10/21/25 Erosion.

 

There used to be a lot more time in between the point “A’s” and the point “B’s” in the world. I can remember (and I know you can too) when you’d go the mail box in anticipation of receiving a mail-order catalog that was fun to peruse through. Then...if you ordered something...it would usually take 14 days to receive.

No immediate gratification.

Instead..patience was required and then anticipation was the result.

There’s a part of me that thinks...this space of time...in between...promoted a certain "good humaning" skill set. The Pause.

The ability to sit with time...and let it be. And well...the item ordered...arrived when it arrived. I think this also created a greater appreciation in us for when this fulfillment did come around.

I can’t help but wonder if the current level of immediate gratification we experience on the daily... is eroding in essence...a calming human skill set. (What we used to experience in “the pause”.) It’s as if being able to order something online and receive it the next day, or googling a question and receiving an immediate answer, or sending a text to a friend or family member and receiving an immediate reply…has created a restlessness amongst us.

An insatiable need for everything to happen “right now”.

What happened to our ability to sit on a bench and wait for a ride and do so with absolutely no stimulus other than maybe a book or simply observing our present surroundings? We could travel in a car or on a plane and at best we’d look out the window or read a magazine or listen to the radio. And be perfectly content with this.

Could it be that our "good humaning" skills are being eroded by reacting to our own mind’s demand for entertainment, input, distraction and constant need to “feed a false nervous tick,” simply because countless ways to entertain ourselves are now available?  

I’ve caught myself doing this...feeling this sense of urgency but not knowing exactly where it was coming from. That I’ve got to check my facebook feed for the latest updates, or see what the latest posts on IG contain. Until I stopped myself and said...”Why?”

“Why this false need to surrender my time to what amounts to mindless banter?”

Because when I sit with this feeling...at the end of spending 30-45 minutes mindlessly scrolling social media...I recognize that nothing I found there was truly fulfilling. It was empty. And I was duped.

My sense of groundedness and self-discipline and control over how I use time has been called into question. These things have been eroding...until I recognized that it’s my responsibility to maintain my own autonomy. A renewed set of human skill sets are being called forth.

The modern world of 2025 continues to pitch fast balls at our faces...almost like we’re being water-boarded by mindless banter from every direction.

Every human has 24 hours in a day. And it’s up to us just how we utilize these hours.

Shall we let ourselves be controlled by a system that’s barraging us?

How do we turn off the screaming fits that our addicted human minds are battering us with to be entertained and “feed the beast?”

First...we must recognize that this is happening. Second...limit. Five minutes, ten minutes, twenty minutes.

Self-Discipline is a key step towards becoming grounded and unshakable.

Over-stimulus is feeding over-thinking. It never stops. It never sleeps.

And is a daily practice to turn it off.

Silence the “current hot topic of the day.” Because tomorrow it won’t even matter. And if it doesn’t matter tomorrow...why should it matter today?

Instead...let’s return to listening to our hearts..the deeper parts of ourselves that have been silently sitting there waiting to be heard. The what-truly-matters-the-most-to-us parts of ourselves.

Let’s return to feeling our souls and strengthening our skills to discern what truly matters again.

And then mute everything else.

And stand in the strength of this daily action!

I don’t want to allow myself to be eroded away by mindlessness and fools gold.

Yet I am challenged by this nearly every day.

It helps that I live in the mountains where cell-signal and internet connection isn’t always available. So I get the blessing of being reminded that it’s even possible to turn it off...because sometimes it just goes out. Little to no warning.

But then I hear the silence again. Because the screaming stopped.

And there’s peace again.

Photo Credit: myself...pic of a leaf skeleton

Just a little reminder…

This week’s “Field Notes for the Soul” arrives Thursday morning at 9:30 AM — a soft landing place in your inbox.

If you’ve been feeling unsettled… resisting change… or holding on a little too tightly — you’re not alone. This issue is a gentle invitation to loosen your grip and listen to what the season is whispering.

Field Notes is a compass.
A warm mug between your hands.
A reminder that you don’t have to force what’s meant to flow.

This week’s email includes:
🍂 A reflection on what the trees can teach us about letting go
🍁 A wild-hearted practice for releasing what’s ready to fall away
🎶 A soulful song to carry you through the transition

💌 Sign up to receive it in your inbox.

Subscribe here → https://rachel-dickson.kit.com/1cbeacc5e8

*After signing up, be sure to click the confirmation email so it finds you.

Click here → to view previous issues of Field Notes

You don’t have to face change alone.
Let’s walk this season together.

Photo Credit: Image by Kanenori from Pixabay

10/06/25 What We Created Together Under the Harvest Moon 🌕

 

There was a moment, just a few days before our Transforming Our World: A Full Harvest Moon Gathering, when I almost canceled.
Ticket sales were slow. Only two names were on the list. And I’ll be honest—it was discouraging.

But something deep within whispered, no… hold the space anyway.
So I did.

And then, the most extraordinary thing happened.

People began to walk in. One by one.
By the time we gathered in circle on Sunday afternoon, there were eight radiant guests and five incredible practitioners—all together, thirteen souls held in a room filled with golden light, tears, laughter, flowers, and frequency.

It was nothing short of transformative magic.

The tears, the connection, the love, the uplifting, the hugs, the flowers, the sharing, the support given and received, the learning, the unfolding of it all… absolutely, undeniably incredible.

I’ve been flying on that energetic high ever since.

And tonight—under the light of the actual Full Harvest Moon—I’m reflecting on just how powerful it is when we choose to show up anyway.
Even when it’s uncertain.
Even when the numbers don’t look “successful.”
Even when doubt whispers that maybe it’s not worth it.

Because it always is.
When hearts gather with intention, the medicine always arrives.

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With deepest gratitude to the circle that made this magic possible…

✨ Patty Young — For bringing the wisdom of the ages and welcoming our grandmothers, grandfathers, and ancestors from all directions into the sacred space. The depth of your wisdom was felt by all.

🌈 Jaci Dayley — For guiding us through the Colour Mirrors and helping us see the messages our souls were calling forth. The clarity and truth that surfaced were breathtaking.

🎶 Elise Burrows — For being the maestro with the singing bowls, blessing us with solfeggio frequencies and the high vibration of fresh-cut flowers. (My kitchen counter still hums with color and light thanks to you!)

🎤 Keturah Allgood — For opening hearts through song and story, and reminding us how deeply we are connected through sound and courage.

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The Full Harvest Moon energy pulses strong. A new phase begins—and with it, an invitation to keep letting go of what no longer serves, while welcoming in what’s new… with hearts full of gratitude.

This, my friends, is the way.
And I believe we truly did transform our world—one circle, one moment, one open heart at a time.

May we continue to gather, to grow, and to remember that even the smallest circles can hold the greatest light.
With love and gratitude,
Rachel Dickson

 

 

Photo Credit: Harvest Moon Over the Blue Ridge by Bob Peterson

 

10/04/25 The Remembering

 

Just over a year ago, Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina and left her mark on the land and in our hearts. So much changed forever — forests reshaped, rivers rerouted, lives altered in ways big and small and lives lost.

Today, while riding along the newly reopened Blue Ridge Parkway, I was reminded of just how Blessed we all are to be able to experience the majesty found along the BRP again. At one of the pull-off overlooks, among the rugged edges of autumn, I saw them again — tiny clusters of Smooth Aster, their violet petals swaying in the wind. Just like last year, when they caught my eye in the middle of grief, they whispered the same message:

“We are here to remind you of resilience. Even after the storm, beauty finds a way.”

As the Full Harvest Moon rises tomorrow night, I feel the weight of memory mixed with the promise of renewal. The moon has always been a mirror — illuminating what is ready to be released, and what longs to be welcomed in. And in times like these, ceremony matters.

That’s why I created Transforming Your World: A Full Harvest Moon Gathering — a space for us to gather, to pause, and to reconnect with what is sacred and steady within us.

Together we will:
✨ Open sacred space with Cherokee descendant Patty Young
✨ Receive color-inspired guidance through the Colour Mirrors Bottles with Jaci Dayley
✨ Soak in the healing vibrations of a live crystal bowl sound bath by Elise Burrows
✨ Journey inward with a guided meditation led by me, Rachel Dickson
✨ Carry it home with a downloadable Gratitude Journal for ongoing reflection

This is more than an event. It is ceremony — a circle of remembering, healing, and transformation under the light of the Harvest Moon. Please join us!

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center | Brevard, NC
🕑 Sunday, October 5 | 2–4 PM
🎟 Tickets: $35 (includes Gratitude Journal PDF)

Come as you are. Leave with renewed energy, clarity, and connection.

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: Dan Mullen CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

093025: I see you. Because I am you...and you are me.

 

“Wherever we insist on pushing our differences on others we feel the separation. We name this separation resistance, laziness, loneliness, depression, anxiety, or some kind of lack in ourselves. Then we claim these as ‘who we are’—I am resistant, I am lazy, I am lonely, I am anxious, I am stupid, I am unappreciated, I am unworthy, I am alone, and so forth.

Meaning makers understand that everything and everyone is part of ‘the field,’ as Einstein said. We are always part of the ocean. The invitation is to become conscious of what we say ‘I am that’ to—because that is what expands our reality. When we align our ‘I am’s’ with something uplifting and meaningful, we widen the field of what’s possible. Our actions follow suit. We become more receptive, more open, more connected. We discover that we belong everywhere, rather than confining ourselves to one small group. Everyone and everything becomes part of the field to explore.

Thought transformation is the central tool of the meaning maker.

When we recognize that everything is sacred—that tat tvam asi (“thou art that”)—we begin to behave as if we are walking among the holy on sacred ground. We make eye contact with our holiness and recognize it as such.”

(Excerpt from The Zero Point Agreement by Julie Tallard Johnson)

---

A few weeks ago, I made eye contact with the knowing that tender emotions would soon be rising up from within us all as the one-year anniversary of Helene arrived. I sensed the importance of meeting this with gentleness and grace, and surrounding myself with others who get it. I chose to walk among the holy, on sacred ground.

For me, this practice began with attending the healing Rising Appalachia gathering in Black Mountain, NC last weekend. With dear friends, I felt the deep connection, collective love, and intentional grounding that reminded us we are not alone in navigating all that last year brought to WNC.

The next step was creating a very intentional gathering of my own—one that would give us all a space to meet these emotions with light, connection, and transformation.

That gathering is the Transforming Your World: Full Harvest Moon Gathering on Sunday, October 5th at Elk Haven Wellness Center in Brevard.

We’ll open with blessings offered to—and received from—the Full Harvest Moon, followed by a resonant sound bath led by Elise Burrows. We’ll then explore soul-nourishing messages revealed through the Colour Mirror bottles with Jaci Dayley, and close with a guided meditation for reflection and renewal. To support your journey beyond the gathering, each ticket also includes a downloadable Gratitude Journal.

This two-hour event is about transforming sorrow and grief into joy, resilience, and hope.

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center, Brevard, NC
🕑 Sunday, October 5 | 2–4 PM
🎟 Tickets: $35 (includes Gratitude Journal PDF)

Seating is limited to keep this gathering intimate, and I do expect it to sell out.

Because now, more than ever—
we need togetherness.
I need togetherness.
And I do hope you’ll join us.

 

 

Photo Credit: Image by Joe from Pixabay

 

 

 

 

Transforming Your World: A Harvest Moon Gathering 🌕 (Oct 5th, 2-4p)

 

You are invited to this very special in-person event!

Sunday, October 5th, 2025 | 2:00–4:00 PM
Elk Haven Wellness, Brevard, NC

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The Invitation

The October Harvest Moon is a time of completion, release, and transformation. It illuminates what we’ve grown through, invites us to let go of what no longer serves, and opens space for our deepest wishes to take root.

This gathering, Transforming Your World, is an afternoon of sacred reflection, sound, and intention. Together we will call in the directions, connect with Colour Mirrors, raise vibration with crystal bowls, and claim the golden wisdom available when the masculine and feminine energies come back into balance.

This is your chance to pause, reflect, and boldly step into your next chapter.

---

What to Expect

During our two hours together, you’ll be guided through:

✨ Sacred Space & Directions – an intentional opening to ground and arrive fully.

✨ Colour Mirrors Connection – select a coloured bottle or spritzer as your mirror of transformation.

✨ Crystal Bowl Sound Bath – relax into resonance, allowing vibration to clear and uplift.

✨ Guided Meditation – journey inward with visualization to unlock balance, clarity, and courage.

✨ Harvest & Release Ritual – journal and let go of what no longer belongs in your world.

✨ Wishes & Transformation – write, visualize, and embody your wishes for the new season.

✨ Closing Gratitude – anchor your experience in appreciation and carry it forward with your downloadable Gratitude Journal (PDF included with reserved seat).

---

Why This Moon Matters

The October full moon shines a bright light on what we truly want. It helps us see hidden dreams, release old patterns, and set goals that align with our heart. It reminds us that we already hold the keys to transform our world—one brave wish, one grounded step, one grateful breath at a time.

---

Event Details

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center (Community Room)
100 Elks Club Rd, Brevard, NC 28712
🕑 Sunday, Oct 5 | 2–4 pm
🎟️ Tickets: $35 (includes downloadable Gratitude Journal)

Seating is limited to keep this gathering intimate, so please reserve quickly. 
We expect this event to sell out.

(After reserving your spot, you will receive a confirmation email with details such as what to expect, the venue address, contact info for questions, and the link to your Gratitude Journal PDF.)

Photo Credit: pixabay dot com

Wholeness Is a Birthright: A Candid Conversation with Leslie Nease

 

“My church-going peers knew I was gay before I did.”

That’s just one of the candid truths I share in my brand new conversation with Leslie Nease on the Honoring the Journey Podcast.

We talked about what it was like growing up in a strict religious environment, being dismissed from Northland Baptist Bible College as a Summer Camp Sports Clinician because of my short haircut , and the long, messy process of moving from denial to self-acceptance.

This episode is real, unfiltered, and full of the courage it takes to live audaciously and claim wholeness as a birthright.

If you’ve ever wrestled with identity, faith, or the pressure to fit someone else’s mold, I think you’ll find pieces of your own story in this conversation.

🎧 Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FV6ND9EJdrO9OaIUhOKWj?si=WLFtT5DQTjafEAyItKI6RQ

or watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Iu-XNqmEt0g?si=KoLjrHF7RZ7Ti-Eq 

I’m deeply grateful to Leslie for holding such a beautiful space for this conversation. 💜

 

 

 

 

 

Honoring the Journey: Season 5, Episode 34

 

 

I had the honor and privilege of being interviewed recently on Leslie Nease's podcast called "Honoring the Journey" and I'm excited to announce the full episode (Season 5 episode 34) drops tomorrow!  Monday, September 22nd on Spotify.

Haven't heard of Leslie Nease or the Honoring the Journey podcast? No worries...here's the scoop:
 

 

About Honoring the Journey:

"Life is a journey, and we’re all walking our own unique path. But every now and then, we get the chance to step onto someone else’s path, to see the world from their perspective, and to learn from their experiences. That’s what we do here on Honoring the Journey. We walk alongside others, explore their stories, and then step back onto our own path—hopefully with new insights, deeper understanding, and a broader perspective for the journey ahead. 

Honoring the Journey is hosted by Leslie Nease, a former Christian Radio Host, Speaker & Writer and Contestant on Survivor China known as "Sister Christian". Leslie has since deconstructed her Evangelical beliefs, but is still deeply connected to God and is seeking to understand faith from every perspective. Let's journey together!"

Listen now on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FV6ND9EJdrO9OaIUhOKWj?si=WLFtT5DQTjafEAyItKI6RQ

This interview and podcast episode comes after my standing on the Tedx Stage and sharing my story.

You can view the full Tedx Talk by clicking here.

More to come.
Until then,,,,DARE to be YOU!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pickleball Conundrum and How to Deploy a Jedi Practice

 

For those who may not know: in pickleball, you can only score a point when you’re the server. But here’s the catch—if your serve doesn’t land cross-court inside the correct boundary, it’s a fault. 

Translation: no point, no chance, game moves on. You sabotage your own ability to score before the rally even begins.

So you can imagine the importance of a “good” serve.

I LOVE playing this game! But lately, my conundrum has been just this...getting my serves in. Sounds small, but in doubles, when most of your serves drift out of bounds? Not great.

Enter the Jedi practice of visualization.

This isn’t new, and I can’t take credit for it—I first came across the power of mental imagery in a college sports psychology class. But here’s the magic:

If, right before serving, I pause and see the ball going exactly where I want it to go—in detail, in my mind’s eye—and then I serve? My success rate skyrockets! All of this takes less than five seconds.

The takeaway: when we’re doing something familiar, our brains love to go on autopilot. We think about other things, we drift. And when we’re not fully present, mistakes happen. (Lost keys, flubbed serves—you know the drill.) Visualization snaps me back into the moment. It’s a way of saying: I’m here. I’m focused. Let’s do this!

This is one reason I love pickleball—the way it challenges both body and mind toward a clear intention.

Have any of you struggled with focusing on the task at hand...and come up with ways to bring your mind back into focus? 

I’d love to hear about your “Jedi practice.”

Do tell!

Photo Credit: from pickleballunion dot com

 

 

Relections on the Mirror of the Soul: Full Corn Moon Gathering 🌕

 

This past Sunday (Sept 7th), we gathered for the very first Mirror of the Soul in-person resonance circle. Fourteen of us sat together at Elk Haven Wellness Center in Brevard under the energy of the Full Corn Moon—a moon of harvest, gratitude, and release.

And what unfolded was nothing short of magical.

Sound, Color, and Soul

The afternoon began with anticipation—a gentle nervousness as each person entered the space, curious about what might unfold. Very quickly, that energy softened as the vibration of Elise Burrows’ playing the crystal bowls carried us into resonance. Those who were present will remember the solfeggio tones weaving through the air—those “wah-wah-wah” waves that seemed to vibrate through bone and breath alike.

Alongside the sound, each participant chose a Colour Mirror bottle—a companion of light, shape, and vibration. These bottles are more than decoration. Each is a mirror, reflecting your strengths, your growth, and the next step your soul is asking for.

To watch the faces light up as the written meanings were read, as messages aligned so precisely with what each heart needed—it was extraordinary. The bottles spoke, and you listened.

Guided Messages

During our guided meditation, each person found themselves seated on a symbolic bench, visited by just the right presence: a guide, an ancestor, a future self, or another messenger entirely. Some wondered if they should have met themselves—yet the truth of meditation is that whoever arrives in that sacred inner space is exactly who you need at that time.

If you return to that inner bench again, you may find someone new waiting for you. The messages change as we do. Meditation is like a galactic telephone booth—you step in, tune your ear, and the wisdom you most need comes through.

Liminal Moon Magic

We gathered in a powerful threshold—the moment when the moon shifted from waxing to full to waning. These liminal phases are where transformation ripens:

🌒 Waxing: growth, expansion, abundance
🌕 Full: gratitude, clarity, harvest
🌘 Waning: release, surrender, rest

The Corn Moon has long been associated with harvest, not only of crops but of our inner lives. It invites us to:

• Celebrate what we’ve achieved and learned

• Give thanks, even for difficult experiences

• Let go of what no longer serves

That invitation was alive in the room, woven into sound, color, and community.

Continuing the Journey

If the energy of Sunday is still moving in you, here are ways to carry it forward:

🌈 Colour Mirrors bottles
To go deeper with the message of your bottle, connect with Jaci Daley on Facebook

🎧 Guided Meditations
I’m releasing new guided meditations each week. You can purchase and download them here:
👉 racheldickson.com/meditations.htm

🔔 Crystal Bowl Recordings
I’ve published several recordings from Elise Burrows’ public gatherings on my YouTube channel (rdicksonoutdoors). Listen anytime for meditation or rest:

• Recording 1

• Recording 2

• Recording 3

Gratitude

To everyone who joined us: thank you! You made this gathering divine.
This first event has confirmed for me that Mirror of the Soul is only just beginning.
Much more to come! Stay tuned.

With love and resonance,
Rachel Dickson

Photo Credit: Image by Florian Kurz from Pixabay

Raise Your Mug, Raise Your Energy: Let It Go

 

September 1st is here—a natural pause, a chance for clarity, bold choices, and stepping fully into your power. It’s a day to release what no longer serves you, and to welcome what you truly want to cultivate.

So I decided to put it on a mug. ☕✨

“Let that sh*t go.”

Because some mornings require more than caffeine. Some mornings require courage, intention, and a little bit of magic. Holding this mug is a small ritual: a moment to pause, breathe, and declare to yourself—and to the world—that you are stepping into your energy fully.

Raise it high. Let it remind you to release, reset, and step boldly into today.

These mugs are for anyone ready to drink deeply from the cup of clarity and audacity. A simple tool, a small practice, a bold reminder.

Grab your fresh start: click here

only $7.92 

Believing in Beautiful Things

“You will miss out on beautiful things if you continue to stay rooted in the ways you were wronged… Instead, open yourself to the world, and allow it to fill you with the kinds of people, moments, and experiences that make you love your life more each day.”
— Bianca Sparacino, A Gentle Reminder

This quote stops me in my tracks every time I read it. Because isn’t that what life is asking of us, over and over again? To loosen our grip on old hurts, to stop letting the past pull us away from what the present is offering, and to open ourselves—fully—to what is right here, waiting for us.

This is the heartbeat of Mirror of the Soul: A Corn Moon Experience.

On Sunday, September 7th, from 2–4 PM, we’ll gather together at the very moment the Full Corn Moon peaks (2:09 PM EST).

In that sacred window, we will:
✨ Release what no longer serves
✨ Attune to the resonant tones of live crystal bowls (played by Elise Burrows)
✨ Explore the language of color through Colour Mirrors (guided by Jaci Daley)
✨ Journey inward through a guided meditation (led by me, Rachel Dickson)

This will be a space of resonance—where sound, color, and spirit align to awaken gratitude, clarity, and renewal under the Corn Moon. Together, we’ll pause long enough to hear our own wisdom rise.

If this gathering calls to you, I would be honored for you to join us.

 

 

Photo Credit: Image by u_vra2ox6otu from Pixabay

 

What are colored bottles that we'll be using on Sept 7th at the Mirror of the Soul event?

 

I need to clarify something.
Our Sept 7th gathering—Mirror of the Soul: Full Corn Moon Experience—isn’t just another sound bath. (See post below)

Yes, you’ll hear the crystal bowls under the peak of Full Corn Moon.
But this gathering is about much more than sound.
It’s about meeting yourself in color, vibration, and truth.

Here’s how the color portion of the event works:
✨ Choose a Colour Mirrors bottle (from rows and rows of vibrant colors) that calls to you.
✨ That bottle becomes your companion during the sound bath—amplifying the vibration of the bowls and aligning you with its unique energy.
✨ Hold it close during the guided meditation, receive a written description of its meaning, and even ask it questions during the meditation.
✨ Together, everyone will place their bottles in a central area—forming a symbol that Jaci Daley will interpret as the group’s collective message.

🚫 This is not decoration.
Colour Mirrors is a global system of colored oil-and-water bottles, created in South Africa in 2001 and used around the world for self-awareness and transformation. Each color carries a vibration that reflects back your strengths, your growth, and the next step your soul is asking for.

This is part personal journey, part collective tapestry.
And it will be unforgettable under the Full Corn Moon. 🌕

 

✨ Please join us for this two-hour experience of sound, meditation, and intention—aligned with the moon’s peak energy.
💫 Choose your Colour Mirrors bottle, tune into the crystal bowls, and discover the messages waiting for your soul.
💞 Connect, align, and share in the energy of community.

Photo credit: Colour Mirrors FB page

Mirror of the Soul: A Full Corn Moon Experience 🌕 (Sept 7, 2-4p)

 

Announcing Our First Ever in-person Resonance Circle!

Step into a two-hour gathering designed to awaken inner wisdom, attune your energy, and connect with kindred spirits under the Full Corn Moon.

You’ll experience:
✨ Color Mirror Bottle Work with Jaci Dayley — intentions + a living mandala of resonance
✨ Crystal Bowl Sound Bath with Elise Burrows — healing solfeggio frequencies
✨ Guided Meditation with Rachel Dickson — receiving messages from your higher self

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with full details (address, what to bring, and contact info).

Come with an open heart. Leave aligned, inspired, and connected.

Can't wait to see you there! 

 

Photo Credit: Image by Susana Cipriano from Pixabay

 

Growing Up in the Shadow of Focus on the Family

When I heard today’s headline, “James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, has died,” I felt relief. For me, it marked the end of an era that caused deep harm in my life and in the lives of so many others.

Why relief?

Because it is finished.

Dobson’s voice was one of the loudest in shaping my parents’ worldview and, by extension, my upbringing. His books, his radio program, his version of “family values”...all of it wove its way into our household. If you’ve watched my TEDxBrevard talk, you’ll recognize echoes of this influence in my story.

One memory in particular rose to the surface today. It was 1999. I had just come out to my parents, and we were locked in a painful back-and-forth of emails where scripture was wielded like a weapon. In those days, my parents often turned to Christian organizations like Focus on the Family for “biblical guidance” about how to handle their daughter being gay.

That week, I tuned into a Focus on the Family broadcast that was devoted entirely to “the problem of homosexuality.” It was gut-wrenching to hear, but I felt I had to keep listening…because I knew my parents were listening, too. I needed to be ready for the next barrage of questions and accusations, many of which I knew would come straight from Dobson’s script.

That’s the kind of impact James Dobson had...not just ideas, but real ripple effects in families like mine, shaping conversations that cut deeply into already fragile relationships.

And yet, I will give credit where it’s due. A sad and horrifying truth buried in the history of many church families is the very real devastation that pornography inflicted—especially when husbands and fathers chose to hide it and refused to take the steps that could have brought healing to themselves and their families. I witnessed firsthand the indignity and damage it caused. Dobson named that reality and attempted to do something about it. For that, I tip my hat. He got this one right—a battle still being waged in many evangelical circles today.

But alongside that, Dobson’s legacy is heavy with words that were hateful, divisive, and dehumanizing...about women, about marriage, about LGBTQ people, about reproductive rights, and more. Those words caused real harm.

So yes, today I feel relief. An era has ended.

It is finished.

 

Photo Credit: Image by riyan hidayat from Pixabay

 

 

 

What if the headline read: “Wild-hearted rebel seen talking to trees again?"

What if you got to write the news of your own life?
That’s where this week’s Field Notes for the Soul begins.

Every Wednesday, I send out a quiet little ripple...part reflection, part remembering, part nudge to stay wild-hearted and true.
Sometimes it’s a story. Sometimes it’s a practice.
Always, it’s an invitation to come back to your own knowing.

This week’s note is all about rewriting the inner headlines…
and remembering we get to shape the story.

Want it in your inbox? 
👉 [click here to sign-up]

After signing up, be sure to click the confirmation email so it finds you.

 

 

Photo Credit: Image by Nature Nomad from Pixabay

 

New: Guided Meditations for Coming Home to Yourself

 

In a world that moves fast, pushes hard, and rarely pauses, the most radical thing we can do is come back to ourselves.

I’m thrilled to share a new offering that’s been quietly growing behind the scenes...
a collection of 5-minute guided meditations created with care and intention to help you reconnect with your breath, your body, and your truth.

Each meditation is just $5.55, downloadable, and yours to keep...so you can return to them anytime you need a reset.

Whether you're feeling scattered, overstretched, or simply longing for a moment of stillness...these meditations are little anchors. Invitations to listen inward. To soften. To return.

Here’s what’s available now:

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🌿 Let the River Reconnect You

A 5-minute guided meditation for softening, releasing, and remembering your natural rhythm.
Let the sound of river water and gentle guidance bring you back to center — perfect for quiet mornings, barefoot walks, or when life feels loud.
🎧 Includes river sounds + closing affirmation.
👉 Get the meditation »

 

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🌀 Return to the Wisdom Within

Your body holds an ancient knowing. This 5-minute practice helps you tune back in.
Through breath, sensation, and gentle prompts, you’ll remember: You have a compass. You were born with it.
🎧 Best with headphones and a quiet moment.
👉 Download here »

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🔒 The Sacred “No”

A 5-minute guided meditation to reclaim your boundaries and your energy.
Your No is not selfish. It’s sacred. This meditation is a soft but clear reminder that honoring your limits is a form of love...for yourself and the world around you.
🎧 Includes reflection + breathwork.
👉 Access now »

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🏡 Coming Home to Yourself (Free)

This one’s for everyone.
Even if you’ve felt too far gone, too tired, or too disconnected — there’s a place inside you that never left.
This short meditation is a gentle doorway back to the part of you that remembers how to come home.
✨ Completely free. No strings. Just presence.
👉 Listen for free»

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If you're new to meditation or unsure where to begin — start here.
You don’t need to be perfect or practiced.
You just need a few quiet minutes and a willingness to feel what’s real.

Because sometimes, the next step in your healing isn’t a big one.
It’s a breath.
It’s a pause.
It’s five minutes of remembering you belong to yourself.

—

💛 More coming soon. But for now, may these meditations meet you where you are — and gently bring you home.

With heart,
Rachel

Photo Credit: Image by Rene Tittmann from Pixabay

 

 

 

07/31/25: What makes you feel?

 

I was asked this question some time ago...and it’s been in the back of my mind every since. This is a heart-opening question. One that makes you pause and think about things that brought you instant joy or instantly caused tears to well up in your eyes without explanation.

Feelings like these are uncontrollable. They just happen.

It’s a “this” happens...then “that” response instantaneously arrives. Like riding a roller coaster...you’re being thrashed about...up...then down...then up...then down...and the whole time your body is responding in realtime.

You walk into an art museum...and at the end of the hall is hanging one of Claude Monet’s original water lily paintings. It’s big. Something like 4 feet by 6 feet. And it takes your breath away because you realize the colors are different than what you’d seen depicted in pictures. Which then of course means...you’re looking at...and in the presence of...an original water lily painting by Monet

You get emotional...tears well up in your eyes...and you can’t explain why.

This is what it means to feel. And these are examples of things that make you feel.

When it comes to listening to your body’s conversations with you...what I mean to say here is...when your body is speaking from a soul level to you...these are the things that carry the most meaning in life on earth. The unexplainable...yet SO FULL of knowing that you wouldn’t think of questioning the truths that lay deep within that experience. You just know somewhere deep inside you that this experience was filled to overflowing with meaning and truth and infallibility.

These moments...cannot be described with simple words. There are layers upon layers upon layers of truth and knowing that a simple word cannot contain. And the emotion these moments cultivates is impalpable.

Some more examples...witnessing the birth of a child, the arrival of someone you dearly love at the airport after being absent for too long, a sunrise over the Blue Ridge Mountains, the sound of thousands of gallons of water pouring over a waterfall where you can feel it in the air...and can feel it in your bones.

Maybe now you understand what I’m speaking of here. The deep deep deeply meaningful experiences of being human with a soul. Those moments when something outside of you...where something almost celestial transcends into your personal spaces and touches your heart.

So I’ll ask you again.

What makes you feel?

Photo Credit: Henry Mowry from mowryjournal dot com Sunrise over the Blue Ridge Parkway

 

 

 

 

Wholeness is my Rebellion!

 

Not hustle. Not burnout. Not overexertion to prove I’m enough.
Wholeness.

The kind that comes from listening to my body.
From telling the truth to myself.
From choosing rest, peace, and clarity…even when the world rewards the opposite.
And from showing up...with every part of myself.

I made a shirt to wear this reminder out loud.
Because in a world that feeds on disconnection, choosing to be whole is radical.

This is for the wild hearts, the soft souls, the everyday rebels who know that coming home to yourself is the most powerful move you can make.

Shirt samples just arrived, and I finally got to put it on.
And guess what? They’re officially available now just $16.07.

If “Wholeness is my rebellion” speaks to something true in you…
you can wear it too.

Click here to grab yours.

and...I Love this Forest Green color!

 

 

 

 

Help Keep This Wild-Hearted Work Alive.

There’s a quiet truth beneath everything I create...from meditations to Field Notes, blog posts to t-shirts, river recordings to soul-fueled storytelling:

This work is personal.
It’s vulnerable.
It’s alive.

And it’s offered freely, from a place of deep calling...not just to express, but to connect. To create space for healing, reclamation, and return. To remind us that even in the chaos, there are still sacred places to land.

If you’ve found meaning here...
If something stirred, softened, lit up, or steadied in you...
If you’ve felt seen, soothed, or sparked in a way that matters...

Then first, thank you for walking this path with me. Your presence, your time, and your resonance are already a gift.

And...if you're wondering how to support the continuation of this work, here’s a simple way:

👉🏽 Want to help keep this wild-hearted work alive? You can make an offering here.

Think of it as a virtual trail snack. A refill of the creative well. A gesture of reciprocity — heart to heart.

Whether it’s $3 or $30 or simply sending this along to a friend who needs it, it all contributes to the ecosystem of this mission:
To create a healing, honest space where we can return to what’s real, together.

I believe in soul-led sustainability. In choosing work that’s aligned.
In living a life that honors the wisdom in our bones, and the truth that we were never meant to do this alone.

So if you feel called to support...thank you!
And if all you ever do is read these words and carry their essence with you?
That’s enough too.

With gratitude and reverence,
Rachel

Photo Credit: Image by Florian Dittmar from Pixabay 

Introducing Field Notes: A Weekly Invitation to Come Home to Yourself

 

There are moments when life hands you a mirror.

Sometimes it’s a quiet unraveling, sometimes a full-on rupture...but either way, you’re left standing in a space where the only path forward is deeper. Closer. Truer.

That’s where Field Notes was born.

It’s a weekly email I send each Wednesday...midweek medicine for anyone who’s been holding it all together for too long. A place where I share real reflections from the field of the forest, of the river, of the heart.

These aren’t polished essays or motivational fluff. They’re living transmissions from my own journey of unlearning, reclaiming, and wild-hearting.

Because healing isn’t linear...and coming home to yourself is a process we repeat over and over, in deeper layers each time.

In Field Notes, I write about:

• What it means to trust your body’s truth after years of override

• The quiet rebellion of choosing rest over performance

• Listening not just to the water and wind...but with them, as if your body remembers the language.

• Undoing what’s been programmed...and rewriting your own way

• Saying the sacred “no”

• And the everyday courage it takes to stop shrinking and start belonging to yourself again

You’ll also get access to the growing library of healing tools I’ve created — meditations, practices, and printable resources to help you remember who you were before the world told you otherwise.

Field Notes are free. Always.
Think of it as a gentle hand on your back midweek… a pause, a breath, a recalibration.

If you’re ready for realignment, soft rebellion, and finding your way back to the wild wisdom within you — I’d be honored to have you join us.

👉 Click here to subscribe to Field Notes and receive your free audio meditation: “The Power of the Sacred No.”

Welcome to the quiet revolution.
You don’t have to do it alone.
Let's do it together. Let's walk the audacious path of becoming ourselves again.

Photo Credit: Image by Ma_Frank from Pixabay

 

 

 

 

Wear the Reminder: “Love Is All There Is”

 

💗 A T-Shirt. A Truth. A Way of Seeing the World.

In a time when everything feels loud...the headlines, the heartbreak, the constant push to do more, prove more, be more...this shirt is a quiet offering:

Love is all there is.

Not as some fluffy idea or bypassed platitude...
But as a bone-deep remembering.

This shirt was born from that remembering.
That even when everything else is uncertain —
Even when the noise is deafening,
Even when you’re tired of holding it all together —
Love is still here.

In how we show up.
In how we choose again.
In how we extend grace to ourselves and each other.

It’s not naive to lead with love. It’s radical.

Because love asks us to soften when we want to armor up.
To stay open when the world tells us to close off.
To meet the moment...and ourselves...with compassion, not critique.

This shirt is a wearable invocation.
A gentle nudge.
A sacred mantra to carry on your chest and in your bones:

Love is all there is.

If that feels true for you — or if you want it to feel true again — this one’s for you.

🛒 Grab yours here — and let it be your daily reminder to return to love.

Share with someone who radiates this truth. Or someone who might need the reminder right now.

Let’s be the ones who choose love...again and again.

Through the Veil: A Wild-Heart Encounter with Source

Last week, I was reminded of the value of going outside to play...and how much I’ve missed this weekly practice in my life. Many months ago, I used to create “engagement practices” each time I ventured into the forest. These rituals anchored a sense of fantastical reverence for nature deep into my heart and soul.

Recently, I’ve also been returning to a phrase that’s stayed with me:

“The intelligence of your cells.”

A reminder that Source energy isn’t something we find... it’s something we are. Which means, when we go out into nature, we’re not just stepping into a world of living things...we’re stepping into ourselves. The Law of Oneness echoes here: everything we encounter is a mirror, a part of the whole, a reflection of who we truly are.

And if we truly believed that, what might become possible?

We already know from quantum physics that the observer influences the field. So, what happens when we enter the forest not just to walk through it...but to let it interact with us?

I experienced this firsthand yesterday. I went to a local forest, specifically with the intention of listening...not just to the water, but with it. I sat beside a flowing creek and tuned into its many layers of sound, energy, and presence. I listened to the water like it had something to say...and it did!

I brought along a pair of swimming goggles because I also wanted to explore what lived below the surface of this freshwater world. And what unfolded was nothing short of magical.

As I floated face-down, I watched schools of fish feeding. I gently stirred the river bottom with my hand, and the fish began to nibble at my fingers. We interacted. It became a quiet I see you, and you see me moment.

After about 30 minutes, something shifted. A soft, unexpected feeling of being accepted...not just as a visitor, but as part of this world...washed over me. I wasn’t just human anymore. I was consciousness in motion, sensing and being sensed, within a living, breathing web of awareness.

And the only thing separating me from this entire underwater world was a veil...just one simple layer of water. It only took a shift in perspective, a willingness to see through, to realize what had been there all along.

So I wonder:

How many sacred moments do we miss each day...because we’re too caught up in what we think matters most?

What if connection, stillness, and wonder are available… if only we’re willing to look through the veil?

Love energy is everywhere!
If we choose to look.
If we choose to listen.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com 

 

Join the Rebellion!

Grab your "Wholeness Is My Rebellion" t-shirt!

 
🖤 A T-Shirt. A Statement. A Way of Living.

There’s a quiet revolution happening... and it doesn’t always look like protest signs and loud voices.

Sometimes, it looks like healing.
Like refusing to shrink.
Like choosing rest over hustle.
Like saying “I’m not here to earn my worth — I already have it.”

This shirt isn’t just fabric and ink. It’s a reminder.

A reminder that reclaiming your whole self... every scar, every joy, every part of you that had to go quiet just to survive... is one of the most radical acts you can make in a world that teaches us to fragment.

This design was born out of my own journey back to wholeness.
Back to truth.
Back to me.

And maybe you’re on that same journey, too.

If so, I made this for us.
A wearable mantra.
A soft-armored declaration:
“Wholeness is my rebellion.”

🛒 Grab yours here — and wear it like the anthem it is.

🎯 And if you know someone else who's done the hard work of unshrinking? Tag them. Share it.
Let’s build a tribe of rebels — not for war, but for wholeness.

 

 

You deserve 5 minutes that are just for you.

 

There’s a place inside you that knows how to come home.

Even if you’ve been away for a long time.
Even if you’ve forgotten how to listen.
Even if life has made you feel like you’re too much, too tired, or too far gone.

I created this 5-minute guided meditation called “Coming Home to Yourself” as a gentle doorway back —

to your breath,
to your truth,
to the part of you that never left.

- It’s completely free.
- No expectations. Just presence.
- A moment of peace to meet yourself exactly where you are.

 → Click here to Download it

Let this be the beginning of your return.

 

 

NEW: The Audacity Toolkit ...Yours, FREE!

 

You don’t need permission to be who you are.
But sometimes, you need a reminder.
A nudge.
A tool in your pocket for the days when your voice feels small or the world feels too loud.

That’s why I created The Audacity Toolkit: 
5 Practices to Reclaim Who You Really Are.

It’s a simple, printable PDF — but don’t let that simplicity fool you. These five practices have carried me through some of the hardest transitions of my life. And I’m offering them to you, free, when you sign up for my email series: 

 

📬 Field Notes — Reflections for the Audacious

This isn’t just a newsletter.
Field Notes is where I share stories, soul-level reflections, and healing truths for anyone who’s done shrinking — and is ready to come home to themselves.

I write for the truth-tellers, the quiet rebels, the ones who are starting to choose peace over performance. 

 

🎁 What You’ll Get When You Sign Up:

• The Audacity Toolkit (PDF) — A grounding guide with 5 practices to help you reclaim your voice, your wholeness, and your next step forward.

• Field Notes in your inbox — Thoughtful, heart-forward reflections that remind you: you’re not alone in this work. 

   

⤵️ Ready to begin?

👉 Click here to sign up and get your free copy now.

Because reclaiming who you are doesn’t require fixing yourself.
It just requires coming home.

 

 

 

Rachel Dickson's TexBrevard Talk Now Available to View!

"I Was Told My Haircut Didn’t Meet ‘Christ-like’ Standards. This Is How I Found My True Self." Rachel Dickson

In her TEDx talk, Rachel Dickson shares her journey of self-discovery growing up in a conservative Christian environment. Constrained by rigid gender norms, she loved doing "boy things" like fishing and playing outside, but was often questioned about her gender. Her struggles continued into college, where a short haircut led to reprimands for not meeting "Christ-like" appearance standards, prompting a deep internal conflict between faith and authenticity.

Through her personal journey, Rachel found healing in unconditional love when she met her first girlfriend, helping her break free from the conditional love of her religious upbringing. She realized that true happiness comes from embracing one's authentic self, without needing external approval.

Rachel ends with a powerful message: "Dare to be YOU." She encourages others to reclaim their true selves, live authentically, and challenge societal expectations.

If this resonates with you please share with others who you feel it might impact as well.

 

#DareToBeYou

#AuthenticityMatters

#ReligiousTrauma

#BeyondTheRules

#EmpowermentThroughTruth

#ReclaimYourPower

#HealingThroughStory

#FaithAndFreedom

#ShameFreeLiving

#YouAreEnough

  

 

Join Me for Our First Ever Resonance Circle! Sunday, September 7th from 2p-4p in Brevard, NC

 

Step into Mirror of the Soul: A Full Corn Moon Experience—a two-hour gathering designed to awaken inner wisdom, attune your energy, and connect with kindred spirits under the Full Corn Moon.

Presented and hosted by Rachel Dickson, this immersive experience includes:

• Colored Mirror Bottle work with Jaci Dayley

• Crystal Bowl sound bath played by Elise Burrows

• A guided meditation to align your body, heart, and spirit led by Rachel Dickson

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center, Brevard, NC (Community Room)
🕑 Sunday, Sept 7 | 2–4 pm
🎟️ Tickets: $25

Click here to reserve your spot! 

Seating is limited to 20 so please reserve quickly. 
We expect this event to sell out. 

(After reserving your spot you will receive a confirmation email with details like: what to expect, address to the venue in Brevard, contact info in case of questions and what to bring.)

 

Come with an open heart and leave aligned, inspired, and in harmony with your deeper guidance.

On the day of the Full Corn Moon (September 7th) from 2:00pm-4:00pm, we gather in sacred circle to honor the season of harvest...not just in the fields, but within ourselves. This luminous full moon invites us to reflect, release, and receive the guidance of our deeper knowing.

In this two-hour indoor guided experience, you will:
✨ Set your intention and place your energy into the circle through the Color Mirror Bottles, creating a living mandala of collective resonance.
✨ Be immersed in the healing vibrations of a crystal bowl sound bath attuned to solfeggio frequencies, opening your body and spirit to higher alignment.
✨ Journey inward through a guided meditation, creating space for insight, healing, and messages from your inner wisdom or guides.
✨ Witness the group pattern’s meaning as interpreted through the language of color, symbolism, and intuitive resonance.

This gathering is a mirror — for the soul, for the collective, and for the wisdom waiting to rise in you.

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center, Brevard, NC (Community Room)
🕑 Sunday, Sept 7 | 2–4 pm
🎟️ Tickets: $25

Click here to reserve your spot!

(After reserving your spot you will receive a confirmation email with details like: what to expect, address to the venue in Brevard, contact info in case of questions and what to bring.)

Ever wondered what your energy has to say?

Join us under the Full Corn Moon for a guided meditation, color mirror bottle exploration, and crystal bowl sound bath. Leave inspired, aligned, and connected.

Two hours. One $25 ticket. Infinite possibilities.

 

Step into the Resonance Circle under the Full Corn Moon.
A two-hour experience of sound, meditation, and intention, aligned with the moon’s peak energy. Pick your color mirror bottle, tune into crystal bowls, and discover the messages waiting for your soul. Connect, align, and feel the energy of a like-minded community.

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center, Brevard, NC (Community Room)
🕑 Sunday, Sept 7 | 2–4 pm
🎟️ Tickets: $25 

 

Photo Credit: Image by Susana Cipriano from Pixabay