soul mantras and other stories

betty shows off some new soul mantra necklaces 

The shop has reopened and I have filled it with lots of new necklaces that are ready to be sent out into the world. 

The phrases I am called to work with these days are about honoring the path that we are on as we seek the beauty in the midst of all of it…as we seek the home inside ourselves where we can simply show up as us. I am so grateful to be able to create and share these talismans knowing they will find their way to where they are most needed. Currently, I am wearing my own version of this necklace to remind myself that I know the way...

new in the shop: rooted in love . i just breathe . be right here . joyful fluttering

You might have noticed that I am making a few subtle changes around here, starting with changing the name of my shop to "soul mantras and other stories." I am still having fun with fabric (more on that soon!), but for now, this shop will only be carrying jewelry. 

Thank you for walking beside me on the journey. Looking forward to sharing more in this spot now that I am emerging from re-entry mode post retreat.

Blessings,

Liz

a heart open (notes to myself)

 kindreds . gearhart, oregon . june 19, 2011

to show up,
a heart open,
and allow yourself to be seen...
this is how to find your kindreds 

somewhere is home

my brother matthew morgan and his girlfriend catherine odell are the band hello mtn. levi's is using their song "somewhere is home" in a commercial that is currently appearing on the levi's blog. (for reals.) join me in hoping that the commercial goes national because that would simply be the bee's knees. don't you think?

find out more about hello mtn on their facebook page and blog. find out more about Upstate (the girls in the commercial) at the levi's blog.  

and in case you missed the photos i shared of hello mtn last fall, here is one of my favorites...

(oh and yes, i am still tucked away on the oregon coast recharging just a wee bit before heading up the 101. see you soon...) 

the beauty and the stuckness

gearhart morning . june 15, 2011 (straight out of the camera)

so this is what i love about this living thing:

you can be in the midst of an almost perfect moment as you stand at the edge of the pacific ocean while the rain gently taps on your head and a sense of awe grows inside you as you are side by side with a kindred spirit who deeply sees you. this is an awe that starts in your belly as you find your breath and hear the waves and the laughter as you pick up sand dollars and tuck them away to be shared with people who are traveling across the miles to come together and dive into pieces of their stories. you can be almost resting inside this awe as you take another deep breath and feel the sand in between your fingers as you turn to head back to the car that represents this adventurous side of you that has begun to stretch again after a year of quiet and "oh so much." you can begin to talk about all that is to come as you roll the windows down to hear the ocean as you drive on the sand toward coffee and eggs and the perfect from scratch biscuit that await. you can be right in this moment, right in the noticing and the beauty of all of it, and suddenly something will shift and you are in the midst of a new experience that has you losing the grip on the beauty and bringing in a feeling of "how did this happen?" you can be literally stuck with your wheels spinning right there in the sand with no one to call to help you and thoughts of "how the hell did I get into this one?" tap tap tapping on your head. 

but then there will be laughter and an invitation to take a breath and possible solutions brainstormed. and a passerby will redirect his path to look you in the eye and say, "so it looks like you are stuck. maybe i can help." and the sun will slice through the grey just like that. and then two more will appear with their own tools for the journey and a plan will be hatched. and even as you sit behind the wheel of your own stuckness, you suddenly will hear the waves in the distance again and remember your breath because these people who just appeared will begin to pull you out. just like that. there will be a shift into neutral and reverse and back back back you will go in a do-over of sorts as you listen to the waves through the open window and giggle as you realize no one got angry and said, "how could you do that?" or made you feel silly, and a tiny thought of "you didn't even invite yourself to feel small" will float across your mind and you will know that truth, even if just for that second. 

and there will be gratitude and hugs and a suggestion to take a new path for the next step to avoid repeating this specific adventure. and for a change you will agree that a new direction feels just perfect even if it is 4.5 miles out of the way. and you will shift into drive with the windows rolled down and say aloud to the kindred spirit beside you, "well, if we were going to get stuck, that was certainly the way to do it." and you will both laugh and then listen to the waves as you roll on down the path ready to begin it all again.  

the getting ready part

goodies for the gift bags

a vintage suitcase full of papers

oh the washi tape

what the kitchen table really looks like

your story happens this week. it is my fourth retreat this year, and i am really sinking into the getting ready part in a way that feels more excited and less "oh my goodness how will i get it all done." because the getting ready part can be pretty intense as i gather so many things to take with me to a spot along the coast hours away. this time, i am gathering even more art supplies than usual and the colors of everything are just making me feel lighter. as though summer is really here. i can't wait to stand under that light in gearhart. it is so gorgeous there. we are going to have so much fun.

while i am away, my plan is to schedule a few posts (and maybe even send a postcard or two from there). it feels like there is so much to tell you these days. how i wish we could meet for tea...one day soon i hope.

seeking light

liz :: viv

This girl, she 
stands inside delectable ripening plums
leaps toward illuminating bittersweet blossoms
marinates between subtle hints of coconut milk and opulent purple silk
crawls beneath windows with views of wayside hope and stoppered truths

this girl, she
emerges as the essence of yes

*****

Vivienne McMaster and I are collaborating on a few fabulous in-person and online workshops, retreats, and other goodies (yet to be announced) that we are excited to share with you. As we work together on these projects, we are delighted to share a series of "Seeking" posts on both of our blogs. In each post, we will create a diptych of images, share what we are seeking, and perhaps share information about one of our collaborations! 

Today, we both used the prompt "seeking light" for the photos in our diptych and then paired our photos with a poem note/journal writing. Visit Viv's blog to read her written response to our photos.

On July 16^th and 17^th, we will be teaching a workshop together at Teahouse Studio in Berkeley, California. This workshop is packed full of the creative wonder we are both so passionate about. Woven through the 2-day experience will be some juicy writing prompts and guided meditations led by me and playful and wonder-filled photography prompts led by Vivienne. We’ll also be diving into making a mixed-media journal inspired by my book Inner Excavation. 

Registration for this event closes very soon (June 24), so we encourage you to jump into this experience and join us! We’d so love to meet you.

the kindred project: day 12 (on noticing)

The Kindred Project: 12 Days of Light and Yes is about sharing our stories of light and hope. The moments where we said "yes" to choosing beauty in the midst of it all. The moments where we stood in our own light. The moments where we saw someone else choose hope. The moments where another became our teacher and where we taught ourselves. Read more about the project and share your own stories in this post. During these 12 days, I am sharing a few of the lights along my path that have pushed me and taught me and held me in the midsts of it all. 

*****

soul mantras awaiting a polish and chains before they head into the world

There were so many stories I wanted to share with you during these 12 days (that have become 13 days) but I am going to instead let go of that for now and tuck those stories away for another time because this is what I am called to share today...

In my Asian Philosopy class in college, I was introduced to this idea of becoming an observer of yourself. My quick explanation of this (because really you could study books and more books about this): The idea is to try to observe moments in your life with a sense of detachment, so you can see a bit more clearly and notice. You just notice. Letting go of the judgement or worry or fear or anger or what ifs and notice. 

This is a beautiful and powerful practice but so often it is oh-my-goodness hard.

Lately, I have been trying to do this in a few areas of my life, and this practice has pushed me to really admit some things (to myself):

You are on the path. (And you know it, so stop pretending you don't.)

You are too hard on yourself baby girl. There is only so much time in the day and you are only one person and it is okay to know that you are doing the best you can.

People are rarely as mad or even as dismayed as you assume they will be. In fact, they are hardly ever mad at all.

The universe is taking care of you in ways you don't even realize.

It so isn't about you. It isn't. But it can seem so easy to make it all about you. Yes. But people are just living their lives, doing their best too.

You will always miss them. This is truth, and it is okay.

People won't always get you. Just keep moving forward.

You must honor the people who do get you. Like. right. now. 

Spending more time in the living will infuse you with energy.

You are enough. You are enough. You are enough.

I am pushing myself to own these truths. I am also looking at the expectations I have of myself and trying to uncover where those expectations come from and if they really belong to me and are my truth. Luckily, I have some support in this area as this is big work. But in doing this work, I know my path will be lighter. Because even when I don't want to admit it, I make the choice. I choose to know these truths and stand in this light. I choose..

*****

A few shop notes: I am going to close the shop for two weeks starting tomorrow (Thursday). With all the retreats that have happened in this first part of 2011, I have learned that this simply is a must. I am working on some new designs to reveal when I reopen (including bracelets!) and I will be moving on from some of the pieces in the current collection (meaning several will no longer be available). Also, today and tomorrow will be the last days for the special edition kindred project necklace. So if you have your eye on something, use the coupon code SPRINGFREE for free shipping through tomorrow. 

the kindred project: days 9, 10, and 11 (be right here)

The Kindred Project: 12 Days of Light and Yes is about sharing our stories of light and hope. The moments where we said "yes" to choosing beauty in the midst of it all. The moments where we stood in our own light. The moments where we saw someone else choose hope. The moments where another became our teacher and where we taught ourselves. Read more about the project and share your own stories in this post. During these 12 days, I am sharing a few of the lights along my path that have pushed me and taught me and held me in the midsts of it all. 

*****

 a little bit of happy from the studio

Here: Taking my homework assignment from the last post to heart, and taking my own advice as I give myself permission to lean into the living that is happening over here. Letting go of the expectations I have put on myself to blog for 12 days in a row...because...well...life is always happening over here. I love this project and will be back tomorrow with another story...

Thank you for sharing the stories that you have so far through your blog posts, emails, and comments. Thank you for you...

Light and love to you dear one,

Liz