Friday chicken

Where I cover the good and the hard in my week, visiting the non-preachy side of ritual and self-reflection.

It is Friday and we are here.

{a breath for Friday}

What worked this week?

Saying thank you.

And sharing my thank-yous.

Next time I might…

Remind myself about the relationship between rest and [everything else].

Naps are portals and bridges to healing things. For me.

And I forget this.

Eight breaths for the hard, challenging and mysterious.

  1. Some body stuff going on. Left foot. Right hand. A small burn. A breath for taking better care of myself.
  2. In addition to last week’s Alarming Estimates for house repairs, my dentist informed me that there are things that need to be fixed. This never happens! Except it’s happening now. A breath for ease, comfort and perfect simple solutions.
  3. We invested in new equipment for the imaginary chocolate shop, and it was so expensive, and there was just no way around it. A breath for breathing through.
  4. Of course we somehow ordered the wrong equipment, and of course there were endless complications with the delivery and of course it arrived on a 90 degree day and of course it took hours for me and Richard to unload all the heavy boxes because we didn’t know anyone who could help. A breath for everything about this situation and for new forms of support coming in.
  5. Got seriously overloaded during the workshop weekend. A combination of too much intel and too much time around people. A breath for falling apart.
  6. At the point with my dancing where I can catch so things that aren’t working and I know why and I know what to do about it, and just not able to implement yet. A breath for being just past the beginning of the montage sequence….
  7. Travel and logistics and so many things to be done, so many things on hold. A breath for trust.
  8. Inhale, exhale. Goodbye, mysteries and hard moments of this week.

Eight breaths of good, reassuring, delight-filled.

  1. Wally Walsh, wizard of bodywork, was able to do miracles with my back. I went from being in pain and having very limited range of motion to feeling completely fine. A breath for movement, and for love.
  2. Last week’s new understanding related to my relationship with dance has been bearing fruit of the best kinds. A breath for knowing what I want and how to get there.
  3. The workshop weekend with Brandi Tobias was incredible. I have pages of furiously scribbled notes, some of which are hilarious (“don’t be a baby skunk!”), and drills to play with, and a thousand shining epiphanies. A breath for the thrill of understanding new things. Or old things in a new way.
  4. I had all kinds of great dances with people this week. A breath for delight in life.
  5. Grand adventures of various kinds. Getting Redirected. Ending up at a Bosnian cafe and discovering clues. A breath for discovery.
  6. Writing, writing, writing and more writing. A breath for pleasure and for process.
  7. I am in California having an adventure related to Operation Gem Springs. I am finding the treasure. I am trying new things. A breath for everything about this.
  8. Appreciation and thankfulness. I am learning the things I want to learn. Incoming me is wise and hilarious and gives me good counsel. Red lipstick. Lovely surprises. Nothing is wrong. Now is not then. All Timing Is Right Timing. So many things are good. A breath for deep appreciation in my thank-you heart.

WHAM BOOM! Operations completed.

The phrase Whoosh Ha Mastodon Boom is secret agent code that means: this thing is done! It is often shortened to wham-boom. You may also shout (or whisper) other joyous words if you like.

Lots of progress on ongoing missions, specifically Provisioning and Tiny Liberations. Wham Boom.

Superpowers!

Powers I had this week…

The power of Trying Things On For Size (in all senses), and being okay with what doesn’t fit.

No worries. These things that turned out not to fit aren’t for me. I just try things! I try things and I enjoy learning about what fits and what doesn’t.

Superpowers I want.

The power of Whatever Is Happening Automatically Enhances My Superpowers.

Salve. The Salve of Supported.

When you rub this salve into your skin, you suddenly become aware of all the forms of support that are already in your life.

The basic ones like oxygen and gravity.

Support in the form of beauty: Trees and flowers. Vibrant colors. Marvelous smells.

Support in the form of resources — internal and external — available to you whether you remember to call on them or not.

All the hidden forms of support are visible for you now and activated for you, in such a way that accessing them is now easy and uncomplicated. This salve only activates forms of support that are safe for you to receive, no strings attached, no stuff attached. This is support in pure-essence.

This salve adds grace to everything. And — here’s something interesting: this salve makes it easier to try things on for size.

When you remember how much support there is for you, it’s not a big deal to let things go that don’t fit…

These salves can’t be seen, but the production factory delivers enough for distribution by way of the magic of the internet, so help yourself. There is enough.

If salve does not appeal, you can have this in tea form, as a bath, cocktail, whatever works for you. Not only is there enough salve, there are also enough ways to receive it.

Playing live at the meme beach house — the Fake Band of the Week!

My brother and I make up bands, which are all just one guy. The Meme Beach House is the venue.

This band is called The Fly Ribbon Sutras, they play indie banjo covers of Tom Waits songs and it’s actually just one guy.

Attenzione! Attention, AGENTS.

My writing/righting retreat is full. (PASSWORD: oneword)

Is this something you would want another chance at doing in the future? Let me know.

You don’t have to think you’re a writer, you don’t have to write, nothing is required other than that you want quiet time to be deeply creative, wildly inspired, and take some mostly self-guided time for internal exploration or whatever appeals to you.

Come play if you like…

Join me in the comments. Some of us share hard and good, some of us say hi, or maybe we’re on silent retreat. My ritual doesn’t have to be your ritual. Whatever works for you. Almost three hundred weeks of this and there still isn’t a right way.

Everyone belongs. We let people have their own experience. We’re supportive and welcoming. We don’t give advice.

Wishing you a glorrrrrrrrrrrrious day, a restful weekend and a happy week to come.

Shabbat shalom.

p.s. It’s fine if it’s not Friday anymore. There’s complete chicken amnesty — join in whenever you like, it’s no big deal. And I am blowing kisses to the Beloved Lurkers. I love that you are here too.

The Fluent Self