Ever feel like you've checked all the boxes, climbed all the ladders, and still find yourself whispering, 'Is this all there is?' 

In this raw, candlelit conversation, I'm stripping away the shiny facades to explore what happens when conventional success leaves us feeling empty.

Join me as I share my own journey of questioning the golden handcuffs - that uncomfortable space between material abundance and soul-level hunger. 

💥 Let's dig into what actually makes us feel alive.

This episode is for anyone feeling trapped in their success or sensing there's something more calling them. Together, we'll explore that delicate intersection between practical wisdom and soul-deep knowing, creating space for both the strategic and the sacred. 

What might true fulfillment look like - beyond society's prescribed path to happiness?

⭐️ Want some support in delving into your own natal chart & what the stars are doing in your life right now? ⬇️

https://www.rootedmystic.com/astrology-reading

=====

Sign up for free bits of magick via my luminous notes (sent on the full and new moon each month, and if I have something special to share in between)

➡️ https://www.rootedmystic.com/newsletter

There are days when life feels like an endless chasm, the other side too far to even glimpse. 

🌈 But then there's a sliver of dawn across a still lake, a rainbow after a deluge, a fleeting connection between two hearts, and suddenly, you see it. A bridge of light. 

Every act of kindness, every moment of understanding, these are the ropes and planks we lay across the gap. 

We're all bridge builders, light bearers, invited to span distances between worlds, perspectives, and hearts. Maybe the light we seek isn't a destination but the bridge itself, guiding us from now to next, from me to we. 

In this infinite dance of being and becoming, let’s remember—each of us is a lighthouse, each moment an opportunity to unite with bridges built of light.

=====

Sign up for free bits of magick via my luminous notes (sent on the full and new moon each month, and if I have something special to share in between)

➡️ https://www.rootedmystic.com/newsletter

=====

Music ‘Those Lost’ - IHPMUPZFGBOZBERW

💥 Ever feel like you're walking a different path from everyone else? 

In this conversation with Karen Hawkwood (KJ Sassypants), we dive into what it means to stop fighting that feeling and start embracing it instead. 

🕸️ KJ shares her journey from corporate misfit to a that of weaver - someone who is skillfully bringing together threads from myth, archetype, story, astrology, coaching, lived experience, deep & direct knowing, and more. She reveals how sometimes our greatest 'flaws' - like being too intense or too deep - can become our greatest gifts. 

🔥 We explore the messy, (and often beautiful) process of becoming more ourselves, the power of finding our true people, and what happens when we finally stop apologizing for who we are. 

⭐️ Whether you're questioning your own path or just curious about living more authentically, this conversation offers a glimpse into what's possible when we dare to live life on our own terms.

=====

➡️ MY FAVORITE QUOTES FROM KJ:

"I think I thought that everything I wanted was to be found by fitting in. And if that had ever actually worked, I think I would’ve been so hungry for it and afraid to lose it that it would’ve only come undone involuntarily."

*

“I have lived into my self, and lived into my sharp edges. I have lived into my power and my intensity. I have lived into the things that make me magnetic to my people, and owned them and inhabited them.”

=====

➡️ WHERE TO FIND KJ:

Website: https://karenhawkwood.com/

Other interviews: https://karenhawkwood.com/interviews/

‼️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/humanequalsparadox

=====

➡️ WE MENTIONED:

Betsy Kudlinski: https://betsykudlinski.com/

Fabeku: https://fabeku.com   

=====

✨  Sign up for free bits of magick via my luminous notes (sent on the full and new moon each month, and if I have something special to share in between)

➡️ https://www.rootedmystic.com/newsletter

I’ve been reflecting on all the moments I’ve clung tight to, like they were life rafts in a storm. It’s wild to realize that what once felt like survival mode now whispers to be released with tenderness.

This journey of loosening my grip and breathing into the unknown?

It’s making space for life's flow, teaching me that true courage lies in the gentle act of letting go. When I stop forcing and just be, I discover that I’m held by something infinitely wise. Maybe it's in these tender releases that we really find ourselves, wrapped in the loving embrace of the universe's dance.

Here's to trusting the wind to carry us, always.

Time to grow up? YES. But not in that stiff, conformist way society pushes. I'm talking about the real kind of growing up - where we shed those teenage insecurities and all that unwillingness to acknowledge our real feelings & sensations, and we consciously choose to step into who we actually are.

I'm drawn to our collective story as I sit in the sun-dappled shade of our ethereal glass forest. We humans have always danced on the edge between fragility and strength, painting stars into our dreams and feeling the pulse of life through our veins.

I’m regularly reminded of our capacity for wonder and our shared responsibility to our shimmering home. This isn't just about responding to crises—it's about embracing who we truly are: co-creators in the cosmic dance.

So here’s to waking up, to every crack in the glass reminding us of our profound connection. We’ll dance across the forest floor together, writing the next luminous chapter with steady love and fierce hope.

I sat down with Lisa Hatlestad to begin interrogating some of the narratives around "darkness" - you know, all those deeper, messier parts of ourselves that make people squirm. We're not talking about some sanitized, Instagram-friendly version of shadow work. This is about getting real with the stuff most people would rather pretend doesn't exist.

Lisa brings the truth about her journey from trying to make herself smaller and more palatable to owning more of who she is. We dive into what it actually looks like to maintain real relationships with people who see the world completely differently than we do (hello, family dynamics), and why embracing our complexity might be exactly what we need right now.

If you've ever felt "too much," too intense, or like you need to dim your light (or your darkness!) to fit in, this conversation is for you.

We're getting real about what it means to show up authentically in a world that often prefers things neat and tidy.

Come hang out with us as we explore the magic that happens when we welcome ALL parts of ourselves to the table.

💥 Lisa said: “This is my philosophy. If we don’t understand that we have a choice, then we don’t have a choice, and to me choice is freeing.”

⭐️ Find Lisa:

Website: https://lisahatlestad.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.hatlestad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_hatlestad/

Betsy Kudlinski (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner): https://betsykudlinski.com/

Denise Huajardo Springer (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner): https://www.denisespringer.com/

A Mighty Kindness: https://amightykindness.org/

Francis Weller - The Wild Edge of Sorrow: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23992445-the-wild-edge-of-sorrow

When I reflect on my spiritual journey, I'm struck by a sense of belonging that transcends conventional beliefs.

Growing up in various Christian traditions, I sensed early on that my path diverged from what I was taught. At 15, I felt a strong pull towards something different—a deeper knowing inside me that I couldn't ignore.

Fast forward to the profound moment when my son was born. The doctor handed him to me, and I KNEW that we’d known each other before. This deep recognition was my first, absolutely undeniable brush with the mystical, confirming for me that there's more beyond this life.

This knowing redefined my understanding of death—not an ending, but a transition, like shedding old clothes for something truer and freer. It’s a homecoming, a return to what we truly are.

I’ve had conversations about this with close family, realizing I don’t fear death in the same way most do. For me, it’s not about an ending but a release into something more beautiful.

Even so, there’s so much to cherish in this life. The little joys—walking barefoot in the grass or savoring a delicious glass of wine—remind me to soak it all in.

Death, to me, is like a candle in a dark cave, illuminating what truly matters. It’s a paradox, yes, but it brings clarity and a deep reverence for life.

So, what do you believe about what lies beyond? I’m curious. Let's have a conversation, share our thoughts, and maybe we’ll find a kindred spirit in each other.

Until next time, keep pondering and embracing the mystery.

=====

I had such a reflective chat with a friend recently. It got me thinking about freedom—how elusive it can feel, especially when responsibilities pile up. Being a mother since right before 21, I totally get it. There's this push and pull between caring for others and losing pieces of yourself along the way.

My heart’s been racing like it’s on the verge of taking off, and it got me reflecting on those 'last times' we often don’t recognize until they’re gone.