February Woo Corner, and other stories
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I won't try to summarize January, but I will say this...I don't know what lottery I played to win the companionship of all of you, but I would 10/10 play that ticket again. I see you in my replies, on socials, in my DM's, and you all are the most caring, passionate, cool and creative creatures a southern swamp witch could ever hope to call friends. Thank you for being here. Thank you for doing what you do, and being the creatures that you are. If you're new here (hi!! *waves too enthusiastically*) I use this monthly newsletter to sum up all the corners of the internet I whisper to, so if you're ever wondering what you missed, you can find it here. And of course, I use it to deliver Woo Corner. If you're here for the functional Woo, you'll find it at the bottom of this page. If you're not in a hurry, have a comfy seat and a warm beverage. Sit yourself down, and stay awhile- you are very welcome here. Medicine for your heart:Since y'all ARE the most caring, compassionate people I could ever hope to meet, I know a lot of y'all are doing the most to educate yourselves for your families, communities, and your future- and also possibly fretting about how you don't feel like you're doing enough. I'd love to share this short essay from The Preamble with you, it was a balm to my overwrought brain and gave me a sense of perspective I really needed: In case you missed it, 5 Days to Desire:During the slack time between Christmas and New Year's Eve this past season, I released a free mini series called 5 Days to Desire. This course was lovingly built over several years of research into how a person can reconnect with their own sense of desire, aka how to know what the fuck you actually WANT. I've gotten some beautiful feedback about it (if you've reached out, THANK YOU!) and as a gift for being on this list, I'd like to make it available to you. No one wants to go rummaging around in their inboxes for a bunch of emails, so I compiled all the materials into a free mini course on teachable. You do need to sign in to get to it, but I promise there is no cost- just a guided process to reconnect you to living deliciously: On the Podlycast:Audacity Works is a podcast inspired by and dedicated to the working artist, the creative entrepreneur, and generally- doin the damn thing. Most episodes are 20 minutes long and designed to be a hug from inside of your ears. New episodes air each week on Wednesdays at 6am EST, anywhere you get your podcasts! Aural offerings from the month of July included:
On the Patreon:The Patreon is my innermost sanctum, my Queensguard, and the recipients of what is frankly probably TMI most of the time. Most of what I create would not exist without this beautiful, bizarre little corner of the internet. January's offerings included: A mostly fast-motion behind the scenes glimpse into my latest collaboration with local photographer Mark Rinaldi and local HMU mistress Kala Kannisto! As well as an amuse bouche of things to come this spring, and announcing a virtual patron meetup. Any of y'all that made the meet up, I had no idea it would be so wanted so I'll be having more of those. There used to be an option for seasonal meetups but we were all so burnt out from the pandemic that they weren't very popular at the time. But I have heard, and I understand. There shall be MOAR. One. More. Time.Cycle 30 of The Audacity Project will be the last cycle of it's kind, enrolling in the early spring (so...soon. Really soon.) The absolute BEST place to be is the waitlist to get first enrollment on my flagship course for performing artists and creative entrepreneurs to get their shit together and take their places in the world.
You can read more about The Audacity Project here. In local haps...If you're in the Low Country (or are stopping by) the next Charleston Artists Salon is February 15th, 5:15-7:30pm! We gather at ARC Take 2 Studios in the Citadel Mall. This is NOT an open mic! This is a space for artists of all kinds to talk about their work, share resources, or just to ask "hey I want to make a giant tower of sponges and paint it bright pink, is that crazy?" (the answer is no it's not crazy). I've seen some incredible work happen just because an artist sat in a room with their peers and said "I am going to make this." Do not underestimate the power of being in the room. All are welcome. I'll be reminding my local list ONLY, and giving them parking directions. If you want to be on the local list, you can do that here:
And now without further ado: February's Woo Corner:For this month's draw I was feeling my OG favorite, the Thoth deck. So here's what I pulled for us and what each position means: Card #1: Where should we direct our material time and focus?8 of cups: Indolence. The 8 of cups is what happens not after a night of heavy drinking (or other addictive indulgence) but after a SEASON of heavy indulgence. It is what is left when you exit a relationship or friendship that had proven to be harmful, and you're left sitting with the unanswered questions, the hurt, and the fallout from putting so much focus on something that was frankly, bad for you. This is what happens after the tidal wave of addiction or any compulsive behavior has come and gone, having had its way with you. You may feel depressed, or it may just manifest as a really persistent sense of ennui. Whatever it is, this card is telling us to clean up the mess. Do what is necessary to STABILIZE. Don't abandon projects that were conceived in good faith, based on your value system, just because you're feeling crappy. Nourish what has nourished you, and don't abandon what is good for you just because you've needed to alter your course. If you do need to abandon a situation, do it because you know it is not good for you. Nothing more needs to be said. Do what is necessary to stabilize. Card #2: What will clamor for our attention that should be ignored?8 of disks: Prudence. Another 8, by the way. 8 is a hugely stable number, which says to me that it shouldn't take Herculean efforts to correct course this month. The winds are in your favor, so to speak. The 8 of disks has a simple message in light of what I asked. Don't be so fucking careful. Over-caution just leads to no action being taken at all. This attitude is "penny wise and pound foolish"- it means well, and is trying to be pragmatic, but it's so careful and afraid of making the wrong decision that nothing happens at all. This is not the time for perfectionism. Mistakes are inevitable, even encouraged, as we course correct towards that which makes us feel most alive. That IS the goal. Card #3: What is some general advice we can reach for when we need it?XII: The Hanged Man. This is a card of stillness. It might seem counterintuitive to the advice of Card #2 (don't be so damn cautious) but it is not- this card is not an overarching command, but rather it's here in the moments between things, when we reach for the memory of a word of wisdom in our minds. The Hanged Man says "give it a second. you may see things differently in a moment." It is a literal invitation to change your perspective, and look at something in a different way. Nothing will have changed, and yet everything could be different. That is the magic of trying on a different perspective in moments when we need a bit of advice. As always, your thoughts, ramblings, and questions are very welcome. I may not always have time to reply to all messages, but I read every single one, and appreciate every single one. Don't go back to sleep. xoRachel |