Tools for Wayfinding: when you're lost again

and need to find your way home to yourself

“I’m out with lanterns, looking for myself” - Emily Dickenson

"Here be dragons" (Latin: hic sunt dracones) means dangerous or unexplored territories, in imitation of a medieval practice of putting illustrations of dragons, sea monsters and other mythological creatures on uncharted areas of maps where potential dangers were thought to exist

Here be Dragons

Every year, I must re-find myself after the uncharted territory of the winter months. I enter darkness and emerge a different creature every single spring. It is part of my shape-shifting nature, part super power, part disability; the chaos of constant reinvention.

Because of this unstoppable, consistent metamorphosis, I have developed a great number of tools to aid in the reconstitution and orientation process. I didn’t come up with these tools on my own (not even close) but I have gathered them together over years of study, listening, mentorship, formal education, women’s circles, spiritual revelation, and much trial and error. (Special shoutouts to

Hannah Marcotti

,

Sarah Blondin

,

Beth Kempton

,

Elizabeth Gilbert

,

Holly Whitaker

and

adrienne maree brown

amongst so many others)

Some of my favorite tools for wayfinding are:

• Tarot & other archetypes

• meditation and shamanic journeying

• journaling,

• therapy,

• walking in the woods,

• collage,

• travel,

• friendship,

• and, of course, poetry

But how do we actually begin?

How do we put ourselves together again when the pieces feel scattered and unfamiliar? My go-to first tool is movement. I pick up my sleepy, bear body, and take her on a lumbering stroll through the neighborhood, the woods, or even the backyard.

Then maybe a snack, because snacks. Then..

It should come as no surprise that poetry, in particular, has always been a steady companion for me in this process. While journaling gives me access to my thoughts, poetry allows me to tap into the unconscious yearnings, the dreams, the pain points, and the deep longings of my current self. Poetry teaches me about who I am in ways that no other tool can do.

April is National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), a celebration that invites writers to write a poem a day for the entire month. Thirty poems in thirty days — it sounds ambitious, but the true spirit of NaPoWriMo isn’t about completion. It’s about getting over ourselves and just doing the thing.

Maybe you write 10 poems instead of 30. Maybe you write a single line that lingers in your mind like a errant melody. Or perhaps your notebook fills with fragments, questions, and observations. All of it counts. The point is to meet yourself on the page.

I will be sharing some of my NaPoWriMo journey here and in my April writing circle, so I hope you will join me in whatever way feels good for you!

Wayfinding Prompts

1. Tarot for Reflection: Draw a card from your favorite deck. Instead of reading the guidebook, spend a few minutes observing the imagery. What story is the card telling you today?

2. Walking in the Woods: Go outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Notice the way the light moves through the trees, the texture of the ground beneath your feet, or the chatter of birds. When you return, write down whatever stayed with you. Let the memory be your muse.

3. The Magic of a List Poem: Write your own "I want to be someone who" list poem. Start with that phrase and let it pull you along. Let it surprise you. Let it be beautiful, honest, weird, or contradictory. There’s no wrong way to write it.

I’d love to see yours in the comments or tag me in your posts/notes! <3

collage is also so good.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If you’re craving a space to explore these tools in a more immersive way, I’d love to invite you to join me for Seeds of Poetry. Over eight weeks, we’ll dive into practices, poetry, and creative exploration—all grounded in the cycles of the natural world. Seeds begins on April 5th for all paid subscribers!

Click here to manage your subscription if needbe!

I’ve also created a free welcome guide for all my subscribers so you can learn more about the circle and have an easy reference for Zoom call dates & times! Just click the download button to read the PDF 🌿

Seeds Of Poetry Welcome Guide

7.53MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

I am beyond excited for this next season to be here. It has never been a better time to develop tools to keep ourselves on the paths we’ve forged with our hearts, our efforts, and our communities of care. I can’t wait to find out who you are now <3

with joy,

Alix

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