Do you feel the power of this solstice, dear one? For those in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope you get a moment to be with the darkness today or tonight. At a time of year when nature calls us to slow down and Christmas traditions may create pressure to speed up, if you are reading this I want you to know that I am grateful. I appreciate your time. May this short blessing find you well, and give you a moment to pause, wherever you are.
Winter Solstice Blessing
Turn toward the velvety darkness
that sweet womb-like embrace
that dissolves distance
difference and indifference
Let it slip through your fingers
for nothing can be grasped
from the point of shaking stillness
this dark pinnacle of the year
Allow the unknown to loom large
and yourself to change size
maybe
many times a day
From these dark days
from the place where time stops
let your trust in unnameable grace
begin to weave itself once again
Your weaving may be tattered and thin
worn from all that a body can not process
or it may be fluffy and bright
no matter
Weave your way with the threads you have
into the crack of the walnut opening
Mist rising on water
Hearts shaping, breaking, reforming
And the light returns
singing your name
calling you
as you call it
Welcome the return
and all within you
that is holy
A new year
a new song
at last
Return
Return
Return
New pricing and more ways to work together
Starting in January 2024 these offerings are available at the prices listed below.
Single Spirit Work Session | $150 US ($150 CAD for Canadians)
So many things can happen in an animistic spirit work session. Your intentions pave the way. Learn more about what kind of healing, guidance, and connection is possible.
In-person Sessions | $155 CAD
Mentorship for spirit workers / shamanic practitioners (1 hour) | $75
If you work with the spirit world in your healing practice and need to discuss a case, pattern, or something you just can’t stop wondering about, these are wonderfully fruitful chats. Also great for folks who don’t see clients, but work with spirits regularly on their own and need the perspective of another practitioner.
Divinations | $75 US ($75 CAD for Canadians)
You record an audio version of your question and within a few weeks you will get an audio recording back on a deep dive into your question. More info on these is coming soon. For now, reach out if you would like one.
*For those in financial difficulty, session fees can be divided into two payments a few weeks apart. Folks with a certain amount of priviledge who are not living in places with unstable currencies may wonder why on earth I would do this! I work with people all over the world. Spirit work requires exchange to be sustainable and I believe animistic work is also anti-capitalist at it’s heart. Offering fair payment plans is the way I navigate this.
Appreciating
-
Tending the Writer’s Flame tops my personal charts for the most joy around any workshop I have ever created. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, spread the word about this awesome weekend on writing and ritual. Jan 12-14, 2024. We have 9 spots left.
-
Prayer Vigil for Gaza with Sacred Grief facilitator Shauna Janz. Dec 24 @ 4pm PT
-
Haa Tóoch Lichéesh Coalition, a beautiful non-profit in Alaska that works to promote healthy relationships, prevent violence, and promote community healing and transformation is having a new year’s match donation campaign. They have been doing their work for a long time, but are now in a newly formed organizational structure and your donation will help with Lingít language classes, cultural healing, youth support, and plant medicine teachings.
-
A prayer or contemplation I offered recently for those grieving the Hamas/Isreal conflict. Feel free to use it in your practice if it feels helpful.
5. I bought Shit, Actually by Lindy West A YEAR AGO and I am still listening to it and laughing on my third listen through. If you need to laugh, this book might be for you. The audio book is also great because Lindy West is funnier out loud. Oh, and her substack is also wonderfully silly.
Butt News
6. A book that I never want to end. I read it so slowly, taking days between the essays. The Great Spring: Writing, Zen, and This Zigzag Life by Natalie Goldberg
Happy Solstice!