Learning to listen to nature’s arboreal allies
For several years, one of my favorite daily rituals has been taking a walk through our property’s cathedral-like aspen grove intricately interspersed with majestic Douglas-fir trees. These arboreal walks sustain and enliven each day, from the buttery, yellow-leafed spring to the frosty, snow-covered winter.
As I recently weaved my way through the fairy-tale land of flora and fauna, I started to think about how the interconnectedness of trees acts as a metaphor for life and the collective interconnectedness of every living (and even non-living) species.
I remembered how, shortly after we moved into our cabin surrounded by towering conifers, my…
From the depths of my soul to the expansiveness of your heart, thank you
Two weeks ago, as I prepared for a four-day Nature Immersion (camping and spending every precious, sun-drenched moment outside), I had one of the worst, most excruciating headaches that I’d had in years. In fact, the past month has seen me with a prolonged migraine every week and without adequate medicine.
As I went through this torture and missed self-imposed writing deadlines, I kept close in my heart that I needed to send out a gratitude-drenched letter of appreciation to my readers on Medium.
It kind of sounds strange, once I type it out: “my readers.” The main thing is…
Forgiveness is the fortuitous key that unlatches our capacity for joy.
In the aftermath of being wronged, forgiveness can seem like an elusive, almost fantastical notion. Whether facing infidelity in a relationship, betrayal by a friend, or any other type of pain from the past, it can feel unfair that we have to do the work to find forgiveness and move past it.
And even though it is supremely difficult, it is entirely possible.
Here’s how to start.
First, you feel the aching sting, the shame, and the ever-present pain of holding on to the past. …
How taking a boredom break can be beneficial
“Boredom is just the reverse side of fascination: both depend on being outside rather than inside a situation, and one leads to the other.”— Arthur Schopenhauer
When was the last time you felt bored and didn’t immediately try to find something to do, whether a task left undone or a social media scroll? Our drive to keep ourselves occupied is a source of never-ending stress and burnout, but it also hampers our creativity.
Yes, even boredom can serve a creative purpose when we allow ourselves to experience it without trying to escape.
If you want to be more creative, try…
Exploring the benefits of a care kit
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide helpful and informative material. I am not a doctor, and as such cannot diagnose or treat any medical issues. Readers are advised to do their own research and make decisions in partnership with their health care provider.
The house is oddly silent; my husband and son are out, and there are no sounds of our dogs running out the porch door to bark at squirrels, birds, or the passing erratic wind.
I feel like I am in a dreamworld transported to a place where even the slightest movement causes a sharp ice-pick-type pain…
Try guided meditation
While getting ready for the day with sunscreen, eye drops, and lotion, I usually listen to a guided meditation, channeled message, or personal development podcast.
But last Tuesday, as I turned up the thermostat in the bathroom to make it feel like a sauna, a new meditation revealed itself via YouTube, a Guided Shamanic Journey to the Akashic Field: Connect With Your Spirit Guides.
This is going to be good, I thought, and even though I had to leave to pick up my son in 15 short minutes, I couldn’t resist listening to the rhythmic drums while briefly visiting the…
Valuable insights to procrastinate less, achieve more, and be happier with your output.
Perfectionism can be elusive. I didn’t know that I was a perfectionist even though all of the signs were there, including rigidity, increased headaches, impossibly high standards, and a sense of unhappiness no matter what I had achieved.
For example, it was a balmy September day in 2006 when I called my dad with news from the patio of a shared rental house. “Dad, I got a job at a news station, CNN of all places!”
“That’s some news!” my dad exclaimed.
But instead of being carefree and happy for this milestone, I was troubled, stressed, and agitated. How would…
It’s important to know your “why”
Motivation is important; without it, actions are left undone, dreams unrealized, and aspirations foiled.
For the past month, I’ve been brainstorming a plan to motivate myself to wake up earlier. Many of us want the motivation to rise earlier, or just more motivation in general, leading us to ask whether the early bird catches the worm or takes a nap by midday. Either way, I miss getting up at 5:30 a.m., a remnant of my childhood spent on a commercial farm.
But if I’m being realistic, with a 5-year-old who wakes up at least once a night, and with a…
“We should always be asking ourselves: ‘Is this something that is, or is not, in my control?’” — Epictetus
Do you want to become a better version of yourself, stop caring what others think, and live a virtuous, fulfilled life? If so, then Stoicism may be for you.
This is just one reason why stoicism is becoming ubiquitous in the world, with books such as The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday, or The Little Book of Stoicism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness by Jonas Salzgeber.
These books and articles fill Amazon charts, library shelves, and blog feeds around the world. Personally, I became a student of…
Benefits discovered on the road to recovery.
Sickness is the dreaded life immobilizer that begs us to slow down and take better care. I’ve been sick this week (still am), and in the absence of COVID testing, because I’m too sick to drive 30 minutes into town for a test, I’ve chosen to self-isolate. I know that I don’t want others to catch whatever this is, COVID or not, so I am staying put.
My husband had the sickness first, and when I found him napping on the couch at 4 pm on a Saturday, I knew this was the dreaded winter sickness having its last hurrah…
Aurora Eliam, CMP
A freelance writer with a background in animal behavior, journalism, mysticism, philosophy, & psychology. https://aurorae.substack Writing website coming soon!
