Category: Holidays

Reflect

12/21/2025

Happy Solstice!

Today marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This day has been significant for me for many years. An opportunity to turn inward, to be in the quiet and reflect.

I know this time of year can be a whirlwind for many as they get ready for (or are absorbed in) holiday celebrations. There often is a perceived pressure to feel happy, warm, or be cozied up with loved ones. Though this isn't the case for many people for a variety of reasons.

I want to invite some space, and grace for whatever combination of feelings that might be present for you. It's okay if things feel a little crumby, you feel disappointed, or are missing people that are no longer around. The threads of our lives don't magically disappear when the holiday playlist floods the radio, and red and green pours off the shelves. This pressure can amplify existing pain. If this is where you find yourself during this time, I want to send lots of care and a hug your way. You're not alone. Soon our culture will get back to the humdrum of day-to-day. Keep on, keepin' on.

No matter what's alive in you today, maybe take a few moments to reflect on your 2025. Is there something (small or large) you feel proud of yourself for? What are you grateful for? Savor that feeling.

What's one loving action you can take for yourself this week?

You matter. You deserve this love and care.

May you soak in the gifts of the dark.

Much love,
Sarah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's still time to buy gift certificates. (*It make take up to 48 hours for the digital copy to be sent you, so please plan accordingly for gift giving.*)

Prices will be going up in 2026, stock up now on gift cards at the current rate!

Reminder, I'll be taking time off from Dec 24–Jan 1. You can set up a time for a session in the new year, by booking online.

Interested in our Reiki classes that start Feb 7th? Now is a great time to sign up and hold your spot! Learn more here.

0 Comments

Life Is What You Make It

6/18/2023

0 Comments

Wisdom from my father.

My dad, Bob the Nice Guy, having just pet a porcupine.

This one goes out to my pops, Bob the Nice Guy.

Today, and all days, but, especially today, I remember him.

During his time, this kind, gentle, creative soul emanated a love that I'll be nestled within for the rest of my life. Dad modeled how to be a brave, compassionate human, spirit undampened by challenges. He believed in me, and this instilled a confidence in myself to step into the world as I have. He gave me my goofy, and sometimes ridiculous sense of humor, for better or worse. I'm sorry? ;)

There aren't words for all that I could say. Perhaps someday, I'll reach across time and space to him in the Great Beyond, capture the words in poetry like the great mystics Hafiz and Rumi, bottle them up as some elixir to share with you. But that is for another day.

What I have for you today is wisdom he shared with me often during my early decades:

"Life is what you make it."

When I muse over this, I meditate on the essence of what I want to cultivate in my life. Compassion, kindness, joy, wonder, acceptance, love. I aim to help myself and others find relief from pain in healthy ways. To delight in the unique facets of life. To laugh and marvel at the beautiful intricacies that are revealed when we pay attention.

I suppose there are some specific "outcomes" that maybe, someday, I'd like to experience, but I hold them lightly now. I know that life is more than the boxes we check off. It takes twists and turns. Sometimes it pans out as expected and sometimes not. A lot of it we can't control. But the way we choose to show up with what is given, we can. I do believe care, love, wonder, and shared humanity exist in all these moments, though sometimes it can be hard to find or access. Yet, if I trust in my ability to find these qualities within myself and the world, there will be a little more internal grace, no matter what plays out. Even during the hard stuff.

In the months following my dad's passing last fall, the prospect of Father's Day rolling around without him felt pretty grim. Around the new year, inspiration came of an epic adventure to connect with him, and let a shared dream finally come true. This gave me a light and a focus amidst the grief, a way to make a long-held vision come to life. As you read this, I am likely in ceremony, honoring this sweet soul and our shared love of mountains, land, and nature. Making a bit more magic out of this life, and if I'm going to really make Dad proud, a joke of it too. But more on that later... right now, I'm busy.

Happy Father's Day.

So it goes.
Sarah

P.S. Dad would want me to share this with you. :) If you want to sing out, sing out...

0 Comments

Musings from the Journey

Reflect

Life Is What You Make It

Sarah Barlow

Sign up for our E-Letters Here

Archives

Categories