A very happy holidays from the snowy landscapes of the Bluegrass State
One of my final memories before I boarded the plane home from Portugal…a Christmas market in the streets of Porto.
I anticipated I would be writing this Tiny Letter fresh off the deep insights gained from walking in the footsteps of renowned prophets in the holy land of Israel during the final weeks of December. What better way to experience the significance and sacredness of the “holiday season” than to go to the source of its inception and lore?
And yet, I am currently sitting at my parent’s dining room table with a cup of ginger-turmeric tea, taking in the fresh snowy landscapes, preparing to decorate a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, listening to Josh Groban, with freshly polished teeth gratefully received at the hands of our local dentist. Where, might you ask, did this slight traveling detour begin?
This part of the story begins next to the highest mountain in the peaceful lands of Portugal. It was there that I arrived on December 7th after a brief reunion with Innate pals on the beautiful bluffs of the South Portugal coast. As I exited the Nelas train station, I was greeted by my gracious and wise host Gregory Reece-Smith, whose LinkedIn title is listed as “Shamanic CEO.”
And how did I find my way here? It was through a recent synchronistic connection with another “global citizen” who was encouraged to contact me in November due to our shared journeys to building a spirit-filled, geographically dynamic, nature-inspired and entrepreneurial life. I am discovering this is the magic that happens when you start living into the identity you feel called towards, yet don’t quite have language for…interesting and aligned people start effortlessly flowing into your field. This new friend suggested that his mentor had a guest house that I should seriously consider as a stop while I was on this tour of Portugal. Filled with intrigue and curiosity about how the purpose of my visit to this guest house might be revealed, I said yes, and I walked into the experience with open eyes and an open heart.
As I took my first steps into the corridor of the guest house, I had an immediate felt sense that this space was exactly what I needed, but did yet quite know what that meant. I had made an arrangement to trade ten hours of volunteer service for a reduced price on my stay, most of which was anticipated to be work outside in the garden. And yet mother nature had other plans, and the deluge of rain that commenced once I arrived persisted for 10 days straight…rather abnormal for this time of year. This was only the beginnings of the message that it was time to slow down and allow the emotional impact of this recent season of traveling to catch up to me. As I write I am reminded that the water element is associated with the emotional realm, and that the surface of calm water provides us with a perfect mirror to see ourselves more clearly.
What unfolded from here included ample time for connecting the dots between all the disparate experiences and connections from the year, a daily oracle card and inquiry of my Shamanic CEO host, some creative vegan flair in the kitchen, and taking in the insights of my new “global citizen” friend. I was amazed at how much relief I felt when the temptation to meet new people, seek new experiences, and digest new inputs was not at my fingertips. My Shamanic CEO host, who believes greatly in the power of aligning our energy with universal and natural forces, shared that the end of 2022 was about rest, and that the best time to give energy to launching new ventures would be in Q1 of 2023.
So within a few days of my arrival, it was clear to me the invitation was not to charge forward with my travels or business endeavors, but a moment to accept that it was a time to integrate all the lessons of the year and simply sit in wonder and appreciation of the beautiful connections already formed. The irony of this decision is that after spending 2021 in Rwanda, where it is eternal Summer, and a very difficult winter spent in Kentucky in 2022, I vowed that I would do all I could to bypass the winter blues in 2023. Sun chasing down to Morocco in November felt amazing…but nature’s wisdom caught up with me, and reminded me about how I actually do benefit from living in harmony with the seasonal tides. And as a person dedicated to living my life as an experiential learner, I know that the post-experience reflection period is actually where so many of the juicy bits lie.
And so that is where you find me…preparing to work through my 2022 reflection prompts (which I invite you to join me in, should this benefit your own integration process), remembering that I am committed to a life that is a balance of all the things I love: Play AND rest, spirituality AND entrepreneurial action, nature AND society, masculine AND feminine, emotions AND thoughtfulness, inspiration AND practicality.
Wishing you a very happy holidays and may this time of year give you whatever it is your heart and soul need!
It was lovely to enjoy the company of these two Christmas elves in the snowy landscapes of Kentucky for the holidays.
