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Now Our Minds Are One: An Iroquois Prayer of Gratitude

On November 26, 2019 / My Land and Home, Spirituality / 19 Comments

299 This ancient prayer of Thanksgiving comes from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people. The prayer is used to give thanks, bless gatherings, and greet the day. I plan to read it at a Thanksgiving gathering this year and

On Iroquois Land

On November 12, 2019 / My Land and Home, Psychology and Mythology / 36 Comments

608 “Why don’t you write about the Iroquois?” my son Anthony said. His eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. “The people who lived here had a Matriarchal Democracy. Perfect!” “Good idea,” I said. “It’s embarrassing how little I know.”

Marion Woodman and the Princess Who Said No

On October 29, 2019 / Psychology and Mythology / 13 Comments

236 “Why are you giving a lecture?” a woman in the audience said as she stood up. Her voice was hard and defiant. A few others joined the chorus. They wanted intimate groups, creative exercises, and art,

Inspired by Artemis, Lured By Joy

On October 15, 2019 / Family and Friends, Psychology and Mythology / 28 Comments

411 My friend Barb Cook shared a video of six squirming black puppies. I watched as a vet checked each one before handing it to an assistant for comfort. I’d wanted a pup for a year, but

Grief, Hope, and Climate Change

On October 1, 2019 / Nature, Political Action / 15 Comments

96 Two boys walked on the other side of Seneca Street. We were leaving the Climate Strike gathering on the Ithaca Commons. I watched these teenagers, one dark skinned with a snug T shirt showing his taut

Facing Our Deepest Fear

On September 17, 2019 / Bereavement and End of Life / 24 Comments

268 “I’m afraid to die,” Vic said. His raspy voice was soaked with despair. I rubbed his tight shoulders while he leaned into me, his head resting against my heart. “I meditated and studied with wise teachers

The Woodstock Generation: Vietnam, Jail, or Canada

On September 3, 2019 / Family and Friends, Political Action / 23 Comments

245 “I don’t want to move to Canada,” I said to my boyfriend Vic in 1967. “I don’t want to move either, but I don’t want to go to a war I don’t believe in or go

Elaine Mansfield’s Evil Plan to Control My Life & Inner Monologue by Melody Smith

On August 20, 2019 / Family and Friends, Nature / 23 Comments

120 I’m excited about the spark in this week’s writing class! A food spark gives me delicious ideas. But first, I have to take out these ten monarch caterpillar babies from the large box Elaine gave me.

Monarch Medicine: A Meditation on Transformation

On August 6, 2019 / Health, Nature / 34 Comments

482 With morning dew on the grass and the sun rising over the hill, I wander through the milkweed patch choosing the healthiest young plants to feed the Monarch caterpillars. I find Monarch eggs and tiny caterpillars

A Lifetime of Love Letters, One at a Time

On July 23, 2019 / Bereavement and End of Life, Family and Friends / 30 Comments

391 October 1994 Dearest E, While walking up the stairs tonight I was forcefully struck by what a precious