We reap what we sow.

That’s one of those things that people say that is kind of ominous, right? I hear it and I get this sense of an elder staring down their nose at me, warning me that if I sow the wrong things, I’ll reap all kinds of hellfire.

When I can quiet that kneejerk reaction and really get inquisitive about the sentiment, I like it a bit more. Dr. Shauna Shapiro’s mantra “what we practice grows stronger” coupled with her suggestion that kind attention and intention is what fertilizes our growth resonates with me. If I can evaluate my intentions and the quality of my attention without judgment, it becomes much more clear to me what I’m nurturing and what I’m letting go.

The seasons of our life will have us shifting our attention and intention time and time again. When you have a new baby, your attention and intention is consumed with keeping your wee one alive. When you are injured or ill, your attention is focused on your health and vitality. These are very important places to focus our attention! And yet, we sometimes beat ourselves with the judgment bat for letting other parts of our life slip. I tend to think that just noticing both the places we are focused upon and those that we’re placing in the periphery can make a world of difference.

This month we’re checking into the gardens of our lives. We’re practicing noticing and cultivating our attention and intention.

A SUGGESTION:

This month, I suggest doing the creativity exercise before you tackle the journaling prompts, as the two are tied together. You can likely do both in about an hour, but you could also do them in two sittings, or return to them multiple times over the month.

This month, the mindfulness practice is a meditative walk. The recording was quite fun to make—I’ve taken you all along on my own mindful walk! Feel free to listen and walk with me if you like. If you prefer quiet contemplation, you can check out the step-by-step written guide instead.

a few changes:

Open Studio Sessions have been cancelled.

We hear you—those weren’t working so well. That’s cool, we’re going to try something new!

Instead of the monthly Open Studios, we are offering one 60 minute 1-to-1 session with me, Sarah, each quarter with your membership. Some possible ways you might use this:

• You’d like to walk through a meditation or exercise you’ve struggled with

• You want to work through a situation that’s holding you back

• You need some suggestions for implementing a creative ritual

• You have a question or a million about how this all ties to your situation.

• Maybe you just want to chat. ANYTHING GOES!

If you scroll down you will see a section describing this. Just click the button to schedule a session. You’ll have a chance to give me any information that is relevant to our connection time—please do! I’ll show up with as many tools and tinctures as possible to add to your medicine bag.

Quarterly Workshops:

Each quarter we’ll be offering a creativity workshop that aligns with the season. These will be open to the public, but you, Bewonderment members, will have access to these for free! You must RSVP to attend.

offered via zoom

We are always looking for ways to support your creative, spiritual journey, my friends. We always want to hear from you. If you have questions, roadblocks, issues or celebrations, don’t hesitate to reach out.

With love,

SRB