a manifesto for artists living with chronic mental or physical illness As artists, we are always working. We are writing in our head, jotting down impressions and ideas, dictating voice memos to ourself; paintings and sculptures drop into our mind or reveal themselves in dreams; we are listening to the inflections of conversation, the sounds… Continue reading CHRONIC WELLNESS MANIFESTO (written from bed + couch)
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Childhood, adulthood, and the architecture of the brain
I always thought of the end of high school as marking the end of childhood. Society tells us we’re an adult when we turn 18, and I believed it. In retrospect, that seems so naive.
It’s easy to slip and fall into a hole
When we grow accustomed to the weekly momentum of life in America and rely on it to dictate our energy levels and motivation and even direction, when we rely on it to keep us in line, in our lane, like the bumpers in bowling alleys that keep our ball from sliding into the gutter …
Astrology, fate, and free will
We come into this third-dimensional reality with an individual energetic makeup, as shown in our natal chart. In the same way a crystal or plant has an energy makeup and can impart its medicine onto us, so, too, can we impart our medicine unto others. The Human Design mandala shows us how we are all… Continue reading Astrology, fate, and free will
VIRGO/PISCES AXIS :: where heaven and earth meet
I woke up to a vision, the answer to a question I’d asked myself the night before: what does the Virgo/Pisces axis feel like? What is at its essence? What teaching does it offer us? What is the tension or conflict between these two opposing signs? It’s manifesting now through this full moon in… Continue reading VIRGO/PISCES AXIS :: where heaven and earth meet
S U R R E N D E R
Surrender is not “giving up.” It’s going all in. It’s removing all fear of merging with the infinite chaos of life. It’s aligning your will with that of the Universe/God/Love. It’s not resiliency, as that implies some sort of struggle you went through and overcame. Surrender transcends struggle. When you’ve surrendered—i.e., handed everything over to… Continue reading S U R R E N D E R
Medicine for the Spirit
As I write this, I’m looking out over a field of gnarled juniper trees, sagebrush, and pinion pine in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The landscape is vastly different from the Appalachian Mountains back East, where I’ve lived nearly all my life. Being out here in the wilderness for days on end reminds me to breathe, stay… Continue reading Medicine for the Spirit
An artist’s tour of New Mexico
New Mexico is rich with history and culture and alive with art — galleries, museums and festivals, not to mention all the artists throughout the state who are working on their craft. Even if you were to pass through without stopping, you’d notice the murals that stretch across each highway overpass and the large-scale public… Continue reading An artist’s tour of New Mexico
Anam Cara: an atypical apothecary
It’s estimated that only about 1 percent of people possess the sense of smell in their dreams. It may come as no surprise that Amye Clark, a master clinical aromatherapist, not only smells while dreaming but often wakes up with inspired thoughts. A scented oil or herb will come to her in the dream world, and she’ll know to add it to a formula she’s working on.
Faerie Magazine editor finds magic in the everyday
Carolyn Turgeon. Photo by Lauren LaRocca It comes as no surprise when Carolyn Turgeon, editor-in-chief of Faerie Magazine, says she’s always loved fairy tales. She sits in her living room on a purple velvet couch—the same place where she often writes her novels and magazine stories. Flecks of tinsel-like hair extensions make her dark locks sparkle… Continue reading Faerie Magazine editor finds magic in the everyday
Lauren LaRocca 