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On the Eve of Bealtaine on the Celtic calendar, the Greening of the Mountains is in full swing. The winds of change swirl through the newly leafed forests, twirling the boughs like the petticoats of an Appalachian dancer, and raising consciousness. A sea of green for the eyes, and an awakening of the soul. The first blossoms of the Rhododendrons are here, and the flowering on the higher elevations will soon follow. Small wonder that everyone’s hearts bloom brighter at this time of year. After a long winter, now sunshine and bird songs highlight the day, and cool nights are filled with the chorus of frogs and crickets. Nature is filled with the sacred geometry of life, which >>

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” ~ Lady Bird Johnson The Nantahala Forest is transforming and the birds are singing and feathering their nests. My new bird feeder is swarmed from dawn to dusk with a steady stream of cardinals, junkos, towhee “teapot birds”, chickadees and more. Hearts are awakening to Mother Nature’s wardrobe change. It is only two weeks away to the Greening Up the Mountains annual festival here in Sylva, North Carolina and every day the sun shines a little longer and everyone’s happiness meters are rising with the temperatures. There is something so magical about seeing the buds on the rhododendrons, and the dogwoods beginning to flower, and hearing the creeks and waterfalls roaring from >>

“The garden must be prepared in the soul first or it will not flourish.” English Proverb Three quarters of an hour into our Sunday lunch, Susan paused and smiled at me. “Why don’t you come with me to England?”, she offered. The invitation took me by surprise, and as my heart opened to receive this beautiful gift, I replied happily “Why not?” Susan, a distance healer and one of my dearest friends, was leaving in four days to attend an energy healing conference outside London. We were having lunch together so she could ask me questions about travelling there since this was her first trip outside the U.S. On a spring day in Albion, my plane touched down >>

When your pain and suffering feels too much to bear,   Pause a moment to take a few deep breaths   And know that there is a space, a quiet space   Deep inside of you that is open To take your pain and transform it.   Allow yourself to enter that quiet space And feel the peace.   There is a welcoming feeling here, Free from judgment, Free from fear,     A place to leave your worries and anxieties and cares, even if just for a few moments.   It is ok. You are not responsible for the whole world, only for yourself.   And when you take the time to go within you transform. And >>

As we approach the Spring Equinox in two days, I reflected on a visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway a few winters ago. In mid-afternoon on a Christmas Day, I looked across Sylva and saw that a great fog and clouds had settled on the mountains in the distance, so I decided to pack my camera and head to the Parkway entrance off Hwy 23/74 at Balsam. It was a fortuitous choice. The fog shrouded the road and most of the surroundings completely on the Parkway. Fog is a metaphor for trust in the spiritual community. As I drove through the fog, I stopped at each scenic viewpoint and happily photographed the surreal winter atmosphere. From the pinnacle >>