I saw complete darkness for the first time in my life. I’m talking about a literal all-consuming darkness at the rock-bottom of a cave, 20 meters underground, deep in the jungles of Yucatan, Mexico. I lack the words to describe it other than: it was a spiritual experience. Spirituality, for me anyway, is something that brings you closer to the truth of who you are—“the spot where truth echoes,” as @saulwilliams once brilliantly put it. No, I wasn’t on psychedelics. If anything, I was on a sugar high from the gummy bears that were devoured before the descent 😂 pro tip: when out on a hike, simple carbs are your friends since your nutrient reserves deplete faster due to the exertion & you will require quick energy boosts; nuts, fruit, trail-mix, granola bars, m&ms and gummy bears are all great choices! (#notsponsored) What’s unfortunate is that I can tell you all about 🌀The millenia-year-old hall of quartz (a whole portion of the cave became a belly of ancient, crystallized minerals) 💧The waterfalls of minerals frozen in time, dripping like curtains on the walls. 👶🏻 The “birth canal,” a fissure in a rock, where the only way to continue is to crawl on your belly through it. A symbolic rebirth. 🦷 The human remains, both organic and cultural, from the ancient Mayans of the region and the experiential awareness that we’re a thread in the infinite tapestry of the Universe. ⚫️ The immense peace found in absolute darkness & silence where, even with eyes and ears wide open, there’s nothing to see nor hear—for once—only your beating heart. And yet I wouldn’t be able to fully express the experience. A “you had to be there” feeling. This adventure was healing, replenishing, empowering & inspiring - thanks to mother nature. I wonder if healing in nature is something that others love as much as I do. And if—here’s a wild idea—we can get together on a retreat to do so. I dream of bringing together a small group, anywhere in the world, to go on a mindful, transformative and regenerative retreat into nature together. I left a quick survey in my bio if this resonates with you 🫶🏽 May all of our dreams come true 🫂 Love, Jova 📸: @thatcurlybabe

"I know this will bother unhealed adults, but the real world, more often than not, does give you second chances and do overs. Very rarely are things set in stone. And people, especially young people, deserve to know that. Because lording the idea that they can never mess up, even once, does a lot more damage than good." —luxurybrownbarbie.tumblr.com #ThingsItTakesAWhileToUnderstand artwork by @hulutotoz

“one of the biggest things i believe to be true about relationships is that you must make it feel safe for the people you love to call you out on shit. like obviously don’t let anyone emotionally manipulate or terrorize you but in general, in healthy adult relationships, there is always a pattern of rupture/repair. someone does something (unintentionally!) that makes someone else feel not great, and it needs to be addressed. the best thing you can do to preserve and improve your interpersonal relationships is to be open to these conversations. you have to be able to hear how your words or actions have affected someone, even if it absolutely wasn’t your intention, and you have to be able to simply acknowledge and apologize. it doesn’t matter if you didn’t see it that way. someone you love did, and they care enough to tell you, and that’s a gift. be grateful for the opportunity to do better.” —unknown #ThingsItMayTakeAWhileToUnderstand artwork by @nickiezimov

"Perfectionism is not your friend. It’s rooted in the fear that what you do won’t be good enough. It’s over-valuing others’ opinion of you and your work. Perfectionism leaves you paralyzed, waiting for the perfect conditions so you know it’s safe to act. Unfortunately, if you’re waiting for the perfect conditions, you may wait for the rest of your life. If you can learn to fall in love with the process, rather than the product, you’ll be free to chase your passions unrestrained. Don’t let perfectionism keep you from moving. After all, you can’t steer a parked car." —@DavyKesey #ThingsYouAlreadyKnewButBestNotToForget artwork by @coreybrickleyillustration

Please stop attacking the past versions of you. They were doing their best at the time and they got you here. It’s amazing how much progress you’ve made and how much you’ve grown but please don’t think your past self lacked worth in any way. —unknown artwork by @cryb0_rg

this is your monday reminder that you can handle anything this week throws at you—you got this! 💚 artwork by @from_may

"not to be a hedonist but… pleasure IS the whole point, my loves. we are made for pleasure. humans have not survived out of spite or sheer grit or simply to make more humans. we live for pleasure. the pleasure of licking the last delicious crumbs off your fingers and feeling sunlight on your skin and massaging a loved one’s shoulders. we’re made to fill our bellies with delicious food, to nap in soft grass, to touch each other in joy and comfort. there is no shame or guilt in our bodies doing what they were made to do. and we are made for pleasure." —plushefemme.tumblr.com #ChooseLifeChooseBiscuits artwork by @mcfriendy

"we weretaught to be perfect when we didn’t have to be. the pursuit of perfection makes us small (minded). perfection is the lowest standard—it’s for people afraid of growth. that’s where we stop dreaming, wondering, trying, exploring. why are we seeking the end of growth, anyway? we’ve literally been raised to suppress our intuitive abilities out of the fear of being wrong. it’s okay to be wrong. the coolest thing in the world is to make mistakes and take accountability for them. it’s the bravest thing too." —@JovaFerreyra, notes on unleashing intuition artwork by @imamura_illustration

In the grand tapestry of relationships, our intuition acts as a compass, offering us glimpses into the authenticity of others. It whispers caution when darkness lurks behind charming facades, and it sings with joy when it senses the light that radiates from genuine souls. Through trust and self-belief, we can unlock the profound wisdom woven within your intuition's delicate threads. That's because in the depths of who you are lies a profound knowing. Listen intently. Your intuition will reveal the truths that words may fail to express. Yes, this is more powerful than a simple thought; it's a felt sense. Embrace its guidance, and trust yourself enough to follow its lead. The road to authentic connections and a life aligned with genuine joy awaits those who heed the gentle counsel of their intuition. To pick up some easy, practical tools to embody self-trust and unleash your intuitive abilities, join us for “intuition unleashed,” the online interactive workshop I’m hosting tomorrow, Friday! It’s not too late to sign up. The link to join is in the bio 💫 But regardless: always trust that you know what you need. Snuggles, @jovaferreyra Empowerment Coach Chief of The Artidote

"You gotta learn to delay your reaction when people are purposely trying to provoke you. You are not a puppet, your mood doesn't change based on how others want you to feel. You control you. You control if, when and how you react." —@SayitValencia Today's mantra: "No" will sometimes be my kindest revolution. Afterall, I am responsible for myself. This body is my body. This mind is my mind. This heart is my heart. This spirit is my spirit. Responsibility of self is a high honor. artwork by @sakoasko

"Gentle Reminder: you don't have to justify why you trust your intuition, why you feel drawn to certain paths, or why you seek what resonates with your inner knowing. Embrace the freedom to live a life guided by your intuitive wisdom, even if it may be unfamiliar or misunderstood by others. Allow yourself to honor your unique journey and embrace the path that aligns with your truest self." —@jovaferreyra artwork by @evanmcohen P.S. I know this is not easy, especially if growing up your feelings were invalidated and you constantly learned to mistrust the subtle intelligence of your body. It may be the reason why it may be hard to distinguish intuition from anxious feelings. As you continue on your healing journey, learning how to trust yourself once again will be one of the most revolutionary things you'll get to do. Keep going. Remember that it's in the moments when we feel most lost is precisely where we get the opportunity to learn how to find our way home, back into our core selves. If this message resonates with you, the doors to my online workshop "intuition unleashed: learning how to make decisions of impact in full confidence" are still open. Come learn some practical tools to reconnect with your body-mind and feel what it feels like to trust yourself fully once again. You may save your spot at the following link in the bio 🩵 See you there! Jova

have you ever channeled your inner elder—your future you? what are they like? do they still do that quirky thing you do? In 2007, psychologist Hal Hershfield & his team discovered that: when our brain thinks about the future version of ourselves, it cannot distinguish us from a complete stranger. in other words: in our brain, we perceive our future self as someone separate from who we are right now 🤯 and since your brain cannot distinguish future you from a stranger, it has no strong bonds with that person… which would explain why, for many of us, it becomes much more difficult to make the right health, financial or relationship decisions—why we know what to do, but we don’t do it. in short: much more difficult to be kind to our future selves. 🗣️because we’re basically detached from the person who will face tomorrow the consequences of our actions today—ourselves. but this is good news! because it means there’s very real benefits for developing an emotional connection with our future self: 🚀 Enhanced Decision-Making - as we align to long-term goals & values. 🚀 Increased motivation - as we invest in our future outcomes. 🚀 Improved Self-Discipline - as we let go of instant gratification in favor of actions that contribute to our long-term wellbeing. 🚀 Enhanced Long-Term Happiness - as we transcend immediate pleasure and invest in overall life satisfaction. 🚀 Cultivated Resilience - as we learn to see setbacks and challenges as temporary obstacles on the path to our desired future. You see, embracing this bond with our future self empowers us to bridge the gap between our present actions and our desired future outcomes, leading to a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life. Want to know more? Join us this weekend for “intuition unleashed,” my online workshop, where I’ll be guiding a us to connect with our inner elder. This workshop is designed to get us back in alignment with our true selves and make confident decisions from that empowered state. 🔗 Save your spot at the link in the bio or shoot me a DM for more details 🙌🏽 👴🏽✌🏽 @jovaferreyra Empowerment Coach Chief of @theartidote