Full Moon Illuminations on Worthiness and an Announcement...

I was scrolling through Instagram this morning, thinking about tonight’s super-full-moon, and as I was seeing all the posts about yesterday’s election results something really struck me. Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor-Elect of New York said, “What’s the point of having an idea if you don’t believe that you can implement it?” And that statement really hit me from the perspective of self-worth, impostor syndrome, and existing as a person in a society structured to diminish our hope and worthiness at every turn. It’s exhausting struggling to fine one’s place in a society like this when we know there is a better way out there. And, I know there is a better way because so many of you who come to the shop are living it every day.

I see so many of you abandoning your old constructs of belief and turning towards new ideas and structures for fellowship and community. I believe that we are done living in this separated existence. I think this is exactly why people are trying their best to abandon the outdated ideas of capitalism and religion and governance because they don't hold our best interests at heart and they only serve to uphold a satus quo that works only for the few and the rich. I am seeing you working towards implementing your ideas because you believe they are worth it and because you believe you can.

It’s hard to find the strength and determination to change these deeply rooted beliefs, especially when they were planted and cultivated so long ago by people and societal structures without our consent. I see so many of you, my customers and friends, working every day to dispel these outdated constructs and forging ahead, one step at a time, towards a life that you are creating for yourselves. A life that you know in your heart that you are worthy of. A life that is better suited for all of us, not just a few of us. And, I keep coming back to the quote from the beginning: “What’s the point of having an idea if you don’t believe that you can implement it?” It is our belief in something better, greater, more fitting to who we are as we stand here now, that keeps us moving forward.

I’m letting this full moon tonight illuminate that thought for myself. I struggle so deeply with feelings of inadequacy. “Who am I to be doing what I'm dong?” “Who am I to be teaching these classes?” “Who am I to think that what I want to offer our community is what it needs?” But, the longer I sit with these thoughts, the more I realize that yes, I am the right person to be doing all of this!. And I know I am the right person specifically because I believe not that I can, but because I should. I have the ideas and the clarity of vision to manifest them into reality. Not just for myself but for our community. Earth Spirit began at my kitchen table in 2018, with a few spools of wire, some tools and beads. I am still awed when I stand in the shop, in the quiet when we aren’t open, and I realize that I built this and community sustains it. I don’t think the version of Erin sitting at that kitchen table all those years ago every really truly envisioned growing Earth Spirit into this, but I also know that this is exactly what Earth Spirit is supposed to be.

I’m sure you’ve heard some rumors and rumblings about the future of the shop storefront. My business neighbor has been planning on retiring and my landlord and I have talked about the fact that I would like to take over the whole of my building when the time comes. Well, I thought that time would be more around the beginning of the new year. But two weeks ago, my landlord came to the shop to say that if I wanted to take over the other side, I needed to start paying rent on the new space starting in November. I guess when I thought “new year” I was thinking January and not the Witch’s New Year of Samhain, but here we are! As of November 1st, the whole building is mine.

Paying extra rent right now was not in the budget but I was fortunately able to use my little bit of savings and covered it for November. I am also grateful to my landlord for working out a lower price for the other space’s rent for the next two months. I won’t be able to do any construction to begin tearing out the dividing wall until January so I am working on figuring out how to utilize the other half of the building until then. My goal with wanting to expand the shop has never been just to utilize it as a retail space alone. I want to be able to offer community opportunities: yoga, sound bath events, local art, community meals, and to help small businesses like others helped me when I first started out. And with that in mind, I think I have a plan.

So the space doesn’t sit empty, I will be hosting a 5 week “Spirit of the Holidays” pop-up market series starting on Black Friday and going through the end of December and I will have space for 5-7 vendor tables. I want people to be able to set up on a Thursday afternoons and host the market Fridays-Sundays. So people don’t have to tear down at the end of every night. I want this to be affordable for the businesses popping up. I want them to be able to capitalize off the foot traffic in Downtown Kennewick during the holidays and to piggyback off of the shop’s traffic. If you would like to join us for the market, you can fill out this Google Form and get all the details.

I am also talking with some non-profits in our area to see how I can utilize the space to help our community in need. We are looking at hosting community meals and the shop is now a drop-off location for non-perishable food items and personal care supplies for Tri-Cities Distribution. If you have any desire to help any of these endeavors or causes, I will gladly take you up on it and help you connect with different organizations in town that are looking for volunteers and helpers. Email or message me and I will put you in touch with local organizations looking for help.

But, and this is the part I’m REALLY bad at, I also need your help. I suck at asking when I need help and I mostly do things on my own no matter the struggle, but this is one Is bigger than just what I can accomplish on my own. I need help funding the expansion of the shop. Because it’s happening faster than I anticipated, I need help covering the cost of construction and the faster-than-anticipated extra overhead (rent/utilities.) I’m working on a “kickstarter” plan that includes signature candles for contributors, a big contributor party when the construction is complete next year, and some other little incentives. I know that this is a big ask. I know that things are uncertain and money is really tight. But, if you have the means and desire to help, anything is gratefully appreciated and humbly accepted. You can head to this link to make a donation or just come on in to the shop and we can chat. But, more than anything, I want you to continue to support Earth Spirit through your patronage. Shopping with us and attending classes means the world to me and it’s what has kept the shop going this long and I know it’s what will keep us going for years to come.

I love you all and I am so grateful that I get to live this life and offer Earth Spirit to our community. I am so excited to see where this road takes us. It all comes down to knowing that this is an idea worth implementing and with your help, it will become a reality.