Winter solstice is a week away and ‘tis the season of long nights. We are in the final moments of a long exhale that began back in June. Soon the slow inhale will begin as we emerge from the dark and build toward the light again. In this time of sacred pause, this empty moment between the exhale and the inhale, we have access to something truly magical….if we are paying attention.

We come home to our body, the soft animal who loves what it loves. We attune to the senses and let the tastes, sounds, smells, touch and beauty usher us into the present where all our power resides. We tap into pleasure as sustainable fuel to keep us focused, creative, resourced and nourished. So we can do our good work in the world.

When I closed the Shakti Oasis membership program and pulled back from teaching almost two years ago, I thought I was just going to take a few months off, to gather myself.

I know about power outages. I live in the Sierra Foothills of Northern California. During fire season, the utility company shuts down power as a preventative measure, sometimes for days on end.