Karilyn Owens
Six Month Check-up: Cultivate

For the last week, Caterpillars kept showing up in or outside my apartment. This conspicuous sign arrived around the time I got the sense my soul required cocooning. My word of the year had seemingly sent my system into a shocking need for inner cultivation—especially after I fell backward into old habits for comfort and consolation to my painful grief and depression.

Six Month Check-up: Cultivate
Karilyn Owens
Word of the Year: Cultivate

In the past, I have had words find me — in a serendipitous manner with a lace of intuition. This year was no exception as my favorite poet and artist, Morgan Harper Nichols, created an Instagram Reel of suggested words for the year. A screenshot determined my word this year, but I am certain it was meant for me (even if it were a millisecond between my word and another.)

Word of the Year: Cultivate
Karilyn Owens
Fear of Future

I was clouded with so many fearful thoughts of the future, the what-ifs and I can’ts and worry-mixed-with-doubt. It was hard to gain clarity and even find out the truth in God’s sight: what is the best decision and next-right-thing? If only I could see through the fear, I pondered; what would that feel like? A sigh of relief, a breath of fresh air, and peace? Likely all of the above.

Fear of Future
Karilyn Owens
The Discernment Process

Discernment is a tool in our spiritual arsenal – one of the Holy Spirit gifts to us. It guides us to the will of God, which is to say the best possible outcome for us.

The Discernment Process
open heart, love
Karilyn Owens
Word of the Year: Blossom

This year I choose blossom as my Word because it represents my intention to grow from the roots I planted as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5) and build back what was broken through the vehicle of relationship.

Word of the Year: Blossom

See Someone's Soul

I had the absolute blessing of visiting Denver over the weekend, a city that is quickly capturing my heart (along with a certain Denverite).

We visited Core Power Yoga for a session that my body seemed to not be having; the Denver elevation made for little sleep the night before and we had a busy day of sightseeing by way of bicycle. Nonetheless, I went in with an open heart and a determined mind. An hour of child's pose is better than no yoga at all.

I am once again convinced of the necessity to get on my mat, no matter how tired my body may be. The grounding and heartwarming strength delivered to my soul transcends any shortcomings of my physical body.

A Raven Beginning

As I walked along the park path, a giant blackbird flew overhead. I have seen these hawk-sized creatures in another neighborhood park without the slightest clue as to what they were. The bird landed on the roof peering over the park. A Mockingbird quickly flew to his side, flitting about playfully with a rambunctious spirit. I see Mockingbirds nearly every visit to the park, so I pondered the relationship to the blackbird. I had a hunch that this bird is not a crow given its gargantuan size.

How to Find Joy Through Suffering

One of my favorite Buddhist teachings on the lotus flower reminds me that we must lean into our pain and suffering.

Without suffering, there's no happiness. So we shouldn't discriminate against the mud. We have to learn how to embrace and cradle our own suffering and the suffering of the world, with a lot of tenderness.

-Thich Nhat Hanh, No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering

We are constantly bombarded by suffering, either our own or the collective world's agony. The tragedy in Istanbul along with personal, familial obstacles reminds me to lean into such occurrences and whatever feelings arise from them. 

The Alchemy of True Living

The only thing we can be certain of is change. In fact, change is the only constant in life.

After experiencing a grave change yesterday that I wish had been a cruel dream, I found this Rumi quote in my favorite book, Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser.

Learn the alchemy true human beings know. The moment you accept what troubles you've been given, the door will open.

-Rumi

Resisting such change is to say "no, thank you" to life. Many of us practice this safe, predictable living, and yet, many of our souls are lost, grieving and frustrated. I know mine was initially lost in the murky waters of created by such devastating change.