HeartsQuest

When do you take a moment to reflect? Feel where you are now? Where you're going? . In a land where action is the main currency, the only thing of value, most of us are not that big on looking inward. We're on to the next thing. We're missing out. . Without that pause, to sniff the air, inside and out, I sometimes find myself on a path that isn't quite right for me. Or I'm engaged in something that doesn't fit. Time to course correct! Especially in a time of Big Changes. You? . It's Day 25/100 of #100dayProject. I'm making a #visualbook: "Being Shellfish: The Courageous Art of Following your Heart.” Following this spiny #Rocklobster on a big life change quest :) (at Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/Bwuh9plHHuE/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bq4w3dwu4mmr

Do you like it best when there's a lot going on? Me too. . Sometimes I become a do-er, or what I call a 'doo-be-do-be-doo,' jam-packed with 'Human Doings,' to avoid my feelings. If I keep active I can stave off disappointment. Loss. Grief. Plus, our patriarchal culture loves action. You get rewarded for doing something. But sitting there, just feeling what you're feeling? Hmm... not so much. . #BeingShellfish = being with what's real. To cut through the noise of confusion. Distractions. It's the ability to reflect. Turn inward. Even if it's uncomfortable. Noticing those moments when they arise. Feeling the feelings, and then use the information you receive, from your heart and gut and body knowing, to keep going. It's brave. Courageous. Even if there's no big product at the end. . Thank you! for taking time to reflect. (at Port Gamble, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwtSAcVnC7P/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1a1usb2atgsap

Do you want to magnify feminine voices and creativity in the world? . Except for the total whiteness and vaguely porn-ish flavor, this image, Les Sirènes by Girard Firmin, captures a taste of our retreat. A sacred space by the sea to create, together. . Supporting full expression of our joys and sorrows, together. . Growing our courage to show up with our fullest, most magical selves, together. #Naked . Spring Retreat is almost full. Save these dates: 🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️ AUTUMN MERMAID TEMPLE RETREAT is Sept 27-28-29 at LaPush WA. . 🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️ WINTER MERMAID TEMPLE RETREAT is Jan 31-Feb 5 on the coast near Jaco, Costa Rica. . Will you join us darlin’? https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwqUXmJH6mJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kgszjkew62ef

How do you react when you totally fall off your game? . It depends, right? Sometimes I frown. Or scream. Or pout. Or whine. Or breathe....Ahhhh... . When you’re in a big Change, falling off your path is vital. 'Cause when you lose your way, the way itself ~ that feeling of flow, that you're making some incremental progress, working with your demons, finding your footsteps ~ it feels way more precious to you. You can notice how good it feels to get back on your way. . Like when your headache is gone, your cranium (which you mostly ignore) feels light and wonderful. . Part of #BeingShellfish is to honor your emotions. To trust that they are here for a reason. Emotions inform you. Communicate what's needed right now. A hug? A swift kick? A burst of new energy to get back up on that horse and ride into the sunset? . Only you can know. And you can only know if you pay attention. Listen to your heart, darlin' (or your gut or your body wisdom). It knows what's best. . Day 20/100 #100dayProject. Making a #visualbook: "Being Shellfish: The Courageous Art of Following your Heart.” Following this spiny #RockLobster on a big life change quest :) (at Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwqAjL_nxvi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1sl4lty8s180

Do you want to magnify feminine voices and creativity in the world? . Except for the total whiteness, this image of the Three Graces by Botticelli captures a bit of the flavor of our retreat. A sacred space in the natural world to create, together. . Supporting full expression of our joys and sorrows, together. . Growing courage to show up with our fullest, most magical selves in the world. . Spring Retreat is almost full. Save these dates: 🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️AUTUMN MERMAID TEMPLE RETREAT is Sept 27-28-29 at LaPush WA. . 🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️WINTER MERMAID TEMPLE RETREAT is Jan 31-Feb 5 on the coast near Jaco, Costa Rica. . Will you join us darlin’? (at Lemolo, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/Bwp7ji_npdB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1054bzto4cfdv

What brings you full alive? . Today I did not feel this way. Today I felt the press of gray upon my spirit. I found the feeling of life in the usual moments: Ahhh. But it took effort. I took myself to the water's edge, where I feel most alive. Among the midst of the gray, I asked my soul: what is this? Grief. Loss. Change. . I was comforted by a pair of loons. Looney Tunes. Diving deep. Resurfacing. Chasing each other. Skittering across the Salish Sea. Wings. Powerful. Peaceful. Solitary. . #BeingShellfish = discovering where you can reset your spirit. Going there. Reconnecting to your life force. Ahhhh... . Where do you feel most alive? https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwoNi0Bnk0j/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ks518ushilcv

What would you do for your heart's true desire? How far would you go? What risks would you take? . It takes devotion, dedication and daring to bring your dreams to life. And not everything works out...right? What then? Hold on to your limb and breathe... ahhhh! . Day 19/100 #100dayProject, making a #visualbook: "Being Shellfish: The Courageous Art of Following your Heart.” https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwoKHexnSeW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dimkhfax7avf

If there's something calling to your heart... what does it ask of you? . #BeingShellfish means you're willing to take your Heart's Desire seriously. To embrace adventure of all kinds. To step into mystery... uncertainty.... . Are you willing? https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwoFMIan48L/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xgwuewuvlh9f

What inspires you to grow? . Sharing this planet with plants. Consider. Your every breath depends on them. Their exhale is your next inhale. . Take in a big one. Ahhhh... Send the plant people some love. Show them respect and care. Notice and appreciate how they grow toward the light. With roots sunk deep in the dark earth of Mama Gaia. . #BeingShellfish is not being a lone ranger. It's to love this Earth... and to feel how you are interconnected with Life itself. That gives me hope! https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwlbIDnHgq9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ljqc39z820dn

How do you react when you get stuck? . Do you wriggle around? yank yourself out of it real fast? scream? sob silently? distract yourself? ask for help or a hug? shake it out with a dance party? lift one leg out, then the other? . #BeingShellfish means to be aware of how you're feeling, with gentleness and compassion, while you keep on keeping on. . Day 18/100 #100dayProject: making a #visualbook: "Being Shellfish: The Courageous Art of Following your Heart.” (at Tárcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwlV6x3H-WG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8hdkym7zsb5b

What brings you a sense of hope for the future? #EarthDay . For me, it's young people who care. Using their voices. Taking action. I'm blessed to know many who do. Like these beautiful souls with @gaiaprotection I met at @FincaMorpho permaculture farm in Costa Rica. They are spreading hope and practical solutions for a future where we can take responsibility for our plastic waste. Make something new! #ThankYou (at Finca Morpho) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwlL-DAnKhF/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1n4fz7p2mefhc

Do you seek the light? Do you love the dark? #BeingShellfish is about unity among the light and dark. Not seeking the light and not avoiding the dark. Check out this lovely passage from the Sandōkai, an 8th century Zen poem: “Within light there is darkness, but do not try to understand that darkness; Within darkness there is light, but do not look for that light. Light and darkness are a pair, like the foot before and the foot behind, in walking. Each thing has its own intrinsic value and is related to everything else.” Nerd stuff: material originally found the Cantong qi, a 2nd century Taoist writing on inner alchemy :) (at Tárcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwdTwVzHl7n/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o32b0k4ahx3z

Can you tell when things close in, get tight, your mood and attitude feels constricted? #BeingShellfish is noticing this change. Being willing to enter that experience. To feel the difference. In your body, your heart, your thoughts. And go through it. Noticing. . It's day 16/100 of #100dayProject. I’m making a #visualbook: "Being Shellfish: The Courageous Art of Following your Heart.” Following this #Langusto (a spiny #Rocklobster) on a big life change quest :) (at Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwcrDlCng8R/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=cxqjakvnroij

Have you received any gifts of chance lately? #Synchronicity? . I met Aaron on the beach while #plogging (picking up trash on a walk). In our brief conversation he touched my heart with his story, spoken in good English. "My beautiful wife passed away, and I scattered her ashes here. So when I walk this beach, I visit her. She is everywhere." :))) . We parted ways, and I wished I’d stayed longer, gotten to know him a little better. Later that day as I worked on photo editing my intuition prodded me to go take more photos. I’d already made lots of images for my #visualbook project #BeingShellfish. But part of this experiment is to FOLLOW my gut. So I gathered props, gear and ventured out. . My photo session didn’t go well. But I looked up and there he was. We shared a sunset, stories of his work caring for animals at a shelter. He invited me to his simple house on the cliff overlooking the Pacific, and offered me wine. I trusted him completely. We took a walk to the fishing village to meet his former girlfriend, and a swim in the Tarcolita river. . Over the next week Aaron introduced me to many delights. He gave me something my heart has longed for: the experience of everyday life in another culture. Meeting him has been a joy. A treasure. A gift. He changed the course of this #CreativeRetreat for the better. Thank you Aaron! I'm so grateful. (at Tárcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwYeVNxnNOy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ddhb1ked0mq1

How does it feel to streeeeetch from your comfort into a new situation? . Your comfort zone. Feels good, right? But sometimes your heart calls you to leave your cozy safe spot. To move through the discomfort of leaving it. To feel into your edges… Ahhh… . This little #RockLobster is helping me tell the story of making a Big Change in a #visualbook ”Being Shellfish: The Courageous Art of Following your Heart.” #100dayProject day 15/100. (at Tárcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwYPyGNnNPy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pkgl9ho52ugs

What’s your Big Fish — the next thing you want to catch? . My neighbor on #creativeretreat is a fisherman. He loves the sea. It's a hard life too, but they had a good day, with a good haul. Meanwhile I'm tending my own nets, catching stories and songs to lift us up, especially in a time of Big Change. . #BeingShellfish means diving in, listening to your heart. When you’re in uncertainty and change, your heart/gut/body/soul has wisdom. She has instructions for you. . Why? Your heart sings a different tone than your adorable little monkey mind brain, always so busy with gottas, shoulds, to-do lists… . Your heart swims in deeper waters. A sense of purpose and meaning arises from this place. . Take a moment. Breathe into your heart. Ahhhh... Feel any messages there? Any longings? Maybe a new gig? Connection? a creative project? Tending life, noticing its beauty? (at Tárcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwXG71bHWCD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u3xbqk79n8d0

How do you feel when you see how we treat our world? . This gorgeous, wide stretch of sparkling volcanic sand beach is rimmed by a long trail of human refuse. Every damn piece of trash you can imagine. Plastic straws, bottles, bags, food containers. Also: Toys. Shoes. Credit cards. Calculators. Utensils. Tools. Buckets. One could outfit a home scavenging the waste here. . The Rio Grande de Tarcoles is famous for its crocodile population. It’s also the most polluted river in Central America. It spills into the gulf of Nicoya carrying tons of garbage from the capital city of San Jose. The rainy season brings far more trash to the Pacific beaches, as rushing rainwater carries loose refuse down to the river. Down to the sea. . How can we wake up? To see the larger picture of our actions, our lifestyles? I picked up several bags. A beach cleanup team from Imperial Beer was there too. But so much returns every single day. I can’t blame the people in the city alone. It’s our culture. It’s convenience over endurance. It’s fast vs. caring. It’s not giving a damn. . So much more than being self-centered or egotistical, #BeingShellfish is listening to your heart. Feeling all the feels. The Reals. Bigger feels for the whole family of life. The way we treat each other. The way we treat our home, the earth. This pain in my heart: where does it lead? (at Playa Azul) https://www.instagram.com/heartsquest/p/BwVSYcQHA-U/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=oi96duuc2ugj