Thank You Dwell Magazine

Thank you Dwell Magazine!

The other day I stumbled upon Dwell Magazine’s, Small Business Shout Out: These Local Storefronts Need Our Love.  I love small businesses. I love the heart and creativity they bring to communities and the ways they create space for each of us to connect with our neighborhoods and one another. I also appreciate that running a local business in an increasing global market can be challenging, particularly during Covid.  So this piece – a series of sweet shout outs to independent craftspeople, artists, shops and restaurants trying to keep their doors open during pretty tough times – is right up my alley.

Dwell organized the article by city. Making my way through the Portland section it was so fun to see one of my favorite shops listed, Beam and Anchor. Beam and Anchor is a home furnishings store and creative space run by my friends Jocelyn and Robert. Above the shop is also where, pre-Covid, Jocelyn and I launched Meditation Mondays (our weekly by-donation meditation group) and where I would hold Full Moon Metta offerings.

As I continued reading the feature I experienced another delight, this one more of a surprise –  Dwell included a shout out to our meditation group (which moved online the week quarantining began) and to OpenSpace Mindfulness.

With so much challenging and loaded news circulating, it’s helpful for me to engage with media that is positive and supportive. To receive these direct shout outs at this time simply felt good – a lovely way to touch back into the intentions of my work. Meditation Monday is something I put a lot of my heart into and it has become a vital and loving thread for me during Covid. OpenSpace Mindfulness is an expression of my lifework that continues to humble me and bring me tremendous joy.

So thank you Dwell magazine for the unexpected and much appreciated appreciation. Also, thank you to all those who have been a part of Meditation Monday over the years and to everyone who continues to support independent businesses and local communities.

In appreciation,

Ashley