  PILLAR #7: Knowledge. “Teach the children, even the adult children. Lean in, listen, process. Be patient with what you can’t quite figure out. Don’t get your news from only one or two sources. READ! Seek counsel from your elders, your mentors. Appreciate the wisdom of experience, yours and others’–everyone has something to teach you. Light the way for others by representing the wisdom of the Feminine. Technology is winning out over other forms of intelligence, over ways of noticing but it is only a vehicle for information. Information is not wisdom. Wisdom should be a verb. Women inherently know how to make it a verb.” ~ AthenaDear Shining Ones, PROCESS OVER PRODUCT. That’s what I used to tell the freshmen in the English Composition class I used to teach at UNE. Oh, I’d hammer that one into them! Because, well, most of them did not enjoy writing, and writing IS a process. So I tried to convey that it was never about a “great paper;” it was about what struggle did you allow yourself in the many phases of writing, re-writing, revision, peer review, final draft that actually informed your writing but also brought about clearer, more critical thinking. What struggle can you allow yourself? What would be better to experience through trial and error, in order to be better in the end? The hard thing you are struggling through is also your intellect’s inner yearning. It gets you this great gift called concentration, it builds brain matter (especially in those 18 year olds-) and it fights the all-too-common thing called distraction. YES! YOUR INTELLECT YEARNS TO STRUGGLE! I just read a really depressing article in my Atlantic today (Jan 20th) about how lonely and antisocial everyone (young and old) is getting, and I can’t help but wonder how or if the ‘faster-quicker’ mindset might be contributing to the need to isolate. It takes vulnerability to actually go out to an event, take a class, invite a friend for a walk, and it takes vulnerability to accept, and perhaps even desire (!) process, or the act of struggling through something difficult. What do I mean by ‘desiring process’? I think our world is set up these days to make ‘faster-quicker’ superior to other forms of engagement. It’s so easy to click away, behind a screen, mindlessly scrolling or posting something amusing. Takes a lot more work, brain power and even mental exposure to EXPERIENCE SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. We get drawn into our screens, and there’s no patience or space for actual contact and connection. I’m reminded of some wisdom my father shared with me about 2-3 years ago (in Spirit, he passed away over 30 years ago) when I was being very impatient about something, thinking my own struggle would never end: “Change that lasts takes time. Be patient as well as brave.”  Isn’t this the truth? Things that are easily achieved seem to deteriorate quickly, do they not? And then there’s my favorite quote from a right-decent Republican, President Coolidge: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Let’s encourage process, patience and persistence in one another. When you see it in yourself, celebrate! When something is hard, do not give up. Step away, go for a walk, come back to it. This is the work of a great life: you will not have all of the answers, and your mind wants to be challenged. As we continue to outsource our brains (and creativity) to AI, this may be the last chance at being a sovereign human being! Let the natural urge to commune with real things, real people, and real experiences engulf your tired, weary heart. I guarantee you it will serve your highest good! Shine On, Mary Katherine  FEATURED PRACTITIONER and EVENT Natasha Deminey of Pursoma Self-Care Studio At Wellnest Alfred, Maine Do you live in Waterboro, Alfred, Dayton, Limerick, Shapleigh, Hollis, or Buxton? If you do, there is a new Women’s Wellness studio that is absolutely gorgeous located in what was once the Alfred jail. I met the owner, Natasha, over a FB messenger exchange when she was looking for someone to perform some shamanic clearing and blessing of this new space. Yoga, sound healing, teen girls’ circles, reiki shares and ceremony are just a few of the wonderful, nourishing offerings Pursoma is serving up! A bit about Natasha, in her own words: “While managing a yoga studio, I endured a laundry list of symptoms chalking it up to burnout—until I found myself in the hospital. That moment unraveled a deeper journey of healing, self-care, and rediscovery, as I sought affordable, nurturing practices to reclaim my health and spirit. Through my journey, I realized a profound void: a community that honored the wild, rich contradictions of being a woman, celebrating every facet of our lives without judgment infused with a place where self-care was a way of life. Weaving together diverse findings & interests led to forming a community grounded in holistic self-care, connection, and self-discovery. PurSoma Sanctuary is a place where every woman is empowered to take up space and bloom alongside her sisters.” Check out Pursoma’s website here Just a few of the upcoming offerings: IMBOLC ceremony (with me!): SAT, FEB 1st, 1 – 3 PM [Register HERE] Variety of YOGA classes (Mon-Sat!) SOUND HEALING with Jensyn on Tuesdays, 5:15 PM NEW CLASS! with Nine Pillars! LET ME SEE THAT  ARE YOUR HEALING GIFTS “COMING ONLINE”? We’re living in some interesting times, are we not? Of course I could have used more descriptive adjectives than ‘interesting’ but it does cover all shifts and pivots of emotional and psychological experience: scary, inspiring, hopeful, distrustful, confusing, exciting, fearful. There is a discourse in spiritual circles about the incoming energies, the ‘upgrades’ we are getting to our energetic bodies, our DNA and our fields of experience. The word ‘ascension’ has been thrown around for a few years now, as well as the New Earth, the Great Turning, and a host of other metaphors for this global and cosmic shift. BUT HOW are YOU TAKING IT? Have you OWNED it, My Sister? I don’t actually claim to know much about it, although I do read a lot about it as well as follow a few wise-talkers on YouTube and greatly enjoy my friends who are astrologers who seem to understand what’s happening–at least from that perspective. I am also very aware of my own experience, and try to accept the changes as they come. It started with not being able to attend anything with a “big crowd,” where the energy of the room was just too much. I went through a phase in 2022 of unwinding all preconceived notions of myself, ego-identifiers that felt paltry, untrue and in some cases, not-mine. I have gone through some external shifts: moving out to the country, becoming part-owner of an organic farm, getting a full-time gig at UNE, opening up the tiny home known as the Sweet Suite to solo travelers, building my practice out and beyond what I dreamed of…the list goes on! But the changes I’m talking about now are different. I’m at a place where my healing abilities feel like they are on the ‘fast track’ and my intuitive skill set is on steroids. I welcome these changes, but they are coming fast. And as my dear friend Kat said, they are poignant. Lately, I have been fielding a lot of questions from other people who are also experiencing these shifts in consciousness, abilities, ways of perceiving, and ways of being. As my beloved teacher Barbara recently said when I asked her about this, “The Spirits are busy.” [She gave me A LOT of other great advice too!] Are you suddenly speaking light language? Are you becoming ultra-perceptive, intuitive? Do you have angels “sitting on your shoulder”? Do you dream prophetic dreams? Are you tapped into the energy of Gaia, able to feel certain “zings” at certain times, or in sacred places? Do you see things others don’t? Do you feel like you were born special but can’t exactly figure out how to embody that? Do you see Spirits, talk to the dead? Are the intuitive ‘hits’ multiplying in frequency and accuracy? If you answered ‘yes’ to even one of these questions, I want to invite you to a class I will be offering every other Wednesday night from 6:30-7:30 PM, EST, starting on Jan. 29th, the new moon in Aquarius, naturally! We will gather on ZOOM, set sacred space together and simply talk about our experiences. Additionally, I will lead you through a guided journey to gain insight or retrieve messages from your High Self AND give you some simple “spirit homework” that I will ask about in the following class. This is to help you get even more familiar with your gifts. It is not the time to hide these qualities under a bush! Quite the opposite… Imagine this as devotional time to hone, honor and cultivate your “upgrades.” Spirit is urging Light Workers to get focused; this is a message I’ve received more than once, and it is upon my heart to help lead those who are experiencing these quick changes. Are you craving community? Are you wishing there was maybe a little more time spent with other people on spiritual paths? Making sense of our journeys is often best done with caring witnesses. The energetic exchange I will ask for is $20 per month ($10 per class). This needs to be EASY and AFFORDABLE so as to not leave anyone out. I do not claim to have all of the answers, but I yearn to step more deeply into one of my gifts: thoughtful, insightful communication through leadership and space holding. If you’d like to register, simply Venmo your 1st month’s installment of $20; as an added incentive, I will be offering the 1st class on January 29th for free. (If you come on the 29th and find out the class is not for you, you won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t return!) Need a little more detail? Have a question? I’m happy to chat about this! Just email me! ninepillarshealing@gmail.com CLASS WILL MEET in 2025 on WED evenings from 6:30-7:30 PM via ZOOM on the following days: Jan 29th (FREE! Curious? Join me!) Feb 12th Feb 26th March 5th**(I have a previous commitment on March 12th) March 19th April 2nd (our final class will be pay-what-you-can as my thank you to YOU!) ONCE YOU REGISTER (by emailing me or sending your Venmo payment), I will send you the ZOOM link.Stars do not belong in the dirt. They are meant to SHINE in a dark, expansive sky…LET ME SEE THAT star of yours!! (to share with a friend, send the webpage I created for this event) WISE WOMEN TALKING Avalon Acres Next Circle: Sunday, February 9th 12:45-3:30 PM The Wise Women of Avalon are going strong! We had 15 (!) women circling up in my office space last Sunday to reflect on a few interesting topics, some of which we didn’t even get to. It doesn’t matter! Women who come together to share their stories, to listen with their hearts and to experience soulful exchanges with like-minded other women is really the point. We all leave feeling free, light, thankful, and full of joy… Nancy and I will be holding a “partially-outside” circle next month, as it is our traditional month of the year (Feb) to honor water and sing the water song, Neebeewabow. There is a wonderful video of this beautiful song on Youtube, and if you plan on coming to next month’s circle, I strongly encourage you to start practicing the song. Additionally, we will have a group healing circle after we honor the water; my two massage tables will be set up in the office and, if you joined us on 12/15/24, you know that healing together is a POWERFUL EXPERIENCE! PLEASE don’t let the cold walk down to the creek (featured below) scare you from coming to this circle. If you are unable to walk the terrain or are not a big fan of cold weather, you are welcome to pray, sing, hold space from the circle in my office. It is always good to have a few people “tending the flame” at the house. In fact, we will sing NeebeeWahBow to the waters of our bodies, once we are back inside. To find out more, what to bring, what to expect, check out the web page for Wise Women Talking here or email me!  SPRING EQUINOX SOUL IMMERSION At Avalon Acres Thursday, March 20th, 2025 9 AM- 1 PM Spring is a powerful time. The Celts called this awakening the “Green Fire.” Something is wrestling and rumbling throughout the land: Mother Earth is waking up! In Maine, winter is a long one…although I enjoy the cold (and love snow!), I want to offer an outdoor, active ceremony to welcome Spring into our hearts and into the lines of energy which run through Avalon (and beyond). We will meet and greet the energetically vital land of Avalon as we take a tour together of the “power spots,” singing up the land spirits in each, building an altar to the benevolent guardians of Avalon, and making a “wishing well” blessing at the sacred waters. There will also be one full hour spent in silence (and at your own ‘power spot’) for you to fully immerse yourself into the wisdom of Gaia. (If you have participated in one of my Nature Immersion Wanders, this is similar, but with more together time-) Once our welcoming songs and ritual have come to their natural close, we will gather in the barn (or my healing space, depending on the weather), to have council, a few poems, and share our experiences. In closing, we will share a meal together before you depart. This event is an “active ceremony”–walking, singing, communing with nature, crying, dancing, letting Mother Earth know how happy you are to see her. Those interested will be experiencing 3-4 hours outside, and will need to plan/ dress accordingly. Investment: $45 and a small offering to the land of Avalon To register, Venmo your $45 to this link or email me and I’ll hold your spot! *Attendance is limited to 6 participants  YOU HONOR US GREATLY By communing with the land here Don’t forget Avalon is a great place to snowshoe! Or simply be away from noise, traffic, other people… A sanctuary of nature will always feed you Come visit! See what’s happening in these woods of ours… Our mailing address is: ninepillarshealing@gmail.com |
Tag: Imbolc
HAPPY IMBOLC
Hello and Happy IMBOLC!
This winter, I’ve been listening to the audio book, My Name is Barbra, on my way to work. It is Barbra Streisand reading her memoir, which must have taken years to pen–she’s had quite the life! If you grew up in the 70’s like I did, your mom may have played Barbra Streisdand’s records one after the other, like mine did. So I kinda feel like Barbra is part of the family.
The great thing about listening to an audio book is that your brain (and eyes?) don’t have to work quite as hard; you can just listen. The pure joy of listening, of receiving information in the form of images, of a narrative–and that voice!–is heavenly. I’m not sure who helped her edit but you can add “Great Writer” to the list of her many talents.
SO GORGEOUS–inside and out!
Last week, I think it was around chapter 35 or 36, she explained many of the juicy details about making A Star Is Born. Her crazy boyfriend Jon Peters was jealous of Kris Kristofferson. The director was a jerk, who apparently tried to sabotage the movie by selling certain “filthy lies” to the gossip columnists. Barbra shares that she was exhausted after the movie wrapped and did not want to do any movies for a while. She needed a break, so she took one. Admittedly, she notes, “I got bored after about three months.” Then, she confessed, she needed a project.
Her project turned out to be remodeling a one-story “ugly tract house I used as a small sound studio.” Throughout the book, she’s always recounting what she wore to this event or that party in great detail; she has a penchant for antique clothing and, as she puts it, “old things.” So it was no surprise when she tells the listener, “I didn’t want to tear the house down, as ugly as it was. That would have been too dramatic, and a lot more work. I wanted to fix it up, re-do it. Besides, you got to use what you are given.”
USE WHAT YOU ARE GIVEN. Wow! The multiple meanings weren’t lost on me. Barbra begins this delicious memoir of her life in Brooklyn, and shares that she was told, “No Jewish girl with a nose like that will ever see herself on the big screen.” Can you believe it? Aren’t we all glad she didn’t listen to them! And God gave her a VOICE, but also a lot of chutzpah! Those beautiful songs, the enchanting on-screen performances, the literally millions she has given away to charity–ALL OF THEM (and more) would have never been realized had she not used what was “given” to her–her natural gifts of performing and singing. She never went to college; she took 1 or 2 piano lessons but reports that her family, or rather her single mom, couldn’t afford to continue with the lessons.
She just knew she wanted to act. Particularly, on Broadway. And that is exactly what she did. To make ends meet–before she got her big break with Funny Girl–she sang in a nightclub in Manhattan called the Bon Soir. She just kept pushing those doors open, kept persisting. And she wasn’t afraid to ask, “But what if we do it this way?” It made me wonder if one of her ‘natural gifts’ was determination. Is that possible?
There have been numerous places throughout this book that I thought I might have to pull over and have a good cry. Not because anything that Barbra was saying was sad–although there are sad bits in it. No, it’s because I get so MOVED! So incredibly enraptured by what ONE LIFE CAN DO, what one woman is capable of! It’s the epitome of inspiration! No one can say she has wasted one minute of her life…
And so this multi-layered “Use what you are given” line really, really stuck with me. It made me ask myself: Am I using what I was given? Have I taken any of my God-given talents for granted? Is there a dormant talent which was not nurtured enough when I was young? Was there someone who told me I would never do such-and-such, as those who told Barbra that her nose would keep her off the big screen?
Which of those messages did I take in, and adopt as my truth? What door have I yet to bust open for myself, afraid of what I may discover, find, or reclaim?
In addition to HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this memoir of Barbra Streisand’s, I invite you to ask yourself the same questions. Are YOU using what was given to you? It could be your voice, like Barbra’s. What about your metaphorical voice, the voice of your truth, the voice of your wisdom? What new heights are you willing to go, knowing that the only things in life you truly regret are the risks you DON’T take?
That last bit is Ann Margret’s line in Grumpy Old Men. I guess the movie stars are acting as my muses today!
Shine On,
Mary Katherine
UPCOMING EVENTS and AVALON UPDATES
Sat 02/03 (11 AM–2 PM)
- Imbolc: Making an Altar to Brigid at the Sacred Waters
- AT CAPACITY for this event! Pls join me and Kristi for future ceremonies, like Lughnasa on 08/03
Sun 02/11 (1 PM- 2:30 PM)
- _Wise Women Talking (on Zoom this month)
- Join the Zoom room by 12:45 PM ; our focus will be on acknowledging our gifts (God-given and those we’ve worked darn hard for-); Email me for Zoom link (I will send out to regular attendees the day before)
- If you so chose, here’s a little journal prompt to enhance your circle time:
How does anyone know what their gifts are? How committed are you to seeing your “superpowers” uplift others and your community? What conditions need to be in place in order to have your natural-born gifts and talents thrive?
Sat 04/20 (10 AM- 5 PM):
- Drum Workshop with JaneE King, Elder, Story-teller and Wise Woman
- Make a Drum using Deer hide: teaching, ceremony, construction and all materials (and lunch!) will be provided.
- FMI: Check out the webpage link above for more info or to sign up!
- FMI on JaneE: visit https://www.janeekinghearthealer.com/
Sun 05/19 (10 AM- 5 PM):
- Woe Is Me Nevermore Workshop with Kat Beaudoin
- Come explore ways we can transcend the energy of victim archetype – one of the 4 universal survival archetypes. Despite the baggage that accompanies the word, the victim archetype, like all the other archetypes, is neutral – neither good or bad; and it can be a resource when we learn to navigate its energy as it shows up in our lives. This workshop will utilize the Work That Reconnects, designed by Joanna Macy and incorporate nature and mirroring exercises
- Cost $111, location: Avalon Acres; please MARK YOUR CALENDAR for this special day-long, deep-dive event! Kat and I will be putting together a more formal event page soon! Stay Tuned!
AVALON NEWS & UPDATES
__Sweet Suite
- We’re oiling the walls (who knew you had to treat pine?) and fashioning a cabinet around the fridge. Bed, sink, and comfy wingback chair are installed!
- To my Beta-Testers: Please be patient! Probably looking at over-night bookings by early March 2024
__CSA’s! Are Available for the 2024 season
- Don’t you want to support delicious, Maine-grown food? If you are wondering how you can enjoy nutrient-dense local food and support our efforts here at Avalon, please consider buying your CSA from Avalon. We thank you!
- Delivery options available! We know everyone who supports us doesn’t all live in Hollis! I’m in town three days a week for my job, and am happy to drop off your box
AMAZING! The Sweet Suite looks fantastic! Thanks to the Re-Store, it has a few pieces of comfy furniture too! Stay tuned for booking availability
STILL WITH ME?!
__Snow Shoe at Avalon: Trails are always open, always free!
- We even have a rudimentary map! Send us a quick email at avalonacresofhollis@gmail.com if you’d like to experience our winter wonderland or just stop by!
__ If you’d like to support Avalon Acres another way…
- Kindly like our FB page, subscribe to our Youtube channel and follow on Insta-G!
HAPPY IMBOLC: Just Do YOU
Happy Imbolc! We celebrate the Celtic Goddess Brigid on the 2nd of February. This “Celtic Mary” is associated with healing, smithcraft, poetry, hearth and home and all acts of creativity. Brigid also ushers in the very first signs of Spring, bringing us a sense of hope and warmer days.
As I write this, on Saturday January 29th, my part of the world here in Hollis, Maine, is experiencing the first Nor’easter of 2022! By all measures, the “old crone of Winter” aka Cailleach, is still ruling the roost. Some Celtic folklore blend the Cailleach and Brigid together, asserting that the Cailleach transforms herself anew as the maiden of Brigid at Spring.
This year, we have the serendipitous occurrence of Imbolc and the New Moon in Aquarius overlapping one another! The New Moon occurs at 12:46 AM EST on FEB 1st; the Imbolc festivities are generally celebrated on February 2nd (some say that Groundhog Day got swept up into the tales of the Cailleach–that it was the Hag of Winter out looking for more sticks to burn, not a furry rodent wondering about his shadow).
But wait! My calendar also denotes that the Chinese Lunar New Year also falls on February 1st. 2022 is the year of the Water Tiger, a symbol of strength, perseverance and self-confidence. Tigers are single-minded in their pursuits, not easily distracted and have few if any predators.
I love this image. As someone who regularly contemplates how my actions might affect others, this assertion of bold self-confidence stationed in the regal posture of the hunteress, her stunning orange and black stripes shimmering against a golden sunset in India is magnificent. (‘Water Tiger’, to my way of thinking, means tigers who can swim. The Bengal Tiger, a native of India and Southeast Asia and also a phenomenal swimmer, comes to mind.)
So I hope you have all your rituals planned out, ready to go. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to blend the powers of Brigid, the New Moon and the power of Bengal Tiger! I’m looking forward to the online seminar I signed up for with Tara Wild, who will be presenting ways to connect more deeply with Brigid and discussing the resurgence and reclamation of the Divine Feminine. Mostly, though, I’m excited to hear about the extensive Celtic wisdom Tara brings to her circles. To read more about Tara and her work, click here.
Also, the best rituals are ones YOU feel inspired to carry out! Since the New Moon is in the sign of Aquarius, working in groups, co-facilitating, and any discussions of social justice would be great ideas and lend a sense of power to your ritual.
One overused expression around ritual and ceremony is the activity of “releasing what no longer serves you.” No doubt, it is crucial to regularly “own your s***” and then dispense with old ways, beliefs and habits that are not aligning with your high self. I’ve probably used that turn-of-phrase 500 times over the last ten years! However, I feel there is an opportunity to deconstruct the idea and maybe replace it with a new intention.
“Release” signifies that we are absentmindedly holding onto nefarious ways and behaviors, that it is up to us to do the action of ‘release’ and then all will be well. I have recently had an enormous revelation about how disempowering this language is! First of all, whether you want to believe it or not, the insinuation that we need to ‘release what does not serve’ sends the ego structure that we are somehow sullied inside, and probably from our own doing. If only we could release the trauma we’ve been attached to. The action is around removal but I’d like to suggest that the action, ie.intention, ought to be around BECOMING.
I’d like to share a little anecdote to show you what I’m talking about. I am in the midst of prepping for a ceremony here at Avalon that was–until this big storm came along–scheduled for Sunday, January 30th. Most of us can get pretty worked up in the planning stage of anything that holds some significance for us. Could be a first date, an interview, or an event that you’re hosting. We all can “get in our head” about trying to surmise how it’s going to go.
I call this extending energy into the realm of What If. For example, I knew this huge blizzard was coming and so I started wondering: Will people not want to drive out to Hollis, even though the roads will likely be ok by Sunday? What about Covid protocols? How much shoveling and sanding should I do before they get here? I’d hate to have someone slip and fall! What if it is really cold, as in teeth-chattering cold? What if…what if…what if.
I emailed my co-leader, Gul, the one who was to teach us the Water Song and who had participated in this annual tradition before. Her reply, quite eloquently, was ‘It’s ceremony. It will be what it is.’
Although we DID reschedule the ceremony to Saturday February 5th (please come!) , something clicked awake inside of me with Gul’s matter-of-fact pronouncement: It will be what it is. WHAT IS is so much better than What IF! This simple distinction did more than help me get out of my anticipating-the-needs-of-others mode: It helped me realize that my precious energy was wafting through the ether of impossible-to-predict situations and a more appropriate response would be to power up, drum, make something, listen to some music I like. In other words, take care of ME so I can feel my power.
As a side note: when we spend too much time anticipating the needs of others, hoping they will be provided for, that their physical and psychic needs are taken care of, we actually are stealing the opportunity for them to practice sovereignty: the sense that their actions are right for them, end o’story.
At the New Moon in Aquarius, instead of ‘releasing what does not serve,’ try out this new (active) language as a way to refine your personal power. It is simple and takes a single, solitary act:
JUST DO YOU.
My suspicion is that when we tend our garden, when we stay on our side of the fence, the NEED to ‘RELEASE what does not serve’ ain’t even a thing anymore.
Why? Because fortifying the Self with Sovereignty greatly reduces the chances of self-sabotaging behavior, of associating with the victim-stories or flirting with co-dependency. Also, it’s a lot of work to ‘Just Do You.’ Doing You will keep you plenty busy! Plus, Spirit wants a vessel in which it can cast its expression. If we’re too wrapped up in over-extending in service to others, the probability of you-as-vessel decreases.
And believe me: IT IS TIME to Hold the Light. Yup, I said it! Another overused expression of this Age of Awakening. Be the light, hold the light, light workers–it’s all about what you do with “the light.” But this trope I will not disown. Because it really is time to rise up and DO YOU, to inherit the agency you need to radiate the LIGHT of conscious action– as opposed to flipping projections onto others or recovering from your triggers all the time.
Another anecdote to consider: I had a client last week who disclosed to me how irritated she’d been feeling lately. Everyone was making her on edge, things were “setting her off.” After some probing questions, and an invitation to self-reflect, we discovered she had been way, way, way over-extending in her service to others. She’d “been there” for so many people in her life but they hadn’t reciprocated. Some of us (myself included) don’t know how to ask for our needs to be met. Givers will always find Takers, and the dance is well-practiced.
Doing for others is exhausting; a common reaction is to start building up resentment, as my client was doing. Overextending can result in victimhood [“What about me”] and anger [or its cousin, resentment]. There’s nothing wrong with caring for people in our lives or even doing special little things for folks. It brightens their day! The critical word here is overextend. And the gesture must be done while we are in our sovereignty–which just means when our heart is open.
The Universe will match whatever you’re transmitting so you want the gesture to come from a place of radiance, of joy, and lightness. You want the gesture, the word, the conversation to come also from the Water Tiger. Fierce and beautiful, not wasteful but truly necessary. I think a lot of people might think “living with an open heart” means always giving or being a martyr in some effort to sacrifice yourself or your energy for the “greater good.” But there is no truer act of altruism than living in the sovereignty of Self, in living with your own truth front and center.
As for my client, my guides and helpers got her sorted out and returned her to the aperture of the heart. I received some “spiritual homework” for her during the session, as I often do, that I strongly encouraged her to perform in the days following our session. This “post-participation” helps to 1) lock in the healing energy of the session, reminding the body, mind and spirit they all work together , and 2)enhance the client’s own understanding of the messages I’m bringing back.
With permission, I want to share the exercise Spirit offered this client. I think it is a fantastic exercise!! One we ALL could benefit from in cultivating a sense of self-possession and agency, to avoid overextending.
It’s quite simple. Write out the following sentences, filling in the blank with YOUR truth.
___When I am ________[an action], I am in my power.
(For example, if I was filling in this blank, my sentence would read: When I am speaking from a vulnerable place, I am in my power.)
___When I am ________[a response], I am in my power.
(Again, if this was me, my sentence would look like this–just to give you an idea: When I am responding with non-judgement, I am in my power.
Here’s the rest of the sentences. How would YOU fill in the blanks?
___When I am ________[a belief], I am in my power.
___When I am ________[ a habit], I am in my power.
___When I am ________[ a self-care practice], I am in my power.
___When I am ________[a spiritual practice], I am in my power.
___When I am ________[language, speaking], I am in my power.
I so loved this idea. Thank you Spirit! It’s always the simplest exercises that prove to be the most potent. This exercise also points the way to understanding what, exactly, your sovereignty is made of. It’s incongruent with the wisdom of the heart to try and “do” anyone but you. So, instead of ‘releasing what does not serve’ challenge your enlightenment jargon with the lens of the Water Tiger. Align your energy, your new moon seeds with the energy of sovereignty and stop worrying about how people are experiencing you, your work, your language, your beliefs. After 50 years of anticipating the needs of others, of exhausting myself trying to please everyone, I feel a call to tend my garden with a loving vigilance, working to create the conditions I NEED to be my best self in a world full of artifice and projections, and in no short supply of takers and martyrs.
I want to Do Me.
As it turns out, the world soul (animus mundi) is actually hungry for my best self, not all of those other things I spend time perseverating over.
Just Do You.
Love and Blessings of Brigid-
Mary Katherine
UPCOMING OFFERINGS
Singing the Water Song: A Gathering Of Women to Bless the Waters
Are you a woman who is missing the feeling of being in community with other women? Are you hungry to learn, share, commune with the sacred element of water? Does your heart need the jolt of love and joy that only ceremony can bring? Join Laurie Babineau (aka ‘Gul’) and Mary Katherine this Saturday, Feb 5th from 1 pm-4 PM at Avalon Acres to join other women in circle in singing The Water Song. For more details, click here
A NEW CLASS STARTS in 3 WEEKS! Introducing CLICK MY HEALS
(class runs every Thurs evening from 7-8 PM, 02/24 thru 03/31 and will culminate in an activation rite on Friday April 1st)
Are you a light worker, shamanic practitioner, change agent, or star seeder who is certain that your gifts of healing, intuition, teaching and guidance are needed now more than ever?
Do you feel that your gifts are getting stronger, stranger, more erratic but also more magical and surprisingly more efficient? Are you sensing that refining your methods, practice or devotion is imperative in anchoring the immense changes we’re experiencing right now?
Folks with the gifts of the Awakener who decided to come to Earth School at this time are getting upgrades in 2022–the great dismemberment is well underway! If you came here to awaken yourself as well as others, how will your special medicine and wisdom be dispersed in the years to come?
CLICK MY HEALS will give you a place to 1)Be a Witness to others on this path, 2) Be more “fit” for the velocity at which change is happening, 3) Be Seen, Supported and Encouraged by those like you
COST: $10 per class (suggested donation) *I am very purposeful in making this offering affordable as I think the continuing “break-down to break through” may turn very swift in 2022; I am committed to supporting the work of Light Workers on their respective paths
__For FULL CLASS description, click here
__To sign up or hold your spot, email Mary Katherine here
DRUMMING CIRCLE AND BONFIRE
Please join Mary Katherine and Michael for a Bonfire and Drumming session on Saturday, 02/26/22 at Avalon Acres! 6PM-until
There will be a potluck set up in the Barn; this event is All Ages and not just for shaman-types! Although any drumming by anyone is sacred in my opinion…
Bring a drum, some food for yourself or to share, a comfy chair to set up in front of the fire. Unless you intend to dance, which will be highly encouraged! February is LOOONG; let’s get outside and burn something!
And finally…
Valentine’s Day is a great day to show someone how much you care about them, how much they mean to you, and how thankful you are that they are in the world! Nine Pillars Gift Certificates make soulful gifts, and a session with me has long-lasting effects! Here’s what one of my recent clients had to say:
“I wanted to share with you how much our session together has helped me. I was able to shift out of a state of almost despair. I was so ungrounded, sad and needing of a break. Having [my power animal]by my side has helped to support and nourish and protect my spirit. Thank you so much!”
Embodying the Divine Feminine 