It’s sweater weather! Get outside with a pumpkin spice latte and enjoy the crisp fall air. Whether you have little ones and are looking for family activities or you want creative ways to stay busy with the days getting shorter, here are nine healthy outdoor activities to enjoy this autumn.
Rake the Leaves
Raking up leaves might sound like a chore, but it's also a fantastic workout. Effortlessly elevate your heart rate by raking quickly. You'll be feeling the burn in your obliques and forearms for days. Get your kiddos involved by having them help rake for a bit, and then reward them with jumping in piles.
In 1967, I was learning the technique of growing cells in plastic culture dishes at the University of Virginia. There are two fundamental steps in the process: Step 1) Creating a suspension of isolated single cells to be inoculated into a culture dish; and Step 2) Creating culture medium, the fluid environment in which cells grow.
Starting with embryonic muscle tissue, digestive enzymes are used to breakdown the connective tissue matrix of the muscle, which frees individual cells. In the enzyme-saline solution, the released free cells are spun down in a centrifuge tube forming a pellet at the bottom of tube. The cell pellet is resuspended in fresh culture medium and a sample is pipetted into each culture dish. The suspended cells settle down, attach to dish’s surface, and begin to grow. The cultured cells live in a fluid environment referred to as culture medium. Growth medium is the laboratory version of blood, the fluid environment that cells live in within the body.
The nonstop noise of the external world often keeps us from experiencing the quiet at the core of our being. There, a timeless eternal presence without sound or language awaits us, a connection to something greater than our individual, seemingly short lives. Outer distractions, both audio and visual, continuously surround us from our TVs, laptops, and cell phones and prevent a deeper relationship to all of life. Traffic sounds, machinery, and loud voices in nonstop conversation interrupt our peace of mind, even if we don’t consciously recognize the dissonance. Yet, something within each of usdoesknow something is amiss and longs for an absence of sound within which we can feel calmer, more centered. How do we get there?
“This kind of spring day, with the beautiful myriads of colorful sprites just arrived from tropical shores, has to be one of the greatest gifts on Earth.”—Kenn Kaufman
Inevitably, people ask me why I moved from Florida back to Massachusetts after only two and a half years. I answer a little differently each time, usually something about missing friends/family and the change of seasons. However, as spring begins to flower in New England, there is one answer that rises to the top:the birds!Meaning the spring bird migration that brings thousands of birds from Central and South America northward through Massachusetts. And right down the street from me to Mt. Auburn Cemetery, which is heaven on Earth for birdwatchers from April to June, especially the first three weeks in May. With the exception of the last two years, this is where I could be found early in the morning to mid-afternoon on most spring days over the past 30 years.
Sometimes when I’m out for a walk in the woods with Koda, I see a box turtle trudging forward through the leaves. Don’t you love turtles?
I was always taught that if you see any turtles in the middle of the road, you should try to stop and put them on the side of the road where they’re headed. You must also pick them up carefully and try not to handle them too much. You can use a t-shirt or towel to lift and move them away from the traffic.
As I watched this turtle during my walk, I thought about how connected we are to these amazing creatures and how many lessons they can teach us. Here are a few that came to mind.
Slow down and live in the present moment. Turtles are never in a hurry and take their time to get where they’re going. They remind us not to rush, but to appreciate all of the beauty and blessings that surround us.
Remember in the movie Aladdin when Genie told him to “Bee Yourself”? Genie was really the Universe telling him to show up in his own truth!
BEE is a joyful reminder of the SWEETNESS of life. That no matter what happens, there is always something to delight in. The bee is also INDUSTRIOUS, a hard worker whose efforts pay off in the beauty of flowers blooming and the deliciousness of honey. She reminds us that we too can create beautiful flowers in our own gardens by being present in our daily lives and giving back to the world in a way that supports the highest good of all. A sense of BELONGING is also offered as a reminder of being a productive and dedicated member of our own hives, our communities that we live and work in.
Witness the power of the tiny bee, small yet mighty and important, and emulate that power in your own life!
This week I had an experience that made me think about my triggers and personal life story. I believe that ultimately we all face one karmic lesson, that if mastered, helps us live a peaceful life.
I was out on the trails with my very energetic pup. It was early morning and cloudy. We almost had the entire preserve to ourselves. My companion lets me know when bobcats, bunnies, or other wildlife are near. On this particular morning we heard some coyotes off in the distance. My dog paused and looked in the direction of his cousin’s song.
After the howls and yipping, our world returned to calm.
Before long, the tranquility was shattered by a very large, off leash dog baying loudly as it chased a coyote across the desert floor. The coyote was running for it’s life.
When you are in your teens and 20s, life seems to extend into the future like an endless expanse of potential experiences. You can’t imagine not having the opportunity to visit places you love again or see friends and family regularly. As you grow older and encounter both loss and change, life takes on a quality of uncertainty, sweetness tinged with sorrow. A favorite uncle or a parent dies, friends move away, you yourself may move multiple times. The tapestry of life is always shifting, and we too shift with the changes. At a certain point, you may realize that the years ahead are possibly fewer than those behind. It may awaken a deep sense of appreciation for every moment you are given. This is how our lives teach us gratitude. Yet now, at this time on the planet, that lesson is coming up in unexpected ways.
Are you are an animal lover that wants a little more magic and connection in your life? Are you looking for someone to deliver some hope, even healing directly to you? If you answered yes to either of these questions, I have your answer. Consider booking a session with an Animal Communicator. Read on to discover what an animal communicator is and how they can help you.
I was honored by having a conversation that left me feeling incredibly grateful for the good people in our world. I interviewed the very gifted animal communicator, and founder of the Gentle Barn Animal Sanctuary, Ellie Laks.
Ellie openly shared how she emerged from a painful place of sensitivity in her younger years, to successfully founding one of the world’s most recognized animal sanctuaries.
Ellie has been communicating with animals forever. Recently she began offering private animal readings to individuals like you.
Of course, I wanted to know all about her practice! I learned before each session, Ellie meditates using Scalar Waves Healing, until she feels clear and balanced. After the meditation she reaches out telepathically, with an open heart, to your companion.
After a connection is made, images almost like a slide show or short film are shared with her. It becomes a discovery session all about your pet’s life. Ellie shares everything your animal friend wants you to know.
She is able to communicate with our companions while they are on Earth, or if they have transitioned to the other side.
The following are some of the messages Ellie has received while communicating with animals.
Birds are oblivious They just do what birds do With no regard For the turmoils Of the human condition
It’s not that birds Don’t care They just have Clear priorities
To be Birds. To live the life they have
We do not know If birds have a purpose Beyond survival Maybe joy is natural To live in harmony With the immediate world To know they are part Of everything natural Not in conflict with life
Humans may have never lost Their innocence We can only wonder Will humans ever be like birds And just be human
We can only grow into and be what is a Natural Human
I once read about an injured hawk that was rescued and taken to a raptor rehabilitation center. The hawk, after recovering from its injuries, was driven back to the location where it had been found, many miles away. At a certain point in the trip, the hawk suddenly became more alert. It lifted its head and looked around sharply; it moved its wings with anticipation. It sensed in the deepest part of its being that its home was near. Such behavior can’t be logically explained by science because it has to do with the things we know without physical evidence to prove it. Awareness beyond the five senses. Author Rupert Sheldrake called it “morphic resonance” in explaining how a dog would know its human companion, a hundred miles away, had started to return home. We living beings, animal or human, feelpresence and remember home from great distances. Our heart has an intelligence even deeper and wider than the brain’s.
“Mystics see that everything has a spark of energy and potential. This thought alone elevates the mundane and makes everything transcendent, while still being grounded in our earthly reality.”
Renewal is inevitable and it’s a universal law of creation. Everything is in some phase or state of renewal at all times, and human beings are no exception to this natural law. Looking to the nature of a butterfly — a larva that within its cocoon that rests, grows, gestates, and comes to be a butterfly as we see them, flying on beautifully ornate wings — tells us how renewal works. It also tells us that some phases of this ongoing cycle do not always feel good, even though we can survive and thrive through all its various phases.
"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, No one can count the apples in a seed."
Contemplating these words inspire me to not underestimate the potential of the coming year. We live in a world of infinite potential. Small actions with a sense of natural timing will grow fruitful results.
A new day dawns tomorrow Once a seed is planted It is up to God to make it grow
I have watered, fertilized and trust the sun will rise
Planted but not forgotten Left alone but not neglected The process of life is out of my hands Surrender is not giving up It is letting go of control
Like the seed in the ground It is my time to rest. The tilling, planting, and praying Is done I can trust the spark of creation To do what love does, Grow
“God isn’t an attainment. It’s a memory.” —Panache Desai
When we yearn for God, we think we have to do or become something in order to find that connection, but that just isn’t true. God, or Spirit, was in the infinite energy that held your essence before you were born and in the emergence of your individual expression in this world. Spirit has never left you because there is no part of you that is not Spirit. No part of the universe is Godless. When you realize that completely, the arbitrary boundaries created to define human existence disappear, and you are at home in a Presence beyond time and space.You remember.
As our last weeks in Florida go by, I find myself looking with fresh eyes at the natural world right outside our door, just like I did when we first arrived here. When you know you are moving (and who knows when you will return), everything takes on a special light, a different vibration. Habit falls away and you see every detail with delight and appreciation. A group of ten white ibises with long curved orange beaks walks slowly past our lanai. A palm warbler on the window ledge looks around curiously, bobbing its tail. A giant swallowtail butterfly, the largest in the U.S., serenely floats by and lands on a bush next to the trail where I am walking. A zebra longwing butterfly flutters in the air nearby. So many amazing creatures so close and clearly visible. None of them native to Massachusetts. These are once-in-a-lifetime moments, I say to myself; savor them.
After two and a half years in Florida, my partner Anne and I are moving back to Massachusetts. It is a decision of the heart. We are choosing to be closer to family and old friends and to remembered places that fill us with great love and appreciation. We are returning home. A few weeks ago, as I was on hold while buying our airline tickets to Boston, Simon and Garfunkel’s song “Homeward Bound” began playing in my ear. The synchronicity was unmistakable. I burst into tears.
Lately, I’ve been watching different people to observe kind of the process of what they do to connect, and how they post and all that kind of stuff … and one of the things that I have noticed is that a lot of them – not all of them, but lots of them – they always have like perfect skin … not a mark on their face … no age spots or wrinkles. I’m not complaining … I’m just saying: not everybody could have perfect skin. I know this sounds crazy. I know a lot of people use filters … I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. But it was new to me.
So that got me to looking at things through a different lens. And what I was noticing was how many images were out there with filters. Hmmmm … we put so many masks up in our daily lives … and in social media, a lot of people say our lives are shared in its “Facebook version” – all the things that are great that are happening out here. And then there are all the shitty things that happen in some aspects of the rest of our world, and we don’t share those.
I’ve never been one to feel that way. I feel like whatever’s happening is happening. And I want to share with you where I’m at, what’s happening, whether it’s good, bad, or otherwise. I also have a Mastermind group- a beautiful group of women that are really learning and working on vulnerability and authenticity and showing up. So, it kinda shocks me that there are so many people that go to social media and look at or listen to accounts of people that really aren’t being authentic, but then compare themselves to it. They compare themselves to the people that are using all these filters and making everything look like it’s perfect when it really just isn’t perfect … and then they are feeling bad about themselves and the buttons that it pushes and the triggers that that brings up.
My husband and I planned a quick trip on Labor Day. We were looking to relax and reconnect while exploring the Grand Canyon and Sedona in Arizona. I made reservations for a glamorous tent site as well as a couple of guided tours. I didn’t take into consideration that 25 percent of the world’s population and their pets made the exact same plan. I also wasn’t prepared for a heatwave impacting every waking moment of our escape. In the first 24 hours, I needed to be emotionally rescued from my vacation.
Our luxury camping adventure began with our GPS attempting to send us through the desert on a road that didn’t exist. When we finally located our weekend stay, it was well over a hundred degrees, crowded, and dusty. We found our tent with very small water, mister, in the doorway providing little protection from the heat. If the canvas flap was open, we could sometimes feel a light breeze. We quickly figured out that taking a shower and lying in front of the doorway was our best cooling option. On a side note, the shower had no temperature control and it was operated by a pull cord. The glamping wasn’t quite what we had expected. It was memorable and interesting but definitely not relaxing.
The following morning, we had a late start to a hiking adventure. Because of the heat, we decided to trek only three miles down before starting back the steep climb up. We shared the narrow trail with mules, their riders, families, rangers, happy people, stressed people, and everything in between. I was completely inspired by the beauty of the Grand Canyon but overwhelmed by the crowds.
A Question to Walk With: Describe a time when you were fluttering like a bird in the center of your own storm. What did this feel like? How did the storm pass? If it hasn’t, what can you do to put the storm down?
