//all about being//
the radiant self
A SACRED START
joy has been arriving quietly + quite fruitfully. in the garden. in the rhythm of our rising walks—me, drew, daisy + minnie too—moving together through the soft light of morning. in the choice to begin the day with breath + movement. in watching the things grow—tomato flowers unfolding, bees moving where they’re called, green vines stretching toward the sun.
these moments are my ritual. these moments feed me. they nourish the spirit before i enter the spaces where i guide + give. this is my sacred start. a way of remembering what joy feels like when it rises from within.
joy roots us into presence. these rising rituals—movement, breath, tending—create space to remember what is true. from this place, the heart opens. from this place, the self comes into focus. this is where we begin to see clearly.
WAYS OF SEEING THE SELF
we have a new moon in leo + this lunation invites deep connection with the radiant self—the one who feels from the inside out, the one who expresses with honesty, the one who lives from the heart.
this moon reflects a return to congruence—a lived experience where what you feel, what you say + how you move in the world are in alignment. congruence is presence. it is choosing to honor your inner world with clarity, expression + care. it is showing up with your whole self, trusting that alignment creates safety.
this new moon also invites self-regard—a sacred way of seeing yourself with warmth, respect + dignity. it is the practice of holding your own heart with the same love you offer others. it is inner attunement. it is worthiness embodied. joy is a gateway to both. joy reflects your truth. it expands your capacity to receive. it lives where your heart meets your presence.
leo governs the heart—the center of vitality, truth + visibility. this new moon strengthens that center. it calls in authentic expression, creative courage, and emotional alignment. you are allowed to feel good. you are allowed to be seen. you are allowed to live in full expression of who you are. this is your invitation to live in joy—as devotion, as direction, as a way of fully being.
AN ALTAR OF JOY
we’ve been moving devotionally—day by day, thread by thread. and now, under this leo new moon, we arrive at the center: the radiant self. the joy that returns when we choose ourselves with care. the warmth that builds when we let ourselves be witnessed. ritual is how we make this visible. it is how we give joy a form, a place, a presence. this altar is the fifth devotion. a golden moment of embodiment. a space to honor joy as your guide.
//materials//
paper + pen
a small mirror // reflective surface
an item from your childhood // creative roots
fresh flowers // a bowl of water with floating petals
a symbol of your joy (a photo, color, fruit, fabric, scent)
a candle (gold, yellow, orange // anything that feels warm to you)
//ritual flow//
1. create your altar.
build it slowly. place each item with care. this is devotion made visible. each placement becomes a reflection of the joy you are ready to hold.
2. light your candle.
arrive fully. stand or sit before the altar. feel your feet grounded beneath you. place one hand on your heart, the other on your solar plexus. breathe into presence.
3. mirror invocation.
look gently into the mirror. soften into yourself. speak this aloud:
i honor the joy within me.
i trust what lights me up.
i allow myself to be fully here.
i see the self who is radiant, real + becoming.
4. write your joy.
respond to any or all of these:
✨ joy feels like...
✨ memories that awaken joy...
✨ joy is calling me toward...
5. devotion through embodiment.
move, sing, dance, stretch, create. let your body express joy freely. let the altar hold you in your full expression.
6. close with gratitude.
place your written joy on the altar. speak your closing spell:
i live in joy.
i honor my radiance.
i welcome all that aligns with who i am becoming.
WHAT COMEs NEXT
the world is heavy right now. grief moves through the collective. systems built on harm are loud, relentless—meant to drain the spirit. they want us to forget our joy. they want us to harden, flatten, shut down. but here you are. tending beauty. feeding your light. creating space to feel. to begin again. and this, my love, this is no small feat. this is sacred resistance. this is the work of remembering who you are when everything tries to make you forget.
let your altar glow. let your joy pulse out like a care bear stare—full-bodied, heart-forward, unstoppable. we will meet again soon, to deepen our devotion. until then, let your joy be a form of truth-telling. let it remind you what it means to stay human—to turn toward your light + then into each other.
xx
