Musings of A Modern Hermit

 Namaste, Y'all, In the past couple of weeks, I've noticed how much more centered and grounded I am compared to when I relocated back to the west coast. My healing journey has been challenging at times, but also surprisingly deeper than I thought. Working with my therapist has helped me to lean into some deeply rooted toxic emotions that I had no idea were ruling my life. Being able to face them, learn about their origins, and then root them out of my unconscious has served me well. This has led me to review my relationships with a fresh perception, and the reveal has been lackluster, to say the least. It became painfully obvious that I was truly dissatisfied with most of the so-called friendships in my life, both past and present. Coming from a disfunctional and broken family environment steeped in strict religion didn't help matters, and being the oldest male, I was handed the responsibility as co-parent, which really made me socially awkward. I was raising my siblings an...

Namaste, Y'all, As we round out this first of four Mercury Retrogrades of 2026, I'm reminded of the past several years and the changes that have taken place in my life, changes that I never imagined would manifest, but here they are. Life is lifen' and change is life, so there's no use in crying over spilled milk, right? Some of you may be in a similar state of pause and reflection in your life journey to date. What are some hot topics that no longer bring you interest? Who is left standing alongside you after experiencing traumatic situations or major growth? Have you been pursuing quests that you now find lackluster and meaningless? I  know on a personal level that my focus and passions have shifted drastically, causing me to question the things I was so hell bent on achieving. Now I see myself (with a humorous grin across my lips) in the ways and means that got me caught up in pursuing fluff. Having compassion for myself has been invaluable in my healing journey. The...

Namaste, Y'all, And what a week it's been since my last post! The US is in another war, and the Republican Party is in high implosion mode as they scurry to avoid and deflect from key issues—which shall remain nameless—and the rest of the globe is reeling from their toxic rule. And then we have yesterday's powerful cosmic lineup with a double Virgo whammy of a lunar eclipse and full moon (blood moon) ushering in a fresh amount of profound shifts and changes for the masses coming down the pike. It feels official to say that we are in the Age of Aquarius, folks. If we take a look back at the 1960s and the immense social, civil, and global consciousness changes the decade produced, it seems like not only a precursor of the future (our present) but also pales in comparison. I'm hearing many people speaking about how baffled they are with the state of the world's affairs and have no feeling of relief or structure to cling to. All certainties and securities are proven to ...

Namaste, Y'all, And welcome to our very first Mercury Retrograde of 2026, which promises to be one for the records. Why? With our current planetary alignment since the solar eclipse and the new moon in Pisces on the 17th, and Saturn shifting from Pisces into Aries, there's no way our collective perceptions on life will ever be the same. People are leaving, moving, divorcing, quitting, and dying en masse, causing us to question our beliefs, motives, allegiances, and our individualism regarding our humanity. Who are we exactly? Why do we do the things that we do? And how did we get here, and where are we going to next? As I've been (and countless others) harping about the end of the world as we've come to know it coming, well, it's here, children, and you'd better get used to it because shift and shit is about to hit the fan. The Age of Aquarius is right in our back, front, and side yards, glaring us in the face to take action. If you're looking for signs and ...

Namaste, y'all, Transformation and healing are tough acts to move through, but when successfully completed, they are well worth it, for the results far exceed the struggles you must endure to get to the other side. However, few people will do the arduous work to get there. I know in my life, there were many times  I surrendered to my ego and dropped the healing process. Instead I chose  to numb my pain with drugs, booze, sex, and investing in anything that took the focus off me taking responsibility for my growth. Of course this is delusional behavior because reality would swing back around with the same issue demanding my attention. That's why I do believe the adage that the things we refuse to heal will continue to reveal themselves. How many of us will remain stuck on stupid instead of facing the truth of our ignorant perception of life? And why do we beat ourselves up after we've conquered a difficult situation? I think it's the realization about our need to be righ...

Namaste, y'all, And welcome to February, 2026! I had a powerful thought hit me recently regarding the topic of projections. Why do we project, especially the painful emotions bound in our unhealed wounds? What came up for me is that what we are filled and overflowing with must be released, like a volcano when the pressure from the forces of heat converge that cause it to explode its molten lava.  Just as a volcano naturally erupts, so, too, will our emotions when the conditions and triggers align with them. When we suppress critical feelings, we're building an explosive arsenal for a future event(s) that may end up costing us key partnerships and others. Unchecked emotions and denying them attention to heal and release can lead to rage, not anger, but full-on explosive outbursts that could've been prevented if one had taken the time to work through them earlier. I know this was the case for me in my younger years. Instead of confronting my pain, frustrations, and fears, I b...

Namaste, Y'all, A meme that reads, “The devil don't come with horns. He comes with comfort and tells you to rest before the work's done.”  Here are two ancient biblical text descriptions of Lucifer, the Morning Star, who was given the title the most beautiful creation ever by God himself in the Bible (Ezekiel 28:12-19 and Isaiah 14:12-15). Notice how there are no horns, hooves, a massive erect penis, or pendulous breasts, even as some illustrations depict?  Nope, an innocent-looking cherub (angelic being) anointed by the divine for its purpose. And like all created beings, Lucifer had free will to do what he wished with the expressed caveat (warning) of the universal law of karma. He, like countless others, refused to honor this law and received his justice—eternal banishment from the upper regions of heaven into the lower levels of hell, where he and his minions are bound and rule. Hell is a state of suffering for those who have chosen to live in their debased egos (addict...

Namaste, Y'all,  It's only been a couple of weeks into 2026, and it's proving to be chock full of surprises and plot twists from the top down. Laws, rules, and regulations were circumvented to fit false narratives to place absolute power in the powers that be. While outright discrimination has been pushed to replace tolerance and acceptance from those who fail to prove they are even worthy to place judgment in the first place. Yes, it's life coming to an end on many levels, hitting our collective consciousness square in the forehead with constant shock and awe moments. But really, has there ever been any crumbs of human decency, or is the great reveal of what was lurking in the shadows pulling the strings of delusion and false hope? It makes you wonder, at least for myself, as to why we act so surprised by the news lines when they've been the same narrative for millennia. There is nothing new, except inventions here and there and technology, but mankind is still sou...

Namaste, Y'all, One of the biggest lessons that I learned last year was in being stoic, saying no, and sticking to it—guilt- and shame-free. A great deal of my life was spent in situations where I was devalued, and instead of moving on from the truth that was revealed, I would come crawling back like a scorned dog with its tail between its  hind legs. Being raised in a Christian occult environment, I was conditioned to accept suffering as the way, the truth, and the light, so it's a no-brainer as to why I continued this behavioral pattern well into my adulthood, as did so many of us, especially coming from strict religious communities. It makes me angry to think that the biggest source of personal power theft is sourced through religion. Many of us have spent lifetimes holding toxic space for beliefs that work against our greater good for living a fully expressed life. It's more important to champion stunted growth instead of exercising one's free will; it's plain i...