Nikki Starcat Shields's Blog, page 18

It’s All One Thing

Lately I keep dreaming of girl babies. In the first dream, my daughter was a tiny child, and she was upset and crying. Most of the dream was about trying to find out what was wrong, and to soothe her. (I called my daughter the next day, just in case, and she’s fine).

In the next dream, I was taking care of a fussy baby (I don’t think she was mine), and in order to get her to sleep, I fell asleep with her. I woke up (within the dream) to discover that the baby was gone!

I was very upset, and k...

Starcat’s Favorites: Sun & Water

It’s no secret that I love summer. This one has been especially hot and humid here in Maine.

Most people I know have spent time complaining about it.

Not me.

It’s actually a joy to me to feel super warm. I know, I’m strange.

After a rough winter and spring, though, this summer has been a balm to my soul. We had an awesome two-week visit from ElvenTiger and her soul mate (who now live in Colorado). I’ve been swimming in the ocean, river, and various lakes and ponds. I’ve traveled to one of my...

Wellness Isn’t Linear, Either

Me and my good friend Steve hamming it up on a road trip this summer.

I love the quote about the creative process not being linear. Finding the original quote has proven impossible (I’d love to credit the author, so let me know if you know), but you get the gist. I find that to be true.

In my experience, improving one’s physical wellness also follows a rather meandering path.

Over the past several years, thanks to a combination of sedentary work, peri-menopause, and aging (yes, and most certa...

Ease or Struggle?

Offered the choice between ease and struggle, most of us would be like, “Duh! Of course I want ease!” But is that really what you’re choosing?

I’ve been asking myself this recently, in my journal. I just finished a huge project, a 31-day email course on writing that I poured my heart and soul into. It felt like an epic task.

Actually, the writing part wasn’t a struggle, really, as much as it was a hefty project that I set out to polish until it shines. Word-count-wise, for those who keep trac...

Starcat’s Favorites: Summertime, Summertime

As I write this, it’s less than two weeks until my daughter and her boyfriend come home for a visit. I haven’t seen my dear ElvenTiger since January, so I’m very much looking forward to it!

Although I’ve been missing her, summer has been lots of fun so far. I’ve been swimming a lot, spending some time in my hammock, enjoying cookouts with family, and finally reading Gone With the Wind. I’ve also been working, but I’m doing what I love, so that too is lots of fun. Helping people write their he...

Spreading the Love – The Joys of Snail Mail

This past spring, when I was feeling very shaken from all the crazy stuff going on in my personal life, a good friend made a wonderful suggestion.

We were both attending the same biz retreat (we have the best coach!). In a small group, we were asked to talk about things that were holding us back.

I confessed that when crisis hits, I tend to hide. At a time when it would be useful to reach out for support, my tendency is to pull inward. My friend’s idea was that we gather a few close friends a...

Summer Solstice Dreaming

Last week was the Summer Solstice, and this week is the full moon – between the two, my dreams have been super crazy. I mean, even crazier than they normally are! Anyone else?

In one, I was rollerblading in endless circles through this huge mansion with hundreds of rooms with wooden floors, and trooping down staircases with my feet sideways…until I was caught, in a startling way, and woke up.

In another, I offered to help someone by breastfeeding their baby, just casually, you know, no big de...

Following Your Path (Even When You Don’t Understand It)

This year certainly hasn’t started off the way I thought it would!

As I wrote back in March, Quester broke his ankle badly this winter and had to have surgery. Then, 8 weeks into his recovery, he got a severe infection, and had to go back into surgery. We’re now three months out from the break, and he’s still recovering. He can’t get back to work until July at the earliest.

In the meantime, his Mom fell (on the same day Quester did), broke her hip, and died several weeks later from complicati...

Starcat’s Favorites: A Taste of Spring

This is how we roll in springtime in Maine. Snow and new growth, co-existing until one day the melting accelerates. As I write this, the rain is helping with the melting process.

It’s also the eve of the Full Blue Moon, and nearly the end of March (can I get a resounding “huzzah!”?). It’s been a strange month in my neck of the woods, mostly because my dear hubby Quester fell and broke his ankle, badly, in late February. He had surgery and has been at home recovering since.

It’s made life inte...

How to Make Love to a Priestess

I wrote a poem last night. It’s been a while since my inspiration has gone in such a poetic direction. It started writing itself in my head while I was in the shower, and when I got dried off and grabbed my notebook, this is what emerged.

How to Make Love to a Priestess of the Goddess
by Nikki Starcat Shields

It’s a busy time for the priestesses,
What with the rise of the Feminine Divine,
And all that resistance
And backlash
And such.
Your priestess is probably tired,
Though invigorated.
She’...