PoiPriestess

(Thanks Aunt Barbara for the reminder!)
The first day of  school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to  know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a  gentle hand touched my shoulder.
I turned around to find  a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile [...]

Mike Kepka did this great little mini feature on me in the Chronicle and SFGate this weekend. After reading some of the comments, I found myself outraged by the ways in which we choose our lives to be so filled with negativity. If this were the only place I saw this in my life, perhaps [...]

I’ve been reflecting on the past few months of my life and I have come up with little names for what’s been going on for me in each month and the theme of the month. I figured if I called a theme *in advance* rather than naming it as a reflection, perhaps I’d get more [...]

I was on the street the other day and was off in my own world, pondering my own sense of scarcity around money specifically. I was at the corner of 4th and mission waiting for the light. I was looking left and this guy came up to me on my right and asked, “Can you [...]

Sister Unity begins, “Well of course I’m strange. That’s the whole point.”
I particularly enjoyed the first portion of this video because the message was, IMO, a powerful reminder of how both being in our stability and allowing ourselves to step out of our comfort zone is, in fact, a gift to our development and our [...]

I was talking with some good friends one weekend about supporting each other in the world. A few years back, my dear friend Mark gave me an excellent distinction that I have been integrating into my life and my work ever since.
The idea is that if one shares information with another person with the intention [...]

When I was in my corporate job in 2000, I struggled with sharing myself fully because who I was personally didn’t seem to fit what the professional mold was. I have struggled with it as well over the years as I’ve moved my life into this artistic realm of running a fire dancing school because [...]

What an absolutely shocking experience. I was walking down Townsend right at the CalTrain station at 4th. I was in front of the WalGreen’s, literally 10 feet away from the door.
As I was walking toward the door, a tall male Caucasian with big, not-so-brushed-hair, a baseball cap and outstretched arms approached me. I tried to [...]

I just gave my 30 day notice for my home and one of the Temple of Poi studios. I’m more or less letting go of my home studio (and my home) and going homeless for some period of time as of April 15 though I have places to sleep, sort of, so that’s only sort [...]

Thank you Damien for posting this. I was quite moved when watching it. I appreciate it for the beauty that it is, even if it is not new. I found this to be a short and poignant reminder that there is indeed hope…

I have to give it up to Q for posting this link today. I have long thought these photo touched images are somewhat detrimental to the mental health of our society — this OpEd piece on the NY Times web site was a nice little reminder of it. I’m really amazing by the part when [...]

One of my favorite quotes of all time.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You [...]

If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are [...]

Our experience in life is like climbing a mountain range. At some points, we’re at basecamp, at some points we’re on the road, and at some points we’re on the peak. Most of the time, we’re in the middle — sitting on the side of the mountain somewhere.
It is so easy to look below us [...]

Summer Highland Falls by Billy Joel (Songs In the Attic)
 
They say that these are not the best of times
But they’re the only times I’ve ever known
And I believe there is a time for meditation
In cathedrals of our own
Now I have seen that sad surrender in my lovers’ eyes
I can only stand apart and sympathize
For we [...]