Zed and I were just recording the upcoming episode of the podcast. We were pondering the idea of sprouting. What makes us sprout? What calls us forward? What makes that sprout thick, engorged, with energy to push up and out into the world?
Wikipedia says “… in a general sense, germination can be thought of as anything expanding into greater being from a small existence or germ.”
I like that idea of expanding into greater being. My ego wants to believe that it is my energy, my impulse that push ideas (like the coloring book) out into the world. But what if some of it is a pull—from the planet, from the universe, calling it forth.
I breathe a sigh of relief at that thought because then, if that’s true, part of my job is to simply not get in the way.
What are you sprouting or what is being sprouted through you?
xo,
Amy

Germination is the theme for February! It is: The process of something coming into existence and developing after a period of dormancy.
Where are you in your germination process and what might be coming alive right now?
AND, how the heck might you find out if you don’t know?
For me, getting out of my head and into my body helps me know what’s coming to life inside myself.
Practices to try that all get you out of your head and into your body……and please, feel free to share other practices that work for you!

• Breath of Fire/Kapalabhati Pranayama : helps one to think better and make decisions quickly
• Sun Salutations: Gets your blood and breath flowing so new and spontaneous creations may come alive
• Ecstasy/Pleasure: Find an opportunity to create ecstasy because it can strengthen and potentize your physical/energy body.

And! This Sunday there is a new moon AND solar eclipse. Lena Stevens from The Power Path says: “Surrender is your ticket into playing the crucial game you signed up for ~ learning to trust Spirit, your intuition, your heart, trust in the goodness of others.”
Spring is coming, and that’s a good thing.
Deep breaths and love to you,
Lizz

This time of year germination begins beneath the soil. To germinate, seeds swell with water. The action in germination is a quickening, a transformation of cells. And it requires water.
Winter in Seattle, everything is saturated. Water seeping, spilling, washing, soaking and supporting germination. In some Ayurveda writings, it is noted that drinking water can balance qualities associated with emotional and spiritual emaciation and dehydration.
Take a moment and sense what seeds are dormant, what seeds are swelling. If you feel flat or dry, drink some water. Nurture what is germinating by adding water.

Music has been respite for me lately. From silly and catchy to serious to battle cries, I turn it on to soothe my nerves, reconnect, be inspired.
I’ve been following the political developments often, getting involved with Countable and the Indivisible Guide, and keeping track of what kind of actions are next. I’ve been horrified, terrified.
But underneath that, I’ve been inspired. People are mobilizing in a way I’ve never seen, in a way many folks are commenting on as unprecedented. Folks who have never been activists are showing up and asking what they can do.
This is one of the songs I’ve been listening to over and over … it has been settling me, and helping me accept the inevitable present moment, no matter how much I still want to be in some sort of denial that this is happening. And the sprouting baby-green seedlings of activism are so precious, and fuel me daily.

Everything Must Change

Nina Simone

Maybe it had to get this bad before it was going to get any better. How many times have I heard activists and change-makers say, “How do we wake people up?”
It has to get really, really uncomfortable before someone is willing to adjust, before they’re interested in becoming involved in a deeper way. Maybe this is it.
I go back and forth between being involved, reading things, keeping up with the latest executive order, and also some profoundly deep self-care. Rituals, honorings of my body, time with my sweetheart, really good nourishing food, spending time in nature, in the rain, by the ocean. Both have felt so necessary.
How are you doing in this time of change? What seeds of resistance or growth or activism are sprouting in you?
— Zed
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” – Fred Rogers
Nina Simone painting by Chris Gerbaux

The seasonal theme for February is “germination”. This poem, by James Longenbach, addresses that while still capturing the darkness and potency being called forth in these last few weeks.
May it give you a moment—a rejuvenating, germinating pause—before turning back to the front lines.
— Amy
Buried Life
by James Longenbach
Imagine cities you’ve
Inhabited, streets
Paved in lava stone.
You never intended to pray
In the temples, had
Nothing to sell.
Now imagine yourself
Returning to those same cities.
Hunt for people you knew,
Knock on their doors.
Ask yourself
Where are the vases, animals
Etched in gold?
Where are the wines
From distant places,
Banquets ferreted
From the bowels of the earth?
While you were missing
Other people wore
Your garments,
Slept in your bed.
How frightening
The man who said
In his affliction
Wood has hope.
Cut down
It will flourish.
If the root grows old
And the trunk withers
In dust, at the scent of water
It will germinate.

Dear community,
I’m still integrating from being at the Seattle march on Saturday. And, I just don’t know. I just don’t know how to be or what to do. But I carry on. And here’s a few things I’ve been doing to get through it all:
Baking: 
Paleo Chocolate Chip Blondies 

 
Essentail Oils:
I have found using protective blends on a energetic and physical level to be VERY helpful right now. I like this one:

Music:
I’ve been listening to Levon Minassian. His music transports me into a magical and calming zone.
My advice: Make a list of what’s getting you through right now: identify some pleasures, centering practices, places in nature, people to be around that feed your soul in some way. We gotta keep going.
With heart,
— Lizz

It’s been a hell of a year. More than ever we’ve needed our embodied capacities to support and hold one another. We at Body Trust are so grateful for all the ways we’ve “intertouched” with you this year.
Let’s be together again in 2017.
In gratitude and appreciation and fierceness,
— Amy, Alex, Lizz, Zed

In most places the solstice occurs on December 21st. The North pole is tilted furthest away from the sun, creating long nights in the northern hemisphere and short nights in the southern hemisphere. In the north, this means the longest noontime shadow, with the longest night and shortest day. At the moment that the earth tilt reaches that furthest, there is a pause and then the tilt reverses its course.
The pause is potent, allow for it to create stillness and reflection. Turn off your lights and see what happens. Spend some time during day with only the natural light. Light a candle at night. Pause. Explore the darkness. Pause.
— Alex

Dear Beloveds!
Body Trust met this past weekend in Oakland—we were both productive and had lots of fun together! We went to a spa in San Francisco and got scrubs at the same time and were reminded that none of us are masochists! They threw us around and scrubbed our skin off! But we were loopy and glowing and all slept well.
We planned most of 2017 and have some juicy new projects and offerings coming your way….to be announced soon.
Most importantly, we continue to be dedicated, inspired and committed to our mission.
— Lizz
Mission Statement
Body Trust is a sacred somatic collaborative dedicated to the body as a laboratory for transformation. We offer workshops and teachings (and other accessories) to inspire increased capacity for embodiment in order to serve the microcosm of our bodies and the macrocosm of the planet.We honor the divine wisdom within every body’s journey, the power of the erotic realm for healing and integration, and the value of access to all realms of human experience. We operate within the principles of radical inclusivity, sustainable business, circle technology, and post-modern queer Tantra.