The September 3 x3: Perceptions Vs. Reality
Welcome to the September edition of the Venus 3 x 3: a space where I, Sarah, founder of the Moon Studio, share 3 things I love, 3 practices, and 3 memories, in the hopes of falling back in love with life and the world.
ICYMI: There is a wealth of wonderful new episodes over on Moonbeaming: in particular, folks have really been loving a breakdown of how neurodivergents need to do rituals and routines, including very granular details of my own routines. I might expand on this in an essay, if it is helpful! In the meantime, listen in here.
For all you planner people, and Moon collaborators: tomorrow ends the Moon Studio’s preorder for the 2026 edition of Many Moons. If you want to get your copy at the lowest price it will ever be, and also get a cool new offering at the lowest price it will ever be, click here.
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Welcome to the Venus 3x3: a monthly collection of arts, culture, commerce, and practices that have brought me love, joy, glimmers, inspiration and/or a mild rabbit hole obsession. This is a way for me to keep track of all the love in my life.
Read on for 3 things, 3 practices, 3 moments: all orienting around love, pleasure, and eroticism. This is Collection 7. For Collection 6, go here.
I must be honest with you, gentle reader: I almost didn’t send this month’s 3 x 3.
That was because my all-over mental health has just…been akin to a trash can since August. I know that life is about ebbs and flows, and that surrender is a huge part of the spiritual lessons we are here to learn. But, in full disclosure, I’ve been grappling with the reality of no longer having a family-of-origin, post-no contact, and it has been hard. Old parts, old shame, and old/young emotions have been surfacing. Even though I logically know this is part of the process, and that one must #feelittohealit, even though I literally taught a class on feeling your feelings, it’s uncomfortable, it’s sad, it’s tough, and grief is called the master emotion for a reason.
Work has also been a challenge, same with my most important relationships, but I’ll refrain from the details. Let’s just say, right now, the call is coming from inside the house, so self-compassion has been hard-won.
The theme of the month was really theme-ing! It was Time Doulas, which I had hoped was going to be some positive time-bending and timeline jumping. Of course, it was more about the past and the ghosts that still reside there. More about triggers as time travel, and how when the past is not processed, it will become a block to self-actualization. The overall vibe from September was giving LOTR “YOU SHALL NOT PASS,” around some deep patterns/limits/behaviors/wounds I have. If the internal does not transform, the external cannot change.
Once again, ironically, my actual work is about this, I’ve been teaching on these lessons for ages, so there’s a bit of shame around my inability to be exceedingly skillful and graceful in the abyss. Here’s the irony: even though you’ve been in the unknown before, you haven’t yet been at this level or layer of the unknown. Once you get deeper and deeper into the spiral, closer and closer to the inner sanctum of the wound,
the same tools, practices, and perspectives will not always work. This level of integration requires imagination, intuition, patience, and practice.
The reason why I decided to send this recount of the month anyway is that when I looked back, it was objectively beautiful. Good things happened, there were peaceful moments in nature, a few sweet hangs with friends, and an amazingly profound eclipse ritual.
Reality versus perceptions, perceptions versus reality. Once again, I was reminded of just how important our mental health is, and just how important it is to create a life that feels good, all the way through. If I get more specific, the overwhelming sensation was discomfort, and discomfort isn’t anything to be afraid of. I know that this is all a part of growing my capacity and building new skills.
So, September: here’s to continued attempts to create a beautiful life, even when there are challenges.
Read on for my September highlights!
3 Things
Nails. I get my nails done once a month, and it is a beauty ritual I do just for me. Even if no one else ever saw my nails, I would still get them done. I’ve been moderately obsessed with whimsical, talismanic nails that have symbols on them.
Your Attention Is Sacred. I was lucky enough to receive the upcoming book from everyone’s favorite podcaster, Amelia Hruby (who happens to be our last feature here)! A gentle manifesto around the effects big tech has on our brains, and a reminder of what matters most, it affirmed my decision to scale back from social media this year. I also loved Amelia’s reframe from “paying” to “giving” our attention.
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Camping. My partner and I decided that moving forward, each possible month, we will take advantage of where we live, and will camp. We did our first trip this month, camping by a river, stargazing, and snuggling with our dogs, who could not have been more ecstatic about our overnight. Way cheaper than a hotel, and more restorative, too. Yes, nature is healing!
3 Practices
Present moment integration. When we meet for co-working sessions for
Clear Channels, we’ve been focusing on present moment integration. I try to do this every day: it is, in my opinion, one of the best things one can do in times of chaos. How much of you is in the present moment? How much of you is stuck in the past? The practice I devised helps you reground and become more connected to the river of aliveness that is the present moment.
Trying again, garden edition. We are ridiculously lucky to live in a zone where we can garden and grow all year round. Nothing like being able to tend to herbs and greens in your backyard.
Trying again, painting edition. More than ever, this year has been giving back-to-school, let’s learn vibes, so I signed up for a painting class, my first formal painting class ever. So far, it’s more frustrating than fun, but I’m looking forward to sticking with it!
3 Memories from the month
Heartfelt, honest conversations. Honesty is the gateway to so much, and honesty is how we get there. I am grateful to have people around me who can be honest with me, and I with them.
Clear Channels! Clear Channels continues to attract the best crew. Seriously, the creatives that partake in this offering are invigorating, refreshing, talented, and just all around such compassionate geniuses that I already miss all of them. I wish we could all just hang. (Perhaps a 2026 retreat needs to happen.) Seriously, I love facilitation because of the people. I can’t wait to see everyone’s newsletter out in the world! This part of my work will always be enjoyable, and I’ll always look forward to gathering with everyone who comes through the Moon Studio.
Energy is real. I was really reminded of this, because my intention for Clear Channels this time was to GET! FOLKS! TAKING! ACTION! They did! They are! I am so inspired by their commitment to reinvest in my newsletters, a little at a time, just like we teach.
Ok, that’s the 3 x 3 round-up. Once I got started, there were even more positive, meaningful things to recount, and that’s the magic of beauty and love chasing: once you start, you are reminded of all there is to be grateful for. Hopefully, this inspires you to create your own.
What were some of your memories and lessons from September?
The way that I’m SO THERE for a clear channels retreat omg 👀
Loved this. So connected. And clear channels was by far the highlight of my month! Such a lovely group of folks doing such different things. I feel inspired and blessed by that group. Thank you for facilitating!