When Life Pivots

Late last year, I found my life pivoting into a very unexpected direction. I was feeling a sudden and strong urge to homeschool our youngest child. I knew (as Malidoma would say, “deep in my bones”) that I was on the precipice of, yet again, a major life change.

After a few months of long conversations and marinating thoughts, I decided to divine for myself (something I rarely do). What did the ancient cowry shells on the cloth have to say about this transformation? Should I surrender this healing business I worked so hard for and become full-time mom/teacher/housewife? Which path is best for me and my family?

I had so many questions. And, after years of helping others find their answers, I realized the shells would reveal my truth, no matter how hard it was to accept.

Learning to Surrender

One thing that I found during my intimate self-divination session stood out to me. Here's a piece of what I wrote in my journal:

There’s a cluster of objects here in the water. First, we have the doll. She's face up because she is in resistance. She's still fighting against the current. She hasn't quite surrendered yet to her power, which is that of being mother. She's also floating on top of Beru. It shows her that God is with her always. God is holding her. God is carrying her. If only she could learn to let go, surrender, and trust that she is on the right path she would find herself face to face with God.

It's an interesting revelation. So many of the people I divine for think they are “in flow” with life, only to learn that there is some area of growth that they are resisting, avoiding, or fearing.

Here’s the thing about radical transformation, we often don’t see it coming until it’s staring us straight in the face. We’re faced with a choice point – stay the same or grow. My divination revealed to me that it was time to, once again, grow!

Growth, though, doesn’t always look the way we imagine. It rarely comes with fireworks or fanfare—it often arrives quietly, wrapped in discomfort, asking us to release control and trust something deeper. Surrender, then, isn’t about giving up; it’s about softening into the unknown, letting go of the old narrative, and allowing a wiser part of ourselves to lead.

Where Power lies

In January, I took on the new role of “homeschool mama”. After four months, I’m finding myself settling into a new kind of daily flow and energy. It’s been rewarding, challenging, exciting, and exhausting all at the same time.

In divination, my heart, that is my devotion stone, is often split – half touches the home, and the other half touches the community. It always points to something very clear: my role is both mother and healer. Spirit has always taught me that no matter how “split” I may feel, I was designed to handle both roles. With full transparency, I must admit I’ve often struggled to embrace these roles, especially simultaneously.

I know I’m not alone in this. So many of us carry more than one sacred role—caretaker and creator, leader and lover, nurturer and seeker. And it can feel impossible sometimes, like we have to choose one identity over the other just to survive.

But what if the truth is that we were never meant to choose? What if the stretch, the tension, the both/and is actually where our deepest power lives?

Shedding Of The Old Self

The snake vertebrae on my cloth represents a shedding of layers. It speaks to the Divinee about letting go of things that no longer serve them in order for something new or different to emerge.

There have been aspects of my work – such as website upkeep, frequent blogging, and social media – that have become less interesting over the past few months. Mostly because I now have a full-time student at home who has reignited my passions for long division and fourth grade history! But, all jokes aside, I have truly felt the snake medicine evolving my business long before I dived into this new place I now find myself in.

I believe a lot of us are being called to reevaluate how we spend our energy. The things that once lit us up might not hold the same charge, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean we’re lost—it means we’re growing. Life has a way of reshuffling our priorities to match who we’re becoming, not who we were. And even when the shifts feel inconvenient or messy, they’re often the clearest signs that transformation is already underway.

Throughout our homeschool transition of the last few months, I have learned how to re-balance clients, work, school, and life. The good news is that I’m still creating space to hold client sessions weekly! So, if you’ve been wanting to book a healing session or live cowry shell reading with me, you can still schedule an appointment with me here. If my scaled-back availability doesn’t work for you, I’m always open to working with you to find a time that does. Simply email me and we can work something out.

But, all this to say: I’m still here! I remain committed to my work, my purpose, and my gift of service to the greater good.

What I’m learning—slowly, tenderly—is that my capacity is expanding. I’m not just shedding old skins; I’m growing into a self that can hold more. More complexity, more responsibility, more joy. I used to think I had to choose which role to embody depending on the day. But now I’m starting to see that I can be the mother, the healer, the student, the teacher—all at once. Not perfectly, but fully. Spirit isn’t asking me to shrink or split, just to show up whole.

Cowry Shell Divinations

One thing I’ve been working on “behind the scenes” is creating a brand-new offering. If you’ve experienced a divination session with me, then you know how powerful and life-changing a cowry shell reading can be. For sixty full minutes, Spirit pours their wisdom into each and every piece on the cloth. Each session is wildly insightful and loaded with Otherwordly healing.

At the end of the hour, I have often found myself feeling like I could have said so much more! I’ve studied these pieces and this ancient form of divination for years, dating back to my very first divination session in 2016. It has been close to a decade that the bones and stones of the earth have instilled their brilliant medicine to and through me.

So, for the last couple of months, in between homeschool lessons, play dates, and household chores, I’ve been writing. Writing like crazy trying to pour every idea I’ve ever had about these divination pieces into words. Pen to paper, I’ve felt Spirit move through me in such an astounding way. Filling me with a kind of vigor and intensity to dive deeper into each and every stone, totem, shell, and bone on my divination cloth.

Why? To bring you an all-new kind of divination. A comprehensive, digital deep-dive… One that goes well beyond a typical 60-minute session.

I’m beyond excited to introduce a new offering to my website: Digital Cowry Shell Divination Readings. This is an all-new way to receive guidance from your Spirit Guides and Ancestors. Upon ordering, you will receive an astounding digital report that is approximately 40+ pages long, single-spaced, and loaded with all the details and nuances that I can’t always provide in a live, 60-minute session.

The Difference

Both live and digital Cowry Shell readings are great, but they offer different experiences. A live reading allows for direct interaction and a more personal connection with the reader, providing immediate insights and a chance to ask follow-up questions. The session typically lasts about an hour, which, while valuable, may not be enough time to fully explore every aspect of every piece on the spread in depth.

In contrast, a digital reading offers more flexibility with time. Since there's no time limit, you can revisit the reading as often as you like, diving deep into hours of wisdom and insights tailored to your needs. This allows you to absorb the information at your own pace, reflect on it, and return to the reading whenever you feel called to gain further clarity. Because I’m not limited by a live session timeframe, I’m able to provide much more detail and depth—layering symbolism, messages, and intuitive insights in a way that creates a fuller, more expansive experience.

It’s like receiving a sacred map you can keep returning to, each time discovering something new.

Both readings offer a unique experience. If you have previously received several live readings, a digital reading might be a fresh, new perspective. Similarly, if your last reading was a digital one, then a live reading could provide a more personal, interactive connection, allowing for real-time clarification and deeper engagement with the insights shared. Both options complement each other and can offer valuable guidance depending on your current needs.

If you want to learn more about divination, including Frequently Asked Questions, you’ll find everything you need here. Or, if you’d like to order your very first Digital Reading, you can dive in here.

As always, thanks for your unwavering support in me and my work. Thank you for holding space for me as I transition into a new phase in my life and re-learn how to balance these new intricacies. I love and appreciate every single one of you who has been a part of my work.

With Love,

Kelsey