I am comfortable...
I am comfortable...
A Change in Geography // 10.17.22
Monday Mettā
A new + beautiful way to experience Mondays
I am comfortable in my body and mind.
If you read on, you’ll see I’m advocating for the exact opposite of comfort. Do I believe we can experience both the power of discomfort and the relief of comfort at the same time? Absolutely.
Comfort is not a luxury. It might feel like an aspiration, in which case, repeat these words every day for as long as it takes for that comfort to integrate. We should all be at ease and in comfort, as much as is possible, especially at rest. Find a moment to rest and be comfortable.
✨
So glad you’re here.
Intuitive Tarot Card Reading
Use your intuition to guide you to a specific card below. Choose the card with the crystal on it that calls to you.
At the end of this newsletter, you’ll see the cards flipped over, with a reading for each one. The card that you choose here will have your reading for the week.
Card 1: Blue Chalcedony Choose this card if you need to convey a message to someone.
Card 2: Amethyst Choose this card if you need a detox.
Card 3: Carnelian Choose this card if you’re experiencing high stress.
Wait to scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter until you’ve chosen your card!
Yoga Class Schedule:
Interested in scheduling a private yoga class? Info is here or email me!
Online classes for any and all:
Tuesday: Noon // 45 minute flow
Wednesday: 5:30pm // 45 minute Yin Yoga
DM/email Rachel for the Zoom link and password. All times in Eastern.
A Change in Geography
I am a believer in change. Comfort-zone busting, habit-ignoring, sweet or uncomfortable change. I see change by choice as a chance to form new pathways in the brain by widening perspective and shifting experience. One of the greatest enablers of internal change is by changing the external: a change in geography.
I recently had the opportunity to live in Helsinki for a few weeks—a place I had never been to before in a part of the world that was new to me. I was still working east coast hours (3-11pm in Finland) and immersing myself (literally at times!) into a very new city, culture, and country. My entire schedule was out of whack as I ignored habits I had built up at home and formed new ones in my temporary one. The result became an openness of daily curiosity and activity and a willingness to pay more attention to myself, my surroundings, and my company. Geographic change also resulted in a tremendous amount of focus during my work time, and a tremendous amount of joy and play during my free time.
You don’t have to travel across an ocean to experience the phenomenon of geographic change. Changing rooms or even furniture helps. Often, when I know I have a couple hours of uninterrupted writing time, I’ll move from my desk to the bed. My brain is now so used to this that it automatically switches gears when I make the move—from smaller to-do list tasks to a longer period of focused time. If I need thinking time, I take a walk to town, or around the neighborhood. I also find that going to a coffee shop, library, or to the park to get reading done (reading I’d never do at home because distraction is calling!) allows me to open up to my work in a different way. It’s a small geographical change, but it's a productive one.
Productivity, however, is not the reason for movement, openness, and change; instead, it’s an outcome. The reason for geographic change is what it does to open the mind and heart. I might never, in my “regular” life, sit sweating profusely amongst strangers in a public sauna, listening to languages I can’t understand as steam takes my breath away. As I looked out through a tiny window, open to the Baltic Sea, I knew I was changing. Whether it was the heat, the discomfort, the excitement, or the widening of my experiences, joy began to burst through my skin, rounding out my edges of anxiety and overwhelm. Yesterday, as I sat in the park looking out over the bright blue New England October sky, watching kids play tag and reading for a course I’m taking, I felt that same joy. I was somewhere new, experiencing something new. It was joy facilitated by a change in geography.
Read more on the subject in Laura Day’s article The Geographical.
We Support Each Other
There are three beautiful ways you can support my work writing and teaching. Make a micro-donation, either through Buy Me a Coffee (or in my case, a love note), or after you’ve listened to one of my meditations on Insight Timer.
Book a class or an intuitive reading. Come to one of my online yoga classes, schedule a private yoga class, or contact me for a Tarot or Akashic Records reading.
Forward this newsletter on to anyone who might want a little love. Ask them to subscribe! Tell them you love them!
Thank you thank you!
Much love and gratitude,
Rachel xo
PS- I love hearing about the cards you pick and your related experiences. Please email me or comment below to share what came up from your card reading this week🔮
Your Tarot Reading, Revealed!
Card 1: Blue Chalcedony // Five of Pentacles
The thing you’re not saying is depleting your energy and draining your personal power. It’s incredibly important for you to relay your message, but before you do, you must find the strength that you’ve been without. Take stock—what are the things you’re afraid of conveying when you speak, or write, your message? What are the reactions you’re afraid of receiving? At some level, do you trust yourself enough to be able to handle your delivery and the outcome? Note the wolf standing next to the figure. Wolves go by instinct—they are incredibly clever, compassionate, and powerful. Imagine the wolf as a part of you and know that you can trust yourself to handle what’s to come.
Card 2: Amethyst // The High Priestess
One of my personal favorites of this deck, the High Priestess reminds us of our personal and spiritual power. Something in your life is feeling toxic—it could be a relationship, too much cheese on a lactose-intolerant stomach, or a not-so-great habit that’s gotten out of control. The High Priestess is here to remind you that you are in control. Take some time to do something that makes you feel powerful, that makes you feel as YOU as possible. This card is also all about balance (the number is 2, the columns are black and white and represent the yin/yang in all of us), so balance what’s making you feel yucky with what makes you feel well.
Card 3: Carnelian // The Chariot
This card is telling you that action is necessary to de-stress. Sometimes, we get over-stressed when we feel inactive, as if we have no control over what’s going on around us. This is not the time to sit quietly and reflect. Instead, this is the time to make a change and/or do the thing you’re afraid of. Use your intuition to gauge the next best move, and use the figure in this card as inspiration. Look to his strength, his heart, his intellect (notice the laurel wreath around his head) and his ability to balance (the yin/yang symbol, the black and white horses, the steeples on either side).
✨intuitive tarot inspired by Sarah Greenman, who was in turn inspired by Chris Corsini, because inspiration is contagious✨
A challenging situation is being presented to me right now and I immediately thought about this reading. I picked the first card with blue chalcedony. Your message rings true and I wanted to express my gratitude for these weekly readings. 💙