Stroll for Well-Being Featured in nextavenue.org

The Bloedel Reserve's Stroll for Well-Being program is featured in the current issue of nextavenue, an online magazine, described as

"public media’s first and only national service for America’s booming 50+ population. Our mission is to meet the needs and unleash the potential of older Americans through the power of media. We do this by providing news, information and advice to help our audience navigate their lives and inviting them to join in an ongoing conversation about the issues and transitions we all face.
"Twin Cities Public Television (tpt) in St. Paul, Minn. produces Next Avenue for the PBS system and 84 PBS stations are local affiliate partners. Our content extends far beyond our website, through our national network of media partners and government and nonprofit allies."

I was interviewed for the article; you can read it here.

The spring season of the Stroll for Well-Being will wrap up on Monday, and the summer session begins on Tuesday. I'm very excited to help facilitate the meetings, to hear what participants have to say after 12 weeks of strolling the gorgeous grounds of the Reserve (during an unusually sunny spring for Western Washington), to meet the new groups and assist with their orientation.

If you are interested in joining the program, go to www.bloedelreserve.org. You'll be glad you did!

Stroll for Well-Being, Spring Session

I started my new job yesterday!

I am a co-facilitator of the Stroll for Well-Being at the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, and am thrilled about it.

This program was created by Ruth McCaffrey, DNP, FAAN, a professor of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University. It's my privilege to be learning from, and co-facilitating with, Ruth. She is a gem.

Ruth originally created the program for the Morikami Garden in Palm Beach County, Florida. Over 700 people have participated in it. Here is what participants have to say about the Morikami Stroll for Well-Being program:
Ruth created a customized program for the Bloedel Reserve. Today was our first of three meetings for the spring sessions (one group in the morning and one in the afternoon). Each person present received a beautiful journal, filled with inspirational quotes, ideas for reflection, maps, blank (unlined - wonderful!) pages for writing/drawing and gorgeous, full-color photographs of the Reserve. The journal itself is a treasure, but in addition, each participant also receives a one-year membership in the Reserve.

I predict that it is going to be great fun, and a healthy experience for everyone, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Both of the Spring Stroll sessions are filled, but if you are interested in joining a summertime Stroll for Well-Being, just contact Erin (ejennings@bloedelreserve.org) and she will put your name on the list.

I cannot imagine a better job for me, right now. Thank you, Ruth, Erin and Bloedel Reserve for making this possible!

Bloedel Reserve's Stroll for Well-Being

You have likely read here about the Stroll for Well-Being at the Bloedel Reserve - how much I enjoyed the pilot program in 2014, how it inspired me to photograph, write and draw from nature, and the peace and healing which I experienced as a result.

Part of the reason I loved this program is expressed by Mark Nepo in his Book of Awakening, in the passage for March 12th (titled "In the Likeness of Everything"):

In truth, we each carry within our own innate makeup, like chromosomes, the minute aspects of everything that forms the Universe. And so, the art of freedom becomes the necessary adventure of grasping the secrets that are everywhere in the open and stirring their aspects within us, in such a way that we come alive: learning from the fish how to surface and dive, from the flower how to open and accept, from the stone how to crack and let the light in, and from the birds that wings are more useful at times than brains.

I'm thrilled to report that I have been invited to be a facilitator of the program, starting next month. The founder of the Stroll for Well-Being at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is Dr. Ruth G. McCaffrey (a professor at Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University). Dr. McCaffrey facilitated the pilot program for us last year, and it will be a privilege to work alongside her and to learn from all of her experiences.

If you live in the area and are interested in joining the program, please contact Erin Jennings at ejennings@bloedelreserve.org - we'd love to welcome you!

Jikiden Reiki with Tadao Yamaguchi

If you have any interest in studying and practicing Reiki, here is a wonderful opportunity in Seattle:

TadaoYamaguchi and his mother are the founders of Jikiden Reiki; his mother was a student of Chujiro Hayashi sensei. Hayashi sensei was taught by the founder of Usui Reiki Ryoho, Mikao Usui.
Mr. Yamaguchi is my Reiki master's teacher.

If you have any questions, please contact Emerald City Reiki Center, or info@jikiden.org.

Devote Yourself

"Yours is to live it, not to reveal it." - Helen Luke 

I am reminded of the gift of Mark Nepo's gentle wisdom as I read the piece he has selected for each day of the year in his luminous work, "The Book of Awakening." Today's reading begins with the quote above, from his mentor Helen Luke - some of her last words to him before her passing. As abrupt as this quote sounds upon first reading, Nepo goes on to explain:

"...I've come to understand her last instruction as an invitation to shed any grand purpose, no matter how devoted we may be to what we are doing. She wasn't telling me to stop writing, but to stop striving to be important. She was inviting me to stop recording the poetry of life and to enter the poetry of life.
"This lesson applies to us all. If we devote ourselves to the life at hand, the rest will follow. For life, it seems, reveals itself through those willing to live. Anything else, no matter how beautiful, is just advertising."

This passage struck me deeply. What does it mean to "devote ourselves to the life at hand?" Looking up "devote" and "devotion" tells us that it involves wholehearted giving of oneself and one's resources; the root is in "consecration," - the word's origin is "vow."

It resonated with one of my favorite passages in "Radical Grace" by Richard Rohr. Writing about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her actions upon receiving the visit from an angel who announces Mary's pregnancy, Rohr says:

"The events themselves will be her guide and teacher. She does not need to figure it out and plan accordingly; the plan will be given by God through life's encounters. Reality is her teacher. That is why she could hear angels.
"Decisive action beyond our fears gives us a sense of our own power and the power of God within us. [Mary] can hold her power comfortably because she knows it is from Beyond."

I held on to this passage when Katie was in the hospital. My prayer practice had been so peaceful and regular, before her illness; once we were uprooted and transplanted from our old life, my practice became prayer-in-action, pray-as-you-go, the prayer of living service. It was the prayer of devotion, wholehearted giving. Now, eight years later, I pray to work and live as wholeheartedly today as I did then, in the midst of the crisis of illness.

Since Katie's passing, I have accepted invitations to serve in places which - eight years ago - were not even on my personal radar: the University of Washington's School of Medicine and Field's End Writer's Community are two examples. Serving on panels, taking classes and teaching classes are fun and rewarding ways to give. Now, I have entered a new field of learning and service: I recently completed the first level of Jikiden Reiki training. Reiki is a spiritual healing practice which is not linked to a religion. It originated in Japan, and it is a way to practice healing prayer, relying upon the power of Universal Life Force, or ki (which is another name for God). I am enjoying the practice enormously.

This is a natural step, after a summer of suffering physical pain, limitation and the medications which masked it. It is also a natural step, considering my attachment to my DVD project as "the" way to help clinicians deal with their grief and pain. In releasing my grip on that project, I can now see other ways to serve. Reiki is practiced in medical centers and has unlimited potential. Its Gokai, or five principles, are:
Just for today -
Do not be angry
Do not worry
Be grateful
Do your duties 
Be kind to others

In "Do your duties," I hear, "work wholeheartedly,"  or "devote yourself."

Life itself is revealing where I need to go. God provides the inspiration, and the power of His creativity and love, and I follow, as wholeheartedly as possible.

Stroll for Well-Being

I'm participating in a pilot program at a local nature preserve (the Bloedel Reserve) called "Stroll for Well-Being." You may know that I'm an avid walker and love reflective reading and writing, and all of these elements came together when a friend posted on facebook about this opportunity to try the program here for the first time. It is already in place at the Morikami Garden in Florida.

Two dedicated women - one a professor of nursing and the other a professor in environmental studies, outlined the purpose and function of the program. It is inspired, and a pleasure to be part of the "beta test."

Yes, that's the family home; the Bloedels were once "timber barons."

The Bloedel Reserve is a local treasure. Sometimes, I take it for granted, as our family has property - and I now live - nearby. It is open for membership, and it is worth the fee, whether you join or just visit. The Bloedel family home - large for a house, small for a chateau - is graceful and beautiful, and gives a stately sense of "heart" to the property.

The 150 acres of grounds, filled with indigenous and imported plants, are best appreciated in silence, and the Strolls - mapped out in a beautiful journal which includes 12 themes, many inspiring photographs, quotes, and marked places to stop, reflect and write within each - are designed to take full advantage of the refreshment offered by nature.

Sharing this refreshment was a core value for Mr. Bloedel as he established and developed the property.

The reserve has structures which blend harmoniously with the plantings. The Japanese Tea House and Garden, the Orchid Woods and Puget Sound Overlook, the Bird Marsh, Trestle Bridge and Boardwalk, the Moss Garden and Reflection Pond are all integrated into the themes of the strolls.

There are a great variety of plants, trees, benches and water features, wide and narrow spaces, winding paths, stairs, textures, scents, colors, vistas and sounds to stimulate the senses.

In the past, I have loved to walk (fast) for fitness. Because of health issues which arose during the summer months, I have been forced to slow down and focus less on fitness. It became necessary to focus, with increasing patience and gentleness, on nurturing wellness within, as back pain, root canal and infection, ear surgery and recovery took turns demanding my attention during the later weeks of summer and early fall. I am truly grateful to say that I am finally able to walk a couple of miles at a time; my jaw and ear and graft are healing nicely. The Stroll for Well-Being could not have come at a better time!

Blogging (and All Writing) is Good for You

Did you see this article? My friend (the multi-talented photographer, writer, painter and actress) Diane Walker shared it with me. It's true, for me and many others I know, who have written and blogged their way through some of the darkest times of their lives.

Writing is also a wonderful way to express joy and gratitude, and that is therapeutic as well. What is your form of self-expression? Is it painting, theater, gardening, singing, dance, running, drawing, sports? What do you do when you're at the boiling point? What do you do when you're overflowing with joy?

The important thing - in my opinion - is not to keep grief or anger bottled up, under pressure, but to find a constructive expression - a way to let it out that does no harm to you or others. There are times when expressing the deepest, darkest, most powerful feelings can bring healing to me and to others. Very simply put: when I share my feelings, others know that they are not alone. When you tell me that something I write resonates with you, I know that I am not alone.

I found this gem at a 2nd hand store - the Children's Hospital Bargain Boutique on Bainbridge Island - when we were out taking a walk before a dinner date. It is the original 1961 English translation of the French classic (which was written in the 1930s). It is considered the definitive encyclopedia of gastronomic science and history. So exciting!

In recent days, I have been spending my writing energy on the "Morning Pages" for the Artist's Way. My back is slowly recovering strength. I have had two root canal procedures which have kept me from feeling tip-top, but have forced me to rest, allowing my back to heal further. In the near future, there is the Ben Towne Foundation Benefit, and then a two-day minor surgery to remove a "beauty mark" (I prefer to think of it as a "beauty mark" rather than a "mole") and a skin graft to repair the area. After that, I will be keeping quiet for a few more weeks, and looking forward to a more active life after recovering. Meanwhile, the view from here is always changing...

This ship belongs to the cruise line for which David is working. It sails in and out of our town's harbor about once a week in the warm months.

Bird prints on our beach

Summer moonrise

Dramatic moonrise

Double rainbow in the midst of a summer shower

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Education and Listening

Sitting in on classes at the University of Washington School of Medicine is a privilege which I could not have imagined 8 years ago - but then, 8 years ago, I would not have been interested in doing so.

After spending intense months with my family in a hospital setting, a piece of my heart has remained there, with the staff who so lovingly tended to Katie and to each one of us. I cannot forget them, nor what families like ours ask of them, day in and day out. They suffer when we suffer; though they have more experience and training, they are human, as we are.

I know that Katie's life and death impacted those who provided her with care.

Because I had over five years of training and experience in pastoral caregiving prior to the onset of Katie's illness, it is natural for me to think deeply about these dear caregivers and their feelings. As my own pain has become less like an elephant sitting on my chest - and more like a stone in my shoe - this concern for medical caregivers has grown. As the national discussion about the state of health care heats up, my concern centers upon a desire to improve conditions for both staff and patients - and questions about the best, most appropriate, effective ways to do that.

In considering those questions, I have been fortunate to meet staff of the U of W School of Medicine who are engaged in teaching, who are willing to share openly and generously, and to include me. Last week, I attended another session of "The Healer's Art" - this one about grief, loss and disappointment. The featured presenter is an experienced doctor who spoke eloquently on the topic, and guided us through personal reflection and sharing afterward. I found it illuminating.

I also had the privilege of participating in a "Values Clarification" exercise with 4th-year medical students. That was deep, interior work. We were invited to privately list 4 things in 5 categories that mean the most to us - categories such as relationships, possessions and so on. Then we were guided through an experience of facing our own critical illness and the loss of most of those 20 things. Eventually, we were faced with our imminent death. The scenario ran parallel to what Katie endured, and it dug deeply into my consciousness.

Though I have already personally encountered many of the issues that were raised, at one point the experience was so intense that I had to mentally withdraw. I came out of the guided imagery and studied my hands, centering myself back in the present moment. That is the hardest part about my desire to contribute in this field: not knowing when emotions may overwhelm me. Because of that uncertainty, I frequently wonder whether I am the best person for the job; yet I know that my experience has value to teach.

I am drawn to these physicians-in-training, and to their mentors and colleagues. I would love to minister to them in compassion - care of the soul - particularly as evidence of burnout and stress, disillusionment, unrealistic demands and the conflicts of cost vs. best-quality care become more and more prevalent in the field. Discerning whether this calling is real, is mine, and if so, how it is to be answered - how to do the work without injury to myself? - is the business of the moment.

I sit with students and staff, listening for answers, and offering the gifts of my heart.

You Are a Temple

Katie made her presence known at various times during the week, in “coincidence” connections with other guests, as well as in the presence of butterflies - in art, and in living, moving creatures. 

These beautiful stained glass doors open into the art studio.

A ceramic butterfly at the base of the signs.

Katie also appeared as I walked the pathways around the ranch.

Can you see the butterfly on the white daisy? It actually flapped its wings when I spoke to it. 

In preparing for this week, I resolved to abstain from online contact, replying only to the most pressing emails, and avoiding social media. I even gave up reading my usual daily devotionals; I went seeking God everywhere, in everyone and everything, intentionally not following my habitual ways. 

I wanted to trust in simply being, as Richard Rohr writes:

“Faith is to trust that an intrinsic union exists between us and God. Contemplation is to experience this union… There is nothing that is not spiritual for those who have learned how to see.”

 I did read a few words from www.gratefulness.org, and each one seemed to fit the day, simply and perfectly.

Sunday, Feb. 9

Each minute of life should be a divine quest. - Paramahansa Yogananda

Monday, Feb. 10

Our approach to gratefulness has to be big enough to embrace all the difficulties of the world. - David Steindl-Rast

Tuesday, Feb. 11

I have the nerve to walk my own way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful illusions. - Zora Neale Hurston

Wednesday, Feb. 12

When the waves close over me, I dive down to fish for pearls. - Masha Kaleko

Thursday, Feb. 13

Just to be is a blessing; just to live is holy.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Friday, Feb. 14

Treat everyone you meet as if he or she were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness, and understanding you can muster, and do so with no thought of reward. Your life will never be the same. - Og Mandino

A chalkboard near our casita held inspirational verses, on its front and back, every day.

One of the pleasures of the ranch is getting to know the other guests; they were friendly and interesting. A conversation might begin with, “Where are you from?” or “What brought you to the ranch?” or “Is this your first visit?” We learned that many guests come back year after year, with family members, friends, or even on their own.

I was surprised to see how many people are willing to invest in this kind of self-care – and I began to understand that it is not self-indulgent, but wise and healthy.

The people, messages and activities of the ranch (and Mother Nature herself), opened my heart with gentleness toward myself and others. Each hour encouraged me on the path of openness, to letting go, and to fresh, new beginnings, leaving the past behind, and listening to what is, here and now.

As I was nourished by delicious vegetarian food (the fuel for our body's energy and restoration), restful sleep, five to nine miles of daily walking, stretching and simple awareness, I began to hear these words in my heart:

my body is a temple.

At first, it made me laugh to think this, but gradually, 
I started to believe it.

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?...the temple of God, which you are, is holy… everything belongs to you…and you to Christ, and Christ to God.” – 1 Cor. 3

My body IS a temple, and yours is, too - a dwelling place for the Spirit; I am in God, and God is in me. I could feel this truth energizing me, strengthening and opening me. My skin became clearer, my body felt fluid, relaxed and strong; I gained a sense of well-being, from the inside out. I felt healing taking place.

I could also see my mom relaxing more with each day, experiencing joy and tender care, making friends and becoming bolder to take classes and try things which were new to her. 

The environs of Rancho La Puerta, and majestic Mt. Kuchumaa which stands over it, are considered sacred ground to the Kumiai Indians, and I believe it is so. The positive energy is palpable.