Beneath My Feet

Rinsing off the mud at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs, near Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2019 Silvery liquid mud poured into our hands from a small fountain. We slathered it all over our legs, arms, and faces as we giggled at the sight of ourselves. Allowing it to ‘bake and crackle’ on our skin, it dried and turned white as we sat in the warm sun. It was a tingly sensation, and not exactly what I imagined a mud bath to be. Perhaps our skin was absorbing all the healthy stuff like a sponge or the bad stuff was being drawn out through our pores … hopefully both!  None-the-less, it was a fun and playful new experience. We showered off the caked-on mud and relaxed in natural hot pools laced with all sorts of interesting minerals like lithium and arsenic! No lie.  I loved the feel of clay in my hands as a child, and still think of it as tactile play as a potter. N o doubt, the way we play as kids, discovering, interacting and laughing with others, helps shape us as adults. Sadly, play is o...

This basket of creative potential was on the floor of a silversmith's studio in Koh Lanta, Thailand (2018). Have you created something that didn’t exist before? Perhaps something you… wrote… cooked…sewed…  sawed and hammered… planted in the soil… played on a guitar or drum… sang… photographed… danced to… arranged or organized… decorated… cut... pasted... welded… acted in... designed on paper or computer… taught a class about or demonstrated… repaired or restored… collected… or, painted? I once wrote an online course about The Creative Process.  I felt so fortunate to research and design for a topic that fascinates me. Surprising to some, creativity isn’t solely about being artistic. It is about thinking, planning, researching, making/doing, and expressing yourself, but mostly about problem solving.  "... don’t get stuck on the idea of perfection of a final product. Focus on the process, because if you find joy in the doing … you’ll keep doing it!"   ~ Heather Ross...

Spring rains have brought green grass again! Walking or standing shoeless on the fresh grass or in soft sand feels incredible on the toes. A few years ago, I heard about the concept of "earthing or grounding". It is said to connect us with the earth's natural healing energy, improving sleep, general well-being, and so on. It is simple to try, and see how it makes you feel! " Just like the sun gives us energy and creates vitamin D in our bodies, the earth beneath our feet is rich with electrons that help to ground us when we make contact. Go barefoot and absorb this beneficial electrical charge like a sponge. Try walking barefoot on a soft lawn for just 15 minutes or just sit out on the lawn with bare feet." ~ Nick Polozzi In this photo, taken last summer, I was dancing on the grass. I've always loved to dance and a group used to meet at a local church that was transformed into a dance studio. We called it "dance church". During Covid, dance church...

  Koi pond at Water Palace, Bali Indonesia, 2018 “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it.”  ~ Bruce Lee It such a treat to see a pond packed with large Koi gliding through the water and even leaping together! I love the the Asian design aesthetic which often incorporates water features, fountains, and fish ponds. In the ancient art of Feng Shui, which focuses on different earthly elements, water is a symbol of prosperity and abundance. In Balinese Hindu culture, water is considered holy and means to 'cleanse', and similarly, fish bring good fortune. The larger the pond the larger the Koi grow and, each type of Koi has its own significance. Did you ever wonder why so many of us love to be near water... whether is it a small pond, river, lake or ocean? Perhaps an innate survival instinct brings us that feeling of peace, calm and balance when looking at a majestic waterfall, swimmin...