ilanaJan 104 minThe Urgency of JoyWith every closing of the year, I choose a word or a theme for the next. This year, the word that came to me is JOY. If there is anything...
ilanaNov 17, 20215 minOpal Whiteley and Our Untrue StoriesWhat of the stories we tell about ourselves and the world are true? “It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards” - Queen, Alice...
ilanaNov 10, 20214 minBecoming the BearHow much bear are you anyway? When I see a wild animal, I wonder what lessons can be drawn from its nature. Its essence. When I was going...
ilanaOct 28, 20212 minThe Thin VeilExploring the liminal with a group of fool-hearted adventurers in the wilderness. This past Sunday my collaborator, Wade (Uncanny Means),...
ilanaOct 12, 20214 minThe Infiniteness of IdentityHow does our sense of Self shift when considering our interdependence? There is an oak tree that I visit on my walks. I often pause to...
ilanaOct 5, 20213 minThe Joy of ZeroWhat the number zero can teach us about freedom. ~~~ In my twenties I was a substitute teacher for Special Education classrooms in the...
ilanaSep 20, 20214 minThe Gift of the Dead CoyoteTrigger Warning: death ~~image of dead coyote~~ I live on a property that is butted up against the Angeles National Forest. Lots of...
ilanaSep 5, 20211 minA Brief Sunday Morning MusingWalking alone in nature, I shapeshift. Assuming the form of the oak, the rabbit, the flicker, the whale, the darkling beetle. On the...
ilanaAug 30, 20214 minHere is EverythingA not so solo wilderness retreat ~~~ I recently went on a solo backpacking trip to a place I’ve spent a lot of time exploring, the...
ilanaJul 30, 20213 minThe Fool Doesn't Suffer Inner CriticsThe uneasy inner critic is no match for the blithesome inner fool. introducing the cast of my inner critic committee I have this trio of...
ilanaJul 1, 20213 minMeeting the Fool on the MountainWhen I was on a backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada of California I encountered a fool. I am an avid backpacker and early on in my...
ilanaJun 17, 20212 minwhy the foolI’ve spent much of my adulthood wondering if everyone else knows what they’re doing. I am on the stage with the other actors but I’ve...