the seasons may change, but so will i...

i was raised to believe showing emotions was a sign of weakness. stoicism equals strength. experience taught me that vulnerability is powerful. i no longer attempt to brush aside uncomfortable truths by side-stepping them. i choose to engage, even when it hurts. prolonged personal trauma compounded with chronic illnesses is enough for a person to manage, but the additional media bombardment of the news cycle is exhausting. i do not believe anyone should turn away from ongoing events, but if one cannot self-maintain, it's better to abstain from doomscrolling.

given the times, I’ve been less inclined to jump in and offer mystic services because it feels like a luxury. capitalism is a vile machine that forces many to hustle, but my body cannot take the constant load. i used to pigeonhole myself as “just an astrologer,” because it felt true to me after years of self-study. i honed other skills like tarot, reiki, akashic records and more— but just couldn’t be pinned down. nothing felt as good as sitting with a client and discussing their chart with them. however, 1:1 consultations can be energetically taxing and being asked to do free labour as a party trick felt even more demeaning. I shouldn’t complain: I love client work, and I love working with people! 

but truly, my favourite part about of this work is simply sitting and listening to my clients.  I meet people where they’re at because as a disabled person with overlapping marginalised identities, I often don’t receive the same courtesy. i have to fight for my seat at the table, yell a little louder because i want my voice to be heard, and learn how to advocate for myself.

my long term clients are often friends of mine or people i’d like to befriend. i consider the people i speak with to be peers. i ask people to place their trust in me as a support pillar rather than an all-knowing guru. my clients also look and act a lot like me, and some of them are just starting to understand their capacities. we are all on concurrent courses of growth, and i’ve treasured the opportunity to witness them. 

more than anything else, through my client work i have more deeply recognised the value of empathy. I realised others needed a space for someone to listen and hold them. 

most people lack the resources to craft relationships based on their true capabilities, build an affordable and effective care routine for themselves, or fully mourn what they’re losing or have already lost. through my experiences as a disabled and marginalised person, I’ve honed my skills in each of these areas of life. 

ultimately, i realize that my mystic services nearly always focus on these three challenges for my clients. just as a writer does their best work when they write what they know, my work has guided me to offer support for what i personally have built hardwon skills in due to experience.  

more importantly: i love this work, and want to do more of it. 

mysticism is a tool in my toolbox for offering support, but it’s not the core of the work i do with my clients. i think that the label of “astrologer” or “diviner” is eclipsing what i really do, and want to do more of: help others create care constellations of support for their lives.

my work moving forward will be to offer these three peer-to-peer support containers in increments of 30 minute slots (though i will ask for new clients to book a minimum of 60 minutes for our first session together!): 

navigating relationships 

relationships are the bedrock to a content life. perhaps the most important skill we must hone, is learning how to create wholehearted relationships and maintain them. as someone queer and polyamorous, i’ve learned a number of ways to dream up ways to facilitate intentional intimacy with others (as well as myself.) i’m happy to help support you (or your partners) through opening up your relationship(s), maintenance of current connections, as well as navigate situations and holding space for all parties involved. sometimes you need a third party to listen to you. I’m able to help you using intuition, life skills, and knowledge gained over the years. 

care planning 

creating a lifestyle that suits your personal strengths and supports you in the areas you find challenging is an ongoing balancing act. Whether you are depressed, neurodivergent, or disabled, i want to help you with finding affordable care and advocating for your needs. how do you articulate and express what you are going through? how do you wade through technical terms and speak the language of doctors and care takers? how do you create healthy limits for yourself and ask for help in your care-relationships?  together we will craft an agile framework for your health that supports you through the good times and the bad. 

grief support 

Loss is a hard truth that makes life meaningful. But today we have lost the art of preparing for loss, let alone the space and support to fully grieve. As a death doula I can help you with both 

all three of these life challenges are intertwined. sometimes we need more help in one area than another, because life ebbs and flows. i’d be honored to sail these waves by your side as a friendly and caring support. 

If you’re interested, please email me at christa[at]christalei[dot]me, or respond to this email. I’m working on my website so I’d appreciate your patience with me!