Reflect, Root, & Other

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New Moon No. 8, Fall View this email in your browser LUMEN  LETTERS Sipping sweet spring water near the peak of Mt. Slide in the Catskills on a crisp fall afternoon “Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.”   Emily Brontë Hi my little pretties! Fall is in full swing & this witchy one over here is getting pumped for Samhain/Halloween! While I've always been attracted to the Halloween holiday from the time I was a wee one, I've grown particularly fond of the Samhain observations over the past few years as I've dug into my Celtic pagan roots. For those of you not familiar with Samhain, it's a Celtic tradition that Halloween was born from. It's the time of the year where the veil between our earthly realm and the realms of the unseen are believed to be the thinnest. Where we begin our descent into darkness here in the Northern Hemisphere. Where we turn inwards, to reflect within the introspective watery depths the fall season seems to pull us down into, if we are open and willing to surrender to them. As someone who believes in the power of working with the cycles of nature, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share fall's wisdom with others TONIGHT, on this crisp October new moon in my fall // root + rhythm workshop! It's not too late to sign up - I have a few spots left for anyone in NYC who's free tonight from 7 - 9 pm and seeking a special fall community gathering where you'll be sure to leave with plenty of goodies and treats of insight into navigating the fall season as well as a Luminous Elixirs Fall Essence sample rollerball! *If you plan on coming to this event tonight, but haven't registered through my website and wish to pay with cash/check, please send me an email letting me know you'll be attending so I can plan for your lovely presence!    Register! MIND Here's a sneak peek into some of the written practices we will explore in tonight's workshop for those of you who are not able to be with us in person. As a new moon ritual, if that's your sort of thing, or simply as a reflective journaling practice, carve out some time tonight to curl up with your thoughts. Grab a journal and writing utensil, make yourself a comforting mug of tea (I suggest chamomile or tulsi), and let the writing flow freely. No.1 Fall Associations When you think of the fall season…  List words, phrases, draw pictures - whatever your style is, become clear on what associations you have with the fall season. No.2 Past Patterns Past tendencies in fall season… Become aware of past patterns and reflect on where those patterns originated from; what they are rooted in. Write these down and stay present with your breath - some uncomfy stuff may surface, and that's okay. Shedding light into the darkness is the first step to transformation. No.3 Setting Intentions Setting intentions for the fall season… How do you want to interact with yourself this fall? With others? With the season/the natural world? Answer by making a list of responses to each question, full of positive intent for how you'd like to actively align yourself with these intentions. Making a list won't manifest your hearts deepest desires. but bringing your awareness to how you want to design your life is a great place to inspire putting some things into motion for these facets to fall into place.   BODY I love walking around barefoot for numerous reasons - feeling various textures on the soles of my feet, freedom from the casting effects of modern footwear, physical feedback from the surfaces beneath me, and an overall sense of feeling more grounded in my body, just to name a few. I reference grounding quite often as an energetic cue when teaching movement classes or giving healing sessions. There are positive mind/body connections made through this notion of grounding down into the earth on a more figurative level, but now there is scientific literature about the positive health effects of literal grounding, or earthing - the practice of connecting your body to the free flowing electrons on the earth's surface. This cute video explains the science behind earthing and the health benefits involved with this completely free, easily accessible form of healing the body!   SPIRIT Who doesn't love a good story or myth, especially during this auspicious time of the fall season? Mythology has been a way to pass on wisdom and attempt to make sense out of the great mysteries of life. Using mythology as a lens to explore our personal and collective psychology has deeply resonated with me after reading Women Who Run With Wolves, which captures the essence of the wild woman archetypes through mythological storytelling across many cultures. In the spirit of Samhain, this sharing on the power of mythology told by Dr. Sharon Blackie feels particularly relevant and equally inspiring to challenge how we typically disconnect ourselves from this concept of the Otherworld.  As the veils thin, And the darkness falls, As the leaves flutter, And the wind speaks; listen - To those forces, Both felt & seen, From beyond this world, To the Other. Luminous love, Jessica UPCOMING OFFERINGS fall // root + reflect Sunday Oct. 22nd & 29th 2 – 3pm $25 drop in Studio MAYA Fit Meets Flow Monday's 8:30 – 9:30pm Shambhala Yoga & Dance Center   Essential Core & Vital Force Thursday's 7 – 8 am // 10 – 11am Studio MAYA   Arms/Shoulders/Back Thursday's 9:30 – 10am Studio MAYA Bosu Body // Slow Flow Yoga Friday Oct. 20th & Nov. 3rd 9:30 – 10am // 10 – 11am Studio MAYA For seasonal support, straight to your inbox - Subscribe to Lumen Letters below! SUBSCRIBE Email Website Instagram Copyright © 2017 Luminous Architecture, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list