These were words I wrote in the White Moonstone zine in 2020, two weeks into the wave of awareness spurred on by the Black Lives Matter movement. Although the anthem has shifted from BLACK LIVES MATTER to ABOLISH ICE the core sentiment feels rooted in the same desires to end white supremacy, fascism, and xenophobic hate in the United States.
In ebbs and flows I’ve kept that commitment, and I wont bore you with the list of ways I continue the lifelong work of dismantling and unlearning. Instead, as the attention of the news cycle already begins to ebb, I want to share a practice that keeps me fueled so that I can continue to tune in, show up, speak out, and grow again and again.
Guilt and Shame are weapons of Oppression. They cause division and paralysis, preventing individuals from growing into empowered members of a community. Joy and Pleasure are remedies to these ailments, and through the revolutionary act of noticing Joy in times of hardship or celebrating life’s little Pleasures we can each keep our cup full. With a full cup each of us can show up and stand against hate.
White Moonstone, with its magickal essence of light and color, can assist in soothing the soul so that difficult work for the greater good can continue to happen. Craft a daily practice to bring yourself back to the revolutionary act of finding Joy.
Meditate on an image or actual crystal, noticing the shifting, uplifting, moonlight captured in the milky sheen of White Moonstone.
Write down everything that brings you Joy in this moment in time. Nothing is too mundane or too grand for the list.
Circle the ideas that resonate for you most.
Craft Your Daily Joy Ritual from the words you circled. Keep it simple so that you can commit to it everyday.
I decided to highlight instead of circle the ideas that jumped out me today:
Breaking bread with my friends and family
Journaling
Tea and Coffee
Wearing Makeup
Being around families laughing, dancing, and being in Joy together!
The last one on the list, Being around families laughing, dancing, and being in Joy together! was inspired by a recent experience. I took my toddler to the library for Story Time, which once a month is the very powerful Drag Story Time. The little theatre is filled with parents, caregivers, allies, and children of all ages listening to uplifting stories. The Queen who was reading ended the story time with a Lip Sync Sing-a-long, to anchor the storytime back in the culture and traditions drag is rooted in. We sang (or lip synced) to I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) by Whitney Houston.
Holding my kiddo on my hip and swaying in the back of the auditorium while everyone joyfully danced and sung and followed the vibrant energy of the Drag Queen on stage, brought me to tears by the joy of it all. There was something resilient in that moment. There was something defiant. And there was plenty of Joy. That feeling of community is the kind of joy I want to capture in my daily joy practice right now. Drag Queens know how to harness the power and sparkle of glamour magick, so I will tap into that with a daily Makeup Ritual. Wearing makeup was one of the other joy practices I highlighted, and I haven’t made it a priority while feeling ill during my pregnancy. I am feeling better now so intentionally making up my face to face the horrors of the world each day resonates for me.
In 2020 I wrote:
“As I step forward with this zine project I do so with a commitment to create with more integrity around the content, the impact, and the magick.”
I hope the impact and magick of this newsletter continues to support the rallying cry for change, for brighter futures where no human is illegal, where no child must fear being taken from their homes or schools, and where each of us can find resilient joy. So mote it be.
TODAY Coffeehouse for Social Medicine 3
Thursday, February 5th, 3 – 8:00 pm downstairs at Mutiny Info Cafe
(3483 S Broadway, Englewood CO)
FREE talk!
Immerse yourself in a collective of creative thinkers sharing about zines, writing, language, world-building and more. I will be giving a talk about Art Magick Activism and Zines sometime after 4pm. Live music for the final hour. Some say it might be the best one yet! First Thursdays at the Mutiny Info Cafe
In this Issue
Drawing down the Moon
Moonstone Myths and Stories
Invocation for White Moonstone
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