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This book has been more than seventeen years in the making—born from life on the riverside, camera often in hand, heart open to what each moment revealed. Being astonished. Being present. Discovering that presence comes more naturally outdoors on the riverbank or in my kayak. Allowing the river to be a mirror, teacher, therapist, and muse.
Each piece invites the reader to slow down, open the senses, and connect more deeply—with nature, with the present moment, and with their own inner life. Whether recounting a dawn photography ritual, an evolving relationship with fast boats, or a missed shot that became a lesson in impermanence, these stories speak to the healing and grounding power of mindful awareness in nature.
Steeped in both personal experience and universal insight, this book offers an intimate view of river life as a teacher of interconnection, equanimity, and awe. It’s an invitation to return again and again to what is always available: breath, sensory impression, beauty, and the ever-changing water flowing just outside the door.
Advance praise for river time
“Charming”
- Jack Kornfield, Author of A Path With Heart
“Susan Meyer has created a luminous offering—a gentle weaving of mindfulness, nature, and soulfulness. Her stories, poetry and photographs invite us to slow down, listen deeply, and remember our belonging to the living world. With reverence and insight, she reminds us that the river is not just a place of beauty, but a teacher of presence, resilience, and grace. This is a delightful book to savor slowly, like a quiet paddle on still water.”
- Mark Coleman, Author of A Field Guide to Nature Meditation
“River Time is a gift—far more than a meditation on River's wisdom, it’s an embodied immersion into the solace, equilibrium and learning that proximity to water, nature and the sacred patterns within them offer. Weaving personal reflections, essays and poems, this book generously springs from the wellspring of the author’s long apprenticeship with the river and those kindred creatures who cohabit it with her, and it’s lucid, accessible, eloquent and a much-needed medicine for navigating this precipitous time. Gift yourself, and savor it, dipping in as you feel called. You won’t be sorry!”
- Nina Simons, Co-Founder, Bioneers and author, Nature, Culture & the Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership
“River Time by Susan Meyer is a gift of beauty and peace. Take your time as you journey on New York’s Hudson River with the author. A photographer, Susan offers compelling views of river life. These are supplemented with her essays and poetry on kayaking, water lilies, herons, mindfulness, and even dredging. This book is a lovely gift to give yourself or water loving friends. Whatever page you open to, you will find a refreshing, captivating experience—much like the river itself.”
- Starr Regan DiCiurcio, Author of Dwelling in Wonder