We won't be afraid to be alive anymore

I haven't posted here in a month, what to say? Well tonight I went to a reading at Powell's that was really interesting. It was Byron Katie, the founder of a school of spiritual teaching called The Work. My dad sent me a copy of one of her earlier books a few years ago. On the surface, it's all a little cheesy/self-help/new-agey feeling, and I can't say I entirely got past that in seeing her. But I also agreed with pretty much everything she said. Basically she had a realization about 20 years ago (she does not call it awakening or enlightenment). She says this: "I discovered that when I believed my thoughts, I suffered, but that when I didn’t believe them, I didn’t suffer, and that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that. I found that suffering is optional." You can read a lot more about it on her web site, which is quite comprehensive. Or see her somewhere on her book tour.

Also this evening I bought the new Patty Griffin CD, Children Running Through. I've listened to it twice through now, and I can definitely recommend it! Well, I can recommend anything by Patty Griffin, and I can already tell I am going to love this one, too. Such a precious feeling for a true music fan, to know you are about to fall in love with an album, and still have it to discover... You can also listen to this NPR interview with Patty.

Other favorite things of the week:

Foxfire Teas

Pacifica Candles (My favorites are Vietnamese Ylang Ylang, Spanish Amber, and Kashmir - if you ever feel the need to buy me a candle.)

Other than that, I am writing a lot and eagerly awaiting the next memoir writing workshop (in 10 days) with Jennifer Lauck.