New Year Reflections

This year has been a whirlwind in the most incredibly varied ways. I've had more shifts and breakthroughs in one year than in my whole life. Surely I am not the only one to feel this way. The cool part is I am no longer rattled by them, I've delevoped a taste, an acceptance for intensity and discomfort. When it happens, I welcome it now. I'm interested.

I say, Oh! Ok life; I see the mountain to get to the next objective. Let's learn something new.

And the mountain to the objective can be random. It can be a test of self, or physical strength, of courage to act, to exist, it can include being ready to take flights, change trips, and be open to meeting stimulating people. When you start to pick up on energy, you no longer question things, you feel them. Then you have a responsibility. Saying Yes is strong and trusting, and saying No is equally so. Will this stray me or get me closer to my destiny?

Have the fierce conviction that every moment one is on a path, is the path. Walk solidly in each step whether it leads to success or to a lesson. Both are the same. Carlos Castaneda taught us every path is only a path and every path leads to no where.

Have the courage to build the world you want to see, starting with yourself. Be the energy as it flows in your favor.

This doesn't mean life is always easy... but things will be in your favor. Once you know the most honorable course of action, what else is there to do but to take that moment and ride it well? Even in the little things. But of course also the big things. Conviction. Trust. Humor. Open heart.

What's better? Not doing the courageous hard thing? Watching the world break down around you as the negative begins to pile up? We can remain stuck in the same problem for years because we allow ourselves to stay falsely tethered to it, we stop remembering our chance at bravery. Too painful to think about. Not realizing, if only we jumped and trusted. If we truly caught the wave of courage in the right time, that's it baby! We are held.

Have a good heart and you will be held.

Happy 2023. May we keep growing with the flow, close the cycles, and

"May we continue to have the courage to build the world we want to see".

- Iritah Shenmira Naba.

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How about you? What are Your reflections? :)

What would you do? A melodramatic, non consequential, narrative of my afternoon dilemma.

Hello to you, having an afternoon. I am here to offer a ridiculous dilemma I find myself in today. It is symbolic to the degree at which you choose.

After spending much needed time recharging with family, I have been having a marvelous day to myself.

It started off with a fierce sense of purpose in the morning, to move my bed to face South East. I had slept that way in Paris at my mother's, and after discovering this, I don't think I can ever sleep in any other direction again.

Moving my bed may have involved body contortions of various forms, and gliding on the floor in sweatpants to slide the closets around, but it was worth it. I feel great about everything about this new positioning.

In the time being, it became noon and I decided to order some delivery.

A sweet offer swayed me into ordering Indian food and at the last minute, I won my own debate and allowed myself to get a coke zero (if you know you know). I was excited to see it would be arriving within the next 30 minutes.

During my excitement I started a laundry load, and continued various, long-due organizing activities. But upon the food's delivery, I noticed the most dreadful mundane mistake, my coke zero was missing. Quel désastre!

I immediately called the New Delhi restaurant and explained the predicament. They said they would bring it to me soon. After about 40 minutes of waiting, nothing, so I called back and the owner said he was busy, that I should come get it from them, before 2.30. Calm but grr. I explained that this was not possible because the whole purpose of my online order was for me in fact not to leave my house. He made it seem like I was making a big deal but finally we agreed he would bring it to me at 3, because he was indeed very, very, busy. I said okay, but now you bring me two!

At around 3:22 no one had shown up at my house. Mind you, I recognize it is a silly privilege to be able to let this situation entertain me, I literally have no reason to leave the house today. Nothing to lose, only cokes to gain. I call again, this time I ask the owner his name, Sidgar or Cigar, Sagar says he will definitely bring me the cokes at 6PM.

I ask him, what would have happened if I had not called? Would he have let me know? Ceydgar pretended not to understand the question.

What would you have done? For a few brief moments I asked myself whether I had taken this too far. The place is at .2 km from my house, should I just get dressed and go grab the cokes personally? Less than a 5 minute walk. If I truly needed them, of course. But this is a situation of principle.

If I do go, I'll get 3!

UPDATE: i went to get them myself at 5:42 PM, stared him straight in the eye and took 3 cokes.

End of the afternoon dilemma.

Great food by the way.

What about Mercury Retrograde?

Tomorrow the 29th of December, marks the next phase of Mercury going into Retrograde. Or as I like to simply call it, going into Mercury.

We go into Mercury about 4 times per year, (sometimes 3, starting in 2024) and it lasts about 20-24 days. It's a time for resting, allowing the answers to come to us, but not believing in their finality. Just watch them come to you, one little micro information at a time, until the shades are lifted at the end of this period!

Try not to make any major decisions during the retrograde, and that is because everything is jumbled and figuring itself out up in the sky - therefore, also below it. Do allow the pieces to fall. Best not to start a new job, new relationship, sign contracts or go into major agreements as they could turn out to be the opposite of what you imagined. Do not buy major technology, or make large purchases if you can avoid it, you will avoid twisted surprises as well. If you cannot avoid signing anything, triple check with a detailed lens and try to keep things as flexible as possible.

What can you do?

Ceremonies. Taking time to do a healing ceremony with plant medicine is a great way to look within yourself. You can also give birth. Babies born or conceived during retrograde have no problems and some believe are even a bit immune to the phenomena. Any concept or project you had started prior to Mercury retrograding is super fair game as well. This is your time to get cozy and researchy about it. Keep the balls running on the races you had already begun competing in. Don't start new ones. Be patient as you will notice flights, transportation, all these things get delayed. Communicate clearly and try to keep your emotions neutral. Or delay them from being expressed, take space for the answers to arrive later and relax about it.

Above all, release. Shed your layers and prepare for the fog to lift at the end of January. Mercury goes direct on January 19th, but you want to pad this with 10 extra days, both before and after. You can get your pen and credit cards out more seriously on January 29th.

Don't forget while it's not so treatcherous, you will have moments you believe you are immune to it! Its ok! Things can always go okay. But be open to surprises and notice the fun in them ;) humble and honor yourself.

People like to give Mercury Retrograde a bad rep, but it's one of my favorite times as resting, spending time with friends and putting ourselves first become more normalized. Saying no is great, and getting to know ourselves calmly, softly, and openly with no expectation for aggressive outcome, is heavenly. Keep building your life.

Happy Mercury Retrograde. I'm going to make myself a hot tisane.