//softness + strength//
listen to your heart
You do not have to be good
well, hello again—it’s been some time since we’ve connected here, and if you are new to this space, welcome in! i took some time to refocus my energy this winter + spring, so it feels great to have a readiness at my fingertips once again. fresh, new + fast moving—the feeling of riding a bike down a hill after a long climb. wind swept hair, tears of joy welling up from life whizzing by you. pure + uninhibited. laughter roaring at the bottom, the can-we-go-again feeling swells inside. that is where i find myself now, tuned in to myself more than ever. recounting the moments where the simple pleasures are so clear. as i type this to you, i hear the words of mary oliver softly moving through my mind “you do not have to be good.” whenever i have these moments of clairaudience + claircognizance i know my guides are saying, slow down, take a seat, listen + breathe. so that is exactly what i am inviting you to do here, as well.
music to our ears
all this to say, we have a very similar energy currently in the cosmos—surprise, surprise! the total solar eclipse in leo is hitting us hard + soft (now i’m feeling i should make a playlist to share with you, click here for that). the way this is coming through can be interpreted quite the same, a rush of all-at-once, and a deep inner knowing that you are exactly where you need to be. let’s settle into this + look at how we may feel the effects of this eclipse energy, through symbol, ritual + sound.
THE HEART OF IT
let's start with symbol. leo rules the heart + the whole art of self-expression—the shape you take the moment you step into a room. this eclipse lands in the most visible, most tender real estate you own + it runs hot. here's the thing about this one: it pulls the mask before you've had a chance to fix your face. the truth of you shows, lip gloss or not — + the only real question is this: is what you show a true reflection of what you hold? the ones who move through it mindfully are doing the work—tracking their patterns, keeping themselves honest, aligning on purpose. carl rogers called that congruence: the inside + the outside as one clean line, so the reveal reads as recognition—the truth arriving like an old friend, because they've kept its company all along. take stock of it all + notice which mask falls hardest. it's almost always the performance of strength—the armor, the i'm-fine, the together-at-all-costs. you do not have to be strong to be fierce. the soft, honest thing already is: softness + strength, one animal. this is the heart of it. the timing carries its own logic—first the dark, then the light handed back: the closing that every real opening begins with. read on for a ritual for resonance.
A PRACTICE OF PRESENCE
sit + write down whatever comes to mind after reading these questions: where are you wearing a mask? where could softness be your strength? what are you ready to let be seen? you can set the mood by resting in a dimly lit space, comfortably seated, bringing attention to your breath + your body. press play on the playlist, light a candle, set an intention for your ritual + practice being present with yourself. here’s what i wrote when i did this a few nights ago, as i prepared my energy for this transmission.
LOOKING AHEAD
on august 28th, under the pisces lunar eclipse, i'm gathering with my dear friend + collaborator, Michelle, one half of Highland Sol Flower Farm, for a full moon circle—reiki visualization, art therapy + a sunset share as that moon rises over the field. bring what this season grew in you. we'll hold it together. click below (or here) to reserve your spot. blessed be, mon cherie.
xx
