Reflecting on Growth: Thorn, Rose, and Bud 🌹✨

I had a really beautiful New Year in the Poconos, spending time with new friends and it was deeply moving.

Together, we played music, sang songs, and shared stories. Since my trip to Peru in November where I studied with a new Shipibo Maestro, I've learned a few songs, and for the first time in my life, I felt excited to sing. This was a huge breakthrough for me, as I used to be so scared of sharing my voice.

Tiger and I have been incorporating more music into our ceremonies. We've discovered that plants truly love it when we sing to them—it's a sacred connection we’re leaning into.

Reflecting on this gathering, I realized how much I love intentional hangouts. Parties no longer call to me as they once did (perhaps they never really did). Maybe it’s because I’m a highly sensitive person, or maybe it’s my lack of Air element in my birth chart—those with little Air aren’t naturally chatty and tend to prefer deeper, more intentional communication.

​​One really cool thing about this gathering was being around other Jewish people, as well as non-Jews who felt drawn to study Judaism. We had a Rabbi who had recently moved back to the U.S. from Israel with his partner (sadly cause of the war), and a Rabbi-in-training. As a Russian-Jew, I don’t often find myself surrounded by other Jews or these traditions, let alone cool Rabbis. But every now and then, I feel a slight tug to explore my ancestral connection more deeply.

We had a songbook, and it was moving to hear and sing some Hebrew songs. The Rabbi shared some incredible wisdom related to my sharings about the Moondance or my time with the Shipibo, and offered beautiful prayers into our ceremonial space. I sometimes find myself drawn to the idea of Judaism before it became what it is today—the tribal roots that may have been lost over time but may still be alive in some way. (Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism is a book I currently have in my stack.)

In the spirit of reflection, we shared our Thorn, Rose, and Bud of 2024:

• Thorn: Something challenging or painful.

• Rose: A moment of beauty or growth.

• Bud: A seed of hope for the year ahead.

I found it so helpful to do this and personally received some golden nugget reflections of the year. I loved it so much, we brought this into our January Cacao Ceremony. Here’s mine:

🌵 Thorn:
My business didn’t reach the level of success I envisioned. While I’ve had incredible cacao ceremonies, Family Constellations workshops, one-on-one sessions, and met amazing people, it hasn’t been as fruitful as I’d hoped. The entrepreneur journey is deeply spiritual, though, and I trust this is part of the process. (Stay tuned cause my biz is about to TRANSFORM, and I am excited!)

🌹 Rose:
Despite the material challenges, I was surprised to realize that 2024 was rich in spiritual growth. From my Family Constellations training to my second year of the Moondance and to my first Dieta with the Shipibo in Peru, I’ve gained profound wisdom that is continuing to integrate and transform me. These experiences are mystery teachings and are beyond what any classroom can teach. I’m really grateful for this Rose and for seeing all the work I did in this realm, that has yet to blossom fully into this reality.

🌱 Bud:
I’m really excited for the creative possibilities of 2025! Tiger and I have grown so much in our relationship, crossing a threshold into greater clarity and ease. We got engaged. This opens the door for deeper collaboration—starting with our Constellations For Your Heart weekend retreat in March. I can’t wait to gather intentionally with those of you who are feeling the call to join. It’s going to be amazing.

Just after midnight, we prayed in circle with my Chanupa (prayer pipe that I received from the Moondance) which was a super special way to be able to send prayers for our lives into 2025. It was the biggest circle my pipe has yet experienced. On New Years Day we shared Cacao with everyone which is becoming a tradition to start off the year in a joyful way! :)

Have you taken a moment to reflect on your own Thorn, Rose, and Bud from your previous year? What challenges have shaped you, what beauty has unfolded, and what seeds are you planting for the future? Reflect with a friend, or send me a note—I’d love to hear from you.

By the way… according to astrology, 2025 is going to be a year of change. All of the outer planets (Neptune, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Uranus) plus the Nodes are changing signs and this has never happened in our life time. It will be a collective shift. I look forward to seeing how this unfolds for us.

As the world continues to shift, I feel more and more prepared to be the spiritual warrior that I am. Here to support myself and others through difficult and amazing times.

Let’s keep living, keep growing, keep being authentic — breaking out of the conditioned systems we were born into. Remembering who we are. Reminding each other who we truly are.

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When Change Feels Painful: Learning to Trust Life’s Redirections

On January 19th—as I prepared for a cacao ceremony which is always different for me because they are inspired by astrological influences of the time depending on what season we are in and what is happening in the transits —I became aware of a powerful Pluto cazimi approaching. A Pluto cazimi is when Pluto and the Sun align, spotlighting hidden truths and pushing for deep transformation. (There’s one happening on January 21, 2025 at 7:28am EST)

That evening, I received an unexpected email from the Ayahuasca community I had been deeply connected with for six years—a place of tremendous learning, growth, and healing; where I met my partner, Tiger, and where the shaman leading the ceremonies was a teacher to me. It was a special place for both of us.

The message informed me we were no longer invited to be part of their ceremonies, because —they said— we were embarking on our own healing journey by offering our own (cacao) ceremonies and launching our Ketamine business and that it was time to share our medicine with the world, separate from them.

As I read the email, my heart sank. My body froze in shock. I could feel the grief settle in my chest, heavy and unmoving, my mind began moving into a gazillion directions trying to make sense of it, as the realization hit me—this chapter of my life was ending. It was truly hard to believe and so painful.

But amidst the pain, there was also a strange sense of trust. What if this was the universe pushing me into the unknown, to expand beyond what I thought possible? As hard as it was to feel, there was a sense I was being guided. 

Even in the shock, it felt like some space was being created for something new.

Although I’ve faced similar experiences before—being let go from jobs or cut off by friends—this one hit hard even with all the healing work I’ve done over the years. It was a reminder of how, even with growth, surprises like these can still catch us off guard.

What felt like a heartbreaking loss at the time, I see now, was actually the catalyst for a new path, one that aligns even more deeply with my soul’s purpose.

Through this experience, I found my way to a new community that has opened up space for me to expand, share my gifts, and grow in ways I hadn’t imagined. In ways that I was not able to in the previous community. This expansion led Tiger and me on a trip to Peru in November 2024, where we embarked on a transformative journey into the heart of the Amazon jungle. There, we did our first “Dieta” with a Shipibo Maestro, connecting deeply with the plants and their teachings.

Below is a picture of me and the tree I Dieted, called the Noya Rao. She is known as the “flying tree” and as the “tree of light” because its leaves are bioluminescent at night. This is a story for another day, but I will share that it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life (but not easy!). Having experienced many amazing things, this one truly stands out as life-changing even if I don’t fully know how yet. It feels like the beginning of a new journey we didn’t expect to embark on — they say it takes two years to integrate this diet. I am continuing to be taught how to trust the path ahead, even when it unfolds in mysterious ways.

What seemed like a heartbreak earlier this year, turned into a deeper lesson about trusting the unknown and embracing the flow of change.

I’m sharing this story because I know many of you may have experienced, may experience, or are currently facing similar periods of profound transformation.

We simply cannot avoid soul growth when it is being asked of us, especially when it comes to us from events outside of us (Pluto is known for this!) I’ve experienced this quite a few times throughout my life. 

In moments of shock and loss, it can feel like the ground is being pulled from beneath us. Whether it’s losing a community, ending a relationship, or a major life transition, we all face moments where the old must make way for the new.

For me, this was recently losing my long-standing connection with my Ayahuasca community. For you, it might be something different, but the lesson remains: transformation often feels painful, but it opens the door for soul growth.

Interestingly, I discovered that this intense period of transformation aligned with significant astrological transits in my chart—specifically Pluto’s movements in the sky. Pluto is an intense and powerful planet that pushes us to transformation, even when we’re not asking for it. Often when this happens, you can look back and see how its movement in our astrological natal chart is linked to external events that occur that push us to change. It’s inevitable.

While that’s a topic for another day, it reminded me just how powerful astrology can be in helping us understand the cycles of growth and change we experience. Recognizing this has been incredibly helpful for me—it allows me to give these intense moments the space they need. This is why it can be so helpful to learn your chart or have an astrologer look at it, share what they see, and let you know what to look out for.

I’ve learned through this recent experience that transformation can feel like being pushed out of the nest. 

And that when we trust the process, we can find ourselves in the exact place we’re meant to be.

Every time I’ve been faced with a major shift, it has pushed me closer to my true path. It’s allowed me to let go of what no longer serves me, creating space for something more aligned to come in.

Reflection & Journaling Prompts

If you’re currently facing a period of transformation, or if you’ve been through one recently, I invite you to take a moment to reflect. Here are some journaling prompts to help guide you:

• How do you navigate moments of uncertainty? What helps you trust in the process of transformation, even when it feels uncomfortable?

• Reflect on a moment of unexpected change in your life. How did it challenge or transform you? What did you learn about yourself?

• Think of a situation where you felt powerless or out of control. How did you respond, and how can you reclaim your personal power?

• What are you being called to let go of in your life to create space for something new?

• Where in your life are you feeling the pull toward change, and how can you embrace it?

• What might be the gift you're receiving from this situation or experience?

Transformation is rarely graceful, but it is a necessary part of our soul’s journey. Even when the changes feel overwhelming, trust that they are leading you toward something more aligned with your truth.

I’d love to hear how transformation is unfolding in your life. What doors are closing, and what new possibilities are opening? Feel free to leave a comment. 

❤

If my story resonates, I’d love to help you navigate life’s changes with greater clarity and trust. In a complimentary Embodied Soul Session, we can explore how these shifts are shaping your path, look at your astrology chart for deeper insights, and uncover how I can support you in embracing what’s next. Click here to schedule and learn how I can help you move through this transformation.

Photo of my partner Tiger in front of his Tambo in Peru. We each had our own.

Somatic Healing with Ceremonial Cacao

One of my favorite offerings is combining Ceremonial Cacao at the beginning of any healing session, especially with Somatic Healing.

Introducing Ceremonial Cacao with Somatic Healing allows for a much deeper healing experience, where you are not just connecting to your inner intelligence, but you also have the support of a plant medicine and the spirit of Cacao whom I call “Mama Cacao”. Ceremonial Cacao is an entheogen and helps open up the heart, allowing for a richer and deeper experience and connection to your soul in a gentle yet profound way. Cacao on it’s own is very grounding and an embodiment medicine.

Here are some of the many benefits to drinking Ceremonial Cacao:

• Enhances anything and everything important to you in your life such as creativity, relationships, self-care rituals, workplace productivity, connecting to your body, etc

• Opens your heart and drops your walls — a cardiovascular system stimulant

• Brings joy, aliveness, and magic into your life

• Helps you live more intentionally

• Increases productivity, clarity and focus

• Connects you to your inner guidance & higher self

• Assists you on your healing & spiritual journey

• Supports the shift of consciousness that humanity is unquestionably moving through

• It’s an adaptogen and the world’s # 1 superfood

  • Number one source of: Antioxidants, Magnesium, Chromium, Manganese, Theobromine

  • Also extremely high in: Iron, Anandamide, Phenylethylamine (PEA), neurotransmitter inhibitors

If you are struggling with:

• Prioritizing yourself and focusing on the things that truly matter

• Connecting to your inner guidance and intuition

• Anxiety and stress

• Grief or heartbreak

• Having the courage to follow your heart

• Not seeing the magic in everyday life & being stuck in the mundane

• Connecting to your creativity

Cacao, this beautiful medicine of the heart, can help you.

If you’re interested in bringing Ceremonial Cacao into your session, let me know when you book your healing session and have the cacao ready at the start.

Receive 5% off every order at keithscacao.com with the code: freemasha

If you’d like to learn how to work with Cacao, send me an email.

Learn more about Ceremonial Cacao here.