Category:

Lifestyle

Talking Tarot

I get countless questions over on the ‘gram about my tarot practice, people wondering where to start and what it all means. I wanted to share this blog post as a starting off point for you to discover the magic of tarot, learn about different decks and resources and hopefully inspire you to create your own tarot practice. I’m by no means a tarot expert or even a very seasoned reader, but I’m always happy to share what I do know and what I’ve learned through my own experiences. My best advice to you as you begin diving into tarot would be to follow your intuition. From choosing a deck to deciding what spread you want to pull on a given day, tarot is all about harnessing the power of your intuition to guide you. Tarot is a deeply personal practice, so I encourage you to make it your own. Seek the knowledge you desire and use the cards to find deeper meaning in your life.

If you’re lucky enough to have the financial means and are interested, I would also encourage you to receive a reading from a seasoned tarot reader. This experience will undoubtedly give you new perspective not only in your life, but also on how to handle the cards, on how someone else reads them and much more. It’s a great way to learn and potentially fine tune your own practice and readings.

I first became interested in tarot about 5 years ago. I bought my first deck – The Wild Unknown tarot – eager to dive in and learn about this practice. At first I would grab for the guidebook that came with the deck almost immediately after turning my cards over during a reading, but with time has come deeper knowing, patience and curiosity. I’ve gotten to know the cards and their meanings, as well as learned to use the pictures/drawings/symbols on the cards’ faces to intuitively interpret their meaning before reaching for the guidebook. I’ve taken a couple tarot workshops, which have been helpful, and I regularly listen to podcasts on tarot. I’ve listed some of my favorite resources for deeper learning and understanding further down in this post. I often use crystals in my tarot practice to clear or hold certain energies. You can read more about crystals in this post. I also use my tarot cards at different points within the moon cycle. You can read more about moon magic in this post.

The traditional tarot deck is comprised of 78 cards. Broken into two categories: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. When doing a reading, it’s good to note if your pull includes mostly one or the other, or if there is a certain suit (wands, cups, pentacles, swords) that comes up more than another. This can sometimes give deeper meaning to your readings.

Major Arcana – 22 cards. Begins with the Fool (0) and ends with the World (21). These cards typically deal with larger life lessons and overarching themes. They represent the universal archetypal energies that live within and around each of us.

Minor Arcana – 14 cards within each suit listed below. 56 cards total. The cards numbered 1-10 within each suit typically deal with the current situation or how things are showing up in your life at the moment. The court cards (page, knight, queen, king / son, daughter, mother, father / novice, student, knower, leader / etc.) often represent actual people or characters in your life or you, yourself.

Wands – Represent energy, motivation, creativity and passion. Wands often show up in readings about life purpose, spirituality and new ideas.
Cups – Represent feelings, emotions, intuition and connectivity. Cups often appear in readings that deal with relationships and the emotional connection with yourself and others.
Pentacles – Represent the physical, health and body, finances, work and material possessions. Pentacles often appear in readings around health, home, career and financial wealth.
Swords – Represent thoughts, words and actions. Swords often show up in readings that deal with communicating your ideas, making decisions and asserting your power.

Decks I Own and/or Love –

Mesquite – My absolute favorite deck. I first got this deck for my friend Lee for her birthday, but then loved it so much that I got myself one a couple weeks later.

She Wolfe – The newest deck in my collection. The imagery and symbolism on the cards is strong and powerful.

The Wild Unknown – I was first drawn to this deck because of Kim Krans’ gorgeous imagery. It remains one of my favorite decks.

The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit – This is not a traditional tarot deck. This deck includes 63 animal spirit cards. It’s my favorite non-tarot deck. I love seeking wisdom from animal energies.

Kawaii– This deck, like its name implies, is cute and lighthearted, yet the guidebook offers in-depth descriptions.

Rider-Waite – This is one of the most popular tarot decks out there. It’s the traditional deck that most modern Western tarot is based of off. Using the imagery on the cards is very helpful if you are trying to get better at intuitive readings.

Mystic Mondays – Recently stumbled upon this deck and totally obsessed with the art.

Kaleidadope – Actually so DOPE!

Uusi Pagan Otherworlds – I love this deck. I don’t own it currently, but hope to add it to my collection soon.

The Fountain – I haven’t personally used this deck, but I’ve heard great things.

Dust II Onyx: A Melanated Tarot – Love seeing more representation in tarot. This deck is beautiful!

The Moonchild Tarot – Love the imagery in this deck. Can someone please buy this for me for my birthday? 😉

I always enter my practice with a sense of openness and gratitude. To be able to sit in a silent place and consult with my deck is a privilege. I’m grateful to be able to have the time and space to practice. It’s important for me to honor that before moving into a reading. It’s also important for me to acknowledge that the cards don’t always give me the answers I want. Tarot isn’t always about finding answers or getting clarity on a situation. Sometimes the cards bring up the difficult realities you may have been avoiding, but that you know deep in your heart to be true. The cards often ask you to face what you’ve been avoiding. I find it helpful to take a photo or sketch my reading in a journal, so I can reference the reading at a later date. Usually when the readings don’t make sense to me in the moment, they become clearer in time.

To begin, I usually formulate a question or a series of questions dealing with the same situation or problem in my life. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. I’ve found the best questions start with what, why or how. For example: What can I learn from this situation/experience? Why are negative feelings coming up around this issue/person/situation? How can I move forward with my current situation?

I hold my question in my head and repeat it to myself (or aloud) as I am shuffling the cards. I focus my energy on my question/the situation while also opening my energy and the space up to what answers the cards may offer me. After shuffling several times, I split the deck into three piles then placing the piles back together. With my eyes closed, I spread the cards out in front of me in a long line. Moving both my hands over the cards, still with my question in mind, I slowly pull the cards for my spread, placing them face down in front of me. Once I have all the cards placed or have pulled the cards, I open my eyes and slowly turn the cards over. For me, it’s important to sit with the cards for several minutes to see what thoughts, feelings and emotions come up. I study the pictures on the cards and see what symbols jump out at me, which ones resonate and which ones bring up negative emotions.

A Few Tarot Spreads –

Card a Day:
An easy reading you can incorporate as a daily ritual in the morning. A great way to get acquainted with your cards.

3-Card Spread:
One of my favorite and probably most used spreads. Very simple yet always provides deep clarity. You can assign your own meaning Some different interpretations of the three cards could be:

Past/Present/Future
What’s helping you/What holds you back/What realization you need to move forward
Strength/Weakness/Growth potential
Mind/Body/Spirit
Current Situation/Obstacle/Advice
You/The other person/Your relationship
You/Your current path/Your potential’

Year-Ahead-Spread:
Such a special way to welcome in a new year. I usually do this 13-card spread on New Year’s Day or the day after. You can read more about it here, but essentially you pull a card for each month of the year and the 13th card is the theme for the year ahead.

Typically the deck you have will list several spreads you can pull in the guidebook. I also love The Wild Unknown blog that has several other spreads you can work with.

Tarot Resources –

Tarot for the Wild Soul Podcast by Lindsay Mack – Lindsay is an amazing teacher and guide. I was lucky enough to take a tarot workshop from her at my first Spiritweavers Gathering. She is an excellent resource for all things tarot.

Tarot.com – A great, mostly free resource with tons of information.

Visual Magic – Sarah Faith Gottesdiener (aka Gottess) is the author of the Many Moons workbook that I’ve posted about several times in the past. Her upcoming online workshop focuses on the moon cycle and magic practice including tarot.

The Hoodwitch – Love this site!

Biddy Tarot – This site is PACKED with useful information.

October 3, 2018 5 comments

Lifestyle Wellness

My Experience with Contraceptives, and How I Found the Fertility Awareness Method

I want to start this post by saying everyone’s body is different. What may work well for one of us might be the wrong choice for another. That goes for so many aspects of our health and our lives, and it continues to be true about birth control methods. It’s important to educate yourself and/or talk with a trained professional to help figure out which contraceptive method is right for you. And if you’re like me, the right method for you today might not be the right method for you 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 or 10 years from now. We’re ever changing, both physically and in how we want to live our lives, so its important to remember that we often need to adjust how we care for ourselves. Today I’m sharing my experience using contraceptives throughout my life from the time I lost my virginity up until present day. Please keep in mind that this is a personal narrative. Having safe sex and protecting against pregnancy sometimes means taking hormonal birth control and wearing condoms. Sometimes it means abstaining from sex all together. THERE IS NO SHAME IN YOUR CHOICE. I stand by all people and their right to choose what is right for them.

I lost my virginity when I was 15. To my boyfriend at the time. We were together for a year or so. Immediately following the first time, I told my mom I wanted to go on birth control pills. I didn’t tell her I had become sexually active, and though I’ve always felt loved completely and never judged by my mom, we never really openly talked about sex and different contraceptive methods. I assume she knew I had become sexually active, and she made an appointment for me with the nurse midwives where she went and the same group of midwives who delivered both my brother and me. Talk about full circle.

At the young age of 15, I started taking Ortho Tri-cyclen. What would be the start of about 10 years of daily hormonal birth control. I bounced around to different pills and back to the same ones again over the years. Some pills caused me to not get my period for months at a time, which when you’re a sexually active college student is absolutely frightening. As some of you may know, I’ve struggled with digestive issues for most of my life. Starting at a young age when my parents figured out I was lactose intolerant. It will probably always be somewhat of a mystery, but my guess is that many of my digestive issues come from a combination of chronic antibiotic use from age 2 all the way up into my twenties (I was born with 60% hearing loss and had surgery on my ears 3 times before the age of 6 then I suffered about 15 UTIs and a kidney infection starting at the time of becoming sexually active into my mid-twenties) and then long-term hormonal birth control use from age 15 to 24. Hormonal birth control pills essentially act like antibiotics in your gut, destroying the essential microbiome balance, depleting all the good bacteria needed for proper digestion. Some other negative side effects from hormonal birth control include mood swings, headaches, acne, bloating and weight gain, irregular spotting and low libido.

The number one reason I decided at 24 that I was going to finally go off the pill was because I strongly believed it was giving me anxiety, mood swings and depressive thoughts. I finally woke up to the fact that I was putting hormones in my body that were negatively effecting my life. I wanted to take a clean break from all hormonal forms of birth control, so I did. It took my body a little while to adjust back, but after about a year, I felt way better overall. Less anxious feelings and depressive thoughts, higher libido and a greater connection to my body and my natural cycle.

Though in many ways I was feeling better health wise being off the pill, it still left the question of what birth control method I should use now. The first year I relied mostly on using condoms. I always used condoms with any new partner before both being tested for STDs. However, condoms really bother my vagina and make sex burn and hurt for me. I found myself uninterested in sex and disappointed that there weren’t better options for people like me.

So after about a year of using condoms, a friend mentioned an IUD, and I was intrigued. I honestly don’t remember hearing much about the IUD before that time. That’s likely because “comparing 2006–2010 with 2011–2013, IUD use increased 83% (from 3.5% to 6.4%)…” It seemed like every woman I knew was getting an IUD around that time. Sticking with my plan of not using hormonal birth control, I decided to get the copper Paraguard IUD in December of 2011. I never really had heavy periods or bad cramping, so I wasn’t so concern about the side effects associated with the Paraguard IUD, which include heavier and more painful periods and cramping/back pain associated with menstruation.

I’m not going to lie the first 2-3 years of having the Paraguard IUD were rough. My periods were next level. I would soak through a super tampon every 3 hours during the first 3-4 days of my period. Looking back now, I’m honestly shocked I stuck with it. I remember telling myself that it would get better. That it wasn’t THAT bad. I’ve always had a high threshold for pain and always seem to forget it once it pasts, so each month once my period was over, I’d just keep going along until another insanely painful period hit me the next month. A few years in, I started to notice my PMS symptoms were the worse they’ve ever been. Luckily I was introduced to evening primrose oil and that definitely was a game charger for the intense feelings of loneliness that would always strike a week before I started menstruating. Overall, I think I put up with the negative side effects of the IUD because I didn’t want to use the hormonal IUD or go back on the pill, and I really trusted the effectiveness of the IUD (99.2% to 99.4%). I had settled down and gotten married, and the IUD seemed like the best method for me at the time.

A couple years ago, I started to grow wary of the IUD. Mainly because of the insane amount of inflammation it caused in my body. My womb space literally felt swollen, not just when I was having my period, but at various other times throughout my cycle. I started to consider getting it taken out. I began looking into different options, and this time the one that came up and stuck with me was the fertility awareness method. Essentially this is when you track your cycle (using various methods) so you know when you are ovulating (fertile). Then you either abstain from sex or use a barrier method on the days of your cycle that you’re at risk for pregnancy. About a year ago I got my IUD removed. I’ve been using the fertility awareness method ever since.

I started using Daysy in June to help me track my cycle with better accuracy. Daysy is a basal body temperature thermometer fertility tracker that works using the fertility awareness method by learning and tracking your cycle over time. Each morning right when I wake up, before getting out of bed, I pop Daysy under my tongue to get my temperature reading. The easy-to-read color coded system on Daysy will illuminate either red (fertile), green (not fertile) or yellow (not enough information to determine status – the “learning” phase when you first start using Daysy). When I’m in the red (fertile) or the yellow, we use condoms when having sex. With over 30 years of data collection, Daysy predicts your cycle with 99.4% accuracy. Every few days, I sync Daysy to the DaysyView app where I can view findings and see my cycle at a glance. I’m not planning a pregnancy in the foreseeable future, but if/when I do someday, I love that Daysy is also a reliable method for women trying to get pregnant. It’s important to note that Daysy does not protect against STDs. And its only recommended for women with cycles 19-40 days in length. For where I’m at in my life right now, using Daysy to help me track my cycle works really well for me. It’s empowering to feel connected to my body and its natural rhythms in a way I’ve never felt before.

When I first became sexually active, I never really considered any other form of birth control besides the pill because the options seemed so limited to me at the time. Nowadays, it seems like the sex conversation is way more mainstream. It’s less taboo to talk about because, duh, safe sex education is SO important. There’s even great resources like Bedsider that educate you on all birth control methods and help you find which method is right for you. As always, I’m here to support you on your journey. I’m happy to answer any questions as they pertain to my personal experience with contraceptives.

[This post is sponsored by Daysy, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.]

September 19, 2018 31 comments

Lifestyle

Talking All About Marriage

Today is me and my husband Chris’ 5th wedding anniversary! It’s kind of nuts how fast time flies by. My marriage is one of the greatest joys of my life. That being said, marriage is by no means easy or fun all the time. It takes so much patience, understanding, openness, letting go, honesty and trust to maintain a healthy marriage. Both partners must be willing to choose each other every day. It requires sticking together through time and the inevitable difficulties that come up in life. I feel so fortunate to have built a solid base of friendship with Chris before we ever got involved romantically. I really believe this helped our relationship in a major way. Of course, not everyone can fall in love with their best friend, but I think there’s major value in really getting to know each other and investing time into the relationship before entering into marriage.

Chris and I met in 2009 when we were living on the same street. My roommate at the time introduced us. Chris was a DJ, so obviously I thought he was super cool, as well as very cute. At the time I was very committed to my boyfriend, so Chris and I were just fast friends. We would have dinners occasionally and he would share new music with me. In 2011, we both were looking to move out of our houses, so we decided to get a shared house along with my best friend Hannah.

We all lived together in our house on NE Skidmore for about 1.5 years. During that time, Chris and I really got to know each other. We definitely had many moments of bickering and arguing over stupid stuff like whose turn it was to clean the kitchen. Chris was also there for me during some of the hardest moments of my life. Particularly, when I found by way of ending up in the hospital for 8-days with a horrible STD that my boyfriend of 4.5 years cheated on me. This experience was the most traumatic of my life. I was completely heartbroken, living in a bubble of shame, unable to walk for a month and in the worst physical pain of my life. I remember Chris coming to visit me in the hospital with a homemade quinoa and kale salad and a big coffee table photography book to keep me entertained.

Needless to say, my relationship with my ex ended not long after all that. Around the same time, Chris broke up with his then girlfriend. Nothing happened right away. But our best friend Hannah saw a spark and a few months after both my and Chris’ relationships had ended, she gently nudged us both. It was so sweet that she saw how great we were for each other and decided to try her hand as match maker. I remember the first time she mentioned it to me, I gasped, “Chris?!? No way. He’s like my brother.” But after she planted the seed, I began to look at Chris with new eyes. I realized that I did really love him. Chris and I talked and decided we wanted to try dating. He asked me out to a nice dinner at Ned Ludd (where we ended up having our wedding reception), and I gladly accepted. I’ll never forget our first date. We had a completely honest conversation where we were both able to express our fears about getting romantically involved after years of friendship and how important it was for both of us to be completely honest as we started this dating process. But mostly, we were both super smitten with each other and excited to be taking this leap. We went home watched Romeo and Juliet and had our first kiss. Major fireworks!

6 months (yes, that fast!) later, we got married in Portland surrounded by 20 of our nearest and dearest family and friends. Our wedding was a dream come true. We spent the week before our wedding in Kauai and came back to Portland 2 days before the wedding. It was so nice going into our special day completely relaxed from our vacation. Since we had such a small wedding, we had a second wedding at Burning Man with 150 friends and strangers 4 months later. What a freaking blast!

I would say the first 2 years of our marriage were the toughest so far. It took us time to get used to being married. There were a lot of things that came up. I was young (only 26) and still figuring out my place in the world and what I wanted to do with my life. Chris was 30, but it took him longer to get used to having a wife that he needed to prioritize after so many years of being single.

Chris and I are both super ambitious and creative people. He has owned his own business for the last 10+ years and was a major inspiration for me to start my own business. Chris is a designer and screen printer. His clothing company is Rythmatix, and he also does custom work for different clients around the world. Chris is absolutely the most driven person I know. His passion for doing what he loves is a constant source of inspiration to me. Sometimes there are difficulties with both being creative entrepreneurs, but overall, since we both love our work and have the flexibility to do what we want, it really works for us.

In our marriage, we value independence. We both have strong passions and relationships outside our marriage. We by no means do everything together. And we don’t get upset when the other person wants to go out with their friends or do an activity on their own. I think independence is one of the healthiest ways to sustain a long term partnership. Jealousy and fear always lead down the road of mistrust and obsessiveness. Another thing both Chris and I value is fun and sense of humor. We love joking around and making each other laugh. It’s one of the main pillars of our relationship. Being able to be silly and have fun together makes any experience an adventure.

Ultimately, no marriage or relationship is perfect. As wonderful and ideal as things may appear from the outside, there are and probably always will be flaws to accept and hurdles to jump over. We are all such beautifully imperfect humans and when we come together in a relationship it’s really about learning to love each other for all the bright light and all the darkness that comes with. It takes hard work and dedication and the willingness to keep being vulnerable, open and trusting as time goes on. It’s easy to run when things get tough or when we feel uncomfortable, but the magic truly happens when you stick it out, work through the mess and refind the light together.

April 29, 2018 26 comments

Lifestyle Style

All My Favorite Ceramics

I get so many questions over on Instagram about my ceramics collection. I thought it was about time I do a post on all my faves. I’ve been collecting ceramics for the past several years, purchasing them on my travels, working with ceramicists on custom pieces and picking them up locally in Portland. I don’t collect many things, but my ceramics and crystal collections definitely hold a place in my heart. I love supporting people making beautiful things by hand. Handmade ceramics almost always cost more, but they are always worth it. They’re more sturdy and typically last longer than mass-produced dinnerware, as they don’t chip as easily. Handmade ceramics bring great joy to my home. I love picking out which mug I’m going to drink from each morning or which bowl I’m going to eat my lunch out of. My ceramic collection is mostly mix and match, but all have a similar vibe and aesthetic so when I’m setting my table for entertaining it still looks cohesive. If you like an artist’s work but don’t see the exact piece you are looking for, don’t hesitate to reach out! Most ceramists will do custom orders.

Colleen Hennessey – One of my all-time favorites. I especially love Colleen’s bowls.

Fefo Studio – Aside from being an amazing human, Fernando also happens to make insanely gorgeous ceramics.

Alexandria Cummings – Alex and I have known each other for years. It’s been so wonderful watching her work evolve and her business grow. She just made the cutest mugs for one of my NYC workshops.

Justin Caraco – Justin’s work is brilliant. He doesn’t sell online, but shoot him a DM if you are interested in any of his works.

Zamaa Ceramica – I discovered Zamaa when I was in Tulum last year. Seriously stunning work.

Kati von Lehman – I’ve been a long-time lover of Kati’s work. I have one of her tumblers, and it’s definitely one of my favorite vessels.

Anamone Studios – Just discovered Anamone recently, and I’m thrilled that a couple custom pieces for our new kitchen are on their way to me now.

Pigeon Toe – These babes make the coolest stuff, including the rad pendant lights that are going in our new kitchen.

bX Ceramics – Becki’s work has so much depth and beauty. She made 50 mini matcha mugs for my other NYC workshop last month.

Mary Carroll Ceramics – Picked up one of Mary’s mugs at the Portland Airport on my way to NYC last month, and it’s definitely my new favorite.

Brian Giniewski – The most fun! Brian’s work is so original. I have several of his mugs.

Earth + Element – I met Liz at Spirit Weavers Gathering last year, and my best friend and I purchased matching tea bowls from her.

Notary Ceramics – Sarah’s work is understated and lovely. And she’s also an all-around lovely human.

A Question of Eagles – I’ve been swooning over Melissa and Jonathan’s work for a while. I need that soap dispenser!

Earthen – Loving this line from SF. On my wish list!

Helen Levi – I’ve long been a fan of Helen’s work. Her marbled pieces are insane.

Mimi Ceramics – A Portland local. I love how playful and fun her work is.

March 20, 2018 1 comment

Lifestyle Wellness

All About Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a way for consumers to support their local farmers directly by purchasing a share at the beginning of the season. A share is essentially a weekly membership or subscription. Typically each week of the season members get a box of fresh produce direct from the farm. Some CSAs deliver. Others have local pick-up locations on a certain day(s) of the week. Some CSAs offer optional add-ons like dairy, meat, honey and other provisions. Many CSAs these days include or send an email newsletter with suggested recipes using the produce from that given week. If you’re worried about how much produce you’ll get each week and/or think you might not be able to use it all, consider splitting a share with another family or a few friends.

Benefits of CSA:

- The freshest, best tasting produce you can imagine.
- You’ll develop a relationship with and directly support a local farmer. Paying the farmer up front at the beginning of the season greatly helps with the farm’s cash flow. For better or worse, you are investing in the farm. If you’ve ever worked on a farm, you know how long the days are and how laborious the work is. To be able to support people doing this work everyday is a beautiful thing. With a CSA, there is a level of shared risk, which means farmers do their best to have an abundance of vegetables each season, but if a crop fails or something unexpected happens, members are not reimbursed. CSAs are really all about community and the idea that “we’re all in it together.”
- Exposes you to new and different varieties of vegetables that you wouldn’t normally buy at the store. A great way to expand your knowledge and challenge you in the kitchen.
- You know exactly where your food is coming from. Lots of farms even have a CSA day where you have the opportunity to visit the farm.
- Saves you money. If you normally buy organic produce at the store or farmer’s market, joining a CSA will save you money.
- Saves you time, as you won’t have to worry about picking out produce at the store.

I’ve been part of a CSA for the past 4 years. It’s been an incredible way to connect with local farmers and to receive the most amazing, delicious and beautiful produce. I absolutely love receiving my basket each week and feeling surprised and delighted with what’s inside. It’s a fun challenge to cook with veggies I’m not used to buying. Pushes me outside my comfort zone and adds variety to my everyday routine.

Last year and this year, we’re part of the Helsing Junction Farm CSA. I’ve absolutely loved being a member. They deliver to my doorstep, which makes it SO easy, and all of the produce has been amazing. Last year we received both a large CSA share and a flower CSA share (yes, fresh flowers delivered to my doorstep!). Helsing Junction is offering all of you in the Pacific Northwest (yes, Oregon AND Washington!) $20 off any CSA subscription with code: WuHausCSA18 .

I’ve also been a member of Tumbleweed Farm and Working Hands Farm CSAs in past years and highly recommend both if you are in the Portland area. No matter where you are, lots of communities have CSA programs in place. Local Harvest is an amazing resource for learning about and finding CSAs in your area. Farmer’s markets are a great alternative option if you can’t find a CSA in your area. I also love what Imperfect Produce is doing. Below are some photos from Helsing Junction of the types of produce and flowers in their shares in the middle of the summer season.

March 15, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle

I Love You So Matcha Totes

SO excited to announce I’ve just added these market totes to the Wu Haus shop. I hand drew the I love you so matcha type, my friend Daynah designed the matcha mug, and my husband screen printed the totes here at our haus in Portland. A labor of love and collaboration!

Wu Haus will donate $2 from the sale of each tote to The American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU works daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

March 12, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle Wellness

Cultivating Healthy Friendships

Life is infinitely more beautiful when you go through it with people you love and respect by your side. My friendships are one of the most important aspect of my life, and I am grateful every single day for the amazing friends I have. If you don’t know by now, relationships take work, even the best ones do. You can’t expect that it’s all just going to be a walk in the park. Maintaining healthy relationships takes dedication. It’s just like anything, the more you put into your relationships the more you will inevitably get out of them.

Lee and I first started talking via Instagram in early 2016. I always admired Lee’s work and got a feeling we would vibe well together. Over the next year, we kept in touch and started talking about the potential of working together. We wanted to do some sort of event together and would have FaceTime dates to catch up and chat through ideas. Over the months, we talked several times, and we would always talk about how crazy it was that we still had never met. Finally in February of 2017, I decided enough was enough, and I was just going to fly down to LA in early March so Lee and I could finally meet in person. It was actually kind of hilarious because we would always joke that we were in a LDR (long-distance relationship), and I remember in the hours leading up to our meeting I felt nervous like I was going on a first date. We met at the Whole Foods 365 store in east LA, and when we saw each other from across the produce, we ran screaming with our arms flung wide towards each other. I’ll never forget it.

It’s only been a year since then, but it honestly feels like Lee and I have been friends for a lifetime. We always say that we must’ve been friends in another life. Our connection felt very real and authentic right off the bat. This past year, we were lucky enough to work together, but we also made a solid effort to stay close. The first 6 months after we met, we saw each other almost every month. Like with all friendships, Lee and I have had our share of problems. No relationship is perfect. But through open communication, vulnerability, honesty and unwavering support, we’ve been able to work through the conflicts that have arisen, ultimately coming out feeling stronger and more connected together. It’s so important to be able to talk to the people you love and even though it is difficult to bring up conflict and be willing to talk through it and see another perspective. Lee and I decided to collaborate on this blog post when we were on a recent trip to Joshua Tree. We wanted to share about our friendship and 8 qualities that we think help cultivate healthy friendships. Check out the other 4 over in Lee’s post.

Honesty
Being able to talk to one another and be open about feelings and situations that arise is so important. Without honesty, a friendship weakens. Feeling like you can’t tell your friend what’s on your mind ultimately leads to a lack of desire to want to spend time with them or be close with them. Often times, the hardest part is getting up the courage to say what you’re feeling out loud to the other person. I find that usually the reaction I think someone is going to have ends up being totally made up in my head.

Sense of Humor // Fun
What’s friendship without fun?! I feel so grateful that Lee and I have had so many fun adventures together already, and some more exciting ones on the horizon(!!!). I definitely feel like Lee and I have a similar sense of humor. As friends, I think it’s so important to be able to laugh at the same things. To feel like you’re on the same frequency in terms of humor is a really, really good feeling.

Values // Shared Interest
Sharing similar values and ideas about life is super helpful in cultivating a strong friendship. Although not entirely necessary, sharing similar values with a friend allows you to connect over common interest and mutual understanding. Lee and I value many of the same things in life and in our relationships. We share common interests which gives us ways we can interact together and strengthen and deepen our connection. This past year, we’ve participated in moon circles together, discussed the future and what our dreams are, took yoga classes together, made delicious healthy meals together and talked about political turmoil and social injustices. It’s inspiring and comforting to be able to connect with a friend over shared values and interest.

Support
Support is at the core of every thriving relationship. To have each other’s backs and to be there to encourage one another. Whether you’re making big life decisions or just need some extra attention, having a friend’s support can help so much. Being in the same industry, Lee and I have definitely had to deal with feelings of competition and comparing ourselves to one another. Ultimately, we’ve both found that collaboration and support trump competition and insecurity. When we are able to lift each other up and fully support what the other is doing, we ultimately stand more fully in our own power.

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March 6, 2018 5 comments

Lifestyle

The Friday List No. 4

This little Joshua Tree Cabin…

Enjoyed this guided meditation this week.

Just discovered this block print artist and really inspired by her work, especially her surfaces.

HELL YES, VAGINA WEEK!

I still can’t get over how beautiful this movie is. I want to watch it over and over again.

Majorly swooning over this Sydney eatery.

Maggie’s work is incredible. I was lucky enough to meet her and take part in one of her ceremonies at Spirit Weavers Gathering a couple years ago. She’s now offering a 7-day online workshop.

This tarot deck tho…

February 9, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle Self-Care

Quick and Easy Self-Care Tips to Boost Your Mood

We’re almost through the thick of winter, and sunny, warm days are on the horizon. I wanted to share some quick and easy self-care tips to incorporate into your daily routine this season (and all year long). I asked my sweet and wise friend, licensed acupuncturist and holistic health coach, Katrina Pozzi Baratta, to contribute to this piece. From decreasing pain to increasing confidence, Kat specializes in helping women feel healthy, strong and totally at home in their bodies.

Whether you’ve got a serious case of the winter blues, or you’re just in a funk at any point in the year, it’s important to remember that self-care involves doing things that keep your body and mind in tip-top shape. Unfortunately, it’s usually when we’re feeling down and grumpy that we let our self-care routines slide. But it’s in exactly those moments, when we’re feeling less-than-awesome, that self-care becomes even more important. Because it’s only by taking care of yourself that you’re able to put your best foot forward. And you don’t even have to make huge changes to have a profound impact on your well-being. Try incorporating a 2-3 of the following self-care rituals into your daily routine this month.

Practice smiling.

One of my favorite monks, Thich Nhat Hanh, famously said, ”Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” Practice smiling into your eyes and you’ll actually trigger a neurological reaction that releases feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, endorphines, and serotonin. So don’t just smile when you feel happy. Smile when you feel bad and it’ll help raise you out of your funk!

Snag some rays (without sun protection).

Vitamin D deficiency is a big player when it comes to feeling good. The best way to get vitamin D into your system is to spend about 20 minutes a day in direct sunlight (give or take depending on your skin tone), without covering up or wearing sunblock. And because exercise is also a great mood-lifter, you can feed two birds with one seed by bundling up and taking your exercise routine outside. A meta-analysis in 2010 showed that even just five minutes of “green” exercise resulted in improvements in self-esteem and mood!

Organize and beautify your space. Choose to do your household chores mindfully.

Doing a quick 20-minute clean up or organization of your desk space, your medicine closet or your dresser beautifies your space and uplifts your mood. When you have a lot of chores to do, it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. But because the chores won’t do themselves, the best thing you can do is to start enjoying them. And the best way to enjoy chores is to do them mindfully. Notice how your hands feel as you touch different textured dishes or soft sheets. Notice the smell of the soap. Feel into your body as it moves. Use this time to connect with the present moment.

Eat fermented and fiber-rich foods.

Science is finding that there’s a clear link between your gut health and mental health, and eating fermented and fiber-rich foods is one of the best ways to make sure that you’re supporting those healthy gut bacteria that will make you thrive. For fermented foods, try kimchi, kraut or kefir. For fiber-rich foods, try almonds, split peas, navy beans, raspberries, chia or flax seeds.

Go to sleep and wake on a consistent schedule.

Sleep has a HUGE impact on health and happiness. It’s the pacemaker for many of your body’s hormonal reactions, and your hormones need to be relatively balanced for you to feel good. Getting enough sleep on a consistent schedule will help your body regulate those hormones and make sure they’re firing off at the right time in the right amounts. If you’re feeling under-the-weather, like is so common this time of year, let yourself sleep longer than usual. Sleep is so important for the immune system and fighting off nasty winter colds.

Meditate. Move. Stretch.

Just a few minutes of meditation can calm your nerves and lift your mood throughout the day. Start by sitting and focusing on your breath for 5 minutes a day, and work your way up to 10-20 minutes as you settle into the routine. Physical release through exercise can work wonders on your mood. If you don’t have time for a full workout, try 15-20 minutes of yoga or easy stretching to start your day.

Put a potted plant on your desk or work station.

Plants don’t just look pretty, according to recent studies, they can actually have a soothing effect on your nervous system, making you feel less stress and more motivated to get things done with a smile on your face. Fresh cut flowers are also a joy promoter, so treat yourself to a few stems or a bouquet to brighten up your home.

Create an herbal tea ritual.

Herbs like chamomile, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, lemon balm and cinnamon have a comforting and soothing effect on the nervous system. I like to have each of these herbs in a separate jar so I can pull them out, smell them and choose a unique combination to make into an infused tea every evening before bed. When you’re drinking your tea, unplug from your phone and computer and focus your attention on the present moment. Use this tea time to reflect, read an inspirational book or write in your journal.

Give out compliments.

One of the best ways to make yourself feel good is to help other people feel good. And while it’s great to volunteer your time to those in need, something as simple as giving out compliments can make you feel more positive about yourself and the world around you. Older women are so graceful, wise and beautiful, and they rarely ever get the compliments they deserve. When I’m out doing my grocery shopping or I’m at my yoga studio, I make an effort to connect with and compliment women who are older than me – mothers and grandmothers especially.

Give yourself a break. Unplug from social media, your work and your computer.

Often one of the biggest reasons we feel bad is because we’re in constant, non-stop go-mode. But the happiest and most successful people all have one thing in common, and it’s that they allow themselves to enjoy breaks to recharge. Put down your phone or step away from your computer throughout the day. Enjoy looking out the window or taking a 5-minute walk with an agenda. Give yourself some down-town, so you can recharge and restore. You’ll feel more energized and motivated when you do.

February 6, 2018 7 comments

Lifestyle

Moon Magic: How to Create Rituals Around the Cycle of the Moon

This post is one I’ve been wanting to write for a while. I get countless questions about how I learned to read tarot, what I’m doing at my moon circles and how I create sacred spaces to connect with the Earth and myself. In this post, I’ll talk mostly about the moon cycle and how to create rituals around this. I will weave in some information about tarot as well, as I use tarot in most of my moon rituals. It’s always important to keep in mind that these rituals are deeply personal. The way that I create sacred space and honor the time around the moon may be different than how someone else does. I want to encourage you to explore these practices on your own. Some of what I know I’ve learned from friends and teachers, but a lot of it I’ve taught myself through following my intuition, practicing regularly and doing some reading. I want to emphasize, in my opinion, that there is no wrong way to practice these rituals. The most important part is that you approach this work from a place of respect, openness and good intention.

I was lucky enough to work with the always inspiring and talented Finley Jordan on the photos for this post. Finley is a master at creating stunning altar spaces and an all-around lovely human.

Connecting with the moon cycle and creating rituals around these potent times is a way to connect deeper with yourself, your community and with the rhythms of nature. There are four distinct phases in every 28-day cycle:

New Moon:
The new moon marks the beginning of a new cycle. This is the time to start fresh, set intentions, create and renew. The new moon means the moon is invisible, a blank canvas. The sky is dark, and thus full of potential. A great time to get clear on what you desire and to invite new opportunity into your life.

First Quarter/Waxing Moon:
Now the moon is half illuminated and half shadowed. This is the time to take action, to do the work necessary to foster the intentions you’ve set during the new moon. This is a time of strength, hard work, dedication and unwavering energy. A good time to launch new projects, implement healthy habits and push yourself to do the challenging work required to actualize your dreams.

Full Moon:
The moon is fully illuminated. Her light shines down upon us from sunset to sunrise. This is the time for manifestation. Our energy and power are the most strong around the full moon. This is a time to dream big. Anything is possible. A great time to connect with higher powers and spirit guides. Also a great time to connect with others in your community. This is the culmination of all the work that has come before. Emotions are heightened during the full moon, so be gentle with yourself.

Last Quarter/Waning Moon:
The waning moon is all about releasing. Letting go of what no longer serves you, cleansing, breaking free of toxic habits and relationships. This is the time to make space for what you want to call in on the approaching new moon. A great time to go inward, for solitude, introspection and meditation. Also a potent time for forgiveness of self and others.

I typically gather with other women around the new and/or full moon. For the waxing and waning moons, I usually create my own ritual at home. This includes creating an altar space, doing the work outlined in my Many Moons book and drawing a three-card tarot spread as follows.

1.) Take several moments to ground your energy and center yourself. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. When you feel ready, shuffle the deck using your dominant hand. While shuffling think about the energy of the moon in its current phase and what this time means for you in your current life. Cut the deck into three piles then using your dominant hand move the piles back into one.

2.) Ask yourself in silence or out load, “What does this _____ moon have to offer me?” Draw one card and place it face down in front of you.

3.) You can shuffle the deck between picking cards or not. Next, ask yourself, “What do I need most during this time?” Draw one card and place it face down in front of you.

4.) You can shuffle the deck between picking cards or not. Next, ask yourself, “What is the work I must focus on during this time to move closer to manifesting my dreams and desires?” Draw one card and place it face down in front of you.

5.) Turn the cards over one by one. Take several moments to notice the cards. How do they make you feel? What are your initial reactions? Do you notice any patterns in the cards you have drawn? As you go through your reading, take notes that you can refer back to at a later date.

How to create your own new or full moon circle:

1.) Invite some friends over (my moon circles are all women, but these circles can certainly be inclusive of any person who is interested in doing this work). I’ve been a part of circles with as many as 20 women, but I’ve also practiced this ritual with just one other woman. The size of the circle holds no importance. Ask whomever you’ve invited to bring any of the following: essential oils, flowers, crystals, feathers, bones, pictures, candles, palo santo, incense, a tarot deck and any other items that they consider to be sacred and special.

2.) Before your friends arrive, begin setting up an altar or sacred space. You can use the images in this blog post to help inspire you, but let your creative run wild. If you feel called, you can create an altar that represents the four directions (north, south, east and west) or the elements (earth, fire, water, air

3.) Once your friends arrive, before casting the circle, use a bundle of sage to purify and cleanse each individual who’s entering the circle. Light the sage and have the person stand with their arms out to a T. Move the burning sage up over their head and down around their whole body, back and front, and don’t forget the bottoms of their feet!

4.) Once everyone, including you, has been saged, you can cast the circle. In my circles, we usually use a wand or foraged stick to cast the circle. Whoever is hosting will say a few words about the circle being a place of trust and safety. That whatever is said in the circle stays in the circle. And that whatever good spirits wish to enter the circle are welcome.

5.) Next, call in the directions -North, south, east and west. For some inspiration on what to say, check out this site, this site and this site.

6.) Now that the circle has been cast and the directions have been called in, you can begin. Take the first 5 minutes in silent meditation as a group.

7.) Once the meditation has ended, we usually start by talking about the particular moon that is happening. Here you can talk about the astrological implications of this moon as well as what this moon phase represents overall.

8.) This is the time when intentions are set for the new moon. Take several minutes to let the group write down their intentions or what they want to manifest during this moon phase. If it is a full moon circle, have everyone write down what they want to release in the coming waning moon phase.

9.) Once everyone is done writing, you can either go around and share out loud, or choose to keep them to yourselves. Personally, I think these circles are more potent when the intentions or releases are shared out loud in the group. Voicing our desires, our dreams, our fears and our demons can be incredibly healing and powerful. For me, sharing these with a group of people makes this work even more potent. Either way, sharing out loud or not, the energy of the community in the circle uphold and nurture whatever you’ve written down. If you are sharing out loud, instead of going around in a circle, allow each person to share as they are ready. After each person is done sharing, the whole group can say, “And so it is” together.

10.) During full moon circles, we burn whatever we’ve written on our papers to symbolize the letting go and releasing of that which does not serve us. If you choose to burn your papers, please be sure to do so in a responsible way. I have a ceremony bowl that I bring outside to burn paper.

11.) End with another 5-minute meditation. After the meditation has ended, you can now close the circle. Tell whatever spirits entered the circle that they are now free to leave in peace. Thank everyone for coming and for bringing their energy to create the circle. You may choose to end with a poem or a blessing.

Resources:

Many Moons – This book is an amazing guide and workbook to the moon cycles. Highly recommend. This is the link to the author’s site.

Embodied Astrology – Great site. I love listening to the podcast. Offers great insight into what’s going on astrologically.

Pagan Otherworlds – This is the tarot deck that Finley and I used in the photos. It’s very beautiful.

Energy Muse – Great place to purchase crystals, and their blog has lots of great info on using crystals during the moon cycle.

The Wild Unknown – Another really beautiful tarot deck. I also have the Animal Spirit Deck. You will find a bunch of different types of spread and how to read them on their blog.

Roots & Crowns New Moon Kit – My friend Max just released this beautiful new moon kit to help you facilitate your own new moon circles at home.

Mystic Mamma – One of my favorite sites for astrological insights.

January 29, 2018 3 comments

Lifestyle

The Friday List No. 3

I met Lane last week at a new moon ceremony at Max‘s house. I’ve been mesmerized by her metal work since.

Fave new ceramicist.

Excited to read this book I picked up the other day. No, I’m not pregnant. Just interested.

This photo includes all of my favorite products (WALTER, Sun Potion, Wonder Valley, etc.) and really satisfies my obsession with organization. Major kitchen inspo.

This was my favorite Instagram post all week. And no, it doesn’t have anything to do with pie. Thank you, Beth.

Mary Oliver’s words via my new favorite IG account.

WHEN WILL WE WAKE UP AND REALIZE WE NEED GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION?? THIS MUST END.

My new favorite podcast series. Enjoyed listening to this episode earlier this week.

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January 26, 2018 2 comments