I think on everyone's daily checklist should be to spend at least 10 minutes outdoors. Not as in walking from store to car or from job to train as if nature were just  a way station between other things in our lives but a destination (and not just a destination to 'work out' in) outside is a place to be in.

My husband and I love to take nice long walks outdoors and when we do, we go slow and intentional. During that time we see so much; the mushrooms or wild edibles we want to eat, snakes, birds, animals, silence, smells, wind, and sky. As we slowly make our way engaging in nature we are often buzzed by by people on their phones, on their ipods, on their heart rate monitors completely disconnected to the outrageous AMAZING awe inducing LIFE that is constantly unfurling around us in every nook and cranny possible.

To many, the outdoors feels like an empty space, but usually that is because we are not paying attention. I have seen people either individually or in groups walk right past a herd of deer not more than 10 feet away, who then only see them on the sides of highways or in managed parks. I have seen others almost mow down sunning snakes and frogs on their mountain bikes with their music way up loud--not seeing anything, not taking responsibility for their partnership in this moment and in this space. Because that is what it is, a partnership and when we opt out by not paying attention only we lose.

When was the last time your feet were not on concrete? When was the last time you felt total silence? Facebook, twitter, all the things that work to keep us connected are actually disconnecting us from the REAL world. Endeavouring to take at least 10 minutes a day to be in nature, to connect with the real planet helps to calm, to recenter, to understand ourselves as the humble animals we are. In our short and miraculous conscious lives we get to see the beautiful creation and recreation all around us. This connection is as important as love, as sanity as truth as everything.

For the longest time I killed any urge I had to daydream because I thought I should be practical, "Why waste brain space on something that is not going to happen... or something that would only tease me?" I thought. It was only later that I realized how wrong I was. I had a personal epiphany: denying my dreams meant denying a part of my deep self.

Since that time have I made some radical, life altering, life affirming changes! A little over a year ago, sitting in my office and looking out at a world beyond my excel spreadsheet I had a dream to leave the office-workaday world in order to live more fully with my purpose. Because I finally heeded that dream I was able to totally reinvent my life.


I cannot imagine my life now if I had not given myself permission to dream. So for today, I encourage you to dream that big scary dream that won't go away, that settles in at the very edge of your awareness saying, "I am still here, and I am waiting." Our thoughts create our reality but it is our spirit that starts the spark, the ignition sequence for take off.

Today's Healing deck pull is the card of Boundaries.

I find that most interpersonal challenges often have an issue of boundaries; either we are not respecting others' boundaries or they are not respecting ours. Often and especially with loved ones, we inadvertently reinforce that it is ok to trample our personal boundaries because we do not reinforce our sense of space, because we have been taught that to reinforce our boundaries may mean we do not love.

With sons, with lovers, with close friends and with Mothers we often allow others to treat us in a way that does not honor the relationship. We give more than we really have and we feel hurt when the giving is not honored in return.

It can be so hard to say, "The word no has nothing to do with how much I love you. These are separate things." Especially when the other party will take the no personally; will cry and rail and be mean or stonewall it can be so hard. But these difficult moments have to be undertaken in order to shore up our own reserves especially if the person is crossing boundaries. Otherwise we become lost to who we are.

Alternatively, we need to respect the boundaries of others even when they are doing something dumb,  dangerous or difficult. We can say our piece, give our love, and let go knowing that letting go is a radical act of love, knowing we cannot truly change anyone, knowing that we can guide but after that we release.

So for today, I want you to think about your own boundaries. Who is crossing the line? What do you need to do about it? Whose line might you be crossing and how do you rectify it?