Prayer & Meditation

Beginning again. I'm a beginner at the guqin. I'm mostly a beginner at the xiao flute. I'm beginning a new chapter in my life. The snow has barely melted and ice still covers parts of lakes and rivers. The year is beginning. Lent has barely begun. When we begin, we have to approach ourselves with grace and start small. Building our skills and understanding little by little over time. This is my toe in the water, using a simple setup with just my phone and a phone mic. My body's not as strong as it was, and my thoughts have been overcast. How can there be joy and laughter when always the world is ablaze? Here, as winter loosens its hold and we see glimpses of warmth, let's turn our hearts towards quietude and peace. A firm foundation to stand against the weight of life.

Snow is a blank canvas. An obstacle. A reminder of inner warmth. Nourishment for spring. A renewal, a death and a promise. Nature pulses with hidden life under the sparkling blanket - grateful and patient.

Breaking out of a summer hibernation into an autumn awakening. I decided to begin section hiking the North Country Trail, bringing my twitch audience along for the journey. All the leaves had fallen and the trees were bare. Sometimes we fall apart and slumber in darkness waiting for our inner fire. I'm new to the Xiao Flute and finding my feet again with a new camera and gimbal setup as well. Learning new things, challenging myself and struggling to create. I'm grateful to friends who are meeting with me every morning and for the loving support of my little family. At sunrise it's easy to see a new day is dawning. The coming winter will always give way to verdant spring.

Feeling like a cyborg, filming and live-streaming the last music meditation hike. Photo Credit: @lada480 (at Fallasburg Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH8RLUpjjJL/?igshid=6d5p5vt4b1ty

Sometimes I focus on frankincense and beautiful objects; sometimes just my breath. How do you like to meditate? https://www.instagram.com/p/CEm4eGjjGL0/?igshid=8ympto6has1f

Photo Credit @lada480 https://www.instagram.com/p/B-u2ChDDHTp/?igshid=1ktipk5o1bgoe

Photo Credit @lada480 https://www.instagram.com/p/B-sS2CSDFpN/?igshid=1u5x8seccqs4a

Behind the scenes for this morning's Music Meditation at @robinettesapplehaus photo credit @lada480 https://www.instagram.com/p/B2wQ0QjBUC7/?igshid=j51byxq4teh9

Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes we have to push through difficulty. We have to make effort for what's valuable. The meditation is in the striving. We step carefully and treasure light and shadow, dark valley and bright hill.

Morning mist, the colors of flowers and the majesty of a sunrise river. Have a blessed day!

Pine stands whisper in a gentle breeze. They stand straight, taking the shortest route to the sky. They sway. They listen.

A vibrant valley hike that was both challenging and inspiring. My favorite part was the frog that came over to sing along with the guitar! Have a blessed day!

Photo Credit: @lada480 https://www.instagram.com/p/B0cER-lBO1X/?igshid=ttseadlskvvm

Nice hike through Cooper Creek / Spencer Forest. Big shout out to Sounds of Now for creating this music experience and letting me record it! Have A Blessed Day

Knapp Valley Forest feels like a magical secret in the middle of mundane suburbia, complete with shifting trees that take you down unexpected paths. Enjoy this music meditation and have a blessed day!

Pickerel Lake Park near sunrise - beautiful! Here's some guided breathing, some music and a lot of love. Have a blessed day!