THE GOOD STUFF
Welcome back to The Good Stuff. I’m having a lot of fun pulling these together for you every few weeks! Keep sending me what’s lighting you up, let me know by hitting reply to this email. What's your winter pleasure?
Here’s what I’m into this month…
Before diving into Slow Horses on Apple TV, it's crucial to note that the show is characterized by violence and gore, making it unsuitable for all audiences. However, if you appreciate a well crafted spy thriller, this series has all the essential elements. Gary Oldman brings a prickly and skillful portrayal, Jack Lowden channels a contemporary Robert Redford in both performance and wardrobe, and Kristen Scott Thomas delivers a powerful performance, while also embodying the epitome of quiet luxury style. Additionally, the storyline is captivating, maintaining a fast paced rhythm while also being measured, resulting in a thoroughly intriguing experience.With 3 seasons down, feel free to binge away! Be sure to let me know what you think.
Austin City Limits Foo Fighters
Dave Grohl remains a captivating figure for me, a subject I've explored in my writing over the past few years. The weight of grief, amplified by the recent losses of his bandmate Taylor Hawkins and his mother just months apart, is palpable in his on-stage presence, a tender yet fierce beauty in his performance. This Austin City Limits performance not only underscores the Foo Fighters' exceptional skill as a band but also highlights their power as performers (love to witness guitarist Pat Smear play - he's just out there having fun). Amidst these challenges, Dave Grohl never ceases to surprise me, and the addition of new drummer Josh Freese, formerly associated with The Vandals, Guns N' Roses, Weezer, Devo, and countless others, fills what seems to be an almost impossible role. Among the band members, Josh is the one whose perspective I'm most eager to hear. What is it like to step into the shoes of someone who's no longer there? How does this dynamic impact his playing? These are questions swirling in my mind, and perhaps, as revealed in a compelling Atlantic article from June, Dave's continuous writing offers a glimpse into how he navigates and processes grief repeatedly. A good watch and a good read.
Boy Genius is truly exceptional. The combination of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus forms an indie supergroup that echoes the nostalgic vibes of the '90s, reminiscent of iconic collaborations like Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, and Mother Love Bone. This album carries substantial weight—it's expansive, haunting, and simply outstanding. And they SKATE! Are you listening to Boy Genius these days?
THIS. Anderson Cooper on freeing yourself from the burden of grief. The podcast is also brilliant. Grief is terrible and beautiful.
Botticelli Drawings at the DeYoung
Offering an intimate exploration into the drawings that served as the muse for some of Botticelli's most brilliant paintings, this exhibition provides viewers with a captivating journey through the artistic process, from inception to completion. Personally enamored with Botticelli's work, I am drawn to the gentle touch, muted palette (though likely vibrant in its time), and the tender approach he employs toward the figures, resonating with me on a profound level. The drawings themselves are exquisite. Luminous yet precisely defined, exuding confidence in anatomy and presence. Amidst the collection, two paintings, The Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and The Nativity of Christ, stand out as personal favorites, and seeing them in person was an absolute treat. The composition of The Nativity left me breathless, particularly the top third, which, in my eyes, is a masterful combination of figure, nature and text. If you visit, be sure to let me know what you think!
xxx
LAS
SOLAR TRANSIT
1-23-24
Gate 41
The Gate of Contraction
On January 23, the sun gracefully traverses Gate 41, known as the Gate of Correction. During this celestial transit, you're invited to embark on a deeply introspective voyage of self-discovery. This celestial transit encourages a deep exploration of your inner realm, focusing particularly on harnessing your energy to honor and manifest your hopes and dreams.
Human Design Gate 41 serves as a guiding force, beckoning us to unearth the energy within for inspired action. It reminds us that there exists an aligned amount of pressure uniquely tailored for each individual, urging intentional and inspired steps toward bringing our dreams to fruition.
Within the realm of Gate 41 lies a beacon illuminating visions of a brighter future, inspiring us to act upon our grand ideas. Trust in your Design and the divine timing of things as you navigate this transit. Consider whether you trust in your patience and capacity for receptivity, or if impatience pushes you beyond the right amount of pressure, hastening actions before their opportune time.
The energy of Gate 41 can be intricate, sometimes entangling us in fear. In the shadow of this Gate, fear and anxieties may serve as excuses, hindering the pursuit of our dreams. This often results in remaining stuck in fantasies or allowing the fear of failure to deter even the smallest initial steps.
To align with the highest energy of Gate 41, observe moments when imagination becomes a tool to evade genuine action. Confront fears, trust in your unique Design, and embrace the courage to initiate real change.
Here are some journaling prompts to deepen your understanding and engagement with this transit:
What dreams currently fuel your energy during this Gate 41 transit? How can you turn that energy into intentional action?
Reflect on the idea of aligned pressure—how do you determine the right amount for inspired action? What are some instances of pushing beyond this alignment?
Explore moments when fear keeps you stuck. Have you used fear as an excuse to avoid pursuing your dreams? How can you confront and overcome these fears?
Notice when imagination becomes a tool to avoid real action. How can you trust your Design and become neutral to resistance in order to take tangible steps?
During this transit the sun invites a profound journey of introspection, focusing on the energy needed to manifest hopes and dreams. This Human Design gateway encourages inspired action, emphasizing the importance of discerning the right amount of pressure for intentional steps toward one's aspirations. Confront fears, trust in your unique Design, and initiate tangible steps while navigating the delicate balance of patience and receptivity.
NEW PROMPT!!
Do you know about Tapping? It can be an effective addition to energy work and nervous system regulation. Many of my Mentorship clients include Tapping as part of their daily ritual. You can learn more about Tapping and how to do it by hitting the button bellow.
EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique Tapping Prompt for this transit.
“Even though I am fearful of my dreams not coming true, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
Have a great week exploring these transits! Ready to learn more about your Human Design? Hit the buttons below to schedule a reading with me and download the free Human Design information sheets to learn more!
FULL MOON
1-25-24
Leo
Gate 31
The Gate of Leading
The compelling energy of the Full Moon invites a journey of self-discovery, urging us to identify and release elements of our lives incongruent with our intentions. This potent lunar event graces us in the warmth and creativity of Leo, a fixed fire sign, accompanied by the influence of the 5th House, shaping our sense of fun and creative expression. Aligned with the Sun, emphasizing purpose and the masculine, this celestial occurrence prompts contemplation on the foundations of our creativity and pleasure in our actions and pursuits, initiating a year-long exploration of our innate creative power.
This period marks a profound illumination of our creative authenticity, prompting a release of what hinders our truth and heart-centered integrity. It encourages us to employ creative insights for innovative solutions to societal challenges and embrace radical honesty regarding our desires.
During this Full Moon, anticipate a heart-centered and creative experience seamlessly woven with Leo's foundational aspects and the amorous nature of the 5th House. The focus is on expressing individuality, creativity, romance, fun, and security in harmony with the Sun's wisdom. Together, they illuminate a path toward a deeper understanding of our creativity and pleasures, inviting contemplation on their alignment with our purpose.
In conjunction with this Full Moon, consider the nuances of leadership, emphasizing that effective leadership stems from integrity rather than coercion. This lunar event encourages introspection, allowing the light of release to pave the way for leading others with heart and integrity into a brighter future, resonating with the energies of Gate 31.
Journal Prompts for this Full Moon:
1. Identify aspects of your life that no longer align with your intentions and contemplate what needs release during this Full Moon. How can letting go pave the way for renewed creativity and pleasure in your life?
2. Consider the initiation of a year-long exploration of your natural creative power. What foundations of your creativity and pleasure are worth examining, and how can you align them with your purpose?
3. Examine how your individuality, creativity, romance, fun, and sense of security align with the wisdom of the Sun during this Full Moon. What adjustments can you make to ensure harmony between these aspects and your overarching purpose?
4.Embrace radical honesty regarding your desires. What are your true desires, and how can acknowledging them lead to a more authentic expression of your creativity and pleasure?
In the embrace of the Full Moon in Leo, accompanied by the influential energies of the 5th House, a profound journey of self-discovery unfolds. This celestial event prompts a year-long exploration of innate creative power, urging the release of hindrances to heart-centered integrity and truth-speaking. Aligned with the Sun's wisdom, the Full Moon illuminates the path toward a deeper understanding of individuality, creativity, romance, and security, inviting contemplation on their harmonious alignment with one's overarching purpose.
Heart-Centered Illumination Ritual for the Leo Full Moon:
A little something new for you! Be sure to let me know if you like this offering :)
If you are not familiar with grounding and running neutral energies, I cover this work in Mentorship.
Materials Needed:
A journal or paper
Pen
Candle (preferably gold or yellow)
Crystals (such as citrine or rose quartz)
Quiet sacred space
1. Set the Scene: Find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed.
2. Center Yourself: Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and connect with your body. Close your eyes and visualize a calm and grounding energy surrounding you. Ground your energy and run neutral earth and cosmic energies.
3. Reflect on Intentions: With your journal or paper and pen, reflect on your intentions for this lunar cycle. What aspects of your life do you wish to release that are no longer in alignment? Write these intentions down with clarity and purpose, allowing the creative energy of Leo to guide your reflections.
4. Creative Power Invocation: Hold the crystals associated with creativity and love in your hands. As you do, focus on the energy of Gate 31 and the leadership within you. Envision affirmations that empower your creativity and align it with your purpose. Feel the warmth and vibrancy of Leo's energy infusing you.
5. Desire Manifestation: Embrace radical honesty regarding your desires. Write down your true desires and aspirations, envisioning them manifesting with the glow of the Full Moon. Trust that this luminary event is propelling you toward their realization.
6. Harmonizing with Purpose: Ground yourself in the alignment of your individuality, creativity, romance, fun, and security with the wisdom of the Sun. Determine small adjustments to bring these aspects into harmonious synergy with your overarching purpose.
7. Release and Let Go: As you hold the intention of heart-centered integrity, release what no longer serves you. Visualize the release of hindrances, paving the way for a brighter, more authentic path.
8. Express Gratitude: Express gratitude for the energy of the Full Moon, Gate 31, and the heart-centered wisdom of Leo. Acknowledge the synchronicity and commitment required for substantial expansion.
9. Closing: Close your ritual with a final deep breath. Invite the release of what no longer serves you. Carry your charged intentions with you as you move through the lunar cycle.
10. Integration: Carry the crystals with you or place them in a prominent location to symbolize the continued integration of Leo's creative and loving energy into your life. Return to your journal throughout the lunar cycle to track the unfolding of your heart-centered intentions.
May you welcome this lunar phase with open hearts, focusing on the illumination of your inner wisdom. As you engage with the journaling prompts set forth on a journey of self-discovery and personal transformation. The promise of substantial expansion awaits you, and you are poised to share your insights with the world when the time aligns. This Full Moon encourages you to be in receivership of what you desire, trust in your inner wisdom and release what no longer serves you to embark on a path of growth and self-realization.
THE CREATIVE
Welcome to a new little Newsletter feature. Twice a month I will be sharing quotes from the books, Art is the Highest Form of Hope and The Creative Act. I find perspectives on the creative process to be so meta when it comes to life. We are a creative process and everything we do is subject to the same rules. Creation is non-linear. It's messy. It moves forward and backward. And also gets stuck. Often times we do not realize the purpose of a singular creative process until years later. Creativity likes to surprise us.
“Create an environment where you're free to express what you're afraid to express.”
- Rick Rubin
This is sound advice for not only the creative process that happens in your studio or office, but for the larger creative process that is life. Often the greater systems we are connected to, family, school, work, do not provide a space for us to freely express what we are afraid of. We are expected to be a certain way or fit a certain mold or not ruffle feathers to make the experience of our adults easier. Often psychotherapy is the first time many encounter a space where they can freely discuss, confront and receive support around their fears. I deeply appreciate the sentiment of creating this environment yourself. I suppose this is what we do as adults as we emerge from the conditioning of our early systemic groups and find hobbies, community, pursuits that we feel a sense of freedom in. This creation is the narrative of chosen family. We build the systems we were lacking in an effort to explore these tender themes.
Art school offers a hard and fast lesson in creating this environment out of survival. It took me about a year of extremely harsh critiques to recognize that the instorustor was not there to protect the artist. The instructor was there to hold the space for us to learn. We had to do it ourselves. Eventually I came to realize that my work is my work and I do not need to accept useless criticism that does not help move my art forward. Similar to Brene Brown’s idea of taking feedback from those in the arena and not in the cheap seats, I learned to create rules around feedback and my work. I asked the questions and feedback was to be centered on the work, not whether I was a good or terrible artist. When ideas were presented outside of these questions they were cut short and the feedback was refocused on the questions that the artist presented. Still a thorny environment, but certainly better and allowing for more freedom from the uncontained spewing of personal insults that art school critiques can provide. Ooof.
The intentional selection of individuals invited into your creative process is vital; it's a nuanced and pivotal process of cultivating genius. This selectivity doesn't imply surrounding oneself with perpetual “yes folk” but choosing those who offer respectful, focused, and supportive input. The key is to invite individuals capable of providing constructive insights rather than burdening the creative space with unprocessed emotional baggage—an approach that safeguards the integrity of your work and avoids transforming potential collaborators into contributors to personal challenges.
You don’t owe anyone access to your process.
