Sunday sadhana

To me, sadhana is a daily spiritual practice allowing time and space for an individual to turn inward.

As Yogi Bhajan (of the Kundalini yoga tradition) says, "Sadhana is self-enrichment. It is not something which is done to please somebody or to gain something. Sadhana is a personal process in which you bring out your best."

Sadhana could be taking a walk in nature, doing breath work or yoga asanas on a mat, spending time meditating or chanting, reading and reflecting on a poem, or simply watching the sun rise.

Please accept this post as a possible starting point for your own practice today.

The image comes to you from my journeys to Canada this week — sunset while flying into Halifax, Nova Scotia. And an apropos poem by the amazing John O'Donohue.

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For the Traveler, by John O'Donohue 

Every time you leave home, Another road takes you Into a world you were never in.

New strangers on other paths await. New places that have never seen you Will startle a little at your entry. Old places that know you well Will pretend nothing Changed since your last visit.

When you travel, you find yourself Alone in a different way, More attentive now To the self you bring along, Your more subtle eye watching You abroad; and how what meets you Touches that part of the heart That lies low at home:

How you unexpectedly attune To the timbre in some voice, Opening in conversation You want to take in To where your longing Has pressed hard enough Inward, on some unsaid dark, To create a crystal of insight You could not have known You needed To illuminate Your way.

When you travel, A new silence Goes with you, And if you listen, You will hear What your heart would Love to say.

A journey can become a sacred thing: Make sure, before you go, To take the time To bless your going forth, To free your heart of ballast So that the compass of your soul Might direct you toward The territories of spirit Where you will discover More of your hidden life, And the urgencies That deserve to claim you.

May you travel in an awakened way, Gathered wisely into your inner ground; That you may not waste the invitations Which wait along the way to transform you.

May you travel safely, arrive refreshed, And live your time away to its fullest; Return home more enriched, and free To balance the gift of days which call you.

A shirt giveaway for Father's Day

I've had a couple giveaways on the blog specifically for women, thanks to my ambassador gig through Aventura, a ladies' lifestyle apparel brand. (In fact, there's one still up.)

Well, today I've got a giveaway for the guys, also thanks to Aventura.

How's that possible? Aventura's got a brother brand: Ecōths (pronounced "ecos").

The name blends the words eco and ethos, and, like Aventura, both are key to the business. From their website:

The foundation of Ecōths is combining natural fabrics with style, comfort, and personality while accentuating and shaping one’s character and guiding beliefs and ideals towards community and creating a better place to live.

Ecōths uses primarily organic fibers ... Our desire with Ecōths is to combine urban fashion elements with rugged outdoor influence to create one cohesive brand that unites style, community, and goodness.

Just in time for Father's Day, Ecoths sent over a shirt for my husband to try. His only 'child,' our Boston terrier Lucy, loves it because when I wash it, and lay it on the bed before hanging, it's the softest spot in the house. (I do try to keep her off the clean clothes, but it's challenging sometimes.)

Jokes aside, we're both happy with the shirt, aka the Garrett (available in M-XXL). I think it fits him nicely, the 100-percent organic cotton is super soft to the touch and it washes well. He likes the style, the trim details, and the color (listed as "cloudburst," a versatile grey, white and red plaid).

If you'd like a chance at winning an Ecoths shirt of your own (or for your favorite father or father figure), check out the catalog here and let me know in a comment below which shirt catches your eye. (U.S. residents only.) I'll toss all the entries into a hat and select one name on Saturday, June 20, just in time to celebrate the win on Father's Day.

P.S. It's also worth knowing that Ecoths supports the fight against hunger around the country. For every U.S. purchase, three meals will be provided to someone in need through regional food banks. How's that for ethos?

Sunday sadhana

To me, sadhana is a daily spiritual practice allowing time and space for an individual to turn inward.

As Yogi Bhajan (of the Kundalini yoga tradition) says, "Sadhana is self-enrichment. It is not something which is done to please somebody or to gain something. Sadhana is a personal process in which you bring out your best."

Sadhana could be taking a walk in nature, doing breath work or yoga asanas on a mat, spending time meditating or chanting, reading and reflecting on a poem, or simply watching the sun rise.

Please accept this post as a possible starting point for your own practice today.

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"Axe Handles"

By Gary Snyder, from Axe Handles: Poems

One afternoon the last week in April

Showing Kai how to throw a hatchet

One-half turn and it sticks in a stump.

He recalls the hatchet-head

Without a handle, in the shop

And go gets it, and wants it for his own.

A broken-off axe handle behind the door

Is long enough for a hatchet,

We cut it to length and take it

With the hatchet head

And working hatchet, to the wood block.

There I begin to shape the old handle

With the hatchet, and the phrase

First learned from Ezra Pound

Rings in my ears!

"When making an axe handle

                 the pattern is not far off."

And I say this to Kai

"Look: We'll shape the handle

By checking the handle

Of the axe we cut with—"

And he sees. And I hear it again:

It's in Lu Ji's Wên Fu, fourth century

A.D. "Essay on Literature"—in the

Preface: "In making the handle

Of an axe

By cutting wood with an axe

The model is indeed near at hand."

My teacher Shih-hsiang Chen

Translated that and taught it years ago

And I see: Pound was an axe,

Chen was an axe, I am an axe

And my son a handle, soon

To be shaping again, model

And tool, craft of culture,

How we go on.

Travel local: Paint Mines Interpretive Park

You know all those places you always mean to get to that are nearby to wherever home is for you?

And then 20 years go by, and you still haven't gotten to them?

I've decided to actually start visiting the places on my "tourist" list for Colorado Springs, the surrounding areas, and Colorado more generally — which is quite long, thanks to years of working at the Colorado Springs Independent — and report back here as to whether they're worth the trek or not.

Meet my new series: "Travel local."

We'll start today with Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

Worth visiting? Yes.

Worth visiting more than once? Yes.

Worth it for non-locals too? Yes.

Fees? Nope.

Pets? Leave the pups at home. They're not allowed.

Musical inspiration for the trek? The self-titled album by Tow'rs.

Paint Mines Interpretive Park is perhaps one of the coolest local places I've visited in many, many years. Owned and run by El Paso County, the Paint Mines are located east of the Springs, near Calhan, about a 40-minute drive from downtown. Your ride out will be punctuated by rolling hills, black and white cows, and if you're lucky, some pronghorn. That's about it.

Which is why the Paint Mines are such a surprise.

Park at one of two lots (the one closest to Calhan has a restroom facility), take a peek at the map to figure out where you are, and jump on the trail. Within a 15-minute hike toward what's labeled "formations," you'll start seeing out-of-place-looking rocks. Then large swaths of geological formations, including spires and hoo-doos. Colors in the rock range from black to white, and a whole variety of reds, pinks, oranges and yellows. It's stunning, really. (American Indians used the colored clay in their art way back when.)

Wander four miles of trails on the 750-acres — it's easy hiking, but bring hats, water and sunscreen. There is a distinct lack of shade out here. And leave the pups, bikes and horses at home; they're not allowed on the grounds. (Though we did see a guy hiking with a parrot on his shoulder.)

Right now, there are lots of wildflowers out and about the Paint Mines too, and I imagine with all the rain we've had, it'll stay that way for awhile. If you're so inclined, take your camera and plan to spend some time not just shooting the rocks, but photographing a wide variety of blooms too.

I give the Paint Mines two thumbs up, so my recommendation is to get out and travel local!

P.S. If you have a place around Colorado Springs or the state that you'd like me to visit and review, leave a comment and let me know!

Why I love to bake

Last week I found out that a friend, who has been lactose-intolerant for many years, learned he is now gluten-sensitive — and will find out soon if he's actually gluten-intolerant.

Every time I hear a story like this, I cringe a little inside.

I love to bake.

I love to eat what I bake.

I love to share what I bake.

I can't imagine having to completely give up any one item when it comes to eating. (I am vegetarian, but that's by choice.) And gluten is a hard one, in particular, when it comes to baking.

So that's why, sometimes when I bake, I experiment.

I play with flax eggs for my vegan friends.

I test out assorted flour mixes for my GF friends.

I make cakes out of hot wings, carrots, celery, and ranch "frosting" for my friends who really prefer meat to baked goods. (True story, as horrendous as this thought is to me.)

What I like most, really (aside from the eating part of the baking), is gifting someone with a surprise muffin, or scone, or cookie that is exactly to their dietary needs and taste preferences.

It's probably the connection — typically over sweet treats, though any food will do — that I love (and crave) most.

The connection, and the resulting smiles.

So in light of my friend's situation, I baked tonight. I pulled out an oldie-but-goodie, already vegan, cookie recipe, exchanged the whole wheat flour for a GF pastry flour blend and the old-fashioned oats for GF oats ... et voilà.

Warm cookies.

Instant smile.

Deeper connection.

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Tonight's recipe — one of my all-time favorites — comes from the incredible Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks. I highly recommend her website. A good 95 percent of recipes I've made from there have been excellent.

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

Note: this is the original recipe as found on 101 Cookbooks. It's already vegan/dairy-free. If you want to make it gluten-free, simply exchange the flour and the oats with GF options. I used Bob's Red Mill products in both cases, easily found at most natural foods stores.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

3. Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.

4. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.