Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now

Stuff gets done here

recent posts

  • Dynamic mentors

    Having just spent a week with two genius Nia dance trainers — Helen Terry and Kellie Chambers — I’ve been thinking about what makes people good teachers and good mentors.

    A quick check online reveals there are many thousands of words written on this topic. I liked this list from Arizona State University: https://heysunny.asu.edu/blog/want-mentor-here-are-5-keys-choosing-and-approaching-right-one

    Here’s my short list, all inspired by the week-long retreat with Helen and Kellie.

    • They are comfortable in their own knowledge, both its extent and its limitations.
    • They ask questions, lots of questions, to help draw out what their students know and don’t know. They fill in the blanks with a generosity of spirit.
    • They seek to help their students be more profoundly themselves, not a follower of someone else’s wisdom but a being with the skills to look within in the effort we all share to build a healthy meaningful life.

    I came away with good tools — both physical and mental — inspired and energized to put them to use.

  • Emerging

    Seven days of dancing and learning (Nia white belt training) returned me to reverence for ritual as a way to quiet the busy mind.

    It also reminded me to recognize and respect the influence of the physical space in which I create and play and dance.

    I have a small place on my bookshelf with Nia-related objects to help me hold close what I treasured during training.

  • Before the storm

    The Japanese anemones in the garden are so delicate and sweet. Some people call them windflowers, not sure why.

    Every morning this week, I’ve been savoring them, knowing the winds and the rain are coming; an atmospheric river heading this way.

    But not today. I wonder what that delicate perennial knows of the weather. Does it only know what is? Does it sense what is to be?

    The mysterious wisdom of green growing things.