I envision it like this. I am sitting in the driver’s seat of a rumbling motorcycle with the sidecar open toward you. I am waving you over to jump in.
“Where are we going? Why are we going there? Who are you?”
I’m Jeannie. There is much more to be revealed there. For now, I’ll share that I recently stumbled upon Substack through a series of events. Then, last weekend, I stumbled into my first written post and clicked the publish button. It took me by surprise. Now I am considering how I can be intentional and clear for those of you deciding to jump in the sidecar with me.
Go with me on this. I have what feels like my own version of a Lord of the Rings trilogy type of journey that I want to alchemize into eye-opening yet practical insight to share with the world around me. The longer I continue in my journey, the more I recognize universal messages in so many different types of experiences.
This is Seeing Upside Down, a newsletter about discovering meaning through inversions, paradoxes, and metaphors.
Now, I will actively refrain from going off on a lengthy tangent about all the ways yoga has opened my world (shout out to my Shakti Power Yoga community in Nashville). One thing it has inspired, specifically for this writing endeavor of mine, is the process of inversion and the balance it brings. Over the last several years, I have begun to see so many different life experiences in a brand new way. The process of getting upside down in yoga has become a helpful meditation exercise. I am making connections, becoming aware of synchronicities everywhere, and finding purpose in everything.
I want to write this down. I have always written down my inner world. Diaries, and more diaries. I started calling them journals at some point. Journals and more journals. For the first time, the amount that I am ready to write is too much for my slow, sweet, handwritten journal. It is that revving motorcycle with so much moving energy that it wants to take people along for the ride. This is something to share. This is special. The magic of it is ignited when it is shared.
I never thought I would start standing on my head or my hands, upside down so often at 33 years old. To get started it is scary, unnerving, uncomfortable, and messy. As I make progress, the breakthroughs (physical and mental), new strength, and fulfillment I find make it all worth it. Similarly, I think it can be a liberating experience when I am willing to look the unfamiliar, dark, or uncomfortable things in the eye.
My husband Dominick recently reminded me of the power in the meanings of names. He said he liked my name for me because he sees me as this magical being floating around all the time. It was profound to immediately love and connect with what he said. In that moment I saw me, and I loved her. It has been beautiful to come home to myself and have these moments more often. Now, you could say I have magical superpowers, and that may be true enough. It simply depends on the way you understand your own higher power, power within, energy, etc. Personally I believe in a Higher Power, a Divine Spirit, who I am a channel for. I am starting to understand my superpowers, or gifts, more clearly when I look at them through the lens of how I can transmit Divine love and light to others.
Consider this newsletter a big hug every week. You might not want a hug when it gets sent out, but it will always be there if you are looking for it. I think one of my gifts is being able to see and understand things in multiple ways, perhaps more ways than the average person. Of course, you are not asking for my opinion or perspective. That is not why we’re here. We are here because I want to share these ah-ha moments I have with simple things in life. To elaborate, and speaking of inversions, I have many profound realizations about simple things in life, and (flip) many simple realizations about the things which I was making too complicated. That is what I want to share with you.
You don’t have to take it like a hug or any certain way. You are more than welcome to read and enjoy in your own world. You can also gather around and engage here, if you like, maybe share your thoughts in comments or share your support by subscribing.
I can’t say I’ve checked the weather in all the places we’ll go on this yellow motorcycle (yes, I decided it’s my favorite color, golden rod yellow). I don’t have a detailed itinerary for you. What I can say is that I have a hunch this is going to come together beautifully, as long as we are willing to let the experience unfold organically. Let’s not force this golden rod yellow motorcycle to be anything it’s not.
with love, Jeannie
This is beautiful and liberating! ❤️