How Your Breath Shapes Your Life (And How to Take Control)

Pictured: When no one wants to reenact scenes from Titanic with you.

We often take our breath for granted, but every inhale and exhale affects our body, mind, and emotions. From the way we handle stress to our ability to focus, the breath plays a crucial role in our overall well-being.

Why Your Breath Matters

Most of us are unknowingly caught in a cycle of shallow, rapid breathing, which keeps our bodies in a state of low-grade stress. Over time, this impacts:

• Sleep quality

• Energy levels

• Emotional regulation

• Heart and lung health

By simply shifting our breath, we can unlock better health, greater clarity, and a deeper connection to ourselves. Intentional breathwork helps regulate the nervous system, improve oxygen delivery, and even boost creativity.

Start Small, Breathe Big

Did this tune start playing for anyone else when they looked at this pic?

Changing your breath doesn’t require hours of meditation. Just a few minutes a day of conscious breathing can create a noticeable shift. Try integrating one of the breathwork techniques from one of the previous breathwork posts and just watch what changes in your body and mind.

Your breath is a gateway to transformation—one inhale at a time.

By tuning into your breath, you’re not just breathing—you’re thriving. Try these techniques, experiment with them in different parts of your day, and see what shifts. Because let’s be honest—if something as simple as breathing can make life better, why wouldn’t you give it a shot?

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Akashic Q&A: Understanding the Guardians

No, not those Guardians…

One of the questions asked during our first Akashic Insight Hour was who, exactly, are the Record-keepers. This is a great question, and one that I felt deserved to be shared and responded to in a much longer format.

The Role of the Lords of the Records

The Akashic Records aren’t just floating around in the ether without protection. They’re safeguarded by a powerful collective of nonphysical Light Beings known as the Lords of the Records. These beings act as the gatekeepers, ensuring that access to the Records is granted only when appropriate and that the integrity of the information remains intact. They oversee not only who can enter but also what insights are shared in a given reading.

The Lords don’t communicate with us directly. Instead, they work through a group of spiritual guides referred to as the Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones. Think of them as the intermediaries between the vast knowledge of the Akasha and our human experience. When a reading takes place, the Lords pass down the relevant insights to these guides, who then relay them to the seeker.

While the Lords of the Records and the Masters are purely energetic beings, some Teachers and all Loved Ones have lived human lives. That said, when you access the Records, you won’t see these beings in any recognizable form. You might, however, sense their presence if it serves the reading. More often than not, they prefer to remain unnamed so that our focus stays on the wisdom of the Records rather than attaching to specific identities.

The Lords operate on a Universal scale rather than working with individuals. Their purpose is to uphold the purity of the Records, ensuring that information is only revealed when it serves the highest good. If certain insights aren’t meant to be shared—whether the timing isn’t right or the knowledge wouldn’t be beneficial—they’ll withhold it. This is why, sometimes, we don’t receive answers to our questions.

The Masters: Your Soul’s Longtime Guides

Like the Lords, the Masters are nonphysical Light Beings, but their role is deeply personal. They’ve been with your soul since its inception, guiding its evolution over lifetimes. Before you began this journey, you and your Masters mapped out your soul’s lessons—what you would experience and how you would come to understand yourself as a Divine being. Throughout your existence, they ensure you stay aligned with that path.

Depending on what lesson you’re working on in a given lifetime, your Masters call in specific Teachers and Loved Ones to support your growth. Just as you can have more than one Master guiding you, a single Master may oversee multiple souls.

The Teachers: Lesson-Specific Guides

Unlike the Masters, your Teachers aren’t with you for your soul’s entire journey. Instead, they step in when you’re working through a particular lesson and stay only as long as necessary. Their presence may span a single lifetime or extend across multiple incarnations—however long it takes for you to integrate their teachings.

If a Teacher once lived in human form, they could have been anyone from an everyday person to a well-known spiritual figure like Buddha or Mother Teresa. But they often don’t reveal themselves by name. Their goal is to help you rely on the energy of the Records, not become attached to any single identity.

The Loved Ones: Souls Who Continue to Guide You

Loved Ones in the Akashic sense aren’t necessarily the people you were closest to in life. They are souls you’ve known—perhaps distant relatives, acquaintances, or even those who simply observed you from afar. After passing on, some choose to take on the role of a guide, supporting you from beyond.

While they are committed to your soul’s evolution, they won’t conduct a reading or take center stage. If they do make themselves known, it’s usually just a brief acknowledgment to offer comfort or reassurance before stepping back. Every person has Akashic Loved Ones, even those who passed shortly after birth. In such cases, a member of their ancestral lineage often steps in to fulfill that guiding role.

A Pathway to Spiritual Growth

The Akashic Records aren’t about dependency—they’re about deepening your connection to divine wisdom. The Lords of the Records, Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones are here to support your growth, but their ultimate goal is to help you trust in the Records themselves. When you open yourself to their guidance, you align with the greater flow of spiritual evolution, allowing the wisdom of the universe to illuminate your path.

Join us for our next Akashic Insight Hour

This all exists within you.

I felt so honored to share the knowledge of the Records with the folks on our first call, and I’m looking forward to continuing this donation-based offering. Please join us for the next Akashic Insight Hour on Sunday, April 13 from 2PM-3PM.

My “WHY” Behind Creating The Hero’s Journey Tarot: A Self-Expression Odyssey

All these maps, and I bet a man still wouldn’t ask for directions.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a writer.

And in a way, I am. But not how I once imagined.

I thought I’d be writing a young adult sci-fi/fantasy/musical. I’ve always loved language—loved the way words can shape a world—but I knew I needed help with the structure, the mechanics, the craft. Ya know, the things that make a story a story. So, like George Lucas and Dan Harmon before me, I turned to Joseph Campbell.

For two years, I immersed myself in Campbell’s monomyth, sculpting and resculpting my YA saga based on insights gleaned from The Hero With a Thousand Faces. And something shifted. I started seeing everything as a story—my trips to the bar, my late-night snack runs. I was crossing thresholds left and right, returning with more sandwiches than mystical elixirs.

How do you like them boons, Prometheus?

The mundane became magical, and I began to see myself not as a passive passenger in my life, but rather as a hero with main character energy. With this newfound self-concept expressing itself, I knew I could do anything.

I could become the writer I’d always dreamed I’d become.

I could live the life of my dreams.

Then, just as I finished my first draft, the pandemic hit. And everything changed.

Like most folks during that time, I dove headfirst into the woo. I bought my first Tarot deck… and promptly let it collect dust on my shelf, along with any thoughts of Campbell (or my YA sci-fi/fantasy/musical).

But every now and then, a still and steady voice would whisper about combining my love of Campbell and the Tarot.

Then, late into the night of an auspicious Shivaratri, I used this spread to read for a dear friend.

And thus The Hero’s Journey Tarot was born.

Your Life Is an Epic—Let’s Read It That Way

Here’s the thing: unique Tarot spreads aren’t new. Anyone can create one. But what makes this spread different is how it intertwines Campbell’s monomyth with the psychology and symbolism of the Tarot.

What I love most about this spread is how it reframes life itself. It helps my friends see their journeys as mythic. But even more, it lets me sit down with complete strangers and, without any prior knowledge, offer them a clear, almost eerily accurate reflection of where they are in their own epic. And it happens every time.

This isn’t about answering whether you should take that new crypto job or text your ex. I’m not here to tell you what you most need to hear. My goal is to help you see—to recognize your life as the adventure it truly is.

And I’ve come to realize—I’m the Mentor you meet on that adventure as your journey out of your everyday Known/Conscious world and Cross the Threshold into the Unknown/Unconscious. I’m not a guru. I’m not some mountaintop sage. I’m with you, in the trenches of transformation.

And I’m offering this map to you.

I created The Hero’s Journey Tarot because I know what it feels like to be lost in the middle of the story—to wonder if the struggle is worth it, if the path is leading anywhere at all. But when you step back and see your life through the lens of myth, everything shifts. Struggles become stepping stones to success. You see that the obstacles aren’t roadblocks—they’re part of the adventure.

This spread exists to remind you that you are the hero of your own story. That every challenge, every heartbreak, every hard-won lesson is leading you somewhere. I don’t have your answers. Remember, I’m not a guru. But I can help you see the path beneath your feet.

If you’d like to walk the path together for a while, please fill out the form below to join the waitlist and stay updated as this journey unfolds.

Enrollment opens on March 15.

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Three Powerful Breathwork Techniques to Energize, Balance, and Relax

Allegedly, this is what Anna Nalick looks like at 2 AM.

Last time, we talked about overbreathing. Breathing is automatic, but when done with intention, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. Whether you need an energy boost, mental clarity, or deep relaxation, breathwork offers a simple yet profound solution.

Here are three breathwork techniques to help you activate, balance, and calm your nervous system, anytime, anywhere.

Breathwork to Wake You Up Faster Than Your Ex’s Text at 2 AM

“U up?“

Ever feel like your energy crashes harder than a toddler post-sugar rush? Before you reach for that afternoon latte, let’s talk about the 10-20-30 breathwork technique—a controlled activation that gives you a natural pick-me-up without the caffeine jitters or existential dread at 3 AM.

The Technique (10-20-30)

• Take 10 deep breaths in and out through the mouth, then inhale and hold for a count of 10.

• Do the same thing, but this time, 20 breaths, holding for 20.

• Finish with 30 breaths, holding for 30 at the top.

By activating your system on purpose, you’re essentially flipping the ON switch without the burnout. Most people spend their lives in a state of chronic activation without realizing it—this gives you the control back. Try it the next time you’re fighting the afternoon slump, or when you need laser focus without the espresso-fueled regret.

The Balancing Act: Five-Square Breathing

Gonna tell my kids this is “Red Shoe Diaries”…

For those moments when stress starts creeping in—whether you’re in traffic or waiting for your coffee to brew—this technique brings instant balance.

The Technique (Box Breathing 2.0)

• Inhale for 5 seconds

• Hold for 5 seconds

• Exhale for 5 seconds

• Hold for 5 seconds

Repeat as necessary. This structured rhythm signals your nervous system to reset, helping you feel more centered and present.

This breathing technique also pairs well with a nice walking meditation. Try it the next time you take a stroll around the neighborhood.

The Ultimate Chill Pill (That’s Free and Requires Zero Pharmacy Visits)

Big Pharma can’t trademark breathing (yet).

If your mind races faster than a squirrel on cold brew, it’s time to introduce 4-7-8 breathing—your new best friend for stress relief and sleep.

Think of it as a “powering down” sequence for your nervous system. It reduces stress, helps you sleep, and gives your body a much-needed break from the constant overdrive of modern life.

The Technique (4-7-8)

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.

• Hold your breath for 7 seconds.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.

By extending the exhale, you activate the body’s relaxation response, reducing stress and inviting deeper rest.

Doing this a few times before bed or whenever anxiety creeps in will have you floating into relaxation mode faster than a cat finding the sunniest spot in the house.

This is breathwork.

Whether you need something to get you going in the morning, something to keep you calm during your commute, or something to turn your mind off at the end of the day, there’s a technique for everyone here.

Experiment with these techniques and notice how your breath influences your mood, energy, and focus throughout the day!

Contemplating Czechoslovakian Check-Outs: Staring at a Wall to Meditate Again

Or: Justin Soto #2

During my birthday weekend, I found myself in State College.

My foodie friend had enrolled in an ice cream class (hilariously titled “Ice Cream 101”) and had asked me to tag along. I’d been feeling called to escape the vortex of Pittsburgh - albeit briefly - and took great delight in the prospect of traveling during my birthday but not specifically for my birthday.

It’s been a long time since I celebrated my solar return by getting drunk, but I still wanted to do something to mark the occasion. So on the afternoon of the beginning of my 38th trip around the sun, I found myself staring at a wall again.

“Bro, you sure you don’t want a ginger ale or something at least??”

Once again, my friend Justin Pickul and I agreed to sit for 30 minutes and then send each other prompts.

I settled my bum onto the footrest ottoman of the cuck chair in the hotel room, found a seemingly unremarkable spot on the wall, and got busy doing nothing.

During this sit, I disappeared for half a blink into the fabric of spacetime. I felt like I was out of my body, like Doctor Strange knocked me into the astral realm. And two messages came through. The first was: There is nothing to overthink because everything already is. This is a bumper sticker statement to be sure, but dang if I didn’t FEEL it during this sit. The second message was for me, but definitely felt universal: For the love of God, let people help when they offer.

Pictured: A hotel wall, the fabric of spacetime, or a close-up of a yassified lizard.

If you’d like to try this practice yourself, here are the prompts Justin sent. Below them you’ll see my stream-of-consciousness response followed by a slightly tidier version.

Prompts:

1. By means of a lottery, you are chosen to marry into royalty.

2. In what ways does fear keep you small?

3. A stillness entered the forest…

My unedited response:

According to my mother, her grandfather was betrothed to a Czechoslovakian princess. Now I wonder if it was a lottery, because if we came from nobility, where did that affluence go? What would it take for someone to reject that? According to my mother, her grandfather fled the country rather than marrying. I can't ask her for more details, nor can I really trust her. Did this mistrust stem from that fall from nobility? I'm beyond blaming my mother - even in my worst victim days, I think I'd have a hard time blaming her beatings on a runaway groom. But if epigenetics is to be believed, my great-grandfather could have passed that - and other - traumas on to the child who would become my Tata; her father. What if it was the first time that line betrayed itself, saying yes when they really meant no, and realizing on the way to the chapel that they could take control of their narrative. Maybe to this great-tata, nobility was like the internet - common, ubiquitous, boring. Maybe running away was his first true act of creation. I think about the first time I tried to run away, how I hid in the part of the lower yard we called Secret Garden, hoping my mother would drive by, then deciding to ask her for a ride to the highway. I was ready to go - I had packed a bag filled with essentials (most likely books, matches, and a lantern). I don't remember how she convinced me to stay, but maybe that was a replay of the incident with her grandfather and his betrothed. Freud, eat your heart out! Who knows where I would have been had she let me go? Who knows where he'd have been had he stayed.

My slightly tidier version:

According to my mother, her grandfather was betrothed to a Czechoslovakian princess. Now I wonder—was it a lottery? Because if we came from nobility, where did all that affluence go? What would it take for someone to walk away from that?

According to my mother, he fled the country rather than marry. I can’t ask her for more details, nor can I really trust her. Did that mistrust start with this supposed fall from nobility—from the idea that a life of privilege could vanish overnight? That stories about our past could be just that—stories, shifting with the teller? Maybe she learned early on that truth was fluid, that history could be rewritten, just like her grandfather rewrote his.

I’ve long since stopped blaming my mother—even at my worst self-pitying victim days, I don’t think I could blame her beatings all the way back to a runaway groom. But if epigenetics holds weight, my great-grandfather could have passed that—and other—traumas on to his child, who would become my Tata.

What if that moment was the first time our lineage betrayed itself—someone saying yes when they really meant no, only to realize, somewhere on the way to the chapel, that they could rewrite their story? Maybe, to this great-tata, nobility was just background noise, like the internet is to us now—common, ubiquitous, dull. Maybe running away was his first true act of creation—creation of freedom, or anonymity, or maybe simply creating a new story.

Maybe that instinct to create a new story was passed down, too.

I think about the first time I tried to run away. How I hid in the overgrown part of the lower yard we called the Secret Garden, waiting for my mother to drive by. How I eventually decided to ask her for a ride to the highway. I was ready—my bag packed with essentials (most likely books, matches, and a lantern). I don’t remember how she convinced me to stay, but maybe that moment was a kind of replay of the one with her grandfather and his betrothed. Freud, eat your heart out.

Who knows where I would have ended up if she had let me go? Who knows where he would have ended up if he had stayed?

Are You Overbreathing?

And No, That’s Not Just a Fancy Way to Say You’re Extra

If you’re reading this, odds are you’re breathing right now. (If not, I have questions.)

But did you know most people breathe too much?

That’s right—you might be overachieving in the one thing you thought you had down.

Chronic overbreathing is like sending too many emails to your body’s inbox—it clogs the system, creates unnecessary stress, and makes everything harder than it needs to be.

Signs You’re a Breathing Overachiever

Pictured: Your throat in the morning.

Wondering if you’re a breathing overachiever? Do any of these sound like you?

• You breathe through your mouth during the day (or wake up with the Sahara Desert in your throat).

• You snore, deal with sleep apnea, or hold your breath while sleeping (that’s your body’s way of panicking in real-time).

• Your breathing is loud enough to be its own white noise machine.

• You take shallow breaths that start in your upper chest instead of your belly.

Overbreathing can lead to fatigue, brain fog, stress, and even reduced creativity—because, fun fact, mouth breathing reduces blood flow to your brain by up to 40%. That’s like cutting off the Wi-Fi to your best ideas!

The Fix? Conscious Breathwork

Pictured: You right before you decide to try breathwork.

Now that we know what’s up, let’s get to the good stuff: reclaiming your breath like the boss of your own lungs.

Stay tuned as we dive into simple, science-backed breathwork techniques that will help you regain control of your breath—and your energy.

“So, how did you stop being depressed?”

or: How I Stopped Being Depressed (And Started Living)

I was at Kevin Delaney’s Deep Dive Dream Center in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh for his Saturday night Journey Into Love meditation when another meditator asked me this question.

It caught me off guard - not because of the question itself, but because it had been so long since I’d felt actively depressed.

That’s not to say I don’t get sad. I experience the full spectrum of emotions (sometimes several spectrums per hour). But if you’ve been depressed, too, you know it’s not just sadness. Depression is like a weighted blanket that covers your soul, dulling everything and suffocating you under an endless loop of bleak thoughts and lifeless sensations.

It’s a blast. /sarcasm

For most of my life, depression (and his BFF anxiety) followed me like a shadow. It hit its lowest point - meaning I hit my lowest point - back in the mid-2010s.

The Spiral

Not to be confused with spiral ham.

2015 was rough. I was recovering from my second car accident in three years. The first was totally my fault and resulted in a DUI, but the second one happened despite me doing everything “right.” Biking home, wearing a helmet, following traffic laws, bright clothes, lights on - yet a driver still plowed into me, sending me flying over the hood of her SUV.

The pain in my hip (which turned out to be a torn labrum) kept me awake all night, and my thoughts kept me spiraling:

I did everything “right”. And a “bad” thing still happened.

I could rationalize, even excuse, the bad things that happened as a result of the DUI accident. But this? It shook something deeper. My mind started whispering a slow, seductive solution: If I weren’t alive, I wouldn’t have to think these thoughts anymore.

Therapy and the Choice to Stay

Skip arm day for lay-down-your-arms day.

Despite how convincing that voice sounded, something in me wasn’t ready to un-alive myself. I knew I hadn’t tried everything (and I knew Shakira would be disappointed if I didn’t try everything).

So I sought out a therapist - on my own terms, for the first time in my life.

I wasn’t unfamiliar with therapy. I had gone to a few family counseling sessions as a child, but those were under my mom’s orders. We’d go until she disagreed with the counselor, then therapy became a “waste of time”. Plus, being a Highly Sensitive man in a toxic patriarchal society that tells us to “man up,” I wasn’t exactly raised or encouraged to talk about my feelings. To whit, the only time I remember my dad talking about his depression was to end an argument with my mom.

But I wanted to live. So I decided to eschew patriarchal programming, found the nearest therapist, and booked an appointment.

And that decision changed everything.

Writing, Awareness, and Thought Tallies

Protip: You don’t need a trilby to be a writer.

I spent two wonderful years working with my therapist before he retired (JUST as we were cracking open my abandonment issues - great timing). In that time, I’d quit my job to play at being a writer (to quote Bukowski) and discovered a new way to engage with my thoughts.

One of the most valuable books my therapist recommended was Embracing Your Inner Critic by Hal and Sidra Stone.

Not only did this book help me meet, work with, and appreciate my Inner Critic, but it also introduced me to my Inner Child and parts work - a concept I would have found far too woo before I started therapy.

Turns out, getting to know your own mind makes a difference.

Other books that helped me:

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lammott

• Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

• Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach

• Learned Optimism by Martin E. P. Seligman

I used to think that if I could just get my mind in order, I would be a great writer. It wouldn’t be until 2021 - after I had, in fact, gotten my mind into much more of an orderly and healthy place - that I would come to have the awareness to understand (nay, inner-stand) that “writer” was just another egoic attachment, just another thought pattern I’d come to identify with.

There is something to be said about a mindset shift into awareness that helps immensely with depression. I became more and more aware of my mental landscape and started noticing the kinds of thoughts I was repeatedly having.

In a move that would have impressed Victor Zsasz, I decided to use a marker to make tallies on my left hand each time I had a thought I didn’t want.

By the end of that November day, I had 80-90 tallies covering my hand.

The next day, it was down to 50-60.

That awareness shifted everything.

I was so blown away by how the simple act of becoming aware of my unwanted thoughts had reduced them that I texted my brother a picture of my hands to show the difference. I kept this tallying practice up into the new year. By then, the tallies were down into the single digits, and I was much more in control of my life.

And it made me curious. If I could change my thoughts, what else I could change?

Embracing the Woo (Without Losing My Mind)

I can smell this picture.

By the time the pandemic hit, I had already been meditating. But lockdown gave me the space to go deeper. I started trusting in a force greater than myself. Back then, I called it the Universe. It took years (and some untangling of religious trauma) before I was comfortable using the word God.

Meditation. Presence. Surrender. These weren’t just abstract concepts anymore. They were survival tools. And the more I leaned in, the lighter I felt.

Yes, it’s a slippery slope from meditation to beginning to understand your own Divinity.

So, How Did I Stop Being Depressed?

...is that arrow leading folks right into traffic??

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and I wouldn’t be so flippant as to say “just think happy thoughts” (after all, I’m not Edgar Albert Guest). But here’s what worked for me:

• Therapy. Professional support is invaluable.

• Writing. Engaging with my thoughts helped me reclaim them.

• Awareness. Simply noticing my thoughts changed everything.

• Meditation. Learning to sit with myself, rather than fight myself.

• Surrender. Trusting that life is bigger than my current persepctive.

I still feel things deeply. I still have rough days. But depression no longer feels like my default setting. And if it ever tries to creep back in, I know I have tools to meet it.

I’ll leave you with some words from Your Soul’s Gift by Robert Schwartz.

“If one could look at depression, anxiety, fear, or any other negative emotion as just one part of the self that is confused, then there would be another part of the self that could look at this emotional part with an understanding and a gentleness that would reassure it. But, people tend to identify completely with their depression, anxiety, or fear, and then they feel unbalanced. They cannot find their core, their true self, anymore. The first thing to realize is that you are not your fear. You could see the fear, for instance, as a child who comes to you for help. By seeing it that way, you will feel that you are much bigger than the fear. You can get in touch with the child, speak with it, and understand it. Sometimes a therapist can play the role of this parent or guide. The key always is to find a place in your awareness from which to look at the fear and not be the fear.”

So, if you’re struggling: You don’t have to battle your mind. You can work with it.

And, I promise, there is a way through.

Welcoming Back Your Prodigal Parts

Recently, while sitting in meditation, I was reminded of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

If you don’t know this 2,000-year-old classic tale, don’t worry - let me hit you with an update even the Gen Z-ers will get.

There was this one dad with two sons. One day, Lil Bro wakes up and decides he’s got that main character energy. He goes up to his dad like, “Ayo pops, let’s cut to the chase—just give me my inheritance now so I can go live my best life.”

And for some reason, the dad was like, “Say less,” and just hands him the bag, no questions asked!

Lil Bro wastes NO time. He packs his bags, hops on the nearest Uber donkey, and peaces out to some faraway land where he goes full-clown mode, acting like he’s got that Jeff Bezos money. Just absolutely wilding—buying bottle service, renting chariots he can’t afford, throwing the most unhinged benders known to mankind. Man thought he was the CEO of YOLO.

But plot twist—he wasn’t. Because one day, BOOM. Wallet empty. Bank account on life support. His credit score is now a crime scene. And THEN, as if the Universe personally wanted to dunk on him, a whole famine hits. Lil Bro is struggling.

So he gets the only job he can find—PIG DUTY. Literal pig duty. Imagine going from popping bottles in VIP to rolling in mud with barn animals. Man went from Hard Rock Cafe to actual hard labor. And to make it worse, he’s so hungry he’s eyeing the pig slop like it’s a five-star Michelin meal. But guess what? Nobody even offers him a single bite. Not even a crumb.

That’s when he has his wait… am I the problem? moment. He’s like, “Hold up. My dad’s employees eat like kings, and I’m out here trying to split a meal with Porky. Nah, this ain’t it.” So he humbles himself real quick and decides to go home with the Dad, I messed up speech locked and loaded.

So he pulls up, rehearsing his sad-boy monologue, but before he can even say a word, his dad sees him from a distance and just yeets himself toward him like it’s the finale of a K-drama. Full sprint. Big hug. Tears. Hallmark moment. The son tries to start his monologue, but the dad’s already yelling at the servants like, “Yo! Get this man a fresh fit, some bling, and some new kicks. And oh yeah—fire up the grill, we’re having a party! My son was basically an NPC and now he’s back IRL!”

Meanwhile, big bro was out working in the fields, being responsible and whatnot. He comes home, hears music and dancing, and is like, “What in the Coachella is going on?” He asks a servant, “What’s the vibe?” And the servant’s like, “Oh, your bro came back and your dad threw a whole feast for him. We got Wagyu on deck.”

Big Bro? Fuming. Straight-up refuses to go inside. Dad comes out like, “Son, why you mad?”

And Big Bro just pops OFF. “Bro. I have been grinding for you. I have been the perfect son. Never fumbled the bag. Never broke a rule. And you never even gave me a lil goat to throw a cookout with my boys. But THIS GUY—who ran through your money like it was Monopoly cash—comes crawling back and you throw him a whole Coachella?”

Dad sighs and hits him with the ultimate wisdom drop: “Look, my guy, you’ve been with me this whole time. Everything I got? Already yours. But your brother? He was out here lost, basically spiritually bankrupt. He was out here acting like an absolute goof. And now he’s back. We gotta celebrate that!”

And that’s on unconditional love.

So why does this ancient story still matter today?

Besides making you hungry…

Prior to that meditation, I had attended one of Dr. Mia Hetényi’s monthly online grief gatherings. I found Mia a few years ago, and I’m so glad I did. I’ve learned so much about grief from her, and often find myself falling back on the tools and tips she’s shared with the other folks of her global Dreaming Awake Community. Her work has been an integral part of my healing journey.

During that gathering - the first of the year, I believe - Mia said something about how Inner Child work can quickly turn into child abuse.

We must be careful that in our zeal to heal we don’t talk to our Inner Child the way we may have been talked to as children. The good intention of healing can quickly sour if we’re trying to force a part to change - or worse - shame it into changing.

I wasn’t new to this idea, but I had never heard it framed so viscerally - as Inner Child abuse. And it was in the front of my mind that day during that meditation.

There I was, on my meditation rug, tracing the traumas through my body when I landed on something under my ribs - a flash. Just a ghost of a past self, some forgotten part. A lost child.

I held my hands on that part, applying light pressure. I began talking to this part, tenderly, gently. I borrowed a trick from IFS and told the part that I was a safe, 37-year-old adult before I continued speaking encouraging, flowery words to the part. And while I noticed a hint of something deeply shifting, I realized the shift wasn’t about my words - it was the energy and intention behind them.

Instead of worrying about the “right” words to say so part would understand that it was safe for them to be there, I shifted my approach and doubled down on the energy of acceptance and love, and I added in a healthy dose of excitement - of celebration - that the part was coming back to my conscious awareness. And where there had been only a hint of a shift before, now there was full-blown tectonic movement. I wrapped my arms around my midsection and felt that part collapse into a hug he’d been longing for since his creation over three decades ago.

It wasn’t long after that meditation that I met another part, except this part was much older - from my mid-20s. I was fortunately aware enough to notice how I was speaking to that part, and once I confirmed that he was about 25, I was able to speak more frankly. Still sincere, but a bit more cheeky, with a little sarcasm. He received it, and understood, and then I switched into that energy of joyful celebration. And much like the younger part before him, this older part fell deep into my loving self-embrace.

Awww…wood you look at that.

No matter how long our parts have been left in the shadows of self-preserving adaptations, we can take a cue from the dad in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. We can throw an all-out Coachella when a part feels safe enough to step into the light. And while it’s great if you can pinpoint the age at which a part was formed, it’s not really necessary for the healing to happen.

This is a concept that might be a struggle for some to wrap their heads around. It certainly was for me, but 99.999% of the time, the story doesn’t matter.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not discrediting your experience, and I’m certainly not saying the trauma didn’t happen. It absolutely did. But your mind doesn’t need to know the narrative in order to allow the body to heal.

As someone who writes, can you imagine how maddening it is to hear that the narrative doesn’t matter?!

Next you’re gonna say the Oxford comma doesn’t matter.

Regardless of whether your parts were created when you were 5 or 25, your only responsibility is to welcome them back with unconditional love, like the father of the prodigal son.

And yes, I know word-nerds will be quick to point out that prodigal actually means someone who is wasteful in their spending, but I like alliteration.

So the next time a lost part of you comes knocking, don’t just open the door - roll out the red carpet. Celebrate its return. Because every piece of you, no matter how long it’s been gone, deserves to come home.

And if you're ready to do this work with guidance, reach out - I’d be honored to walk this path with you.

You bring your forgotten parts, I’ll bring the Wagyu.

Terrifying, Dangerous Freedom: Staring At a Wall to Meditate

We’ve all heard the phrase “watching paint dry” used to describe something as boring or tedious.

But what if watching was the point?

This was one of the many - many - thoughts I had the first time I tried a Sōtō Zen meditation practice introduced to me by my friend and fellow woo-dude, Justin Pickul. After he described it, I was actually excited to try - because it takes all kinds to make the world go ‘round, even folks who enjoy staring at a wall.

Maybe once you try it, you’ll be one of those folks, too!

Gaze and be amazed!

Justin explained that to do this practice, you find a fixed point on a wall and then let your gaze rest there for a set amount of time. He recommended deep breathing and mudras, and we decided to swap journaling prompts after the time had ended. We agreed to just write to the prompts for a set duration without stopping to think or edit.

We did this practice at the same time, but were apart. When it was time, I set my timer for 30 minutes, and with my favorite mudra in hand (ha!), I got busy doing nothing.

I mentioned that I had a lot of thoughts during this sit. Some of them include an intense excitement about the fact that cinnamon exists and a great love for the pockmark on the wall I’d selected as my focus. At different times, 30 minutes felt both like a long time and not very long at all. Just before the timer went, I felt like I could have stayed in that space forever.

While we went for 30 minutes, I’m sure a shorter duration would work. After all, 30 minutes might seem like a lot of time if you’ve never meditated. This practice can meet you where you’re at, so if you’d like to try it, don’t feel confined to these guidelines.

But then you might not fall in love with the pockmarks in your wall like I did.

Or cinnamon…

If you’d like to try this practice yourself, here are the prompts Justin sent. Below them, I’ll include both my unedited response and a slightly tidier version. As you’ll see, I kinda combined all four prompts into my response.

Prompts:

1. It might be dangerous to… (repeat this line for every 3 or 4 sentences)

2. A Stillness entered the forest… (just write and follow the thought)

3. Free form on the qualities of water.

4. As a child, I didn’t like…

My unedited response:

It might be dangerous to live alone. You'll forget you don't need people to make you happy. You can get used to the sound of your silence and not have to worry about the disharmony of others' silences. It might be dangerous to keep your boundaries rigid. More and more there will be less people you let through. And it might be dangerous when you realize how little you needed them in the first place. Because needing can become needy oh so quickly. As a child, I didn't like how needy my mother was. It wasn't her fault, but it wasn't my responsibility. And it might be dangerous to become that detached to our traumatizers. Because if we can detach from the injurers AND the injuries, what is left? It might be dangerous to be that free, to allow yourself the freedom to be free. It might be dangerous to start giving yourself permission to be exactly as you were created, to be as innocent as you were before the programming started. It might be dangerous to travel back to that innocence with your newfound detached maturity. Or it might be empowering. It won't be like it never happened - water isn't dissociating from being water when it's frozen into ice. Instead, it will be like someone cast you in a role - violently, dangerously, unfairly. But you can choose to stop playing. Or you can choose a different interpretation, like how ancient Persian poems can only ever be rendered in English. Unless you speak the native language, you'll only ever be able to guess at the intent behind the interpretation. It might be dangerous to realize the native language has always been forgiveness, and you can be as aware as Jesus, Buddha, Vishnu, etc., but without forgiveness, it's hollow, performative approximations. Yes, you have every right to feel victimized; you have the free will to choose that role. But if you claim to have even an iota of awareness, you must understand that forgiveness is the only role to choose. And it might be dangerous to be so unconditionally forgiving, because more and more, your expectations of others will drop to zero. Your outlook can be positive, but the outcome can always be unremarkable. And so you might follow stillness into the woods one day. It might be dangerous, because you might want to stay. 

My edited version so it looks nice and purrdy:
It might be dangerous to live alone—not for the obvious reasons, though. Not because you’ll be lonely, but because you might figure out you’re not. You might start liking the sound of your own silence and wonder why you ever tolerated the clamor of other people’s dissonance. You might get too good at keeping your own company, too comfortable not having to explain yourself. You might find yourself so at home in your own solitude that the idea of inviting anyone else into it feels like vandalism.

It might be dangerous to keep your boundaries locked up tight. The longer you hold them firm, the fewer people you’ll let in. And then one day, you’ll realize just how little you needed anyone to begin with. That realization? That might be the most dangerous thing of all. Because needing is like quicksand: one step, and you’re already neck-deep in needy.

As a child, I couldn’t stand how needy my mother was. It wasn’t her fault—life had bruised her in ways she couldn’t hide—but it wasn’t my responsibility, either. So I detached. And here’s the thing about detachment: it’s a blade that cuts both ways. If you can free yourself from the people who hurt you and the scars they left, what’s left?

Freedom. Big, terrifying, dangerous freedom. The kind that whispers, “You can do whatever you want now.” The kind that lets you be who you were before the world told you who to be. Innocent, unprogrammed, unscarred. But here’s the twist: getting back to that innocence with the wisdom of all you’ve been through? That’s not just freedom—it’s power.

It doesn’t mean you forget what happened. Ice doesn’t forget it was water, but it doesn’t cling to that memory, either. It transforms. You were cast in a role—unfairly, maybe violently—but you don’t have to keep playing it. You can walk off stage. You can write a new story. Or reinterpret the old one—like ancient Persian poetry, where every translation is a guess at the original intent.

Maybe the original intent has always been forgiveness. Without it, all the awareness in the world is just a hollow performance. You can choose to feel like a victim—no one can take that from you—but if you dare to call yourself aware, forgiveness is the only real flex.

And forgiveness? That’s dangerous, too. Because it clears the slate. It drops your expectations to zero. You stop expecting anything of anyone, and suddenly, their silence doesn’t clash with yours anymore. Your outlook lightens, your load disappears.

One day, stillness might call you like it’s the only sound left in the world. Maybe you’ll find yourself in the woods, where the silence isn’t empty but alive—its rhythm natural, effortless. It’s the kind of silence you harmonize with instinctively, without trying. Like exhaling. And the longer you stay, the easier it gets, until you realize that staying isn’t a choice at all. It’s just what happens when you stop resisting.

And that might be the most dangerous thing of all.

Or maybe, it’s the safest.

Exploring Limitless Potential Through the Akashic Records

Imagine, if you will, a library vast beyond comprehension, its halls endless, its shelves brimming with books that shimmer with a soft, golden light. Each book is alive with its own pulse, its own story, a unique thread in the infinite tapestry of existence. This, dear reader, is one way to visualize the Akasha. It’s not so much a place, nor is it bound by time. It is the eternal essence of all that has been, all that is, and all that ever will be. The Akasha is the memory of the cosmos itself, and within it, you—yes, you—are a radiant, essential note in the eternal symphony.

Akasha is a Sanskrit term that can be translated as “the primary source from which all things come.” When I guide someone into the Akashic Records, it could be said it’s like leading them into their own private corner of this great cosmic library. Your soul has a record all its own, etched with every thought, action, and intention you’ve ever held. It holds the map of your journey—your triumphs, your wounds, and the threads of potential that weave through your being. But here’s the magic: the Akasha is not a place of judgment or doom. It is a place of infinite possibility and profound healing.

You might be wondering, "Why would I seek out my records?"

The answer, my friend, is beautifully simple: to heal, to remember, to reconnect.

Many of us wander through life carrying invisible weights—patterns of doubt, fear, or guilt—that are not even ours to hold. These burdens may stem from this lifetime or ripple forward from past lives, unhealed and unresolved. In the Akasha, these threads reveal themselves, and with awareness, they can be unraveled.

Let me share a metaphor that you might find helpful. Imagine, if you will, that your soul is a river, flowing steadily toward the sea. Along the way, stones—misunderstandings, old wounds, forgotten truths—have fallen into the current. They create turbulence, slowing your flow and obscuring your clarity. The Akashic Records act as both mirror and guide, allowing you to see these stones for what they are and gently remove them. With each one lifted, your river runs clearer, faster, freer. You reconnect with the essence of who you are, and in that connection, limitless potential is revealed.

Working with the Akashic Records is an act of co-creation with the divine. It invites you to step into your highest truth and align with your soul’s purpose. What emerges is not a rigid path but a dance with the infinite, a deep knowing that you are already whole and that healing is not about fixing but remembering.

So, whether you are someone who dips a toe in the waters of the "woo" or dives headlong into the deep end, know this: the Akasha is open to all who seek. It asks only your presence, your willingness to listen, and your courage to grow.

And if you’re ready, I’d be honored to stand beside you as we turn the pages of your soul’s story together.

Ready to learn what your soul wants you to know? Schedule a call today!

My interview with Dr. Bob Dove

Hello friends!

I’m so delighted to share the interview I did with the lovely Dr. Bob Dove for his podcast, Your Spiritual Journey.

A fellow Reiki master practitioner, Bob and I chat about the amazing energy all around us, as well as dive into the origin story of my spirituality.

Give it a listen below!

Previously, on Ross Marshall Practices

Hello, my friends!

Well, it’s certainly been a minute. All of spring and a good chunk of summer, I reckon. I’m glad to be back in the online space after I had to shut down my previous website.

I used Wix to build that site, before I learned that Wix is an Israeli company:

“Israel is occupying and colonizing Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel, and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes.

As a website building service, WIX relies on free access to the internet and access to startup capital that Palestinians living under Israeli occupation are denied.

Just a short drive away from the WIX headquarters at the Tel Aviv port overlooking the Mediterranean Sea are Palestinian communities with poor or no access to the internet, and that are banned from visiting the same beaches their parents and grand-parents once freely enjoyed.”

— BoycottWIX.org

So far, it does not appear that Squarespace is subject to any boycotts. However, if that changes, then I will respond accordingly.

In the meantime, I’m back, and I’m excited to share my own healing journey with you here as I continue to guide others to become self-aware and connected to their life’s purpose.

On this site and blog, expect to find a unique blend of insightful musings, practical tips, and quirky perspectives on transformational practices I facilitate, such as Reiki, breathwork, shadow work, mediumship, and ecstatic dance.

Join me, as we dive into a world where spirituality meets everyday life, where humor aligns with healing, and where growth is celebrated in all its messy, beautiful glory. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a curious beginner, there's something here for you. Get ready to explore the depths of your being, expand your consciousness, and embrace the magic of transformation in ways you never thought possible. Welcome to a journey like no other.

Fasten your seatbelts, starshines and moonbeams. It’s gonna be a transformational ride.

- Ross