I had a really beautiful New Year in the Poconos, spending time with new friends and it was deeply moving.
Together, we played music, sang songs, and shared stories. Since my trip to Peru in November where I studied with a new Shipibo Maestro, I've learned a few songs, and for the first time in my life, I felt excited to sing. This was a huge breakthrough for me, as I used to be so scared of sharing my voice.
Tiger and I have been incorporating more music into our ceremonies. We've discovered that plants truly love it when we sing to them—it's a sacred connection we’re leaning into.
Reflecting on this gathering, I realized how much I love intentional hangouts. Parties no longer call to me as they once did (perhaps they never really did). Maybe it’s because I’m a highly sensitive person, or maybe it’s my lack of Air element in my birth chart—those with little Air aren’t naturally chatty and tend to prefer deeper, more intentional communication.
​​One really cool thing about this gathering was being around other Jewish people, as well as non-Jews who felt drawn to study Judaism. We had a Rabbi who had recently moved back to the U.S. from Israel with his partner (sadly cause of the war), and a Rabbi-in-training. As a Russian-Jew, I don’t often find myself surrounded by other Jews or these traditions, let alone cool Rabbis. But every now and then, I feel a slight tug to explore my ancestral connection more deeply.
We had a songbook, and it was moving to hear and sing some Hebrew songs. The Rabbi shared some incredible wisdom related to my sharings about the Moondance or my time with the Shipibo, and offered beautiful prayers into our ceremonial space. I sometimes find myself drawn to the idea of Judaism before it became what it is today—the tribal roots that may have been lost over time but may still be alive in some way. (Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism is a book I currently have in my stack.)
In the spirit of reflection, we shared our Thorn, Rose, and Bud of 2024:
Thorn: Something challenging or painful.
Rose: A moment of beauty or growth.
Bud: A seed of hope for the year ahead.
I found it so helpful to do this and personally received some golden nugget reflections of the year. I loved it so much, we brought this into our January Cacao Ceremony. Here’s mine:
🌵 Thorn:
My business didn’t reach the level of success I envisioned. While I’ve had incredible cacao ceremonies, Family Constellations workshops, one-on-one sessions, and met amazing people, it hasn’t been as fruitful as I’d hoped. The entrepreneur journey is deeply spiritual, though, and I trust this is part of the process. (Stay tuned cause my biz is about to TRANSFORM, and I am excited!)
🌹 Rose:
Despite the material challenges, I was surprised to realize that 2024 was rich in spiritual growth. From my Family Constellations training to my second year of the Moondance and to my first Dieta with the Shipibo in Peru, I’ve gained profound wisdom that is continuing to integrate and transform me. These experiences are mystery teachings and are beyond what any classroom can teach. I’m really grateful for this Rose and for seeing all the work I did in this realm, that has yet to blossom fully into this reality.
🌱 Bud:
I’m really excited for the creative possibilities of 2025! Tiger and I have grown so much in our relationship, crossing a threshold into greater clarity and ease. We got engaged. This opens the door for deeper collaboration—starting with our Constellations For Your Heart weekend retreat in March. I can’t wait to gather intentionally with those of you who are feeling the call to join. It’s going to be amazing.
Just after midnight, we prayed in circle with my Chanupa (prayer pipe that I received from the Moondance) which was a super special way to be able to send prayers for our lives into 2025. It was the biggest circle my pipe has yet experienced. On New Years Day we shared Cacao with everyone which is becoming a tradition to start off the year in a joyful way! :)
Have you taken a moment to reflect on your own Thorn, Rose, and Bud from your previous year? What challenges have shaped you, what beauty has unfolded, and what seeds are you planting for the future? Reflect with a friend, or send me a note—I’d love to hear from you.
By the way… according to astrology, 2025 is going to be a year of change. All of the outer planets (Neptune, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Uranus) plus the Nodes are changing signs and this has never happened in our life time. It will be a collective shift. I look forward to seeing how this unfolds for us.
As the world continues to shift, I feel more and more prepared to be the spiritual warrior that I am. Here to support myself and others through difficult and amazing times.
Let’s keep living, keep growing, keep being authentic — breaking out of the conditioned systems we were born into. Remembering who we are. Reminding each other who we truly are.
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