OBSRVNC

How to be Present in Nature Part VI: Listen

I find the simplest thing to do while being in nature is to listen. Typically, we’re walking the streets with our headphones on, exercising in the park while listening to music, or talking to someone on the phone — we’re preoccupied with keeping a sound barrier between us and the world. These days, I spend more time walking the streets without anything in my ears or my headphones are in with no sound playing.

By freeing my ears to listen to what’s around me, I’ve been able to hear the buzzing of an insect nearby, hear the call of a specific bird, or hear the rustling in a bush to indicate a small animal was nearby. And these are from day-to-day moments around my neighborhood. So when I’m in a park or at the beach, I truly value the opportunity to just listen to what’s around me.

Listening Can Reveal Pleasant Surprises

When I listen to nature, I’m present. I notice the trees swaying, the birds singing and the bugs humming. It helps me take in my environment; I’m aware of what surrounds me and I’m overwhelmed by the abundance of it all. Tapping in to nature always feels so ancient; it feels like I’m connecting to an all-knowing force around me. I feel so peaceful afterwards.

The image to the left is a photo I was able to grab of a raccoon that I only noticed because I was being present and listening. I was leaning against a bridge railing and I heard a chitterring sound. At first, I wasn’t sure where it came from but I immediately knew a racoon was near. I listened again, looked behind the railing and lo and behold, I saw a raccoon on the railing trying to make its way onto the bridge. It was naturegirl moment that made me truly gleeful inside and I got to appreciate it because I was present. Because I was listening.

Some ways to be present and listen to nature:

Find a spot where there’s a diverse source of nature and get comfortable!
Look around you, be still and quiet. What are the sounds coming from the sights you see?
Close your eyes and simply listen. What do you hear? Is it familiar?
Close your eyes, listen to a distinct sound. then open your eyes to see if you can pinpoint what you heard.
Do you hear water? Is it a trickling sound like a creek? Or the crashing of waves? What does it sound like the water is doing? Can you envision it without looking at it?
As you continue listening and hear scurrying in a bush or a tree – can you tell if it’s a bird or a squirrel?

If you do this enough, you might train your ears to help you be more aware of your surroundings no matter where you go!

“When you walk in nature and speak to the spirit of the elements and to other nature beings, the true wisdom comes through a transmission that is beyond rational understanding. This energetic transmission touches a knowing you were born with, of oneness with the Earth, which acts as fertilizer for your growth.”

– Sandra Ingerman and Llyn Roberts, Speaking with Nature

All photos captured by my (c)dycephotography

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Checking the Ego During Scorpio Season

Wow, what a Scorpio season this has been in 2020! Have you felt it?

Between the full moon in Taurus on Halloween, the veil thinning, the Mercury Retrograde (with its the pull to do shadow work), Mars being in Retrograde (9/9 – 11/13), and then the 11/11 portal, I’ve been going deep within myself. I’ve been assessing things from my past that still affect my current thoughts, things I need to let go of, ways I need to open my heart more, and ways in which I limit myself. And you know what? Much of this has been triggered by conversations with others. Questioning why I react so strongly to certain things, why I revert to a childlike state in some situations, and why do I place certain limitations on myself. It’s been a lot.

8th House Ruler: Pluto is Here to Destroy and Rebuild

These themes in my life have come up during this season because Scorpio is ruled by the 8th house, home to Pluto. Scorpio is about plunging into the depths and finding out what’s behind the mask, but also about indulging in passions and serving one’s needs. By nature, a Scorpio faces an ongoing battle with itself. Because it is ruled by both Mars and Pluto, it struggles between its lower desires (Mars energy) and its higher self (Pluto).

Pluto, the planet* of destruction is a powerful force that holds more introspective energy than Mars. It pushes for transformation and ascension; it wants to break down the ego. Pluto knows what’s best while Mars just wants to take charge and get things done. Pluto is the furthest planet in the solar system, the one on the fringes, hidden in the shadows (*Pluto’s classification as a planet tends to waiver).

Pluto energy can make things uncomfortable because it wants to find the highest version of self. It wants you to shed what no longer serves you, like the snake. As much work as I do on ascending and being a better person, I often don’t even realize how much of my behavior is still ego-driven. And with this behavior, I realize there must be a fear of something deep down inside. But why? What is the root of that fear? What is the root of that feeling of lack? It can be tough to really face these parts of ourselves that we don’t want to acknowledge, but like with everything – with the good comes the bad. My aim is to continuously get better at transmuting the negative energies that don’t serve me.

The Scorpio is after all, the alchemist.

Find Selenite + Tourmaline in my Etsy shop to help you call in blessing/healing energy (selenite) and protection (tourmaline).

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Activate Your Light During the 11:11 Portal

This mystical Scorpio season of 2020 has brought us a Mercury Retrograde (in Scorpio), a Taurus full moon on Halloween, and it will also herald the 11:11 portal on November 11th. Not only does the number 11 look aesthetically pleasing, but it’s actually quite steeped in divinity. 11 represents the balance of divine feminine and divine masculine energies; it represents a portal, one which brings forth creation. When you double this with 11:11, the energy is magnified.

See 11:11 on the clock? Time to make a wish!
Have you heard of this popular phrase?

In a sense, the sequence 1111 does indicate for you to be mindful of what you think, because as humans, we have the ability to manifest our thoughts and desires. It’s just that we often operate out of our subconscious, and when living in such a way, you could be missing out on manifesting the positive, abundant life that you consciously believe you want. People have claimed they start seeing 11:11 (or 1111) when they feel like they’re starting to spiritually awaken. The sight of repetitive number sequences start to tip people off to the fact that they may be able to get closer to the divine source.

Activate Love

I think this will be an interesting 11:11 portal before heading into the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction on December 21st (both planets will be in the constellation of Aquarius). I’ve seen some Astrology reports indicate that this conjunction between planets on the Winter Solstice could usher in a new energy for us on the planet – the energy that brings in the age of Aquarius, of supporting humanity. This time is supposed to start rebuilding a new paradigm as the old ways of Capricorn fall.

So, why do I bring up this 12/21 conjunction with the 11:11 portal? Well, if you’d like to interpret it this way, you can use the 11:11 portal to focus on love, which is the highest vibration. Harness the energy of love! Love heals. Love heals ourselves and others. Since 11:11 is so powerful, and is typically known to be a number that assists in personal transformation, focus on operating from your highest, divine self. I know that personally, 2020 has shown me how much God is within me and that it’s beneficial to get closer to myself. To know how to love more deeply, to truly hold faith in my heart, and trust in divine order.

During this portal, we’re also encouraged to clear out any stagnant and negative energies as we step into a new level of alignment. Think about the ways you can free your mind and liberate yourself from any ways you may be holding yourself back.

Be intentional.
Be the love.
Expand.
Illuminate.

Captured at Green-wood cemetery in Brooklyn, NY, this is my artistic representation of a portal, which I thought was perfect for 11:11. The center image is a set of doors to a mausoleum in a cemetery. The side photos showcase details of the lovely ivy that frame the entrance of this gateway.

These images are for sale as 5×7 prints on my Etsy shop, Dycephotography, check it out!

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Facing my Shadow as Mercury Retrogrades in Scorpio

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
—Carl Jung

This Mercury in Retrograde (which is in the mysterious, deep-diving sign of Scorpio), I’ve unexpectedly been hit with the task of facing some shadow aspects of myself. What’s funny is, I’m dealing with familiar themes but almost feel more awakened to them now. More triggered by them, so to speak. It’s not that these problems haven’t already existed, it’s just that now, I find myself seriously needing to change the ways I look at them, at my self. Shadow work is constant, and this year has certainly challenged many of us to see the unpleasant side of life and our role in it.

As Mercury gets pulled into this whirlwind of Scorpio’s underworld, my thoughts have been dancing with my subconscious. I’m being reminded that healing is messy, healing is not linear. Pluto, ruler of the 8th house and co-ruler of Scorpio (the other is Mars), is truly pushing me to evolve to my higher self. It wants me to break down my ego further.

With the retrograde bringing up memories from the past, I’m challenging myself to live in the present in a new way. To alchemize those patterns in to something new, something beneficial.

HOW EASY IS IT FOR US TO JUST KEEP LIVING OUT OUR OWN CYCLES OF DISCORD?! To be asleep. To not get to know ourselves and our minds intimately. I believe it is our duty to ourselves to continue to refine, to transmute, and to work on individuation.

image captured of my shadow in Beacon, NY

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Inspired by a Photo: A Brief Exploration of the 4 Elements of Life

To me, this featured photo encompasses representations of the 4 major elements that are the foundation to life: fire, water, earth, and air. You’ll find that these elements are important to occult practices (5 elements, if you include that of the spirit). You come across more representations of these elements when we explore the zodiac signs, and when looking at the basics of alchemy, voodoo, wicca practices (and others).

But on the most basic level, these elements are important in our daily lives and I wanted to take a look at how they relate to us in a simple physical and spiritual interpretation.

Elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Earth

Fire: Though the sun (as depicted by the sunset rays in the photo) is a ball of gas, it’s heat reminds me of warmth from a burning fire. Fire represents our ambition, the passion that keeps you going. Fire keeps us warm, it cooks our food. A hot temperature in our bodies indicates a temper; an indication of inflammation/infection in the body. In the zodiac, the signs of Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. The wands family in the tarot deck.

Water: Represented by the Hudson river in this image. H2O molecules. The vital element needed for the functioning of our human bodies. A life force and renewing energy. Connection to the womb and to birth. Also, to rebirthing (think of baptisms — think of how good you feel after a shower, a good swim). It represents the flow of things, going where nature intends. In the zodiac, the signs of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces. The cups family in the tarot deck.

Air: The invisible force that surrounds us. The nitrogen and oxygen that we inhale. The carbon dioxide that we exhale. Our breath. Our lungs and respiratory system. The representation of communication, of our mind. The throat chakra. Mercury. In the zodiac, the signs of Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra. The swords family in the tarot deck.

Earth: The ground beneath us. Our foundation and all that supports our habitats, that supports growth, nature, the trees, and even water. The earth is our connection to staying present in the moment. Using our senses to interact with the world around us, connectivity. Our root chakra. Our feet and legs — staying connected to what’s below us and not getting to lost in the clouds. The pentacles family in the tarot deck.

Featured image captured by me in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

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Stop. Think About “The New Normal” For YOU

STOP.

This Libra season I ask, how does one find balance if one is always on the go? I believe many people are spiritually awakening or at least questioning reality as we’ve known it, but as we live our day to day lives, it can be quite easy to get sucked back into the cycle of having your head in your phone, checking e-mails/social media/notifications, and being obsessed about productivity. It takes a lot of awareness and determination to know when you’ve gotten too far away from your spirit, from your own core grounding.

IT’S OK TO DISCONNECT.

I almost feel like now that we’re not on lockdown, there’s a rushed energy to try and get things back to how they were before. “Get people back into the office—Spend money—Entertain Yourself—Sports—Celebrity News.” Remember? This was how you lived your life before. Let’s try to get it back to that so that you complain less. So that you’re still passive.

Let’s not forget that things weren’t all great and dandy before the pandemic. Capitalism was still draining more hours and money from people. Public transportation was severely overcrowded, schools have been failing students, the income disparity continues to increase. But all we get are more tv shows, more social media dances, more gadgets, inflation, and poisonous food.

Some places are still in lockdown, other places have less restrictions … who knows what’s permanent and temporary these days. But I believe we should try to be more intentional about the type of future we can create for ourselves. Also, be willing to be a little open minded. You never know what the universe might decide to bless you with.

What’s in the past is in the past.

Image captured by me in Beacon, NY

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In October, We Celebrate Life and Death

I love October! Fall is in full effect, the weather is cooler but still enjoyable, pumpkins are abound, and we have the celebratory times of Halloween/Samhain/Dia de los Muertos/All Souls Day. Though Libra rides out much of this month, on the 22nd, we have the start of my second favorite season, that of Scorpio. Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Pluto—Pluto, being the planet of Hades, which grounds Scorpio in the underworld energy (Mars brings a driven, ambitious energy). During this time we go beneath the surface, unlock secrets, and explore death and the taboo.

A Time When We “Keep the Spirit Alive”

As we begin our descent into Hades’ Underworld, we witness the colorful and exuberant death in nature as the leaves of the trees change colors. We celebrate the harvest and the fruits of our labor from earlier in the season, and we prepare to retreat for the darkness ahead. In the days leading up to Halloween and All Souls Day, the veil between our earthly world and the spirit world beings to get quite thin, and communications to the other side can be enhanced. These celebrations help us honor our ancestors and our loved ones who are still with us in spirit.

Ultimately, I’d say that those who choose to participate in these events develop a relationship with the concept of death. Death is at the center of the celebration. You continue to keep the spirit of your loved ones alive. You can take the time to honor their energy, to honor who they were before they transcended beyond this form. Isn’t that beautiful? That people take the time to be present with life while also embracing the end of it.

I think our American society still has a lot of work to do when it comes to discussing and normalizing death, how we prepare for and cope with “the end.” Everything that lives must transform into something else. Isn’t that the beauty of the butterfly?

All photos were taken by me in Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY.

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What’s Your Daily Spiritual Practice?

“One of the pillars of soulful living, according to inspiring yoga teacher Leila Sadapghee, is the establishment of sadhana, daily spiritual practice. This needn’t involve prayer– it could be a daily meditation, mantra repetition or yoga practice with an underlying spiritual intent.”
— Pip Walker, Deeply Holistic

I highlighted that quote in the book I just finished, Deeply Holistic, by Pip Walker, which has been incredibly insightful on sharing the connections between our mind, body, and soul and the holistic ways in which we can nurture all three aspects of our selves. Being aware of this connection has helped me understand myself better.

Depending on how my thinking is on a particular day, I can see where I’ve slacked off on my spiritual care. When I’m prone to feeling more anxious; I realize I’m worrying and not living in the moment. I realize moments where I may be internalizing more fear than I’d like to. I encounter these “lower vibrational” energies and have to pull myself back.

During these low vibrational moments, I remember that there are good energies that I can tap into. That I can transmute my negative thoughts, that I only want the best of what the universe has to offer me.

There are things that I like to do to help me feel more centered. And though I may not do all of them in one day, I realize that engaging in at least one of these activities helps me get into a better energetic space, allowing me to be more positive and clear-headed rather than the emotional instability I can find myself creeping towards:

Daily Practices to Help Your Spirit:

Going for a walk without listening to music. Simply being outside, feeling the breeze. Hearing the birds and the trees ruffle.
Meditating. I prefer to do this in the morning.
Gratitude affirmations (say aloud the things that you’re grateful for. This helps you realize how blessed you curently are)
Yoga
Spend some time in nature
Mantra repetitions (sounds made through the repetition of a phrase during meditation. These vibrations are believed to hold power)

Image captured by me of some joggers in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

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Welcoming Fall and the Harvest with a Mabon Celebration

We just welcomed the Autumn Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere and there’s been a lovely crisp to the air here in the Northeast. During the first day of fall on September 22nd, the sun also moved into the zodiac of Libra. Additionally, the beginning of fall also brings us Mabon, a pagan/Celtic/Wiccan tradition, which is one of 3 harvest celebrations (the third being Samhain which coincides with Halloween).

Mabon is actually a “thanksgiving” celebration, when you look at it simply. It’s a gathering of the harvest from all of the hard work put forth during the growing season. You fill the cornucopia with squash, pomegranate, and corn (and more!). Apples and berries are picked, pies are baked and jams are canned and stored for the cold months ahead. It’s during this time that we start to reap what we’ve sown, and celebrate the abundance of nature around us.

As we come to the end of September, we reflect, we put things into balance (Libra), we celebrate with loved ones (this is also a Libran quality, a social air sign), and you share a piece of your spirit through cooking and love. This is a lovely time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life as we head into the darker season.

I love the fall because it’s almost like a rejuvenation for my spirit. I get to slow down a little bit, feed my soul with nourishing soups, and enjoy the clear blue skies.

Here are some things you can do to bring in the season:

Journal about what you’re thankful for and what you’ve been able to manifest in your life
Trim back any of your own gardens and/or bushes; trimmings of herbs and flowers
Deep clean of your house, along with some smudging
Cook something special for a loved one
Host a bonfire if you can!
Light a candle and meditate on your blessings

How are you celebrating this harvest season?

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How to be Present in Nature Part V: Earthing

When was the last time you felt the soil and grass beneath your feet? Or even the sand between your toes?

It’s way too easy for us to physically disconnect from nature these days. Unless you intentionally spend time in a park or the beach, most of us are missing out on connecting to the earth that supports us. We don’t really touch soil (unless you’ve got a garden), we don’t or hug the touch trees, and we rarely let our bare feet touch the grass beneath us.

I think that we sometimes feel frustrated in life because we get so caught up in the rat race of the world. We get very micro and overwhelm ourselves with anxieties and worries. We forget to take a step back from it all. We don’t connect to the healing energies of the earth. Indigenous people understand the importance of deeply connecting with the source, with nature. Many of them see nature as an extension of themselves and have a more holistic relationship with Mother Earth. They understand that nature affects them and they affect it; this complex relationship should be nurtured in order to maintain sustainability.

Science shows that when you ground yourself with the earth, free electrons are released into your body. These electrons are actually antioxidants that help clear free radicals from your body (free radicals tend to be associated with cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and others). Grounding is a process that impacts you on a cellular level. Connecting your bare feet to the earth is beneficial for your heart and also in reducing inflammation in the body.

Earthing is a great mindful activity to engage in when you feel a little out of sorts and need to clear your head. It has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve sleep disorders, and improve muscular healing. Go ahead and give it a few tries to see for yourself!

How to “earth” and get grounded:

Take your shoes off and walk around in the grass/soil and/or sand. If in the sand, walk up to the water and let the water wash over your feet.
Do any of the following: relax your mind/meditate, repeat affirmations, state the things you’re grateful for.

To get a fair share of exposure to the earth’s magnetic field, you’ll want to do this for at least 40 minutes a day.

Both images captured by me.

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The Stronger We are as Individuals, The Better We are as a Collective

“The better the state is established, the fainter is humanity.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche

We live in a society that has programmed us to live in fear. We’re led to believe there’s something to be afraid of on every corner, fear just lurking – waiting to take something away from us.

Unfortunately, it seems like there’s a growing divide among the people. The negative messaging we’re bombarded with is making people more afraid of one another. It’s been this way for a while though. We’ve been afraid of terrorists, aliens, gangs, and whoever else is demonized in the media. These tactics weaken our connections with our fellow neighbors and allow our society to become more fragile.

I’d say we’re in a game of spiritual warfare. The pandemic isn’t over, and in the midst of it, we’re continuously fed one disappointing story after the next; it’s a cycle of low vibrations. But if you’re willing to see it, the events of 2020 have shown us how little control we have when it comes to external affairs. The most we can do for ourselves and for the world, is to learn how to balance ourselves internally (which is a daily practice).

Who wants to have their mood shifted every time they hop on social media or check the news? Find the still within so you can know what’s really worth your energy. What helps calm your mind? Check in with your own discernment. Is the content you’re about to digest going to help your well-being or harm it?

Challenges will always be present, we’ll always encounter messages that don’t support a healthy mind or vibe. “The work” always involves how we decide to respond; that’s truly the hard part.

Photo taken by me in Brooklyn, NY.

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Alone, Together

I enjoy my own company. Even while at home, I’m rarely bored; there’s always so much to do.
Clean, write, journal, organize, learn, create art.
I have a rich inner world. Sometimes it’s a blessing and a curse.

I often go to the beach alone. To the park alone.
Simply because I enjoy it.
Conversations don’t always need to be had.
When I trek to these places by myself, I often notice others like me and feel a sense of camaraderie.

To the folks who are fine venturing out alone.
We can continue to show the world you don’t always need someone by your side.
Alone, together.

Image captured by me in a solo trip to Coney Island, Brooklyn

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Practically Manifest Your Goals: It’s Virgo Season

The below blog post is from my most recent newsletter. I typically create content specifically just for the newsletter, but I thought this one would be good to share as a blog post.

Can you believe it? The year is more than halfway over! We’ve come to the end of August, Leo season is done, and now we’re heading into the earthy, grounded, feminine energy of Virgo.

After the gregarious summer vibes, September always seems to be a sobering month. Virgo is ready to get us focused again. September almost feels like the dawn of a new year; those of the Jewish faith, actually celebrate their new year in September—Rosh Hashanah.

As Virgo pulls us back down to earth after expansive Leo, we can find ways to practically work towards manifesting our intentions. Work on those business plans, organize your files, clear out your digital trash; it’s also never too late to invest in a planner.

It’s time to calm our minds and ground ourselves.

While connecting with the calmer Virgo energies, think about the change you want to see in your life. What will the change require of YOU? It seems there’s something new happening almost every month these days. With elections coming up, there might be more divisive energy in the air. We can’t succumb to the external negative energies; there’s certainly been enough of that this year!

Of course, there will always be situations that may be out of our control, but the better we can handle unforeseen changes, while moving with our own inner peace and navigation system, the more adaptable we’ll be. Keep your mind and body agile!

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A Midsummer Symphony

Cicadas replace the sounds of birds on a summer morning,
Crickets and grasshoppers sing their nightly symphonies;
Sounds that simply lull you to sleep.

As you walk around,
as you sit on the porch or the stoop,
the liveliness of the invisible critters becomes the background noise
of your environment.

Rattles, whistles, and chirps remind us that
no matter what, life goes on.
Life happens even when we can’t even see it.

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How to be Present in Nature Part IV: Skygazing

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been entranced by sunsets and skygazing. I remember during a trip to South Carolina in my youth, I was in complete awe looking at the night sky. Everywhere I looked, just more and more clusters of stars. The whole sky was be-speckled in them! As a young girl from Queens, NYC, this was a completely different world to me.

I couldn’t believe that there were people who got to see that every night. And It didn’t faze them. Me, on the other hand, I relished the nights where I could see a few potential constellations in the sky on a clear night in a city with ambient light pollution. As I got older and travelled, I realized I didn’t even have to go too far to see a starlit sky. More secluded areas in New York State and along the Hudson river offer amazing views of the sky. Mostly, it seems anywhere you go outside of the immediate 5 boroughs without a bunch of street lights, you’ll have a better view.

A screenshot I took using SkyView App: Saturn and Jupiter visible on a summer night in Brooklyn.

With age and access to a smartphone, I was an early adopter of stargazing apps. It’s something I always have to have on any phone. I stargaze constantly and notice the shifts in the sky based on the season.

I’ve come to realize when I can recognize certain zodiac constellations in the sky depending on the season (for instance, I know in the northeast, I can spot Orion’s belt in the late winter/early spring). By reading the sky, you’ll be able to know what season you’re in without a calendar or watch. The sky is a map! I love engaging in ways that help us reconnect with nature, with our truer selves.

Here’s how you can be present with the night sky:

*Download a star gazing app. I use SkyView Lite – it’s the free version but works well for my basic needs*

Do you see the moon? What position is it in?
Are there any stars or patterns you can immediately identify?
Do you think you might be looking at a planet? There are distinct times where we can see Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, so it’s possible! Mars, I enjoy because it actually does have a red glow in the sky.
- Open your skygazing app, verify if there are any planets in the sky.
What constellations can you observe and are you familiar with any of the names of their bright stars? (The app will show you what constellation a star is a part of).
- *PS, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll notice a lot of the names in the stories come from these bright stars.

Spend more time looking above you and remember that there’s such a great vastness beyond our simple existence.

We’re all apart of some sort of collective conscious, how can we contribute something positive to it?
As above, so below. As within, so without.

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We Shouldn’t Externalize “The Revolution”

The revolution won’t be televised. Why not? Because I honestly believe the revolution starts within.

It starts with how we think about ourselves. Our outlook on our own lives, the intentions behind our actions, the way we prioritize our health and mental states. The little things we can do in our lives to help bring us more internal peace, more calm.

How do we take on the problems of the world when we have yet to solve the problems within our own lives?

When we can all collectively work to address our inner shadows, our strengths, weaknesses, and biases – we can be better people to ourselves and fellow man.

Just a thought.

Image captured by me in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn.

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Does Your Soul Need These Two Things?

“What are soul needs? They lie in two realms: nature and creativity.”
– Clarissa Pinkola Estés,
Women who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

I just want to leave you all with this quote that resonated heavily with my soul. I chose this photo I shot from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens for my feature image because when you think about it, isn’t a garden such a beautiful combination of nature and creativity?

Nature is so abundant! So healing! Sometimes I think we take it for granted. The trees that provide us shade and oxygen (plus homes to so many animals and critters), the bees that pollinate to keep organic life thriving, the water to cool us down, the grass to sit on. I could go on.

And our individual creativity helps us explore new ideas, new thoughts, we can literally give birth to new things because of our beautiful minds. From our minds, hearts, hands, and feet, we create! Check-in with your inner creator from time to time. We all have one. It’s a part of your soul you absolutely must feed. There’s no pressure when it comes to creativity. Use it as a release.

I think we could all benefit from more exposure to nature and creativity in our lives.
Be well, stay healthy!

From top left to right: Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 kid’s playground, Prospect Park, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 kid’s playground

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Long Gone Are the Days

Seems like the quiet times these days are the early mornings,
the stormy days,
the rain,
and the night time (when people start to head home).

Social mobility post “quarantine lock-down” has been beneficial, but let’s face it –
we’re all outside!
Some people are still quarantining, but most of us are out trying to enjoy slivers of freedom.
There’s a muddle of energies and low frequencies are abound.

For someone who prefers to walk the streets with a bit of anonymity,
it seems those days are of the past. Maybe until it gets cool again.
For now, there’s people on every block, every corner, savoring every morsel of sunlight.

Long gone are the days where I can find a serene spot in the park.
It’s possible if I search hard enough – but sometimes that takes the enjoyment out of it.
Like ants, we’re everywhere.
And I get it.
Everyone is trying the same escape act.

Image captured by me in Brooklyn.

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Do You Listen with Intention?

“The conversation lingered in my head for hours —”
– Outkast (Big Boi), Rosa Parks

How often do we find ourselves in conversations where we say, “I was thinking about ‘that thing’ you were talking about the other day?” to someone we know? Let me ask you this – is it often enough?

I like to think that by saying this, maybe subconsciously, we’re letting someone know that we listened to them. It’s not even that we agree or disagree with what was said, but we let that thought marinate in our minds. Maybe as the person was speaking, you made a mental note and said “oh, I have to look into that” or perhaps it just popped into your head at a later time and you pondered on it.

Not every relationship with everyone you know has to get super deep—every relationship serves its purpose. But are you at least having some sort of meaningful conversation with one or two people in your life? With someone who challenges your way of thinking? With someone who dares you to step out of your comfort zone? And are you willing to hear them?

Since a conversation is an energy exchange, you should consider what you bring to the table as well. And maybe you don’t always have it in you to be super insightful; that’s fine. Maybe what you bring to the table is your ability to be there for someone. To listen to them as they sort through things. I think sometimes as a society, we under-appreciate good listeners and only realize it when that person isn’t around to listen anymore.

Let’s try to be more intentional about our exchanges. And think about how can we listen without being ready to judge? I feel like that’s such an ongoing personal battle. In times like these, we’re constantly being tested and divided. Let’s unite and be a better listener to the people in our lives.
Digest. Share. Expound. Spread love.

Both images captured by me.

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Sometimes I Float In Between

I only know the light because I’ve lived through the dark.
My body, buried in the heavy, damp soil.
Ready to decompose with the earth.
Destined for more,
My soul wouldn’t rest.

Though suffocated by the soil,
Spirit clawed its way through the dirt that tried to encapsulate it,
simultaneously being kept alive by way of the earth’s minerals and nutrients.

My soul has eyes,
My soul has passion.
It lifted me out from the depths.
It used the very dark that tried to keep me oppressed, and
Transmuted the energy to light.

I know life, I know death, and sometimes I float in between.

Image captured by me at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY

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