toward what's warm

soul-soothing warmth, in the desert + everywhere

Every spring, I crave desert warmth. There’s something about red earth, direct sun, brilliant succulents, and impossibly starry skies that soothes my ocean-born, now-mountain-dwelling soul. Taos, Santa Fe, Sedona, Palm Springs… This spring, I didn’t visit this magical climate, and my body deeply notices the void.

My last visit to the desert was with my coven in October when we went to Ojo Caliente. My December trip to San Diego offered a wee touch of the desert vibes I needed to get me through this winter. But there’s a specific light and energy of springtime in the desert.

I visited Sedona for the first time in spring about 24 years ago, and I’ve returned a few times since - each time glorious! I’ve lingered in Santa Fe and Taos in various spring trips since 2002. I held my baby blessing ceremony in Palm Springs in the autumn of 2006 when I was pregnant, and I returned to Palm Desert for Coachella with my best friend in spring 2018 (to see Beyoncé!).

coachella, 2018

Each time I’ve been to the desert,…