The Balanced Rock Journal
The Balanced Rock Journal is where we share thoughts and wisdom shaped by the wilderness, nature’s rhythms, and the lived experiences of our community.
A living archive of reflections, seasonal wisdom, and storytelling, within these pages we hope you’ll find words that inspire, offer insight, and spark creativity.
Inside the Balanced Rock Journal, you’ll find:
Seasonal reflections inspired by solstices, equinoxes, and nature’s cycles
Practices & contemplations rooted in yoga, mindfulness, spiritual ecology, and embodied awareness
Stories from the field—reflections and shared experiences from retreats, trails, and moments of transformation
Community voices from teachers, guides, community members, and participants walking this path with us
Land-based wisdom honoring Yosemite and the places that shape our work
This journal is here for you. New entries arrive with the seasons, as inspiration strikes, or with the unfolding work of our community. Each entry is an offering: something to sit with, return to, or carry with you into your own life.
A Direct Line: Scent, the Sacred Brain, and the Art of Coming Home
What if the most direct path back to yourself was already built into your body? This reflective piece by Allison Deglomine of Resonance Perfumery explores the profound connection between scent, memory, and the “sacred brain,” revealing how aromatic plants and the sense of smell can bypass the thinking mind and guide us back to a deeper state of presence, intuition, and wholeness.
Sound, Silence, and Nature: An Exploration in Deep Listening
What can sound teach us about stillness? In our second installation of Notes from the Sierra, Kirstie Kleine Jaeger explores deep listening through sound, silence, and time in nature—an invitation to slow down and notice the subtle ways the natural world helps the body soften and restore.
Becoming the Steward for My Energy
What does it mean to truly steward your energy? In this first edition of our new series—Notes from the Sierra—Yosemite-based Clinical Massage Therapist Mia Esquivel shares embodied wisdom and nature-based metaphors to guide the shift from overexertion to grounded, sustainable wellness.
Art, Nature & Wellness Immersion
What happens when people are given time, space, and meaningful support in the Sierra foothills? This journal entry introduces the Art, Nature & Wellness Immersion: a 3-week, place-based experience launching this March at Midpines Park, blending art, nature, movement, and holistic wellness.
ForestSong: Art, Grief, and Care in a Changing Landscape
How can art become an offering to the land? This journal feature captures reflections and images from ForestSong: Painting Forest Prayer Flags with Andie Thrams, a free community workshop at Midpines Park in the Sierra foothills.
Standing at the Threshold: Reflections & Collective Offerings for a New Year
How can we enter a new year with intention and grounded clarity? This journal entry gathers reflections and seasonal offerings from the Balanced Rock staff, honoring transition, resilience, and shared vision.
Creativity in Community: A Recap of Our First Art, Nature, & Wellness Workshop
What happens when attention and observation becomes an act of creative expression? This journal feature captures our first free workshop, Curiosity & Nature Journaling with Theresa Ho, where community gathered to observe, sketch, and listen at Midpines Park.
Spring Awakening: Ayurvedic Practices for the Seasonal Transition
How can we shift out of winter’s heaviness and into spring’s lightness? In this journal entry, Julia Clarke offers an Ayurvedic perspective on seasonal transition with grounded guidance for movement, nourishment, and embodied rhythms that mirror nature’s own awakening.
Finding Your Still Point: How Nature Can Help You Ground and Center
How can nature help us ground and re-center in uncertain times? In this opening reflection of 2025, Brieann Powell shares how time in nature offers grounding, clarity, and a return to center.
Interested in sharing your voice or art with our community?
Send us an email with your submission to have your work featured on our journal!
