Passion Project: The Sisterhood that Will Raise Your Vibe

There is a muse & sister in my life, Anjalé Perrault, with whom I’ve been collaborating before we even knew each other. Our first babies were born two days apart almost a year before we met. Then we were pregnant at the same time with our second babies, & we went bowling together with our big bellies, surrounded by our beloved mom friends, whom we’d met at that threshold of life when we went from women to mothers. In another life, I always thought, Anj & I would hang out–like really hang out–party, do crazy stuff, have all the fun that people have when they’re not parents yet. But in this life, we’d be sisters in motherhood. And then sisters in art. I always knew we were sisters in spirit, but finally, we had some time to spend together in that just recently.

Anjalé, Christine, Shayna, & Trina are the founders of Raise Your Vibe, a sisterhood of women that hosts life-changing gatherings to nourish the mind, body, & soul. They were launching their very first Intention Circle & asked if I’d shoot the event. The next best thing to doing one’s own Passion Project is to be invited to be a part of someone else’s Passion Project–& when it’s a perfect fit.

Timing is everything, as they say, & in this case, it was perfect for me, as you can tell from my previous post about seeking more time to do things that I’m passionate about. The focus of the Intention Circle was threefold: to shed away that which holds us back, to align our intentions with our selves, & to manifest our intentions into the world. Each part of this event was so eloquently facilitated by the women involved, including also song & meditation, delicious vegan appetizers, & ceremony. I arrived ready to work my cameras & document something beautiful unfolding for the attendants, & I came away having unfolded something in myself. The vibe was so strong, I couldn’t help but be caught up in it, & I woke up the next day a new warrior. Everyday since has been a one-degree shift away from where I was stuck.

The Circle made it possible & safe for us all to do some really intense work. I look forward to the next time I can do it again. Join the tribe & find out more about upcoming events here.

Love & gratitude to all the women of Raise Your Vibe, including Kristin Noelle, Reiki healer; Meredith Klein, chef & founder of Pranaful; Helen Hodgson & Cecilia De Rico, & Ariel, musicians.

Sisters who share these photos on social media: Thank you!

And please give a shout out to @raiseyourvibetribe & @alice_in_mamaland! And tag your other sisters!

RAISE YOUR VIBE INTENTION CIRCLE

14 OCTOBER 2017

Each guest was blessed by Kristin upon arrival.

Shayna, Christine, Anjalé, & TrinaThe Shedding CeremonyThe Alignment & Coronation CeremonySomething magical happens when a woman puts on a flower crown. Look at these smiles!The Manifestation Fire CeremonyWe link hands, like the roots of the redwoods that stretch wide & gain their strength by interlocking with the roots of other redwoods.

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finale • fourth of july 2011

events, holidays, little ones, personal, we are family

Every year, we invite family & friends to potluck & enjoy front row seats to see the local fireworks from the balcony of my parents’ house. It’s a late-night gathering, because the fireworks display begins after it’s completely dark–usually around 9:30 PM. As the kids get older, they are more likely to stay awake long enough to see what all the excitement’s about, but every year, there’s at least one littl’un that succumbs to sleep before (or sometimes during) the show. This was my favorite pic from our party this year: Sweet Neave asleep on her Daddy’s shoulder, her parents trying to beat the traffic & heading out before the show was over. In the background, you can see the finale; the foreground, Chris & Shannon catching one last glimpse before heading home at the end of a three-day weekend…

stars & dots • independence day weekend 2011

events, outdoors, personal, we are family

This Fourth of July weekend was truly the epitome of summer holidays. We kicked off the good times by celebrating our friends’ daughter’s second birthday; they hosted the most mellow, late-afternoon gathering at their beautiful home. The backyard was full of that yellow sunshine that backlights everything with the most glorious glow, & as the afternoon wore on, I settled into this deep bliss in the company of good friends, surrounded by the laughter of all our children playing together happily. Suh-weet…

kyle • class of 2011 • calle mayor middle school promotion

events, outdoors, personal, we are family

I was never one of those women who cooed over babies & wanted to nuzzle their heads & smell them & hold them & bounce them…until Kyle. His parents are my cousins, & they live just a few minutes from us, while most of our relatives are much further away. Many years ago, when I arrived at Kyle’s first birthday party, he was curled up in his mom Beth’s arms. She explained that he wasn’t feeling so great, & he surprised us both when he willingly let me hold him. He fell asleep on my shoulder & remained there for the whole party. For the first time, I understood how holding a sleeping baby was one of the best feelings in the world.

I could hardly believe it when this month, I watched him lined up among a river of red robes waiting to receive his middle school diploma. A stylish lad & a long, lean player of volleyball, he’s now taller than both his parents. He’s also the object of much worship by both of my daughters, who always greet him with a high-pitched, two-syllabled squealing of his name. His was their first graduation ceremony, & fittingly enough, two weeks later, he would also attend Zoë’s PlaySchool graduation. How is it that a five-year-old & a fourteen-year-old are both on the cusp of something so new? Can we as parents ever keep up with all these threshold moments?

I know everyone says, “It goes by fast,” but you just don’t realize it until you hug your “little” cousin congratulations, & you leave the parking lot first, because he’ll be going off to a party all on his own…