Kimberly Wilson's Blog, page 137

week in review

 hours of editing space  le pug's mug  TranquiliT shift dress in organic cotton with vegan jacket + vegan boots selfie to show off my inner 5-year-old hair bow
draft layout of anthology page
week in reviewtaught 5 classestook 5 classesTranquiliT fall photo shoottaught 3-hour mindfulness workshopcall with parents on their 51st wedding anniversarymeeting with social work supervisorworked with clients at the women's centerhours and hours of tranquility du jour anthology effortssecured location for art + asana retreat in tuscany {october 10-17, 2015}soaked in the tublots of paperwork at the women's centerreleased podcast with the lovely karen maezen millerpenned mindful monday: books + peopleshared things i lovesavored green juices picked up le beau from airportpenned tranquilosophy: flowersregistered for a 5-week mindful relationships seriestherapycall with mary catherine starr re: italia retreatreceived great input on a memoir vignette from online class participantsmany walks and cuddles with le pug
weekend wish listsee boyhood meditation class yogafinish a year by the searead empress of fashionwriteattend the book festivalpen september dreams into my daybook
 et toi? what's on your holiday weekend wish list?bisous. x

tranquilosophy: flowers

Nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time. - Georgia O'Keefe

While picking up my weekly supply of coconut milk, granola, spinach, and fruit Sunday night, I came across these beautiful pink gladiolus and knew they belonged at the Pink Palace.

I biked this bunch of 4-foot flowers home while juggling groceries, TranquiliT fall samples from the earlier photo shoot, and my typically overstuffed purse on both shoulders and in the front basket.

Although I looked (and felt) like a menace, I couldn't wait to get the pink pretties home.

Upon arrival, I immediately pulled out two vases, separated the bunch, trimmed the stems, and set one on the mantel and the other on a shelf safely away from curious kitten, Jackson Cezanne Wilson Mooney.

All week these pink stalks have brought a simple joy.

They remind me of the tropics. They bring a smile to my face. They reinforce that flowers are a necessity, not a luxury (the full bunch cost $3.99). They infuse chez moi with a splash of whimsy.

And they remind me that love is found in special touches sprinkled daily.

As Georgia O'Keefe reminds us, really see the flower. Bisous. x

things i love

1. art + asana fall 2015 retreat center in tuscany
image + how-to courtesy of shanty chic2. DIY addy planter

image courtesy of sf girl by the bay3. lovely creative space
4. bamboo striped maxi skirt from TranquiliT fall photo shoot

tranquility du jour #321: paradise in plain sight

Welcome to the 321st edition of Tranquility du Jour. Today's show features Karen Maezen Miller on Paradise in Plain Sight. You'll learn how mindfulness is devoting yourself to what is in front of you, how someday never arrives, and four rules for a mindful garden. 


Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #321: Paradise in Plain Sight (mp3)



Featured Guest: Karen Maezen Miller is the author of Hand Wash Cold, Momma Zen, and most recently Paradise in Plain Sight. She’s also a Zen Buddhist priest, meditation teacher, wife, and mother. Visit her online at karenmaezenmiller.com.

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mindful monday: books + people

image courtesy of rachel smartley
While researching creativity quotes for my Anthology yesterday, I came across this one by Twyla Tharp: 
image courtesy of meetville

I'm loving the idea that who we become depends on books (yay, encouragement to keep my addiction going strong!) and people we meet.
Often times we're led to believe it's what we achieve, what we accumulate, or even what sort of milestones we meet. To hear it boiled down to books and people we meet makes it so, well, simple. And tangible. 
While sharing a struggle recently with my parents, I was lovingly told to seek the answers in a book, any book, at Amazon.com. I had to laugh that my deep-seated belief of books holding keys to self-understanding was, once again, reinforced by my family of origin. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
As you mindfully move into a fresh week and the approaching holiday weekend (for those of you stateside) ponder this quote. Consider the books you read and the people you're meeting. Observe how, and if, they are impacting you. Here's to ongoing growth and living beyond the comfort zone. Bisous. x

P.S. Here's a peek at my book obsession as I've recently joined Goodreads.

week in review

 tranquil space saturday morning  le chat noir making himself most comfortable  le pug showing contemplative side  chez moi  writing lab brunch at le diplomate  jackson grooming le pug {while both on my lap}
week in review tea date with girlfriendmovie + drink date with girlfriend brunch date with girlfriendtook 4 yoga classestaught 5 classessaw clients at the women's centergot tickets for evita and little dancer manidinner date on capital hill with girlfriend signed up for weekend with sharon salzberg + sylvia boorstein interviewed by amanda cook for her podcastinterviewed karen maezen miller signed up for mindful leadership summitpenned mindful monday: simple acts meeting with social work supervisortranquility du jour anthology editsreviewed italy retreat locationsTranquiliT fall photo shoot prepcall with writing teacherread lots of a year by the sea dentistcall with web designersent love note to subscriberspenned tranquilosophy: not knowing 
weekend wish listyogahost inspiring 3-hour mindfulness workshopease-filled TranquiliT fall photo shootediting and writing
et toi? what's on your weekend wish list?bisous.

tranquilosophy: not knowing

image courtesy of izquotes

While teaching on Tuesday, I came across beloved Pema Chodron's recent book Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change . As I opened the text, I saw the above quote by Agnes de Mille in the Overview. Upon reading it, I was smitten. It was just what I needed to hear.

Despite the deep desire to plan and know my next move, life has a way of offering gentle, well, alternatives. Sometimes in the form of unplanned transitions, shifts, or options.

I find myself longing for obvious clarity on a regular basis. Almost as if there should be a message in the clouds crystallizing the next move.

It's a constant dance between planning and spontaneity. Being prepared and being surprised. Staying open and staying stuck.

My discomfort with not knowing has been a lifelong journey. I enjoy plans and knowing next steps in a calculated manner.

Over the years I've shared this angst here and my July 10, 2012 post is a perfect example. Freshly on my semi-sabbatical, feeling discombobulated after 13 years of pouring my soul into Tranquil Space, dealing with deep grief over the passing of my Gramma, and wondering what was next.

This wonder continues despite having a trajectory. Basking in not being sure, although uncomfortable, can be a delightfully fluid space.

There will illness, loss, drought, hellos, and goodbyes along the way. Staying open to life's surprises encourages a softening of rigidity and an awakening to leaping in the dark. Bisous. x

mindful monday: simple acts

embroidering an organic cotton baby onesie this weekend
An online article on Voluntary Simplicity begins with, "Voluntary simplicity is most basically characterized by the practices of mindfulness and material sufficiency. Through bringing mindfulness to our daily lives, we seek the maximum of well-being achievable through the minimum of material consumption. Well-being applies to all life forms on Earth, not just people."

Over the past few years I've experienced a significant shift from "just because" jaunts to Tarjay where I stocked up on one-too-many shiny things I didn't need to a cultivation of experiences, theater, and tea times.

Before heading out to see Magic in Moonlight Saturday night with a girlfriend, I grabbed a few organic cotton onesies, appropriately-colored embroidery thread, and settled in for moments of mindfulness in the form of creating.

Although I spend many hours creating in the form of writing each week, sitting down to craft something with needle and thread feels so special. Tactile. Simple. As if retreating to an earlier time.

Sure I could buy a darling onesie with a cute expression. But the practice of sitting down to customize an item for a loved one's new addition feels like a lovely dose of mindfulness.

What simple acts could offer you a maximum of well-being through the minimum of material consumption? Making a colorful salad. Toiling in the garden. Walking your beloved pet. Writing your story. Creating a gift.

May our days include a voluntary simplicity of mindfulness and material sufficiency. Bisous. x

week in review

yummy green juice: kale, spinach, ginger, apple
week in reviewweekend jaunt to and from londonsaw phantom of the operasavored daily high teatour of shakespeare's globe theatredined along south bank countryside drive to chipping campdentaught 3 classestook 2 classeshours of editing tranquility du jour anthology chose beta readers and passed along manuscripthosted inaugural writing group at chez moipicked up pink tulipshappy reunion with pets2 days of clients at the women's centerevening dinner and drinks with girlfriendsheaps of pink bike ridingshared pics from london experiencereleased mindfulness podcast with emily benningtonwatched shakespeare in love
weekend wish listhost inspiring writing labyoga + gymtea, movie + brunch dates with girlfriendswriting
et toi? what's on your weekend wish list?bisous. x

things i love: crossing the pond

 1. posing by a quintessential london icon

 2. walking over the bridge to st. paul's cathedral

 3. touring shakespeare globe theatre

 4. watching phantom at her majesty's theatre

 5. seeing the view of broadway tower in worcestershire

 6. savoring lunch near bridge and thames river in richmond

7. high tea in charming chipping campden