Here's to the last few days of August—and Labor Day—the unofficial end of summer...

So let's start the fall practice a bit early, come back to reality, and settle into the here and now.

As much as we'd all like it, there is no magic way to move through the healing process. There's no quick fix, miracle elixir or short cut. It's just the nature of the practice.

We can so easily slip into magical thinking—taking us right out of the moment and dropping us into Fantasyland. It's what I call the When/Then pattern. "When this specific 'thing' happens, then that 'better' thing will appear and fall into place". Wouldn't that be lovely?

And—this is not how healing evolves and deepens.

It is often a slog—with emotions and 'progress' all over the place: two steps forward, nine backwards, three sideways, fall down, get up, reset, begin again. Sound familiar?

When we're willing to actively engage in the process, owning the way it unfolds in its own way and time frame—regardless of our agenda and wishes—the very act of moving through it becomes much less daunting and even a bit easier.

And the irony in this approach is that when we don't expect magic and just go about the task(s) at hand, magical moments, exchanges, and  

touches of grace reveal themselves along the way. They are those gifts that we receive in every day life that allow us to pause, reflect and be oh so grateful for our very existence.