Are you a compassion warrior, culture worker, and rebel who cares deeply about humanity; who's tired of doing all the “right things” and still getting what you’re trying to avoid; and who feels trapped between burning it all down or dying but would rather be wildly, and sacredly alive? I'm an animist and ancestral wisdom guide; ceremonialist, and empath. And I love guiding other humans who want to use their burnout and purpose anxiety as a jumping-off point to journey into their shadows and the shadows of modern society in order to de-armor their hearts; remember a deeper, wilder sense of belonging to the world; and reclaim the rich and sacred spark of their aliveness. This newsletter contains wisdom nuggets, podcast episodes, and invitations to paid and free offerings from my business. All in support of remembering a more animist and land-based culture; holding firm to our humanity in a dehumanizing world; and living with compassion, vulnerability, and reverence.
after the storm
Hello, dear ones -It’s been a full few weeks - from getting to spend some time in the lovely Shenandoah Valley again, reconnecting with many friends and making some new ones; to finally selling my RV and feeling the grief and excitement of one chapter closing and another (not-yet-clear) opening; to spending a beautiful day with 10 heart-devoted souls at our Divine Love retreat… to then flying out to Santa Fe to dog sit for a friend of mine for several weeks... And in the middle of all that, still seeing clients and tending the fire of the podcast. I share all that not from a place of glorifying busyness or hustle culture but to say that for me, it was a lot - beautiful, meaningful, necessary, intentional... and a lot. When I arrived here in the hills outside of Santa Fe (I would say desert, but I looked it up and this area is technically classified as a semi-arid steppe), I was feeling dry. From altitude and climate, yes, but also internally. The land and pup here greeted me with plenty of Trickster energy and I found myself wanting to respond snappily, struggling to feel playful or adventurous - a sure sign for me of being in a drier, empty-capacity space. The other night some showers moved through, leaving a dusting of snow on the tops of the higher mountains nearby. And the next day, I was greeted with cactus flowers - the plants reminding me that sometimes the gifts come in the dryness after the storm. Some seasons of our lives are fuller and ask us to dig a little deeper into our reserves to meet them. Those may feel like the storm. It’s OK to be in the storm, if that’s true to where we are (watch out for self-created storms! those tend to be even more draining). It’s also OK to feel tired and empty afterwards. To need to rest. To trust in whatever the storm was bringing. To let something bloom in the pause after, replenishing your resources, readying you for whatever is next. Two blossoms I share from the dryness: 1. Perhaps you remember Amana from my podcast late last month? I got to be on her podcast, too. If you listen, you’ll hear her ask me about animism, embodiment, and initiations. And I surprised myself by sharing more about my vision diagnosis than I had felt ready to before. I almost pulled this podcast (I asked her if she’d be willing to re-record it) because weaving all the threads of our experiences and the wisdom we each steward into coherent and accessible answers is a skill. To be simple in ways that are not reductive is a skill… and one I still have a lot of growing into to do. So there will be moments when you might notice me get lost in the threads. Oh, well. I’m human. There are also still a lot of moments I trust will illuminate or awakens something within you. After listening to the episode, I decided to let it be exactly as it is after all. Perfection is a myth. Nothing needs to be written in stone. We are all allowed to be emergent processes. You can watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple. 2. Today is our June podcast community gathering. At 5:30pm ET. A space to gather around the fire ourselves, ground in, and then be together for conversation and medicine circle-style support. Free to all for now, eventually only for Patrons, grab the link to join by registering here. I know it’s last minute, but sometimes that’s the best minute; when the exact thing you find yourself needing today appears. I’d love to see you there. Much love, Kate |
2923 Pine Spring Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042 |
Hi! I'm Kate - an intuitive, medicine woman, and guide for embodied Presence
Are you a compassion warrior, culture worker, and rebel who cares deeply about humanity; who's tired of doing all the “right things” and still getting what you’re trying to avoid; and who feels trapped between burning it all down or dying but would rather be wildly, and sacredly alive? I'm an animist and ancestral wisdom guide; ceremonialist, and empath. And I love guiding other humans who want to use their burnout and purpose anxiety as a jumping-off point to journey into their shadows and the shadows of modern society in order to de-armor their hearts; remember a deeper, wilder sense of belonging to the world; and reclaim the rich and sacred spark of their aliveness. This newsletter contains wisdom nuggets, podcast episodes, and invitations to paid and free offerings from my business. All in support of remembering a more animist and land-based culture; holding firm to our humanity in a dehumanizing world; and living with compassion, vulnerability, and reverence.
Hello, dear ones - Happy Samhain! May you be protected in this time when the wheel is turning, and we shift from the light half of the year into the dark depths. In Old Ireland and Scotland, where Samhain was first celebrated, this marks when all the cows and sheep have been brought back from summer pastures, the last of the harvest has been brought in, and the hunkering down begins. Long before Christianity overlayed the idea of Ancestor and Saint worship on top of and alongside Samhain, it...
Hello, dear ones - We're in the "Samhain" portal now until some time in early November, depending on whether you observe the Gregorian calendar date or other, earlier, calendars and ways of marking the passage of time and the turning of the seasons. This moment in the year marks the wrapping of the harvest season and the retreat indoors to dream, rest, and perform indoor labor (mendings, weavings, etc) around the fire - fed with stories and songs, as well as whatever food and drink was able...
Friends, This has been quite the Autumn so far. I'm out of the rhythm of writing but hoping to carve out enough space for it to come back again. Reflections on Initiations In the old stories and practices of initiations, it’s usually a plant, animal, or representative of the land itself that initiates you, that calls you to the Journey and prompts your Descent. But once on the Journey, it’s not enough to find the treasure. We have to find it, then leave it - the castle in the clouds, the...