I placed the log in the fire and only then noticed the tiny spider moseying along the top side, oblivious to its dire situation but sure to notice in a moment as the flames reached out to kiss the wood. Quick as I could, I snatched the log back out, burning my fingers only a […]
Greetings! It’s been a while since I posted. Someone asked me the other day if I had stopped blogging. Not yet. And no, I haven’t gone fishing. The recent absence from blogging is due to my focus on some new books. One is a memoir of the life-changing year I experienced three years ago. Blog
It’s Been a Minute! Read More »
I mentioned in a recent post that I am engaged in an apprenticeship with Death. Some of you indicated some interest in knowing what I’m learning. So here are a few examples of entries in my journal. I claim no exclusive wisdom here! Some of these are obvious, but I like to remind myself sometimes.
Lessons from Death Read More »
We seek endlessly for what has never been lostWe already have what we have always wantedWe yearn for a home we have never leftWe cover our eyes and cry that we are blind [Note: I’m sending this little poem as a test of the new email server. Hopefully this will be more reliable. It’s with
Okay, my blog post email server has lost its mind. Another empty post was sent out, and then a duplicate of a post already published. I’m so sorry for the annoyance of these posts. In consultation with my most talented webmaster, we are shutting down the email function and transferring to a new email provider
A Pause for Maintenance Read More »
I’m so sorry that my email service provider that sends out blog posts to subscribers has once again sent out an email with empty content. I did not initiate these posts. The provider seems to think this is funny and does it on its own. I was assured after the first time that the problem
Apologies for Blog Subscription Email Glitches Read More »
Walk sweetly with yourself. Find every reason possible to love who you are. ~Emmanuel’s Book II The Bible tells us to love our enemies as ourselves. The Dao De Jing speaks of extending self-love to all creation. But these teachings assume that we love ourselves. The story is told of the Dalai Lama being asked
Treat Yourself Like Someone You Love Read More »
I’m pleased to share with you that my new book Your Breath Is Your Guru is now available in paperback and ebook. Here is the link to my website with a description and links for purchase. I hope you will check it out. https://www.galenpearl.com/writing/ All proceeds are donated to North Pole Studio, supporting and promoting
Lying in the mossy green beside the creek I prepare to give birth to myself From within comes the liberation I have prayed for The pangs of labor I had not foreseen Yet I embrace it all Trusting in the promise of safe passage Welcoming with love whatever comes
I closed all my social media accounts one year ago. I had conducted a trial run without social media through January of last year, and having survived that, I decided to go off social media permanently. So I deleted all my accounts at the beginning of February. I was nervous, I admit. I felt cut
One Year without Social Media Read More »
What is it about a baby’s eyes that is so compelling? Maybe because they look so surprised and amazed at what they see. The world is fresh, everything is fascinating, and, if they are lucky, they see infinite love being reflected back to them. One thing that captivates me about a baby’s eyes are the
Endings and beginnings. Our calendar end and beginning of the year may be an artificial construct and not universal, but for me it still signifies something wondrous. A time to reflect on and release the year ending, and a time to anticipate the fresh start of a new year. Most years, I spend the final
How Do You End the Year? Read More »
Al Gore became the brunt of jokes when he was misquoted as saying he invented the Internet. He did claim, however, to have created a more receptive federal environment for the development and use of the Internet, and in a sense, that claim was correct. The Internet, as we know it, is a recent phenomenon.
No One Invented the Internet Read More »
In one of my favorite scenes in Star Trek Voyager, the character named Seven of Nine thwarts the evil Borg queen’s plan by reading her mind. As the queen looks surprised, Seven calmly notes, “Our thoughts are one.” You might be familiar with the term “six degrees of separation,” meaning that all of us are
No Degrees of Separation Read More »
As some of you know, I facilitate a twice monthly contemplation group using the Dao De Jing as a focus for exploration and reflection. With the onset of Covid, we shifted from an in person group to a Zoom group, which allows us to expand within and beyond the Portland area. We now run in
Invitation to Dao De Jing Contemplation Group Read More »
It’s finally here! I hope y’all will check out my new book. It’s a collection of prayers and responses written over several years using a non-dominant hand writing method. Click here for more information. All proceeds are donated to North Pole Studio, a nonprofit art studio for artists with developmental disabilities. Please check out their
Those who long for love Look for someone to give it to them Not realizing they are showered with love From the soul of every person From the rocks on the mountain From each star in the heavens From the tiny violet beside the path
Showered with Love Read More »
Several people have asked me about my choice to bow out of social media. I thought I would offer some reflections about this decision in the context of the broader question of what feeds our souls. I got on Facebook initially because I wanted to monitor my kids’ accounts. Over the years, I gradually increased
What Feeds Your Soul? Read More »
Yesterday was my birthday. Twenty years ago, on my birthday, I decided to visit the Kuan Yin temple on the outskirts of Portland. Kuan Yin is sometimes described as the goddess of mercy and compassion. She is often depicted holding a vase in her hand, which is filled with the nectar of compassion that she
Tea with a Goddess Read More »
