In my newsletters you're going to hear a lot about pleasure as a revolutionary pathway towards radical living, where "pleasure" signals a state of deep contentment and rightness. Subscribe if you are looking for permission, inspiration and direction in connecting with yourself and creating a life defined by profound fulfillment, alignment, and authentic self-connection.
🌙 Celebrating the Solstice—and small, assured steps forward
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Hello my darling sugarplum Reader! 🌞 The Winter Solstice has me thinking about the dark, the light, and everything in between—especially the messy growth we all experience. As the longest night of the year, it's also inherently hopeful. The sun will return tomorrow and from then on each day will be a moment longer. It's incremental, but assured. As the longest night passes, I find myself thinking about the long nights of this past year—2024 was a doozy, wasn’t it? There's some mysterious part of me that pushes me ever towards growth. I'm not trying to paint myself as some sort of saintly tsunami of transformation, it's very much an ugly process. I dive in with my face twisted into grimace, often muttering under my breath "well this is going to fucking hurt". And it does hurt. And it's so very messy. (Life seems to be gloriously full of both pain and mess.) But I don't know another way and quite honestly I know that the reason for me to do any of it is so I can offer the experience I gain to anyone else who will need it. The thought that "this is going to be helpful to someone else at some point" is sometimes the only thing that allows me to jump back into the meat grinder of life. So, not to guilt trip you or anything but....you're welcome? The big themes of 2024 for me were largely about community, ethics, disability justice and power - truly these have been ongoing themes for me for at least the last 20 years. They're not just abstract ideas for me - they are the driving forces behind how I approach the work I do and how I am in the world. The result is some pretty exciting shifts on the work front and ever deeper confirmation and clarity that the work I have to offer is about equity and liberation. I've been coaching people on embodiment and a connection with their inner knowing for the last 13 years and it only becomes clearer with every passing year that the most crucial element of a free and transformative life - and caring, sustainable communities - begins with the ability to sense into one's own internal yes and no. When you are resolutely respecting your limits there's less need to protect yourself from other people. When your commitment is first and foremost to honoring your own individual capacity, it changes your ability to show up more authentically in your relationships. I know sometimes people read my content and they assume I'm beating the same hyper-individualistic self-care drum as everyone else in the self-development space. And what I'm actually always saying is that we start with self-care, with attention to our needs, with connection to our personal experience of delight so that we can support community-care. The goal is liberation for all. Self-care, as I see it, isn’t about building walls around ourselves—it’s about creating the conditions for connection. By listening to our internal yes and no, we’re not just caring for ourselves; we’re laying the groundwork for healthier relationships and stronger, more equitable communities. To support that goal I'm shifting away from online offerings in 2025 to in-person workshops and experiences. I can't tell you how excited I am! After years of working online, I miss in-person experiences. These gatherings don’t just create learning opportunities—they create rich, spontaneous moments of connection that happen in the quiet in-betweens.
There’s something powerful about gathering in shared space, and I can't wait to bring that energy into my work in the coming year. Announcing My First In-Person Workshop!
Foundations of Connection is an entry-level practice in listening to your yes and no. You will come to experience your inner voice and trust it on an embodied level. This mini-retreat is an interactive experience revolving around brief, partnered exercises and whole group discussion. It is designed to be accessible to many mobility levels and accommodations will be made wherever needed. Please get in touch if you have concerns about accessibility. Space is very limited so keep an eye out for more information and the registration link in the next few days. Volunteer Opportunity: January 4th Mini-TrainingIf you’re excited about helping create these powerful spaces, join me on January 4th for a mini-training! It’s a chance to deepen your practice, gain new insights, and help foster transformation for others—all while enjoying reduced admission to future events. I can’t wait to connect with you in person soon. In the meantime, keep an eye out for more updates and feel free to share this with a friend who might love the chance to explore their own yes and no. What’s one area in your life where tuning into your yes or no could create more clarity or connection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—just hit reply to share. 🕯️Until then, wishing you warmth and light in this season of beginnings ​ ​ ​ |
Amelia Lord
In my newsletters you're going to hear a lot about pleasure as a revolutionary pathway towards radical living, where "pleasure" signals a state of deep contentment and rightness. Subscribe if you are looking for permission, inspiration and direction in connecting with yourself and creating a life defined by profound fulfillment, alignment, and authentic self-connection.
My darling flesh-eating fish, Last night, I had the exact same dream twice. In both dreams, it was the day of my upcoming workshop—Foundations of Connection—and SO many people showed up. Like, WAY more than expected. Turns out, I wasn’t getting my online registration notifications and thought no one was coming. Instead, the room was packed—at least twice as many attendees as I’d planned for. Some faces were new (how did they even find me??), while others were people I barely knew. Which...
My darling flesh-eating fish Reader, Last night, I had the exact same dream twice. In both dreams, it was the day of my upcoming workshop—Foundations of Connection—and SO many people showed up. Like, WAY more than expected. Turns out, I wasn’t getting my online registration notifications and thought no one was coming. Instead, the room was packed—at least twice as many attendees as I’d planned for. Some faces were new (how did they even find me??), while others were people I barely knew....
Welp, my darling Reader, the time has finally come. I woke up two mornings ago and realized I wouldn't be offering The Great Pleasure Challenge again. Something has been in the process of shifting over the last few weeks and whatever mysterious mechanism at play in my body and my energetic field made its last incremental move and clunked into place with a visceral thud. My response surprised me a little: "Huh. Okay." And then I got up and made myself some coffee. I loved the Challenge so much...