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Elan Vitae
magazine
magazine
Elan Vitae
PREVIOUS ISSUES
2026 VOL I
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - 2026 VOL I
Awakening, evolving, becoming. All varying degrees of reaching outward, learning, understanding, then pulling the lessons close to integrate into our being. In this issue we’re talking about embodiment. What it means to fully integrate those lessons on a regular basis. Even when life gets messy, a moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate the lessons brings us more fully into our wisdom. Whether we’re reaching for expansion through curiosity or processing through the lens
LETTING GO TO STAY CONNECTED
“You’ve been warned,” my husband, Boyd, announces on a rainy, Sunday afternoon. He is standing in front of the bookshelf in our bedroom that is overflowing with books. Books on top of books. Layers of books. Books balanced on the edges of the antique shelves that I inherited from my Great Aunt Blanche. “The box stays here,” Boyd slides an empty cardboard box across the floor to the wall with his foot. “…in five days, this box will be filled,” he pauses for dramatic effect.
THE BODY'S QUIET ANSWER TO PERFECTION
Once a month, I give myself a rejuvenating gift. It is a creative retreat in the form of an online group poetry class. It is a special group of people who are scattered across the country, and we gather on Zoom. The instructors create an intimate space that invites us to soften, to step into vulnerability, and to write from our hearts. The reason this class is so important to me is that it assists me in releasing a constant companion, my perfectionism. For a few hours, my v
THE RECIPROCAL NATURE OF EMBODIMENT
To embody is to feel something fully, letting go of “should” and “have to” thoughts and pressures to create a space where you can be your truest self. It is alignment that you feel so deeply that it serves as a guide, a compass, for how you live your life. When you achieve this level of expression it often leads to joy through being in a state of flow, ease through supporting your values instead of struggling to meet the standards of others, and fulfillment through being conn
THE WAY BACK TO YOURSELF
I lather up, glancing casually in the mirror as the water works its magic and signals my hands and fingers to begin their unscripted dance: a hybrid prayer-handshake of sorts, at once a greeting, a thanking, a hoping. They instinctively slip over and through one another in their unconscious routine, their own miniature tai chi sequence: right hand curl over left, left hand grasp right thumb, right hand grasp left fist, left fingers slide down through right fingers, right thum
REMOVING THE TENSION
The other day, I was taking a yoga class, and the instructor said, “We want to feel the posture in the body, and we also want the body to be in the posture.” In that moment, as I focused on grounding myself in this balancing posture, I exhaled fully, then slowed my breathing down, repeating to myself on the in-breath and the out-breath, “mind slowing down, body slowing down.” I use these phrases as reminders to tune out the noise. I use them for myself before I start any writ
MASTERPIECE IN PROGRESS: OWNING YOUR INNER ARTIST
“Are you an artist?” I distinctly remember the first time I was “mistaken” for an artist. I was in my early twenties and walking into a graphic design class I had picked up to support my efforts in a corporate marketing position. I loved my job and the people, products and projects I worked on every day. It was creative enough, but I was still in the process of learning who I was. I had a school record that said I was a good student; I had a short resume that positioned
2025 VOL II
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER -- 2025 VOL II
So much of life calls us to separate ourselves into pieces, become fractals in order to cover all the bases — work, family, social lives — not to mention those parts of us that are reaching for more through creativity and personal growth. In this issue, we consider what it means to be WHOLE. To be operating from a place of connection and integration within oneself, approaching life with the purity of our full presence and potential. While we are never really complete as huma
A RISING SON
I realized I hadn’t allowed myself to miss him. For months, over 2,000 miles by air and nearly 4,000 miles by land had been reduced to mere feet in my mind by the knowing that he was being embraced by, and embracing, everything about that place that had rooted itself in my soul twenty-five years ago. That knowing fed me with the excitement of possibility for him, rather than the longing and uncertainty that others might expect me to feel when saying hasta la próxima to my ba
TUNING IN: MOVEMENT, MESSAGES & THE BODY
Some of my favorite memories are from the summer days when I was eight and nine. Every day had an easy, playful rhythm. My sister and I would head outside first thing in the morning, knocking on our friends’ doors to see who could come out and play. It felt like a different kind of time. There were no distractions, just presence. We were fully alive, tuned in without even trying. There was a quiet kind of magic, like we could hear our bodies speak through little nudges and fe
LIMINAL SPACE
I recently returned from an Icelandic adventure. When you go to Iceland in June, you don’t see the aurora borealis. You see the sun. Iceland is an island made from volcanoes and an island of extremes. It’s well-documented as the land of fire (volcanoes) and ice (glaciers). Nearly twenty-four hours of sun in the summer and nearly twenty-four hours of darkness in the winter, hence the ability to see the fantastical northern lights when most other light has vanished. We were st
A RESONANT PATH TO WHOLENESS
What best represents wholeness for human beings? The word suggests a feeling of completeness, of having reach some desired endpoint and leaving no stone unturned and no need unmet. For some, the path to this place might be achieving your maximum potential, using all your gifts to achieve something great. For others the way there could be through connections, being one with the Earth and in harmony with those around you. Or perhaps to be truly whole you have to leave somet
THE SONG RETURNS
I stood at the stove, pushing the breakfast potatoes back and forth, turning one and then another, seeking that perfect golden crunchiness on every side. The rising sun shone brightly through the back window and onto the pan, hinting at another reliably warm, humid day in the tropics. Removing the potatoes from the heat, making way for the eggs that would follow, I suddenly noticed that the tune in my head had made its way to my voice. “Are youuuuu a life force . . .”, words
2025 VOL I
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - 2025 VOL I
Out of the contrast of black/white, dark/light, and high and low, sprouts appreciation. Observing and acknowledging the differences in our lives reveals the nuanced beauty and limitless possibilities available for us to savor. In this issue we’re exploring the paradoxes of life and the rich gifts that contrast brings to our experience. We all know it’s never completely either/or or black/white. Each stop on the spectrum in between reveals something unique and special. So,
RUNNING TOWARD CLARITY
Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash We had reached that time of year when darkness came early. A late afternoon run begun and the fading light would quickly decline into shadows. Without what little warmth the low hanging and dimly lit sun provided, the blackness gave way to a biting cold. On this particular December night, moisture hung in the air as if it might snow any moment. My breath floated upward before me like the exhaust of a steam locomotive, and the frozen vapor be
THE WEIGHT OF WAITING
Photo by Daniel Nebreda from Pixabay I’m waiting. Waiting for change, waiting to feel absolute in my certainty. I live in a place where the predictably of seasons changing happens in somewhat equal distribution when paced on my calendar. I love this. I love that I live in a place where the transitions offer contrast— where you can measure your time and your expansion in increments that make sense. There is comfort in this sense of change and in the certainty I feel in my bod
FROM CRITICS TO CONNOISSEURS
Photo by Kyaw Tun on Unsplash We have a critical situation here. Although I’m not as big of a sports fan as I used to be, I still keep a casual eye on my hometown professional baseball team. They are historically terrible but this year, they made the playoffs and are having success. An article caught my eye about how the opposing team had specific individuals to blame in their teams loss to my hometown team. I don’t know why I decided to read it, but I gave it my attention.
TO WRITE A THOUSAND POEMS, TO WRITE EVEN ONE
Photo by: Innis Casey I write a poem on the floor of my bedroom. There is a portable stereo on the shelf above my head. I call it a jam box + I listen to Carole King’s Tapestry album on repeat. The poem is about life + what it all means. By the end of the last verse, I believe I have figured something out. I write a poem at my friend’s house after a moment at the dinner table When I ask her dad about the time he served in Vietnam – He lovingly smiles a little in my direction
THE CATHARTIC LIGHT
Photo by Shena Driscoll Salvato Exactly ten years and three days before that fateful day, he was driving the two of us through that same intersection, under the same light in our first car, our unexpected transfer from home to hospital where we would return home between the chicory as three: our fresh, new blessing securely strapped in the back seat, me, her new mother, by her side. Oh the gratitude that it hadn’t happened on that day. “I always look left before turning right
THE BALANCE OF GIVING AND RECEIVING
Photo by Geetanjal Khanna on Unsplash Sitting with friends for a leisurely breakfast our conversation turned to giving. Our talk flowed from the need of people to give more to one another to the fun of finding the perfect gift. The conversation then meandered to receiving as we reminisced about our childhood in early November when the extra-thick and brightly colored J.C. Penney or Sears holiday catalog was delivered in the mailbox. Everyone’s eyes lit up and we couldn’t sto
Spring 2024 LIGHT
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - SPRING 2024
There is nothing like pointing your face toward the warm sun of spring and letting the golden rays wash away the cold, crackly residue of winter. Stepping into that light is a renewal of sorts, illuminating stagnancies both literal and figurative that are ready to be released. In this issue, we’re exploring and embracing the multiple facets of light - what it means to illuminate and be illuminated, allowing the contrast between dark and light, and allowing light to flow thro
THE SOURCE OF HUMAN LIGHTNESS
What is the feeling of lightness? It describes positive aspects of human existence including physical agility, emotional lightheartedness, intellectual curiosity, or spiritual fulfillment. And when lightness is present in any of these manifestations, you may notice that you feel joyful, unencumbered, bright, or lithe. We often think of lightness in contrast to what it is not. In those moments when heaviness or darkness bear down you might feel burdened, alone, or afraid. And
CREATING WISDOM THROUGH CURIOSITY
When I was a child, I thought I would know everything by age 40. I thought my life would be settled and I would be successful and finally, at peace. No more questions. (*I’ve always had so many questions about life.) I remember my father’s 40th birthday. It was a surprise party in our home, where our extended family and neighbors and dad’s work colleagues gathered to celebrate this monumental “over the hill” moment. The theme was fishing, my father’s favorite pastime, and my
PHOSPHORESCENT
It’s still cold outside, but I notice the burgeoning of spring every day on my walks. Shoots burst through the soil, defying the snow melt that still covers the grass in my yard. The greening of the grass comes later, but I see hints of it even now. The birdsong has begun to change as more birds come back from their southern migrations. I hear the familiar calls that I have missed in the past few months. The thing is, even with these outward changes happening around me every
FEATURED ARTIST INTERVIEW SERIES - CITLALLI PARRA
Photo credit: Larissa Moreno Everything about Citlalli Parra says spring. Her essence is one of lightness, sprouting, growing, becoming. But like the wisdom innate to the plants and trees around us, her blossoming is not haphazard. It is instilled, innate, intuitive, and perfectly imperfect. While the uniqueness of her designs shine brightly on the model or the showroom floor, like their creator, it is their inner light that radiates most. The light that can only come fr
FIVE GIFTS OF LIGHT
Sunlight has a way of making magic of the otherwise ordinary—the tops of the trees illuminated by the glow of the rising sun, the morning crystals of ice on a dormant bud, the baffling definition of a cumulous cloud. This fleeting show of beauty necessitates pause. Wait a few seconds, and it will be gone, never again to be seen in that exact form. It, though, is unattached; it doesn’t care if we see it or not. If we’re willing to be present to receive them, we’re the fortunat
RELEASING THE WEIGHT OF CLUTTER
As spring approaches, I normally feel the itch to clean out my house. The release of unneeded items brings a sense of renewal after a long winter inside. But this year, everything feels different. A slow accumulation of generations of family boxes and furniture has found their way into my house. From my departed parents beloved possessions stacked in my garage to my recent college graduate’s furniture scattered in various rooms, I am feeling stuck in the overload of stuff. Wh
Winter 2024 SILENCE & STILLNESS
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - WINTER 2024
The silence, the stillness, the space between . . . that precious moment (or moments) when everything is suspended - noise, conversation, thought, even time, holds both power and potential. In this issue, we’re exploring that potential as it is often here that we come face to face with ourselves, for better or worse. As you dive into these pages, we hope you’ll join us in embracing the paradox of comfort and discomfort that are born in this moment of suspension and the pers
THE POWER OF BEING STILL
“I feel stuck,” my friend, Jack, says softly into the phone. I’m sitting on my back deck with a cup of tea early, early Saturday morning. Jack is on the east coast and I am on the west. We’ve known each other about as many years as the miles between us – but we don’t talk regularly with our busy family lives. For him to plan this kind of conversation means his stress is real – and he needs an old friend. He needs the history of us to locate who he is now. “I don’t want to lea
FRACTALS OF RESTORATION
All living things need restoration. Rest is a part of the natural ebb and flow of our planet. And winter is the perfect time to contemplate the importance and impact of taking a rest. In cold winter months the molecules in the air move more slowly. Much of the Earth’s flora becomes still as photosynthesis decelerates and growth ceases, allowing plants to fall into dormancy and await the first signs of spring. Some animals slow their activities to conserve energy and reduce th
WINTERING IN THE ABSENCE OF MOTHERING
As we head into a time of Wintering, a time of receding and regrouping, a time of cocooning and hygge, I am abundantly aware of the stillness and silence that surround me – especially since my daughter left for college. The silence really isn’t silent, though, and the stillness seems to be an illusion as well. Or maybe it’s just that my expectation of these isn’t what I am currently experiencing. I am not still in this space. I am finding it difficult to BE because I want to
THE ONE WHO BROUGHT ME HERE
Years seem to have passed by in minutes. The silence between us during those years, in all forms, hasn’t been intentional. There wasn’t a reason to stop communicating, nor did we not have anything to say. On the contrary, we likely had too much to say. Too much to not be able to precede each update with a long hug, accompany it with the rise and fall of a familiar laugh. Births, losses, joys, wars: it’s all too much to convey in a text or call. That physical distance, between
NAVIGATING TWO WORLDS
I found the key to enter the gateway of the two worlds where I live. It begins with a compassionate hush and a rooted breath. Awareness, forward movement, and insight igniting. Deeply known yet still undiscovered. Providing stillness and valuable wisdom. How do you navigate the two worlds where you live? This is the question I asked myself at the beginning of this year. The worlds I am talking about are our external and internal worlds and all of us move between them frequen
FEATURED ARTIST SERIES: MICHAEL GIORDANO, NATURE AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER
Some artists have a magic way of layering complexity and simplicity and Mike Giordano is one of those artists. He has followed his lens deep into the woods, to the tops of mountains, and beyond the clouds to capture the moon and the stars. While the technicalities and creativity of photography excite him, his only purpose for sharing his work is to create pleasure for others. To follow is our conversation about his journey as a creative: Jennifer Bristol for Elan Vitae: Hel
Fall 2023 RISE
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - FALL 2023
Tick, tock, knock knock. Here comes that feeling of anticipation - that visceral alarm that something is brewing. Sometimes it comes in softly, like a whisper. Other times it takes the form of a brick wall and allows us to slam into it. Regardless of the vehicle or lesson, our invitation to RISE has arrived. Like the energy of potential that still rises from an extinct campfire, what looks like the end of a cycle carries the potential of new beginning. Each new season,
EPHEMERAL BODY, ETERNAL SOUL
darkness becomes light anticipating, revealing, warming, lifting you are present, in this moment connected to all that came before and all who follow pausing, yet moving beauty, light, peace, stillness you witness the unfolding of the day awash in anticipation of what is to come seeing without understanding reverence, openness, love, awe you are effortless, succumbing reminded of your smallness and your importance sense of place, time fleeing feeling the Earth beneath and imm
RESONANCE THROUGH RISING
I fondly remember the the distinct difference it made in my yoga practice the moment it was suggested that I feel the four outer points of the soles of my feet in contact with my mat. While this sounds like such a simple concept in retrospect, it’s something that had never before been brought to my attention, and I listened. Once I heard it, I couldn’t forget it. It took visualizing, sensing, and repeated practice for this simple shift to become habitual, and what a differenc
ALLOWING SPACE FOR DISCOMFORT
When I think about what is rising inside of me during this season, I can’t help but look at the proverbial elephant in the room – a paradox of emotions slinking beneath the surface of my everyday, dangerously close to coming into full display with the departure of my daughter to college. I am exceedingly excited for her and all the opportunities and experiences in front of her. I am incredibly proud of her determination and perseverance. I am eager for her to experience the j
SPROUTING FROM THE ASHES
This March marked the end of a prolonged journey in my life. It was the month my radiant mother passed away. What an educational, overwhelming, and awe-inspiring walk it was. Through it all my mom taught us all so much about riding life’s waves and living in the joy life brings. After the funeral I finally could sit down and catch my breath after five years of care taking. One of my first steps was getting back to the gym. After a much-needed workout, a friend and I were able
THE SOUND OF RISING
If I sang my first lesson in rising, it would sound like a fight song, an anthem, a victory march. Toughness flexes to the beat of Eye of the Tiger. Strength struts in the key of Don’t Stop Believin’. These were the early years when I thought there was a specific way to overcome the hard parts of life – the way of airtight conviction, relentless resolve, a singular push past pain on the number 8 of a 10-count. Battered and bloodied, exhausted but brave, one rises up – fierce
FEATURED ARTIST INTERVIEW SERIES: JANE BERNECKY
Jane Bernecky is a floral artist and boutique dahlia grower from western Pennsylvania. Her unique bouquets have touched thousands of lives through personal deliveries, events, and impromptu garden tours. She is a juried artisan member of the Pennsylvania Wilds Cooperative, a network of creative entrepreneurs, organizations and communities based in the PA Wilds, a premier outdoor recreation destination. Her creative journey began at an early age and has taken on many forms b
Summer 2023 Create
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - SUMMER 2023
Summer 2023 Create: Dive in, Go deep, Make a splash Blues, yellows, greens, oranges - the shades of summer inundate our psyche as the season approaches and fill our hearts with a feeling of freedom that invites us to relax, play, dive in, or make a splash. That wonderful sense of season is what flows through the pages of this issue. This summer, we chose to dive deeply into what it means to create; the courage it takes to dive into any medium, go deep into yourself and your
CULTIVATING A SAFE SPACE TO CREATE
My Spring season has been filled with a constant coming back to my commitment of comfort – I wrote about this in the last issue of Elan Vitae and how I would like to commit to being in my comfort zone. And no, that doesn’t mean that I’m comfortable all of the time, rather it means that I am cultivating a landscape for myself – both internal and external – that supports me and helps me navigate the space in which I find myself. When we have an internal felt sense of safety or
OUR CREATIVE NATURE
“We’ve known for a long time that athletes and artists can easily access flow states: the idea that the rest of us can touch that zone through nature is tantalizing.” – Dr. David Strayer, quoted in The Nature Fix , Florence Williams, 2017. Scientists are just beginning to explain something human beings have experienced for centuries. Nature makes you feel good. And when you feel good, your brain works better. Ironically, by slowing down and taking in the scenery, it seems you
FLITTING INTO A NEW CREATIVE PROCESS
After creating in many forms for decades, I thought I had my creative process figured out. I don’t know why I was so surprised to discover that it isn’t predicable or necessarily replicable from one form of creative expression to another. Fortunately, my instinct to create is strong enough to just dive into something new without thinking too much about the process of bringing that idea to fruition. Much like never regretting diving into the cold pond on a hot spring day, reme
A GIFT ENCOUNTER IN THE ATTIC
Hey Sweet Girl – What a lovely surprise to meet you in the attic today. I’m not used to having you greet me so unexpectedly. But then again, I was thinking of you. I had opened an unlabeled box and discovered some of your artwork and creative writings that I had stored in a clearly labeled folder: Elementary School Work Worth Saving. From a stack of papers, all dusty and yellowed along the edges, marked with your Number Two penciled cursive, I felt you emerge and happily tak
BEFRIENDING RESISTANCE
Sitting with my palms together and wrists, tips of thumbs, and pinkie fingers pushing into each other, I slowly looked down as my remaining fingers blossomed outward. “This symbolizes the lotus flower,” exhaled the yoga instructor. “Envision your life much like the lotus flower,” she continued, “pushing through the mud and the sludge of places where you feel stuck or not feeling forward movement. Then, open to the strength of empowerment. Step into your ability to move forwar
Spring 2023 Rebirth & Renewal
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER SPRING 2023
Spring bubbles with possibilities when it comes to themes. This issue evolved from the title of its cover art. When asked what feeling the painting evoked, a native Spanish-speaker responded, “Renacer” - rebirth, or to be reborn, in Spanish. As the original artist, the name landed as the proper one for this piece. The vibrant colors and movement depict the sometimes chaotic, expansive, loud, even overwhelming emotions that accompany the thought of being reborn. They are als
THE ROOTS OF GROWTH
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” — Audrey Hepburn Renewal is an integral part of the natural cycle. Growth is followed by maturity, maturity by slowing, slowing by decay, decay by death, and death by rebirth. At times the death is literal and complete; one generation giving way to another. Other times only a part of a living thing dies, having fully served its purpose and falling away so that thriving may occur. This can be spectacular, like the changing colors
NEW GOALS AVAILABLE
It’s not often that I open the solitaire app on my phone, but a long bumpy flight recently was just the impetus for me to get lost in the methodical, monotonous comfort it can provide once in awhile.Zoning out at 36,000 feet, shuffling cards from pile to pile, moving through game after game (more wins than losses - woot!) led me to a strange discovery that stuck with me for awhile. At the bottom of my screen and at the beginning of a new game appeared three little words: NEW
RENEWING MY COMMITMENT TO COMFORT
I live in Ohio, and the coming of Spring feels momentous. January and February are a gray and gloomy duo for the most part. As I think about the Januarys and Februarys throughout my life, I often picture myself trudging through them while simultaneously trying to hygge up my space, bringing some comfort and cozy to my inner and outer landscape. This year, as I step across the threshold of Spring with its beginnings of buds on the maple trees and green daffodil stems bumping o
A RECORD YEAR
There it was, I could feel it, the thick scratchy wool and circular shape. As I pulled the little black record with the red center and silver ribbon out of the ornament box, I took a moment to look at it and reminisce as it laid in my hand. It was one of my families’ favorite Christmas tree ornaments. My sister had gifted it to my daughter as a tribute to the record year where she, and, my whole family, had met deep sadness and still continued to thrive. My daughter loves co
FOLLOW LEADS INTUITIVELY TRUSTING
I often wonder how our individual ways of being, our unique personal operating systems, so to say, came to be. So much of how we operate on a daily basis drives what we do, and perhaps, more importantly, what we don’t do. Is how we move through our minutes, hours, and days, at this stage of our lives, at this very moment in time, more heavily influenced by nature? By nurture? By personality? By outer influence? By inner drive? By stillness? Regardless of the style of our modu
A PATH TO FLEXIBILITY IN COSTA RICA
I'm a sucker for a good plan. A good plan considers all the variables and helps you make good decisions. I love to make plans for lots of things in my life so I can make sound decisions and move forward. I feel they help me relax and go with the flow. I realize this is truly not going with the flow, but it's what works for me. My therapist thought my way of doing things was exhausting me. She saw me making pro and con lists, researching and planning for even the very small th
Spring/Summer 2022 Roots & Reach
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER SPRING/SUMMER 2022
Becoming is a strange business, isn't it? It is that perfect, evolving balance between what we know to be true and authentically us, the...
HEAVE
Just as roots entangled below the ground twist and turn on their unseen journey, dreams, ideas, and life experiences can intertwine,...
DISINTEGRATING THE EGO TO INTEGRATE THE SELF WITH 5-meO-DMT
The journey started over coffee with a dear friend. A harmonic friend, one I’ve known for many lifetimes. As he sat there recounting...
RISING ABOVE THE PAST LIFE LESSON OF SURVIVING THE TITANIC
The emergency alarm sounded and a red lightbulb at the top of the exit door began flashing. I was waist deep in the rising water of the...
OPENING TO A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF BALANCE
Considering balance as a function of aperture If you’ve caught yourself thinking, muttering, or otherwise declaring at some point that...
ROOTS RUN
Roots run deep. Metaphorically, yes. In reality, it depends upon what those roots encounter on their journey of growth and how much room...
Fall/Winter 2021 Words & Conversation
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER FALL/WINTER 2021
This issue was inspired by a series of round table conversations we started last year to unpack a few beautiful topics with diverse minds. This series explored the nuances and magic of seemingly simple concepts like moments of awe, ditching excuses, and finding your motivation when there is no finish line. The resulting insights were nothing short of awe-inspiring and we can’t wait to share them. The contemplation of words and conversation strikes a particularly personal cho
EV UNFOLDS: FINISH LINE
TAP THE SECRETS OF DISTANCE RUNNING ROYALTY TO APPLY TO YOUR BUSINESS, EDUCATION, OR HOME LIFE NOW Business, relationships, health, abundance all inherently carry some form of a 'finish line' or goal. What happens when that finish line disappears due to unforeseen circumstances? In athletics, that finish line is more obvious and literal, but endurance and stamina are not only for high-performance athletes like those who lend their wisdom to this conversation. The parallels
THOSE PLACES
It’s funny how what others, more seasoned, had always shared to be true really turned out to be so. It goes by sooo fast. They change so much while it doesn’t seem that we’ve changed that much at all. Days can last a lifetime but a lifetime can feel like it passed by in a day. One thing I don’t remember anyone talking about is how those places, those that shelter those everyday, seemingly casual conversations, change: from a pile of Lego bricks on the floor, to a random assor
EV UNFOLDS: MOMENTS OF AWE
Dive into the magical unfolding of moments of awe - what happens to us physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually when we recognize or allow awe in. This deep, multidimensional conversation reveals the beauty of making awe part of the tapestry of everyday life. Whether home life, relationships, business, health, or wealth is currently your area of focus, all have the ability to be transformed and uplifted through this magnificent lens. See full conversation here: EV UN
IN A WORD: HUNGER
"Who's hungry?" Sometimes, context can be everything. Listeners, even those who casually overhear a question, can make their own meaning of it, regardless of what was intended, perhaps baffling the one who posed the question. Not only can that meaning be assumed and made, without checking for clarification, but action, in good will, can be taken upon it. While that action can be far from its intended outcome, it can give one pause, shift one’s thinking, change one’s direction
EV UNFOLDS: EXCUSES
Four diverse professionals unpack how the Universe responds when we drop the defenses and let go of excuses. With an emphasis on one particular tool - The Excuse Fast - this blend of creative and analytical minds peel back the layers creating resistance and friction in daily life and the ease that comes from actively working through them. Where are you holding back? Let this conversation lead you to more clarity and the next grounded, connected, aligned step forward for yo
Fall 2020 Everyday Resonance
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - FALL 2020
Resonance is the natural frequency at which something vibrates. You, me, the coffee cup in your hand, the sidewalk, the car, the thought in your mind, the emotion in your heart, all have a resonant frequency. When two frequencies come into alignment, a transfer of energy occurs. This can be as radical as a soprano shattering a glass with her voice or as subtle as the warming of your heart when another being ‘resonates’ with you. I believe the physical distancing of 2020 ha
WRITING A NEW WORLD RHAPSODY WITH MAESTRO DINO ZONIC
“How you are perpetuating yourself in life will come back to you sooner or later” - Dino Zonic As he led his squadron of 35 men through the war-torn streets of Bosnia in the early 1990s, after years of fighting, but nothing changing, Dino Zonic knew it was time to put down his rifle and pick up his conducting baton. Already an educated musician and conductor, Dino fled to Croatia where he began to heal from the invisible wounds of war. It was his own healing journey that set
ACROSS THE CANAL
What it was that first caught my eye that day remains a mystery. What I do know is, that despite being one story above them, minding my own business behind the wall of glass, no sound was exchanged between them across the canal that day. It’s not that the breeze carried it out to the lake or that it made its way, like the early morning clouds clinging to the treetops, from the valley up to the top of the hill. It’s not that the thick glass between us buffered the sound, there
I AM NOT ALONE
My voice reminds me that I am not alone. And as I write and coach and sing, it reminds my readers, my clients, and my audience that they are not alone either. I believe there is such power in the voice and often it is underestimated. How many times have you heard someone say that they are unsure if anyone is ever listening, if what they have to say is important or worth someone else’s time? I happen to hear these things quite often as a coach who works with writers. (And, oh,
ALIGNING WITH EARTH'S HEARTBEAT; AN INTRO TO THE SCHUMANN RESONANCE
My interest in Schumann Resonance began over 20 years ago listening to the works of HeartMath Institute and Gregg Braden . Back then, Earth’s heartbeat was around 7.8 Hz. The level of consciousness and interconnectedness we had back then is somewhat limited compared to the level of mass awakening we are currently experiencing on the planet in 2020. Every day, I am meeting new people who say they have just woken up and are seeing reality for the first time. This is a very exc
3 KEYS TO HEALTHY SELF-EVOLUTION: Authentically Evolving In The Age of Spiritual Narcissism
We all have that friend who went to one therapy session, was cured, and promptly began to analyze the rest of our circle, amIright? Lesser common are those on the other end of the spectrum who think they have to have alllllll the personal growth before they have anything of value to share with others. I fell into this category for most of my life, believing my lessons were just that, my lessons. It never occurred to me that sharing my experience along the way might be benefi
THE RELEASE
To see it from a different vantage point, it could have been one of thousands of other birds who have traveled en route from one roost to the next on the updrafts above the crest of this hill. Seeing its climb, its aim toward the tree tops at the edge of the forest (or the edge of the field, depending upon the perspective of the beholder), could have been catching sight of the flight of any bird on any given day under a sunlit blue sky. Its flight gave no indication of recent
Fall 2019 AT HOME, Body, Mind, and Soul
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - FALL 2019
Through most of history, the lighthouse has served as a symbol of the beacon that brings us safely back to shore. Landed, grounded, home. Nowadays we're seeking calmer shores in many areas of life and there are a multitude of signs and symbols to help lead the way. Home has taken on new meaning as well. A word that used to mean four walls and a white picket fence has evolved to include any space to which we lend our presence. Our bodies, our place on the planet, the roots o
FINDING NEUTRAL
I turned the key. Nothing. No spark. No sound. No response. Again. Nothing. Yet again. Nothing. My mind flashed forward through a series of more (and less) complicated possibilities: A bad battery connection? A loose wire? Something complicated and costly and beyond my realm of troubleshooting and repair? At the beginning of the season (and the end of a long, cold winter) on a vessel that is just a few years younger than I am, this is not completely unexpected. But the ot
DREAM STANCES: COMING HOME TO SELF
The feeling was palpable, visceral. While it had only lasted a few seconds, even in my dream state, I had experienced it. From what I can recall, I hadn’t asked for it, longed for it, or even called it in. Not knowingly, at least. Not in that first instance, at least. Not in ways that I have attempted to revisit it again since that strikingly clear moment. Perhaps, though, that is why it came to me that night: so clearly and attentively focused on my new role as mother of two
THE SOUL'S SHELTER: A Simple Guide to Feeling at HOME in your Body
Listen. Your body will tell you. That nagging feeling, that tension in your gut or shoulder or jaw, that pain in your heel or twitch in your eye. It’s all information indicating a misalignment of energies. You have the opportunity to catch that misalignment now, ahead of physical symptoms, if you pay close attention to their message. I had plenty of clues leading up to my first significant injury. I was stuck on my path, living in a place I didn’t like, working in a cap
THE NUMEROLOGY OF YOUR NEST
MAKING THE MOST OF THE NUMEROLOGICAL ENERGETICS OF YOUR ADDRESS Every home is uniquely different. It’s been said that home is where the heart is, but have you every stopped to consider exactly what that means? A home can represent so many different things because we are all uniquely different. For many of us our home is a personal sanctuary that nurtures our soul, and gives us respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For others, it’s place of raising children, or
PLUMB AND LEVEL
Snow flurries filled the air on the last day of October, the view of the surrounding hills beyond the valley unobstructed with the leaves already having fallen to the forest floor. This was our first day in our home. The Starling Hotel. That’s the first name we gave our old farm house when, as our second winter turned to spring, the starlings returned from their long journey south right back to these very same eaves. With some help from the elements through decades of changin
CREATING AMBIANCE WITH AMBER
Set a piece of Amber, big or small, in the light, and you'll start to feel the warm and fuzzies that come with this light-bearing stone. Amber is the perfect stone to include in your home because it is the energetic equivalent of "keeping the home fires burning". This naturally fossilized botanic resin is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Unlike other crystals and stones formed beneath the Earth's surface, "Amber is first created by the synthesis of light by plants and trees. As it
Fall 2018 Go & Grow
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER - FALL 2018
At a very early age, I had a craving to know and understand people. I wanted to explore other cultures and beliefs and see how others found their way in the world. This early exploration took the form of travel and adventure and language and art. From the moment I sat at my parents’ dinner table at 15 years old and announced I wanted to visit Russia to understand what it was like to live in a communist country, travel has been a crucial part of my life. I took that first t
A NEW TAKE ON TRAVEL: THE ONE WAY TICKET SHOW WITH STEVEN SHALOWITZ
One ticket. One way. One destination. No coming back. Where would you go? If you could have a one way ticket to anywhere . . . ANYWHERE . . . past, present, future, real, imaginary or even a state of mind, where would you go? This is exactly what Steven Shalowitz offers guests on his hit podcast, The One Way Ticket Show. Since its inception in 2012, Steven has welcomed more than 160 guests from a variety of fields including: Art and Design, Business, Communications, Ent
TRUST AND PATIENCE: OUR FIRST JOURNEY
Cramping, familiar yet unfamiliar, roused me from my sleep. It was 3:30 a.m. We watched the sun rise, then set, then rise again. I was in and out of the tub, up and down the stairs, on and off the ball, to and fro on the sling. I was not able to sleep, only drift off for no more than four minutes at a time, first for hours, then days. After about thirty hours, I was exhausted. In all my worldly travels, never before had I journeyed so far, and I had not even left my own
COOKING IN COMMUNITY: SEAFOOD RECIPES FOR THE LANDLOCKED
As a teen growing up in the East San Francisco Bay Area, I loved sampling all sorts of wonderful fresh seafood that my grandpa would get for his restaurant. He would head down to the pier at 3am to get fresh fish for the day and it was amazing! Today, as much as I love living in a Montana mountain town, I do miss having fresh fish available. Sure – you can get fresh fish flown in daily at some shops around town, but you pay an extreme premium for it. So how can one afforda
DON'T. HOLD. BACK
These three words may be the most unexpected, yet timely advice I've received. They rolled off the tongue of my best friend of 25+ years between other phrases of encouragement as I was about to embark on a transformational journey. There was a certain silence and echo around those three short words that separated them from the others as she spoke and I knew I'd come back to them. ‘Don't hold back’ seemed like an odd thing to say to someone who had just spontaneously booked a
ON THE TRAIL WITH JOSIE: SIMPLE WISDOM FROM ONE DOG'S LIFE WELL-LIVED
Throughout my life I have loved exploring the local scenery by hiking nearby trails. Having lived in such picturesque locations as Telluride, CO, Jackson,WY and Bozeman, MT there have been no shortage of gorgeous hikes at my disposal. Hiking has been a refuge for me - a way to smell fresh air and feel a connection to creation around me. For me, it has always been an amazing time of solitude and contemplation....until I got a busy, active bird dog who not only enjoys hiking
THE WEIGHT OF COINS
Somehow it’s the little things, the seemingly inconsequential, that highlight the differences in a starkly profound way, like a single spot searching for the actor on stage left when she waits, with hopeful patience and assurance, on stage right. Day after day, we holler a greeting, open a door, scoop out some sugar, hear the tone in our ear after we dial the phone, reach in our pocket for a handful of coins. But do we really, or are we simply actors in the world of our own
BY THE HEM OF HEMINGWAY IN PAMPLONA
The smell of his cigar, his raw animal sexuality lured me through the dampened cobblestone streets. The love affair between Ernest Hemingway and Pamplona is well-recorded and his essence here was more than palpable. To me, it seemed all-consuming. Calling, beckoning, daring me to let go. To create. To allow that same sheer pleasure to flow through me in the form of words. I had arrived here 5 days before en route to St. Jean Pied-de-Port. I was Camino-bound, but the i
Spring 2018 Bloom & Flourish
SELF-EVOLUTION THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The platforms for transformation are endless. In some capacity, we are utilizing them all simultaneously to create our experience here and evolve through our karmic lessons. We employ health, relationships, money, parenting, travel and business to play out the exchanges, challenges, triumphs, and lessons that evolve us toward our highest expression as humans. The Mogul Mom Gabriella Ribeiro is making an art out of evolving personally through entrepreneurship. From journa
BLOSSOMING INTO SPRING WITH HEARTY VEGAN DISHES
As we shake off the cold wet shackles of winter and step into the spring it is a great time to focus our meals on some really healthy options that satisfy both the palate and the body. What better time than spring to explore some wonderful vegan options for some tasty food that makes use of seasonal offerings and plant based protein?! I live in Montana which tends to have more carnivores and omnivores than vegans, so I reached out to a friend from California for advice on v
L'EX POLLAIO
What memories live on in our spaces on Earth? Take, for example, a 8 ft. x12 ft. structure, raised off the ground, supported by sturdy locust posts buried securely beneath it. A space at the crest of a hill. A space, where in all but the lush, leafy green months of summer, the valley below and ridge beyond can be scanned from east to west through a tangle of swaying, bare branches. A space in view of Grandmother Maple, who has been a steady presence for longer than any living
TRANSFORMATION: ENTERING A NEW WORLD THROUGH LANGUAGE
It happened the way the grass brightens from trampled brown to vibrant green after winter’s slow, soggy thaw. Unless it is being closely watched, day-by-day as the sun shines higher in the brightening sky, the change is barely noticeable. Some days, it feels like it will never reach its peak, then one day there it is, shockingly brilliant under the contrast of the blue sky. So it was with my journey. I really never believed, or even dared to dream, that it could happen. Not
NO-SWEAT WAYS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR SPACE WITH SUCCULENTS
With the blossoming of spring usually follows the desire to brighten up our living and work spaces with some greenery. The prospect however, can seem daunting to those who are short on time or space and can’t be bothered with plants that require high maintenance. If this strikes a chord with you, then perhaps succulents are the perfect answer. Living in Montana, we have an extremely short growing season so indoor plants are the best way to go. Being somewhat “green thumb”
THE ENERGY OF SEASONAL ALLERGIES
When the world is in bloom and everything feels springy but your energy levels, seasonal allergies may be killing your vibe. In general, allergies are an energetic representation of emotional resistance, overactive emotions, and too much “doing.” While many healing systems can be used to explain these dynamics, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the most ancient and reliable resources when it comes to understanding energetic expression in the body. We sat down w
Winter 2018
Winter 2018
MANIFESTING MIRACLES WITH METTA MEDITATION
My 40 Day Experiment with Metta Meditation yielded more clarity, tranquility, more rapid manifestation, and a stronger sense of knowing. I was pleasantly surprised by the Mega difference in my life and I wasn’t even looking for it. I thought I had tried every type of meditation under the sun - TM, Mindfulness, Breathwork, Zen, Guided visualizations, Yogic, Sound. Yet somehow I had skipped over this brilliant little gem called Metta Meditation. Rooted in Buddhist tradition
FINDING PEACE THROUGH PRESENCE
It wasn’t the most convenient of places to fall apart, but I happened to be navigating the frozen food section of my neighborhood grocery store with a full cart of items when my world began to melt down. In this place I frequented weekly, I suddenly felt like invisible walls were closing in on me and that I was going to die . I couldn’t breathe, but tried desperately to hold in the tears and keep myself together. I was gripped with fear of some imminent danger. I was certai
ASTROLOGY IN THE AUTUMNAL GATE; CARVING THE STONE
Just before the Sun enters Libra, there is a Virgo New Moon. The last lunar cycle began with the great eclipse and world events (extreme weather, nuclear tensions, etc.) certainly reflected the intensity. Now there's a much different vibe beginning. The Virgo New Moon is conjunct Vesta in early Libra, bridging the sign of refinement (Virgo), with cultural inclusion (Libra). The spiritual work emphasized this month involves diligent (Virgo) devotion (Vesta), furthering our wor
ARTISTS WHO INSPIRE: LIZ OWENS AND 5 STAGES OF FIBONACCI
Dancer and Choreographer Liz Owens shares her inspiration behind short film 5 Stages of Fibonacci and her secrets for cultivating creativity after 40. JB for EV: Liz, can you tell us about the meaning of the name of this piece and why you chose it? LO: Yes, the name is meant to reflect the 5 stages of the mourning process. It’s actually a re-visit to this topic for me. I originally tried to tackle this subject in my undergraduate senior choreography project. At t
BAMBOO MOON
4:25 AM. Biggest full moon of the year. Alone downstairs, sitting on the floor. Design Drawing 3800 09107 HB pencil with gold letters, black paint, dull point, no eraser. Blank white paper. The sudden urge to notice every detail: seeing things in ways I had never seen them before, awareness heightened, senses keen. A pencil has six sides? How many pencils had I held in my life? How many times have I seen my own hand but how well can I draw it? As the room brightened with the
REFLECTIONS OF A PILGRIM: 1 YEAR AFTER THE CAMINO
As the one year anniversary of my walk on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela approaches, I can still barely put the experience into words. Perhaps that’s because it’s either too profound to sum up in words or it’s not meant to be shared. My intention all along was to share. In fact, it was my primary purpose for embarking on such a physical and exterior exploration of self. Known as the “Way of St. James,” the Camino is a pilgrimage route in northern Spain that has been
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