SINSISM©

Straight from the Studies

Human Factors of Wayfinding in Navigation

Daniel Montello’s clear and influential paper from the University of California, Santa Barbara, explores how people actually find their way through spaces. Rather than focusing only on signs and maps, it examines the psychological and cognitive processes that guide us. The mental shortcuts, spatial memory, landmarks, and environmental cues we rely on, often without realizing it. The study breaks down wayfinding into three core components: decision-making at choice points, route knowledge, and survey knowledge (understanding the overall layout). It shows that humans are remarkably good at navigating using a mix of visual landmarks, bodily movement, and intuitive pattern recognition. Importantly, Montello highlights that good wayfinding design works with our natural cognitive tendencies rather than against them. What makes this research especially useful is its practical side. It reminds us that effective wayfinding is not just about clear arrows or bright signs. It is about understanding how the human mind naturally seeks meaning and orientation in space. Symbols, colour contrasts, and well-placed landmarks can gently steer attention and reduce cognitive load, making movement through a space feel intuitive and even pleasurable. This ties beautifully into the idea that our built environments are active participants in our inner experience. When wayfinding is done with awareness of human psychology, it becomes more than functional. It can become a quiet form of care that supports clarity, calm, and a sense of belonging. The paper leaves me with a practical reflection worth carrying forward: How might we design spaces (or experiences) so that people feel gently guided rather than directed? invited rather than instructed? Paper link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264885117_Human_Factors_of_Wayfinding_in_Navigation

Straight from the Studies

Flow Theory: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s groundbreaking work on Flow Theory offers a clear map for those moments when we feel most alive and creatively free. In this talk, he explains that flow is a state of complete absorption where challenge and skill are perfectly balanced. Time seems to disappear, self-consciousness fades, and we become fully immersed in the activity itself. The key insight is that flow is not random luck. It arises under specific conditions: clear goals, immediate feedback, and a balance between the difficulty of the task and our current abilities. When these elements align, we enter a state of effortless focus that feels deeply satisfying and often produces our best creative work. This resonates strongly with anyone who has experienced deep creative practice. Whether painting a mural, producing music, cycling through trails, or simply sitting with an idea, flow is the quiet reward for showing up with presence and intention. It shows us that creativity is not just talent, it is a trainable state we can learn to access more reliably. Csikszentmihalyi’s message is both practical and hopeful: we can design our days and environments to invite flow more often. Small adjustments in how we approach our work can turn ordinary moments into optimal experiences that nourish both ourselves and the greater good. This leaves me with a simple question worth carrying forward: When was the last time you lost yourself completely in something you were doing? And what small change could help you find that state more often? Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZbUDzmKvus

Straight from the Studies

Playing with Space and Light

In his 2009 TED Talk, Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson invites us to see light and space not as passive backgrounds, but as active materials we can play with. He demonstrates how simple shifts in light, colour, and perception can completely change how we feel and think inside a space. Eliasson shows that our experience of reality is not fixed. By manipulating light through mist, mirrors, coloured filters, or moving shadows. He creates situations where people become aware of their own seeing. The work gently reveals that we are co-creators of the environments we inhabit. What we perceive as “the world” is always filtered through our senses and expectations. One of the most powerful moments is when he explains that art can train us to notice how our surroundings affect us. A change in light temperature or intensity can shift mood, energy, and even our sense of time and presence. This is not decoration. It is a form of environmental psychology in action, using light as a tool for awareness and transformation. This idea feels especially relevant for anyone working with colour, murals, or intentional spaces. Light is not just illumination. It is a medium that can ground us, calm us, inspire wonder, or invite deeper presence. When we consciously work with it, we give people (and ourselves) the opportunity to experience space more fully and meaningfully. The talk leaves me with a quiet question worth carrying into the studio and daily life: How might a small shift in light or colour today change the way I (and others) experience this moment? Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCGuG0uT6ks

Straight from the Studies

Why Symbols Embrace the Mystery of Life

A recent Jungian art therapy talk explores why symbols hold such deep power in our lives. The speaker explains that symbols are not just pretty images or cultural decorations. They act as bridges between our conscious mind and the vast, often hidden territory of the unconscious.

Jung saw symbols as living entities that carry multiple layers of meaning at once. Unlike a simple sign that points to one thing, a true symbol points beyond itself. It points toward something mysterious, emotional, and transformative. When we engage with symbols through art, dreams, or daily life, they help us integrate fragmented parts of ourselves and access wisdom that pure logic cannot reach.

The talk highlights how symbols work especially well in creative practices. They bypass the rational mind’s need for explanations and speak directly to the psyche through image, colour, and feeling. This makes them powerful tools for healing, self-discovery, and artistic growth.

The presenter shares examples from therapy sessions where clients used symbolic drawing to process emotions they couldn’t put into words.

This resonates strongly with the idea that art is more than decoration. It can be a quiet technology for inner work. When we consciously work with symbols, whether in murals, branding, or personal rituals. We invite mystery back into modern life and give ourselves permission to grow in ways that feel both ancient and deeply personal.

The talk left me with a simple invitation: What symbol has been quietly calling to you lately, and what might it be trying to show you?

Proprioceptive Resonance: How the Body Creates Meaning

A compelling new paper explores the quiet intelligence of the body itself. It shows that our physical sense of position and movement (proprioception) is not just background data. It actively shapes how we understand the world and prepare to act in it. The research reveals that meaning does not live only in the mind. It arises through a constant conversation between body signals, sensory input, and subconscious processing. When we move through space with awareness, these signals create a kind of inner resonance that readies us for insight, creativity, and intuitive decisions long before conscious thought catches up. This feels especially relevant for anyone who works with symbols, materials, or creative flow. The body becomes a living instrument that translates abstract ideas into felt truth. Simple practices like mindful walking, studio rituals, or even pausing to notice posture can strengthen this connection and open new pathways for inspiration. The study gently reminds us that we are not minds driving machines. We are whole systems where body, emotion, and awareness work together. The more we listen to that system, the more naturally we create work that feels alive and useful to others. This leaves me with a practical question I am carrying into the week: How often do I let the body speak first, before the mind rushes in with its usual stories?

Title: Proprioceptive Resonance and Multimodal Semiotics: Readiness to Act, Embodied Cognition, and the Dynamics of Meaning

Author: M. Sanna (2025)

Straight from the studies

The beauty of " A Mysterious Design That Appears Across Millennia"

In this quick TED Talk, Terry Moore explores Penrose tiling: two simple shapes that cover any surface infinitely, yet never repeat. Discovered by Roger Penrose, this aperiodic pattern mysteriously appears in ancient Islamic art, medieval manuscripts, and modern science across isolated cultures.For artists, it’s electric inspiration. From basic elements springs endless originality, mirroring the universe’s harmonious chaos.

https://www.ted.com/speakers/terry_moore

Straight from the Lab

2026: A collage of BnW Photographs - Christ Church Cathedral

Another point and shoot digital camera capture while out on a night ride. Cycling is one of the biggest ways I process information or get creativity flowing. Coming by the church every time when in town has been something going for decades now, even before I studied symbology. Now I have had a glimpse into what the building itself is saying.Hearing the pipe organ is a real healing experience. I am sure there are millions of personal photos of this on camera rolls around the world. A service for breaking ground on the Cathedral took place on May 20, 1926. In September 1929, Winston Churchill laid a stone for the church's north tower. What it took to build this building at the times it was built is something to think about while looking up at the front.

Canon PowerShot SD950 IS Exposure time: 1/40 RGB

Find the inspiration from symbolism in the everyday.

Straight from the studies

Threads in the Dark: Navigating the Psyche's Labyrinth

It’s around 10 o’clock in the morning, as I gather myself walking towards a government office with carefully filled out paperwork and accompanying documents. The sun is in my face, eastward bound listening to a podcast (New Thinking Allowed Audio Podcast Episode: The Living Psychology of Carl Jung with Gary Bobroff) and something they said and what I was doing clicked, it made me think of the labyrinth and the Minotaur. I had just finished Joseph Campbell's Myths to Live By a few months earlier, and my brain was still exploring with his ideas about how ancient stories map onto our lives today. There I was, bracing for another round of the paperwork dance within a system that's creaking under its own weight. It is where you bump into your own shadow at every turn, fighting not just the bull-headed beast but also cursing Daedalus, the designer of the labyrinth. Sometimes its like the worker is speaking in codes, a language only familiar with those who either work there or one whom has to deal with them enough to now be able to decipher the message and get to the next destination with everything you need. And like Theseus, you're left hoping you've got Ariadne's thread, a scrap of intuition or a scribbled note to find your way back out. Leaving threads and maps is how we transform solitary survival into collective escape. The myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, straight out of the Cretan palace at Knossos, kept pulling me back as I sift through sources.

Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur — Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Theseus-Greek-hero

The Idea of the Labyrinth from Classical Antiquity through the Middle Ages By Penelope Reed Doob

Published in 1992, explores the labyrinth as a multifaceted symbol in ancient and medieval literature, art, and thought. The book reconstructs the "idea" of the labyrinth, showing its evolution and metaphorical richness across eras. I was particularly drawn naturally to the section relating to Dante's Divine Comedy. Doob argues that Dante turns the classical maze into a moral and narrative topology.

Inspired by:

People: Carl Jung (archetypal psychology), Joseph Campbell (monomyth). Works: Theseus and the Minotaur, Dante's Divine Comedy, Government forms. Places: The ancient Cretan palace at Knossos (ruins as living symbol). Government offices (bardo).

Keywords: Theseus, Minotaur, Labyrinth, System navigation.

Straight from the Lab

2026: A collage of BnW Photographs Downtown

I snapped these with my point and shoot digital camera on a bike mission downtown to shop CDs and get some food. Humans are made to fart around as it were, and I regularly find myself longing for these types of trips. I have many different set combinations of places I make the traditional pilgrimage to. This time it was Ditch Records and then Green Cuisine – Vegetarian Restaurant specifically for their cornbread. Other staples on my missions are Fernwood Bagels for their cheese bagels, and Russel’s Books.

Canon PowerShot SD950 IS Exposure time: 1/40 RGB

Practice being playful.

Inspiration Log

Flowing Consciousness: How Bike Trails Unlock Inspiration

As I pedal along Victoria’s Galloping Goose trail, the world hums with possibility. A creamsicle-orange sunset ignites the sky, painting the ocean in hues of tangerine and coral, a fleeting alchemy that stirs my inner poet. For artists, poets, and dreamers, these trails are more than paths. They’re portals to the creative unconscious, where movement sparks inspiration.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes “flow” as a state of effortless focus, where time dissolves and creativity surges (1990). Cycling the trails, I slip into this state, my body and mind attuned to the rhythm of the ride. A 2014 study by Oppezzo and Schwartz shows that movement like cycling boosts creative ideation by up to 60%, priming the brain for novel connections. Winding through forests and coastlines, these trails amplify this effect, stirring the subconscious with every pedal stroke.

This multisensory dance reflects what psychologist Lawrence Barsalou calls “embodied cognition” (2008), our thoughts shaped by the body’s dialogue with the world. The rustle of leaves, the salty tang of sea air, the dappled shadows on the path, they weave into my creative process. One afternoon, I propped my bike against a driftwood log on a beach, the ocean’s quiet pulse mirroring my own. That moment became a photograph, its textures a poem without words, capturing the raw beauty of presence. As Scott Barry Kaufman notes, the most creative minds tap into intuition, letting the unconscious guide them (2015). These trails are a canvas for that intuitive dance.

Symbolically, the trails evoke Jung’s collective unconscious, a shared wellspring of human experience. The path becomes an archetype of the creative journey, each curve a metaphor for inspiration’s twists. As the day ends, the sunset fades, a gentle closure that mirrors the subconscious settling, readying a clean slate for new ideas. Like movement along these trails, it clears the mind’s clutter, inviting renewal, much as alchemy transforms the ephemeral into the eternal.

Take a moment to reflect: how can mindful movement, walking, dancing, or even swaying to music, spark your creativity and tap your subconscious?

What places in your community inspire awe and connection?

Inspired by the concept of "flow”, cycling, nature, bike paths, exercise, cognition, free will, consciousness experiments

Sources/Studies:

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.

Barsalou, L. W. (2008). Grounded cognition. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 617-645.

Kaufman, S. B. (2015). Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind. Perigee Books.

Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 1142-1152.

Inspiration Log

Stepping Through Time: The Alchemy of Chinatown’s Gates

Nestled in Victoria BC, the Gate of Harmonious Interest in Canada’s oldest Chinatown isn’t just a landmark, it’s a portal. As I step through its vibrant red arches, adorned with golden dragons and intricate latticework, I’m transported to 19th-century China, to the bustling streets of Guangdong or the quiet reverence of ancestral temples. This isn’t mere sightseeing; it’s a psychological and creative journey, a form of time travel fueled by the symbolism of place, as explored by John Fraim in his seminal work, Symbolism of Place: The Hidden Context of Communication. Fraim argues that places are more than physical, they’re symbolic vessels carrying cultural and historical narratives. The Chinatown gate, with its bold colors and traditional motifs, embodies this. Psychologically, it taps into what Carl Jung called the collective unconscious, evoking archetypes like the Explorer and the Sage. The gate’s red hue, symbolizing luck and vitality in Chinese culture, stirs our subconscious, inviting us to cross a threshold into another era. This aligns with Fraim’s concept of “vertical alignment,” where a place’s context (its historical and cultural resonance) amplifies its emotional impact, making us feel we’ve stepped into a different world.

The psychology of this experience is profound. According to environmental psychology, spaces with strong cultural cues, like the gate’s dragons or the nearby Fan Tan Alley’s narrow, storied path, trigger place attachment, a sense of belonging to another time or culture. This can spark divergent thinking, a creative process where the mind leaps beyond the present, weaving new ideas. For artists, poets, or photographers, this is gold. The gate’s symbolism inspires me to capture its weathered textures in photos or pen haikus about its timeless energy, channeling the Explorer archetype to uncover hidden stories. Victoria’s Chinatown isn’t alone in this alchemy. Museums like the Royal BC Museum, or third spaces like The Irish Times Pub, with its old-world charm, also act as symbolic portals. Fraim’s lens suggests these places align with the zeitgeist, resonating with our need to connect with deeper narratives. In a city like Victoria, integrating such spaces into your creative life, whether sketching in Fan Tan Alley or journaling in a heritage pub, unlocks your consciousness, letting you “travel” to distant times and places.

Astrologically, we’re in Leo season (August 2025), a time of bold creativity and self-expression, urging us to embrace these symbolic spaces as muses. By seeking out and lingering in such places, you fuel your creative fire, transforming routine walks into journeys of inspiration.

What place in your city feels like a portal to another time or culture? Share your experience in the comments!

Visit a symbolic space this week, take a photo or write a short poem inspired by its energy. How does it shift your perspective?

https://victoriachinatownmuseum.com

https://midnightoilstudios.org

https://sinsism.tumblr.com

Inspired By: John Fraim (Symbolism of Place), Carl Jung (collective unconscious), Joseph Campbell, Victoria’s Gate of Harmonious Interest, Explorer Archetype, Sage archetype, consciousness experiments.

Straight from The Studies

Cultural Cycles and Narrative: Advertising By Hidden Persuaders

In his article, "The Symbolism of Popular Culture: Sexy Ice Cubes And The Evolution Of An Idea," John Fraim explores the hidden layers of meaning in media and advertising, tracing their roots from Vance Packard's provocative theories in The Hidden Persuaders to Marshall McLuhan's revolutionary ideas about media as the message. This piece resonated deeply with me because it unravels the subtle ways symbolism shapes our perceptions, a topic I find endlessly fascinating in my media studies. Fraim's ability to connect cultural artifacts, like the suggestive ice cubes in liquor ads, to broader societal narratives, such as Cold War anxieties and American mythology, showcases his masterful understanding of symbolism's power. His work brilliantly illustrates how media, from ads to films, uses context to convey messages far beyond their surface, making this a must-read for anyone intrigued by the interplay of culture, psychology, and symbolism.

The Symbolism of Popular Culture: Sexy Ice Cubes And The Evolution Of An Idea

1998 - John Fraim

Link Here : https://jungpage.org/learn/articles/analytical-psychology/169-the-symbolism-of-popular-culture-sexy-ice-cubes-and-the-evolution-of-an-idea

His website : https://midnightoilstudios.org

Inspired by Symbolism of Place (1996) John Fraim, media studies, Jean Baudrillard, Marshall McLuhan,Robert Anton Wilson

Straight from the lab

Embracing the August Full Moon: A Personal Reflection on Creativity and the Cycles of Nature Finding Inspiration in the Flux of Summer's Second Half

August leans golden, the air warm but thin at the edges, a season of ripeness teetering on release. The Sturgeon Moon rises tonight, a luminous lantern named for the ancient fish that swim abundantly in late summer’s waters. Its glow feels like an invitation, to name what’s grown, to honour what’s done, and to clear space for what’s stirring. Yet summer’s second half is tricky, its gentle mildness punctuated by swings in temperature that make the heat feel fiercer, as if nature itself is testing our resilience. In my body, I feel it too: sore ribs and shoulders, the ache of age reminding me of time’s weight and the old ideas I’ve carried too long. The linguist in me lingers on August’s roots, from the Latin Augustus, venerable, worthy of honour. It’s a nod to the hard work and optimistic grit that fuel this season, looking toward the harvest, from Old English hærfest, the gathering-in. August makes a ceremony of finishing, a quiet bow to what’s come through and a clean gesture toward what can be set down. Under the Sturgeon Moon, I feel this rhythm in my studio, where creativity mirrors nature’s cycles. The sturgeon, a prehistoric fish, armoured and long-lived, glides close to the riverbed, sifting through silt for what still holds life. My process feels the same, a slow swim through artifacts of ideas, dredging what pulses, letting the water sort the rest. The moon’s light reveals structure, as if teaching me to see my work anew. In its glow, weak joists creak, and strong ones sing, showing me what to release and what to nurture. My shoulders ache less when I create, as if the act of making is a kind of alchemy, transforming stiffness into flow. The Sturgeon Moon, with its ancient wisdom, urges me to let go of limiting beliefs, to make room for fresh inspiration. It’s a call to trust the process, to move with the flux of summer’s heat and the moon’s steady cycle, cultivating the fertile ground of imagination. May this reflection on the August full moon and the sturgeon’s symbolism inspire you to tap into nature’s rhythms. As we navigate summer’s shifting tides, let’s find the courage to release what holds us back and embrace the creative harvest waiting to unfold.

I’d love to hear what you’ve been exploring! Here is what I’ve been enjoying while building and exploring to share:

Favorite Place The ocean’s edge at dusk. Water as metronome; Life as meditation.

Word of the week: Glean - from Old French glener, to gather the leftover grain. That’s late summer in a single syllable.

What I am Reading The great Joseph Campbell’s “Myths to live by”. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of mythology and comparative literature, Campbell reveals how myths from around the world reflect universal truths and patterns that transcend cultural boundaries. He argues that these timeless stories can serve as a source of inspiration, guidance, and wisdom, helping us navigate the complexities of modern life and find our place in the world. By tapping into the collective unconscious, Campbell shows how myths can help us live more authentic, meaningful lives.

What I am Studying Still fully immersed in the origins of writing, I find myself pondering the profound impact that the invention of the written word has had on human civilization. From the intricate hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt to the cuneiform scripts of Mesopotamia, the earliest forms of writing not only enabled the recording of laws, business transactions, and historical events, but also allowed for the preservation and transmission of cultural knowledge, myths, and stories across generations. As I delve deeper into the history of writing, I'm struck by the ingenuity and creativity of our ancestors, who developed innovative systems of communication that would ultimately shape the course of human history.

What has actually ripened and how would you name it in one line? What can be released so the shape of the work shows through? What small seed is asking for your attention now, not later?

Inspired by The Sturgeon Moon’s reflective light and the subconscious tide, Myth as usable pattern (Joseph Campbell), Personal experiences and reflections on the creative process, Early writing systems (hieroglyphs, cuneiform): marks became memory; memory became method

Straight from the lab

Keys Under a Full Moon: The Treasure Chest Method: Gather, Gestate, Make, Move, Refine

As summer is in full swing I have been weaving small acts of creative alchemy that I would also like to share. It’s five steps, flexible by feel, aimed at producing real outputs with less friction.

Step one: The Jar (Gather) Spend real time collecting images, photographs, reading definitions and articles, listening to talks and taking notes around a single theme—the map of the territory. Then stop. Seal the jar and step away to separate sourcing from making. The pause is part of the process.

Step two: Steep (Immersion) Return and review without forcing decisions. Let the visuals and notes sit together; extract key points; copy the essentials once more if needed.

Step three: Make (Collage first) Build one or more quick digital collages from the set. Low stakes, fast iterations.

Step four: Move (Reset the channel) Movement helps the brain consolidate and clears noise. Walking or biking opens the body so the mind can sort and process at a deeper level. Good time to also incorporate rituals. Below I will have a ritual I maintain for you to try*

Step five: Refine (Stage the piece) Use the momentum to advance your primary work, painting, poem, song, essay. Trim, sequence, and commit to a next action.

Conclusion Every individual action or stage contributes to constructing an extremely valuable outcome, while the methodical approach or discipline of the process itself serves as the key to unlocking it. Together, the cumulative efforts and the structured process enable the attainment of the ultimate reward.

*A small ritual for step four: breathe in four counts, out six, three times. Name three symbols that recur in your sources. Touch something cool (water if you can). Visualize archetypes that are valuable to your project or important to your study methods. For this I thought of Seshat she who tallies and measures when gathering information. Saturn or Chronos, the patient gardener, reminding me that harvest belongs to those who thin the rows. The conductor of the train, knowing time and running on it. The rhythm and style from a B‑boys’ footwork.

How do you currently cultivate creative inspiration in your work? What role do symbolism and astrology play in your artistic practice? Which day this week will you dedicate to refinement?

Inspired by Egyptian scribal lore (Seshat, Thoth), city textures from New York, Style writing, walks by water with my favourite dog, the seasonal lean toward harvest.

Straight from the Studies

The Beauty of “The Quest for Meaning in Poetry with Charles Upton”

Summer’s heat invites a slower pace, where reflection and quiet creativity can flourish. In these warm, lingering afternoons, the works and thoughts of Charles Upton, poet, metaphysician, seeker, offer a gentle companion. If you’re passionate about poetry and the deeper questions of existence, this conversation from the New Thinking Allowed Foundation podcast is a true gem. Hosted by the thoughtful and ever-curious Jeffrey Mishlove, New Thinking Allowed explores the leading edge of knowledge and discovery through intimate, in-depth dialogues. In this beautifully insightful interview, Charles Upton invites us to reflect on the profound role poetry plays in shaping meaning, sound, and imagery in our lives. Upton began his poetic journey early, with his first books published in the late 1960s making him the youngest member of the legendary “beat generation.” This episode stands out for its honest meditation on the meaning of poetry itself. Upton explores the three essential functions of poetry: meaning, sound, and imagery. He speaks candidly about the challenges poets face, the “downfall” of modern poetry, and the sad tendency for poets to burn too brightly and die young. More than an interview, this is an invitation to see poetry as a living, breathing force, a bridge between the ordinary and the sacred. Upton’s reflections remind us that poetry needs an audience, but most of all, it needs seekers of wisdom willing to let meaning find them. For a glimpse into his world of poetry, mysticism, and insight, visit charles-upton.com

Straight from the Studies

Summer Stillness: The Soil of Inspiration - Ancient Wisdom, the New Moon, and a Dylan Thomas Poem

Creativity isn’t about chasing ideas but making space for them to land. In the quiet hum of a summer afternoon, the reflective darkness of a Leo New Moon, or the evocative lines of Dylan Thomas’s I See the Boys of Summer, we find the alchemy of inspiration. For artists, poets, and those who chart the stars, creativity thrives in the interplay of nostalgia’s ache, the stillness of a receptive mind, and the restless wind of inspiration. These forces, memory, pause, and cosmic energy, transform fleeting moments into lasting art, reminding us that time’s passage is not a loss but a battery for creation. Moment of Quiet in the Heat Last week, I sat by my window for a few minutes, no phone, no music, just the hum of a distant lawnmower and the rustle of a butterfly bush. As I settled into the stillness, my mind, usually a storm of daily clutter, began to quiet. A sense of calm washed over me, softening the edges of my thoughts. It was as if the stillness had created a fertile ground, a soil of inspiration, where ideas could take root and flourish. Then, a thought emerged: Creativity isn’t about chasing ideas, but about making space for them to land. It felt like a whisper from the past, a reminder from the ancients who knew that stillness is the cradle where inspiration grows. The Ancients Knew: Stillness as a Sacred Practice Long before modern productivity hacks, ancient cultures revered stillness as a path to insight. The Stoics called it skhole, not idleness, but “leisure for thought.” In Buddhist shamatha (or Zhiné in Tibetan) meditation, a quiet mind becomes a mirror, reflecting truths hidden by noise. The Greeks believed the Muses visited only when the mind was receptive, not racing. These practices teach us that stillness is not passive but an active engagement with our inner world. In the desolate quiet of a summer field, as in Dylan Thomas’s I See the Boys of Summer, we create space for memories and emotions to surface, planting the seeds for creative expression. Dylan Thomas & The Alchemy of Nostalgia In Dylan Thomas’s I See the Boys of Summer, I find a vivid mirror for the creative process, where mindfulness summons nostalgia as a muse.

“I see the boys of summer in their ruin / Lay the gold tithings barren,”

Thomas writes, conjuring youth’s golden moments crumbling into dust. The “ruin” here is not an end but a necessary unraveling,a clearing of the “barren” fields of the mind, much like mindfulness asks us to release clutter to make space for inspiration. The poem’s restless “wind,” stirring “the grass and the mind,” becomes a metaphor for the creative act itself: a force that disrupts stagnation, turning memory into poetic alchemy. Like the summer solstice, when the sun pauses before descending toward winter, Thomas’s boys call artists to pause, letting nostalgia’s bittersweet tide,youth’s vibrancy shadowed by time,flood the heart. This tension between decay and renewal echoes the astrological cycle of seasons, where endings birth beginnings. The boys’ “dogdayed pulse” , a nod to Sirius, the Dog Star, whose heliacal rising marks the hottest “dog days” of summer, culminates in “the pulse of summer in the ice”, capturing this duality: even in winter’s chill, the memory of warmth fuels creation. Thus inspired, we transform the “barren tithings” of our past into art’s eternal harvest, as timeless as the stars we chart.

Full Text of I See the Boys of Summer by Dylan Thomas Here Astrology & the Leo New Moon: Planting Seeds of Becoming Astrology gives us another language for this creative process. This month’s Leo New Moon is a blank slate, a dark, quiet sky inviting us to plant new intentions. Leo, ruled by the sun, is the sign of self-expression and heart-centered creation. As S.J. Anderson beautifully notes in Leo New Moon: Your Words Become Reality, this new moon is “a dance of becoming.” It’s a powerful time to reflect on who you are and what you wish to create, not just for now, but for the changing years ahead. Mercury’s retrograde motion adds another layer: a call to review your self-talk and inner narrative. By combining these astrological insights with mindfulness practices, we can harness the creative potential of the Leo New Moon and cultivate a deeper sense of self-awareness. The new moon’s symbolism, darkness, renewal, and the fluid potential of water, mirrors the creative process. Just as water flows and transforms, the new moon encourages us to release old stories and plant new ones. This astrological moment aligns with the stillness of Thomas’s barren fields, offering a cosmic pause to set intentions that shape our reality. Conclusion: In the Soil of Inspiration Summer stillness is not about doing nothing, it’s about being present. It’s about soaking up the sun, letting memories rise, and allowing ideas and intentions to root deeply. Dylan Thomas shows us that nostalgia can be a creative force; the ancients remind us that stillness is sacred; and the Leo New Moon whispers that intention, planted in quiet, grows into something beautiful. So this summer, try this: sit still. Let the world speak. Notice the “boys of summer” in your own life. Honor your memories, revise your self-talk, and plant seeds of intention in the fertile ground of your own stillness.

What will you grow in the gentle darkness of the new moon?

What gold lies buried in your memories, waiting to be transformed?

Astrologer S.J. Anderson Takeaway quote from SJ Anderson’s video (watch here) ”You know the brain will have so many different versions of reality and so many untruths float around in the brain. And that's the beauty of meditation is you're not gripped by that. You actually get a little bit of freedom and you see that, oh wow, I don't have to believe my thinking.”

Straight from the Studies

A Spring Farewell and a Journey Into Syncretism and Healing

As spring takes its final bow, I’m excited to share a conversation that beautifully weaves together the interconnectedness of all things. In the video titled "The Astrology of Your Body: Days, Salts & Signs That Heal" from Human Garage TV, Garry Lineham and Santos Bonacci dive deep into the fascinating intersection of healing modalities and the power of understanding our astrology charts.

Garry Lineham, through his work with Human Garage (linked in the video’s description), has profoundly shaped my understanding of how the body stores trauma and how we can begin to release it. His insights into the mechanics of healing are transformative. Meanwhile, Santos Bonacci, a master of syncretism, brings his unique perspective by connecting diverse fields of knowledge into a harmonious whole.

Their discussion is an absolute treasure trove of wisdom, making it an ideal watch for those who love taking notes and reflecting deeply. The concepts they explore serve as excellent starting points for anyone curious about the relationship between our bodies, astrology, and healing.

That said, I want to be transparent: I don’t agree with everything Garry or Santos do or say. However, I still find immense value in the perspectives they bring to the table. You don’t have to align with every detail to gain insight or inspiration from their work.

For those intrigued by Santos Bonacci’s work, I highly recommend exploring his syncretism lectures on YouTube. His earlier talks remain just as captivating and thought-provoking today.

Whether or not you align with every detail or approach, there’s so much to learn and reflect on here. I encourage you to check out their work and allow yourself to explore the possibilities of connection and healing in new ways.