Today I made a choice that wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. I blocked someone I have spent years begging for a relationship with. Not out of anger — but out of self-preservation. Repeated rejection teaches the nervous system to abandon itself, and that’s a pattern I’m done carrying. I also removed my daughter from social media after she blocked my phone number. Not as punishment. Not as control. Simply as a boundary. If she wants to reach me, she knows how — through direct, human communication. Not through apps, not through surveillance, not through indirect access to my life. This is shadow work in real time: • choosing dignity over desperation • choosing clarity over confusion • choosing peace over proximity Boundaries aren’t walls. They’re doors with rules. And sometimes the rule is: you don’t get access to me if you won’t meet me honestly. If this post brings anything up for you — sit with it. Ask yourself where you’re still chasing connection at the cost of your own nervous system. That’s where the work is. 🧡

Alright listen. This New Moon ain’t about “manifesting vibes” or writing wishes you don’t intend to back up. This is a choose-your-direction-or-stay-stuck kind of moon. Sagittarius energy don’t play cute. It says: What do you believe? And are you living like you believe it… or just talking about it? This New Moon hits late-degree Sag, which means the wandering is over. The arrow stops shaking. You either pick a direction… or you admit you’ve been avoiding one. And here’s the part folks don’t like to hear 👇 That voice you call realistic? The one that says, “Yeah but what if it doesn’t work?” That ain’t wisdom. That’s fear wearing a hard hat pretending it’s being responsible. 🐉 The Dragon Part (aka your shadow) This energy shines a flashlight on: • catastrophizing • expecting disappointment before you even start • staying hyper-alert so you don’t have to risk hope You’ve trained yourself to look for what could go wrong so you won’t feel stupid later. Congrats. You survived. But survival ain’t the same as living. This New Moon asks: 👉 Is your vigilance protecting you… or shrinking your life? 🧱 What this means for shadow work (no incense required) Shadow work right now is NOT: • digging up your whole childhood • fixing everyone else • spiraling into “why am I like this” It IS: • naming the fear you keep calling logic • picking ONE area of your life to focus on • putting structure around something that actually matters Sagittarius don’t want you scattered. Mars + Saturn say: If it’s important, put it on the calendar. Hope without action is just daydreaming. Action without hope is just burnout. This moon wants both. 🛠 Where to focus (simple version) Ask yourself ONE of these: • What belief have I outgrown but keep obeying? • What truth do I already know but keep delaying? • What would I do differently if I trusted I could handle it even if it’s hard? That’s your work. That’s the shadow. That’s the door. 🕯 Redneck Ritual (aka: do something real)

Once upon a time, for a short period of time I delivered pizzas to make a living. And this one time I went to this pretty nice house, and when I rang the bell, nobody answered. I could hear someone outside in the back so I kinda walked around to see if I could bring this food to the back, maybe they didn’t hear me. But it was all fenced in and I could hear a guy talking on the phone, “yeah he’s at the bar….” I didn’t really want to call out to the guy, sounded like he was upset. So I went back to the front and was just going to leave the pizza at the door if they weren’t going to answer… But these two kids, probably 7 and 9, come out and kinda sit down on the front steps looking real bummed. They take the pizza and one of them says, “sorry, our mom was going to tip you, but she’s out looking for our dad and she’s not back yet.” I just told the kids, “don’t worry about it, you guys good?” They kinda sigh and say, “yeah our uncle’s here, and she should be home soon.” So I say okay, tell them to get some of that food while it’s good and hot. And I go back to work. This little window into the home lives of others really put some things into perspective for me. Because I didn’t know these people, but I from being a bartender for a handful of years and just living life, I know this story. But it gave me the perspective of the kids. Their mom was so worried/angry about the dad not showing up for her kids, that she left them to go hunt this man down and tell him how to be a better parent. But what if she didn’t get so caught up in how this man was lacking, and just had a nice dinner with her kids. Sure dad would have missed out, but that’s his loss. That’s his choice. Her making the same choice for different reasons didn’t get these kids a hot meal with either of their parents that night. And it got me to thinking, how many times I allowed myself to get so angry that someone wasn’t doing something for my kid, that I got totally distracted and ended up failing to show up myself.

I wanted to take a moment to check in with all of you and also acknowledge something openly. I know I’ve been a bit quieter lately and slower to respond than usual. I haven’t disappeared or forgotten about this space. I’ve just been moving through some heavy personal stuff and needed to pause and recalibrate. This time of year can be especially hard for a lot of us. Old wounds, grief, family dynamics, financial stress, emotional fatigue. It all tends to surface at once. If you’re feeling tender, overwhelmed, or low energy, you’re not alone in that. I hope you’re being gentle with yourselves and taking what you need from the course at your own pace. Shadow work isn’t meant to be rushed or performed. It’s meant to meet you where you are. Even showing up quietly counts. Thank you for your patience, your presence, and your continued trust while this space continues to grow and evolve. I’m still here, still committed, and deeply grateful for each of you being part of this container. If you feel like sharing, I’d love to know how you’re doing. Even a single word or emoji check in is welcome. 🐝🖤 Sending care to every nervous system in the room. P.S. 13 days till my 🎈 🎂 birfday 🥳🥳🥳

I wanted to share something I’ve been quietly creating for this community 🧡 The Once Upon a Trauma hoodie and journal are now live, and they were designed specifically with shadow work in mind. The hoodie is for the days you’re doing the work in public — holding your boundaries, showing up differently, and carrying your character development with you. The journal is for the work you do in private. Shadow work. Pattern tracking. Rewriting the story on your own terms. You can use the journal to: • explore triggers and reactions • unpack old narratives • track cycles and growth • write the chapter you were never given space to write There’s no right way to use it. It’s just a container — for honesty, reflection, and integration 🧡 If you feel called, you can check them out here: 👉 https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheRebelsAlchemy No pressure. Just sharing what’s available if it supports your work right now.