It's been magically wholesome to see my mom, brother, aunts and uncles this summer, while they visited from the United States. Together we celebrated my aunt's 70th birthday here in Spain, her fave place for what she describes as "the Spain vibe."
Scott, Sunny and I
Sunny and Scott, who live in Texas, were the first to arrive and last to return (just yesterday). I'm ever grateful for this experience to soak in rays, beach time, and deep relaxation. It gave me a much needed reprieve, recharge of batteries, and perspective.
Here's a taste of the piña coladas I enjoyed. Check out the "gallery." Content warning: alcohol.
It's been important to me in showing up to no longer "silo" myself (thanks also to encouragement from coach Marisa Guthrie).
The personal is the new professional. I choose not to separate my life and my work, or who I am from what I do.
In my post Write Your Memoirs, I revealed some intentions to follow through with:
dropping Substack (this is my first new moon letter since!)
Not "consuming" people. Instead, tending relationships.
Art over content
This year especially, I've been meaning to get to some personal essays that have been calling. Here are some essays and content I'll follow up on next month, September:
40 is the new 60 (and why that's a good thing)
Digital Fingerprinting in Spain & Portugal
The Indira White | Posa Journals case study
Flamenco
Yesterday I went to matriculación (registration) for the upcoming school year at the local dance academy. I ambitiously and nervously signed up for classes Monday through Thursday in the afternoons, including adult bulerías (como siempre), castañuelas (por primera vez), and continued theory classes through the EFA (la Escuela de Flamenco de Andalucía).
A ver cómo va!
La moda flamenquita
Lily Pads at the Alhambra
Return to Portugal
Perhaps the most spontaneous and surprising of decisions since my Q3 intention to Relax & Release is a promise to return to Portugal.
This month I will attend a retreat to reconnect with my root yoga community here in the Iberian Peninsula. It'll be my first trip back in five years, to study with a teacher I met 15 years ago.
The retreat will teach natural building, straw bale construction techniques, and regenerative land design.
I can't wait.
It hadn't felt like the right timing, before now, to go back. But I am drawn to building. There is a broad question of what we are building in our lives, and how to build in harmony with nature and with others.
I've realized the deepest healing and repair is land-based healing and the reciprocity of being directly nourished by the land / nourishing the land. I'll elaborate more in future writing on what I want to call "re-indigenating."
Robin Wall Kimmerer's work has continued to inspire me. Here are a couple quotes from Braiding Sweetgrass:
“
By honoring the knowledge in the land, and caring for its keepers, we start to become indigenous to place.
— Robin Wall Kimmerer
“
Being naturalized to place means to live as if this is the land that feeds you, as if these are the streams from which you drink, that build your body and fill your spirit.
— Robin Wall Kimmerer
I'm very open. Open to learning, with others, as I really step into landing, rooting, and grounding here. I'm open to becoming more grounded, more embodied, and more in person while I build and connect locally with people who see me and support me long-term.
The Web Design Business
Coming up on the 🌕full moon this month is my one-year anniversary of joining the agency Maple Creative. I started as a contract website designer and support agent, blending customer service with front-end site building. Since then, I've transitioned into a Care Plan Manager role. In typical ritual fashion, I'll write on this and we'll celebrate with the Maple Creative case study.
As a designer for hire in my personal web design practice, I've had the great honor to work with creatives & healing arts practitioners. And there is still so much to learn! My first EU-based client, Alexandra Lais, is a Romanian somatic practitioner based in Berlin, Germany.
My next two EU-based clients live in Delft, South Holland, and Brussels, Belgium. I can't wait to share their stories after we finish their projects!
