I have been waiting all year to say goodbye to the year of Earth Pig. At the start of each Chinese New Year, I listen in to the energy forecast of the coming year from one of my teachers, Master Chunyi Lin. I use his forecast to feng shui my home according to the incoming … Continue reading 5 things I learned from the year of Earth Pig.
Washing away the old: December rain
It's the first full day of winter and I sit on my studio floor, cleaning out the old of last year to make room for the new. Chocolate-covered hazelnuts and damiana tea fuel my efforts. My clutter is most often piles of writing: pages of musings, poems, blog posts that never made it to the … Continue reading Washing away the old: December rain
Lessons from The Lorax
Yesterday, exhaustion finally found me. And I found myself at the local pub, dressed in yoga pants and my husband's oversized hoody (what I'd grabbed at 8am so I could bike my daughter to school before guiding a writing circle and then spending the afternoon packaging products), and ordering take-out fish and chips. Did I … Continue reading Lessons from The Lorax
You’ve got this!
My 15 year-old headed out the door yesterday, on his way to the AMA to write his learner's test. "Good luck!" I yelled after him. He turned around. "I don't need it, Mom," he replied. "I make my own luck." Years and years ago, I had a particularly difficult boss. It was one of those … Continue reading You’ve got this!
4 Tips to Navigate Motherhood
I now know how she did it. My mom. I now know how she managed to raise us kids and create a life for herself while also supporting her marriage. She didn't do it all at once. Or all the time. I know this because I've now walked a mile in her shoes. Well, the … Continue reading 4 Tips to Navigate Motherhood
1 way to improve your meditation
Years ago, I completed my level 4 Spring Forest Qigong certification. I had fallen in love with this beautiful practice by Master Chunyi Lin. Each year, around Chinese new year, Master Lin gives the energy forecast for the year. He talks about which parts of the world will have a strong economy and which parts … Continue reading 1 way to improve your meditation
A Vessel for Joy
I sat on my front step in morning meditation, a practice I'd observed for nearly 10 years. "I am joy." I ran the affirmation through my brain as a mantra. My shoulders shirked it off. Nope. Not joy. I had no idea what joy felt like. I certainly couldn't conjure it. Happiness I knew, but … Continue reading A Vessel for Joy
Meditation Mumble
My daughter sat down next to me as I was completing my morning meditation. "And may all beings benefit," I said with a bow. "Mom," she said, "what are Mayo Beings?" "What?" I asked. "You said Mayo Beings." Ah, yes," I replied. "I was saying a prayer for the tiny people who live inside the … Continue reading Meditation Mumble
Fear of the Dark
Revisions continue on the upcoming book, The Yoga of Boiling Eggs. I went back and forth on whether to keep this piece in the manuscript. In the end, I removed it. It lives here now. As an adult, sleep came easy, but night-waking was never welcome. My head would swim in those darkened hours. Even … Continue reading Fear of the Dark
I Wish I had a River…
It wasn't a river. It was a pond. More of a slough. But I did skate away on it. As I sit here in the late hour on Christmas Eve, singing along with Sarah Mclachlan on the radio and admiring the lights of the tree bouncing off the ceiling, I'm reminded of what's important about … Continue reading I Wish I had a River…
Stephanie Hrehirchuk - Author 