December 21, 2019 is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere; the day with the least amount of sunlight. Here in Michigan, we only have 8.5-9 hours of sunlight today. Winter Solstice is a time for celebrating the return to light. It is also a time for deep reflection on the darkness. Honoring the darkness is essential for a holistic approach to life. Although I tend towards optimism and choosing to focus on the positives in life, the truth is we cannot have light witho

Winter Solstice is a time for deep reflection. December 21, 2018 is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere; the day with the least amount of sunlight. Here in Michigan, we only have 8.5-9 hours of sunlight today. Although with our typical grey winter skies, we can barely call it sunlight. This darkness is essential for our growth. Although I tend towards optimism and choosing to focus on the positives in life, the truth is we cannot have light without darkness. I enco

"I like the muted sounds, the shroud of grey, and the silence that comes with fog." -Om Malik #nature #fog #winter #quiet #silence #ommalik #quotes

A Blessing for the New Year by Kayleen Asbo As the hours of darkness begin to slowly wane from the winter sky, So too may the fearful places of your heart unclench their grasp on your life As the presence of light begins to grow with greater sureness with each passing day May your own courage blossom to open more brightly to truth and love. Let this be the year that you turn off the television and silence the talk radio chatter in order to pick up the writing pen,

It seems that many people are feeling fear at this moment in time. Fear can be a useful response or it can be the cause of chronic health problems if it doesn't enter and exit our system quickly. The fight or flight response is a vital force in maintaining our health and security. Most animals have an instinctual way of releasing the fight or flight response after it occurs, allowing the adrenal glands to rest and returning the body to homeostasis. When stress levels are hig

As we enter fully into Spring, we allow ourselves to shed the layers of winter and open to the newness of life and rebirth. Looking to nature, I am awed by the changes all around me; birds singing and the fullness of buds wanting to flower, by green shoots sprouting in my garden and by the childlike energy of Spring everywhere. As this energy fills our beings we become more active and see endless possibilities for growth. We can be tempted to move hastily into this expansion,

During this icy last week of February, I find myself beginning to long for Spring. As a native Michigander with Scandinavian roots I have always enjoyed winter; welcoming the opportunity to go inward, rest by the fire, witness the icy beauty of frozen trees in the sunlight, or take a warm bath after a brisk ski across open fields. But as winter drags on and temperatures don't climb beyond the 20s for many weeks, clouds blur my vision and instead of continuing to revel in the