To Know a Turtle
The family who knew her best called her Shelley. Those of us who had to contain her for care affectionately nicknamed her Houdini. Shelley was a 30-pound, two-foot-long common snapping...
All Her Beings
In 2022, when I graduated from seminary, I made a personal vow of ministry. I committed to caring for the Earth and all her beings. “All her beings” was a...
Compassionate Care for the Earth
When I made my vows of ministry at the end of seminary, I chose my words carefully. You may have seen my previous post where I explained that I was...
Listening to Chipmunks
The clatter of building materials being delivered to my neighbor interrupted my empty-headed stare into the woods during my sit spot meditation this morning. It also startled several chipmunks who,...
I Vow to Commit My Hands and My Heart
In June 2022, I stood in front of my seminary directors, deans, and classmates and made my personal vows of ministry. Speaking our vows was part of our ordination ceremony....
Resources for Working With the Divine Feminine
During our last Turtle Journey, a participant requested resources for working with the divine feminine. Following are some I have found helpful. Links are to Bookshop.org. The Healing Power of...
The Spirituality of Wildlife Rehabilitation
I was invited to do a question-and-answer session with the Compassion Consortium’s Animal Chaplaincy students on wildlife rehabilitation from a spiritual perspective. I shared that, honestly, I don’t know any...
A Different Kind of Hope
As Imbolc season approaches, I have been thinking about hope, my theme for the ceremony and the days that follow. I will be honest, hope, as I usually engage with...
Outrage Fatigue
It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m done being outraged. 2024 has been hard on my physical, mental, and emotional health, and the U.S. election was a contributing factor, but not...
The Radical Non-Action of Saying No
How do you review a year? If I was going to review 2024 as if it was a book, I think I would write “thumbs down,” “this plot is ridiculous,”...
Yellow Birch
Behind my house, shading the deck and my sit spot, is a lovely yellow birch. For many years, it was just “a birch of some kind.” Deepening my connection with...
Ostara Season: Potential
The Wheel of the Year has turned to the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere and we are entering Ostara season. Acknowledging the eight “spokes” of the wheel of the...