Author Archives: April Lee

how i fight the darkness

  1. i breathe. deeply, slowly, fully.
  2. i write. volumes and volumes of journal pages.
  3. i practice. daily qi gong, gentle yet vital, moving meditation.
  4. i dance. around my studio, to upbeat pop rock favorites.
  5. i read. inspirational uplifting words, escape fiction too.

SAVE THE DATE

announcing my next essence7 retreat-no-more experience . . .

 

THE ARRIVAL

SUNDAY, MAY 26 through FRIDAY, MAY 31

2019

SAVE THE DATE

and begin planning YOUR unique transformation!

 
 
there was a lot of online chatting back-and-forth before my second retreat last may.

relevance

some days you want to clarify
illustrate fix and explain
a million and one things
for those who doubt and dismay

you want them to get it
to understand
to get you
to really see you

not sure why
because they won’t
and it shouldn’t
even matter

every time you try connecting
with someone you strongly feel
should know you should like you
but really doesn’t who-knows-why

you feel you must tell them
every single detail
fill in every missing piece
keep trying to bridge that gap
convince them

you’re often disappointed
but you rarely learn your lesson
you usually try again

maybe that’s okay though
maybe it means you haven’t lost
faith in the human race

in the kindness and potential depth
of people reaching out
sharing their stories
sharing their lives

maybe someday you’ll know to
only focus on the right ones
to realize that labels given
don’t always mean people behave as such

once-in-awhile noting too
your own reaction to others
how maybe you respond similarly

words tinged with anger jealousy
and fear more often than you admit
even alone and to yourself

how to change the world
perhaps you will agree
it never hurts to concentrate
on being open light and free


 
 
 
 

free. healed. whole. (a meditation)

close your eyes, and
take a long deep breath.

in through your nose,
out through your mouth.

repeat the process.
a third time as well.

then . . .
when you release
that last breath . . .

also release any
pain or tension or sorrow
you might be carrying around.

to confront or to cocoon

sometimes it’s important to confront,
to speak out.
it’s important to deal with pressing issues,
and mindfully set out to resolve our problems.

to wear bold colors
and begin the dialogue.


 
 
other times it’s necessary to cocoon,
to sit with things.

Feeling Excitement, Anxiety, Rapidly-beating-heart

Feeling
Excitement
Anxiety
Rapidly-beating-heart
 

F-E-A-R

 
the word slices through our thoughts.
the feeling slices through our minds and bodies.
what does fear feel like for you?

for me, fear is that heightened sense
that all is not well.

the space in between

i am involved in something very special . . . a lovely women’s facebook group that i created in january 2017 and continue to moderate. (some of you reading this today are already members – thank you!)

the group began with a complimentary course that explored AWARENESS, my first essential element, and has evolved beautifully from there.

feeling fragile.

it’s been cutting me
to the core.

something i can’t quite make
sense of intellectually,
yet still causing me to grieve.
deeply, emotionally.

recently stronger fuel has been added
to this fire of angst and betrayal.
and i’ve cried.
oh, how i’ve cried.

did you know?

a few things you may or may not know about me

  • i think tears are healing
  • i am from a small mining town in northern idaho, usa
  • i find the italian language both beautiful and frustrating
  • i am an enthusiastic list maker
  • i wore a back brace for scoliosis in high school
  • i am fascinated with psychology and human behavior
  • i miss driving, especially my red mini cooper
  • i am a resident of paraguay
  • i was a kelly girl in california
  • i am a night owl, but prefer daylight over darkness
  • i had an imaginary friend named trannie when i was little
  • i was a dancing “golden girl” in college
  • i have always been enamored with 1920s style, fashion, design
  • i collect telephones and egg beaters
  • i am a dual citizen, living in italy
  • i am close to becoming a qi gong instructor
  • i think emotions are messengers to the soul, amazing built-in barometers
  • i used to build elaborate barbie houses
  • i need paper and pen to survive
  • i could drink coffee all day long
  • i would say my seven bins of journals are my most prized possession
  • i created elaborate make-believe lives as a child
  • i need color and cats, books and boots, sunshine and sushi in my life

 

 

now .

choices, revisited

this week i was reminded of a blog post i wrote,
on a september day 4 years ago.
a memory of a different point in my journey,
but with such reminiscent feelings.
 
 
*******
 
 
choices | september 3, 2014
 
 
there has been a definite chill in the air
since the calendar page turned to september.