A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and remember how to be *alive* again.

I was surprised this morning, while checking in with friend and colleague Jenn Balijko of Always on My Way, to discover that the energy of this lunar new year and solar eclipse was different than what I had been imagining it might feel like. Still potent, yes. But I was feeling the potency in a very different way and different place in my body.

And that got me questioning everything.

Do we even know what the Chinese cultural context for the Fire Horse is, or are we adding our western pre-conceived ideas to it?

What lunar new year celebrations might I find in my own ancestral lineage?

And what might both Fire and Horse, as ancestors and teachers in their own rights, have to teach me beyond my post-industrial, empire-trained way of attaching meaning to them, imaging them, and relating to them?

Those are some of the musings I unpack a bit more in this video.

What do you think?

Feel free to share as a comment. I’d welcome hearing it.

If this spoke to you, it helps me immensely if you could take a few moments to help spread the word by liking, sharing (either publicly or with a friend), commenting back, etc <3

__________________________

P.S. I’m hoping the self-paced course I've been working on, full of practical exercises and skills, to support your journey back to being creature-not-machine again will be ready to go by the end of the month. 

P.P.S. In the meantime, and in honor of Lunar New Year, Insight 2026 is back again briefly and available to purchase for five days only. It’s tarot divination for you and your 2026, to offer you some spirit-led guidance and orientation when navigating uncharted territory or you know you can’t continue with “business as usual” but aren’t sure what to do next. People who got theirs back in Dec and early Jan are reporting it’s been soothing, affirming, and helping them a lot. Once this week is up, the offer won’t be back again until 2027).

https://www.wildsacredjourney.com/insight-tarot-for-2026-lny

[for more ways to work with me in tending your creature self, particularly after burning out from trying to be a machine:

www.wildsacredjourney.com

https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/]

A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and remember how to be *alive* again.

Is there a difference between animism and anthropormorphism and why does it matter?

I would submit: yes - there is a difference.

One maintains stories human supremacy and offers a false sense of comfort, a way of trying to tame the world down into something as small as we are.

And the other… well, the other acknowledges how small we are, how challenging the world can be. But it also offers a deeper sense of belonging and kinship.

One holds us as not-creature. The other helps us be creatures.

By this point, you can probably guess which I’ll choose!

What do you think? Can you feel the difference? 

Feel free to share as a comment. I’d welcome hearing it.

If this spoke to you, it helps me immensely if you could take a few moments to help spread the word by liking, sharing (either publicly or with a friend), commenting back, etc <3

__________________________

P.S. I’m hoping the self-paced course I've been working on, full of practical exercises and skills, to support your journey back to being creature-not-machine again will be ready to go by the end of the month. 

P.P.S. In the meantime, I’m also running a five-day flash sale of Insight 2026 (divination through tarot cards to give you something to orient by through the coming year) in honor of the Lunar New Year. Feb 16th-21st. If you’re wondering what guidance the Otherworld has for you at this moment in your life and our shared history, this might be just the thing. 

https://www.wildsacredjourney.com/insight-tarot-for-2026-lny

[for more ways to work with me in tending your creature self, particularly after burning out from trying to be a machine:

www.wildsacredjourney.com

https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/]

A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and remember how to be *alive* again.

We find ourselves at the cross-quarter threshold between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox - the beginning of the light half of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Celtic tradition, it’s marked in a harvest celebration known as Imbolc (Imbolg) which translates out to “in the belly” - a nod to the beginning of the lambing season and the stirrings beginning in the pregnant belly of the Earth. It’s also a time to celebrate the transition (or, in some stories, the rebirth) from the Cailleach of winter to Brigid - the goddess of the light half of the year and the one to offer healing, protection of hearth and home, protection of lambs, and guidance in poetry and smithcraft. (And - I forgot to say this in the video, but she’s also credited with being the one to bring keening - the lamenting sound of grief and praise - to the Irish and Scottish people.)

There are many folk traditions you can probably find from your ancestral traditions to ritually mark this time of year. But here are some of my thoughts, not necessarily on specific traditions, but more on the spiritual and symbolic significance of this moment in time for our creature selves as we aim to shift to a more ancestral, animist perspective on the world.

Any thoughts or impressions in response to this video? You’re welcome to drop ‘em below!

If this spoke to you, it helps me immensely if you could take a few moments to help spread the word by liking, sharing (either publicly or with a friend), commenting back, etc <3

__________________

[for more ways to work with me in tending your creature self, particularly after burning out from trying to be a machine:

www.wildsacredjourney.com
https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/]

A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and remember how to be *alive* again.

I really hadn’t gotten how funny the moment was until I said it out loud. And I often take life (and my spiritual practice) waaayyyy too seriously. But I’m aiming to laugh more.

What’s your relationship to humor? To Tricksters? What do you think about the idea that life is both deeply meaningful and also totally ridiculous and a giant joke all at the same time?

(And I meant to say this in the video and forgot - but if you’re involved in a spiritual practice or school where the teacher can’t laugh about things…get out now. It’s probably not a liberatory space)

Any thoughts or impressions in response to this video? You’re welcome to drop ‘em below!

If this spoke to you, it helps me immensely if you could take a few moments to help spread the word by liking, sharing (either publicly or with a friend), commenting back, etc <3

__________________

[for more ways to work with me in tending your creature self, particularly after burning out from trying to be a machine:

www.wildsacredjourney.com

https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/]

For this conversation (the first after a long pause from recording), I’m joined by Stephanie MacKay - a mythologist, wilderness guide, and cultural craftswoman devoted to the long, slow work of remembering how to belong - to land, to lineage, to story, and to each other. (And someone whose approach to myth has changed my life and work and who I respect and admire greatly - like, I was buzzing after this convo from a combo of the channeling that seems to happen through me in these conversations and my own fan-girling).

Like the myths themselves, this conversation is one of complexity and layers.

Like the myths themselves, there’s an awful lot of wisdom here, stated simply and casually enough that if you aren’t listening for it (or maybe not quite ready for it), you might miss it. You might want to listen more than once.

In it, we wonder about what is lost or being lost in our modern non-culture while holding the truth that all is not lost. We wonder about the richness and messiness of the human experience and also about the Great Oneness - the holiest of Holys - and how to hold both at the same time. We wonder about belonging and how to locate ourselves through ancestral lineages of dislocation.

And through it all - the lives we both have lived, the teachers we have apprenticed to (human and not), and the deep work Stephanie has done with myth - all drop bits of guidance for our human hungers, loneliness, modern cultural poverties, and the tensions we find ourselves feeling stretched and reshaped by.

This conversation is sobering and hopeful. It points unflinchingly at our wounds, at the immensity of the task before us as a species in these times; and also offers some possible direction, some balm.

Join us around the fire? You’re most welcome here.

(If you listen to this episode before January 17, 2026 or Feb 21st, 2026 and something in you sparks with what you hear - I highly recommend joining us for Stephanie’s online myth club:https://stephaniemackay.ca/myth-gatherings. Even if you miss those dates, you can look for others, online or in-person, at the same link.)

As always: liking, commenting, sharing with folks in your circle, following and/or becoming a free (or paid on Substack) subscriber all help the seeds of this conversation spread so hopefully those who are seeking it will find it. My deepest gratitude for whatever ways you help feed this conversation on your end. <3

Find out about Stephanie’s work:

https://stephaniemackay.ca/

You can find Kate:

Website: www.wildsacredjourney.com

Email – [email protected]

Substack: https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/

A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and remember how to be *alive* again.

An argument could be made that I started recording a bit too soon after waking up - watching back I feel like I can see me wake up part way through. So this is a bit of a slower morning ramble.

But it’s also full of crow sass. And that’s worth something, I think.

So join me for my morning feeding of the birds  while I share about: 

• why I’ve come to love starting my morning this way; 
• collective nervous systems;
• co-regulation with nature versus with machines and digital platforms;
• how cultivating the capacity to both be OK and not be OK at the same time might be key to sustaining ourselves through our species-wide initiation;
• and speaking the language of birds.

Plus, like I said: crow sass.

Any thoughts or impressions in response to this video? You’re welcome to drop ‘em below!

P.S. I’m aiming for two of these “Creature Comfort” videos per week and one longer conversation podcast with a guest per month. Sound good?

_______________________________

[for more ways to work with me in tending your creature self, particularly after burning out from trying to be a machine:

www.wildsacredjourney.com

https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/]

A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and remember how to be *alive* again.

Another walk in the dark. A visit to two hawthorn trees who supported me this Fall. 

Then some musings on:

• dormancy and generosity;

• making offerings;

• healthy debt;

• supporting process vs supporting finished products;

• and a different kind of economy 

It wasn’t where I expected this “creature comfort” video to go… but that’s life!

Any thoughts or impressions in response to this video? You’re welcome to drop ‘em below!

(and I’ve decided to experiment with these “creature comfort” vids and see how it goes… you’re always welcome to let me know what you think!)

___________________________

www.wildsacredjourney.com

https://wildsacredjourney.substack.com/

A "Creature Comfort" video to affirm, inspire, give context to, and, yes, comfort your creature self as you unplug from burnout and the life of a machine and become more vital and alive human again.

This year my algorithm is full of more memes and “permission slips” reminding everyone that winter is not a time of growth. And of course, there’s some truth to that. And coming to see that is a great first stage in coming back to your animal self; in unlearning machine-oriented expectations of constant productivity.

But what if post winter-solstice winter, in the natural world, actually *is* a time of growth? What if it’s how we’ve come to define growth that’s actually getting in the way here?

Here I share some more thoughts about:

• the stages of reconnecting with the seasons;
• a more nature-based understanding of growth;
• why it’s important that we not only celebrate growth in the Spring;
• and my perspective on how hibernating and growing can (and should!) exist at the same time.

(And what do you think - should these little videos affirming and comforting and giving context for our little creature selves be called “Creature Comfort”?? It could be a little subset of the Wild Sacred Journey podcast… 🙂)

I’m always quite reflective around my birthday and this episode was recorded only a few days after my 40th. So you’ll hear musings on:

• rites of passage;
• why I suspect the point of being human may actually be relationship;
• how posturing and collapse both lead to burnout;
• the possible connection between being risk averse and not experiencing unconditional belonging;
• why a linear concept of progress might support us thinking we can avoid consequences… and how that seems to catch up to us in midlife;
• why learning to steward consequence might be necessary to feeling at home in our bodies and the world;

…and, of course, more.

As always, I welcome hearing what you think.

With love,

Kate

P.S. The links I mentioned:

Starter Kit: https://www.wildsacredjourney.com/starter-kit

1:1 bespoke guidance and support: https://www.wildsacredjourney.com/individual

And stay tuned for info about the roundhouse gatherings

_____________________________

You can find Kate:

Website: www.wildsacredjourney.com

Email – [email protected]

Instagram: @wildsacredjourney_kp

Back in mid-October I received an email from long-time listener and spiritual development devotee Anne Ruel, sharing some thoughts and questionsep 49 had sparked for her as she considered questions of burnout, purpose anxiety, and integration in her own life and journey.

I thought about responding in a solo episode but had a suspicion a real-time conversation between the two of us would be richer. So in early December, we sat down and chatted all things “integration”.

Anne shared her story of starting with yoga and then moving further down the spiritual growth and development path through training after training (in yoga, energy healing modalities, life coaching, cacao ceremonies, etc)... and how she ended up feeling more burned out, alone, and lost than ever before. At the time, she hadn’t heard of the idea of integration. And she admits that though she’s beginning to suspect it was the missing piece for her, she feels mystified about what it actually is, how to know it’s happening, and what signs might signal it’s complete.

So we get into it.

Along the way, you’ll hear us explore things like:

• the cultural rootlessness and lack of true mentors which leaves us with an immense inner hunger (and how capitalism wants us to feel that and why it can get us into trouble);
• reclaiming curiosity, depth, enoughness, our own power and self-responsibility, and the permission to do things differently;
• what wisdom actually is;
• the costs of coercive capitalism, prizing youth over older age, and punitive justice systems (and how those tie into integration, burn out, feeling lost and overwhelmed);
• setting boundaries (even with spirit guides and the things we love, partly as a way to maintain a sacred sense of connection);
• the relational dance of encountering Spirit and untangling ourselves over and over again;
• “peak experiences” as ruptures of our timeline;
• riding the “down wave” after a peak experience… (hopefully) without feeling like we’re having a psychotic break;
• how we might find who we are and what our purpose is;
• and at what point in our spiritual development journey transformation actually happens (hint: it might not be what you’re used to thinking it is)

…and more.

As you can probably tell from that list, this is a deep (and lengthy) conversation. This might be one you want to listen to in chunks. I listened in for if there was a good place to edit it into two episodes, but decided to leave it intact as one. I leave it to you to find your right pacing for listening.

And I do hope you’ll listen. And share if it resonates. 

From where I stand, integration is one of the key (often missing) pieces to navigating the spiritual and wellness world with more integrity - whether we’re there to deepen our own journey, or as a guide/ teacher/ facilitator for others. 

We need more conversations like this.

Join us around the fire? You’re most welcome here.

And thanks, Anne, for reaching out with your questions, sharing your story and hard-earned wisdom, and joining me in this conversation. 

(P.S. If you’re a listener and find yourself with questions, musings, etc after an episode - feel free to reach out. Maybe we can have a conversation, too) 

___________________________________

You can find Kate:

Website: www.wildsacredjourney.com

Email –[email protected]

Instagram: @wildsacredjourney_kp

And if you want to connect with Anne, feel free to pass a message through me by my email above.