I could caption this with something like “witch in the city” and it would just be another lovely looking Instagram window of a smiling white girl living a magical life. But! Yesterday brought some interesting lessons for me and I’d rather share that with you all instead.

All week I felt SO excited to be teaching about my FAVORITE topic in this AMAZING space in BROOKLYN!
Cut to the morning of the workshop: my dog woke me up super early and I couldn’t fall back asleep, when I stood up to get out of bed my back went out, my period came early with heavy, intense cramping, and I had what felt like a mini bout of stomach flu right before I had to drive into the city. Phew! And yet I was still excited to teach and still laughing at the trickster nature of these poisonous plants. I got through the lecture part of class fine, then when it was time for the shamanic journey I was hit with a throbbing headache. While working through my personal discomfort during the journey, a clear message started to emerge:
I can still be myself, my truest, deepest Self, even when I’m suffering, even through pain.

If you are alive in a human body you will suffer, that’s a given. AND yet you can still be your brightest, truest Self through your suffering.

Being a super sensitive one I’m always trying to create a safe environment for myself where I won’t become overwhelmed. Even though I’m someone who constantly teaches that you are ok exactly as you are, and that suffering is a part of life, my under the surface inner dialogue still tends to go something like “if xy&z are all ok, I will be ok too.” Yesterday gave me a little reminder of what it feels like to surrender to the pain I can’t control.