Ars Liminalis

10/07/2025

We 100% support Lotus Brew Coffee/ Dry Bar and their mission to be the inclusive space we desperately need in the City of Grand Rapids.

Not only does Max talk the talk, he absolutely walks the walk and his raw honesty is why we love and support Lotus Brew.

I started this petition to after they promoted a devos partner 70+ multi state chain over our local shops (including us).

Our petition link is here https://chng.it/2hH5c7F5F2

Or in our bio.

I've been busy, between a ice encounter/ taking care of my mom. Pride month and navigating what the b.bs.b means for my mom's Medicare waiver covering her dementia care. I'm her guardian first, shop owner second. But I'm still sorry for the wait.

I can't in good conscious call myself a safe space if I remained quiet and complaciant in uptown supporting a Devos partner over local shops.

Devos is a major GOP donator who is funding this current administration.

This administration is attacking our q***r & immigrant communities plus many others while passing bu****it like the the big bu****it bill. ripping away coverage from so many of us while funding ice who harassed and terrorizes our neighborhoods & communities.

We have the power to vote with our dollar & we have a voice. As a community we need to make it known to uptown that we don't support this and neither should they.

The next steps would be getting more signatures to bring to uptown at the end of July so please spread the news, sign the petition if you haven't and share with friends and anyone that will listen.

The petition is for everyone who lives in gr, visits, or frequents any shops in the East hills, East town, Fulton, wealth, heritage areas.

Future goals/ next steps

We are looking for a neutral meeting space to have a public town hall inviting uptown to hear our communities voice & work together on the next steps.

In better news we'll start our uplift series starting with where we do a collaborative post showing local shops/ organizations and all the great things they do.

I am exhausted, & I have to realize I am one person trying to do all this while running a shop and whatever dozen other community projects I'm attempting, but I will not stop.

I appreciate everyone's patience & grace as I catch my breath.

We fight for the change we want to see & the hope of something better. These colors don't run

-Max
He/him

Lotus

08/07/2025

Magic, herbalism, and modern medicine go hand in hand ✨

06/07/2025

Capybara Wisdom 🥰

"They say the capybara fears nothing…
But it’s not about bravery.

It just doesn’t fight.
Doesn’t run.
Doesn’t shout.
Doesn’t panic.

It moves through the world like nothing can harm it.
It walks past crocodiles like they’re old neighbors.
Strolls by predators like it’s going out for coffee.

And no one touches it.
Not because it’s the strongest.
But because it threatens no one.

It doesn’t demand respect with teeth or growls.
It earns it with calm.

The capybara has that kind of energy that softens the air.
That peace that people want to be around.
That presence that quiets even the loudest minds.

Maybe that’s why birds sit on it, monkeys hang with it, even predators don’t mind it.
Being near a capybara… feels like peace.

It’s not about being untouchable.
It’s about being so at ease that no one even thinks of harming you.

No hate.
No drama.
No rush.

Just life.
Simple. Peaceful. Still.

And maybe the strength we’re missing isn’t about power…
Maybe it’s about being a little more like that."

🧘‍♂️🐾✨

Copied from Natural Zen

30/06/2025

I've been lost in the woods again, metaphorically.

Searching and struggling in vain to find my "place" when honestly, my truth has been in front of me the whole time.

I exist in those spaces in between, both here and not. The liminal threshold that exists because you rarely think of them. Life is easier when you do not have to think about those darkened corners, the endless spirals of "what-if".

When I began Ars Liminalis, it was because I felt a calling to help others navigate the liminal spaces in their own lives. Standing at the threshold of a new chapter, wondering if it is the time to take a leap or stand fast and observe.

The truth is, I have been needing to navigate a lot in my own life and I have been at a standstill for some time. Slowly, I'm branching out once again to explore parts of me that are worthwhile, to feel secure in my own self so that I can better navigate the in-between and be as a guide and witness to change for others.

I hope you will stay with me throughout this journey of discovery, occasional musings, and sporadic sh*t-posting (I wouldn't be me otherwise).

As above, so below.
As within, so without.

- e

07/01/2025

Screaming into 2025 like

27/12/2024

Honestly, it feels like I've been Wintering™ since 2019.

Chronologically, I'm closer to 40 than I am to 30, but mentally I still experience bursts of childlike wonderment and elderly melancholia.

This constant state of activation-hibernation is really draining, and I still dream dreams of a spring that may never come.

As we head into 2025, take care of your innermost core first and foremost. The inner universe is just as important as the one we exist in, and we must protect that energy at all costs.

30/10/2024

Creating a gratitude spell jar is a wonderful way to focus your energy on appreciation and positivity, especially during this time of the year.

To begin, gather a small glass jar and fill it with items that symbolize gratitude for you. These could be crystals such as rose quartz for love, citrine for positivity, and amethyst for clarity.

You might also add a small written note listing things you are thankful for. As you place each item into the jar, take a moment to reflect on the positive aspects of your life and express sincere thanks.

Once your jar is complete, seal it with a lid or a piece of cloth tied with a ribbon. Place it somewhere special, where it can serve as a daily reminder to cultivate gratitude and attract more positivity into your life. On particularly bad days, draw a slip from your jar and reflect on the better days.

18/10/2024

What has been with the radio silence?

Well, I've been studying 😏

03/09/2024

Happy Tuesday, all.

The past few weeks have been a bit hectic, and coming off of being sick for almost a month has meant needing to slow down and take care of myself a bit more. In addition, it was the anniversary of my grandfather's passing over the weekend, so it left me quiet and contemplative and not in a very "online" mood.

I assure you, I am very much still here, just recuperating and preparing for upcoming events and new offerings.

Happy September, everyone!

21/08/2024

It's been awhile since I read this poem, but it always speaks to my spirit at the time I need it the most.

19/08/2024

🌿✨Materia Medica Mondays✨🌿

Well, last week I was wiped out with COVID (it's still a thing, ya'll!) and I'm still recovering. I am vaccinated, but that doesn't mean full immunity — it just reduces the severity!

That being said, I've had a lot of time to think about what it means to be strong and be true to myself when I feel at my weakest, and wouldn't you know?

Oak is this week's plant pal, symbolizing strength and integrity.

The Oak has long stood as a symbol of integrity, strength, and a strong-willed nature. When that inner nature has fallen, and been loosened, we see the most benefit from its medicine.

Used as an astringent and a tonic for centuries, the inner back can help to tone and strengthen the tissues of the GI tract and lymphatic system, especially when they've atrophied due to alcoholism. This remedy restores the integrity of the tissues as well as the mind.

Oaks are also fire resistant and in magic, they help remove jinxes. Both of these aspects make them a great protective ally.

When oak appears, imagine its strength. The oak does not ask for permission to grow, it stands strong and rooted, steadfast and grounded. There is something you've been leaning on, a crutch that prevents you from realizing your true power.

How can you be like the oak? How can you discover your own independence and drive?

07/08/2024

✨Witches of Legend Wednesday✨

What is this? A third daily post in a row? Are you crazy?

Admittedly, probably just a little! But honestly, this deck is gorgeous and Annabelle Lewis' work needs to be shared.

Each of the 34 cards was hand-painted and gilded, the titular "Witches of Legend" chosen by her from myth and folklore all across the world. Some will be familiar with the forms of Greek or Nordic goddesses. Others, less so. But still, as an archetypical oracle deck, I fell in love with just how much care she took in depicting these figures.

Today's Witch of Legend: Maleficent

Appearing as an unnamed evil faerie in the folktale "Sleeping Beauty", not much was known about Maleficent until a story from the late 1600s called "The White Doe" by Madame d'Aulnoy. Here Maleficent appears as a friendly crab, who assists a King and Queen in their desire to have a child. This crab then reveals herself as the Faerie of Spring, and along with the other faeries, blesses the queen with a child who is named Desiree (not Aurora!). And like the story we're familiar with, the queen invites all of the faeries to celebrate the birth of the child — except the Faerie of Spring.

Put off, the crabby (pun intended) Faerie of Spring had homicide on her mind, but the other faeries managed to walk her back but still she lays a curse on the child: grave misfortune will befall the child if any sunlight touches her before her fifteenth birthday.

Ouch.

So Desiree is imprisoned, but being a teenager, she can't handle the whole "stuck inside until she's fifteen" spiel. So she escapes and intends to meet with a prince in a blacked-out carriage. Tragically, sunlight hits her halfway through her journey and she promptly transforms into a White Doe and prances away.

Maleficent represents the emotional struggle between trust and betrayal. Her tale reminds us that actions arising from anger or a desire for vengeance often does not lead where we think they will. We are all imperfect, and will no doubt encounter throughlessness (and be thoughtless ourselves). It's better to remain kind and open-hearted when we can.