The “Before Sleep” Fire Ritual: Letting Go Nightly to Wake Up Spiritual
A simple before‑sleep fire ritual helps release the day’s weight and signal the body to rest. This gentle, candle‑centered practice turns rumination into calm and supports clearer mornings. Pair it with Journey Through Meditation for step‑by‑step guidance.
Lessons from Clarkson’s Farm
Watching Clarkson’s Farm, I saw how farming takes every challenge of property management and multiplies it — unpredictable weather, stubborn animals, steep costs — all demanding patience, grit, and a steady presence. 🌱
The “Screens to Senses” Swap: Replace One Scroll with One Sensory Check-In
Scrolling is easy; feeling present is easier than it seems. The “Screens to Senses” swap turns one mindless scroll into a mindful sensory check-in—no extra time required. Try a one-minute reset to steady the mind and soften stress.
The Minimalist’s Daily Routine: Cutting Out the Clutter and Focusing on What Truly Matters
A consistent meditation routine can transform your days, bringing clarity and calm. In this post, we share practical steps to build a practice that lasts. Start small, grow steadily, and enjoy the benefits.
What you actually need to get started with meditation
Meditation is more than a practice—it’s a path toward stillness, awareness, and balance in today’s fast-paced world. In this blog, we’ll explore how mindful techniques can help you reconnect with yourself and create lasting calm.
A Midsummer Night in Topanga
A summer night in Topanga: burritos from the taco truck, hot tea in hand, and Shakespeare under the oaks. Watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Theatricum Botanicum felt less like entertainment and more like a meditation
Awakening Sensuality, Choosing Love, and Transforming Pain: A Conversation with Damiana
Sensual Awakening Facilitator Damiana has spent over a decade guiding transformational experiences that awaken pleasure, presence, and play. In this interview, she shares her journey—how breath is the key to unlocking our innate power, why love is the ultimate alchemy, and how she turned deep pain into a source of liberation. Through her music, teachings, and The Orgasmic Life Method, Damiana invites us to come home to the truth already within.
Nature as a Teacher: Simple Ways to Reconnect and Restore
Modern life often pulls attention away from what matters most. Nature offers a simple, accessible way to return to calm and presence. This post shares easy, grounding practices you can integrate into your day—no forest retreat required.
The Peace Beyond the Robes
A beach day isn’t always just a beach day. In the chaos of late departures, crowded sand, and sunscreen in my eyes, I found a quiet teaching about spiritual devotion—and why our real temple might just be the messy, imperfect life we live every day.
Unwind Your Mind: Simple Practices to Melt Away Daily Stress
Stress can feel like an uninvited guest in everyday life, but it doesn’t have to stay. This guide shares simple yet powerful ways to invite more calm into your day. Learn easy, natural habits to release tension and make relaxation part of your routine.
Embarking on the Path of Deeper Spirituality
True spirituality isn’t found only in rituals or retreats—it’s woven into the choices and awareness brought to each day. From listening deeply to practicing intentional pauses, small moments can lead to profound connection. Explore gentle, grounded ways to bring deeper meaning into everyday life.
Simple Practices to Bring Presence into Daily Life
Feeling overwhelmed by constant notifications and digital noise? A digital detox offers more than a break — it’s a reset for your mind, emotions, and connections. Learn why and how to start.
Build a Daily Routine That Nourishes the Mind, Body, and Spirit
A mindful routine doesn’t require perfection—just presence. This guide explores six simple daily practices that support clarity, nourishment, and rest. Learn how small choices, repeated consistently, can create powerful momentum for inner balance.
Rockstar Laid an Egg
When our chicken Rockstar laid her first egg, it was a moment of quiet celebration. After weeks of early mornings, feeding routines, and compost surprises, this little egg reminded me how presence and care truly pay off. In this post, I reflect on what backyard chickens are teaching me about mindful living, daily rhythm, and the sacred loop between effort and reward.
Starting Your Meditation Practice: A Gentle Guide for Beginner
Meditation can feel unfamiliar at first—but it doesn’t need to be complicated. This guide offers simple steps for beginners to build a meditation habit with patience and ease. Learn how to sit, breathe, and return to the present, one moment at a time.
A New Chapter at OneCommune: Our Local Makers Consignment Shop
We’ve been working hard to bring a little more of Topanga’s creative spirit indoors. Our new consignment shop features handmade pieces by local makers—from stained glass and woven art to plant-based perfumes and honey straight from our retreat’s own hives.
Lessons from a Potluck: Authentic Relating and the Art of Connection
At a recent potluck in Topanga, I found myself reflecting on how we build meaningful connection. My friend Justin led an authentic relating exercise that brought strangers closer in minutes—reminding me that presence doesn’t just happen on a cushion. It lives in how we show up with one another.
Listening Inward: Reflections from a Satsang at Corazón
This week, I share reflections from a satsang (spiritual gathering) at Corazón Performing Arts in Topanga, led by Pandit Balmiki Sharma. We listened to devotional music, explored Vedic teachings, and sat together in stillness. It was a beautiful reminder that the path of meditation is also a path of listening—to ourselves, to teachers, and to the truth unfolding in the present moment.
5 Simple Nature Meditation Practices You Can Do Anywhere
Need peace but can’t escape to the mountains? These 5 easy nature meditation practices can be done at a park, in your backyard, or even on a quiet walk.
What Happens in Your Brain When You Meditate?
What really happens in your brain when you meditate? Learn the powerful mental and emotional shifts that take place—and how meditation rewires your mind for peace.