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Life in the Swirl

June 2, 2025 by Barb Brown

Life in the Swirl

It’s been a season of big shifts. Since Mother’s Day, life has carried me through the bittersweet closing of the church, the move into a new space, and the whirlwind of renovations and reimagining what’s next.

There are boxes still waiting, projects half-finished, and to-do lists that seem to multiply overnight. Some days feel like a swirl of dust, paint, and decisions that all need to be made at once. And yet, beneath it all, I can feel the steady rhythm of something new taking root.

Transitions are rarely tidy. They are wild, full of beginnings and endings woven together. This swirl is reminding me to pause, breathe, and trust that the path is still unfolding—one step, one brushstroke, one sacred task at a time.

🌿 Mother’s Day Grief: A Gentle Ritual To Honor Your Heart

May 10, 2025 by Barb Brown

A gentle, soul-nourishing ritual for those who feel grief, estrangement, or tenderness on Mother’s Day. Create sacred space, process your emotions, and honor your heart—whether or not you have a mom to celebrate.

white and brown ceramic teapot on wooden tray

Mother’s Day can be a beautiful celebration of love and connection, but for many, it’s also a day of tender ache.

Maybe your mother has passed. Maybe your relationship is complicated, painful, or nonexistent.
Maybe you never had a mother figure who truly saw you, held you, or nurtured you. Whatever your story, you are not alone. And you deserve space to feel whatever arises—with honesty, grace, and care.

This ritual is for anyone who finds Mother’s Day difficult—for the grieving, the healing, the estranged, and the quietly tenderhearted. It’s an invitation to return to yourself. To honor what is. To rest in soul and sacredness.


✨ A Ritual for When You Don’t Have a Mom This Mother’s Day

You will need:

  • A candle
  • A warm drink or a cup of tea
  • A journal or piece of paper
  • An object, photo, or symbol of your mother—or a blank page if there is no connection
  • Optional: flowers, a cozy blanket, or a soft item that brings you comfort

🕯 Step 1: Create Sacred Space

Light your candle and take a few deep breaths. Wrap yourself in warmth and presence.
Say aloud or whisper:

“This is my sacred space.
I am safe to feel, to grieve, to remember,
or simply to be.
I honor my experience with tenderness and truth.”


📝 Step 2: Name What Is

Gently sit with your feelings and let them rise.

Ask yourself:
– What do I carry in my heart today?
– What needs to be witnessed, expressed, or released?

Write what comes. There is no wrong way.
Silence is also a sacred form of expression.


💗 Step 3: Acknowledge the Mother Within

You have survived. You have grown.
Even in the absence of a mother’s presence, something within you has kept going.

“Even without her presence,
I am here.
I have found strength,
and I am learning to mother myself.”

Sip your tea. Let it be a sacred act of receiving care.


🔥 Step 4: Offer the Light

If you wish, speak to your mother—or the memory of her. Or say nothing. The candle speaks for you.

“To the one who gave me life—
whether with love, pain, or distance—
I offer this light.
I release what no longer serves.
I keep what strengthens me.
I return the rest to the earth.”

When you’re ready, blow out the candle.


🌙 Step 5: Close with a Blessing

“May I feel held today,
by something greater,
by the ancestors who walk with me,
by the sacred within me.
I am mothered by the Mystery,
and I am enough.”


If this ritual speaks to you, I hope you’ll return to it whenever you need to.
You are not alone in your ache.
You are not forgotten in your love.
And you are held—in ways seen and unseen.

If it feels right, share this ritual with someone else who may need it too.
And if you’re carrying something heavy this weekend, know that I’m holding space for you.
You are not alone.

With love,
Barb


The New Moon: Stillness, Seeds, and the Sacred Pause

April 25, 2025 by Barb Brown

Meditation and Ritual for Sacred Intention

The new moon arrives this Sunday, April 27 at 3:31 PM ET — and it brings a quiet opportunity to pause, reflect, and plant something new.

The new moon is a time of beginnings — not loud or flashy, but deep and still. It offers us a moment to return to ourselves. A sacred pause in the cycle. A breath before the next chapter.

Each new moon, I find myself craving stillness — space to reconnect with what matters, and to set intentions that come from the heart rather than the head. That’s where meditation comes in.


Why Meditate During the New Moon?

Meditation during the new moon allows us to soften, slow down, and listen deeply. It helps us tune out the outer noise and tune in to the quiet voice within — the one that knows our next right step.

This is a time for inner work, soul connection, and planting seeds from a place of calm.


🌱 A Simple New Moon Ritual to Try

Here’s a gentle practice to honor this new moon. It doesn’t need to be fancy — just meaningful.

🌕 What You’ll Need:

  • A candle
  • A quiet space
  • A journal or piece of paper
  • A few deep breaths

🌑 Ritual Steps:

  1. Light a candle to mark this moment as sacred.
  2. Close your eyes and breathe. Let your body settle. Let your heart open.
  3. Reflect on these prompts:
    • What am I ready to welcome in?
    • What seed wants to be planted in my life right now?
    • What energy am I calling forward?
  4. Write it down. Let your intention be seen.
  5. Offer it up. Whisper a prayer, hold it to your heart, or simply say thank you.

Then let go. Trust the timing.
The seed knows how to grow.


In My Practice This Week…

I’ve been listening more than planning. Letting things rise slowly — letting the stillness guide me. I’m also finishing a new guided meditation that I’ll be sharing soon, created with this new moon in mind.

It’s a meditation to help you return to center, listen inward, and set intentions from the soul.


Want to Go Deeper?

I’m getting ready to open a new sacred space called Everyday Spirit Quest — a place to explore soul practices, spiritual rhythms, and intentional living. It’s not quite live yet, but if you’d like to be the first to know when it opens, you can sign up here:

👉 www.everydayspiritquest.com


Closing Words

May this new moon bring you stillness, clarity, and the courage to plant new seeds.
May you remember — you don’t have to rush. You don’t have to bloom all at once.
Even in the dark, something beautiful is beginning.

With love,
Barb

🗂️ Categories (choose 1–3 main ones):

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  • Meditation & Mindfulness
  • Moon Rituals
  • Sacred Living
  • Seasonal Rhythms

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Moon Rituals, Spiritual Practice, Meditation & Mindfulness


🔖 Tags (use 5–10 per post):

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  • April 2025 New Moon

Returning to the Sacred Work

April 1, 2025 by Barb Brown

purple petaled flower

A Spring Awakening

There’s something about early spring—the quiet thaw, the soft light, the first brave blossoms—that invites us back to ourselves. After a season of stillness, reflection, or even hibernation, the earth stirs… and so do we.

This past season brought deep rest, sacred pause, and space for integration. And now, as the wheel turns again, I feel a call to return—to my sacred work, to the path I walk alongside others, to the offerings I’ve been quietly nurturing in the dark.

This isn’t about rushing or pushing. It’s about re-emerging with clarity, presence, and reverence for what’s ready to unfold.

For me, the inward pull begins with the Holy Nights. That sacred window between the years offers a powerful threshold—a time when the veil thins and dreams speak louder than plans. I always feel the call to go inward then, to listen deeply, to rest, and to receive guidance for the year ahead.

That inner winter often extends through the first months of the year. I’ve come to honor this rhythm: a kind of soul hibernation that lasts until my birthday season in early March. Each year, I retreat, reflect, and recalibrate. And then, as the days grow longer and the world begins to bloom again, I feel something shift within me. Like the crocus pushing up through snow, I feel ready to emerge. Rested. Re-aligned. Renewed.

My birthday isn’t just a celebration of another year—it’s a portal. A reawakening. A time to remember who I am and what I’m here to offer.


So I invite you to pause with me here—at this sacred seasonal threshold—and ask:

  • What within you is ready to awaken?
  • What wisdom did the quiet season whisper?
  • What seeds are stirring beneath the surface, waiting for the light?

You don’t have to have all the answers. Just the willingness to listen.

As for me, I’m returning to the sacred joy of creating and sharing. Not from pressure or urgency, but from love. I’ve missed this part of myself—the part that crafts words, designs offerings, follows intuitive sparks, and weaves soul stories into form. Creation, for me, is devotion. It’s how I connect with the divine. It’s how I remember who I am.

There’s something so alive in this moment. I can feel it in my bones—that sweet sense of alignment when soul and purpose begin to hum in harmony again.


As I look toward the season ahead, I see a path lined with possibility.

There are offerings ready to bloom—spaces for deep transformation, spiritual nourishment, and sacred connection. Some are still forming in the mystery. Others are nearly ready to share. I see circles gathering, sacred conversations unfolding, and creative sparks turning into medicine for the soul.

This spring, I’m listening closely. Letting intuition guide the timing. Letting joy lead the way.

The energy feels fresh, but grounded. Expansive, yet rooted. A season to create, connect, and contribute—all in alignment with the deeper rhythm of the soul.


This spring also brings a significant transition in the physical realm. I’m not just moving my own office—I’m leading the relocation of our entire Healing Arts Center. After ten beautiful years in our current home, the building is being sold, and with that comes a heartfelt goodbye to a space that has held so much healing, connection, and transformation.

Together with five other practitioners, I’m guiding the move into a new space—a fresh beginning infused with intention, care, and vision. It’s not just about transporting furniture or setting up offices. It’s about reimagining what’s possible. We’re co-creating a sanctuary for holistic healing, where each corner will hold the energy of renewal, trust, and deep soul work.

Just as I’m tending to my home office—clearing, organizing, and aligning it with the next season—I’m also stewarding this larger container for healing and possibility. A new chapter is beginning, and it holds so much promise.

This isn’t just a relocation—it’s a rite of passage. A sacred task. A collective rebirth.
It feels like a sacred reset—an opportunity to create a place that reflects the next chapter of my work and spirit. I’m imagining cozy corners, warm light, sacred art, and the kind of atmosphere where people exhale as soon as they walk through the door.

It’s a move, yes, but more than that—it’s a movement. A movement toward alignment, simplicity, and deeper purpose.


If you’re feeling the stirrings too—of renewal, of creativity, of something beautiful waiting to be born—I invite you to walk alongside me.

And if you find yourself at a crossroads, or yearning for deeper clarity on your soul’s path, I’d be honored to walk with you. Reach out if you’d like to explore working together—whether through spiritual guidance, depth coaching, or sacred support. This is the work I love, and the path I’m devoted to.

There’s more to come. More to create. More to share.
Stay connected for new offerings, reflections, and gatherings coming soon.

Let’s welcome this season together—awake, aligned, and open to what’s next.

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