Month: August 2012

Summer 2012

In summer, the song sings itself.  – William Carlos Williams

Sunny summer greetings to everyone!  As I write this note, I am enjoying a perfectly gorgeous summer morning and watching the moon set over Mt Tam. I am in awe of the beauty of my surroundings and am so grateful to be living in right here, right now!
A few weeks ago I returned from spending the 4th of July in Kansas with my family. It was a sweltering 103 degrees the day I arrived and got steadily hotter each day until a cool front came and brought some rain right before I left. I remember those days growing up on the farm and we didn’t have air conditioning for much of my childhood. We just figured out how to manage in the heat. This visit I spent a lot of time at the community pool with my grandson. Talk about living each moment to the fullest, he certainly exemplified that! I loved watching him jump from the diving board, make new friends, and just have a blast.
In a few days my daughter and granddaughter will be visiting me for a week. We’ll spend most of that time in Tahoe, hiking, biking, swimming and hanging out – I’m ready for a true vacation where I leave all work and daily concerns behind. We’ll also meet up with my niece and her husband in San Francisco who will be vacationing from Wisconsin.
And finally, at the end of August, I’ll be joining about 60+ aunts, uncles, cousins, spouses and children for our bi-annual family reunion. This time it will be in Utah. It’s always a great time to reunite with this clan. We all get along well, have a lot of fun together, play multiple games of Scrabble and Taboo, as well as sing and dance and eat. This tradition was started when my daughter was 9 months old and she’s now nearly 34 so that tells you how long we’ve managed to keep this going!
So it will be a busy and fun filled rest of the summer and my commitment is to live in each moment and enjoy it to the fullest. I feel very blessed with doing work that I love, friends and relationships that nurture and fill me, good health, and the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Wishing you a wonderfully delicious fun filled summer as well!
To your health and happiness,
Rachelle Goering, M.A., F.N.P.

Get the Most Out of Your Summer – For Life!

I just love summer! It’s my favorite time of the year and I always look forward to a season when the days are long, and the Earth warm and in full bloom. Everyone seems to be lighter, happier and more carefree.

Though I might want to sometimes, I can’t slow down the unfolding of time and this summer like every other will pass into autumn and then winter. That’s all the more reason to set your intention toward enjoying the beauty and abundance that exists right now.
Here are several things you can do to harvest the most out of your precious summer season and beyond, as these practices are useful in getting the most out of your life any time of the year. 
1) Begin with gratitude. Instead of spending energy longing for your next vacation, start by appreciating what you have right now. Begin the day with a prayer of gratitude and make a point to notice more to be grateful for each day.
2) Live with intention. When you get up in the morning, consider what you want to get out of your day and what you are willing to put into it. As the Buddha said, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought”.
3) Be daring. Take the plunge and do something this summer that you’ve always wanted to do but keep putting off. Maybe it’s taking a paddle board lesson, learning Zumba, going out for a night of dancing, reading that novel on the bedside table, going to a baseball game…whatever it might be, set a date and do it!
4) Be spontaneous. Relax a little and let yourself flow with the rhythm of life. If someone invites you to dinner, a movie, a walk on the beach…GO! Last minute and unexpected invitations can open a door to magic and delight. The to do list will wait, I promise!
5) Get up early and watch the sunrise. Sunrise is a powerful time of day. The world is still waking up and the day’s potential is unlimited. Harness some of that fresh new-day energy yourself by sitting in peace watching the world wake up.
6) Go for a picnic. Find a special spot in nature, pack a delicious picnic for one (or more) and watch the sunset. Eating fresh, colorful foods (especially from a nearby farmer’s market) and savoring each bite in a tranquil, natural setting is a wonderful tonic to unwind from your day.
7) Be in nature as much as possible. Nature is grounding, balancing and calming. Leave your screens and devices behind (or at least power them down) and go for walks in the park, dip your toes in the ocean, join a hiking club or simply find a shady spot in the back yard and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous planet.
Try one (or all!) of these ideas and let me know how it goes. Maybe you’ll come up with a few ideas of your own – I’d love to hear about it! For now, have a safe and joyful summer. I look forward to connecting with all of you in early fall.