ethereal: (adjective) extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

About seven years ago, I noticed a woman walking on her porch with her two young sons. She lived across the street from us, but up a hill and on the other side of the block. I could faintly make out the shadowy movements that happened on her porch from my own creaky front porch. 

I had a strong felt sense of admiration and connection with her when I made this observation across a moonlit sky under the glare of the streetlight. Something felt resonate yet mysterious. 

I'd later learn that our children are the exact same ages and we both have an affinity towards authenticity and creative expression. Our connection was made on our shared corner where our oldest kids both boarded the school bus for kindergarten. We were the misfit moms, united in our disinterest in the town gossip. 

We both moved away in the span of the same 6 months or so but stayed connected via the magical fairy dust of social media. Over the years, each of our businesses started to bloom - Alexis's portrait photography and my astrological readings and events. 

Our paths merged once again when Alexis brought her skill of ethereal portrait photography to women's retreats that I started hosting called The Lunar Collective. 

This is Alexis in one of her self-portraits:

Alexis's work is expansive and transmutes things that might not be serving us or maybe even clears out things we didn't even know we were carrying with us.

This year, at The Lunar Collective Retreat, I was in Alexis's session called Inner Peace, Outer Beauty where she took us into a self-exploratory space pondering limiting beliefs, self-worth and bravery. 

She taught us that seeing ourselves from a different angle fosters self-expression. 

She helped me see that limiting beliefs and self-esteem issues can lead to missed opportunities because of fear. 

She offered invitations to experimentation and innovation over fear and past experiences.

Hmmmmmmmm...

Self-worth is my big meh. It's the thing that gets me every time. I'm good at faking not being troubled by it, but in the end, I still find it's residue lurking in all corners of my mind, my clothes and I even find it flying about when I roll out my yoga mat.

For my astrologically minded readers, I attribute this to many things, but strongly see it's ties to Saturn in the first House of personhood. Saturn is time-bound, Saturn is the time-keeper, the grim-reaper. Saturn asks us to devote and to put in the hours. 

The invitation to explore self-worth, to explore self-esteem, to face limiting beliefs and...

...accepting that sometimes you just need to run through the woods and let someone take a photo of it so that they can show you it's all going to be ok and if you can do that scary task, you can surely do other scary things...

beckons. 

Then, Alexis showed us examples of her photo shoots and taught us how to hold our hands and explained how dangerous yet freeing it can feel to put our arms up or throw our head back. 

At the close of the event she had three spaces for photo shoots and I was fortunate enough to secure one. I ADORE the photos and it's incredible how the EXPERIENCE has stuck with and shifted me in ways that I find it difficult to articulate. 

We spoke beforehand about the vision. My vision was to be Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz. For oh so many reasons.

I identify as a witchy woman who uses all kinds of feminine tools (nurturing, community, holding space, etc) to support myself, my family, my clients and my friends through life.

I hold dear to the sentiment of HOME and how home is a sanctuary like NO OTHER PLACE.

I love all thinks poufy and pastel. 

I did not have an outfit and Alexis provided the perfect one! So there we were, running through the mucky farm in my L.L. Bean boots and a pink sheer robe shivering while carrying my small magic wand and every bit of that shoot was pure joy, fun and ease. 

I still marvel at the Universe and how these two moms from Philly met on the street corner and years later here we are finding the magical cauldron of creative expression on a farm together beyond the city limits. 

Please bookmark Alexis's page. When you are ready to try on creative expression through ethereal photography as a way to experiment, innovate and capture evidence of your bravery, you know who to call. Like me, after you have the experience, you will wonder who you can gift it to in your life. 

xo,

Marjorie 

All Photos by Lexi Bird Photography 

Follow Alexis on IG here!