How Ram Dass Inspired Me to Co-Create Willow

Ram Dass (Of Blessed Memory), an American spiritual teacher, psychologist, author and one of my sources of inspiration, died on December 22nd, 2019. His teachings inspired me to co-create Willow. During my training in community deathcaring, I listened to a Ram Dass lecture on YouTube (Facing Death, Ram Dass Full Lecture 1992). In this riveting…
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Tools to Connect (Inward & Outward) in Any Season

Consciously or unconsciously, we live our lives according to particular values. Knowing your core values is one thing, living them or embodying them is another. As I move through this dance called life, I’m coming to understand and accept that how we express our core values can evolve.

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A Manifesto for Living: 5 Calls to Action for Living Your Best Life

For everything that comes to an end there is a legacy. And Willow’s Legacy, Love Letters and Heart Wills Mexico Retreat is no exception. When we recall the many profound observations and revelations shared among our group of 14, we came up with what we consider this collective Manifesto for Living.  Click here to download…
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3 Ways to Make this Halloween More Meaningful

Depending where you live, you may be surrounded by plastic skeletons, scary-looking ghosts, and perhaps some creatively-carved pumpkins. If you live in the US or Canada and various other countries, you’ll be tempted to gloss over the once-holy day with mini Kit Kats and costume parties. But if that’s all you’re doing, you’re missing out. …
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Back to Basics: Caring for Our Own

If your 90-year-old Aunt Bettina died tomorrow, there’s a pretty predictable pattern for what would happen next and how she’d be taken care of—unless, that is, you understand the scope of choices available to you, including, caring for your own.  There’s a good chance Aunt Bettina witnessed community deathcaring as a young girl, whether she…
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The Gift of Perspective

This past week I was a victim of fraud and it cost Willow a chunk of money. For several days I couldn’t shake how stupid and violated I felt. I had a sick feeling in my gut and lost my appetite for both food and work.  At the same time, there was a lot of…
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The Dance of Self Indulgence, Action and Attention

How much value is there really in the act of self reflection? Aren’t we humans being overly self indulgent if we’re continuously noticing how we’re impacted by whatever it is we’re up to?  These thoughtful questions were posed to us recently by a workshop participant.   If we’re talking about self reflection in isolation, we’re with…
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Grief in the Shadow

I was sitting at the wobbly picnic table at my campsite on beautiful Vancouver Island, at a family French camp we’ve attended for many years. My now teenage daughter is on an overnight trip, leaving me with lots of time on my hands. Instead of the excitement of anticipated “me time”, I feel off. I’m…
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The Paradox of Legacy: Hint, Stop Trying!

Ever since I was little, I’ve been thinking about my legacy. I fantasized about being remembered and acknowledged for doing great things for the world. I projected to the future and wondered what people would remember about me and what difference I will have made for others. In some ways this question has guided my…
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