so many updates, they seem like a copy/paste from chaos
We're midway through the calendar year, and I like to reflect on those time hinges. I took a lot of deep breaths and deep rest around solstice, to ready mySelf for the second half of the year.
Before getting into all the updates, this is your reminder that there's a listing of events at the end, for the locals.
Earlier this year, my Guides told me that this is the year to crowdfund Numinous Spiral, my oracle deck.
If you've been here for a while, you know this has been in progress since The Before Times, with many personal and collective interruptions.
So, it's exhilarating and terrifying to think about bringing it to production.
I'm glad I can start small, with some updates.
First, though, about timing.
This missive is long overdue. A big part of the delay is because I have a low pay, high demand, government job, as of this year. It consumes a lot of my time.
Another part is being in the chaotic emotional experience of this job. It's been an intense adjustment in all the ways.
More on all that in a moment.
For the last few weeks, I've done the final preparation for my workshop at Mystic South Conference. It's called "No Nonsense Tarot" — because I didn't think they'd like a proposal called "Bullshit-Free Tarot."
But the energy is basically the same. It's me on my soapbox of explaining commodified woo nonsense, that I hope you don't spend your attention or money on.
It's also an homage to Pamela Colman Smith, who, like many artists, never got big recognition in her lifetime. She still doesn't get enough, in my opinion, in light of her influence on tarot. My favorite presentation slide shows an excerpt from a handwritten letter, referencing some of those struggles as an artist.
I'll share more after Mystic South, because I don't want to spoil anything for those who will attend. I'm teaching in the last workshop slot of the conference, so I'm taking that as permission to curse freely.
And now, Numinous Spiral updates:
~ I'm nearly ready to send out a prototype to a reviewer! Hence, it's been lots and lots of writing and editing and refining.
~ I started working on the Kickstarter campaign! Hopefully you'll be able to see the preview later this summer. This is the tentative headliner image:
Thoughts? I'd love to know whether this is enough to catch your eye, while perusing the crowded internet.
(Numinous Spiral has digital art made by a human, without generative AI.)
And now, let's switch gears, which I think will explain why the subject line mentions a copy/paste job.
As of January 2026, I'm an elected official.
I live in a micro city, and last year I ran for City Council. The election was unopposed, so that experience was anticlimactic.
Whereas the experience of actually being an elected official is a certain kind of roller coaster, all the time.
Because in June, I've been:
~ editing the guidebook for Numinous Spiral
~ researching the Kickstarter requirements for Numinous Spiral
~ finishing a workshop about understanding capitalism BS in tarot
~ studying and learning about property taxes
Does it seem like a drunk copy/paste job? Maybe it's just me.
For example, today I've been emailing people about Kickstarter things and updating my slide presentation for Mystic South.
I've also been replying to emails about property taxes. Because in a few hours, I vote on these property taxes.
In a weird life, being an elected official is one of the weirder things I've done. Intensity and visibility I've never experienced, responsibility and accountability I've never had. I keep feeling like I'm peeking into another world, like a kid straining to look over a fence.
So far, my brain-injured capacity is adjusting pretty well. But it's a lot of overwhelm, a lot of the time.
Declaring here, for accountability, that I'll report back about No Nonsense Tarot, plus have more updates on Numinous Spiral.
Feeling that summer heat,
S.
she/they
https://siderealchemy.co/
********
Upcoming events:
~ Mystic South Conference on July 16th–19th
~ Menopause Circles on July 8th, August 12th, September 9th
~ Vibrational Medicine on August 17th
~ Soundbath at Moore Chapel on September 14th
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