Summer Vacation
Hello friend,
As the manic energy of summer ramps up, and I continue with Project Slow Down, I have a few little announcements and reflections to share.
First things first, I’m taking a Summer Vacation from this newsletter! During the months of July and August, I’ll focus more on regularly updating my Patreon community and uploading new meditations to my podcast.
Regardless, I’ve got some exciting bits of programming coming up this summer:
The first is a new Summer Reset series - a 6-day online practice hosted via my Patreon. More details below.
The other is a Sangha Live course set to launch in the Fall of 2022, filming in July at my home.
Also: I’ll also be launching Season 3 of my podcast in a few weeks, teaching in-person at the Omega Institute mid-July and in-person again with my beloved teachers Thanissara and Kittisaro at the end of July.
Sprinkle in an online climate course I’m taking, my birthday, my boo’s birthday, our 2-year wedding anniversary, a couple of camping trips and surely some impromptu hangs with good friends, and I dare predict this will be a busy yet memorable summer.
The reality is that Project Slow Down is likely to be a lifelong project, and I’m learning to be okay with that. I’ll continue documenting my progress with you all as I move along on this journey towards what feels like a good work-life balance.
What have you been doing to find that sense of harmony as the season changes yet again?
Wishing you all a wonderful, warm, and restorative summer.
Dawned on me.
As a verb, dawn can mean “become clear” or “enter one's consciousness or emotions.” It’s in this spirit that I share with you some of the things that help me get clear in various ways. May it be the same for you, too.
Click through.
2SLGBTQIA+ community in pre-colonial Philippines
In Canada, June is many things: National Indigenous History Month, Italian Heritage Month, Filipino Heritage Month, Portuguese Heritage Month, and the launch of Pride Season. Although it doesn’t cover all the June commemorative days, this post talks about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in pre-colonial Philippines. Whatever your nationality, do you know the (pre-colonial) history of the LGBTQ community where you or your family are from?
Support.
Full of Pride mugs
Our Place, a woman and immigrant-owned kitchenware company (you may know of their famous Always Pan that I’m covetting), launched ceramic and hand-painted mugs for Pride month. Designed by Queer Japanese-Mexican ceramic artist Viviana Matsuda, the limited-edition Full of Pride Mugs are hand-painted with the colors of Queer joy, solidarity, and protest. 20% of these mugs’ net revenue (from now through the end of June) will go towards The 519, an organization committed to the health and happiness of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Try.
Ditch affirmations and take up iffirmations
Like the author of this piece, I never fully vibed with affirmations, despite trying for years and years. So when I quite randomly came across @tiktoktraumadoc’s posts on iffirmations, I was happy to try it on. I’m even happier to report they resonate much more with me and my body, mind and system really love this practice, too. Try it out and let me know what you think!
Do.
It’s called fa-shun
Anyone else finding themselves readying to go out into the world as restrictions lift with bodies that have changed since 2020? Or perhaps you just want to zhuzz up your personal wardrobe. For me, it’s all of the above! I dream of one day having a styling session where the stylist finds a way for me to wear sweats all day but somehow still look fabulous for any situation. Until that day comes, this visual guide on How to Cultivate Your Personal Style is really fun and helpful!
Take In.
"Love him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters?"
- James Baldwin
Meditate.
Wherever you find yourself on the Kinsey Scale, may you Love Your Many Sides.
Reflect.
How can you direct your practice towards building resilience which allows you to show up in fullness?
Link appreciation: NPR.
