dear friends,
this week is a curation from the archives — art made in darkness, and resources for slow recentering.
I think of the role of the artist as holding space for all dualities and chaos: light and dark, grief and hope, destruction and breakdown — and most of all, the continual imagining of new possibilities. the work is about being present and witness, so that we can birth visions from the messiness of the cocoon.
I told my partner that I felt like I was inside the tower card every single week for a month, and his response was: but when you fall from the tower, don’t you fall into water?
water is a place of incubation, hibernation, and healing. turning inwards is not for escapism — but for nurturing the resources within, so that we may emerge and share them — our work, our gifts, our values — with others.
this sunday, I’ll fly to the US for three weeks. I commit to traveling with embodied presence, in spite of all my anxiety and dread.
🎙️ podcast — I’m taking a podcast pause until I return, in December. despite outlining new episodes, my voice tells me it wants to rest.
💌 emails — I am very behind; if you’ve written me a letter, please forgive me for my delay.
💎 here’s my resources and gifts, for this week:
anxiety feels like being slowly eaten alive
an inverted bird cage of the mind
anxiety feels like being slowly eaten alive — kening zhu
anxiety feels like being attacked by flesh-eating birds - while you are the one inside the birdcage. always trapped. breathing, but just barely.
the dark tunnel room vs. the dream room
two alternating states of being — and floating in between
the dark tunnel room — kening zhu
the state of the day
the dream room — kening zhu
and how to enter it
exploding moon
a felt sense of total disintegration
exploding moon — kening zhu
the body remembers how to center
grounding and trusting in the body - inspired by pottery
the body remembers how to center — kening zhu
on embodied knowing
only the center can hold
holding all the chaos within
only the center can hold — kening zhu
holding all the chaos within
life as falling into holes and climbing out
a cyclical diagram of life
life as falling into holes and climbing out — kening zhu
living the same cycle over and over
30 minute centering ritual
a gentle ritual for coming to center
a 30 minute centering ritual — kening zhu
these days while traveling, I've found a renewed appreciation for morning rituals — as a daily means of nourishing and centering myself, no matter what emotional and physical place I'm in. I wanted to log and share a simple 30 min centering ritual that I practice — which never fails to make me feel
your vision is born from desire & discontent
sitting in the dark, dreaming of something new
your vision is born from discontent & desire — kening zhu
how to form your vision using the polarity of what attracts and repels you
🍵 inspiration & nourishment
reading/listening/learning: focusing by eugene glendin as a deeply transformative practice for being in the “felt sense” of the body
just listened to: let’s be crystal clear by off the grid my friend amelia’s gentle & powerful episode about using our small businesses as vessels for change
practicing: this last week, I sat for 10 minutes every morning, sensing into what my inner landscape felt like. so far I’ve been in: rapid mountain rivers, underwater bay, desert moon-scapes, dark caves, gathering fire. I ask each landscape how to be with it, and let that sense guide my day. today is a maze garden day.
🌸 goodbye for now...
next time I write you, I’ll be writing from NYC.
wishing you slowness and softness, in every moment.
🪼 kening
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🗺️ this is guidenotes 53, a weekly letter on creative alchemy & growing digital worlds.
🍃 find me on my podcast: botanical studies of internet magic.
🏔️ explore my course: house on the webs.
🪷 inquire about working with me: advising & creation services.
💧 send me a gift. water my world.