My Story

Sometimes we know.  We know what we want, who we want to be, what stories we want to create.  Sometimes we reinvent ourselves or discover ourselves for the very first time by struggling with change.  This is a story from many years ago of finding and listening to my essential self.

I sit alone at my kitchen counter, glancing around the room and notice at once the missing backpacks, piles of school books, and dropped sweatshirts.  The voices of young people laughing, talking, and blaring music that had so often filled this space are gone and I feel it.  I feel the absence of my children.  I feel the emptiness, greater than in my house, I feel it in my heart.

I am in transition as it is so often phrased.  My children have gone off to college, off to live on their own and begin lives that are independent of me.  How strange, I too, am beginning a life independent of my children.

I was not much older than my son is now when he was born.  I was so excited to welcome him into the world and to be a mother and yet I knew I was very young and that there would be many things I would miss out on while raising children. One day, I told myself, when they are grown, I will do all those things I was putting on hold.

And now that “one-day” is here.  It’s an interesting expression, vague, distant and without much direction.

I was swimming in uncertainty, reaching for a place to belong, to feel like my essential self

I started that journey with much anxiety, fear, doubt of my abilities at making a career change this late in life (doesn’t seem like it was that late now!) and more fear.  But I pushed forward because it was my “one-day.”

My first memory of wanting to be a therapist, wanting to help people was in third grade, while I didn’t really have any concept of what a therapist was at the time, I knew it was connected to my essential self. But, life, expectations from others and my own personal growth filled the space of years, marriage, children, work and divorce came and I told myself that when my children were grown, then I would go back to school and make a career change, become a therapist.

I started to question what I was doing.  Was this the right decision?  Was I in over my head?  Am I too old to make such an investment and change in my life?   I felt overwhelmed and unsure.

I considered not continuing, but when I played that out in my mind, it repeatedly left me feeling disappointed and empty.  I was looking for clarity from every place I thought I might find it; the instructors, friends, fellow classmates and my children, yet the clarity was inside of me all along, I just needed to listen.

Many years and a number of transitions have passed.  I believe transitions are a way of life, a constant on our journey.  They often begin with a loss, ask us to let go of the familiar, face uncertainty, and struggle with acceptance. But they also give us a chance to discover and use our strengths, to imagine a new possibility and new beginning.  A chance to redefine ourselves and a chance to honor our essential self.

Without question, I have learned my essential self is something inside me that gets stronger with every transition I navigate, and every new beginning I embrace.

More about Erin

Therapist & Educator best describe my work world parts, but my world view is also greatly influenced and enriched by my mom, nana, wife, sister, daughter and friend parts (not to mention, the creative, curious, quiet, pensive parts). There are so many different parts to all of us, the numerous, often moving parts that make up our whole, authentic self.

With over 25 years’ experience working with children, couples, families, and individuals, I bring a broad range of skills and training to my work as a therapist, educator, and consultant. I approach each interaction using a strengths-based mind-set. Together we will identify your strengths and lean into them to find solutions to challenges you are experiencing. My areas of expertise and special interests include; anxiety, divorce, separation, family transitions, childhood trauma, child behavior, and parenting.

Where to Find Erin

• In the Village
• My website: erinametz.com

Where I’ve been: 

I grew up in the small town of Warroad, Minnesota, located six miles south of Canadian border and an hour and a half north of the nearest Walmart. I consider myself to be a hardy, go-getter — you have to be when you live in Northern Minnesota. Small towns thrive off of community involvement and story-telling, and it is there that I found my passion for advocacy.

What I’m doing: 

After graduating from Warroad High School in 2018, I made the seven-hour trek south to attend Gustavus Adolphus College. There, I majored in Communication Studies and I truly found my voice. It wasn’t until the second semester of my senior year that I realized that I had a developed a passion for writing. I have spent the majority of my senior year trying to obtain as much experience in the fields of Marketing and Communications as possible. Over the course of the past few months, I have fallen in love with journalism. I am just a few short weeks away from graduation and it’s scary to be just discovering this new passion of mine, however, I am committed to letting this new discovery be exciting, scary, and unknown.

What I hope to do:

I hope to find a career that inspires me. I identify as a changemaker, so finding a company that strives to make a positivimpact through their work is very important to me. Currently, my dream is to one day run a non-profit centered around solving the issue of food insecurity, but for now, I am looking to make an impact in a job that aligns with my core values. I am still unsure of what my future may hold as I have many dreams and aspirations. Right now, I am trying to stay as present as possible and remain thankful for the moment that I am in. It’s not every day that you graduate from college and even though I may not know what I am doing post-graduation, I am excited to see where life takes me.

More About Ava

I grew up in the small town of Warroad, Minnesota, located six miles south of Canadian border and an hour and a half north of the nearest Walmart. I consider myself to be a hardy, go-getter — you have to be when you live in Northern Minnesota. Small towns thrive off of community involvement and story-telling, and it is there that I found my passion for advocacy. After graduating from Warroad High School in 2018, I made the seven-hour trek south to attend Gustavus Adolphus College. There, I majored in Communication Studies and I truly found my voice. It wasn’t until the second semester of my senior year (2021) that I realized that I had a developed a passion for writing. I have spent the majority of this past year trying to obtain as much experience in the fields of Marketing and Communications as possible. Post-graduation, I hope to find a career that inspires me. I identify as a changemaker, so finding a company that strives to make a positive impact through their work is very important to me. Ideally, one day I hope to run a non-profit centered around solving the issue of food insecurity, but for now, I am looking to make an impact in a job that aligns with my core values.

Where to Find Ava

• In the Village
• My website: www.avagross.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avagross
• LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/in/ava-gross
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ava.k.gross
  
• grossava13@gmail.com

Kery’s Story

I grew up in an entrepreneurial family. I saw both the trials and the triumphs. And it wasn’t my first choice to become a business owner either. I went to work in corporate, government, nonprofit, and higher education before I found my path as an entrepreneur. Working in marketing all those years, I had to wield influence — and do it with little direct authority. I had to get people on board with my cause even if they didn’t care about it. I had to persuade. I had to effectively convey my message in a way that moved them into action. The biggest, most complex factor in all businesses are… the people. That’s why I work with people to become a person of influence and do it in a heart-led way. Now that’s power!

Where to Find Kery Online

• My website: https://www.uplevelc.com
• https://www.instagram.com/coachkeryk/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/keryknutson/
• Join Kery’s conversations in Athena Village

Our Story

“We” are Aimee and Stephanie. Already on a path to building deeper community connections online, the quarantine magnified our realization of the importance of having online communities to uplift and inspire each other.

We met synchronistically through a course on Wonder, and feel wholeheartedly that the fairies brought us together. One four hour conversation later and we were well on our way to becoming fast friends and creative collaborators beginning a year of growing a wide range of projects. One common denominator is that the faeries continued to weave their way into each project and we have now wholeheartedly embraced them as our muses to help spread their messages! We launched our online community – the enchanted wilds of Moon Feather Hollow, a faerie filled realm where mythical muses conspire to ignite your imagination! You’ll find nature lovers in Willow’s Whistling Wilds, makers in Capri’s Crafting Cove, and scenic wonders in Peppertwig’s Wandering Path. Explore books in Athena’s Attic Archives, Moon Mysteries in Luna’s Labyrinth, or write poetry and prose in Will-O-Wisp’s Valley of Verse. Explore wonder, wisdom and whimsey in portals of possibility. It’s all designed to reacquaint you with your inner wildling, open you up to new ideas and help you rediscover the wonder and enchantment available in everyday life. It’s housed in a Mighty Network, and we are seeing the potential of this platform.

With Moon as muse, our community is structured around her phases. Creative themes, discussions, prompts, zoom craft sessions, and magical moon mail are free to all members each cycle. Venture into Premium Portals such as Lady Isabella’s Shimmerbrook Chateau for monthly Tea & Tarot by appeasing a shapeshifting cat. Enter Seasonal Portals with offerings to their Keepers—Pixies, Dragons, Mermaids, and Unicorns. Every engagement is designed to draw out your inner wildling, spark new ideas and help you rediscover the wonder and enchantment available in everyday life. What looks like play from the surface is really a much deeper journey into nature and ourselves!

What are Seasonal Portals?

Overflowing with moon magic, journal crafting, and soul practices, we deep dive into the magnetic flow of creation—rhythms of nature. Every season we get out in nature, forage the land for crafting supplies, and collect talismans—mementos for our seasonal altars or treasure boxes. When we connect with the seasonal muses, we attune our internal compasses to navigational magic. Self empowerment happens when we use our hands and natural materials to craft and create. We explore our agency through journal prompts, divination, and creating art. Then, expressing our truest selves and forming relationships with others, we experience the alchemy of a Wild Circle. Keeping time with the Moon, we delve into spirit animals, goddesses, and symbols. Each season has it’s own Wild Circle:

In Spring – The Season of Wings & Whispers – we will awaken our Wildling curiosity, celebrate Ostara and Beltaine, attune to the element Air and unravel the Pixie Paradox.

In Summer – The Season of Bloom & Balefire – we run wild with our Wanderling nature, celebrate Litha and Lunasa, connect with the element Fire and unleash our Dragon Potential.

In Autumn – The Season of Mist & Magic – we embrace our Wonderling inclinations, celebrate Mabon and Samhain, connect with the element Water and dive into the Mermaid Dreamscape.

In Winter – The Season of Roots & Bones – we admit we are sovereign Wiselings, celebrate Yule and Imbolc, connect with the element Earth and delve into Unicorn Opportunities.

Aimee is an industrial designer of products and furniture, turned TV producer/developer, turned artist, teacher, entrepreneur, creative consultant and community creator. After living in LA and Phoenix for a decade she now finds herself back on the 132 acres of magical forest and nature where she grew up in western NY. There she started a business and taught thousands of people how to paint on up-cycled vinyl records. She led fairy house camps and retreats for kids and adults and on the side, developed a television series about the faerie realm. Following two days of interviewing on camera an elf and dragon through a trance channel, she became dedicated to spreading awareness of the faerie realm and their message. While mainstream cable wasn’t quite ready to air a docu-series which portrays the faerie realm to an honorable standard, she has since pursued other avenues. Cue Stephanie…

Stephanie grew up in the wilderness along the shores of Lake Superior and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. This grand trine air sign stays grounded in nature while she explores the imaginal realm with the faeries. She has studied & practiced transpersonal psychology, community building, art, quantum physics, energy anatomy, shamanism, astrology, mathematics, music, and cultural studies. She drew connections and became good at spotting the themes and threads that spoke to the art-of-living. Currently an Enchanted Life Guide, she offers wisdom, wonder & whimsy to help other explorers navigate the internal territory of ideas, personal growth, and creative expression. She shines during collaborative projects where she helps spark ideas, keeps a sense of playfulness in the act of creation, and maintains system level vision for big-picture innovations.

More About Stephanie + Aimee

Aimee Zwaap & Stephanie Foley are life-artists from the east and west coast who’ve navigated mythical, imaginal, and magical realms. Our ventures revealed that the art of living an enchanted life is the regular practice of suspending disbelief, connecting to something beyond what can be seen, and feeding our wild nature. It became our mission to spark souls and collectively magnetize creativity. The Muses urged us to develop out virtual landscape, The Enchanted Wilds of Moon Feather Hollow into a free online community housed in a Mighty Network.

Find us Online

• Our website: www.moonfeatherhollow.com
• https://www.instagram.com/moonfeatherhollow/
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/2297280033911392
• soulsparkssecretsociety@gmail.com

And don’t forget to check out our offerings in the Village!