Building My Own House Within My House

Framed Out By Those Who Shelter Me And The Final Installment Of The Artist Highlight Series

Photo by me: Summer Solstice morning walk. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Greeting to you my dearest, gentle readers! (Bridgerton, anyone?lol)

Anyways…haha How are we feeling? How is life flowing for you, my friends?

Happy Summer Solstice to those of you in the Northern Hemisphere and Happy Winter Solstice to those of you in the Southern, feeling that frozen, ‘even with a parka coat on, can’t seem to warm up, even indoors,’ kind of Winter majesty.

As I write this, I’m enjoying watching my kids swim in our pool, enjoying this sweet Solstice sunshine, feeling the gratitude for the cool patch of shade, on my deck, giving me some welcomed relief. Our sweet, Luna girl, is also enjoying it, too.

I have been a bit more absent from this space here at Substack. Other serious life things have taken precedence. But, having now been able to unfurl and relax, process and give myself some replenishment, here we are. Things have leveled out and family life feels good.

Speaking of unfurling and feeling good, I found myself enjoying the quiet, of my pre-dawn household, doing my Kundalini yoga routine, through Elevate The Globe, this morning. I felt myself sink slowly and securely down into my own sort of house within my house. My sweet teachers, Britt and Tara requested that we set an intention that would span the next six months, reaching the next Solstice. It dawned on me that this will be the exact length of time our boy has to complete his cancer treatment. This journey has been long, with many ups and downs. Some more recent events being quite challenging. As I sat on my mat, feeling the feeling of not having control over how life has thrown these things at us, I was comforted by thinking about the idea that we do have control over how we choose to show up over these next six months. I contemplated how I do have the choice, truly more poignantly than ever before, in how I receive each day, each week, each month, and each season. It gave me the sense of spaciousness. Which made me think about the word I chose for this year, for myself…MARGIN. This word has helped me to remember to create space, and room for error. Needless to say, it was a deliciously nourishing practice, greeting this Summer Solstice day. Followed by a lovely walk on the beach.

Allowing ourselves to follow some kind of daily routine, like this, or some other movement, or even just rising to meet the sunlight with a brim full of your favorite morning brew, may be helpful in regulating and settling our nerves enough to access creativity. Taking time to feel our own inner strength and power, especially, as seasons change and schedules change, is like taking a daily vitamin for our bodies. I’ve noticed, planning ahead and making time for creativity, like I would, making plans to go to lunch with a friend, has built confidence in me. Making sure that my two hour time block, in my calendar, stays open and serves a purpose, and is imperative for me to keep a working flow. The muse doesn’t always strike when I’d like her to, perfectly on time. But, leaving the open space for what’s meant to flow in is freeing. Even if I have to break the block down into shorter increments throughout the day. I feel more prepared when inspiration strikes. I have found that taking this time to just be, sometimes, is part of my creative process. Giving myself compassion and grace instead of forcing something up and out is much more effective.

Also, finding those around you that are enthusiastic, helps you to, also, be enthusiastic. As we close out this quarter’s artist highlight series, I’m sharing someone very near and dear to me. Her compassion, love, care and guidance has been extremely helpful for me in maintaining my own sense of identity traversing these major life hurdles.

Her workshops have been a catalyst for me to keep going and to keep striving to pursue what I enjoy. Writing.

I give you, my friend, Ellen Rowland.

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Ellen Rowland

Ellen Rowland is a writer and editor who leads small, generative poetry workshops on craft and form. She is the author of two collections of haiku, Light, Come Gather Me and Blue Seasons, as well as the book Everything I Thought I Knew, essays on living, learning and parenting outside the status quo. Her writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and in several poetry anthologies, most recently The Wonder of Small Things, edited by James Crews and Facing Goodbye by The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press. Her debut collection of full-length poems, No Small Thing, was published by Fernwood Press in 2023. Ellen lives off the grid with her family on an island in Greece.

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Go to your local indy book shop to order. If that’s not feasible order here.⬇️

Buy Ellen's Book Here

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I posed this question to Ellen and she was so kind in her response. Please enjoy!

“What is a favorite “go-to” way that you find very helpful in de-stressing, releasing and relaxing to help clear any creative blocks? What seems to clear a pathway for you at times you feel stuck?”

Ellen’s response…

“When I'm feeling blocked creatively, it's usually because I've got too much going on and the busy mind takes over. Sitting down to write in this state doesn't allow for flow, so if I'm feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I'll usually free write without stopping for about ten minutes, allowing everything to come out uncensored onto the page. This is a great way to free the mind of all that clutter and can often reveal unconscious issues that I didn't even know were bothering me or a point of gratitude. And that may turn into a poem! A short meditation just focusing on the breath or a walk in nature can have a similar effect.

I'm a big fan of prompts to get the writing going. Reading poetry is a great way to help unblock creativity. Often, I'll grab an anthology and let it fall open where it will.* Then I'll make notes on how the poem is written—style, form, tone, subject-- I'll copy a few words that stand out or even a line that really speaks to me. Then I'll write a poem using those words inspired by the poet. Poets in conversation with poets. That's what it's all about.

Lastly, I don't think about an "audience" while I'm writing, I write first for myself. And my editing muse is not allowed in the room when I'm writing!”

She was so sweet to also include her favorite anthologies, which include James Crews' trilogy (you're in luck, it's just been released as a box set from Hachette), The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press anthologies and Poetry of Presence I & II, edited by Phyllis Cole Dai & Ruby R. Wilson

Connect with her on Instagram  @rowland.ellen and Facebook @ellen.rowland.9 Follow her on the Eventbrite App and be first inline for her latest offering, Writing In Flow. It is an online workshop event, spanning four Saturdays, the latter half of the Summer. July 20th, July 27th, August 3rd, and August 10th.

rowland.ellen

A post shared by @rowland.ellen

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It has been such a pleasure sharing these very special people, in my writing circle, with all of you over this last quarter, my sweet readers. Check the series here.

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I do hope you check out Ellen’s latest offering. It would be so fun to be able to get to hang out with you and write some of our dreams together. Ellen’s workshops are the best!!

Until next time, Cheers!! ☕️ And Happy Summer Solstice!!