August. The end of this month should be called Ahhhhh-gust. It’s when the weather cools off a little bit, rain moves in to break the drought, and the color of the sky shifts to tell you that fall is right around the corner. (Oh, and the geese, they’re flying in Vs now, too.)
Usually August is slow for me but it’s been abuzz in 2024; I don’t know if it’s the world stage that’s unsettled the vibes or just that I’m still in book marketing mode.
Regardless the reason, I’m always down for some slow time in late August. Here are some things this week that helped me reset my energy and priorities as I begin to take a peek at my fall schedule.
AUG 26, 2024—A return to Everyday Serenity.
I began using this meditation tool by David Kundtz (the book’s subtitle says it all: “Meditations for people who do too much”) about 15 years ago. I finally made it through, one day at a time, after many years; there was a big expanse of time when I wasn’t meditating, or I only used it on silent retreats, so it often just sat on the shelf.
I’ve really enjoyed this book and have decided to start it up all over again because so much has changed in my life in 15 years (relationships, parenting, politics, health, career). I’ve also never been able to find anything quite as useful in recent publications.
- Why is this hi-vibe? The passages are only about a page and a half per meditation, based on an inspiring quote, and the advice is solid, contemplative, low-key, and supportive of those people like me who are trying to quiet the brain and raise the frequencies in their lives. No ommmmm required, just ideas and a little thought to help shape your day moving forward. Definitely positive energy in a small little book.
AUG 27, 2024—Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing
Walking in the woods is a frequent reply when people ask me what I do to treat my multiple sclerosis. In 2018, I wrote about the concept of forest bathing, known in Japan as shinrin-yoku, for MultipleSclerosis.net when I was a columnist for Health Union… and then I made a short film this year (“Look Up”) about using urban shinrin-yoku to fight chronic malaise, a common problem for people living with MS.
- Why is this hi-vibe? There is plenty of scientific evidence that suggests that certain compounds released by trees in forested areas have healing effects for people who breathe them in. I know that, even if I don’t literally feel like my body is healing while hiking or walking country roads or woodsy waterfronts, I definitely feel a huge boost to my mood, my head clears, and I am able to solve a lot of issues that might be linked to my MS (like problems with focus and concentration). The hi-vibe bonus? It always, no matter what time of year, smells like blackberries out there (and sometimes mushrooms, and often, cedar or rainwater). What’s not to love?
AUG 28, 2024—Dr. Teal’s Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salt
After a day of deep-cleaning a big chunk of my house, I managed to get in a few good miles walking the waterfront of Liberty Bay in Poulsbo today, taking in the late-day warmth that is the essence of August in the PNW. Oy, but it was a bit too much for my feet and my lower back, so I took advantage of my now clean and uncluttered bathroom to soak for a long spell in a CBD bubble bath.
- Why is this hi-vibe? Any sort of body soak with Epsom salt in it is so great for sore muscles because of the utter richness of the magnesium, which your body drinks up through the skin. In this formulation, I get to enjoy the relaxing, pain relieving effects from the hemp oil, which helped with my seriously aching toe joints and lower back, where sciatica comes and goes as regularly as the moon. This is an easy, pleasant self-care ritual that rates up there at the top of my all-time favorite hi-vibe activities.
AUG 29, 2024—Summer harvest
It’s been a strange year in my garden, with some plants really doing well and others coming in late or not at all. Which is fine, because of the aforementioned busy-busy of my calendar these last few weeks. I barely have time to pick and put by what I have grown. But here’s the thing… even if I don’t get a lot of a certain plant (for instance, my snow peas weren’t great this year and cucumbers and tomatoes are slow and late), other things have grown like gangbusters, like spinach and herbs and green beans. It all balances out, whether I’m super diligent with my time in the raised beds or I’m neglectful, out of town, or taking some down time.
- Why is this hi-vibe? The harvesting of summer veggies, herbs, and flowers is almost always a satisfying experience. Just being out in the gardens makes me feel accomplished, and the pickings are beautiful and wonderful to cook up, process, or share. I just bought fresh new salad green seeds to plant soon (Ed Hume is affordable and tried-and-true for zone 8b PNW gardening, just sayin’). It’s getting to be time for fall/winter crops (yes, things can grow all the way into December or even winter over into the following spring!). I can’t wait to start the process all over again. What I plant is more than just seeds, but hope, and hope = hi vibes!
AUG 30, 2024—Chorus frogs, round 2!
In late winter, you can tell the world is waking up to spring by the return of the Pacific tree frogs (the locals call them chorus frogs). There’s a drainage ditch just down the road filled with reeds and other frog habitat, and they live there in numbers that surely measure in the hundreds, if not thousands. The sound is immense as the spring warms up. Then they recede into the cool spots and hide out and the music tapers off as July and August bring drought conditions. I’m so thrilled to have heard more of these little indicator species back to their crooning ways this fall. I found the little guy in this picture clinging to the screen door, watching the pre-season Seahawks game with me Saturday night!
- Why is this hi-vibe? This, right here, is the reason why I sleep with the windows open as much as I can. There’s nothing quite like being serenaded at bedtime by these little princes. Nature’s music is as hi-vibe as it gets!
It’s more important than ever for me to remember how much good there is in the world. To that end, I’m going to try to post 5 cool things I encountered recently. Weekly? Maybe. Or maybe just occasionally. However frequently I do it, my goal is to brighten your day and help me cleanse my own timeline of all the toxicity that current events and social media can bring. With so much happening in the world, we all just need a link-love break, y’know?