The Hermit: integration and reflection

{letter three: Hermit & Moon}

“Resolve only to breathe

more freely, more deeply, more soundly

into your own sweet aliveness”

-Alix Klingenberg

Art by Taryn Knight

Hermit Season

In the aftermath of my father’s death in 2021, I found myself in a state of exhaustion. Unable to keep up with the demands of daily life and work, I decided to let myself rest. The past several years had taken their toll; from sobriety to the pandemic, to a challenging career shift, moving homes, and the loss of both of my partner's parents. I needed time to recover, and to find my footing in the world again.

During these months (cough years) of introspection and healing, I continued to engage in the roles that were essential to me—partnership, mothering, accompanying my spiritual direction clients, and writing, but I dropped almost everything else. I desperately needed this Hermit Season to adjust to who I had become through all these changes.

The truth is, this period of time was hard on my friendships and my finances. And in a lot of ways, I am only now slowly re-entering the stream of life that I had previously been able to navigate so easily. It’s not easy to come out of my cozy interiority, and this space has been a real lifeline for me as I try to engage community again, in ways that feel regulated and calm.

From Kim Krans’s Wild Unknown Tarot deck

The Hermit archetype can get a bad rap in our culture of productivity and success, but in the tarot it is a highly revered and lovely card. The Hermit represents a retreat into the depths and wisdom of our inner lives. It deeply honors of the spiritual practices of solitude and meditation.

Perhaps, most importantly, Hermit encourages the radical act of doing nothing of consequence for a bit in order to alchemize and integrate our experiences. It is not an escape from the world, but rather, a necessary stop on the way back to it, so that we might re-emerge with a replenished spirit.

Speaking of this community! My friend

Claire Amritavani Brown

has put together a wonderful 12 day tarot journal called The Winter Talisman. And it’s totally free! You can check it out and download it here! I am honored to have a little poem featured in it, too :)

Year’s End/Year’s Beginning

There is a cultural push, as we approach the new year, to launch into action, to develop new habits, to quit things, and to generally overhaul our lives. But I have found this to be entirely out of rhythm with my own nature. We are in the midst of the deep cold, silent times. Rest and recovery, survival and warmth, close relationships and stories told around the fire are more seasonally attuned for January.

So I offer you two simple practices for this week.

1. Ritual for integration

January 1st - New Year’s Day

Journal prompt: Look back on last year and reflect on what worked, what didn’t work, when were you overwhelmed and wish you’d done less? When were you in a good flow with work and family and fun?

Go through your photos from the last year and create an album of your favorites (on your phone is fine). You can start to brainstorm some ideas and excitements for the year ahead, but let yourself really take time to reflect and integrate before you charge ahead.

2. A list of more

Prompt: write a list poem that speaks to what you want more of in 2025

I would love to see your lists and a few photos from 2024 that feel like they represent the year for you in some way - please do share them in the private chat!

Our next Zoom Writing call is today, Dec. 28th at Noon Eastern! I will send a separate email to paid subscribers at 10am Eastern today with the Zoom link, so if you’d like to join us, be sure to upgrade now! We are doing Zoom calls every other Saturday through February for this round of the circle.

What happens in the writing groups you may ask?

I have been leading seasonal creative groups like this for almost 10 years now, in various forms. Typically, we meet for 90 min-2 hrs over Zoom for a brief check-in, then I will read you a poem and offer a prompt. We will write for a few minutes, and do some sharing, then repeat the process. We often have time for 3-5 rounds of poems/prompts.

The circles are full of wonderful creatives, many of whom are:

• new to writing in this kind of way (and are amazed at how quickly and effortlessly they find flow in the group.)

• getting back into writing after years of doing other things.

• professional writers looking for a generative space to write new things.

• leaders who are excited to be in a space where they don’t need to lead, but rather can simply play and be with other writers.

Sending love and a very peaceful week to you all!

Alix