WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
Elder Muse/Day 16: (RE)CONNECT to Wild Places
Salmon Creek Beach, N. California/Photography by Gaye Abbott
Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains I am taking care of a clients home, dog and kitty, nestled in the side of the mountain. It is peaceful, incredibly beautiful and a sanctuary for the soul. There was a rain lashing thunderstorm this morning which had the dog and kitty glued to me for the duration.
Afterwards we ventured out on a walk with the heady scent of earth and water soaked trees, plant life and flowers lingering in the air. Breathing with the earth moving through our feet and paws.
Lizzie and Reese
The video below was created and published during the pandemic when the only solace seemed to be nature. Even that was prohibited where I was living during the “lock-down” as the air was so polluted from wild fires that it was not healthy to even take a walk outside. Yes, I lived in Northern California at the time and the effects from the global pandemic linger still and probably will for years to come.
Let’s not forget the wild places….
The healing, soothing, and peace of mind that comes from being out in nature, in the wild, or even just in your garden. It is a primal feeling of coming back to who we are, to reconnect to the soul of our being and what we are made of. Returning to the rhythms of nature, the cycles of the seasons, the circles of life….
Filmed in South Africa by Reflections of Life
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://the wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/30/24
Elder Muse/Day 15: Silent As A Piece of Paper….
Photography by Gaye Abbott
“Silent as a piece of paper that has been erased of all its words.” From “The Mountains Sing”
Well, I have hit the mid-way mark of 31 straight days of posts through Elder Muse….and I am still sitting here wondering what I will share today. I am indeed experiencing the “silence of a piece of paper that has been erased of all its words. “
But what possibility there. Freedom to be in the moment. A witness to what is evolving. Open for life to surprise and delight. Seeing the beauty of ordinary things.
If all of the words are erased from a piece of paper the content of what was there dissolves and a new story can then be created. The void that is yearning to be filled loses its seductive power to fill it before appreciating what is showing up moment to moment.
Gazing out at the rounded Blue Ridge Mountains, the sound of wind blowing through the trees, a flicker of movement attracts my attention to the right. And then the paper is no longer silent….
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/29/24
Elder Muse/Day14: Be Water, My Friend
South Yuba River, N. California/Photography by Gaye Abbott
These days it seems to many of us that the world has “gone crazy”. We can hear about what is happening in seconds from across the planet through news sources that are most often based on assumptions that are not grounded, appealing to our human need for “survival at any cost”, and cloaked in fear.
I have been thinking recently that maybe now we just have a different kind of “crazy” with all of the technological “advances” that translate to being instantly connected on so many different levels. A very stressful “flight or fight” crazy.
Before all of these innovations we more or less only knew what was happening in our own little part of the world or even village. If it directly adversely affected our daily living then it necessitated our paying attention and taking effective action. The entire planet’s woes were not in our face so to speak.
Trying to nip the “gone crazy” scenario in the bud I know that I can only be effective, remain centered and grounded, maintain well being, and be of service if I don’t buy into the constant barrage of news feeds, social media, television, and conversations based in fear and assumptions. I have choice as to how and from what sources I learn about the state of the world, my country and community.
Some guidance during these, what could be called, very stressful times is sincerely appreciated. Today this came to my attention and I am bringing it to yours. Wise practices to take to heart every day from a Martial Arts Master of how to move, express, and be present in our individual and collective lives…..
Be Water, My Friend:
The Teachings of Bruce Lee
-by Shannon Lee
Bruce Lee’s daughter, distills the wisdom and philosophy of the legendary martial artist into practical lessons for life.
Here are ten lessons from the book:
1. Embrace Flexibility: Like water, be adaptable and open to change. This allows you to navigate obstacles and find new paths to success.
2. Cultivate Inner Strength: Develop mental and emotional resilience to stay calm and focused in the face of challenges.
3. Live Authentically: Be true to yourself and your values. Authenticity leads to a more fulfilling and honest life.
4. Pursue Continuous Improvement: Always seek to grow and learn. Strive to be better today than you were yesterday.
5. Balance Hard and Soft: Recognize when to be assertive and when to be gentle. Balance strength with compassion and determination with patience.
6. Focus on the Present: Practice mindfulness and stay present in the moment. This enhances your awareness and effectiveness in everything you do.
7. Simplify Your Life: Eliminate unnecessary complexities. Focus on what truly matters and let go of distractions.
8. Embody Humility: Stay humble and open to learning from others. Recognize that there is always more to learn and experience.
9. Face Fear Courageously: Confront your fears and use them as opportunities for growth. Fear can be a powerful teacher if you let it.
10. Flow with Life’s Rhythms: Accept the natural ebb and flow of life. Embrace both the highs and lows, understanding that they are part of the journey.
These lessons encapsulate Bruce Lee’s philosophy of life, emphasizing flexibility, resilience, and continuous personal growth.
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/28/24
Elder Muse/Day 13: If I Only Surrender
“We are born to die. And if we get it right to honor and respect this cycle and rhythm humanity will be much healthier in a world filled with pain. “ ~ Antoinette Pienaar
Grief and loss has followed me around throughout this lifetime knocking on my heart to surrender. There seemed to always be reasons why I wouldn’t give in fully to it. Excuses that I had to take care of others, earn a living, be responsible….and never give in fully to it.
As if when I did I would be scattered into pieces and blow away. Of no use to myself or others.
The death of loved ones, including family, friends and patients I cared for, have been lessons in surrender. To allow emotions to wash through and realize that this clearing does not erase the love and intimacy that was shared.
But instead has been a pathway to becoming more of who I have come here to be within the simple, mundane tasks of living, loving and letting go here and now.
To bear witness to our own pain and that of others by surrendering into the flow of emotions shining through the cracks in our hearts. Creating even more space for love……..
“The one unifying and undeniable fact of life is that we will all experience loss – the death of loved ones, the end of relationships, the shattering of dreams. In a society that so often tells us to ‘stay positive’ and ‘move on’, it is easy to view grief as something shameful. But what if, instead of a weakness to be avoided or a burden to be carried, embracing grief is actually a sacred invitation to heal, to grow, and to transform?
When we have the courage to feel our grief, to surrender to its depths, something miraculous happens. We begin to heal. We reconnect with our own soul, with the love and support of those around us. We find meaning in our losses, discovering that our pain is fertile soil for new growth.
So let’s not be afraid of grief. It is a fierce and loving teacher, a guide to our deepest self. Embrace it, learn from it. As the Persian poet Rumi recommends, let it crack our hearts wide open. That’s how the light of love gets in. On the other side lies a life of greater meaning and connection.”
Featuring Antoinette Pienaar (https://kruiekraaikoning.co.za)
Filmed in Theefontein, South Africa by Reflections of Life.
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/27/24
Elder Muse/Day 12: Changing the Story
From Scarcity & Despair to….
REGENERATION & ABUNDANCE
“The very same interaction, the very same experience, can be either mundane or spiritual. The only difference between the two is how I live it.”
– Christiana Figueres
As a child I always felt I was the ocean, sand, shells, sun, seagulls and wind that held and comforted me as I played in the elements. In fact when I had a cold my parents would bundle me up and take me out to the beach right outside of our home in Mission Beach, San Diego. They would lift me over the beach wall and set me down in the sand for a couple of hours. Inevitably by the next day I no longer was sick.
I learned early on to be grateful for this natural world that I was not only a part of, but made of.
These days it is easy to move into despair. A grief so profound that the natural world we grew up in appears to be headed for extinction. This binds us all.
Yet, what would it be like to change the story, the conversation, we are all creating and having. That we agree we choose our future through our powerful mindsets and imaginations, co-creating together.
Holding climate change and the ecological crisis we are currently facing as an evolutionary catalyst by changing the narrative through our effective actions and daily mindful presence. Shifting the beauty we perceive from mundane to a sensually alive experience, and the scarcity and despair to regenerative abundance.
Perhaps this is a spiritual evolution the natural world is calling us to asking humans to pay attention to the way we meet what is unfolding – in all domains – and how we meet it. Changing the story….
“If you have wondered how to keep hope alive amidst a thousand reasons to despair, if you are ready to take your despair as fuel — intrigued by the idea of stepping into love and immediate realities of abundance and regeneration — this conversation is for you.”
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/26/24
Elder Muse/Day 11: The Beauty of Enough
“The sky had absorbed the sun’s heat and released its stars. A full moon spilled light on our path.”
~From “The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai
I sometimes wonder if it isn’t the inner critic – we all have one – that is the saboteur of a peaceful and passionately creative existence….and the perpetrator of discontent.
Could it be that the core cause of the challenges and woes humans face today stems from a lack of self love, acceptance and the unwillingness to let go?
The ordinary beauty of Loving and being kind to oneself – surely it is enough for those of us who live privileged lives.
“Enough for me is Being in this moment, a calm and peacefulness inside that is enough.”
~Catherine Brennon
Yet we either become too serious about life’s meaning completely forgetting to let go into the inhale and exhale of the moments, the pleasure and beauty….or we live our lives in survival mode in fear of the inevitable death that will find us someday, claiming our superiority over others including nature, and giving power to the inner critic.
Deep, strong, moving – letting go is being in the river or even in the middle of a turbulent thunder storm – that flow of life that is ours if we are so fortunate. Letting it all be….
“In the quiet corners of our minds, there’s a voice that tends to undermine and sow doubt – the inner critic. The negative one. The one who preys on our insecurities. Confirms our self doubts and attacks our confidence. It might sound like, ‘you should’, ‘why didn’t you?’, or ‘what’s wrong with you?’
Recognizing this internal dialogue is important because it so often shapes our actions and decisions. When we’re too hard on ourselves, it messes with our confidence and blocks our creativity.
It’s essential to name it, acknowledge its influence, and most importantly, not let it take the reins of our lives. Instead of allowing self-doubt to dictate our choices, we should strive to foster self-acceptance. By doing so, we empower ourselves to break free from the grip of the inner critic and embrace our authenticity.
Embracing our imperfections and celebrating our unique qualities empowers us to step into the fullness of who we are meant to be. And it brings with it a profound sense of inner peace, enabling us to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and grace.”
Filmed in Hermanus, South Africa by “Reflections of Life”, Exploring the Infinite Beauty of Being Human
Featuring Catherine Brennon
Below is the full poem Catherine Brennon reads part of in the video.
by Safire Rose
She let go.
She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.
She let go of the fear.
She let go of the judgments.
She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.
She let go of the committee of indecision within her.
She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.
Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.
She didn’t ask anyone for advice.
She didn’t read a book on how to let go.
She didn’t search the scriptures.
She just let go.
She let go of all of the memories that held her back.
She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.
She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.
She didn’t promise to let go.
She didn’t journal about it.
She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.
She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.
She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.
She just let go.
She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.
She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.
She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.
She didn’t call the prayer line.
She didn’t utter one word.
She just let go.
No one was around when it happened.
There was no applause or congratulations.
No one thanked her or praised her.
No one noticed a thing.
Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.
There was no effort.
There was no struggle.
It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.
It was what it was, and it is just that.
In the space of letting go, she let it all be.
A small smile came over her face.
A light breeze blew through her.
And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…
©2003 “She Let Go” is not currently available for licensing or republishing
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/25/24
Elder Muse/Day 10: Our Choices Matter – Eating for Tomorrow
Blue Ridge Mountains, N. Carolina/Photography by Gaye Abbott
Being nature based since I was a small child I innately feel at home when I am surrounded by nature continually seeking out those sanctuaries to live, work and play in.
For the first half of my life it was living very close to the ocean and beaches. Now in the elder years I live in a gorgeous tree and wildlife filled temperate rain forest area in the Blue Ridge Mountains with plenty of water. Yet know that it is as fragile an ecosystem as any these days with the unbalanced and out of harmony choices humans are making globally and economically.
In a time when it might feel as if we can have very little positive impact on the plight that is facing us ecologically and environmentally we can actually make a difference through what we eat on a daily basis.
A year ago now I created an experiment to eat all plant based on three factors. First of all the trigger – I was tired of listening to myself say “I could never be vegan” (translated to “I could never give up cheese!”) I have learned over the years to never say never to myself as this science and earth based woman will turn right around and challenge herself. Besides I found cashew cheese to be amazing!
In addition to that challenge my blood pressure had risen, a blood test showed high cholesterol and LDL (bad fat), and I had gained a few more pounds than I would like. Though I have a completely organic diet and was 80% plant based anyway I decided to go cold turkey (no pun intended) and dive into eating 100% plant based eliminating dairy, eggs, a very small amount of occasional chicken, turkey and weekly fish.
Having a science and integrative health background this experiment was structured strictly vegan – no cheating – for six months. During that time, inspired by the Food Revolution Network, I found I loved exploring, cooking and eating all of the delicious vegan recipes , lost 20 pounds without any effort, and there even was a 20 point decrease in both LDL and cholesterol. Best of all I had more energy for life!
Beyond the health benefits of a plant based diet I became even more aware that the diet choices I made each day would affect not only my body and well being, but that of our planet’s sustainability and collective choices. A even deeper compassion for animals emerged as well.
I invite you to watch the film “Eating For Tomorrow” by clicking on the link below. It has many heart breaking scenes and science based facts in it, much I knew but did not know the full extent of. It is an environmental film about solutions and has won a great deal of recognition. Please pass it on if you are so moved to do so!
Keep in mind as you watch that there are powerful positive efforts being taken by many, including indigenous communities in many countries, on behalf of our planet that was not shown in this film.
Most importantly keep in your heart and mind that we have the power to leave a sustainable planet for generations to come simply through our dietary choices!
Click HERE to watch your free screening of Eating For Tomorrow now. TIME SENSITIVE FOR VIEWING!
An Environmental Film About Solutions
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/24/24
Elder Muse/Day 9: Life Is A Gift
Aurora Borealis, 11/6/23, Rare sighting in Western Norway outside Bergen/Photo by Janne Nagelsen
As we age and enter the elder years we may forget that each day of life is indeed a gift. At times, because of physical, emotional, mental or other challenges woven into the aging process and simply being human right now, it may be difficult to feel this.
What it often takes is a shift in perspective, clearing the way for a different experience. Opening into possibilities that often seem to be hovering just out of sight and reach.
Even when there is trauma and pain. Not always easy to do.
Light Upon Life, N. Carolina/Photography by Gaye Abbott
Perhaps It comes down to the giving and receiving of life in every aspect. Noticing where we place our attention. What nourishes and what depletes.
Generosity comes from gratitude.
Give of the gift of life towards life…… and be willing to receive and acknowledge the fullness.
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with open artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/23/24
Elder Muse/Day 8: Art Is….
Sunrise, Western N. Carolina/Photography by Gaye Abbott
‘Art is not simply works of art; it is the spirit that knows beauty, that has music in its soul and the color of sunsets in its handkerchief, that can dance on a flaming world and make the world dance too.”
W.E.B. Du Bois
Everything in life is art. That is what I have come to having gratefully reached into my 70’s. Confining art to a canvas, photograph or sculpture…or even a dance performance can be looking from the backstage of our own on going life – admiring, yet not fully participating in the artistry of life unfolding. Our very existence.
The dance of life is felt, not seen. Listen with your whole body. Touch with your eyes closed to know better what you are feeling. Smell with every single pore wide open. Feel all of it….and then share.
You’ll see a lot but none of that matters if you don’t have what you want/need/dream… the difference between seeing and looking. We don’t see with our eyes. We live in darkness when we don’t see what is real within ourselves, about others…. and about life.
Why do we so often feel that being an artist takes particular skills when in actuality it is diving into the very heart of living moment to moment. The challenges we face and the darkness of humanity at its worst is part of that.
How we navigate and choreograph from moment to moment without a doubt either gives us depth, soul and a richness of being….or drops us into an abyss of what feels like no way out.
Beauty can draw us into a dance of our own making….and so can the shadow. It is all art.
Someone once said, “the way you alchemize a soulless world into a sacred world is by treating everyone as if they are sacred, until the sacred in them remembers”. This transmutation happens in the moment as we touch each others lives.
Recognizing that life is not a performance, but instead a work of art unfolding as we let go of prejudices and patterns of not trusting what is emerging from within us right now, or a week, or a year from now.
We could end up being an elder version of this 4-year-old that has been painting since he was 10 months old because his mother let him scribble on the walls.
What would happen if you allowed yourself to “scribble on the walls”?
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention and attend with artistry. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 07/22/24
Elder Muse/Day 7: A Wild Soul
As I walked with a friends black lab in the early morning dew and birdsong, surrounded by trees and mountains, I was at one. A gentle reminder that we are nature, made of the same ingredients….inseparable.
How can we not celebrate this wild untamed interconnection?!
Who better to tell us about it than Mary Oliver…..
SLEEPING IN THE FOREST
I thought the earth
remembered me, she
took me back so tenderly, arranging
full of lichens and seeds. I slept
as never before, a stone
on the riverbed, nothing
between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated
light as moths among the branches
of the perfect trees. All night
I heard the small kingdoms breathing
around me, the insects, and the birds
who do their work in the darkness. All night
I rose and fell, as if in water, grappling
with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.
Mary Oliver
31 days of Daily Elder Muse blog posts accessed from the unfolding of the day – not planned or scheduled. Yes, the Muse is back again during this powerful and challenging shift time on our planet. May these words, stories and images assist you to remember who you are….and how you can be of service.
I have no idea what will arise…..but then do we really know ahead of time what our moment to moment daily experience will be? We are only asked to pay attention. ~Gaye Abbott
If you don’t want to miss future posts simply sign up for the blog here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
Please note that all blog posts can be seen on the HOME page by clicking on the Blog Archives tab.
Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 04/21/24
WILDLY FREE ELDER 