TEMPLE DANCER Backstory: Part One
Every novel has a backstory arising from the author’s experience, imagination and research. Because there are several plot threads in Temple Dancer, there are at least three backstories. In this 3-part series, I'll review the backstory that led to the emergence of Saraswati as a character in an Indian village in 1938. Goddess Yellamma Reaching Out On the day I stood in [...]
The Promise that Keeps Me Going
Dears Ones, do you know how hard it is to release your first published novel (Temple Dancer, September 8th!), especially in a pandemic? These days, I’m immersed in the hard part—promotion. What keeps my head above water is that I feel I’m fulfilling a promise I made 26 years ago. After a second sojourn in India, I received a gift from an eight-year-old girl, born [...]
My Journey Back to Fiction via Kripalu
This unfamiliar pause in our ordinary lives has been a time of loss and also a time of birth--my daughter gave birth to a son, Shalom Raphael, three weeks ago, and I am about to deliver my first novel, Temple Dancer. I'll be live on Facebook for a reading and brief talk. I hope you'll join me here tomorrow, May 21 at 4pm PT, 7ET. [...]
A practice to widen the window while flattening the curve
During the Pandemic, many conflicting emotions are arising for me, as I imagine they have for you. I am grateful to be well, to be living with my partner in peace and in love, and to be learning new technologies in order to offer free online webinars and practices during this time. I’m a slow learner, and I’m crawling like a baby up the learning [...]
Need Elevation? Welcome a yoga nidra break!
As fall gets underway and winter approaches, stress can increase. Between shorter days and darker weather, new school schedules, end-of-year deadlines, or holiday commitments, perceived pressures can mount, so be sure and make time for yourself. I designed this evidence-based LifeForce Yoga Nidra especially to elevate mood. Move through the traditional body sensing and breath awareness, to an exploration of the opposites of sensation and [...]
Full Moon Glow – Just Ask
When you see me glowing with happiness under the full moon, please don’t assume that I feel this way all the time. Like anyone’s life, there are moments of happiness and moments of grief. In my case, depression and anxiety have been the default since early childhood. We don’t transform our essential nature, but we learn, through our yoga practice and through healthy healing relationships, [...]