à la carte spirit by ilona fried
ilona fried
New Diagnosis: Post Traumatic Stuff Disorder
Post Traumatic Stuff Disorder: When Cluttered Environments Trigger Anxiety and Dread Each night along the Camino de Santiago, I sorted and organized the contents of my backpack, leaving behind what I no longer needed. Sometimes all I threw away were cheese rinds and Band-Aid wrappers, essentially weightless, taking up little space. Other times I left … Continue reading
Leave No Trace: Cleaning as Spiritual Practice
When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself. – Shunryu Suzuki Visitors to wilderness areas heed a principle called “leave no trace”. Conscientious hikers carry out used toilet paper, feminine products, food scraps, wrappers and anything else that does not belong. In certain remote places … Continue reading
Silent Retreat: A Sedentary Camino
“The longest journey you will make in your life is from your head to your heart” – Sioux legend In December, friends offered to host a four day, mostly silent meditation retreat at their mountain home. For a modest fee, they’d provide lunch, snacks and facilitation; we could bring breakfast and dinner if we chose … Continue reading
2013 Blog Highlights
On the first of January I wrote: What Will You Say No to in 2013? Fast forward to last week, when I revisited that post. That’s when it dawned on me that, as this year comes to a close, I’ve also been writing about saying Yes! That trajectory was not planned, nor did I know … Continue reading
Facing Stage Fright at Story Slam Boulder
“The whole world is a narrow bridge, and the essence is not to be afraid” – Rebbe Nachman of Breslav In mid-December I attended Story Slam Boulder, an open microphone event. Audience members could put their name in a hat to share a personal tale by heart, on stage. The evening’s theme? “Naughty or Nice”. … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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