Don't worry, I'm not gonna tell you to pick a word of the year. If you, like me, feel like a washed up survivor of 2023, pull up a chair and a cup of tea. It's okay to take a deep breath.
I am a woman of the desert sun. I love light. The darkness has found it's way into my space in several ways within the last few months and I'm taking lessons from my cats. They love taking 49 left turns at midnight. They don't feel sad in the dark; they feel alive. I'm honing my inner cat, or owl, or nightcrawler magic for sure. Because in the dark, I get to close my eyes and use my other senses; I get to adventure in a different way, grieve in a different way, and experience myself in a different way.
So much truth here, Tiff. As a dog person, I don't get to experience the cat's midnight wanderings... but now I'm wondering how the pack would handle a kitten. :)
So loved the idea of not picking a word for the year! As I sat today, finally having a moment to regroup, reflect and consider just what is my word for this year, I was stumped. LOL. If pressed I would say Adventure. Though, 2023 truly was a growing year and a year that left me wondering what was next! I have plans, I have aspirations and I want adventure. But to have someone else reflect my sentiment of feeling like a washed up survivor was just exactly what I needed! Cheers and Thank-you!
Hi Maia! I’ve been following your writing for years - did one of the earliest witch camps I think! In your last post, talking about the survey, you mentioned a desire for folks to comment. It pinged something in me so I thought I’d drop in.
I so appreciate the reminder to follow flow and instinct instead of forcing the rituals to be the same each year. I’ve been carrying a certain longing these past few days, a malaise that kept cycling into thoughts like “is my life everything I want it to be? Is it mine?” I kept trying to fill the emptiness of that.. but after reading this I started to feel into the sweetness of the emptiness, remembering even the darkness of those questions doesn’t have to be dangerous, it can be a trustworthy season, an aliveness of its own. Thank you for that!
Darkness and what it means to me, for me has been on my mind for the last week or so. The quiet, peaceful night. A time when everything stands still. No-one needs anything from me, no expectations and no phonecalls or phone alerts. I love that time, the darkness but also the quite. It soothes my soul, gives my mind a much needed break. At the moment I embrace the darkness and its energy. But I do believe with the light coming back so will my energy shift.
I've been drawn again and again post Solstice, to still my body, and my mind -- to root into earth energy and be. I've wanted to slow, and mark the energy of winter in years past, but I've never been able to sustain that stillness over several days. I resisted at first, but I'm loving the peace of the pace now. The inward focus is reflected in my journal, my yoga, my cards, and in my quiet moments waiting for coffee to brew, or computer to boot up. This afternoon, I sat to consider a blank page, hoping for inspiration. This post and thinking about darkness is just the prompt I needed! It's comforting to know that others are slowing down, going deeper, rooting in to this season! 🩵
Tauna, I love reading about your surrender to the stillness! The moments you name, waiting for process to complete, are places I am familiar with anxiousness living. The resistance is real and the surrender takes practice. Inspired by you!
Your words are kind, and they nurture me today! Thank you so much! Anxiousness living is all too familiar to me, and this choice to be still is a challenge. Every time I do choose the quietness, I realize I'm deeply held, and rooted in love. So in those moments when the anxiousness wins out, I can be kind to myself, and quiet the voices that scold. This is such a healing practice. I'm comforted by your companionship in it! I am rooting for you, and rooting into earth energy alongside you!
It’s kind of lovely to think about all of us, slowing down, putting down our phones, and digging our roots in deep. Over 7000 people read Unkempt... imagine if everyone was doing that simultaneously...
Oh the timing... Maia, as always, you write the right thing just as I need it. Yes, 2023 was a wringer in every which way for me, and yet I have been trying to come up with an inspiring end-of-year blog post because I expect people want that from me. But I've written and edited and written more and it just feels like too much - too raw - too personal - too everything. So, I just gave up and now I don't feel so guilty about that! I have needs for 2024 - goals and wishes and mental and spiritual yearnings - but I need this time to just rest. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I suspect there’s some short snippet in all the things that you’ve written that would let people touch in with you without them feeling swamped. I think we’re all just overstimulated with content (on top of everything else🤣) and from what I’m seeing, people just wanna connect without feeling dragged under. All this to say: I bet you can keep it really simple, and your readers will be satisfied.
I am a woman of the desert sun. I love light. The darkness has found it's way into my space in several ways within the last few months and I'm taking lessons from my cats. They love taking 49 left turns at midnight. They don't feel sad in the dark; they feel alive. I'm honing my inner cat, or owl, or nightcrawler magic for sure. Because in the dark, I get to close my eyes and use my other senses; I get to adventure in a different way, grieve in a different way, and experience myself in a different way.
So much truth here, Tiff. As a dog person, I don't get to experience the cat's midnight wanderings... but now I'm wondering how the pack would handle a kitten. :)
xx
So loved the idea of not picking a word for the year! As I sat today, finally having a moment to regroup, reflect and consider just what is my word for this year, I was stumped. LOL. If pressed I would say Adventure. Though, 2023 truly was a growing year and a year that left me wondering what was next! I have plans, I have aspirations and I want adventure. But to have someone else reflect my sentiment of feeling like a washed up survivor was just exactly what I needed! Cheers and Thank-you!
2023 seemed to test many of us. Cheers to adventuring in 2024!
Hi Maia! I’ve been following your writing for years - did one of the earliest witch camps I think! In your last post, talking about the survey, you mentioned a desire for folks to comment. It pinged something in me so I thought I’d drop in.
I so appreciate the reminder to follow flow and instinct instead of forcing the rituals to be the same each year. I’ve been carrying a certain longing these past few days, a malaise that kept cycling into thoughts like “is my life everything I want it to be? Is it mine?” I kept trying to fill the emptiness of that.. but after reading this I started to feel into the sweetness of the emptiness, remembering even the darkness of those questions doesn’t have to be dangerous, it can be a trustworthy season, an aliveness of its own. Thank you for that!
Lol-- you commented and I retreated into “I’m not ready to communicate” mode.🤣
And I love your sense of trusting the emptiness, letting it be alive and juicy. We all have our seasons.
Darkness and what it means to me, for me has been on my mind for the last week or so. The quiet, peaceful night. A time when everything stands still. No-one needs anything from me, no expectations and no phonecalls or phone alerts. I love that time, the darkness but also the quite. It soothes my soul, gives my mind a much needed break. At the moment I embrace the darkness and its energy. But I do believe with the light coming back so will my energy shift.
💜💜💜
I've been drawn again and again post Solstice, to still my body, and my mind -- to root into earth energy and be. I've wanted to slow, and mark the energy of winter in years past, but I've never been able to sustain that stillness over several days. I resisted at first, but I'm loving the peace of the pace now. The inward focus is reflected in my journal, my yoga, my cards, and in my quiet moments waiting for coffee to brew, or computer to boot up. This afternoon, I sat to consider a blank page, hoping for inspiration. This post and thinking about darkness is just the prompt I needed! It's comforting to know that others are slowing down, going deeper, rooting in to this season! 🩵
Tauna, I love reading about your surrender to the stillness! The moments you name, waiting for process to complete, are places I am familiar with anxiousness living. The resistance is real and the surrender takes practice. Inspired by you!
Your words are kind, and they nurture me today! Thank you so much! Anxiousness living is all too familiar to me, and this choice to be still is a challenge. Every time I do choose the quietness, I realize I'm deeply held, and rooted in love. So in those moments when the anxiousness wins out, I can be kind to myself, and quiet the voices that scold. This is such a healing practice. I'm comforted by your companionship in it! I am rooting for you, and rooting into earth energy alongside you!
It’s kind of lovely to think about all of us, slowing down, putting down our phones, and digging our roots in deep. Over 7000 people read Unkempt... imagine if everyone was doing that simultaneously...
Maia, I'm pondering those thousands today! What a lovely thought!
Oh the timing... Maia, as always, you write the right thing just as I need it. Yes, 2023 was a wringer in every which way for me, and yet I have been trying to come up with an inspiring end-of-year blog post because I expect people want that from me. But I've written and edited and written more and it just feels like too much - too raw - too personal - too everything. So, I just gave up and now I don't feel so guilty about that! I have needs for 2024 - goals and wishes and mental and spiritual yearnings - but I need this time to just rest. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I suspect there’s some short snippet in all the things that you’ve written that would let people touch in with you without them feeling swamped. I think we’re all just overstimulated with content (on top of everything else🤣) and from what I’m seeing, people just wanna connect without feeling dragged under. All this to say: I bet you can keep it really simple, and your readers will be satisfied.
Here's what I ended up posting tonight... http://endlessseeker.com/2024/01/03/the-end-of-2023/
And I signed up for your writing retreat ❤️