During the coronavirus crisis, Rachel's regularly-scheduled classes are held virtually over Zoom. The logins for all classes are on this password-protected page -- email Rachel for the password.
On a perfect late summer evening, spread out on the grass on all sides of the pavilion, people stood in clusters carefully opening the envelopes that held painted lady butterflies. Some of the butterflies lingered, tentatively moving their wings, others set out right away flying and swooping. One woman walked past me, tears streaming down […]
The rolling hills of Northern Appalachia reached saturation of green well over a month ago, and the Tulip Poplar trees now show hints of various shades of yellow on their leaves. Sweet corn stands from local farms populate parking lots. Nights and mornings are cooler in temperature. The shasta daisies, bee balm and echinacea flowers […]
This past Saturday, hosting a petition signing for a friend to get on the Democratic ballot for State Rep, our tea kettle remained on the whole day while folks gathered round the table for really good conversation and many laughs. Many people from various parts of the planet have gathered in our kitchen which has […]
. January 26th. Night descends around 5:30 pm. I sit at my desk wrapped in wool from head to toe. I wrap my hands around my large tea mug to keep them warm. Outside my window, the brightness of the snow contrasts with the darkening skies and the streetlights throw shadows across the frozen mounds […]
A friend posted this a few days back and it captured perfectly my sense of myself and the current state of affairs in January 2022 two years fully into the pandemic with no clear end in sight. ************************* January in Southwest Pa. the nights are dark and long, the days cold and gray. The […]
Wholehearted Instructions for The New Year Wrap yourself in fierce tenderness. Perhaps a hand-knit shawl, a sweet song, a hug, a dog’s face sniffing and licking your tears, or the trusting hand of a small child. Nourish yourself with teas, soups, brisk outdoor walks, and lengthy meditations. Write yourself a letter from a beloved ancestor, […]
WHEN THE HOLY THAWS A woman’s body, like the earth, has seasons; when the mountain stream flows, when the holy thaws,when I am most fragile and in need, it was then, it seemed, God came closest. God, like a medic on a field, is tending our souls. Our horns get locked with desires, but […]
What I am Learning These Days It is okay not to be okay. These are rough times. The uncertainty present moving forward in the seemingly never ending season of Covid, the spread of misinformation, the deep need for racial healing, divisions in the country, climate change and more. This is a whole lot on the […]
I enjoy lists. Not merely for tasks, but also to remind myself to prioritize relationships and wellness. Discovering Bullet Journaling in 2018 led me into a whole different realm of managing my self directed life with a mindfulness based approach that incorporates goal setting with self reflection and journaling. https://bulletjournal.com/ I strive to create lists […]
Happy Fall Equinox! Like many folks in the Northern Hemisphere, I celebrate the turning of the Celtic Wheel. These past seasons of Covid, with political polarization and now the Delta variant that brings with it, rising Covid numbers and ongoing uncertainty, I am drawn towards seeking stability, grounding and connection. For over eighteen months, I […]