The need for safety was another powerful influence; to protect myself, I diminished my presence and buried parts of my identity out of sight. These two fears propelled me forward, but was there a deeper fear lurking beneath?

The act of being part of another’s pain–listening, acknowledging, and feeling it–is a powerful act. I’m not solving anything for that person; I stand in that painful space with them.

For such a small bird, it had given me a profound personal insight. The flicker's message was timely and one I couldn't ignore.

The heart of presence is not an individual gift. It is shared by those who can sense that magical, mysterious energy and respond.

In an instant, time, space, and a change followed words as I sensed the meeting of the Divine and my soul.

I've been there before, before I knew trees could communicate with each other and before I understood what these giants were.

We all know what a “pause” is. It’s a pause in your thoughts or sitting down for a coffee. It’s a time to regroup, to think or just...