september's gifts, a little fire by the river, and the beauty of beginning again.
there is something about autumn that makes me want to gather things.
not necessarily possessions, but moments. the last warmth of summer, the changing light, the flowers that surprise me by blooming again, and the experiences that remind me why i choose to live the way i do.
september was full of those moments.
the roses beside my pond have grown into themselves so beautifully, and here they are, blooming again. i even brought home a sixth rose bush from our retreat, which now needs a place to live.
i'm beginning to think that rather than having one rose garden, i need little pockets of roses everywhere. tucked into corners, appearing along paths, waiting to greet me when i least expect them.
perhaps joy should be planted that way, too.
a little fire, a little cacao, and nowhere else i needed to be
recently, i spent time beside the river near my home, gathering stones, tending a small fire, preparing cacao, and creating a spiral in the earth with roses, rose quartz and the gifts of the natural world.
i went without needing the experience to become anything in particular.
and something beautiful happened.
i stopped hurrying.
there was no schedule to keep, no expectation to meet, no particular outcome to produce.
just the river, the fire, the earth, Grandmother Cacao, and me.
i could have stayed for hours longer, had i been a little more comfortable and not eventually needed a bathroom. apparently even the most magical moments must occasionally answer to a very human bladder.
but i came home feeling more connected to myself, not less connected to the work waiting for me.
perhaps that is one of the gifts of giving ourselves permission to simply be.
we don't always need to step away from life to escape it.
sometimes we step away to remember how we want to live it.
“before the spiral was drawn in the earth, it was growing in the garden, melting in the kitchen, and waiting in the quiet moments when i finally gave myself permission to begin.”
autumn by the sea — a little magic by the water 🌊
the first weekend of october brought us together for autumn by the sea, a beautiful gathering of women, cacao, creativity, laughter, and connection.
there were sunrise moments by the water, shared meals, quiet rituals, a fire for releasing what we were ready to put down, and even a little unexpected magic in the form of singing apples!
what stays with me most isn't any particular activity. it's the conversations, the laughter, the willingness to show up as we are, and the beautiful reminder that sometimes the most meaningful thing we can do is give ourselves permission to simply be.
i came home grateful, inspired, and already dreaming about our next gathering by the sea.
chocolat & chocolates — november 1 🍫
and speaking of gathering...
on november 1, we're stepping into a little cinematic magic at the historic roxy theatre for chocolat & chocolates.
imagine an afternoon inspired by the beloved film Chocolat, surrounded by the aromas and flavors of handcrafted chocolate, a gathering of makers, and a few delicious surprises.
i've been creating a special collection of chocolates for this afternoon, each with its own shape, flavor, and meaning. some of those meanings will be revealed as we get closer, but i'm keeping a few secrets tucked inside the boxes until november 1.
this is more than an afternoon at the movies. it's an invitation to experience chocolate as something that connects us through pleasure, memory, storytelling, and a little bit of magic.
sunday, november 1 | 12–4 pm | roxy theatre
reservations are open, and seating is limited.
rose & cacao — walking the spiral into winter 🌹
perhaps the most personal offering i've been creating this season is the rose & cacao spiral.
beginning october 26, this eight-week journey carries us gently toward yule, accompanied by grandmother cacao, the wisdom of the rose, and the changing rhythms of the season.
we'll explore permission, presence, release, rest, boundaries, pleasure, remembering, and becoming.
there are no assignments to complete, no meetings to attend, and no falling behind. each week opens another doorway, with reflections, rituals, and gentle invitations to meet yourself exactly where you are.
each participant will also receive the five gifts of the spiral, a thoughtfully prepared ritual collection that includes eight handmade cacao roses, rose-petal powder, a rose-quartz bracelet, a rose and cacao-shell soak, and the 22-card i am emboldened encouragement deck.
i've been creating this journey with my own hands, from the cacao in my kitchen to the roses in my garden, and with a growing understanding that i need this practice as much as anyone.
i'm not standing at the center of the spiral waiting for you.
i'm walking beside you.
october 26 – december 21 | online, at your own pace | $444, including your ritual kit and u.s. shipping
as the seasons turn...
whether we meet in a theatre, beside the sea, through a shared cup of cacao, or simply here in these occasional letters, i'm grateful that our paths cross.
autumn has a way of reminding me that change doesn't always require us to leave something behind. sometimes it simply asks us to notice what is becoming.
with love, cacao, and a few rose petals,