Facets and Hues
The sun is shining through strongly this evening. It comes from behind our house and shines onto the bay in front highlighting the trees on the opposite side of the lake making them appear nearly fluorescent. The easy wind picks up occasionally and the glass-like water gives way to a cluster of ripples, a choreography of facets and hues. Then glass again. “Our” deer family, all females, have returned looking now, not for the corn we bestowed upon them in the depths of the icy winter, but for the natural resources beginning to sprout from our front yard, a yard of soft mosses and still undetermined shoots, life sustaining to these graceful, skittish, creatures. They are hyper aware, like me, searching for predators, hearing the softest sounds, with pairs of tall ears twitching, quick independent directional movements each on their own wavelength. They see my slight movement from behind the picture window some 20 yards away. The alpha stops, staring me down looking right through me, then relaxing her jaw shifts right and left breaking down the good fortune of the nourishment she has found. Empathically I still myself. I too am sensitive to predators on the move in this particular humanity. I watch in wonder, sending out the gratitude I feel every time they visit. She goes back to foraging. I breathe deeply. Her long legs are thin, belying her power, one that can catapult her over an obstacle 4 feet high with graceful confidence. I hear a loud noise from the south. All 4 deer heads rise in unison from the ground they were inspecting, and turn towards the sound. I stretch to see if I can see anything and my movement causes the 8 huge doe eyes to take one last look my way, then bolt in a line, towards the western woods, 4 white tails waving goodbye.
This is my ongoing project, watching the ice melt, the creatures forage and anticipate the coming of spring, that in some years past, I was certain would never return. And yet here it is, a lifeline. This beautiful, sunny warmth I can feel in my heart is much appreciated and ignites my hope that humanity can indeed heal.
Tricia Schwaba April 26, 2020
Quick Class, In The Moment On the Mat
Tricia’s Quick Classes are designed to give you bite size pieces of information that you can digest easily and put into effect in your life immediately.
Yoga Closing April 24, 2020 Carolyn McHugh
Willing To Be There
Source: saatchiart.com
I’m trying not to anticipate, taking each moment as it comes
Stretching, reaching for equity in hopes I can become
A human who lives it right, a human that truly dares
A human that as the paradigm shifts is willing to be there
To take the leap of faith required to assist and heed the call
Not keep myself concealed from the tenderness of it all
Tricia Schwaba April 2020
Essential Oils For Balancing Chakras
The Winds of Change So Bold
Artwork source: Saatchiart.com
They say that time moves on, ultimately it tells it all
I guess that’s true and may explain the depth of this great fall
It seems that we, and our world won’t ever be the same.
Perhaps that’s the blessing in this tragic human game
We’ve created such a mess, we let the greedy lead the way
With sacred rituals shredded down, all thin, and bare and frayed
This planet that we share is throwing off all that’s not needed
We should have heard the call, but blazing signs were never heeded.
We shrugged and we side-stepped and we shit on holy ground
And now we find ourselves inside this vortex heading down
We are not in control, and in fact have never been
Do we regret the poor decisions that were made way back when?
When the winds of possibility gently pushed us towards the light
But instead all wanted more of the power and the might
The males took the wheel driving far into the darkness
Led by many troubled souls, with no contour only starkness
Money and the jewel of flashy houses, guns and cars
Pushed for most to cheat and steal while up the hill they charged
The summit was scattered garbage and the remnants of their choices
No air to breathe, no trees to nourish, no truth from velvet voices.
So what do we do now, can we dodge the great unknown?
Or be the winds of change so bold, stir the many seeds we’ve sewn.
Tricia Schwaba April 8, 2020
We Will Get Through This
Art source: Anon
You are important to the collective healing process.
When the stress gets overwhelming
Breathe the deep breath.
Nourish yourself with
Good thoughts, good food, good intentions.
We will get through this.
We will transcend.
We will gather again.
And won’t that feel spectacular?
Channeling The High Priestess*
Art Source: ShaktiArt.com
A Challenge For This Time
I challenge you to sit quietly in the eye of the storm,
To not let chaos steal the moment.
I challenge you to breathe deeply
Even when fear dives to your depths.
I challenge you to smile at the temptation of panic,
Allowing it to float by, a cloud in the bright blue
A cosmic clue to the puzzle of your struggle.
I challenge you to declare your self-love out loud
A peaceful, powerful proclamation that you are indeed, worthy.
*The High Priestess is an entity that uses Tricia as a conduit for divine guidance. She’s lovely.
Tricia Schwaba 2020
Infinite Silence Sweet Divine Guidance, Audio Poetry
A Fresh Healing Balm, Audio Poetry
Pandemic by Rev. Lynn Ungar
What if you thought of it as the Jews consider
the Sabbath- the most sacred of times?
Cease from Travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now, on trying
to make the world different than it is.
Sing. Pray, Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down, and when your body becomes still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives are in one another’s hands.
(Surely that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out your tendrils of compassion
that move, invisibly, where we cannot touch.
Promise your world your love-
for better or worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we shall live.
Reverend Lynn Ungar
Calling All Prophets
Art source: Fine Art America
Buddha, Shakti, Shiva, Jesus
Prana, Allah & Blessed High Priestess
Please answer my calls if you hover above
Reminding the haters, it’s all about love.
The misled are leading, with egos and boasts
The garbage rises, too much to compost.
If a second coming can ever occur
Could you make it soon and please don’t deter ?
We need guidance now, a revelation to seize
If you think it will help I can fall to my knees
I’ll offer my prayer for peace to reign
Or please guide me towards a more enlightened plane.
Tricia Schwaba, Original 2017
Yoga Closing Reading 3/18/20
Yoga Closing Reading 3/16/20
Source: Purple Buddha Project
Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Yoga Closing 3/13/20
The Otter, The Fox & The Chickadees
I awakened to the sun rising over the snow covered lake that sits outside my front windows. These windows frame my initial perspective for the day as I scan the landscape for inspiration, movement, irritating red squirrels or the bowing of the treetops indicating the wind’s intensity or lack there of, for the day ahead. The sun was hitting just so, as to nearly blind me to all else. It grabbed me, “Pay attention!!”. So I did. I shed my sleepy eyes, rolling reluctantly into the day. As the sun’s rays slowly rose they allowed me a more complete vision, other forms coming into focus. A figure moving at the edge of the frozen lake caught my eye. It was an otter, it’s dark body striking against the white snow, it’s roller coaster spinal movements and it’s sleek, tubular physique undeniable. I wonder if she, (an assumption, I understand) like me, wonders how long it will be before we can both dive into the depths. I consider an otter a hopeful sight, not just for it’s unique animal beauty, but for it’s ability to inspire contemplation around my own ability to move fluidly & playfully through the simplicity of the north woods.
My mind acclimated from playful otter to cup of Irish Breakfast tea when 100 yards out movement again caught my eye. I saw my red fox prancing across the frozen lake, offering it’s own distinctive gait, head slightly dipped but eyes laser focused, ever scanning for both predators and prey. The thick fur of the tail trailed the core of the body proudly, not only stunning in it’s fullness, but near doubling the length of this beautiful being and I’m guessing offering him (another assumption) a kind of reverse radar, a sensing of what is behind, maybe even what has been. I consider this fox an unwitting friend, as I see him every so often traversing our property in search of sustenance, I suppose, like we all are. One day as I was diving into my therapy trio of stretching, contemplating and writing this one trots right by the sliding glass door that defines my outdoor scene, displaying striking red fur and a thick tail of the same red, dotted with black and finally moving to the whitest of tips at the tail. He didn’t look my way, focused on his mission. Fables interpret foxes as sly, clever, tricksters. I believe that. I lose him as he reaches the northern edge of the bay and ventures into the trees.
I remind myself of my good fortune to live amongst this stunning grandeur. Just last evening the weather was so unexpectedly pleasant it allowed Elliott and I to enjoy some deck sitting, granted, with our heater alight. I saw a deer canter out from the south onto this same frozen bay. We watched, the natural beauty ever captivating. Then another followed and another. It was a caravan, a half dozen cantering across this same bay heading to the same area the fox aimed for. How different their body shapes and the cadence of their movements. We sprinkled some black oiled sunflower seeds on the railing of our deck for the Chickadees and Finches. (Better than a feeder which inspires too many food battles!) We placed them directly in front of where we sat and they came, in their kind of dive-bombing descent from their respective branches, bold as can be, landing, hopping a couple of times, grabbing a treasure then scooting back to the safety of the high perch. I had my moccasined feet resting on the lower railing of the deck and much to my surprise and pleasure, a Chickadee landed on my foot, our eyes momentarily locking, as it uttered its Chickadee chirp (was that a thank you?) then hopped onto the upper railing to grab a seed and flee.
My morning ritual of looking, and really seeing, continually reminds me of the sweeping beauty of this place I am now fortunate enough to call home, with all it’s many species, each of us looking for our own form of nourishment to get us through this long cold winter, and hopefully finding it. I didn’t witness the return trip of the otter, the fox or the deer, but I know they will visit again as we all honor our necessary routines. This knowledge keeps me hopeful and on the lookout for more natural moments of gratitude.
Tricia Schwaba 2020
Wayne Dyer, Yoga Closing Reading 3/9/20
Bob Dylan Quote
“my sense of humanity has gone down the drain,
behind every beautiful thing there’s been some kind of pain.”
— Bob Dylan
Certain Path of Love, Yoga Closing 2/28/20
Earth below, heaven above
Show me the certain path to love
Show me the beauty deep inside
Where balanced and harmonious I can reside
Show me the way to the energy pure
Instead of passage to the ways things were.
Love restores my mind when weak
It leads me to this path I seek
It flags me down in times of doubt
Bringing a blessed turnabout
It seeks out peace when my mind’s a mess
Or I am feeling that I am somehow less.
Earth below, heaven above
Your grace it flies on the wings of doves
Brushing my soul, light strokes of faith
Gently dispelling harsh words of hate
Earth below, heaven above
I stand grateful on this path of love.
Tricia Schwaba, 2019