Dear Soul Tribe,
At this moment, my body is flying in a 737 above the lush rainforests of Costa Rica after a 10 day Temple intensive. Meanwhile, my heart is integrating the invisible web of dynamic connections, and my mind is wistfully reminiscing over the highs and lows of the past year.
Despite the limitations in travel and touch, 2021, has been an exercise in re-orienting all aspects of living around the emergence of the collective soul. The pandemic has been a worldwide wake-up call to who we really are, and why we are here. Now, how do we stay alive without falling back asleep and reverting to business as usual?
DHARMA BUDDIES
I managed to narrow my focus and serve only a handful of local trainings that felt soul-ordained, such as L2 in NorCal & New York, and L1 in Seattle & San Diego. We also pioneered a regional mini-core gathering in Arizona for locals who didn’t know if they could make it to the Core gathering in Spain.
This special event only happens every 18 months where leads, facilitators, organizers, and apprentice shamans for ISTA (the International School of Temple Arts), come together to practice ritual, vision, and explore themes such as soul family, environmentalism, new economics, privilege & diversity.
Pairing back on travel, gave me the bandwidth to relaunch my website and birth two important initiatives:
First, I birthed a powerful new career coven, which is my inner circle of witches and wizards who are supporting each other in growing soul-based businesses. It’s a year-long mastermind and mentorship program called: Love Leadership and it has open enrollment so It will continue to grow as I grow each year.
Secondly, I’ve been able to carve out a consistent writing practice to work on my next novel from 10 am -noon, daily. This radical commitment finally makes me feel like a real writer, not just someone who dabbles when inspired. I’m only about a 3rd way through the rough draft of Soul Transfusion, and I’ve been inspired and mused by my long distant creative connection with Z griss. Further, I’ve been working with a new writing coach, who has shown me how little I truly know about fiction. Ultimately, my greatest obstacle is how to balance my time between writing and the precious pull of parenting.
DEVIN
Devin (age 14) is taller than Michael and got his first job as a paid math tutor, this summer, and although he tested higher than most college freshmen in all subjects, he struggled through his 1st semester in public High School, so we changed over to a charter school where he’ll get more personalized attention. His passions include World History, storytelling, and cinematic critique, Dungeons and Dragons, and Surfing. For spring break, Devin went fishing in Cabo San Lucas with Logan’s family. He sampled wine for the first time during Passover seder with James’ mom, Cathy.
Michael took him on several boys’ trips to surf in Baja Mexico, drive through Death Valley, and they even went crocodile hunting in Costa Rica. He sprained his wrist hiking to the waterfall at Canyon de Guadelupe. Devin spent many Sundays hanging out with his cousin Mikalya before she returned to college. Meanwhile, we got a whole week alone together in Andalucia and Malaga where Michael and I vacationed before meeting Rachel and Lenart’s newborn, Lillith.
MORE LOVE
Our poly family is ever-expanding. As Michael and I approach our 20 year anniversary, our partnership has reached new depths of security and freedom. In addition to our romantic lovers’ retreats at Harbin Hotsprings, Malaga and Majorca, we have been dedicated to nightly appreciation showers, wherein we each share 3 things we love about each other. This practice generates new levels of love, which we overflow to others.
It seems all the major pillars of my poly family are moving deeper into the mystery. James and Sharmila, are preparing to sell their home, and hopefully we’ll travel together a bit while they look for community land, Meanwhile, Roxanne, Daniel, Summer have also been exploring a nomadic lifestyle around the east coast, Hawaii and Europe.
Since Stacy bought her home temple in Washington, she has become an even more stable presence in my life. She co facilitated ISTA Seattle with me for the first time, joined the faculty in Spain, and then we celebrated our 7 year poly-versary! Most recently, my heart has been called in the dual direction of personal and professional relationships with Atilla and Olivia. We are evolving a triadic dynamic as well as exploring evolutionary mentorship in the wider service of love.
Meanwhile, Michael has been cultivating a regular romantic connection with Envy, dating within the tribe, and rekindling his soul connection to Taina and we are also mending our family bond.
WELLBEING
Although we’ve witnessed dozens of beloveds burn through the Covid initiation, we haven’t lost anyone close. Due to natural causes, this year we mourn the death of my step-grandma Maureen and Uncle Mario, RIP. In March, my brother Carlos had a near death experience during a fierce pancreatitis attack where he spent 8 days alone the hospital. Afterward, he’s had a radical shift in his mental health and sobriety and is still convalescing at my mother Rosa’s house. We are still praying for his full recovery.
My own mental/emotional state during peri-menopause has stabled with a low dose of testosterone. It feels like micro-dosing to preserve congruency of my gender transcendence. I recently started eating fish with Devin and gave up dairy with Michael (who is going back to veganism.) After nearly three years of foot pain (plantar fasciitis), I’m finally felt some relief thanks to Tah’ls acupuncture.
ABUNDANCE
It is not by coincidence that Michael and I have been making more money than ever since my mastermind has helped me refocus on abundance and I’ve recommitted to my nightly ‘mental bank’ practice. Michael also managed a major loan so that we could buy our new electric car and eventually re-do our roof, and sunroom. After some unexpected setbacks, we are looking for a new contractor to start our kitchen remodel, but we are not letting our own bad decision-making affect our trust in humanity.
NEW YEARS GOALS
This St. Valentine’s day, Michael and I will be celebrating 20 extra-ordinary years of marriage with a Science Fiction theme party: Poetry in Space!
Amongst the 9 upcoming ISTA retreats, I’m most excited to be experimenting with ISTA Family Fusion again in August and facilitating in Español, for the first time! I’ll be re-working “El Camino Del Artista” as well as journaling in Spanish.
I will continue to do monthly New and Full Moon rituals with my coven and send you bi-monthly newsletters and videos. I intend to finish my novel and perhaps get a publisher interested in my next non-fiction book about Temple Culture. Thanks for all your loving support, I look forward to hearing what you are creating and how I can support you! Please mark your calendar with my special invitations, below!
Happy New Year,
KamalaDevi
AKA KD, (They/Them)
P.S. Our cat Kabuki sends his love in the form of a LOUD Meow (especially when I’m on Zoom.) His highlight for the year was refusing to ride in the special backpack we bought for him. His lowlight is anytime Michael works on a puzzle and can’t pet him with both hands.