Notes from the season

It was almost comical last week how I was smacked in the face with the need to rest, as it usually winds up by unfolding. Many of us push through, especially in the depths of winter, until we’re fatigued, sick, or straight up burnt out. I sat with some herbal medicine that morning, and my intention of working with it was “letting go of the expectation of things I cannot control”.

Wow, was I going to learn that lesson.

My wife and I had big dreams for that day to finish renoating our primary bathroom, when we both walked right into a wall of fatigue. Now, if anyone knows my wife, she’s a Virgo stellium, with an insane ability to get shit done. I can count how many times on one hand that she’s napped, and it only happens when she’s sick, and I mean sick, sick.

However, this day, we looked at each other and said, “Wow, I really need a nap, don’t you?”

So that’s what we did.

And while we had a long to-do list and a bathroom to (finally) finish renovating on our rare combined “day off”, we chose rest instead. Not to indulge in as a reward, but as a way to fill our cups. That way, we wouldn’t be neglecting our needs when it was conveniently made so clear by both of our bodies. Our bodies didn’t need to make an SOS signal in the form of a cold, a migraine, or something more severe. The desire for rest was made, and we fulfilled the request.

When is the last time you ignored your body’s needs?

What about the last time you listened?

Ignoring these sometimes subtle, but oftentimes downright screams from your body leads to burnout. It can also lead you to relationships that are emotionally draining or even manipulative. If you can’t listen to your body’s signals, how can you rely on yourself to follow your intuition?

It’s oftentimes tied to self-worth, which often comes up in a natal chart reading. There are folks who are more prone to self-resiliency, and others who lean more towards the opposite side, choosing to emotionally withdraw instead of interacting at all, even if it would be healthier to do so.

As winter begins to unfold, take a moment to explore these pings, messages, and quiet longings. Stop putting your need for rest aside and treating it like something that needs to be earned. Instead, slip on something comfortable, grab a non-monetized craft, and dive in.

Your future self is waiting.

The sky unfolds

January 1st, Mercury in Capricorn - Don’t start the new year being hypercritical of yourself. Lean into supportive systems and let the actions flow. If you beat yourself up before you give yourself a solid chance, you’re not leaving any room for the energy to shift.

January 3rd, full moon in Cancer - If you’re craving a monetary shift in your life, right now is the time to plan it or be about it. Carve out time to be more intentional about your financial energetics, and see where you lean into a more expansive way of thinking.

👉 Remember, if you’re looking to go deeper with astrology, I have a free group chat on Instagram, where I give astrology transit updates multiple times a week!

Plant wisdom

If you’re someone who needs help resting, who maybe never learned how, or is still untangling the feeling that you need to earn it, kava kava root might be a friend to get familiar with. Traditionally used to calm the nervous system and ease muscular and emotional tension, kava works by gently quieting mental chatter while allowing clarity and presence to remain.

Kava kava root (Piper methysticum)
Relaxant and mild sedative. I believe it to be energetically cooling, but most viewpoints state that it’s warming. It’s especially wonderful for people who have nervous tension. Its pungent and acrid taste stimulates circulation, followed by a characteristic numbing sensation on the tongue and throat.

It helps bring excess energy down out of the head and back into the body, supporting a sense of safety and containment. You can really feel it bring you back to your body when you drink it, and almost shiver from its earthy taste.

Its effects are both relaxing and subtly uplifting, creating a calm, steady mood rather than sedation. Kava is often turned to when anxiety lives in the body, showing up as tight jaws, shallow breath, or restless limbs. I personally love it as a social tonic, or when I‘m craving some mild pain relief.

As a plant ally, kava supports rest, social ease, and nervous system regulation. It encourages soft boundaries, relaxation without collapse, and remembering that stillness can be spacious, supportive, and deeply human.

Supporting your inner landscape

Your breath happens automatically; it’s incredible (but also a little spooky when you really think about it).

What a gift that it happens, though, without us having to constantly think about it, but that’s even more of a reason to learn to come back to the breath. Learn where you’re breathing from (like your chest or your belly) and realize that breath can come from your whole body.

Think about how it feels to get a really good sigh out, and let this be your excuse to indulge in one of those for a moment.

It might be the biggest breath you’ve ever taken all day.

Notice what shifts,

and notice what might come up.

The power of the breath is incredible; those of us who work with it often can feel it in different parts of our bodies and manipulate the energy that flows from it. Sending breath to different parts of your body, like your pelvic floor, is something we all need to practice more, and especially as women. The disconnection from our breath, bodies, belly, and pelvis is real — almost an epidemic of sorts.

So much of how we move through the world lives here. The pelvic floor responds to the breath, whether we’re paying attention or not. As you inhale, there’s a natural softening, a gentle widening. As you exhale, a subtle gathering and support. Nothing forced, nothing clenched, just a quiet conversation happening beneath the surface.

When we stop breathing into this space, we often stop listening to it altogether. Sensation dulls. Tension builds. We lose touch with a place that holds creativity, intuition, safety, and resilience. Relearning how to breathe with the pelvic floor can feel like coming home to yourself after a long absence.

This is not about doing it “right.” It’s about remembering that your breath reaches everywhere, and that your body is always responding. When you allow the breath to drop lower, to meet the pelvis with curiosity and kindness, you create space for release, support, and reconnection, one breath at a time.

Reflection pond

Soft questions designed to help you listen inward, honor your timing, and engage with the season in a meaningful way. These are fabulous journal prompts or reflections to close this publication out in a mindful way.

In what ways have I learned, consciously or unconsciously, to disconnect from my breath, belly, or pelvis? How might this disconnection show up in my daily life, posture, or emotional responses?
If my pelvic floor could speak as I breathe into it with softness and support, what would it want me to know right now? What does it need more of, and what is it ready to release?

Open invitations

This space is where I share occasional updates about classes, seasonal gatherings, readings, and offerings. These are offered as gentle invitations, never obligations. You are always welcome to step in when something resonates, and to pass when it does not.

My waitlist for herbal clients is now open. While I’m not quite seeing clients just yet, I’m anticipating my books will be open at the beginning of 2026. This space is for individuals who are ready to take an alternative approach to living more holistically. Now, this isn’t a space centered on absolutes, but rather one based on being seen as a whole person. You don’t need to know about herbs to be a client, but you certainly can show up exactly as you are.

I specialize in folks who are in the more liminal spaces of life. Those who are navigating heartbreak, grief, new jobs, new household roles, or dynamic family changes. Wherever you are, as long as you’re willing to go inward, you’ll have a space within this container.

Book a transformative astrology session

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Courtney, the voice behind Seasons of Self and the owner of The Cosmic Craft. I’ve been featured in printed publications & popular online platformslike Yahoo!, Bustle, and Pride. I’m an astroherbalist, educator, writer, and guide devoted to helping people navigate life’s changes with more steadiness and self-trust. Rooted in seasonal living, astrology, and plant wisdom, my work is shaped by a deep belief that growth happens in cycles, not straight lines. Through this newsletter, I share reflections, tools, and practices that support renewal and transformation, all while honoring accessibility, curiosity, and care. This is a space for slowing down, listening inward, and learning to live in rhythm with your own timing.

Rest is not a reward, it is a necessity