Your manifesto was beautiful. I love the idea of making a type of 'dream board' but as a manifesto with words, phrases, and images that resonate with me and framing it right above my desk where I work all day. Thank you for the inspiration. And also your last bit, partly about Witch Camp, but also about being human and awakening was beautiful. I wrote it all down in my journal of inspirational quotes. Thank you for that. Especially the line "the wild one within who knows you are an inseparable part of nature, who recognizes the natural magic in the world, and who understands that if you listen closely enough, self-trust becomes your compass."
Self Trust... I have found this to be particularly difficult while on a journey to solve health mysteries. Well... what doctors call mysteries anyway. We have some science-based ideas that have been typically dismissed.
I've been told alot recently that it's "psycho-somatic" and to stop doing this to myself. It certainly put in the seed of self doubt.
I also wrote a manifesto regarding this journey to keep my head and heart on on straight. I re-read it when the journey gets tough. Your teacher is right. It's not just a thread to hold onto but a life line.
My family and I need answers and settling for bandaids is no longer an option. Our lives have changed beyond measure.
But this means I have to trust myself. My family also has to trust in what they've seen and shared in this experience. We cannot waiver if we want the truth.
Thank you for sharing about manifestos here. It really helps hit home that I'm on the right track. I'm still doing the right things.
I have to go chase after my furry shadow and my words are getting all swimmy. ❤️🐝
As someone who has repeatedly dealt with health "mysteries," I both feel you and know how absolutely vital it is to trust what yourself. Your body knows... even if the descriptions your provide make no sense to the medical doctors. It sounds like you are far in this journey, so this might be old news, but (if it's useful) I have found keeping a journal helps me identify my own patterns. After I see the patterns, I start researching. While I am not a fan of AI for all things, it's super useful for quickly digging through medical info.
Yes, we do this already. I even have binders of print outs from appointments, test results, and peer reviewed research reports. It has become my opus. My self as experiment. All my scientific and medical training being utilized to my current fullest extent. My kids want me to write a book about the journey. Thank you for your response. Encouragement is always welcome. ❤️
Gosh this all resonates so much with me. "Having access to information that comes in through every sensation in my body..." This makes me want to loudly scream YES. In my work and life as an herbalist I find myself in this place of straddling the clinical/scientific realm with the intuitive/spiritual realm. Interestingly, I can completely loose myself in both, in the sense of diving fully and fascinated in. However, when working with people, the pure clinical/scientific alone just does not cut it for me - if I don't allow for my intuitive side to have a voice, my work does not feel complete.
Thank you for the inspiration to create a manifesto. It feels like I have it all inside of me, but there is something really powerful to giving it clarity by bringing it onto paper. I love the visual aspect of yours.
Whether you create a “school” or this stack is the place that those of us in that part of our journey just drop in and out of is still holding a space and very much appreciated. In many ways the fluidity and lack of commitment to a schedule may make this venue even more valuable. Living by someone else’s pace without respect to my own is another thing I’m working on. :)
That’s exactly what I was trying to figure out! How to create a real sense of community— because I think that’s important— without impinging on peoples’ schedules. Like what’s the online equivalent of your favorite coffee shop where all your friends hang out? The place you go to have deep conversations that feed your soul and also make you dig around and question things in your own life? I’m thinking it’s some kind of add on to this space…. And I also want to have salons up at my house for people in that group. Not a full-blown retreat, but a quarterly “ if you feel like being in Asheville, come on by for tea and the labyrinth walk” kind of thing.
Love that idea! A virtual coffee shop where old friends can meet and new acquaintances can become old friends. I’ve been to your place for a workshop and agree that it’s a wonderful place to reflect and connect…with ourselves as well as others. Looking forward to how this idea evolves.
Have been thinking about the idea of a manifesto like document for a while now. I’m spending time peeling back the language I use to articulate my values and beliefs, questioning which things are my own inherent wisdom and which are born from the social norms I operate within. I love the idea of witch camp becoming a midlife version as it feels that this work can only be done at this place in life. Appreciate you for creating space to hold that work.
Disentangling from social norms feels like an ongoing process… the norms shift, I shift, even the meaning of words shifts. It’s funny, it’s that last one that I really fight against.🤣
I’m giving midlife mystery school a lot of thought before I jump in. Figuring out what structure works in peoples lives now is the biggest mystery!
Your manifesto was beautiful. I love the idea of making a type of 'dream board' but as a manifesto with words, phrases, and images that resonate with me and framing it right above my desk where I work all day. Thank you for the inspiration. And also your last bit, partly about Witch Camp, but also about being human and awakening was beautiful. I wrote it all down in my journal of inspirational quotes. Thank you for that. Especially the line "the wild one within who knows you are an inseparable part of nature, who recognizes the natural magic in the world, and who understands that if you listen closely enough, self-trust becomes your compass."
I am so, so glad you found a few layers of inspiration in this post!
Self Trust... I have found this to be particularly difficult while on a journey to solve health mysteries. Well... what doctors call mysteries anyway. We have some science-based ideas that have been typically dismissed.
I've been told alot recently that it's "psycho-somatic" and to stop doing this to myself. It certainly put in the seed of self doubt.
I also wrote a manifesto regarding this journey to keep my head and heart on on straight. I re-read it when the journey gets tough. Your teacher is right. It's not just a thread to hold onto but a life line.
My family and I need answers and settling for bandaids is no longer an option. Our lives have changed beyond measure.
But this means I have to trust myself. My family also has to trust in what they've seen and shared in this experience. We cannot waiver if we want the truth.
Thank you for sharing about manifestos here. It really helps hit home that I'm on the right track. I'm still doing the right things.
I have to go chase after my furry shadow and my words are getting all swimmy. ❤️🐝
As someone who has repeatedly dealt with health "mysteries," I both feel you and know how absolutely vital it is to trust what yourself. Your body knows... even if the descriptions your provide make no sense to the medical doctors. It sounds like you are far in this journey, so this might be old news, but (if it's useful) I have found keeping a journal helps me identify my own patterns. After I see the patterns, I start researching. While I am not a fan of AI for all things, it's super useful for quickly digging through medical info.
Yes, we do this already. I even have binders of print outs from appointments, test results, and peer reviewed research reports. It has become my opus. My self as experiment. All my scientific and medical training being utilized to my current fullest extent. My kids want me to write a book about the journey. Thank you for your response. Encouragement is always welcome. ❤️
Gosh this all resonates so much with me. "Having access to information that comes in through every sensation in my body..." This makes me want to loudly scream YES. In my work and life as an herbalist I find myself in this place of straddling the clinical/scientific realm with the intuitive/spiritual realm. Interestingly, I can completely loose myself in both, in the sense of diving fully and fascinated in. However, when working with people, the pure clinical/scientific alone just does not cut it for me - if I don't allow for my intuitive side to have a voice, my work does not feel complete.
Thank you for the inspiration to create a manifesto. It feels like I have it all inside of me, but there is something really powerful to giving it clarity by bringing it onto paper. I love the visual aspect of yours.
And oh my, YES to a Midlife Mystery School!
Deep in the science, you cross over into the mystery, right? That's what I always found-- that one way a doorway to the other. Yin and yang.
I am working on the mystery school concept! Trying to figure out how to bridge busy lives with the desire for community.
Whether you create a “school” or this stack is the place that those of us in that part of our journey just drop in and out of is still holding a space and very much appreciated. In many ways the fluidity and lack of commitment to a schedule may make this venue even more valuable. Living by someone else’s pace without respect to my own is another thing I’m working on. :)
That’s exactly what I was trying to figure out! How to create a real sense of community— because I think that’s important— without impinging on peoples’ schedules. Like what’s the online equivalent of your favorite coffee shop where all your friends hang out? The place you go to have deep conversations that feed your soul and also make you dig around and question things in your own life? I’m thinking it’s some kind of add on to this space…. And I also want to have salons up at my house for people in that group. Not a full-blown retreat, but a quarterly “ if you feel like being in Asheville, come on by for tea and the labyrinth walk” kind of thing.
Love that idea! A virtual coffee shop where old friends can meet and new acquaintances can become old friends. I’ve been to your place for a workshop and agree that it’s a wonderful place to reflect and connect…with ourselves as well as others. Looking forward to how this idea evolves.
Have been thinking about the idea of a manifesto like document for a while now. I’m spending time peeling back the language I use to articulate my values and beliefs, questioning which things are my own inherent wisdom and which are born from the social norms I operate within. I love the idea of witch camp becoming a midlife version as it feels that this work can only be done at this place in life. Appreciate you for creating space to hold that work.
Disentangling from social norms feels like an ongoing process… the norms shift, I shift, even the meaning of words shifts. It’s funny, it’s that last one that I really fight against.🤣
I’m giving midlife mystery school a lot of thought before I jump in. Figuring out what structure works in peoples lives now is the biggest mystery!
I feel like Witch Camp has been growing along with us, like she's an old friend. TMST is the newest chapter in our journey. 💕Thanks Maia.
You brought tears to my eyes and I have make-up on because I have to record a video in a few minutes!🤣