A place I dance surrounded by Pine.

There's a place I dance in the woods north of my house. Carpeted in Pine, ceilinged by tall trees. and when I dance, and my dancing in my heart, or in the air? The dance is here and there. Thanks to the creatures who love me, laugh with me, and help me on my way. 

Reflections on a considered life and the bioregional sun

Living a life – a well considered life – results in meaning and purpose, joy and gratitude for me as an artist and as a living being.

To truly look at where we live – the interconnectedness, the gifts of our Southern Appalachian mountains, the abundant water, the tree people, who give us beauty as well as so many goods – to see the cultures here, to know the animals and the medicine, the natural foods, the ways we can best build in order to support abundant, clean energy and healthy living, and to truly look at ourselves – to truly look at myself – what I'm good at, how I show up in the world, what people love and appreciate about me – where I feel strong and useful, beautiful and appreciated – where I love working, how I love working even if it's contrary to what I grew up being told, or to what I believed about myself even – and then to put the two together and begin looking at how we can build a life it's cleaner for the planet, healthier for human beings and all beings on this planet…To look at what wonderful things we could be creating as a part of this big earth that we live on together with so many different people… To honor the different cultures around us, human, animal, ecological, and also to honor the unknown, the mystery, God's will, the divine that we don't always anticipate or understand. All of this is so important to bring together – both for my close circle of loved ones, like the people I'm working on with this play – and the greater community of people because we all live together on this planet. We are all interconnected and effect each other everything we do affects each other. And there's a lot of strife, difficulty communicating – a lot of challenges because we are different people and we communicate differently and have different levels of understanding about things. But the work we are all doing is important – if it's considered work – if it's in line with our understanding of God's will – if it's work that we have reflected on and considered. I believe in it more if you too have considered it prayed on it and yourself believe in it. If you really understand what it is to do meaningful work. And this is the way to build a new beautiful old patchwork culture like a quilt we are creating with God and everyone else that has all creatures and things all beauty all good dreams Inside of it as possibilities.

And I hope through this work that I discover and skill up on the ways I show up best in the world in accordance with my own highest vision that I've been talking about here.

Clouds on the Mountain

Bioregional Sun

Immersed in the Feminine

Clouds blow through like the ghosts of Pioneers. 

I wend my way forward, knowing what my Masculine Sun lives for; knowing what my feminine Soul nourishes within. 

Foundation, eros, heartsong, and thought-mind. One being, true. My seeds fall for You. Namaste. 

IF I HAD A DAY, Mama

IF I HAD A DAY

If I had a day Mama,

I’d tell you I loved you

I’d tell L___ I sure couldn’t meet him for dinner,

I’d stretch my body out really really well - to feel good

I’d watch the dawn

I’d tell you sometimes I’m clueless, Mama,

sometimes I’m clueless,

But I’ve had a good life,

I’ve had a really good life, Mama,

If I had a day.

IF I HAD A YEAR, MAMA,

If I had a year,

I’d produce the best ever seasonal blessings

the world’s ever seen.

I’d bless this place, Mama,

I’d really give this to people, Mama --

I’d give it my everything,

If I had a year.

IF I HAD FIVE YEARS, MAMA,

If I had five years,

I’d take some birds under my wing, mama,

I’d take some birds under my wing,

and I’d show them how to live really well, Mama,

in a beautiful place,

in an Earth we share, Mama.

I see land and country, dawns, soil rich with frost, heaving rich, Mama

If I had five years.

IF I HAD TEN YEARS, MAMA,

If I had ten years,

I’d have a child, Mama -

Just for the experience, I’d have a child

with a woman, and be there for the birth,

I’d have a child, Mama,

If I had ten years.

IF I HAD TWENTY YEARS, MAMA --

If I had twenty years,

I’d make my whole family about our purpose --

As a family, we would lift something up in the world --

something together, we’d lift it up, something bigger than me.

IF I HAD FIFTY YEARS, MAMA --

-- And I do have fifty years --

If I had fifty years,

i don’t know what I’d do.

I’d give it all back, Mama --

I’d give it all away,

I’d give it all back to You, Mama. I’d give it back to you.

Back to the Southeast!

This is why I love being back in the Southeast. Trees plants forest and biodiversity. It is a lush and rich and beautiful here. Green parks abound, and fall is in the air.

Water is so present here. It is an ocean of clouds and rivers and rain in the form of thick leaves, forests and plants. 

And Asheville, the city where I live? It strikes me now as small and rural and isolated. No visible skyline driving in, no great lights, just a windy mess with some quite foggy clouds drifting in front of stars, forestey trees lit by streetlights every few corners. It's a long way up into these old mountains from the sea to finally get to this little town. 

And so I say, 

"Home! Little Asheville, dark, quiet, starry, windy, with some clouds. Big trees, green forests moving into Autumn, moist chill in the air, way up in these old mountains, far from the sea. My Home!"

 

Rick and the Ocean

Well I made it to the ocean. Got my wish. Never thought it would be here, at the Pacific, at Ocean Beach, in San Francisco! My Brother Rick and I chat about bringing our soul gifts the world – ways to do things that are possible, small enough to happen, satisfying, and that bring something out – out to the people, out to our people, out to the Earth. 

Something about Mama Ocean brings me cellularly home – home to myself, home to the Source. Rick practices Chi Gung while the waves crash white. I find my solace in the reflection of this writing.

Clouds off Mount Madonna

I.

I am so connected to the Earth. 

My body can feel you, even from the sky. 

Up in this sail-fish, we leap through haze...

II.

Moon set salmon pink into the fire Pacific night. 

I give all words and thoughts of words to the stars and the molten core. 

I am terrified to let go of this old bag of skin. 

Wings push from my spine. 

From these old wells, the scorn of lovers, that old sadness, I float above you and hear them. 

It is just another escape from the rising sun. 

With spirit hands I cannot see 

I sense into entirety —

Ocean of clouds.