I feel a little bit like I’m spinning my wheels right now. I work hard, but it often seems like any headway I make is short-lived, or simply reveals yet another task lurking beneath the stack I clear. I wrestle with the needs that are expressed to me and whether or not I can meet…
Category: Shadow work
Some days, there’s just not enough coffee in the universe to get me going. During most of the year, doldrum days are pretty rare for me. I generally have good forward momentum: I have dreams and visions I’m trying to manifest, sacred Work I’m focused on, and a beloved community to serve. For some…
This time was serious. I’d been hauled into Top’s office first thing in the morning, and my Staff Sergeant’s face looked thunderous. My Master Sergeant, Top, was furious of course. But also, oddly, concerned. “Why are you always so angry? Do you even know?” Top loomed over me. He was Nordic – tall and pale,…
What do you find in the Underworld? Take off your crown. This cold gold burden neither heals nor helps, lifts nor loves. Set down authority, command, and hierarchy. See it for what it is. Release the privilege of rule to the soil. What do you find in the Underworld? Lay down your jewels. They do…
I grew up in Frederick, a large town located in Western Maryland. I personally love the place – it has a beautiful historic district, a wonderful linear park that runs through much of the city, excellent restaurants, a vibrant theater district and lots of mom and pop stores that make shopping interesting. It also had…
“The green world around us will appear to slip into death or sleep. The truth, of course, is that deep beneath the winter soil, the plant spirits are recovering: healing, resting, growing and rooting deep for their rise in springtime. When we follow the cycle of the inward spiral, we can take advantage of the…
I have a secret to tell you. It goes against everything our Christianity-drenched culture wants you to believe. It goes against a lot of pop psychology. It will probably make you uncomfortable. It’s also true. The first person who told me this secret was the victim of horrific childhood abuse. The kind you don’t recover…
I recently play-tested a new Tarot deck live on my Facebook page (here’s the video). The deck in question is the TrueBlack Tarot and I specifically acquired it for Shadow readings. I’ve gotten a lot of questions since then about how and when to use a Shadow deck and what layouts to follow. So, today,…
This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of leading the service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick. Below, you will find the video and text of my sermon. My name is Irene. I teach the weekly yoga classes here, facilitate the monthly labyrinth walks, and I’m the squirrel herder in chief for the Frederick…
This past Sunday, I had the privilege of speaking to the Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists. The video recording and text of my sermon is below. As always, if you have any thoughts to share, I’d be happy to hear from you. Hit me up in the comments. My name is Irene, and I am…