Blog – Wander to Wonder Soul Care

Soul Nourishing Practice: Visio Divina

“Creation speaks. It speaks elegantly. It "pours forth speech" of God. God ambushes people on riverbanks, mountaintops, in wilderness wasteland, whirlwinds, burning bushes and rushing winds. The house of God stretches from the view out my window to the edge of the universe and beyond. All we have to do to see it, suggests Barbara Brown Taylor in An Alter in the World, is to set a little altar in our heart where we reverence the handwork of the Creator. ” - From the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun My first introduction to Visio Divina as a practice with an actual name must have been when I picked up the book the above quote is from. The Spiritual Disciplines handbook was a book as part of my second yoga teacher training-- a 300-hour masters program. As someone whose world was expanding beyond the confines of the church basics [...]

Aelea2022-07-28T21:34:42+00:00

The invitation for 2022

I’ve enjoyed the practice of leaning into a word or theme of the year for the past 7 years. Instead of setting specific goals for the year, I would set more generalized themes for the different areas of my life and then allow that to simmer down into one overarching theme. As time went on, the process changed and I found myself intentionally reflecting on the past year and praying about what the next year would hold while envisioning the kind of person I wanted to be when the calendar would flip once more to another year. [want to look back with me? Enjoy one of the first blog posts I ever wrote about themes instead of goals from back in 2014 and the follow-up post the next year more about the themes in various parts of life instead. Read about my theme for 2017 and one about theme [...]

Aelea2022-01-21T01:10:19+00:00

Journey of Light

As I write this post I am seated in our living room on the couch across from our large window where snowflakes are gently falling in steady streams. It's already beginning to darken outside, even though it's only just after four in the afternoon. The Christmas tree is aglow and filled ornaments that have been gifted from friends and family throughout the years. On our bookshelf are DIY porcelain trees with stars shapes illuminated by a strand of mini lights. As it continues to darken more and more, I am drawn to the ways the light of the various trees gives off a warmth, inviting me to linger here a little longer before running off to the next task to bathe in their glow. Winter is here and our daylight continues to wean as darkness takes it place. I had a discussion with a friend recently about how [...]

Aelea2021-11-14T17:14:54+00:00

Behold Summer

The season of play, of days that feel endless, of sunshine and curiosity are upon us. Summer is a bustling and transformative season. We've watched the trees bud and flower and now the leaves are offering us shaded relief from the sun, the gardens are in the ground and we are tending them to prepare for a harvest, we've watched butterflies emerge and dandelions seed. Transformation is all around us and it feels expansive, inviting us in. Summer feels filled of child-like wonder. It's a beautiful combination of bustle of wanting to do as much as possible while the weather is nice and taking slow moments with your eyes closed letting the sun wash over you. It's a 'hurry up and get everything done inside so you can go play outside' season. It's easier to loose ourselves in the way the wind moves the clouds and the leaves and [...]

Aelea2021-05-29T20:30:45+00:00

Soul Nourishing Practice: Praying Scripture

A quick Google search of ‘the benefits of praying scripture’ will bring you lists upon lists from people who have engaged in this practice and how found it to be beneficial. One of the ways praying scripture is beneficial is for the portion of Philippians 4:8 that says “...if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” When we pray through scripture, we are internalizing the living word of God in our minds and in our hearts. Praying Scripture helps us understand the Scripture, learn more about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and can be a place we come to when we feel at a loss for what to say in our current situations--whether full of sorrow or joy. Let's dive into praying scripture! Step 1 - Find a piece of scripture you’d like to [...]

Aelea2021-05-12T23:51:40+00:00

Soul Nourishing Practice: Lectio Divina

“The first 1,500 years of church history were characterized by the practice of Lectio Divina. Since many people were illiterate and many that could read didn’t have Bibles, Lectio Divina offered a way of attending to Scripture as it was read in church, with an ear to listening for a word from God. A brief and memorable word or phrase became bread for the soul throughout the week. Devotional reading (Lectio Divina) is not an exercise in mentally critiquing or exegeting the text. It exists to further divine companionship. Lectio Divina invites us into God’s presence to listen for His particular, loving word to me at this particular moment in time.” - From the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun My first introduction to Lectio Divina that I can recall was during my first yoga teacher training. Daily meditation was a program requirement and Lectio Divina was one framework [...]

Aelea2021-04-19T21:27:02+00:00

Behold Spring

Spring is in the air. I'm not sure if we, as a collective, feel more anticipation for any other season than Spring. After our Winter of snow, cold and darkness, the sunshine that feels warm against our skin, the layers of clothing we shed when we venture outdoors for a walk and the patches of snow melting into large puddles stir in our hearts. Spring is here. The darkness is over. The time has come to open the windows, to let the fresh air in, to linger outside longer and longer and enjoy the steadily increasing moments of sunlight. In books I've been reading lately, authors have been putting to words the sentiment I've felt in my heart and experienced as a child. Nature itself is one of God's books for us to look at and learn more. The other book, the Scriptures, are what we commonly think of [...]

Aelea2021-03-28T20:54:55+00:00

Journaling Tips

How often do you take time to find a quiet space of stillness and reflect on Life that is happening at every moment? Journaling is a powerful way to reflect that can help you focus on the task at hand without allowing your mind to slip away to an upcoming task, a recent event or something else that is desiring your attention. When you fully allow yourself to become enveloped in reflecting and writing, you’ll be able to experience how beneficial this practice can be. Journaling is scientifically proven to reduce stress, improve immune function, keep your memory sharp, boost your mood and strengthen emotional functions. In more simple terms, journaling is good for you inside and out and is a practice that is easy to begin. All you need is a piece of paper or a notebook and a pen or pencil or another writing utensil. You’re all set [...]

Aelea2021-03-07T23:02:31+00:00

Does your schedule rule your life?

Does your schedule rule your life or does your life rule your schedule? Chances are we've never thought about the nuances of the question above. We often think our schedule and life work together to ensure we stay on task, motivated, aware of what has to be done and what's to come so that we can enjoy all the things life has to offer. We can fail to realize when our schedule becomes so packed it ends sucking the joy out of the very life it is helping us live on such a tight schedule. I love my schedule. I love writing in my planner the schedule for the day. From my morning routine to work, to getting in a workout and going for a walk, to scheduling in time to read and even writing down 'bedtime', it can be a fun process to lay out your life on the [...]

Aelea2021-03-03T19:37:20+00:00

Love + Light

When I first started dreaming up a Christmas class for 2020, I had imagined gathering in person, perhaps around the warmth of a fireplace, soft white lights glowing while the smell of mulled apple cider danced through the room. It was ideas of praying for each other while doing an ornament exchange and moving and breathing in unison while being physically distanced as protocols called for. As restrictions changed I changed what I thought would be possible until the reality set in-- to host a Christmas experience would be to do so virtually. Hosting online classes virtually through Zoom has been such a gift. Before covid, I had been teaching privately only and didn't have any public offering for people to attend. I shifted my private classes online and one went public and now I consider it such a gift to be able to hold space for you wherever you [...]

Aelea2020-11-30T21:27:31+00:00