may arise. Don’t judge it, or compare it, instead let it be enough.
With love, gratitude and appreciation for you,
Lisa
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Market Street, West Philly.
ESPO's A Love Letter To You
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For Your Valentine: Vegan Peanut Butter Bars
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