Early nightfall. Crisp mornings. The sharp silhouette of leaf-bare branches. Misty mornings and red cheeks. Bare branches and starry nights. Do you watch the light fading on your pages as you read? 

These are some familiar signs that winter is almost here. We often speak of turning inward during these darker months, becoming quiet and introspective, staying home more often, sleeping longer. 

But there is this paradox that happens in the outer energy of our western culture. The push to buy and do more this time of year is strong and alive. 

One of the reasons it can feel so chaotic within your internal world is because our primal needs are asking us to slow down. 

Our bodies and collective psyches are asking to sit by the fire, take longer breaths and commune with the moon. 

Well, this is your invitation and your right to choose a rhythm that feels closer to what your primal needs are telling you. 

You do have a choice in whether you want to participate or not. Does that feel icky? Do you feel like you don't have a choice? If those feelings are coming up, it may be a great time to journal and reflect where those feelings are coming from. 

Perhaps this year, with some preparation and planning, we can plant the seeds for a more intuitive, simpler, and natural holiday season. The Winter Solstice, which takes place this year on December 21st is the shortest day of the year in nature’s calendar and can be a profound way to tune into the subtle energy of you and nature. 

Embodied wisdom consists in remembering one’s place in any given cycle of life. In remembering what actions or non-action is appropriate for each phase. 

Life simply starts to make much more sense the more we can tune into the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly cycles that happen within us and around us in nature. 

Attuning our senses to the subtle changes and cycles of the seasons might help us attune more lovingly to the subtle changes and cycles in ourselves. By performing simple rituals with personal meaning to celebrate the solstice, these rituals will serve as touchstones to help us cultivate an attitude of receptiveness and appreciation that will carry us through the holiday season with more ease.

Here are some rituals you can bring in to celebrate this winter season and solstice: 

• A good starting point might be to make a promise this winter to spend more time listening, watching, and honoring the slower, quieter rhythm of the season.

• Consider watching the sun rise or set from your little patch of the world.

• Make a list of loving wishes for friends, family, coworkers—even people you don’t know that well. 

• Build a shrine or altar in your home  of nature’s found objects that remind you of the season. 

• Maybe you’d like to prepare a simple meal from organic winter vegetables to share with friends or family, or cook a dinner to enjoy in the welcome solitude of your own company.

• Honor the Goddess as Great Mother. Goddess forms traditionally linked with this time of year include Tonantzin (Native Mexican corn mother), Holda (Teutonic earth goddess of good fortune), Bona Dea (Roman women's goddess of abundance and prophecy), Ops (Roman goddess of plenty), AuSet/Isis (Egyptian/multicultural All Goddess whose worship continued in Christian times under the name Mary), Lucina/St. Lucy (Roman/Swedish goddess/saint of light), and Befana (Italian Witch who gives gifts to children at this season).

• Contribute to the manifestation of more wellness on Planet Earth. 

• Spend longer time in your meditations, journaling and reflections. 

• Consider honoring the threshold of solstice with an hour of intentional silence for you and your household.

• Perform a ceremony with fire on the energies and cycles you are ready to release in 2019.

• Download an app like calm or insight timer that you can plug into for a few minutes when you are running around the airport in the midst of seeing family. 

It is my wish to each of you reading this holiday season that you remember you do have the choice to reclaim your energy each and everyday. 

And that the more you can drop into the laws of mother nature, the more everything will fall into place. 

With so much gratitude, 

 Cristina 

I often find that as the winter months come along, it’s when I am able to experience my life from the third person perspective, to analyze the trends, take inventory and reflect on how contracted and expanded I’ve been during the previous year’s cycles. 

 As we transition from the more extroverted celebration of autumn and being out in the world celebrating and harvesting in business and in life, my life starts to become more distilled, clear as I turn more inwards to assess, rejuvenate and plan for the seeds of spring. 

For this theme of exploring our own divinity through the seasons, I am going to bring in the element of water-- as it is the element that reminds us that life is always changing, flowing from one moment to the next. It is the element that reminds us of being the most connected to the origin of being human regardless of gender-- our femininity. 

Below you will find a series of prompts and exercises to guide you through a dynamic reflection of your year through the lens of your feminine expression. This exercise will be really helpful for not only honoring your growth spiral but also seeing trends in yourself so you can be better equipped to manifest what you desire in 2020. 

Step One: Find a playlist on spotify or create one, you can check out mine here, that help you drop into a more feminine, heart centered space of reflection. 

Step Two: Create an altar space where you can drop in for this time of reflection.(See attached document for all my best tips on creating the perfect altar space that honors all of the elements) 

Step Three: Cleanse yourself with water. This can be figuratively or literally but the element of water is an important way to think about stepping into the flow of connection. Draw yourself a bath, listening to nature sounds of rushing water or visualize yourself becoming cleansed in a body of water. The reason we bring in the element of water is to create the intention and sacredness about the experience. Working with any element of nature in our daily life reminds us of the impermanence, the beauty that happens in change the ability to become new again. 

Step Four: Let the water give you permission to examine, change and feel yourself fully. 

Step Five: Limit your distractions, tell your loved ones that you will be in a period of reflection for X amount of time. 

Step Six: Make squares or quadrants of the seasons of your year on your white board/google doc/journal/poster board

• Winter 2019

• Spring 2019

• Summer 2019

• Fall 2019

In each of those quadrants reflect on your year with these questions: 

• What was the theme of my life during this time? Insert words, phrases, embodiment, sentences, refer back to your journal or social posts from that time. 

• What wonderful things transpired during this time? In both your internal environment of body and mind and also your external environment. 

• What was challenging during this time? In both your internal environment of body and mind and also your external environment. 

• What just isn’t working at all anymore? Be bold here. Be honest with yourself.  Think about the people, places and things. 

Step Seven: Once you have done a full inventory of your year, bring in the element of water again, to cleanse and renew your intentions as you prepare for 2020.

This practice is so valuable as you explore your personal goals because we cannot change what we don’t track and we can’t grow if we aren’t willing to pause and reflect on what’s working or isn’t working for us. 

This practice is not only valuable to your personal growth spiral but it’s also so much more enjoyable to see the dynamic expression of yourself through the seasons of the year. It is a reminder that we are allowed to feel, express, embody and feel ourselves in different ways throughout our lives. Through bringing in the element of water at both the beginning and end of this practice we create more sacredness and intention in our actions. And where there is sacredness and intention, there is magic. 

I often find that as the winter months come along, it’s when I am able to experience my life from the third person perspective, to analyze the trends, take inventory and reflect on how contracted and expanded I’ve been during the previous year’s cycles. 

 As we transition from the more extroverted celebration of autumn and being out in the world celebrating and harvesting in business and in life, my life starts to become more distilled, clear as I turn more inwards to assess, rejuvenate and plan for the seeds of spring. 

For this theme of exploring our own divinity through the seasons, I am going to bring in the element of water-- as it is the element that reminds us that life is always changing, flowing from one moment to the next. It is the element that reminds us of being the most connected to the origin of being human regardless of gender-- our femininity. 

Below you will find a series of prompts and exercises to guide you through a dynamic reflection of your year through the lens of your feminine expression. This exercise will be really helpful for not only honoring your growth spiral but also seeing trends in yourself so you can be better equipped to manifest what you desire in 2020. 

Step One: Find a playlist on spotify or create one, you can check out mine here, that help you drop into a more feminine, heart centered space of reflection. 

Step Two: Create an altar space where you can drop in for this time of reflection.(See attached document for all my best tips on creating the perfect altar space that honors all of the elements) 

Step Three: Cleanse yourself with water. This can be figuratively or literally but the element of water is an important way to think about stepping into the flow of connection. Draw yourself a bath, listening to nature sounds of rushing water or visualize yourself becoming cleansed in a body of water. The reason we bring in the element of water is to create the intention and sacredness about the experience. Working with any element of nature in our daily life reminds us of the impermanence, the beauty that happens in change the ability to become new again. 

Step Four: Let the water give you permission to examine, change and feel yourself fully. 

Step Five: Limit your distractions, tell your loved ones that you will be in a period of reflection for X amount of time. 

Step Six: Make squares or quadrants of the seasons of your year on your white board/google doc/journal/poster board

• Winter 2019

• Spring 2019

• Summer 2019

• Fall 2019

In each of those quadrants reflect on your year with these questions: 

• What was the theme of my life during this time? Insert words, phrases, embodiment, sentences, refer back to your journal or social posts from that time. 

• What wonderful things transpired during this time? In both your internal environment of body and mind and also your external environment. 

• What was challenging during this time? In both your internal environment of body and mind and also your external environment. 

• What just isn’t working at all anymore? Be bold here. Be honest with yourself.  Think about the people, places and things. 

Step Seven: Once you have done a full inventory of your year, bring in the element of water again, to cleanse and renew your intentions as you prepare for 2020.

This practice is so valuable as you explore your personal goals because we cannot change what we don’t track and we can’t grow if we aren’t willing to pause and reflect on what’s working or isn’t working for us. 

This practice is not only valuable to your personal growth spiral but it’s also so much more enjoyable to see the dynamic expression of yourself through the seasons of the year. It is a reminder that we are allowed to feel, express, embody and feel ourselves in different ways throughout our lives. Through bringing in the element of water at both the beginning and end of this practice we create more sacredness and intention in our actions. And where there is sacredness and intention, there is magic. 

There are plenty of ways that each element relates to each season. In different traditions around the world, Earth’s elements are symbolically associated with each of the four seasons. Water, as we will see, is often a symbol of Winter. 

As a precursor to life, water is at the foundation of our existence. Examining it throughout the season of cold, darkness reveals its ability to freeze time, slowing down life and creating a moment of stillness, an opportunity for rest, and space for quiet introspection. Here, we’ll take a look at how water experiences winter -- taking note of the individual properties of each and how the two coexist in order to gain clarity on navigating and embracing the wintery periods of our lives. 

Properties of Water:

Water is an element that embodies the divine feminine. It’s ability to flow, to seep between the cracks, and fill the spaces in between resembles the feminine energy of depth and focus. Tapping into our innate ability to sink in and flow with the swells of life allows us to surrender without feeling stuck. An element ruled by gravity, water seeks to occupy lower space, where it settles but never stays, as there is always a deeper destination. 

Water is also passion. It’s force can be intense and destructive. But it can also be very calm and still when not affected by external pressures. Water takes on many shapes and in this way, it signifies empathy. As source of life, water is a creator and a healer. 

The many forms that water exists in shows us that she is adaptable. Powerful. She is potential energy waiting for an excuse to become kinetic. You can think of it like the mind. While at rest, the mind is a still pond. But when the storm of stress or the heat of excitement comes along, the mind reacts. You, of course, can choose whether your pond will embrace the chaos, freeze over to protect itself, or evaporate and ascend, but regardless, it will react to change. The subconscious mind is the general existence of water, ever present and powerful. Its potential is our ability to manifest. But depending on its state, the pond of the subconscious attracts storms, stagnation, or evaporation. 

Properties of Winter:

The energy of Winter is that of going within. The colder darkness not only forces us to spend more time inside our homes, but inside our heads as well. As lady Winter experiences the shadows of the Earth, we are invited to explore the shadows of our inner beings. What do we hide from the world? What emotions do we resist or shun? Whatever lays in our shadow exists there because we banish it to the realm of shame. But what happens when we shine a little light in the dark corners of our minds? In the season of retreat and rest, we are empowered to explore our shadows. Acknowledge, heal, and make room for new dreams to plant their seeds. 

If we look to nature, we’ll see that mother earth has shed her foliage. She exposes herself to the elements and remember, a tree does not survive the winter without healthy roots. Bare trees remind us to embrace simplicity, returning us to our roots and reexamining what's important to us. As creatures of nature, we bare our naked souls after having shed what no longer serves us in order to make room for the fruits of Spring. Winter is an opportunity to strip away the nuances of life and prioritize the things that make us who we are. Which habits will last through the winter, and which will die with the change of the season? 

Water, Winter, and Us:

When we connect with the power of water, we equip ourselves to utilize it in a way that works for us, and not against us. Understanding her various forms, we’re given license to feel however we feel. Even if it’s shitty. Because hurricanes suck, but they offer a choice: to bear down and brave the destruction, or to flow and patiently await its retreat. No one choice is necessarily better than the other, but it at least gives us a comprehensive game plan, and the awareness that the storm will pass, no matter how we decide to handle it. 

In the Winters of our lives, the storm is looming. But time is slower. Winter offers moments for stillness and reflection. We can fight the darkness, or we can stay and surrender. You can feel defeated by the storm, or take it as an opportunity to practice more presence, more patience -- explore your depths of your ocean and the crests of your breaking waves. 

Water, with its feminine flow and powerful potential becomes the cheerleader of winter, with its deep introspection and humbling exposure. Water shows us how we can adapt to our conditions and make use of our power during the existential quandary of winter. Seeing how the two interact offers a message about how we can navigate the season. Take advantage of time moving slowly. Rest, forgive, and love the shadow. “How?”, you ask? Check your roots. Are they healthy? Get back to basics. Also, don’t be afraid to let nature guide you. Water tells us that now is the time to surrender and flow, indulge in all things feminine. Be gentle with yourself. Empathetic and humble as the water, knowing your power by establishing your roots, this is the time to embody the youest you. 

Key Takeaways:

• Being the life giving element that she is, water encourages us to take care of ourselves. Stay hydrated and heal whatever wounds you might have -- (A ceremonial burying of the dead-ends, returning them to earth so that they may be reborn as a fresh entity.)

• Flow and adapt. Winter can be harsh, but harsh isn’t always a bad thing. Harsh conditions reveal greater truths about who we are, so don’t fear them. Go with the flow and prepare to grow into a stronger version of yourself. 

• BARE YOUR NAKED SOUL. Get so real with yourself. Get clear on what improvements you’re ready to make and pave the way for manifestations to come in.

Take what you will from this narrative, but know that the signs are always there. Which ones you tune into is up to you. Observe nature, open your heart and eyes to the reminders amongst the trees, the dew, the crisp air, and let yourself receive the answers you seek. 

Four elements are believed to be essential to human life: earth, water, air, and fire. Of those, each can be intuitively related to one of the four seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Today we’ll take a look at Fall, a season we think of as a time of harvest, shedding, and grounding — a time where nature calls upon the mother earth to make her final offerings and compost whatever is left. By reflecting upon the interactions between this season and its element, we gain a better understanding of the natural cycles of transformation, and can use what we’ve learned in order to evolve more consciously. 

Mindful living, after all, maximizes our awareness of both daily and long term goals, effectively moving us closer to our highest versions of self. It’s like, you can set all the intentions you want, figure out all the ways you need to perform in order to get where you’d like to be, but if you forget to remember those things throughout the days and weeks, then you end up exactly where you started. In order to keep moving forward, we must live more mindfully. Paying attention to the season, it’s corresponding element, and ways to embrace nature are a great place to begin. 

Notice how the chilly air, changing leaves, and shorter days offer constant reminders of where you are in your cycle of transformation. In what ways does life as a human reflect life in the natural world? Well, shedding, for one, is a very common motif in the narrative of our existence. In the same way that the leaves change their color and release themselves from the branches, we often change our minds about things and release those ideas from our identity. Fall is the time to take inventory of all the teachings we’ve received in the year and release what no longer serves us. In place of these fallen leaves and ideas, we can welcome gratitude for what they’ve taught us. The fruits of our labor are the lessons learned and the space created for new adventures to follow. Like the autumnal harvest nourishes the body, our collection of new habits, clearer ways of thinking, and upleveled lifestyle provides nutrients that validates our sense of wholeness. In turn, this collection of nourishment provides support for the upcoming year’s growing season. So take a moment to thank yourself for all the ways that you’ve grown. Acknowledge the power behind this newfound insight and express gratitude for whatever it took to get here. And even if things still aren’t looking up, know that change is in season and every cycle has something to offer. 

Beyond the metaphysical characteristics of fall, the tangible ones deserve their credit as well. Earth’s digestion of the changing leaves offers healing in a physical sense too. And by “earth” I mean the ground. Earth’s surface, and probably a few hundred miles deep, plus whatever it takes in to become that nutrient-rich, electrically charged substance, awaits our energetic exchange. Yes, I said “electrically charged.” Hosting a limitless and continuously renewed supply of free or mobile electrons, the earth's surface is abundant with bio-electrical power. Exposure to those electrons can have some amazing effects on the way our bodies and minds perform. The practice is called earthing. By simply grounding ourselves with the surface of the earth -- it’s soil, sand, stones -- we connect with nature in a profound way. According to various studies, walking barefoot, sleeping on the ground, or even just being surrounded by a natural landscape, replenishes ions throughout the body, inducing multiple physiological changes of clinical significance. Things like reduced inflammation, higher quality sleep, and stress reduction are all benefits of earthing that are supported by scientific research. Just spending 20 to 40 minutes of contact with the earth neutralizes charge in the body and naturally protects our nervous system while reducing free radicals. 

In the pursuit of our highest versions of self, Fall offers a beautiful opportunity to reconnect with the earth and reflect upon this season of transformation. Soak up the nutrients of everything you’ve learned, enjoy the fruits of your labor, give thanks to things that have brought you to this moment, and shed what no longer serves you. Allow the earth to replenish and rebalance as you settle into a moment of metaphysical digestion. This, is our fall phase. 

Welcome Circle | Photography by Heather Barnes

It’s been almost two weeks since we gathered at the 2nd annual Austin Rewild Festival at Gingerland. Today you will find details of the experience, the intentions behind them and you can also get an idea of what other experiences and programs with the rooted method are like!

For those of you just tuning into the rooted method let me first give you a little glimpse into what I do! I am a rewild guide, embodiment coach and group transformation facilitator and it is my goal to help people create more limitless and rhythmic lives. I do this through group coaching, the Austin Rewild Festival and rewild retreats and masterminds. I truly believe that the more we cultivate our rich inner world while also immersing ourselves in nature in community, our lives can become magnetic and harmonized.

All of my programs and experiences are structured by also bringing in other healers, coaches and transformation specialists in the community to aid in each participants journey.

I remember closing my eyes a couple years ago and envisioning this whole experience-- I thought to myself how could I create something local and accessible to my community in truly helping them expand what they think is possible for their lives in a short amount of time? I envisioned dancing in the fields barefoot, morning yoga and breath-work, guided visualizations, eating a gourmet farm-to-table dinner on picnic tables. I kept tuning into this vision long before it happened and I believe that is part of the reason it turned out almost exactly as  intentioned.

The Austin Rewild Festival aims to bring in many opportunities to explore that expansiveness of life through intimate talks, outdoor play, nourishing food, music, visualization, meditation and sleeping under the stars. Each aspect of the weekend is aimed to bring your closer into a dynamic relationship with mother nature, self and community. And all of the experiences and group mentorships with the rooted method provides a safe space for anyone to explore connections without alcohol as well. 

Getting There

Just a few miles east of the Austin airport is a magical little place called Gingerland and this is where the festival is hosted. It is a spacious outdoor event space with lots of room to roam and wander-- with 15 acres and a wild scaped property, there is spaciousness to expand. In the middle of the property sits a re -purposed farm-house and there are resident donkeys and goats make for good fun as well. 

Magical Gingerland just outside of Austin| Photography by Heather Barnes

Gingerland with the repurposed farm house in the middle of the beautiful land . | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Photography by Heather Barnes

The goats greeting participants as they set up tents , upon arrival, participants park their car, unload their tents and choose a spot in the field to set up their space. If you are just coming out for the day you can wander around the property and play with the animals or find yourself a quiet meditation spot under a large oak tree. 

Donkeys helping campers set up! | Photography by Heather Barnes

Saturday Morning & Afternoon

The official opening of the weekend starts with a Cacao ceremony and group intention setting with Neil Ryan Durma of Third Eye Cacao. Cacao has been used in many ceremonial ways and it is considered a heart opening elixir which can prepare our minds and bodies for new experiences. With shoes off and cacao in our bodies, we collectively created an energetic space for all of us to open up and drop in with each other and mother nature.

Opening Heart Opening Cacao Ceremony | Photography by Heather Barnes

For the rest of the day on Saturday there are one hour sessions to choose from our lineup of facilitators, teachers and healers. During each hour participants have the option of choosing between two sessions. All of the sessions throughout the weekend are meant to be dynamic in nature. Some of the sessions are more discussion based, some more meditative and some include tactile, hands on learning.  And if participants would rather roam the property instead of going to a session or play with the animals that is an option too!

All of our meals for the festival were catered and hand prepared by Curcuma.  Inspired by Ayurveda, Curcuma offers delicious, healthy plant-based meals and superfood drinks from a food trailer in Austin. We had a pecan taco salad with cilantro lime dressing, Spanish quinoa and cacao bites. Through our retreats and the Austin Rewild Festival, nourishing and organic meals are really important to the vision of fully supporting our lives from the inside out. 

Pecan & Pickled Onion Salad with ginger lime dressing and Spanish Quinoa | Meals catered by Curcuma | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Edible plant walk with Eric Knight of Local Leaf | Photography by Heather Barnes

Nisha Khanna MD leading a talk on functional ayurveda for gut health | photography by Heather Barnes

Rhythmic Drumming with Suzy of Soulshine Rhythm | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Wild Medicine is All Around us with Ginger Webb | Photography by Heather Barnes

Primitive Fire Building with Natureversity | Photography by Heather Barnes

Playing with the amazing animals on the gingerland property! | Photography by Heather Barnes

Learning outside together | Photography by Heather Barnes

Opening Cacao Ceremony by Neil Durma of Third Eye Cacao | Photography by Heather Barnes

Saturday Evening

After a day full of learning, expansion and growth we all sat down at long picnic tables and feasted on a gourmet farm-to-table meal of greens, roasted pecans, sweet potatoes and Mexican dandelion as our salad. And our main course was three bean chili with chickpea cornbread and pickled onions. We adorned our picnic tables with wild flowers and above us were strings of lights. I kept blinking my eyes feeling asking myself if this dreamy setting with 50 beautiful people was all real.

Harvest salad with roasted pecans, sweet potatoes, pomegranates. | Catered by Curcuma | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Three bean chili with chickpea cornbread and pickled onions | catered by Curcuma | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Farm to Table Dinner with 50 wonderful humans! | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Farm to Table Dinner provided by Curcuma | Photography by Ryderking Creative

We were serenaded by music from Willow Speak on the front porch of the farm house and with the lights hanging and above us and the cool breeze swaying our hearts, it was a moment in time I’ll never forget.

And one of the most special parts of the experience in my opinion is camping with everyone under the stars-- belly, mind and heart full. Campers were spread across the entirety of the Gingerland property, with ample spot for some prime camping real estate!

Sunday Morning

After waking up to the sound of roosters and letting that light pour into our tents we feasted on a DIY breakfast bar from Curcuma. We had dates, fresh oats, pecans, almonds, coconut flakes and of course their famous golden milk lattes! 

Chef and Owner of Curcuma preparing our vibrant meals! | Photography by Ryderking Creative

Primal Play and Breathwork by Bridgette Wolleat | Photography by Heather Barnes

Our rewilding weekend closed with a large group circle in the field reflecting and sharing all that we have learned and are looking forward to integrating into our modern lives. To me, there is nothing quite like being in reflection while sitting in a circle in the grass. Something very primordial and ancient arises within all of us. There is this nuanced energetic vortex created that feels like coming home. And ultimately this is why I created the Austin Rewild Festival- so each of us can remember that all we need to do is practice coming back home to ourselves, mother nature and community. 

Closing ceremony and group reflections | Photo by Heather Barnes

Yours truly, Founder of Rooted Method, leading the closing ceremony | Photography by Heather Barnes

This community of movers, shakers and heart centered humans in Austin is something special and it’s amazing to witness the love, support and connection that happened this past weekend. A vortex of possibility happens when we are aligned with the other people who are seeking similar lifestyles. Our 50 participants and speakers were comprised of doctors, herbalists, entrepruenuers, coaches, healers and change makers. These are people who are trying to be the change that they want to see in the world. Just like last year, I witnessed new connections, business collaborations, friendships and opportunities arise for everyone out of this experience—- which was my hope from the beginning. When we shut off the distractions and show up alongside our community for a few days, beautiful synchronisities and rhythm transpires.

Only good things can happen when we gather in nature together.

Throughout the journey, we must stay connected to the spirit in order to manifest what it holds. Before we take off into exploring life’s seasons, it’s important to have some practices in our tool kit that keep us connected to what we truly want. The reason for this is that there are a ton of things that can distract us from our spirit. Monotonous jobs, stressful family situations, and hardship (really of any kind) takes over our, distancing us from the intentions we set. Some avenues for calling the spirit to the forefront of our minds include practices of centering, expanding, and engaging with community. 

CENTER: Centering is the most direct means of connecting with the spirit. It’s a literal call upon all that the spirit holds: wants, intentions, lessons learned, affirmations, magnetism. By participating in centering practices such as meditation, we reconnect with all the things we’ve imagined for our ideal selves. 

EXPAND: Expanding is how we accumulate more knowledge of what’s possible. Reading this blog is expansion, having new conversations with different people is expansion, going outside your comfort zone, etc. One word to describe the verb of expansion is adventure. By seeking new adventures, we expose ourselves to opportunities for more learning, more growth, and therefore an accumulation of awesome things to bank for your ideal self -- your spirit. 

CONNECTION: Connection is third vessel for summoning the spirit. Gathering in community provides validation for the things you seek and a general reassurance in the journey. By connecting with peers, we see ourselves in those we admire and become energetically involved with the frequency of our ideal selves. 

These three things are accessible to us at all times and should be used when feelings of hopelessness, obscurity, or insecurity begin to creep in. 

Need help getting started or more clarity about the journey? A good launching pad for practicing these things is our upcoming Rewild Festival. A two-day outdoor event hosted on October 12th-13th, participants can engage in diverse experiences that bring them closer to their ideal version of self. With workshops, musical guests, group meditations, and much more, we provide individuals with a multi-sensory experience to ground them in mind, body, and spirit. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets. 

Immersing ourselves in all the avenues of spiritual awakening, we grow that much closer to achieving the life that we’ve always envisioned for ourselves. Through meditative experiences we can return to our soul and bring our intentions into focus. Adventure provides opportunities for growth, and by connecting with our community we embed our new sense of self. Prepare to make the most of the coming periods of change by incorporating practices of centering, expanding, and connecting and kick off the journey with the Austin Rewild Festival this weekend. 

Life on earth is cyclical. In the same way that our planet experiences seasons, our journey as humans unfolds over periods of time. Much like the summer expresses itself in nature, we embrace a full bloom and period of elevated vitality, which fertilizes our autumnal harvest -- a time for reflection and gratitude. Winter, in the natural world, offers a moment of quiet and release. What follows, of course, is the rebirth of a transformed self in Spring, energetic and illuminated. 

In this series we will take a mindful look at how our experience parallels that of nature. Beginning with a bird’s eye view of the journey itself. We’ll then follow up with an in-depth look at each period's unique qualities through the lens of its corresponding element: Fall as it relates to Earth, Winter as it relates to Water, Spring as Air, and Fire as Summer. Throughout this conscious uncovering we offer:

• Ways to prepare for and embrace each period

• An anecdote of how this period relates to everyday life - in particular, that of our founder Cristina

• Tools for lunar intention setting in order to optimize our connection

• And, a list of events for gathering and integrating change

At the end of this series we’ll offer a closing ceremony that includes key takeaways and affirmations for growth, both in-person and in the form of online resources. 

To make all of this easy, we‘ve created a monthly tarot card that helps you keep track of when to set which intentions, dates on the moon cycle, and opportunities to gather with our community. We know it can be tough to keep these things top of mind and figure the best way to stay in-tune with

your practice is to have a friend throughout the process. Thus, we provide two tarot cards in every month’s delivery so that you can invite a friend to join in on the journey.

Sign up here to start receiving yours now. http://eepurl.com/c91cin

Why did I create this transformational program for women in Austin?

Because It’s everything I wish I had had and everything I see that women actually need to feel normal, safe, empowered and abundant in their lives.

For more than six years, I’ve been in the personal development and wellness world and I’ve seen it all. As a modern woman seeking an intention way of life amidst all the noise, what is the way you meet your emotional, spiritual, business and community needs without feeling crazy, isolated or lost?

Join an aligned group of women. Meet with them consistently and over a long period of time. Share and exchange ideas. Learn new ways of being in your gifts. Move your bodies together in nature. Adventure together. Support one another.

AND JUST WATCH WHAT MAGIC HAPPENS.

This is what Gaia’s Compass is. It’s a transformative group mentorship program where all your needs are met so you can unlock your divine feminine codes. If you haven’t notice yet, our world is radically shifting in this Aquarian age and there are so many gifts waiting for us if we know how to tap into our ancient connections to nature, sisterhood and ancient universal codes.

We meet in person and online. We tap into rituals and you are held accountable. You get to share and ask each other questions. It’s designed with flexibility so you can show up or as little as you like. And I’m going to hold big space for each woman.

It’s a container for soul centered, sober curious goddesses who want to up level and live with purpose, passion and prosperity.

The programming of this six- month journey will radically shift what you think is possible or how you feel, how much abundance you attract, how you make new habits stick, and how you relate to the natural world around you.

We are approaching a new season with the fall equinox just around the corner. What if you could quantum leap shift everything for yourself by committing to something greater than your fear of what is stopping you?

Spots are filling up ! if you are a woman in Austin, click here to book a quick call with me to see if you are the right fit for this container!

BOOK A CALL WITH ME TO LEARN MORE!

READ MORE ABOUT GAIA'S COMPASS & WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

This is part of a story I’ve never told publicly and it’s one I’ve been wanting to share for a while. It’s the core of what really started my rewilding journey years ago, of unlearning and reclaiming my life. I know there’s so many other people in similar situations—feeling addicted or pulled away from everything but themselves. 

So I invite you to stay until the end. 

This is about the catalyst moment that started me on the journey of who I am today.

I was working in corporate wellness— teaching group exercise classes with a roster of private clients and tasked to develop new curriculum for my company. I was making good money, had a great partner, traveled and explored and took risks. My life felt like a checkbox list and I was ticking off everything that made me a “successful, productive and happy” adult.

People would always tell me” Cristina you are so happy and nice, you agree with everyone.” 

OR 

“How do you stay in such great shape?”

OR  

“How were you so brave to go live in China?”

You’d think this life I’d created was dreamy, right?

If you could hear what was going on underneath the surface, you would hear the clinking and rattling of empty wine bottles. Too many empty wine bottles. In my pursuit of a perfect life, I had normalized a drinking behavior that I chose not to view as toxic.

But over the years I’d tell myself things like:

“I deserved that bottle of wine after a 10-hour work day,”

“Everyone in college was getting shit faced so I should, too.”

“Sunday funday? Yes, please!”

“Having a beer at the end of a hike? Is there any other way?”

I “deserved” those glasses of wine because I was working so hard and seemingly had my shit together. 

But deep down persisted a silent anxiety and confusion quitely crushing my soul. I felt like I became deaf and was at a loss for how to even name how I felt. It was a dissociative feeling—that I couldn’t even listen to my thoughts or my body. Everything just became a reaction to a situation and not a well thought-out train of thinking.

One distinct memory will never leave me. I sat on the floor of my apartment one evening, drinking a bottle of wine alone, crying and praying. I ordered a whole domino’s pizza, ate it all by myself and then got sick. Then I drank some more. Even as I desperately asked the universe for help, I just couldn’t impede the wine flow.

But then a vision struck me and left me with an image that shook me to my core. I saw myself in ten years with young kids. They danced and played around me, begging me to join their idyllic fun. My eyes stayed glued to the clock, waiting for 5 p.m. to hit so I could justify opening that bottle of wine. 

That day was the day that I finally began my Hero's Journey, the day I answered my call to adventure and was ripped from the ordinary world never to return again.

That vision was a future I didn’t want to chance. My life was worth more than waiting for that daily dose of “calm” in a glass.

That moment on the floor of my apartment, my life flashing before my eyes, I made a decision to reclaim who I was. Admittedly, it was a slow process. But I had a dream of a life sans alcohol, with nature’s teachings at its center.

I dreamt of the childhood I had—rich in nature and close to my community in the outdoors. This was the life I so badly wanted again because I knew these things were tangible and true. I envisioned those times I was camping, fishing and trekking through the mountains with my family and friends. I thought about the little girl playing so freely along those river streams. The girl that felt free and wild in nature.

And slowly, I rooted my life in what was real—nature, community, meditation, sunshine and stillness, dance and play. I put my desire for a miracle out into the arms of all the energetic forces. I completely surrendered my life to be taken into the hands of something greater than me. 

Eventually, things started to shift. 

I played in the water as much as possible

I swam naked and dug my feet into the earth

I camped on the beaches of Alaska and near Tennessee waterfalls 

I started talking to the plants and  universe around me

I gathered with groups in the outdoors

This was real life. This beautiful, natural world that we are a part of is what makes sense.

And the version of the life I thought I was supposed to lead started to slip away from me. Who I thought I should be didn’t matter anymore. I was now unfolding into the person I was meant to be simply by flowing through the heart of nature.

I started to actually “see and hear” life. I started to ask big questions about myself and who I was. I journaled fervently and thought critically about the life I actually wanted. I sat in stillness for long periods and just listened to the world around me. I picked up on Mother Nature’s messages of knowing and those answers I’d been looking for a long time suddenly came clearly.

With this grounding chord of connection to Mother Nature’s spirit, I begun to trust my life. I trusted who I could become. I trusted my ability to face adversity without numbing out on alcohol. All along my sensitivity, love for humanity and sense of adventure were my greatest soul-calling aspects of life

—I just had to put myself in environments that allowed my spirit to shine through.

As time went on, this energetic dance happened in my life. The more I trusted in my vision, showed up unapologetically, and connected to nature, did the work that felt right to me, things shifted in the right direction. Whether it was my daily habits, my business, my friendships or my work, things started to make sense, the path became ever more clear to me and I haven’t looked back since. My life right now is so rich and full of meaning, clarity and trust. It is unfolding in ways I couldn’t have dreamed of a few years ago.

For far too long I told myself I was “bad, wrong, not enough, not worthy” when really I just didn’t have the tools to move through the world as a deeply empathic and sensitive being. 

Guess what I learned along my journey—WE ARE ALL FREAKING SENSITIVE BEINGS!!! And that’s okay! It’s 100%, without-question normal!

My relationship to alcohol may feel really similar to yours—or maybe it’s food, sex or technology you are trying to set boundries with. Whatever it may be, keep showing up to the spaces, the people and the programs that allow you to reclaim who you are. 

Remember: You deserve a life that is rich in connection, clarity and power.

Everyone does. 

Love you all,

Cristina

ENROLLMENT FOR GAIA'S COMPASS NOW OPEN

I pulled out my tent in the soaking rain, shivering to the bone and all around me was grassy wet tundra up to my knees. I knew this wasn’t going to be a dry night. There wasn’t another person in sight and it was getting dark. My feet started to go numb and I thought to my self “ Why on all nights of my trip did it have to pour down rain when I was in the middle of the Alaskan tundra and what I would do for a warm fire and a cup of hot tea.”

But I got through it and the next morning the sun came out. I had never been more grateful for the sun and I now could look at my previous night with a complete new lens, with a profound appreciation for the darkness and the cold. 

Solo hiking or backpacking in a new place can be a direct parallel to challenges in life- constantly learning, finding new paths and adapting to new situations. If you want to learn how to tackle all of life’s challenges- I couldn’t think of a better way than to solo hike or backpack. Although I think  this post applies to all people, I’m especially highlighting women for a few reasons.

From a young age girls are overprotected and taught to think “ what if something bad happens?” This type of thinking keeps us in repeated patterns and limits our vast amount of potential.

We are hard wired to nurture, please others and do what is expected of us which can inhibit our potential if we aren’t careful.

Here are a few really great reasons to start planning a solo backpacking or hiking experience.

1. Because you can experience the outdoors on your terms

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about solo hiking is the fact that you begin to understand what elements of the outdoors are important to you. Some people like more adventurous hikes, some enjoy more reflective hikes while stopping to read and write, some people might just want to pitch a tent, cook some food by the campfire and hang with their dogs. Whatever your purpose for getting outside is, there is no wrong one. Too often people associate hiking with this extreme sense of adventure and this is not the case. Listen to your needs and follow accordingly. 

2. Because it’s fun to get dirty

Why can men get dirty and we can’t? I don’t care what anyone says, there is something exhilarating about the dirt underneath your fingernails, the sweat on your brow at the top of a mountain and the scent of a campfire in your hair. Showering everyday is extremely overrated and actually bad for your skin and hair. Enjoy those natural oils ladies!

3. Because solitude instills reflection

When was the last time you were ever truly alone for a 24 hour period? Even a 12 hour period? Even if you live alone it’s probably hard to fill that amount of time without communication with anyone. withough someone asking you to do something. without someone influencing your decisions and desires. Being alone for a period of time like this really allows you to take a BREAK from societal influence. 

4. Because it’s uncomfortable and you will grow

Yes. That’s right. It’s really freaking important to get uncomfortable. 

If you aren’t a hiker- GO HIKE

If you aren’t a painter- PAINT

If you aren’t a writeR- WRITE 

You’ve heard the sayings like “ get outside your comfort zone”. Well there is a lot of truth in that statement. When you get uncomfortable you grow. You change. You change without even knowing it and then you look back and realize that it’s propelled you in ways you never thought imaginable. You can look back and say “ hell yeah I climbed that mountain and even though I got lost for a little bit I made it back ok!”

5. Because our bodies crave it

Guys, as highly evolved as we are, we are still animals. Our bodies still need the sun, the wind, the dirt and the grit in all our pores and all over our skin. If you want a great resource to check out about the science behind the outdoors click the link here. 

6. To tap into your intuition

In solo hiking you can’t rely on others and you must rely on your surroundings to make decisions. You will find very quickly just how amazing your power of intuition are. After all, we are animals and we very often neglect our instincts in everyday life. Relying on your instincts while hiking solo will allow you to trust your decisions betters in everyday life as well. You will be better equipped to handle those tough conversations at work or that feeling around your SO that you know needs to be addressed. 

7. And most importantly solo hike so you can connect to the rhythms of life- the unique feminine spirit in all of nature. 

You have one-of-a-kind intuitive, wise, creative juices thriving in your body. Tapping into how you see the life moving around you, to how the plants moves through the season, allows you to come back to that special, wild fire within you. 

Let yourself burn bright by going out on a hike or walk in the woods. 

Stay wild,

Cristina

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You are capable of re-attuning yourself to this most sacred part of life….

If you are knew to tuning in, you might feel skeptical and be thinking to yourself.. “ Can a deeper relationship with nature really feel that calm, connected and magical?”

Remember this, our bodies are wired to be in nature. It’s in our DNA to help one another in nature. For thousands of years, cultures from around the planet have had a symbiotic relationship with nature, have felt her time and time again. 

Developing a much deeper relationship and understanding of mother earth is like exercising a muscle- the more you do it, the more you feel it.

I’ve gathered some of my best practices that have really helped me and my clients along the way. 

Start talking to the Nature around you 

Did you know that plants and trees can feel, hear, see and smell? If you treat them nicely, they treat you nicely back. If you’ve never done this before, you can simply start by waking up each day and saying something like “ good morning!” or “Thank You for helping me”. As you pass them outside or water them in your home, just bring their conscious awareness when you remember. 

 Meditate in Nature

Take your practice outside as much as possible. This can simply be on your porch or balcony if you live in the city. Whether that’s a walking meditation, a guided one on your phone or just sitting, that frequency in your brain of calmness is amplified even more. 

 Gather with Friends and Family in Nature. I’m sure each of you can recall a time of pure bliss when playing with your family outside.Well, it’s no wonder because the closer ties we have with humans AND the outdoors the more we can REALLY  connect. When we are helping each other and moving forward together outdoors, this locks a special mechanism in our brain that allows for a deep belonging. The more you access that sense of belonging, the more a-tune you will feel. Your whole body might feel the best it’s ever felt after a few days in nature with friends. 

Make an offering or altar

Remember we have a symbiotic relationship with nature, we have to honor, protect and commune together with nature in order to truly live an abundant, connected and in-tune life. In your apartment, home, farm, forest bed, wherever you call home, find a few of your favorite nature elements. This could be rocks, crystals, feathers, plants, sacred water, sticks, leaves, really anything that has ever had meaning for you. Set them up in a small  corner of your home and start with spending just a few minutes each day sitting with these elements and offering them back to nature. Light some incense, breathe really deep and thank that force-giving life that gives you so much. 

Find a simple breath practice you can use everyday

When we breathe from moment to moment, we aren’t using the full capacity of our lungs. You may not know what’s it’s like to breathe really deep for a few minutes. Deep breathing allows our Nervous System to relax in our whole body. It is a WHOLE body relaxation. And when your whole body is relaxed, the more likely you are to receive the gifts from nature. I myself and many of my peers have deeply felt mother nature by developing a consistent breathing practice. Remember, this doesn’t mean you start with breathing for 10 minutes, this week just try your own breathing practice for 30 seconds. Can you do 30 seconds of deep breathing? I know you can.

Honor the cycles of life 

Remember the seasons. Fall. Winter. Spring. Summer. They don’t just exist for our food or nature. They are crucial for our bodies and minds as well. Whether you are a man or woman, we are wired to live more in cycles. There once was a time when Watermelon wasn’t available in the Winter. We don’t need to always be go, go, go in our days or weeks. As we’ve all known, it lead to tremendous imbalance in our minds and bodies. Here are some ways you can start looking at the areas in your life in a cycling manner: 

• eating seasonally

• moving seasonally

• tracking your menstrual cycle ( one of my favorites!)

• identifying the plants in your area

• If you are a woman, start tracking your cycle

• Planning your business seasonally

• Structuring family time activities

When you know that nothing is permanent and we all move through cycles, a much deeper relaxation and peace comes to your life. It’s a type of peace that I didn’t know was possible until I started incorporating everything I’ve listed here a few years ago. 

Throughout this process of tuning in more to nature, I want you to be patient. 

And I want you to remember that nothing but joy, connection and purpose will be felt if you start incorporating some of these things into your life.

Remember, you deserve to feel good. You deserve to relax. And trust in that mother nature will guide you along your journey. 

Sending y'all one giant hug, I feel like I’m sitting with you now. 

Love & Light, 

Cristina

• Don’t forget to check out our calendar of upcoming nature meditations, workshops & overnight retreats!

• Want to organize your own private event for a small business or family? Drop me a line!

It’s safe to say when I was introduced to essential oils a few years ago, it rocked my world for the better. These mighty plants and flowers have become a daily part of my health, kitchen supplies, meditation cleaning routine just to name a few.

They have empowered me to always be the first advocate for my health and well-being.

Subscribe to my rewild newsletter, and I’ll send you a 20 page beginner’s guide!

I hope this beginner’s guide reminds you that you really are your own best teacher and intuitive guide.

See you on the wild side,

Cristina