Milky Way

Spiritual Retreat in Peru

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As I am getting back home from Peru, of the biggest takeaways of my trip was a new understanding of the word “medicine.”

So often we think of medicine solely in terms of western use such as pills or drugs, and only in certain contexts do we ever hear the term medicine man or medicine woman and understand what that actually means.

This trip has truly opened my eyes to what medicine truly is. It is anything that brings you back to your true essence, back to yourself.

Confidence is medicine. Love is medicine. Wisdom from plant and animal spirits are medicine. Good company is medicine. Music is medicine.

We all have different medicines to share. Some people are here to inspire, some are here to heal, others are here to act as a mirror for others to see their true nature. During this trip, I received the medicine of accomplishment, nourishment, and a sense of belonging. The medicine I was asked to provide was laughter, compassion, and peace. With great reverence I hold these sacred gifts, these medicines, to invite you both to partake and hear the call to share your own with the world as it so dearly needs during this time.

Astrophotography in Joshua Tree

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Along with every other aspect of life, my photography business took a major turn once Covid-19 hit. This of course is not unique to me, or many others in the field. Having marketed myself largely as a food photographer, once restaurants started closing down or reallocating their budgets for the pandemic, I had to get back to the big “WHY” of doing any of this in the first place. So for this, I am actually exceedingly grateful. Throughout the past year, I have reconnected to my big “WHY” of doing photography, exploring what it is I am trying to capture or portray with my work. Although I didn’t realize it early on, photography has always been a spiritual practice for me. Looking to my early artist statements, they all speak of my Native American heritage of honoring that vital force of life in all living things, whether that be in animals, plants, the earth, or our fellow human. I have been an artist all my life, but the reason I was drawn to photography specifically was because it contained the element of documentation. In this way, when I photograph the world I see around me, it becomes a collaborative effort between myself, the world, and beyond. During the pandemic, I began taking photos of the stars. This seemed so fitting because no matter what chaos happens on earth, every night we can look to the sky and see exactly where we are in the universe. Now of course, depending where you are, the night sky can be more or less difficult to see! I traveled out to Joshua Tree with my family and we were just blown away seeing the stars and Milky Way in such clarity. The desert is an excellent viewing place to see the Milky Way, due to the low light pollution and clear skies. Here are a few of my favorite shots below from the trip overall.