Solstice Reflections
An Invitation into the Next Chapter of M8
The Solstice marks a threshold.
It is not just a seasonal moment, but a pause in the great turning—a still point where light and dark meet, where we are asked not to rush forward, but to listen. To feel. To notice what has been alchemized through the year behind us, and what is quietly asking to be born through us next.
At M8, we speak often about embodied alchemy—the process of transforming lived experience into wisdom, movement into meaning, and community into something greater than the sum of its parts. This is not abstract. It happens in real time: in how we teach, how we hold space, how we relate to one another, and how we allow the work to evolve beyond any single person.
As we cross this Solstice gateway, I want to pause and speak directly to you—our teachers, guides, collaborators, and co-holders of the M8 field.
Why M8 Exists
M8 exists to invite people into the sensation of aligned living.
It exists to connect structure and flow, bones and breath, intellect and intuition, effort and ease. It exists to remind us—again and again—that safety, creativity, and growth are not opposing forces, but partners.
And importantly:
M8 exists as a living system—one that is strengthened through shared responsibility, shared voice, and shared vision.
This Solstice feels like a natural moment to name that clearly.
The Solstice as a Mirror
Traditionally, the Solstice is a time of reckoning and remembering. A time to honor what has matured, what has been composted, and what no longer needs to be carried forward simply because it once was.
In that spirit, I want to offer a set of reflections—not as tasks or assignments, but as invitations. These are questions you can sit with quietly, journal through, walk with, or simply let ripple through your body over the coming weeks.
Reflections for the Turning Year
Grounding
What do you love about teaching or being at M8 right now?
What feels nourishing here?
What patterns—personal or professional—are you ready to retire?
What kind of support allows you to teach from a regulated, grounded place?
Vision
If M8 were truly alive and sustainable for you, what would that look like?
What parts of wellness, movement, or healing are you most excited to explore or share this year?
Where do you sense potential for growth—not through more effort, but through better alignment?
Collaboration
What does “collaboration” actually mean to you — and what doesn’t it mean?
What kind of involvement feels energizing vs. draining for you?
If M8 were truly a shared ecosystem, what role would you love to explore within it?
What would it feel like to trust that you don’t have to hold everything alone?
There are no right answers here. Only honest ones.
An Invitation: Gathering to Co-Create the Year Ahead
With all of this in mind, I want to invite you into an in-person gathering:
Saturday, January 10
A collaborative planning and visioning circle for the year ahead
This will not be a meeting in the traditional sense.
It will be a circle—a space for reflection, dialogue, and co-creation.
Together, we’ll:
Reflect on what the past year has taught us
Name what wants to be strengthened, simplified, or reimagined
Explore how M8 can evolve as a more collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable ecosystem
Listen for what the collective is asking—not just what needs to be managed
This is not about doing more.
It’s about doing what matters, together.
Crossing the Threshold
The Solstice reminds us that light does not return all at once. It comes slowly. Incrementally. Through trust.
My hope is that this moment—and this gathering—serves as a threshold into a new way of relating to the work, to one another, and to the shared field we are building at M8.
Thank you for the care, presence, and integrity you bring into this space. Thank you for being willing to evolve—not just as teachers, but as humans in relationship.
I look forward to crossing this next chapter with you.
With deep gratitude,
Stephanie
