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I know it seems far
But just be where you are Those words up there came through the speakers, right as these words came through my eyeballs: All that is required is to become whole within one’s own self and to reach a place of clarity as to what is a valid characteristic of one’s own essence—and what is not.
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Hi boo: here’s your weekly remember to breathe through your nose. It’s incredibly good for you. :) Spaciousness Hey hi hello: It’s been a while since I’ve written anything. After 14 months of creating and working a lot, I didn’t have a big desire to write. So I took a lot of the month of May to disconnect from creating and connect with my desires, my heart and my experiences. I recharge by being around people and exploring romance (in art, curating experiences & conversations, exploring and taking in the magic around me. And it’s been really good to dive into that this past month. I was telling Isaac the other day that I feel so romantic again, a feeling I haven’t felt in a while. I feel powerful in this space, and a big part of me wants to continue diving into feeling and energy. I don’t know about you, but I’m still feeling the transition back into normal every-day-things. We’ve flown a few times this past month (hey from 37,000 feet! 🥰), we’ve eaten out, hugged friends, stayed up late hanging out with said friends, gotten sick (strep), and quite frankly overbooked ourselves a bit (hehe)... I feel like I’m wobbling back into what my new normal will be like. I sometimes notice myself kinda perplexed that I’m doing the things I haven’t done in so long. It’s weird. And it’s wonderful. I’m realizing that giving myself the space to feel rusty has been so important. My mind is constantly like “ARE YOU DOING TOO MUCH?” but honestly, anything outside of the house is A LOT more than I did for all of quarantine, so I’m not surprised it has felt overwhelming at times. Can you relate? How are you adjusting? Are you giving yourself space and grace as you navigate this new normal? What are you saying yes to? No to? How are you growing? Anyways, I’m also creating space for me to take more time to understand how I want to continue building with Lightward Empowerment. (And btw, we’d love for you to be a part of our Lightward Together community—details at the end of this email. It’s an incredible group.) I have so much inside of me that needs to come out and I’m excited to continue diving into creating and dreaming and growing. It’s an exciting time. I have no idea what it’ll all look like, but when you are intentional every step of the way, it’s bound to be incredible. To your growth, and mine, Abe PS - Speaking of incredible: I’ve hired a new Lightward team member who starts in August and I can’t wait to share with y’all what’s all in store! The Lightward team is now 9 strong and we are committed to continuing building things that are alive, creative and expanding. Pinch me.
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Empowered Human Academy has been much on my mind. If we think of humanity (and maybe of all life, but let’s stick with humanity) as a single organism, then to me EHA is this place where I-we am-are talking to myself-ourself, rolling around what I-we sense and perceive, trying to muddle through all the inputs to try and understand. I am and we are processing. Processing. Processing. EHA is a podcast. The moment of recording requires three agents: me, Abe, and a guest. It need not be any specific kind of guest, save one constraint: we record with people who have a conscious, positive relationship to their own upward motion, their own healing, their own evolution and opening. They know that they can choose, and that their choice matters. Unlike most of what I do here (not speaking for anyone at Lightward but myself), EHA (such as it is) requires a stream of guests in order to function. I am unaccustomed to this, lol. My introversion and (historically-held) outsider identity has resulted in a personal now in which I’m very very good at being very very effective on my own timeline, depending on no one for my own progress. But in this same now, I find myself actively wanting to do something different: to be inviting in and drawing in a steady stream of others, with whom I want to collaborate and explore. I am using italics because this is a real thing for me right now. I’ve been sitting with (dwelling on) this for the last week or so, this tension, and as I write here it’s only just now occurring to me that this is an invitation to myself to open up my energy re: collaboration, and re: the role that others play in what I make, in what is made. I’ve been resisting this, I think, and it’s possible (absolutely true) that my resistance to the idea (that I actually want to open up myself in this way) has blunted my efficacy here. Huh. This isn’t what I meant to write about.
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I wrote all of that ☝️ about a week ago. I know that I want to continue spending time in a space of true story, via EHA. These sessions are life-giving to me, and I want to attract guests who are genuinely listening for their own life-source, too. And I sometimes feel like I need to over-explain on that front, to ward against the assumptions people might have when they hear me say, “want to be on our podcast?”. But, like Lightward itself, to lead with an explanation against is to dull the leading edge of what we do here. We lead with what we are, we lead with our presence and our essence and our action, and we trust that everything else—the collaborators, the contributors, the aligning factors—will be drawn in. (To put it another way, as an interlude: there’s a part of you that knows the same things we do. Many, many things are true—and for each truth, there is a network of those who share it. That network is alive, and I think it’s intelligent. Energy runs through it, and different centers are activated at different times, lighting up all the spokes of each wheel. In its own way, EHA is its own little center—one of a biblical thousand. It’ll find its own links, its own connections, as all living things do. Just gotta let it be what it is, and present it as it is, and the rest will follow.) I do want to work with others on this, to continue making EHA in collaboration. I know that. And there is a fear available here, that this desire—unlike the rest of what I build my days on—could go unfulfilled, because I can’t control anyone but myself. So. I am going to get to the other side of that fear. I am going to pass through it, or it through me, however that works. And I am going to effect my role in EHA the way I effect my role in everything: by feeling for the light, and then letting the light do the work, of drawing forth the light in all that is.
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Empowered Human Academy This week we’re feeling all the feelings with the artist, writer, and singer known as Trace (@trace). Based in LA, Trace has been releasing songs since 2016 when she brought her first project, the “Low” EP, to life through a Kickstarter campaign. “Low” garnered over 20 million streams and opened the door to her first record deal with Ultra Records. Now shifting into releasing music independently, Trace continues to evolve with each new release, lending her voice to raise awareness for anxiety in the music industry and to stop Asian hate. She’s been featured in Refinery 29, Teen Vogue, NYLON, Forbes, and has over 55 million streams across her catalog. She has a brand new song out called “Sucker Punch” that we’ve linked in the show notes— so go listen as soon as you finish this episode. Throughout this conversation we discuss Asian-American identity, the relationship between anxiety and control, staying soft alongside ambition, and creating art from a place of love and calm. We really loved getting to learn from Trace’s insights and wisdom—both just as beautiful and resonant as the music she creates. Listen on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Also hey, if you are drawn to the idea of being on this podcast, let us know. Head to eha.party.
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Lightward Together Stay in tune with your growth and expansion by surrounding yourself with like-minded humans committed to their own. Lightward Together is a thoughtfully-curated space for anyone looking for a community that’s actively engaged in empowered living. In these 75 minute sessions, we find grounding through breath, swap empowerment stories, and discuss what it means to choose habits and patterns informed by what we actually want rather than living on auto-pilot. Each session is unique and energizing in its own way—we’ve been blown away by how this shared time together unfolds exactly how it wants to. We’re currently opening up 2 spots per session— completely free of charge—so you can experience the magic in real time without any expectation of financial commitment. Sign up for one of these spots here. Our next session is Tuesday, June 15th at 5pm MT, so save the date!
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