Living in the In-between

Meditations, Self Care, ,

Meditation Gathering: December 26, 2025 and January 7, 2026

We came together in the in-between time between this year and next, between Christmas and the day of Epiphany (the day the wise men delivered gifts to the baby Jesus), or on a more personal soul level, living in the mystery and wonder of what is yet unresolved or unknown.

The theme of Living in the In-between is supported with references to the Cloud of Unknowing and Cloud of Forgetting – both from the nearly 700-yr-old Christian text, Cloud of Unknowing – and other contemplative and mindfulness practices.

Part I introduces the theme of our gathering and a brief approach to the practice of meditation.

Part II features more inspirational readings and invitations to meditate together.

Both offerings from Theresa are part of the Community of Light* Meditation Gathering series. In this series, meditation is influenced by the Brahma Viharas heart practices, blending mindfulness and spiritual qualities as practiced in Insight Meditation traditions, and teachings. Participants, meditation time, and sharing are not included in the video.

*Community of Light Meditation Gathering – an offering from Theresa Wyatt Prebilsky. As a virtual gathering, we explore and meditate on themes and practices influenced by a blending of mindfulness and an variety of spiritual teachings. Our through-line is love. Our practice is meditation forward. Our aim is compassion for ourselves and our communities – right here as we gather, extending to all beings.

Pulling the Shade

Inspiration Art, Meditations, Self Care, Sovereign Self, ,

I am practicing pulling down a compassionate shade between me and my self-criticism.

When “that” old worn-out, familiar thought of being not-enough or too-much barrels into my head, I imagine a shade separating me from the unloving voice of old stories and past regrets.

Imagine my surprise when one day, as I pictured tugging that yellowing cream-colored cracking roller-shade into place, this word was revealed: Magnificent!

I now practice separating from negative thoughts AND saying, “I am magnificent.” Isn’t that a hoot? Is that allowed? Heck, yes it is. It’s about time.-theresa

Heart for All

Desert Spirituality, Meditations, Pecos, , , ,

It was All Saints Day 2012 when I first saw this sapling, took her photo, and discovered the purple light while reviewing my pictures at the end of the day. She became what I designated as Trudy’s Tree – my memorial to my sweet sister who had died that January. Each year adding another rock, a small cross created from sloughed-off tree bark, and eventually more rocks contributed by friends also visiting the monastery river walk.

Continue reading Heart for All →

We don’t get more gold stars for doing it the hardest way.

Meditations, Self Care, ,

This morning I decided that I will let myself walk only the flat surfaces of my usual route. Maybe do that twice instead of pushing, huffing, and puffing, and stressing my heart on the steep hill back up. Practice gentle long strides instead of doing it the hardest way – a lesson that keeps calling to me to practice, but merit-thinking is hard to release. So ingrained in me was:

“You have to do it the hardest way for it to count.”

WRONG! Not right thinking.

We don’t get more gold stars for doing it the hardest way. We find well being in listening to the pace of our souls, and body.

I’m headed out now for my longer, gentler walk.

The Junipers

Meditations, Poetry, , 
I am finding my pace here.
Morning walks with a glad heart, 
no shoulds of shaping a different me
Cool, dry air inviting, 
no heavy, moisture-laden blankets weighing me down
Nature every which way I look - geese, egrets, magpies, frantic swarms of gnats dancing in the hottest hours of the day, 
and two of the littlest fawns I have ever seen;
even a small birdie flies into our house. I rescue her with my hat, 
and return her to her home of everywhere - no walls or restrictions of a 180 degree life.
And God.
Yes, God.
Always God.
Walking with me.
Watching with me.
Pointing out to me the more subtle spider-web-weave on junipers, then,
reminding me that to think, 
with broken heart, 
of the unthinkable losses so many are facing this morning, 
is prayer.
Is Love.

It is all just so heartbreaking. I wish there was more to do. I pray for a blanket of Love to comfort all who are suffering.

Infusion

Inspiration Art, Meditations, Self Care, ,

These times require me to seek and steep in an infusion of love. A million messages a day invite me to choose compassion or loathing. In a millisecond of scrolling, I am dragged to gutters of rage or the deepest of heartaches.

I can’t deny the algorithms I trigger with every click or like, nor the cumulative effect these choices have on my sensitive soul. But I am certain, if not always willing, that the next Right Action is always compassion for myself and for all beings, closely followed by choosing infusions of love to fortify my heart.

“Our mind is like a garden, and we are the gardener. We can cultivate flowers or weeds. Whatever we plant and water will grow. Every piece of information, every conversation, every image, every sound we take in is a seed. If we are mindful, we can choose which seeds to water – whether they are seeds of joy, peace, and compassion, or seeds of anger, fear, and craving.”

Thich Nhat Hanh