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Kessi World

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Matthew Kessi

How keeping present shapes a soulful nature experience in the desert.

March 2, 2024 by Matthew Kessi

A desert scene at Saguaro National Park near Tucson Arizona. This is an excellent place to keep present to a nature connection. There is a giant cactus in the foreground with dramatic slanting rocks adorned with a variety of desert vegetation, under blue skies.

I'm still beaming with desert vibes from my recent visit to see family near Tucson, Arizona. A highlight of the trip was accompanying my Aunt Georgia to Saguaro National Park. This is a favorite of hers, and I'd never been, so we jumped in her Prius, took open back roads, and headed for the park on a brilliant blue sky, 75-degree day.  When we entered the park, I felt … [Read more...] about How keeping present shapes a soulful nature experience in the desert.

Why grounding in nature is essential to travel well.

February 18, 2024 by Matthew Kessi

A hiker walks down steps surrounded by bright green foliage.

In 1995, I worked in the lost luggage center for an airline at Portland International Airport (PDX). Eileen was a fiery redhead standing next to me, and we worked the swing shift — a time of day when baggage tended to go missing. Passengers weary from travel would burst into the office with unpredictable coping attitudes.  One evening, a frequent traveler was so upset … [Read more...] about Why grounding in nature is essential to travel well.

How nature photography helps grounding in your own nature.

February 4, 2024 by Matthew Kessi

A woman in a plaid overcoat with pink hair walks on a forest trail in a nature meditation therapy session in an Oregon forest. The trees are adult and tall. They are relatively close together an uniform in size. This photography present perspective as the woman is a fraction of the size of the forest.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I agree. But what goes into that collection of pixels is another story.  Since I bought my first camera — a Kodak disc — at Hi-School Pharmacy in Scappoose, I've felt love with almost every shot. Now, at 10 years old, and with early technology, only about 3 of the 15 frames ever turned out to be noteworthy. And of those, … [Read more...] about How nature photography helps grounding in your own nature.

How grounding in nature reset my Derry, Ireland visit.

November 19, 2023 by Matthew Kessi

A brilliant fall day in Derry, Northern Ireland. This scene is a park with changing autumn leaves fallen on the bright green grass while. In the foreground is an oval shaped pond while the steeple of a church can be seen in the distance.

Happy Thanksgiving week!  I'm thankful that you're reading this newsletter. And as always, I am grateful to the natural world for all the guidance, support, and enlightenment in 2023.  With a recent trip to Europe on my mind, I'll share an experience that taught me gratitude — at the beginning of my Irish tour: After a two-hour delay, the woman at the Belfast … [Read more...] about How grounding in nature reset my Derry, Ireland visit.

ShiShi Beach Trail photo meditation

August 31, 2023 by Matthew Kessi

ShiShi Beach trail at low tide with barnacle clad glacier rocks exposed. They are surrounded by low tide pools while more dramatic rock stacks rise up in the distance under gray skies.

I hopped in my car this week and drove to the Olympic Peninsula. While I love living in the Emerald City, sometimes it's healing and powerful to make a clean break away from the hustle and bustle represented by the sea of highrises towering over the Space Needle.  My destination was the Makah (Ma - caw) Indian Reservation, on the very tip of the Peninsula. The current … [Read more...] about ShiShi Beach Trail photo meditation

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I would like to acknowledge that much of my inspiration comes from living on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.

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