A Letter and Offering of Renewal

-Rithika Merchant

Sweet Greetings,

Sweetness drips like honey from pregnant buds 
And I am beckoned forward, upward, outward, downward
Into flirtation
To mingle with hope, desire, and purpose;
Sunlight, blooms, and soil.
-Renewal by Ashlyn Miller

I'm excited to share that we will have an opportunity to gather and celebrate Beltane, the cross quarter celebration and halfway point between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice at Cowee School in Franklin NC, 5/4/25, 10-11:15 am, donation-based. You can find the registration here, spots limited.

A Summer series is brewing inside of me- so far I've landed on "Rivers of Renewal" as the flavor, inspiration, and guide, likely starting the week of 5/12/25...more to come on this in a future letter (I've decided, in this moment, I much prefer letter to newsletter...it feels more intimate and personal to write you a letter <3).

Lastly, I leave you with a question inspired by a conversation Tyler and I were having recently regarding the journey, the no finish line, the dynamic nature of being alive.

What would made your journey 1% more pleasing, enjoyable, comforting right now (genuinely, accessibly)? Is it dancing, more music, a deep breath, a hug, feet on the ground, being in supportive community, crying, laughing, rest, a shower, drawing, reaching out for help, cooking, writing, stretching, meditating, allowing however you feel to not be bad, gardening, etc.

There will always be another thing to do, another goal, a new finish line, but in truth, the cliché that the journey is the goal, stands true. So, I'm curious about, giving attention to, and lingering with what within reach makes the journey just a tad more delightful, comforting, and life-affirming? These turbulent times will deplete us to our core if we let them. This is why joy, rest, and pleasure are part of the resistance- they nurture our capacity to keep resisting the systems that erode authenticity, interconnectedness, aliveness, and the natural world (ancient ancestors).

So, linger in what brings you a sense of renewal just a beat longer than usual.