Welcome 2024...
This first share of 2024 feels like it is landing right on time.
Happy 2024!
I am glad to be back to writing. I took a month off from writing on my computer. Today, having my fingers on the keys feels good.
Last year, I often felt angst when I sat down at my keyboard. So much I wanted to say, not enough time or the right words to say it.
This first share of 2024 feels like it is landing right on time.
During the final days of December, I sat down with my journal, and reflected on 2023. I have no desire to share what I gleaned reviewing my year. All and all, it was a good year though.
I do feel called to give voice to a bit of what came through as I set intentions for 2024. I gifted myself a membership to the Chani App and her 2024 Planner for the holidays. I thought I was making those purchases so I could better understand my personal astrological transitions. However, I have most enjoyed her guided meditations.
On January 1st, I listened to her “Higher Self” meditation and these words came through:
Evolution over growth. Truer instead of better.
Those two phrases arrived so loudly that I paused the meditation and wrote them down.
Evolution and growth seem similar to me, so I was curious as to why my “Higher Self” was drawn to the differentiation. I googled their dictionary definitions and here are a couple of noticeable differences:
Words like “increase” and “product” were tied to growth; whereas, “gradual”, “unfolding”, and “allowing” were linked to evolution.
Allowing for a gradual unfolding seems like a great way to start this next Gregorian Calendar Year.
Also, truer instead of better speaks to me on many levels. I have spent a majority of my adult life trying to get “better” - and, instead of getting “better” this year, I am striving to soften into a more genuine expression of my true nature.
To me, attempting to be or get better implies that there is something inherently wrong with me and/or that there is something that I need to fix. Neither of those things ring true for me today.
I’m pretty sure that sometime this year, I am going to get the word “here” tattooed on the inside of my right wrist. 2024 feels like a year for me to focus on the journey versus the destination.
When I signed off in 2023, I said I was not going to share again here - on Substack - until I had a clear intention for this space.
I do. And, I finally wrote an “About Page” for Deeper Than Shallow.
Deeper Than Shallow is my space and place to share - online. It’s as simple as that.
On the “Welcome to Deeper Than Shallow” page, I included a few topics that I plan to focus on, specifically, in 2024…
And, I intentionally wrote - Written January 2024 - at the bottom of the page. I am confident that "Deeper Than Shallow” and the words that I share “about it” will evolve overtime. I am giving myself permission to change - feel free to take it for yourself, too.
As I reflected on the essays I shared in 2023 and what I would like to share more of in 2024, I realized that a major part of my life was missing on DTS: the time I spend exploring my ever evolving dance as a spiritual being inhabiting a human form.
Every Sunday night, I guide a class called Rest + Reiki at a local yoga studio. At the beginning of each class, I always share a short (and sometimes long) story that ties to my theme or intention for each week.
Every story/theme - more or less - has the same underlying thread: I am a Divine, Conscious Being and I am Human (a beautiful, complicated web of emotions and thoughts).
It feels safe to share how my divinity and humanness manifests itself in that intimate space. Here, I have balked at sharing in the same way that flows so freely when I teach.
That said, in 2024, a lot of what I write on Deeper Than Shallow will be reserved for my beloved community of Paid Subscribers. If you’re a close friend of mine and/or you cannot afford to pay for a subscription, please reach out and I will gladly comp one for you.
To learn more about Deeper Than Shallow and subscriber benefits, please click here.
As always, thank you for reading and thank you for sharing and subscribing. Humanity is best when shared.
Space for Deeper Rumination:
How are things landing for you today?
What feels true for you right now?
More Deep and Shallow Stuff:
Chani Meditations: As mentioned above, I am loving the meditations on the Chani App. Chani’s voice is grounding and soothing and very authentic. It doesn’t sound like she is trying to be “meditative” or super “spiritual”. The way she speaks feels very natural and real and it helps me drop into my authenticity - because I can feel hers radiating through my speakers. Thanks, Chani.
The Great British Baking Show: Over the holidays, I had the pleasure of breaking a filling and needing a crown to replace it. I am the biggest baby when it comes to dental work and the silver lining of the event was watching The Great British Baking Show while I had my tooth fixed. I am absolutely obsessed with it now and I watch it anytime I am doing dishes or folding laundry. It has elevated my life in a very sweet way.
American Symphony: I had been wanting to watch American Symphony for weeks and tiredness and my desire to lay in bed and read had kept me from pressing play. One night, I finally decided to watch it and Sloan kept sneaking out of her bed to join us. Instead of fighting her, I let her watch it with us and she stayed up for the entire documentary! Even though she was awake way past her bedtime - eating copious amounts of Trader Joe’s Olive Oil Popcorn - I was grateful that she absorbed that story. My biggest takeaway was witnessing Jon experience some of his greatest heights, while also navigating Suleika’s illness and his own battle with anxiety. It reminded me to de-pedestalize the “top” - it’s not perfect up there. Their stories made me want to dig deeper to better savor every stage of my journey. I am incredibly moved by both Suleika and Jon’s talents and their quest to live a rich life of creativity and connection.
Beyond Utopia: I so enjoyed watching American Symphony, I decided to watch Beyond Utopia the following night. Initially, I told myself I was going to watch for 1 hour and save the rest for the next day. I could not stop watching though. I don’t want to give anything away - so, I will just say this: I am very gentle with myself right now. And, Beyond Utopia reminded me how capable and resilient we are as humans. Beyond Utopia was beyond inspiring.
Kimberly Ann Johnson on The Deeper Call Podcast: I took something from every minute of this conversation. Kimberly and Ashley share tender, applicable wisdom. A must listen.
Glennon Shares Her Love Letter with Liz Gilbert: I have listened to Glennon read her letter 2x now. So, so beautiful.
Image Captured at The New Children’s Museum in Downtown San Diego