Hello Sweet Friends,

I happen to celebrate the new year on March 20th when the Sun moves into Aries signaling it's time for spring. It just makes more sense to my Capricorn efficiency nature when the energy is available to be DOING things. Not working against my body desperate for hibernation.

This morning, I woke hearing "far niente" short for "il dolce far niente" or the sweetness of doing nothing. This is a foreign phrase (pun intended) for productive signs like Capricorn, Aries, and Virgo, but stillness, reflecting, resting, and getting nourishment are essential to refueling for more active seasons. These are moments to marinate.

I wrote about it in a more public way as a commitment I made to myself to be seen. My Scorpio in my 10th house of career resists this. It's free for now until I can figure out what to do with it, but you can always support my work there if you'd like.

Going Backwards to Move Forward

Mars, the planet of action, retrograde in the sign of Leo speaks to reconsidering how we show up in the world. Opposing Pluto in Aquarius seasons it with a depth of how we serve the Collective, our customers, and our networks. It's a time to go deep with our peeps ;)

In preparation for some slow 2025 planning, I did a retrospective of 2024 by going over all of my Google photos from last year, which seems like a blur. It whizzed by and landed me on Lake Travis constantly surrounded by all my thoughts.

-In January I co-hosted a retreat with Jenny (who now lives in California in her dream-home-to-be-a-ministry), Shannon, and Xtina at Ruby Retreats, where I met a few of you here whom I'm now honored to call my dear friends. I've hosted and co-hosted lunation ceremonies nearly every month!

-Dylan and I created Tendril as a concept and built a 14-Day Challenge, which continues to resonate in my work with clients. All the heart expansion from and devotion to that project set me up for the emotional second half of the year.

-I traveled to Victoria, BC for a client strategy session, Ann Arbor, and New York to visit Gabe several times while hosting Tad Hargrave of Marketing for Hippies here in Austin. I toured Hill Country land and properties in search of Equanimity Labs & Studio's new home and learned a lot about permaculture, regenerative farming and ranching, and farm hospitality. I made some of my deepest friendships in Sam and Oscar at Abby Jane's Bakeshop.

-I sold my house of 18 years, bought an amazingly useful Outback, processed my estranged dad's passing, and moved to my new nest in Hudson Bend on Lake Travis.

-Gabe and I got matching tattoos with Jupiter themes. Mine turns out to be the Cupido glyph. A symbol of fiery impermanence, go figure. I still love it.

-Jenny and Dave held their vow renewal ceremony while Courtney and Jordan made their vows under a majestic tree. I spent Thanksgiving with Joi's clan and Christmas with the Nealons.

-I celebrate nearly two years of working on and honoring my sobriety from codependency.

The Proof is in the Planning

This retrospective was to help me celebrate 2024 before looking to plan for the Gregorian Calendar 2025. I helped Tad develop a 2025 Visioning Session, which I am working through myself. If you'd like a free copy of Tad's 2025 Vision Planning Workbook, here it is. He's hosting a live session tomorrow, January 5th if you'd like to do it with him to get fast, fresh feedback.

Nervous System Reset

I've put lunation ceremonies on hold for now, but as always, you can find me in person leading a Gentle Kripalu Yoga and Sound Bath class at the Yoga Common. It's a soothing one-hour all-levels class to come home to yourself. Sundays from 6-7 p.m. I think Gabe and Adam might come to tomorrow night's class before he heads back to A2!

Fairy Tales and Other Symbolic Languages

Like astrology, Tarot, emojis, dance, and art, there is communication beyond words. The interpretation and sharing of it is more fluid. This is the energy of Venus now exalted in the sign of boundless Pisces. I am pursuing my studies in mythology, fairy and folk tales, and the heroine's journey to further develop my work around archetypes as a healing modality. My main teacher is Sharon Blackie, who last published Wise Women but who is now working on her next book. I thought I'd share some of my favorite resources:

Although Christmas is over, it is Epiphany, and this episode from This Jungian Life about "Scrooge on the Couch: How the Numinous Transforms" will never let you see this tale the same again.

This is a fascinating listen on the Mythic Masculine podcast titled "Courting the Feminine in Fairy Tales." Courtship, coercion, and true love.

The technical side of me still loves intelligent conversations about building products, marketing, and being a great leader. This has nothing to do with fairy tales, but Seth Godin is a master at aphorisms and storytelling. This conversation with Lenny and Seth Godin about his new book, This Is Strategy, is so well done.

So Much...Thank You

I have committed to writing daily in public. I started as a limited experiment a few years back when my mentor Dr. Art Markman told me to start talking about embracing the metaphysical and esoteric parts that I've suppressed since leaving Connecticut.

I did this on my Instagram and Facebook because I have no substantial followers and my friends are always supportive. But now I'm writing my book and this next step of writing on Substack where anyone can read my meanderings is a bit terrifying. All my articles are free for now and if you feel called to get a daily forecast of the astrological energy and how you can use it in your projects and planning, please subscribe.

My pen name is Noble Sophia (virtuous love of wisdom). My own version of Sasha Fierce ;)

Thank you for reading until the very end. Thank you for booking sessions and coming to lunations. Thank you for referring my work to others. Thank you for being a part of my story.

Please let me know how you are. I really want to know.

Be well.

Noble