In this episode, Miranda hosts Emma and Selena to discuss the transformative power of the Activation Portal retreat in Zipolite, Mexico. They explore the intersection of art, astrology, and personal growth, sharing insights into the retreat’s unique offerings and the magic of this unpretentious, artsy community. keywords art retreat, Zipolite, Mexico, astrology, personal growth, creative process, activation portal, self-discovery, sacred geometry, tarot
key topics
The origins and inspiration behind the Activation Portal retreat
The unique energetic qualities of Zipolite and its influence on creativity
The integration of art, astrology, and personal transformation
Practical details of the retreat: accommodations, schedule, and materials
The role of structure and chaos in creative and personal growth Guests: Emma and Selena
key frameworks
Sacred Geometry Astrocartography Human Design
The Balance of Order and Chaos sound bites
“It’s not about the end result.”
“Meeting resistance is where the medicine lies.”
“The outcome is none of your business.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Activation Portal
02:02 Experiences in Zipolite
11:48 The Birth of the Activation Portal
21:08 Art, Structure, and Creativity
36:10 Balancing Art and Life
41:46 Art Retreat Essentials
44:05 Navigating Creative Blocks
48:02 The Inner Critic and Self-Discovery
51:02 Balancing Art and Craft
56:01 Creating a Tarot Deck
01:01:56 Traveling to Zipolite
01:04:54 Retreat Logistics and Offerings
01:10:04 Cultural Experiences in Mexico
01:14:12 The Essence of the Retreat
Activation Portal Website – https://activationportal.art
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/emma.garrard.tattoo.artist/
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/activationportal.art/
Transcript:
Miranda (00:01.115)
Hi everybody, this is Miranda. I’m back for another episode. This time I have two lovely guests. these are women that I’m working with website-wise to help them with their project because I think it’s really exciting and I really believe in it. One of these women is new to my life, and one of these women I’ve known for years and have adored for years, and
First met, of course, through Anarchopolco. That’s how I meet all of my favorite people, is through Anarchopolco. so first I will introduce Emma. Emma was she’s done a lot of things with Anarchipulco. She’s been on the team, she’s been, you know, an artist, giving her artist skills. She did this giant tattoo that both Kat and I have from Anarchipulco. And she’s always kind of been a soul sister to me.
Then we also have Selena. Selena is I don’t want to say a partner in crime to Emma, but we’ll call her a partner in art. And and they’ve joined forces to make this really cool project called the Activation Portal. And it’s what we’re here to talk about today because I’m gonna be there and I really want anybody who feels called to kind of tap into the more creative sides of themselves.
selena (01:03.957)
Sometimes.
Miranda (01:24.859)
to know that this is a thing that they can be doing. So first I’ll start off. Emma, how are you today? How’s it going?
emma (01:31.392)
I’m good, I’m good. It’s so lovely to see you and thank you so much for having us on. We’ve we have done loads of things together and it’s fun to be exploring something different yet again in how we play.
Miranda (01:43.151)
Right. I agree. I agree completely. And Selena, how are you? How are you doing?
selena (01:48.949)
I’m very well. I’m happy the internet is working today and we’re not ha in the storm. It’s tropical storm season, so it’s a lucky t moment that we have clear signal and blue skies. Yeah, I’m in Cipulite, Mexico, actually where the retreat will be.
Miranda (02:02.833)
You’re in Mexico, right?
Miranda (02:08.903)
Beautiful. And Emma, you’re in Costa Rica, right? That’s amazing. Okay. Well, I wanna get right into the retreat because yeah, probably like two or three months ago, Emma sent me a link. You guys were doing a giveaway at the time and I like, Join the email list and join the giveaway and I’m looking at the retreat ’cause I’m like, I’m not gonna do it if like I’m not gonna even try for the giveaway if it’s not something I can go to and then I was like, it’s in Zip Polite which
emma (02:12.119)
Mm-hmm. Yep. That’s right.
Miranda (02:37.925)
I personally have a funny story about Zipolite. I had gone to Cancun to chase some illegal stuff last year, and on the way home we drove through Chiapas and then we drove to Port a place called Puerto Salinas in Oaxaca. And then my boyfriend’s like, Okay, we’re gonna go to Zipolite before we go to Oaxaca City, and I was like, For what? He didn’t tell me nothing. He was like, No, we have to go and I was like, I just wanna go to Oaxaca City, I want the food and I had no idea, I had never heard of it.
And then I realized what Zipolite is, which among many things, a nude beach. I mean, let’s be real. But also it is one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been. So first I wanna ask you, Selena, how did you find your way to Zipolite? Like what took you there?
selena (03:26.354)
Well, first let me make sure my computer is telling me I have an unstable connection. Am I good with you guys?
Miranda (03:32.805)
I can hear you. You’re a little blurry, but I can hear you. So we’re we’re we’re all right. You’re you’re you’re clear again. We’re good.
selena (03:36.885)
Okay. Yay. Okay, so yeah, I had never heard of it either. and I it could be a l a long story, but I’ll make it a short one. basically I had a very Okay, well what happened was I was living in Riverside for like twenty years, Riverside, California. Just had a regular job and a regular life, you know.
Miranda (03:52.517)
It doesn’t have to be short. Go ahead and tell us.
selena (04:06.74)
I was an art teacher and I had a house and all the things. And I was a hermit basically after a long divorce. I was just by myself for like three and a half years and I answered a Facebook post by a gentleman who said he was going to do astrocartography readings in exchanges for places to stay. He wanted to go to LA or San Diego. And I saw this post one day in the San Diego Conscious Community Group. Now these
These are things that I was interested in because I was just learning astro cartography and I had this trailer in my driveway and I was like, it’d be so cool to rent that out, you know, try it out. So he ends up coming and
And then it turned into this long journey, but the thing is is he had been to Cipolife, traveled around the world, and kept telling me this place is like his favorite place in the world. And been everywhere and just definitely decided this was like the best place. So the very next summer I end up coming here for 33 days. And by the 32nd day, I’m on a scooter looking at land. And I’m just like, I I also love it here.
it is the only like legally nude beach in Mexico and I think that with that because it was kind of settled with with hippies and everybody and there’s just this unpretentious freedom feeling here and and that’s something I really really like so I ended up moving here in by December of
Of twenty-five.
Miranda (05:58.609)
That’s an amazing story. Yeah, and I I did get that vibe when I was there. it was very much like I don’t know what I expected of a nude beach, but it was very unpretentious and it was very chill. And it was mostly Mexicans that I was seeing. Or if there were your like foreigners, a lot of them were Europeans, clearly like just European people. Wasn’t the like
A lot of the beaches in Mexico can kind of be overrun by Americans, which I me personally, I can find that a little bit annoying. It’s like I’m here in Mexico. Like, let’s be with the let’s have at least the Mexican vibe, right? but it was really interesting. That was my first experience with a nude beach. And, you know, I definitely
selena (06:32.552)
Yeah, I just walked to that place.
Miranda (06:45.349)
I definitely found it really, really beautiful. I stayed in I think it’s called like Hotel Nude or something like that. It’s the one that I stayed in. It’s close to where that rock like cave looking thing is. It was just it was it was stunning and it was chill and it I was there in December. So go ahead.
selena (06:55.282)
Yeah. Yep.
selena (07:05.37)
I was just gonna say like that the the
Miranda (07:07.621)
Okay. So go ahead. I think we’re having connection issues, sorry.
selena (07:13.06)
yeah, it it keeps coming in and out. Maybe I will actually move myself to the palapa outside. I’m closer to the router there. That might be good. I’ll I might try that. But really quick just to say like the nude beach portion of it has just been like such a transformation for me.
Miranda (07:21.596)
Mm.
selena (07:35.849)
First getting like desensitized, you know, and then becoming comfortable in my own skin here. It’s just been like a beautiful medicine because like you’re saying, it’s it’s locals, it’s foreigners, it’s the old, it’s the young, it’s just everybody. Everybody is here and everybody is cool kinda with everybody else. It’s really nice.
Miranda (07:58.853)
Yeah, I didn’t really get any creepy vibes when I was there as you might expect on a nude beach. Like there were guys and they were looking, you know, but they weren’t they kept their distance and it was very respectful. Like I decided to go topless while having some tacos on the beach and I was just like, This is so strange. But it but I’m glad I did.
selena (08:18.076)
Isn’t that I’m I’m gonna walk with my computer outside.
Miranda (08:23.789)
Okay. I’m gonna jump to Emma real quick ’cause Emma, you also have spent a lot of time in Mexico. you’ve come to Anacapulco repeatedly now and I know you spent quite a bit of time in, if I remember correctly, San Miguel de Allende. And I just wanna know what brought you to Mexico when you first came? Why did you stay
emma (08:26.263)
Mm-hmm.
emma (08:48.813)
I mean when I first first came it was way back I think I first came I don’t know, like twenty fifteen or something like this was the first time I came to Mexico. and the time when I met you it was
I wasn’t actually intending to stay I did, but there was lots of things that were changing and it was during the pandemic times so things that things were just like moving a lot and I felt like Mexico for me was like a it was like a safe haven. It was somewhere that really just like screwed me up and wrapped me up and kept me safe during some really crazy times and even when I tried to leave things kept changing so I ended up staying longer for different reasons. but it’s just such a beautiful country. There’s so much cultural diversity there and like
selena (09:07.407)
Yeah.
emma (09:36.2)
Where I was saying in San Miguel is so different to Calete in the I mean like just worlds worlds apart. and also I just wanted to say as well when you guys were talking about it being a new speech, I feel like that’s just like one facet of that town. There’s so much and I I feel like there’s not it doesn’t really matter either way. You can you can dive into that side of it and if you don’t there’s not any pressure that you don’t go into that as well. Like there’s
you’re totally comfortable just going and and keeping your clothes on, which I thought was really beautiful. It’s like none of the none of the cultures there’s such a diversity. It’s also I think it’s like a gay capital for Mexico as well. And there’s there’s lots of different just like minorities or fringe cultures there. But then you can also just be very, very n like normal too. And it’s it’s such a tiny little place. And it’s just like little
dirt roads of people riding motorcycles with no shoes and that ty it’s like it’s not a huge vibe at all and I just I love how it’s anything goes and nothing’s pushed in any direction. I think that’s what’s really beautiful about that place.
Miranda (10:55.055)
Yeah, I did notice that as well when I was there. First off, it was like the the town itself is like one street. Really, there’s like one and a half streets from my memory. And I remember we took a walk to like vi visit the town and like fifteen minutes later we had walked through the entire thing. We were like, okay, so we can go back to our hotel. But you’re right, like there is zero pressure there. I mean, I was experimenting because I was like, This is my first time.
emma (11:01.409)
Yeah.
Miranda (11:20.037)
Nudest Beach, I’m gonna let out the girls and I’m gonna see what happens. but I there weren’t actually a huge number of people that were, and a lot of the people that were naked were either. Like you said, it’s a gay capital, there are a lot of gay men there, and like old 60 year old couples like walking hand in hand down the beach, and it was I thought I thought that was super sweet. but it did come across as a very
very quiet and somehow a little bit of a party area, but also a very a very artsy place and I think that’s I think that is in essence in why you picked this for the activation portal. So I think we should dive right into it and either of you can answer this. how was the activation portal born?
emma (12:13.609)
Ooh, John I see that one.
selena (12:15.514)
Yeah, and just on that last talk about the Cipulite itself, I mean we haven’t mentioned what a portal it is here. It’s literally like this vortex. I mean, I’ve just heard stories from so many people coming here that it’s transformational. it ver it can be very intense. So I think that when you’re coming here with
something you’re trying to do with yourself, there is a facilitation in the air like already. Even maybe because it’s relaxed and these things can take place. because you’re not in your normal role in society or whatever, once you come here, like these things are kind of stripped away. And I just had to put that in there. but yeah, so I was here and
reached out to Emma. She was traveling and I was like, come, come visit me. So she did and she stayed here for a whole week.
Me, Emma and my roommate at the time in this tiny little thing where I happened to be at the Hotel Fiesta Sipolite. And while we were here, looking around at just the beautiful beach and kind of just getting into a daily rhythm, the idea to bring people here for painting kind of was born. I mean Emma and I met at a painting retreat. So we doing
the the Visionary Art Academy summer program in Torrey, Italy, and that was in 2019. So we met at a painting retreat and we have met up different places since then. And when we were together here, it was just like, you know what, this would be such a beautiful place to bring people for this art transformation.
Miranda (14:26.183)
Do you have anything to add to that, Emma?
emma (14:28.575)
I am
I wanted to speak to the the energetic qualities of the area and why we it like how Selena touched on it because there is a something really, really special and it’s it’s not in what you can see, it’s more in what you can feel, and I feel like this is why lots of people are drawn to this area. And the way I would describe it is it has like this unraveling quality and it’s I can feel it happening to myself there. It’s like all these things that we think we are, they start undoing, and I think that’s why a lot of the different communities that are drawn to that area
of walnut and in terms of accessing your creative if you’ve got all these beliefs around, you know, I can’t, I’m not this person, this isn’t my identity, to come into a space where it just starts undoing you, but undoing you in this way of like relaxing. So it’s it you you just become more and more present. It’s you just become less judgmental in your mind.
by being in that space and then this gives you I think that helps you access your creativity. Because you’re you’re not s being as rigid in your being as you were before. So there’s this really beautiful quality there that I think is so special for people with their wanting to tap into their creativity more.
Miranda (15:48.987)
Yeah, I love that. for for me, part of what I was drawn to was there’s a lot of different things that seem to be blending together with this retreat. and for those curious, if they want to go look at the website while we’re talking about it, it’s activationportal.art. I did help with the website, but I really was just given what Selena had already built and asked, can we make this more functional? So I rebuilt it to look almost
selena (16:15.283)
Okay.
Miranda (16:16.217)
exactly the same and to make it work better, right? but what I noticed when I was looking into it when I had first asked to essentially do a work trade of sorts is
Miranda (16:33.297)
Sorry. is I was really attracted to there’s like a blend of the spiritual
with the art stuff because there is a lot of like the energy that a person holds being whatever astrologically or I’m really into human design, so whatever in their human design and how that can impact how they show up as far as their art is concerned. And there was also a big emphasis on stripping down those walls. I mean I’ve done personally done art like my whole life, but I always get to a point, I hit a wall, life gets in the way and then I just kind of fall off and stop doing.
It and I do want to say that the best painting I ever did was actually the last painting I ever did, and Emma had coached me through essentially mapping out that painting. and I’m curious as to how much of that process is gonna be in this retreat, if you could speak to that a little bit and share a little bit about what that means.
emma (17:34.636)
The do you mean the process where we use the gridding and actually like the formula and the structure? So that’s that’s the aspect that I’m really gonna be holding in my competition. We’re both me and Selena are both bringing our own completely different and totally complementary transmissions into this container, which is something that I’m really excited about and it means that I can totally nerd out on structure and measurements and technique and because I was I was traditionally tr trained in Vienna.
So I can bring all of this like real craft and structure into like techniques and how to build composition, how to transfer designs, how to put components in it’s a lot of the things I use are really they’re they’re quite rigid. but they really help in processing the way we’re creating an image almost like architecture in the way that we’re building, and I love it because when the sometimes if you’re struggling to think of what to do, like
If I’m feeling a bit blocked in inspiration, leaning into this very just like process meditation focus is a way that then I can then move through to find more of like an intuitive flow coming through, which will be more of what Selena’s teaching. But yeah, for me, the transmission is like real-time practical tools that can be translated into any type of creative process.
Miranda (19:01.029)
And it’s interesting that you say that it is rigid because when people look at your art, your art doesn’t look rigid, right? It looks very organic and flowy and all of that. But there is I I I like the word structure more because when you’re thinking, Okay, what am I gonna paint? you know, it’s it can be hard to be like, Okay, where does what go? Like what is
you know, why would we put this here and put that there? And I found that system, which was really just, you know, a network of lines and having theory of where things are gonna look best. And it really yielded something super interesting for me. And that is an aspect that I’m looking forward to. And I was hoping that that would be involved because I did only do that one giant painting. but it was a completely different process than
I was used to doing and that like it helps you, in my opinion, get started and once you start with painting that the rest more or less flows, right? I think that
emma (20:04.973)
Yeah, absolutely. The way I see it, it’s like a way of constructing the bones and it’s the stuff that’s underneath. It’s like an energetic grid. It’s just it’s a whole load of maths, basically. It’s just like maths and science, baby. So it’s the the nerdy part in me can get into it. And then once I’ve done this, it takes away that like, what am I gonna do with the first line? So it just gives this like structure and this safety net that then you can
blast chaos around in play, but you’ve still got something that harmonises and creates like a harmonic quality to what you’re doing.
Miranda (20:39.171)
It feels similar to like when you hear, for example, rap artists talking about I forget the word for it, but there’s basically a structure to rap songs where like you’re following a specific beat and it’s really all just math. It’s a similar thing, it’s a structure, right? And then you put the meat of the actual art around it. And the music that tends to resonate in people’s souls the most is that that has that harmony.
But that you can also, you know, playing get lost in it. I think that is a big part of why your art is so impactful. I definitely agree with that. I do want to switch focus to Selena now because I am curious as to how do we blend astrology.
selena (21:26.164)
Okay. Well first I wanna say I the word that came to mind with the with the music equivalent is like cadence. There’s this cadence, it’s like this resonance.
Miranda (21:36.727)
feel like it’s alliteration or something like that. I’m gonna look it up.
selena (21:40.287)
Some kind of a poetic term, right? But yeah, and and it’s definitely from nature, this sacred geometry. It all comes down to that. It’s the it’s the golden ratio. It is
fractals, you know, and and when you have that structure there you’re able to be following along with that grand design, this like sacred geometry on earth, right? Yeah.
Miranda (22:10.213)
I did find the word, it’s alliteration. So that is like the structure that the rap music follows and then you know, you can put the put the magic around it.
selena (22:23.058)
Yeah, so with the astrology, that’s like I said, something I’ve been studying a couple years and I actually did two painting projects each for about one year, where not only was I using painting to like learn about astrology but in doing so because of the
because of the time frame I gave myself, the conditions that I gave myself, I kind of broke free from a lifetime of doing art that needed to be perfect. So this had like multiple layers of gifts in this process.
So one of them was painting every moon for one year, every new and full moon, but within 24 hours of that moon. So my painting was started and finished. Obviously I’m not sketching anything out in detail. I’m not doing all these reference materials. I’m now taking my energetic impulse and just putting it onto the canvas. Still using the techniques, you know, the painting style, the mish technique, building it up.
in in that way, but as far as having this need for it to be about more than the energetics
it kind of liberated me from that. So I I’m really grateful to the process for that. And then having these studies on the astrology, so the people in the retreat, I’m so excited that everybody that goes is gonna get a personalized reading. So they’ll get their natal chart and I’ll help them understand it. And we’re gonna be looking at what their overall archetype is. So in understanding their own personal astrology
selena (24:17.596)
They’re gonna be starting to visualize symbols and the relationship they have to the things that we’ll speak about, you know, during our little consultation, making notes, and then taking those things, those raw transmissions, and translating it into this personal archetype, and that will be the subject of our painting. So ultimately, they get to intuitively explore, get over.
Any kind of need for perfection in that initial image making and mark making, do fun things, decalcomania, see what emerges, and then combine all of that onto that structure that we were talking about with Emma to refine this painting into. What’s going to be an artifact that literally represents you? You can revisit, you know, for the rest of your life and kind of remember that version of yourself that learned about these things at the time. You know, it becomes like
A personal altarpiece. And then the second thing I would say about learning your own astrology is it kind of sets you up for life because now you have an understanding when the moon is in a certain sign, that’s in one of your houses. Like now you get to know the timing of things astrologically, like when maybe you want to start something, stop something, why you might be feeling a certain way. Now you have a little guide and you can kind of always
go back to that and have have this map in the form of art.
Miranda (25:54.947)
Yeah, I do want to speak a little bit to like the map when it comes to astrology. Sorry about the cat aggressively nubble nuzzling my boob.
But I do want to speak a little bit about the timing of things and stuff because for me that’s been a big theme throughout the last couple of years of my life, especially like meeting my partner. That’s what we bonded on. You know, he was getting into numerology right as he met me. And so he’s like, What’s your life path? And I’m like, We’re we’re going back and forth and we’re figuring out sorry, it’s cat hair, we’re figuring out compatibility, but we’re also figuring out like, you know
I’m I’m born in Ear of the Rooster. And so I was at the time going through one of my d more difficult periods because the rabbit is not necessarily the best sign. It was year of the rabbit, right? And so like, okay, this is why things are a bit tougher right now and
you know, alternatively why, for example, twenty twenty five was better for me. And so you can kind of get like an idea in the future of like this is where I kinda need to play defense and just chill out, keep my life going, but not take big risks, right? Not start new things, you know. Like for example, this year, we are currently in the middle of a we are right in the middle of a universal year one. So this is like a fresh start for everybody.
But we also have a personal energy and then when you consider human design and the roles that that plays in all of that, I don’t know how much you are into that, but I do think it is really cool to kind of blend these two things together where I haven’t really seen that stuff blended together in these sorts of ways. so I am very excited about that. Do you have experience with human design? Have you looked into that yet?
selena (27:42.173)
Yeah, actually I have a little bit of experience with human design and the gene keys and I’m not that wise about it, but there is some truth channel there and it’s really interesting and how the astrology kind of overlaps with these things and
just the idea that we’re all carrying these these planetary gifts and this opportunity to move through these transits differently wherever we are, you know, wherever we are and with whoever we’re with and activating stuff with each other. That’s always so interesting. And
Miranda (28:23.855)
Yeah, one of the things I would like to do is to get both your and Emma’s birth chart because you can run compatibility charts and the beauty of human design is it’s all of the things combined. It’s like Vedic astrology, Western astrology, Chinese astrology, numerology, quantum physics, and the Aiching, if I remember correctly. And it’s all blended into one like little soup, right? But it is the best tool for both person to person compatibility and like company compatibility.
we’ve done these sorts of readings at Anarchapulco. so I’m a big fan of like learning about your chart and what that means. another question I have is are you have you come across the concept of the true sidereal astrology chart yet?
selena (29:14.952)
yeah. I have been in and out of completely abandoning tropical astrology and being like this is a lie and and all of that and then going fully sidereal for a while and then kind of circling back and understanding more about our equinoxes and basically like the influence of
the the seasons in the earth that we’re experiencing. but now I’m I’m with my partner who is studying
creating like a whole nother system. I’m actually really interested in a more galactic view and a heliocentric view. So there’s just so many rabbit holes to go down and and I have to just mention that the reason why I would even go there is because, you know, humanity didn’t know like, let’s say about Chiron until pretty recently. And what has happened? We have all of this language about healing and wounds and like attachment style.
Miranda (30:01.008)
Yeah.
selena (30:20.706)
And all this chironic, you know, things because our consciousness was ready, right? And so it came into our field when we were ready. And then way back in time, like we thought everything revolved around the earth, and then we’re like, no, no, no, we’re revolving around the sun. Well, we have the tools and the consciousness now to realize the sun is actually being pulled, pulling us along with it on a greater trajectory, you know? So what does that influence? So I’m currently like a little bit in that.
Miranda (30:49.701)
Yeah. I think and and for those who don’t know what the what I mean by the true sidereal is, we have tropical and tropical like perfectly spit split I think by thirty degrees each in the wheel of the astrology into twelve signs. Now what true sidereal astrology does is they look up into the sky to see what was actually where was the sun physically, what physical constellation was the sun in.
selena (30:50.649)
Realm.
Miranda (31:19.757)
On this day, on this time. And for some people, for example, my partner in tropical astrology, he’s an Aquarius. But in True Sidereal, he’s Capricorn, and he’s very Capricorn on personalities. Very, very strong Capricorn. Me, I’m supposedly on the cusp of Pisces and Aquarius, but in True Sidereal, I’m like smack dab in the middle of Aquarius. And you’re no
Like Virgo, I’m pretty sure is the biggest one, and then you have a tiny little like sixteen day or twelve day one called Ophiuchus, which my friend Stephanie is very much like I’m a Sagittarius. I don’t know what this Ophiuchus thing is. I’m not Ophiuchus. Ophiu
selena (31:57.841)
I love opiucus. This is the thirteenth sign. We have thirteen minutes out of the year. I was like so on the oucus hype like a few years ago. Yeah.
Miranda (32:04.941)
It’s so cool. My moon is an Ofiuchus and so I’m like I’m special, right?
selena (32:09.97)
I’ll say I’ll say one more thing about him when I went down that rabbit hole and I won’t ever let him go. I think he’s really important and just like underrated, but I believe that he represents like the fifth element. Because if you take like all twelve and there’s perfect balance of elements in the in the zodiac, right? Air, earth, fire, water, I believe that Ofiuchus is like the ether. Anyways, it’s my own theory.
Miranda (32:36.727)
Right. Yeah, and there’s there’s another theory where it’s something like there’s like the progression of Scorpio to Sagittarius because Ophiucas he comes like right in the middle. And so like it is like it’s like an integration is the way I’ve heard how people describe it, you know, like and I think there’s something to that. And like, you know, I think there is
that ethere ethical part of it like the friend of mine that i have that is ophiucus like she’s right in the middle of it she really is like an ethereal creature of sorts and like i i’m telling her I’m like look you should be owning it because you are special as fuck to be Ophiucus. Like you are special as hell. So I’m glad that you know that because a lot of people I know that are into astrology they stick to one kind and they’re like all the other kinds are wrong.
I personally believe that they’re all right in their own way, right? They all have their tidbits. For me person right.
selena (33:40.028)
It’s a science. It’s a science. And it’s only a theory. And and we’re here with our brains to like keep pushing these theories, are we not?
Miranda (33:48.123)
Right. And to keep experimenting with them. I like human design personally ’cause when it comes to numerology or Chinese astrology or any of these other things, there’s always going to be something where you read it and you’re like, I don’t fully identify with that part. But for me, for hu my human design, the more I’ve dived into it and those charts of my loved ones, I’ve never been reading somebody’s chart and had them be like, Yeah, that that doesn’t fit. More often it’s like I just met you
How do you know how I’m supposed to be digesting my food? How do you know like the way that my life is gone? You know? How did you know my first thirty years were chaos? How do you know that, you know, I absorb and amplify the ocean emotions of people around me? And I think there’s something really beautiful for that. So I think I think that’s really special and
One of the big things that I wanted to touch on when we were talking about this is because that’s what drew it to me. I was like, okay, it’s an art thing. And it’s also this self-understanding thing. But with what Emma’s bringing in with the structure, it’s not like people think art and they’re like, we’re just gonna throw paint at a painting and like call it a day, and there’s no thought behind it and there’s no structure for a lot of people.
And and that’s fine, but also the art that really stands the test of time as what ends up in, you know, galleries and stuff hundreds of years later, from what I can tell, is that art that has some sort of structure and, you know, coherence to it. And I think having your chart for your astrology and having your chart for your painting, those play hand in hand.
So I think that’s beautiful. I do want to talk a little bit about like the structure of things. One of the questions I personally had and that you guys answered for me is this is like an a nearly two week or just over two weeks adventure. And so I was like, you know, I’ve got I’ve got like seven jobs. You know, how do I maintain my jobs and do this and really tune into it? can one or both of you speak to that?
Miranda (36:10.267)
Like how do you balance it with your life?
emma (36:14.069)
In the retreat or in our lives?
Miranda (36:16.219)
When both really, you know, like I know you guys are both artists professionally and you know, sometimes other responsibilities come about. But in terms of the I wanna speak first in terms of the retreat for like somebody like me who loves art, who wants to be fully immersed and also works almost every day for at least an hour or two. Is there gonna be space and ability to do that still?
emma (36:40.245)
hundred percent. I mean the way that we’ve we’ve structured the course, all the lectures are being recorded so and you’ve got access to a full download of everything. And that was done I wasn’t thinking about people working when I made when we made that like design in the in the space, although it does really help for that. It was more because
When people dive into an experience like this, different things could c come up and it was important to be able to give space that if you needed to have a morning where you needed to just walk by yourself on the beach or you know, it it’s such a amazing opportunity to have two weeks out of your life.
there is a healing aspect to what we’re doing. And then what the art does is it this stuff it like it comes up. So it was really important to be able to create a container that you could do what you needed to do for you for this goal opportunity of having two weeks with yourself.
And not miss out on everything and or anything and be able to have that like sympathetic space for it. But that does also translate if you need to work. We were also looking at maybe making the painting space itself like a tech-free zone. So it gives people a bit of like a detox from being in that environment as well, but also leave it so it’s open enough that if you did need to jump into your phone or take a call or do whatever, you can go to a cafe, you can go down the high street, you can go and have that space without
that fall into the painting container but not feel the pressure that you can or can’t go. So it’s it’s quite a free flowing space to support whatever you need in that moment.
selena (38:22.708)
Yeah, and I will add that we have a location with excellent internet so you can just go to your room literally like twenty steps away from where we’ll be painting and handle your business. our studio time blocks are set if you look at our website it’s detailed how each daily flow goes and you can see that any time the two blocks of studio time are meant to be painting, but if if you need to
step away and handle anything that that would be the time to do. That’s your work time. And then we get to eat together for a breakfast, lunch, and a dinner. So
Miranda (39:03.235)
And to be clear, the food is included in the price of the retreat. There’s also there is an option to self-lodge, which means get your own accommodations, and there’s options to stay on site. But those the option to self-lodge does come with the food, the meal times and everything, correct?
selena (39:11.732)
Yes.
selena (39:25.936)
Yeah, actually we should we we’ve changed it a little bit because we we booked with a different hotel now and just kinda simplified it. So maybe edit this part out, I don’t know. But basically we have one one option and it’s private room. you can write to us if you wanna share a room, but basically to just have everyone there.
Miranda (39:39.462)
Okay.
selena (39:54.323)
fifteen and the restaurant is at the facility as well and all the good internet and everything. Yeah, everything’s included, no thinking, no options, just like literally just come and be there and it’s got ocean view room. It’s very nice.
Miranda (39:54.523)
Right.
Miranda (40:01.329)
So it’s all included then and
Miranda (40:11.823)
Are the materials for the art itself included or is that like for the painting itself or would you need to invest in those and bring those with you or how does that work?
emma (40:25.057)
I would say basic materials are included, like there’ll be stuff on hand, but it’s also really good to bring your own kit because it’s good to get to know your own kit as well, which is pretty standard for for artries. You’ll have like a selection of stuff, but it’s all it is really good to bring your stuff because then you can like learn how to use the stuff that you love in the processes that we’re teaching.
selena (40:47.028)
Everybody am I Okay. I know I got the ocean right here. so loud. but the for instance like brushes, you know,
emma (40:49.281)
Your
Miranda (40:51.641)
I I fixed it, sorry. The the ocean is beautiful but it’s loud.
selena (41:07.814)
If you’re already an artist, you probably have your favorite brushes and you’re obviously gonna be traveling with those. But if you’ve never painted before, like we will have things available also. but I I have a particular thing about brushes. It’s like I really encourage anybody, even if they haven’t been painting very much yet, to literally like pick out some brushes you really like. And we’ll have a materials list for people to choose to bring any of those supplies with them. But yeah.
Basic stuff will be provided, but what Emma was saying about your relationship to your tools, I think that that’s really valuable experience.
Miranda (41:46.937)
Yeah, I don’t I used to paint a lot more than I do and I ended up getting rid of a lot of my stuff because a lot of it was cheap. But I’m looking over here because I mean this isn’t a paintbrush but this is a crochet hook and I have my specific hooks and I travel with these hooks and so it makes sense. anybody that’s gonna be wanting to invest in this retreat likely is at least going to have a little bit of something. But I did wanna touch on that on whether or not, you know.
what would be provided in terms of actual materials and things of that nature. Cause that’s a part of it, right? that is a big part of it. Yeah. That was yeah, I mean it’s important, you know, because you have an art retreat, you know, how do you how do you physically do the art, right? And I think anybody can travel with brushes, even if they’re coming from far, far away, right?
emma (42:25.441)
Great question.
selena (42:41.842)
But you don’t but you don’t need to. So for mostly we wanna take all the decision making out like we just really want people to show up with themselves ready and open to go through this process with us. and you know another thing I would love to just bring in is the the idea that as we’re having so much time
creating and what Emma was referring to like things will come up, you know, you’re gonna maybe get frustrated sometimes. There’s gonna be that inner critic and like we’re so excited literally for that part because that is kind of where the medicine lies and it’s like there’s this great opportunity to just really base yourself through through doing these paintings.
Miranda (43:35.471)
Yeah, what do you do when somebody gets stuck at one of these things? You know, like that is that is a question because for me and and this goes through every area of my life, for my crochet, for my work, for website building, everything. There will be a point where I’m just staring at it and nothing is happening, so I have to go do something else. But I know that that’s my way of coping. but I am curious as to how do you deal with somebody who is
super blocked and unable to move forward. How does that work?
emma (44:12.851)
You go, Yay, that’s why we’re here.
Miranda (44:14.695)
But like how do you move through it? Because I I could see I mean if I could see myself being like, okay, and you know, like I’m here we have this limited time, I can’t move, like what do I do? You know, like what kind of tools do you guys have in the tool belt in terms of how to how to move that through? Or huh?
emma (44:42.029)
Do you want it? I’ve said Selina, do you want that one?
selena (44:45.908)
Sure, I can I can touch on it and then I wanna hear yours.
So this is actually something I before this life transformation, I was a high school art teacher for 19 years. And most of my students were not artists. So I feel like this is the mentality, these blocks, this like resistance, this huge like I can’t do this. I feel like I’ve just seen a lot of that. And
One of the things that I love about that space is that I know there’s gonna be that other side of it. I know that once we move through it, there’s this feeling of like
my gosh, I can be so much kinder to myself. I actually am really proud of what I just did and I can’t even believe what I just made. You know, like that space is coming next. So just to remember that, but the tools really are sitting with it, acknowledging it, sharing my own stories, talking to our colleagues who are painting right next to us, getting up, looking at what they’re doing, maybe just you know taking a little break and coming back to it, getting a scratch.
paper and literally just like making all the crazy marks on it just to loosen up and realize like paint is not so scary you can literally like change the shape of anything and the color and like it’s not permanent and so these are some of the tools that I’ve used before
Miranda (46:29.369)
Emma tell me tell me your thoughts on this please.
emma (46:33.043)
I I I love it because for me this is actually like this is the magic and this is the medicine and this is why we step into these containers. It’s like exactly this moment here because I feel like you’ve got an opportunity for psychological growth in probably one of the most gentle and loving containers you can create and the only person you’ve got to to reflect it back with you is yourself and this is a big part of why I actually paint because it works as like a mirror for my stuff, for my
limited thinking patterns for where it highlights where I have unhealthy conversation or unhealthy inner dialogue with myself and it helps me become more aware of that inner voice and then to meet it and be like whoa that’s not serving me how do I deal with this and it’s there’s not a in every single it’s not a black and white situation in every single situation it’s a unique situation and it’s about being able to meet resistance
And learn how to how to soften to it and move with it. And this is this is the gold, this is the medicine that comes through into our life because this translates into the way that we handle life, it translates into the way we meet our interpersonal relationships, how we meet our self-growth, how we eat meet our relationships with ourselves. And if we can become aware of these patterns here, and then consciously lean in and find coping mechanisms for them and find
Ways that we can transfigure the way that we have that relationship with ourselves, that that expands everything in our life. And this is what I’m really interested in. And this is the like undercurrent magic. I mean I talk about it too much and just like to let it happen. But it’s this container for actually allowing it to get a little bit challenging sometimes in a really safe space.
selena (48:25.204)
Yes, I love that so much. It is so that is right. The it’s that voice that we have within our own minds and we can just be so mean to ourselves, but it is gonna come up and that is the that is the juice, that’s the sauce, that is exactly what we’re here to meet on this canvas in this beautiful container, in this beautiful space with loving guides, you know, who have been there, who go there every single day and it’s like just just what we were talking about.
emma (48:36.525)
Mm-hmm.
emma (48:52.887)
Search for it. Yeah.
selena (48:55.158)
The other day, it’s like these are the same things you you face, whether it’s you know, becoming an entrepreneur or going on a medicine journey. It’s like that little inner voice is there, and that is kind of the the like hidden blessing inside of this retreat. Yes, we’re making a painting and we’re learning our astrology, but the most beautiful takeaway.
is the process of meeting your own resistance and then being in this loving container so that you can kind of heal that little voice bit by bit through it. Yeah.
emma (49:36.022)
Mm-hmm. Break through it. You know, because you’re honestly really the ultimate thing of these
So serious. It’s really not so serious. We make it such a big deal. And this is a way of coming in and being like it really doesn’t matter so much. And once you start letting go of this perfectionism that we will probably if we’re if we’re holding it that on the canvas, we’re gonna be shining that on every single other thing that we do, which will be blocking us moving forwards. So whatever’s blocking you on the canvas is gonna be blocking you probably in other places too. And this is the fucking this is it. This is this is the thing.
And this is where we can come in in this really playful way because it really doesn’t matter, but we can find it, and we can find it in a way that’s expansive rather than contracting, and this is where it really is. It’s like it’s a situation by situation by situation, and how it comes up, you’ll find the way to move through it. And we’ve given you every single colour of tools you can think about from the completely some people might just need to actually throw some paint at the canvas and say, Don’t worry about it, and other people might need a bit more discipline and might need a bit more of like a practice.
practice and process and it’s normally a dance between both. I like to call it a weaving of order and chaos because it’s only in the balance of order and chaos can creation actually start to unfold. So we’ve taken the two extremes and we’re holding them independently so then you can dance in between both of them and find your way for what it is that you need in that moment.
Miranda (51:02.725)
Yeah, I think there’s something really beautiful to be said about that because it was making me think ’cause yeah, this stuff really does translate into all parts of your life. I do crochet, I do aerial arts, I do websites, and I do a lot of, you know, artistic things like professionally. And it is interesting to see where those blockages lie like
Ooh, I haven’t done that before. Ooh, that like moving in that way physically, you know, hurts. Or and it is easy to kind of get in that thing of like comparing yourself to others. part of what, and I told both of you this, part of what’s attracted me to this retreat is I have been quietly, silently in the background working on a tarot deck for like a year. I have like four or five cards started, and I am
Beyond drawing the basic shapes of people on aerial apparatuses because it is focused around circus. Beyond that, it’s like I don’t know what style this is gonna be. Like, is this gonna be like a graphic? Is this gonna be like a painting style? Like I’ve had, you know, I’ve thought of okay, I’m gonna combine Ariel and Mexico, so I’m gonna have like Mexico background.
and have aerialists in front of it. And I’ve had some people tell me that it needs more imagery. And then I’ve had other people tell me, no, you should only have the aerial list and that’s it. And it’s like it’s also I would gather working through what you think other people would want to see. Am I right?
emma (52:40.555)
Mm. I mean, if that’s part of your journey, then yeah, that’s that’ll be that’s a huge thing that comes up as well. It’s like all this self care all of these like do I yeah, that’s that’s I mean, you’ve spoken to something really vulnerable there and something that’s really real for a lot of people.
selena (52:46.628)
Yeah.
selena (52:56.756)
Yeah, and that’s such a question whenever an artist is creating it’s like there’s two modes you can be in. There’s the mode where you’re like
Who am I creating this for? You know, if it’s not some cathartic piece that just started because you had to make it, but you’re looking at it as a product, you know, that people will buy, now you have to consider what do people want, you know, and then everybody’s gonna have a different opinion. And then I would just pull tar tarot cards about it. Which one?
Miranda (53:33.735)
Right. Yeah, for me, I’m actually gonna grab it real quick. for me, like my example and what got me into wanting to do this is I have this deck. This is not the deck.
emma (53:33.761)
Yeah.
emma (53:48.994)
Just while you’re doing that, Miranda, I want to speak to something that’s really alive for me in this in this moment. There’s a big difference between art and craft. And this was this was a big light bulb moment for me. And I have two sides. I have an artist and I have a craftsperson inside of me. And my artist don’t give a fuck. And my craftsperson is dedicated, devoted, learns processes like it’s a science and is obsessed with perfect results of technique.
Miranda (53:52.678)
Yeah.
Miranda (54:06.765)
Okay.
Miranda (54:18.758)
Right.
emma (54:19.755)
And they go between different things. And if I’m producing something, if I’m producing something for money as a product to live off of, then I’m living off of my craft. My art bursts forth from me and is a hundred percent self-indulgent. And then I dance between the two. And I might release and
like slam out art and then I can take that and then create craft from it but it doesn’t have the rawness, it doesn’t have like the whatever it is that’s going on inside is this is this is the artist. And I’ve meditated on this and dove so deep into it. And the more I can separate my craftsperson and my artist, the better both become and then they can interweave and feed each other.
Miranda (55:01.959)
I wanna speak real quick to that ’cause there’s this one piece that you have and it’s basically this form of a naked woman and then there’s like a dragon where her like womb area is. And that piece has always spoken to me because I mean I have endometriosis, so it feels like there’s like a little dragon in there just blowing fire around all the time anyway. And that like makes sense with that. And that was what I thought when I thought of it bursts forth, which is funny ’cause there’s that feminine creation thing.
And I think there is that balance because I am a craftsperson too. You know, like I like the websites that I produce, they’re art, but also they are a functional thing that people use to support their lives in whatever way it is, whether it’s sharing their art or selling their you know, I do anarchopulco’s websites selling the tickets that make the event possible. I wanted to touch on the tarot thing. The tarot thing for me, I mean it would be cool if it sold, but
For me it is less about like, yeah, I want people to like it, right? But also, I’ve tried so many different things that don’t feel right to me. And I have this favorite artist who does tarot decks, his name is Ciro Marchetti, and I’ve had his decks for years. And this right here, this is the card that inspired me to do a deck. Because first off, what he’s doing
Literally impossible if you tried to do that in silks you would fall. You would fall on your ass. but I was like, I’ve never seen a deck with aerial stuff. I did later find out there is this amazing artist on Instagram, Blinky Doodley, I think it is, and she does aer she has a whole aerial tarot tarot deck, but it’s more traditional and it’s more of just like it it it feels like a rider weight, but it has aerialists in every card. But like the thing about this deck
that I have in front of me is like it’s so fantastical and like rich and like there’s so much symbolism in it. And so I’m like, how do I do my own version of that without making it too busy, without making it too confusing, but also to make it, you know, like, like I mean, check out this fucking tower, you know, like there’s no dying people. That looks like a government falling to me, you know
Miranda (57:28.335)
That’s how I’ve always seen the tower. And it’s just like that is, you know, what I’m hoping personally to get out of this retreat is like, how do I like another one here is the Eight of Swords. I get this one all the time ’cause of my legal situation. She’s in the spider web, she’s blindfolded, and the knives around her are dangerous, but also they’re probably gonna get her free. You know, like how do you get past the mental blocks and let it flow?
you know, I ha I know the idea is great, you know, like Mexico plus aerialist, that’s fucking dope. But how do you pick the style and how do you pick, you know
what each thing means, right? And so I did wanna ask Selena I was just about to ask you, because Emma had told me that you’ve created Terotex, right?
selena (58:13.14)
Can I tell a little story really quick?
selena (58:24.136)
Well, no. I haven’t created a tarot deck, but my moon series, I did create a book. Since it’s there’s one for every new and full moon, what I did was create a spread to be used with a deck. But I also do want those cards to be an Oracle deck that’s you know coming soon. But I did a different project. The one right before the moon one was actually a Venus.
Miranda (58:25.637)
Or painted in that form.
Miranda (58:38.15)
Okay.
selena (58:48.104)
Deep dive, and that’s what initiated me into astrology, really, was my interest in Venus. And I was in this, I couldn’t afford this like container where women were gonna go through the heroines’ journey and learn all about the Venus cycle and their star point and like all this stuff of layers of you know Venus knowledge. But I made a deal so that I would do the Venus archetype for each one of the ladies in the program in exchange for being able to go into.
the program and and so I had to create a legend you know there’s evening star morning star the reset phase at the beginning of the cycle and then there’s the underworld phase so there’s four phases and then there’s you know every sign you know earth signs fire signs air signs and all these layers of symbology right and so at the at the beginning of this project I kind of just sat there and I
I created like a legend, you know, where colors meant something and I used a pomegranate. So a pomegranate ended up representing the four phases. So it was like just the seed and the reset and then it was the flower of the morning star. And then the fruit was formed in the underworld, but then by the evening star it was open and ready to be shared, you know. It was like these little things just started to come to to life or symbolic.
Meaning, which kind of simplified every design, it carried this thread through, and then it made it so that I could actually do 21 paintings of you know whoever was in the program. but yeah, when you were talking about coming up with all the you know, not making it too busy and like coming up with this this symbology for your card set, it reminded me of that that journey I took with trying to make these archetypes with the Venus.
Miranda (01:00:46.181)
Yeah, I think for me I’ve just been trying to create the cards and at least pick like ’cause it’s either photos of me or it’s photos of my friends, right? And okay, I’m gonna I’m gonna draw this one like one I have one that he’s a clear emperor. It’s my old teacher and he’s literally dressed like Hercules, like he’s an emperor, right? And then I have, you know
one of my friend on the trapeze and she’s like dressed almost like Adobinatrix and I’m like, okay, she’s a high priestess or like Queen of Swords maybe, you know? So it’s really interesting. It’s an interesting thought program because I have spent a lot of years I’ve owned this deck that I have in front of me twice.
I bought it when I was seventeen and then I lost it and then I bought it again when I was like twenty six or twenty seven and I’ve traveled all over Mexico with it. But there is something I know a lot of people they look at the tarot thing and they’re like, this is all woo woo bullshit and like that card’s not gonna tell you what’s happening in your life, man. But like and you can interpret the cards anyway depending and sure, yeah, right. But it does allow you to look at your life differently and so
what my goal is to try to create something that shows my heart, my love of Mexico, my love of Ariel, and also be something to where it does have some truth and some my one criticism of that other Ariel tech that I’ve seen is
Other than like, okay, there’s some swords, there’s not really the interpretation of what the card means, right? Like, okay, there’s the eight of swords, but like where’s the anguish, you know, like where is feeling stuck, you know, it’s just a girl that’s, you know, in a pretty aerial pose with some swords around her. So like there is that that deep seated self-understanding. so I am curious to see how that turns out.
Miranda (01:02:43.291)
I do have some other questions. We’re getting to be just over an hour here. I try to keep these below an hour and a half, but I have some questions as far for the audience mostly. The first one is, how do you get to Z Polite? What is the easiest way for somebody who’s coming from the United States?
selena (01:02:58.596)
Yeah.
selena (01:03:02.396)
you fly into Puerto Escondido. And that is the easiest It’s like a hour and a half taxi ride. and if you’re leaving from Southern California by chance, definitely take the CBX tunnel from Tijuana because then you get a domestic Mexican flight. So if anybody from Canada or the States wants to route through there, somehow that
Miranda (01:03:05.159)
Okay. And that’s like an hour, right?
selena (01:03:31.048)
might save some fun.
Miranda (01:03:34.533)
Right, of course.
emma (01:03:35.809)
Does Uber work in the area?
selena (01:03:39.162)
No, there is no Uber, there’s just taxis from the airport or really on the side of any road. you can wave and if they’re
Miranda (01:03:47.301)
I was told it was eight hundred pesos from the airport. I drove through, I had my car, so we drove in and then we drove up.
selena (01:03:52.923)
It was it was 800 pesos, but now we’re at 1400 pesos. 1400 pesos
Miranda (01:04:01.093)
my gosh. It’s probably because so many so many Americans go through Puerto Escondido. I I know that’s exactly what’s happening there. And anywhere where there’s a lot of Americans that
selena (01:04:09.396)
And Canadians, there’s so many. But they’ve really gotten very organized and and all the taxis now have a piece of paper and they’re they’re going according to rates. So that’s the going rate as we speak right now.
Miranda (01:04:28.143)
Okay, that’s good to know. Puerto Escondido, for people who don’t know, that is another coastal town. It’s directly south of Oaxaca City, which is the capital of the state. I will say that Oaxaca is one of my top three favorite states. I just want to make that clear. The food there specifically in Oaxaca City is like it’s fucking unreal. it was probably one of my favorite parts of my trips. And
I spent three months in Cancun and I enjoyed my time in Zipolite on the beach more and actually had more FaceTime on the beach ’cause the problem with Cancun is fucking everywhere you go, there’s somebody telling you that you gotta pay to be walking on the fucking beach. it was so hard to go to the beach in Cancun unless you’re in all r all inclusive. It is so hard to go to the beach there. but not in Zeppolite, like you can literally just walk
onto the beach from one of the many little paths and walk along and you can find restaurants or whatever and so that is an important thing. You had mentioned that you changed the structure of like you got a different hotel and I I suspect that changes the pricing. So what are we looking at as far as the pricing for the container? What exactly does it contain and where like where is
Dissensipolite.
selena (01:05:52.309)
Okay, so we went with a different venue because the first one didn’t really have a dedicated structure. And during September it is likely to rain in the afternoons, you know.
And this this other hotel has the most beautiful covered structure and it’s right on the beach also. So there’s plenty of space for all the easels to be and tables and everything for us to be at, which is the priority because we’re here to paint and we didn’t want to be anywhere where should it rain we might you know need to move. so here we can just be there the whole time whether it rains or not. all of our supplies are.
safe. And then it is
got the restaurant attached to it and now we’re offering three meals per day so all the you know everything’s catered for you and the rooms are nice everything that you need is in there and looking right at the ocean so the total price is five thousand and it turns out to be 15 days so it’s 14 days of instruction you know you arrive and
And the very next day we start our classes and it also includes some activities like a Temescal, which is like a sweat lodge for those people from the states who understand like it’s a cultural practice here that they do here. So we can take you through one of those. there’s gonna be breath work, yoga, maybe a little dancing.
selena (01:07:42.025)
go to a mascaleria, things like that. So there’s some activities. Perhaps we’ll take one day and go to Mesunte, which is a town just just north of here. Just a little 20 minute ride and has some great things to see over there, different beach. So we’re really just making it this all-inclusive thing. It’s just all private rooms now and that’s that. I don’t know if I’m forgetting anything.
Miranda (01:08:08.325)
I think that’s beautiful.
emma (01:08:08.343)
We’ve re No, we reduced our numbers as well. So we we’ve got less people coming as well. So it’s more you get more focused support from from us as well. So there’s more one on one support with your projects that you’re learning too.
selena (01:08:12.134)
Yeah.
Miranda (01:08:25.285)
Yeah, I think that’s beautiful. I am curious about because you had mentioned yoga and stuff like that, you know I’m an aerialist. Is there anywhere on this property that could potentially hang something to hang from? Because I can bring something to hang from.
selena (01:08:43.028)
you know, we’re in a big palapa like how I’m in one right now, but that but the one we’re going to is a little nicer. very strong structures, so I don’t see why not. But I also know that just two buildings down, very close to Hotel Nude, in fact, it’s very cl this hotel is very close to Hotel Nude, right on the beach. But they were doing the circus there not too long ago, so
Miranda (01:08:48.966)
Right.
Miranda (01:08:57.201)
Potentially.
selena (01:09:13.032)
Maybe there was something there that they were doing.
Miranda (01:09:16.281)
Interesting. Yeah, ’cause I’ve gotten my my situation down to a science where I can pack it into a quarter of my suitcase and take it with me and I don’t like to go without it. and I think it would also be fun for anybody else that’s gonna be there to play with me if they want to.
selena (01:09:31.86)
I’ll try it. I’ve never done it.
Miranda (01:09:35.373)
I I’ll I’ll bring at least like there’s like the loop they call it the hammock or the cuna in Espanol and that is my preferred thing to take with me when I travel. But I’ll I’ll bring it. We’ll see. We’ll we’ll make we’ll make it work. Pemas cows are amazing. I’m pretty sure Emma, we’ve been in one together at at the staff retreat at Bambuda. I had Vistara on this podcast for
emma (01:09:53.975)
We have, yes.
Miranda (01:10:04.155)
the episode aired last week. And I hope I didn’t scare anybody away because I told a story of my first tennis cow, which was I got into a police chase. It was right after my ex was murdered and I c I got into a police chase on the way and then I show up there and get put in into this fucking thing that’s half underground and I’m like
This is like jail and you are the warden. And she’s like, you’re gonna be fine. Her with her fucking drum and I was fucking how the fuck are you drumming in this, you know? But it is one of the most transformational i i ceremonies or whatever you wanna call it, like traditions in Mexico and in Latin America in general that
emma (01:10:24.941)
Mm-hmm.
Miranda (01:10:47.493)
most people just aren’t aware of. And so I was super happy to see that there is gonna be one of those. Cause it and and you mentioned mezcaleria. I mean you can’t really go to Oaxaca without having mezcal. It’s actually I think there’s a law against it. I mean if there’s not there should be.
emma (01:11:02.83)
huh.
selena (01:11:04.884)
Yeah, I don’t typically drink but my gosh, I’ll have like one maybe two mascals once a month while I’ve been here so far and it’s just so good and there’s the flavors are so different and they’re coming from all these little regions and then you get to learn exactly where it was from, you know, and it’s very cool.
emma (01:11:05.793)
Yeah.
Miranda (01:11:26.725)
Yeah, I I really love the tradition with mezcal. I’m not a big drinker either. I have my Irish genetics and so like one to two mezcals. If I’m gonna drink mezcal, like I’m gonna I’m gonna drink it. So it’s like three or four for me. But I do it about once a month too. But for people that don’t know, it’s a lot of people are like, it’s it’s basically tequila. It’s not. It’s yes, they’re made from from the agave plant.
Yes, there is a lot of Mazcal that is made from Espaldine, the specific variety of agave. I’m a bit of a cactus nerd, so it’s a tangent, but it’s important, I swear. but there is a lot made from aspaldine, right? But the the
big difference between mezcal and tequila is tequila has to follow a specific process and has to be a spaldine and it is not smoked. Whereas mezcal, you can have like jungle agave that is, you know, they smoke the the cortisone, the heart of it, and then they
distill it and you can have and I I can’t roll my R’s, but in barrel, which is like B-A-R-R-O, which is it’s clay, you know, like they don’t use metal in the art the artisans. And the problem with that is occasionally, you know, the batch of mezcal’s gonna explode because the barrel explodes. But like when you can get that artesianal, which you can really only get in Oaxaca, I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
Or Mexico City, which gets it from Oaxaca. there is you can taste the earth of the clay, the smokiness, you can taste the difference in the different types of agade, like a qui a quiche, they call it, I think, is my favorite, and it it tastes like a rainstorm, like a smoky rainstorm, like
Miranda (01:13:16.697)
So it is, I think, a super important part of the culture. You know, most people they think Mexico, they think tequila and yeah, sure, but like I don’t drink tequila, I don’t bother. It’s not I’ve had I’ve had high quality tequila, I’ve had H. tequila is not good. But mezcal and the best mezcal I ever had, I bought in a Valentino bottle for fifteen pesos at a at a miscellaneous like convenience store.
in Puerto Escondido like ten years ago. You know, like it’s not the stuff you go and buy in Walmart for eight hundred pesos a bottle. So that that’s an exciting thing for me. And yeah, I I wanted to touch on that a little bit. I think that has all of my question answer questions answered. So other than it’s for both of you and whoever wants to answer first can answer if
If you could get everybody in the world to understand one thing about what you’re trying to do with this retreat, what would that be?
emma (01:14:23.677)
Ooh, it’s not about the end result.
Miranda (01:14:26.055)
okay, have something to say about that, but
emma (01:14:27.681)
Our
Yeah, no, it’s not. It’s it’s about what’s happening inside and the bigger gifts of seeds that will be planted and unfold later in your life.
Miranda (01:14:40.379)
That’s beautiful. That’s beautiful. I’m gonna before Selena answers, I wanna I wanna touch on that because I took a I took a workshop, a virtual workshop. Anybody that knows me knows that I have I wouldn’t say an obsession with Brother Ali, but he is all that I listen to. He is a albino Muslim rapper that lives in Turkey, that raps about the government, but also raps about the Quran. And he is
He’s an institution really, and I took a course from him. And I have I’m not a rapper, I’m not a musician. I can barely clap on two and four, I can rap along with Brother Ollie and that’s it. But I took it because I wanted to see, you know, what could be done. And the name of the course is Blood on Beats. He does it like once a year. But that was something that I asked him is like, what is your biggest piece of advice to somebody just starting out that doesn’t know
To go with this. And what he said was very similar to what you said. The outcome is none of your business. And that for me is like that is a piece of information that I will hold inside of my heart forever. And ’cause it it applies to everything. You know, the outcome of what comes of what you’re doing is none of your business. You need to just do it. And I think that’s just a different way of saying what you said there, Emma.
emma (01:16:06.893)
Yeah, same, same.
Miranda (01:16:09.689)
Okay, Selena, tell us tell us your magic.
selena (01:16:11.86)
man, like I don’t know if I can top that one. That’s so good. So beautiful. but just to say for me, it’s just this overarching theme of of treating yourself. You know, it’s like it’s a treat, you know, you’re giving yourself, you’re giving yourself a respite from your daily life.
Miranda (01:16:18.073)
Yeah.
selena (01:16:39.56)
But in that, you’re really learning about how it is that you’re treating yourself. And then that’s just something that continues to show up. So all of all the work that you’re doing on that canvas right there, all the all the healing, everything, that inner voice work that you’re gonna be doing, it’s like showing you like how are you treating yourself and just gonna be a reminder of that.
Miranda (01:17:07.653)
I think that’s beautiful. And I think the treating yourself thing when you think of like the literal way of saying treat, you know, like a treat is like people are like, I’m gonna go get a little treat, right? And this in its own way. Right, right. And but there’s something to that because like for me, and this is something that I was talking to with Emma about it, ’cause she’s like, I know you’re so busy, like, do you have the space to first it was rebuild the website? She’s like, Do you actually have the space to do this? Is this
selena (01:17:20.116)
Treat yourself, right? Treat yourself.
Miranda (01:17:37.297)
thing. But like and I did. But also for me, the reason I was drawn to it is I can’t remember the last time. Like I don’t go on vacations and just vacation. Most of the time I’m working the entire day. Like even when I was in Cancun for two months, I was still working 40 hours a week. I’m gonna try to set myself up before this to where I have to do maybe or an hour or two of like follow up with stuff per day. But
That was the point of this also for me is this is not something that I’m doing with the end result. Like most of the travel I do is with the end result of making money. I’m going to run this event to make this money. Even the s even the retreats that I’ve gone to, like medicine retreats, it’s like I am in some way producing this retreat. So I’m here and I’m working and also I’m partaking in the retreat. But it’s there’s always that thing whereas this is something that I’m doing just for my soul, and I think.
I think that’s a beautiful thing to touch on, you know? Like the outcome is none of your business and make sure to treat yourself.
emma (01:18:44.705)
I just want to speak to that because that’s it’s such a big thing that it it needs more light put on it because within the amount of time that we’re there, it’s enough time to actually break some patterns and really make some real change in your life. And this is the unraveling thing that we’re we’re talking about, is like there’s so much we’re we’re wound so tight in our society and with this process and and with the painting as well, because it’s like you can you can start to come down, but you’re also engaged because the hardest thing is just to come to the
like this this stop you can’t you gotta actually like coast down and and within that you’re then getting all of these tools to be able to integrate this more healthy vibrational relationship with yourself and in your being that will come into your life so there’s some real change in really positive ways that you’re the curator of how that comes in.
Miranda (01:19:37.721)
Yeah, I think that’s beautiful. I’m really excited for this guys. we’re gonna go ahead and wrap this up. Thank you for taking the time to do this. and I am so looking forward to seeing both of you. for those wondering, can can one of you remind me of the dates? I think it’s October twenty second to or September twenty second to October sixth, right?
selena (01:19:56.916)
It’s Yeah, it’s I put actually September 21st is when you should be blown in and in your bed so you can wake up on the 22nd of September and begin and then October 6th is our day to check out.
Miranda (01:20:04.561)
Right.
Miranda (01:20:16.369)
Beautiful. Well, see you guys and see Polite. Thank you.
emma (01:20:21.836)
Love you, thank you.
Miranda (01:20:22.981)
Love you and thank you guys.