Happy Holidays, party people!(That first line hits funnier if you hear it in the rough, I've-been-sick voice I'm currently sporting). I was going to write to you all for the Solstice and tell you about my experience standing in the darkness in Bru na Boinne, in the inner chamber of Newgrange, waiting for a simulated sliver of light to appear, recreating what it’s like to be there on Winter Solstice. And then, shortly after arriving back on the soil of what is currently known as the United States, watching a live stream of the actual event in real time. I was going to share about ritual and ancestral memory and how standing in the pitch black womb of the Earth, waiting for the return of the light, unsure whether it would come; brought me right to the pulsing, breathing hope and heartbreak of being human. I was going to share about being at the bottom of the exhale of the wheel of the year and the tending to emptiness and letting go. ... and then I got sick and spent several days unable to do anything other than sleep, feel empty, and let go. So, only a few days after the full moon (which occurred right around Christmas), I managed to get out a fresh, new podcast episode on the the spiritual and energetic aspects of getting sick after a massively expansive experience. You'll hear me explore:
… and more. I thought it would be a short little episode, but joke’s on me! Turns out, my most-likely-neurodivergent brain has a lot of thoughts on the subject… So give it a listen (or watch on YouTube) and let me know: What do you think? Was this helpful? Have you experienced being sick after a peak experience before? I'd love to hear. ... And as I'm coming back to life-at-this-moment, and getting caught up, I'm so excited to start sending out the first of my New Year tarot drawings. I've been looking back at mine from December of last year and I can feel how powerfully and accurately my cards guided me through the year. Before we are consciously conscious of something; before we can see it, name it, be with it in 'daylight consciousness'; it's there as the flickering shadows and light a fire casts on a cave wall. That's Soul. Where our dreams and desires start from... but also always just slightly out of reach, out of being able to be named or pinned down. The archetypal images of the cards help us bridge the gap - they act as the cave wall where something we couldn't even name as an intention or goal yet dances in and out. They can be the subtle trail of breadcrumbs we follow towards versions of ourselves and the right people, places, and opportunities to realize the dreams and desires we don't even know to ask for yet. There is so much magic possible and the cards help bring us back to moving and orienting through enchantment. Remember, these are delivered via email, so there's no need to navigate scheduling. And they're designed with a combination of guidance from me and space for you to find your own way with them. A beautiful way to tune in to the portal and your path of this New Year. You can read more about the offering and options here. And you're welcome to write back if you have any questions. I leave the updates there for now and free you back into the weird liminal space of not knowing the day, time, or even who you are anymore with a blessing for us all for the new year: May you feel the beating aliveness of your wild, tender heart; may you experience the balm of a magical, enchanted world; and may we hold the personal and collective hope and heartbreak of being human in fiercely gentle hands. with love, Kate P.S. This year's improvements to the Insight 2024 offering include a voice note with channeled messages and some more support from me on how to engage with your card if you're newer to working in this way or like reminders. Plus, we'll meet up next December for a live, online retrospective look back at your cards and your year! It's only available for purchase until Jan 12, so don't wait too long! |
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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 - Today was moving day - I left where I’ve been for the last three and a half weeks in North Cork and headed to Dublin for a few nights in preparation for departing Ireland and heading back to the UK (Wales) early next week. I remember when I was going through my vinyasa yoga teacher training, my teachers, Christen and Preston Scott, would remind us that one of the things we practice in vinyasa yoga is transitioning. Unlike many other forms of yoga, vinyasa encourages flowing...
Dear ones - We have a little influx of new folks to the list here: welcome! When I was younger and I'd travel, I would send long notes out with impressions and experiences from the road. Recently, I've been experimenting with bringing that version of me back and interweaving stories of my nomad trails and pilgrimages with my practices in animism, spirituality, folk tales and traditions, and ancestral wisdom. All to wonder how do we shift from burnout to thriving in these modern times? Today...
Happy Northern Hemisphere, Gregorian Calendar Beltane, everyone! (whew -that’s a mouthful) In Irish Gaelic (and Scottish Gaelic though with a slightly different spelling), the etymology of Beltane breaks down something like this: “Beal” meaning either “bright” or possibly a reference to “Bel”, a Sun God and “tine” meaning “fire”. And in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic, the entire month of May is known as Béaltaine (that’s the Irish spelling). So we’re honoring the start of a longer season and...