What day of the week is it? Yes, it can be hard to keep track these days. But why not take the opportunity to practice language? It's an act of healing, I think, to speak Ucwalmicwts. It heals culture and community and I think it heals the land too and all the connections that keep … Continue reading Language lessons dropping daily on Facebook!

Day 20 of our self-imposed isolation and I have to confess, I haven’t really maximised the opportunity to self-actualize. Not that there’s been any shortage of resources or recommendations shared by beautiful loving-minded friends – how to work from home, how to be healthy when completely alone, how to learn a second language, spring clean … Continue reading The pandemic might not make me a better person

I don't know about you, but it's obvious to me from reading this May 25 update from Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman (which is still relevant) that he's married to a counselor. And yes, we all need mental health support right now. And there are resources available. (Scroll to the bottom for some helpful phone numbers.) … Continue reading Together apart – it’s still okay to smile at each other

  Thanks to Yvonne Wallace for posting this reminder on her Facebook feed, which I snapped up as a reminder, because, even as I'm seeing such outpourings of love and gestures of tenderness and concern throughout my community, I'm also feeling some of the most petty feelings I've experienced. I tend not to be an … Continue reading Love and fear in a time of Covid-19

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say there's something about man-energy that has trouble sitting still, and when stuck at home, embarks on an immediate brush-burning project. At least, that's what happened for some, ahem, men I know. And I think it was somewhat common. As of March 27, 2020, at … Continue reading Sorry, the therapeutic bonfire is over. Burn restrictions in place throughout our region

In Siberian myth, when you want to hurt someone, you crawl into their tent and close the smoke hole. That way God can’t see them. Close the smoke hole and you break connection to the divine world. Mountains, rivers, trees. Close the smoke hole and we become mad. Close the smoke hole and we are … Continue reading Keeping the Smoke Hole open: seek vigil not isolation by Dr Martin Shaw

This beautiful image comes to us courtesy of David Ward, who stumbled upon this spot in his traditional territory on Saturday while self-isolating in the woods, collecting some firewood and looking for inspiration. He also stumbled on tons of out-of-towners camping along the lake, to whom I would say: Namaste. Namaste - I see the … Continue reading Namaste, and please stay away

“Teach the children. We don’t matter so much, but the children do. Show them daisies and the pale hepatica. Teach them the taste of sassafras and wintergreen. The lives of the blue sailors, mallow, sunbursts, the moccasin flowers. And the frisky ones–inkberry, lamb’s quarters, blueberries. And the aromatic ones–rosemary, oregano. Give them peppermint to put … Continue reading When in doubt, read a poem

Here's the phenomenal nugget of information that dropped into my lap this week: emotions last about 90 seconds. After 90 seconds, the feeling has been metabolized... What lingers is the story you choose to associate with that feeling. So, my frustration on Tuesday morning, at my 7 year old's molasses-slow non-attempt at getting ready, and … Continue reading Emotions last 90 seconds, so why am I still freaking out?

"How are you?" messaged a friend. I am not sure how to answer this question, these days. In the grand scheme of things, I am unbelievably blessed and I am very aware of that, I am hyper conscious of the little ways in which my life could be much scarier right now, or my situation … Continue reading How are you doing, really?