NEWSLETTER - NOVEMBER 2024

Hello Reader,

Do you have a favorite nature spot? When I need my outdoor fix, my default here in Austin is the Greenbelt trail by Mopac/360 - mostly because it is easy to access and usually not too busy.

Over the years I’ve come to love this trail - but one of my major complaints is that due to it’s proximity to the highway, there never seems to be much wildlife, and I want the feeling of being IMMERSED in nature.

Last week I found myself on the trail on the first time in awhile, barefoot and seeking to connect to the wild.

But while I walked, all I could think about was how noisy the distant highway was.

And how oblivious the hipster couple was with their bluetooth speaker blaring.

And how disrespectful the graffiti was and how ugly and drab the Texas scrub forest was.

And WHERE WAS ALL THE WILDLIFE??
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As I grumbled my way around the bend, I saw that my usual route was blocked for ‘restoration’ - and found myself on a new section of trail I had never been on. This sudden newness snapped me out of my mental rut, and I began to laugh at my cranky thoughts.

I realized maybe this would be a good time to use some of those tools I’m always ranting about in my newsletter.

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So I gripped my toes.
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I jumped up and down and did some deep breathing and opened my eyes extra wide.
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I did some Thich Nhat Hanh “each breath, each step” meditation - syncing my body and movement with my deepened breathing.
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I closed my eyes, felt my feet on the ground, and tuned into the energy field around my body.

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Then I slowly opened my eyes - and unveiled a forest absolutely bursting with life. Sunlight poured through the swaying green foliage. A fleet of buzzing insects hummed around me, suspended in mid-air choreography. Ants and gnats and millipedes swarmed and marched around a bulbous mushroom growth. Moss and lichen dripped from branches and rocks. Ragged patches of decaying stump countered the aggressive ivy and clever wildflowers.
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There was an unfathomably vast ecosystem in the few square feet of my awareness - and IT GOES ON LIKE THIS FOR MILES AND MILES.

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I felt a wave of immense relief and contentment—grateful for my tools and years of training, helping to lead me out of my mind, into the slow, wild present moment.

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Now Accepting New Clients

I love this work. I love sharing the tools I have learned; helping my clients navigate their inner world and then watching that ripple out into their external world in remarkable ways. And I also remember feeling SO NERVOUS to begin my inner exploration. It might not be time. But if you are feeling that call - what the Gurdjieff work calls "magnetic center" pulling you towards working on yourself - then I would love to explore with you.

I do Virtual Sessions as well as In-Person, and I also have packages available. Full details are on my website www.josephmach.com.

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Upcoming Workshops & Talks

TBA

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Music

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​Listen to Mystic Revival on Spotify​ Joseph's indie-folk sound healing band

​Listen to White Buffalo on Spotify​ Joseph's americana-folk solo debut

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Art Update

I'd like to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the friends and folks who came by during the Austin Studio Tour last weekend. This was my first year doing the tour and felt like a major milestone for my inner artist.

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I'm so glad we get to stay connected in this way and I'm grateful that you are in my life. Feel free to share this with anyone in your life, and I would love to hear how you are doing - and I hope you have a blessed and easy Thanksgiving holiday!

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