the romance of life…

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Sharon

Remembering the sweet moments of all the valentine parties as a little girl and the oh so romantic moments with boyfriends as an adolescent and a young woman….now I see with bigger eyes, a grander space of love for the romance of life…all of it, the ups and downs, the ins and outs, the cycles, the seasons…with all my loves, my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my family of origin with my mama and my dad, and all my friends round the globe… so breathtaking to feel this amazing power of the romance of life…such indescribable gratitude.

Happy Valentine’s Day with love….

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My retreat buddy

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Sharon

Sometimes a retreat may show up out of nowhere….It’s Sunday morning early. I’m sitting in my kitchen with my coffee in a cup that synchronistically reads, “Some people come into our lives and quickly go…some stay for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” I’m feeling the loss of two dear acquaintances two days in a row this past week….both surprises, way too soon, too early for either of them…I look down and feel my  sweet lab comforting me, licking one of my feet, laying his big paw on the other one as he lays on his wubby, my old dishtowel. You see, retreats can come in unique packages and show up when you least expect it yet most need it. I am so grateful.  I take a deep breath into this soulful gift of retreat with my retreat buddy.  Being mindful of the gift of a moment out of time retreat is powerful.         Come…retreat with me.  You can do this.

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Broken Open

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Sharon

Sometimes there are years where the growing pains may be almost unbearable. This past year has been one for me. A few months ago I “accidentally” dropped my lovely rose quartz heart. It broke into the three pieces you see here. At first I was so devastated for I felt it represented my broken heart.
I retreated to my sacred space that comforts me when I need a moment out of time…          I sat…I listened…I heard…
A whisper came, “Precious child, your heart has been broken open to release the hurts, the sorrows and sadness from the past years of lessons and experiences. Breathe now into the spaces for your expanded heart is radiating a much grander Love. Now you have breathing room.”

So I took a breath and then another and then another….of gratitude and abundance and peace.

my heart...broken open

It remains on my writing desk as a reminder.

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early to rise…

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Sharon

This morning I awakened early to the quiet beauty of a wintry morning…the sun shining through my window edged in frost.   I arose feeling as if something wonderful was about to invite me into this new day.   I quietly tiptoed downstairs to my office/retreat space and picked up my journal.  I just wrote what was in my heart….all in a place of gratitude, appreciating the early retreat moment gifted me.  I then realized that this retreat moment was graced in sweet spirit, my wise woman essence.  So I took a breath and then another, knowing that living my day from this place of my wise woman essence would be gifting others somehow, some way, somewhere.  Such an honor!

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a bicycle retreat moment

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Sharon

After my dad passed, my mama asked if she could get a bicycle.  We purchased an adult tricycle with a basket…she toured the neighborhood at 85 years young taking gifts to her neighbors.  She said to me, “Oh, I just love the wind blowing in my white hair.  And when I come around that corner, you know, I  just coast right into my driveway!”

My husband and I now both have bikes.  The treks went with us to the beach just last week.  I experienced the wind in my hair and the coasting into the driveway of our beach condo. I remembered my mama…

Such a retreatful moment out of time.  Come…retreat with me!

Where’s your bicycle?

Create your retreat moment right this very minute!

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About…

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Sharon

I surprise myself nowadays that I have come so far in my years and have experienced so many life changes…I guess I have made it to those wise woman years….I was there before I realized I was one.  I think I didn’t really want the role yet; but after my mom-in-law passed, and then the passing of my own mama so soon after almost to the day, I realized I was supposed to step up to the plate…big shoes to fill…was I ready…I had no choice…I have daughters and grandbabies.  It’s my turn.  So what makes me wise….maybe its the births, the deaths, the Alzheimer’s, the bad fall, the long term marriage to my husband, the many years of reflections, the hard lessons, the getting back up and getting back into the game, no matter what….the most important thing:  I learned to listen to the whispers of my soul—my wise woman essence.

Where are you now? Are you a late bloomer like me?  Maybe you are an old soul in a young woman’s body, or not…share with me your thoughts.  Have you discovered the beauty of your wise woman essence yet?

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Sometimes…

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Sharon

Sometimes what we want, a great retreat out somewhere, just isn’t in the cards. Sometimes we have no choice but to retreat right where we are.  Sometimes just closing our eyes, breathing gently with our hands on our heart, will take us to a quiet place to remember ….how loved we really are, no matter what.

Know this, dear wise woman.  A retreat moment, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem, sets you right with the world, brings your power back, and starts your music flowing once more.

You can do this….

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Making the most of a retreat moment

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Sharon

Recently I went to  a speaker training conference in Tennessee.  As it turned out, I made the lovely decision to stay longer than my 2 day conference.  I was in the mountains in a serene cabin condo that quieted my mind and soul and heart for a few days.  It was splendorous—if that is a word.  My journal and I were great companions.  I listened to stories beautifully shared by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, author of Women Who Run with the Wolves; I watched powerful Abraham-Hicks dvds; and practiced meridian energy work by Diane Stein.  I lived on a great tasting veggie detox soup and protein shakes, keeping my life as simple as possible.  I sat on my porch deck facing the wooded mountains and took in the fresh air that only the mountains can give.  A beautiful  moment I chose to make for myself.  You can do this.

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A tiny retreat moment as I awaken this morning…

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Sharon

Have you ever found yourself outside during or after a beautiful snowfall….more than once this has happened to me.  There is a hush so breathtaking, no movement, no birdsong, no cars, no dogs barking, just absolute silence… a pure moment out of time.  I, still in my jammies, step out into the snow,  breathing in to hold the crisp fresh cold air in my lungs, not wanting to let go, until I finally give in and exhale.

This morning at 6 am  was that for me, just a tiny retreat  so powerful for this wise woman…such gratitude I feel, such awe for the beauty and the wonder of this beautiful mother earth…such a gift here on this early January morning.

Can you find your moments out of time…even the tiniest retreat moment is a treasure.  Find one today…tonight…this week.  Live it…Love it…Celebrate it…Journal it!

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Self-imposed Retreat!

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Sharon

A late October spur of the moment retreat brought me to this early morning not quite yet sunrise.  I could barely hear the surf, although I was right there, right in the midst of the beauty.  As I snapped this photo with my iphone—yes, it was my iphone…I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.  Was this a confirmation for my self-imposed retreat?  I feel it so.  The week was quiet and calm; I listened to my breathing; I did nothing but reflect; I treated my Self kindly and simply.  I remained near the ocean surf, allowing the breeze to soothe me, the salt air to refresh me, the birds to sing to me.  Simplicity amidst the beauty of this moment was where I resided for 5 days.

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