When I was in Cub Scouts, I hated camping.

Bugs.

Rain.

Sleeping on the ground like a potato in a nylon bag.

I was spoiled. I liked comfort. I was not exactly outdoorsy. (To be clear, I would have failed the wilderness part of Survivor in under ten minutes.)

So my anxiety would kick up at night.

Then the bonfire would get going.

And I’d sit there, hypnotized by the flames.

The fire didn’t fix everything.

But it settled me.

Not because I was having some grand mystical moment.

It was because my attention finally had one simple job.

Just watch the flame.

Your Brain Wants a Problem to Solve

When anxiety gets loud, your brain starts hunting.

It wants a problem.

It wants a threat.

It wants one more “what if” to chase around the room at 11:47 p.m.

If you’re analytical, this can get even trickier.

Because now you’re not just anxious. You’re smart enough to build a very convincing case for why your anxiety might be useful.

You can reason yourself into a spiral.

You can make uncertainty feel like a full-time job.

So instead of arguing with your mind, give it an anchor.

A small, steady, visual point.

Not vague. Not complicated. Not “trust the universe and float into the light.”

Just a simple practice.

Testable. Repeatable. Real.

The 3-Minute Candle Gaze

Here’s the micro-practice.

Simple. Practical. Zero fluff.

The 3-Minute Candle Gaze (Fire-Focus)

• Put a small candle on a stable surface. Sit at a safe distance.

• Set a timer for 3 minutes.

• Soften your eyes on the flame. No hard staring.

• Relax your jaw. Drop your shoulders.

• Lengthen your exhale. Make the out-breath a little longer than the in-breath.

• When your mind wanders (it will), bring it back to the light. No drama.

That’s it.

A steady visual focus plus longer exhales can help cue calm in the body.

And yes, you may be side-eyeing me right now.

I get it.

I’m an analytical CPA. I like results.

So don’t “believe” in this.

Run the experiment tonight.

One candle.

Three minutes.

Then notice what changed.

Not what you hoped would change.

Not what some guru on the internet promised would change.

What actually changed.

Maybe your shoulders dropped.

Maybe your breathing slowed down.

Maybe your thoughts did not disappear, but they stopped acting like unpaid interns running wild through your nervous system.

That counts.

Ancient Practice, Modern Mind

This is one reason old practices still matter.

Not because they’re old.

Because they work on human nature, and human nature has not changed all that much.

You still have a body.

You still have attention.

You still have a mind that can turn one loose thread into an existential documentary series.

A candle gives your mind a focal point.

A longer exhale gives your body a signal.

That combination matters.

Especially if you’re someone who wants spirituality to be grounded.

Practical. Clear. Honest.

Not a performance.

Not a pile of vague platitudes.

Something you can actually do when your mind is racing and your inner world feels too loud.

One more thing.

Candle safety is real.

Don’t do this around kids, pets, or anything that burns.

Common sense wins.

If you want to go deeper into this kind of work, that’s exactly why I created The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old-school physical newsletter exploring ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science.

The goal is simple.

To give you timeless wisdom, unconventional approaches, and practical tools that help you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

The kind of insights that elevate spirituality and help free you from anxiety usually are not hiding inside a sea of quick-fix ads.

They tend to live in older places.

Ancient and occult wisdom. Carried forward through modern practices that support real personal insight and inner development.

That’s the spirit of The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s printed on high-quality paper and has a hole-punched design.

Very old-school. Very intentional. A little obsessive, maybe. (Former accountant. I have a type.)

There’s also a limited-time free trial.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

And when you start your trial, you get five free gifts delivered right away.

They’re yours to keep even if you decide not to continue.

I like a good deal. What can I say?

After the trial, it continues at $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective and a more grounded way to explore anxiety, meaning, and inner development, it’s there for you.

If that speaks to you, take a look at The Mike Guarneri Letter.

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

For a long time, my “system” for handling anxiety looked like this:

Think about it nonstop.

Hope for the best.

Repeat.

If you opened my mind back then, it would’ve looked like a junk drawer.

Loose fears.

Half‑formed ideas.

Nothing with a name. Nothing with a place.

Then, during a deep dive into ancient wisdom and old‑school research methods, I came across something that irritated me at first.

Index cards.

Not mystical.

Not impressive.

Just cards in a box.

But the deeper I went, the more I realized something important:

For centuries, people have used small, physical containers to hold what the mind can’t carry alone.

Monks kept commonplace books.

Scholars kept card catalogs.

Mystics kept boxes of fragments, insights, and observations, tiny pieces of the inner world made tangible.

They didn’t always trust the memory.

They trusted containers.

Meanwhile, I was trying to handle real anxiety with nothing but:

“Remember that thing you read once.”

So I gave in and tried it.

I grabbed a stack of cards and a box.

At the top of one card, I wrote the name of one specific anxiety.

Not “my life.”

Not “everything.”

One.

Then I wrote a few lines about how it actually showed up:

“When this hits…”

“What I feel in my body…”

“What I usually do next…”

It felt like I was documenting a small haunting, giving shape to something that had been drifting around unnamed.

But when I put that card in the box and closed the lid, something subtle shifted.

For the first time, that anxiety wasn’t floating in my head.

It existed somewhere.

It had a card.

It had a name.

It had a home.

Over time, I added more cards.

Not essays.

Not journals.

Just small pieces:

Things I tried.

What helped a little.

What backfired.

One‑sentence reminders I wanted future‑me to see.

The box slowly became an external brain, a physical archive of my inner work.

I didn’t have to remember every insight.

I just had to keep feeding the box.

To be clear, the box didn’t cure my anxiety.

But it did something just as important:

It gave me leverage.

Instead of feeling like I was starting from zero every time, I could flip through and see proof that I had done real work.

I had burned through fears.

Tested ideas.

Recovered from bad days.

Returned to myself again and again.

It was all there, in ink, a quiet record of transformation.

If you want a tiny taste of this, here’s a simple experiment:

Grab one card (or a small piece of paper) and a pen.

At the top, write the name of one specific anxiety:

“Sunday night work dread.”

“Driving over bridges.”

“Making phone calls.”

Under that, write three short lines:

“Shows up as: ___***”

“Feels like: ”

“Today I will try: ***___” (keep it small and realistic)

Put the card somewhere you’ll see it.

At night, add one line on the back:

“What actually happened: ______”

Then save the card.

Don’t judge it.

Don’t turn it into a life report.

Just keep it.

You’ve now taken one slice of your anxiety and given it a physical form, something

outside your head, something you can return to, something you can shape.

A small card.

A tiny ritual.

A place to put the things that used to float.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you: practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety, then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

mikeguarneri.com/letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

I used to think “relax your body” was one of the most useless pieces of advice on earth.

People said it like I had a hidden switch somewhere.

Meanwhile, my shoulders were up near my ears, my jaw was locked, and my stomach felt like it was trying to tie itself into a knot.

Then one day, something shifted.

I was sitting at my desk, worrying about a call I had to make.

My mind was spinning out all the usual worst‑case scenes.

But when I really paid attention, my body was already behaving as if the bad news had already arrived.

Tight chest.

Short breath.

Fists half‑clenched.

My body didn’t know the difference between “imagined” and “real.”

It had leaped ahead, acting out a future that hadn’t happened.

That’s when I started experimenting with something simple, something that shows up in older traditions across the world. A slow descent through the body. A deliberate softening. A way of checking each layer of yourself and adjusting what you find.

You see versions of it in contemplative lineages, martial arts, and modern somatic work.

Different cultures, same instinct: the body must be brought back before the mind can follow.

I call my version the chair reset.

It’s not dramatic.

It’s not ceremonial.

But it carries that quiet, ancient feel; the kind of practice humans have used for centuries to return to themselves.

Here’s how it works:

Sit in a regular chair.

Feet flat on the floor.

Hands resting on your legs.

No incense. No soundtrack.

Just you, gravity, and the simple fact of being here.

Then move your attention down your body in small steps.

Not judging.

Not analyzing.

Just noticing and softening.

Top of the head.

Forehead.

Jaw.

Neck.

Shoulders.

Chest.

Stomach.

Hips.

Legs.

Feet.

At each spot, ask two quick questions:

“Is this tight or soft?”

“Can I let it drop one notch closer to soft?”

Not ten notches.

One.

When I first

tried this, I started at the top.

Forehead: tight. Soften it a little.

Jaw: clenched. Let it hang a bit.

Neck: stiff. Let the head tilt a fraction.

Shoulders: way up. Let them fall down and back.

By the time I reached my chest and stomach, my breathing had already changed.

I hadn’t done a “breathing exercise.”

My breath simply followed my body as it loosened, the way it has for humans long before we had names for any of this.

And something important happened inside the anxiety:

It had to wait.

Usually, anxiety tells my body what to do.

The chair reset reverses the direction.

My body starts sending a different message back:

“We’re not in an emergency right now.”

This doesn’t mean the thing you’re worried about doesn’t matter.

It means your body doesn’t have to live through the worst‑case scenario before anything even happens.

If you want to try this, here is a simple version you can use anytime you’re sitting:

Plant your feet on the floor.

Let your hands rest on your thighs.

Take one slow breath in and out.

Starting at the top of your head, move your attention downward.

At each area, ask:

“Tight or soft?”

Then:

“Can I loosen this just a little?”

When you reach your feet, press them gently into the ground on an exhale.

Finish with one plain sentence:

“I’m in this chair. Right now.”

Three to five minutes.

That’s it.

You’ve just reminded your nervous system that you have a body, and it’s allowed to stand down unless something truly requires all‑hands‑on‑deck.

A simple reset.

A small ritual

A way back to yourself.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you, practical spirituality, ancient wisdom,

and real tools for navigating anxiety, then you’ll probably love something

I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a

hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

mikeguarneri.com/letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

One afternoon, my anxiety had me pinned to the couch.

Nothing dramatic had happened.

No crisis.

No emergency.

Just that quiet, grinding worry about everything and nothing — the kind of unease that feels older than the moment you’re in, like an echo from some deeper layer of the self.

I tried reading, but couldn’t focus.

Tried TV, but didn’t care.

Tried telling myself to “calm down.” (A classic failure.)

So I did what I do when I’ve run out of clever ideas.

I went outside.

Not searching for enlightenment.

Not chasing a breakthrough.

Just trying to not be on that couch.

I stepped out the front door and started walking down the block.

At first, my mind came with me, of course.

What if this never gets better?

What if I’m always like this?

What if I’m wasting my life worrying about wasting my life?

Then I remembered something from my research — something humans have known for centuries:

Rhythmic walking is one of the oldest ways to steady the mind.

Monks pacing cloisters.

Pilgrims circling sacred paths.

People walking labyrinths not to reach a destination, but to return to themselves.

They weren’t exercising.

They were giving their minds a rhythm to follow.

So I tried a stripped‑down version.

I picked a phrase:

“Right here.”

Left foot: Right.

Right foot: Here.

Step. Step.

Right. Here.

I walked past houses I’d seen a thousand times.

The same mailboxes.

The same trees.

But every time my mind tried to leap into some imagined catastrophe, I brought it back:

Right. Here.

Right. Here.

After a few minutes, something shifted.

The thoughts didn’t vanish; they rarely do, but they moved to the background, like a distant drum instead of a blaring alarm.

In the foreground was the sound of my shoes, the swing of my arms, the rhythm of the words.

Right. Here.

By the time I looped back home, the anxiety wasn’t gone.

But it was smaller.

Containable.

I felt like a person walking with some anxious thoughts, not an anxious thought dragging a person behind it.

To be clear, this isn’t about pretending everything is fine.

It’s about giving your nervous system a simple pattern it can hold for a few minutes.

A small ritual.

A steady rhythm.

A way of walking the mind back home.

If you want to try this, you don’t need a sacred path or a formal practice.

You just need a safe place to walk and a phrase that doesn’t irritate you.

Here’s one way:

Pick a short phrase with two parts.

Examples:

“I’m / here.”

“One / step.”

“Still / moving.”

Start walking at a normal pace.

Nothing ceremonial.

Sync the first word with your left foot, the second with your right.

When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to feet and words.

Do this for 5–10 minutes.

Then stop.

That’s enough.

You’ve given your anxious brain a break and your body a chance to remember what steady motion feels like.

A simple pattern.

A quiet ritual.

A way to return to yourself.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you — practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety — then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

I was in a waiting room, doing my best impression of a statue that might throw up.

It was one of those medical appointments where you know everything is probably fine, but your anxiety writes a whole horror script anyway, the mind doing what it has always done when it senses the unknown.

My thoughts were everywhere:

• What if they missed something?

• What if this changes everything?

• What if I fall apart right here in front of strangers?

I pulled out my phone, thought about scrolling, and stopped myself. I already knew where that road led, deeper into the fog.

So I reached for a small notebook I keep with me and remembered something simple, almost ritualistic:

“My anxiety is…”

A phrase that works like a small invocation.

A way of calling the shadow into view.

Instead of trying to calm down first, I leaned in.

On the page I wrote:

“My anxiety is telling me I’m not safe here, even though nothing bad is happening right now.”

It looked almost harmless in ink.

I kept going.

“My anxiety is acting like this appointment is a disaster instead of a check‑up.”

“My anxiety is trying to prepare me for every possible bad outcome at once.”

After three or four lines, something shifted.

The sensations were still in my body: tight chest, sweaty hands.

But the thoughts were no longer swirling inside my head.

They were on paper.

Visible.

Named.

Like pulling a shape out of the dark and setting it on the table.

I had taken one big, blurry storm cloud and turned it into short, clear sentences.

This is the heart of naming the anxiety, an old human move dressed in modern language.

You don’t fight it.

You don’t sweeten it.

You simply name it.

“My anxiety is…”

And you finish the sentence until the storm loses its edges.

It sounds too simple to matter, but it does a few ancient things:

• It separates you from the shadow. You’re not the fear. You’re the one observing it.

• It slows the mind. Writing is deliberate. Spiraling is fast.

• It turns the unseen into the seen. Humans have always used words to give shape to what overwhelms them.

• It creates material you can work with later. A list. A map. A set of components.

If you want to try this, here’s the simple version:

At the top of a page, write:

“My anxiety is…”

• Finish the sentence once.

• No editing.

Start the next line with:

“My anxiety is…”

• Finish it again.

Keep going until you feel bored or a little clearer.

When you’re done, close the notebook.

You don’t have to fix anything right there.

This isn’t about arguing with your anxiety or proving it wrong.

It’s about moving it from fog to form, from the realm of the unspoken into the realm of the named.

That tiny bit of distance is often enough to lower the volume.

Modern research backs this up.

Ancient traditions understood it intuitively.

Name the thing.

Bring it into the light.

Let it lose some of its power.

A small ritual.

A simple invocation.

A way to reclaim your mind from the shadows.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you, practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety, then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

I was standing in line at the pharmacy, doing that thing where you rehearse ten disasters in advance.

You know the drill.

What if I forget something important?

What if this new medication backfires?

What if the rest of the day goes off the rails?

My body was in line.

My mind was already three hours into the future.

Out of habit, I jammed my hands into my pockets.

My fingers hit something hard and smooth.

It was a small, flat stone I’d picked up on a walk weeks earlier — one of those quiet, instinctive moments where something in you says, Take this with you. I tossed it in my pocket and forgot about it.

Without thinking, I rubbed my thumb over the surface.

Back and forth.

Slow.

Nothing dramatic, just a simple, human gesture.

After a minute, I realized my breathing had settled.

Same line.

Same fluorescent lights.

Same anxious thoughts trying to claw their way in.

But I had an anchor.

It seems almost too simple, a stone in your pocket.

But humans have been doing this for thousands of years.

Touchstones. Prayer beads. Worry stones.

Objects carried not for magic, but for memory.

Here’s why it works:

When anxiety spikes, your attention leaps into the future.

Your mind spins stories.

Your body braces for impact.

What you need is something solid and present to return to, a physical reminder that you’re still here.

That little stone became my touchstone.

Literally.

I started using it intentionally.

Before going into situations that usually lit up my anxiety, crowded places, difficult calls, and appointments, I made sure the stone was in my pocket.

As soon as I felt my stomach flip or my shoulders tense, I’d slide my hand down and run my thumb over it.

Not as a charm.

Not as a superstition.

As a reminder:

“I’m here. Right now. One breath at a time.”

The stone gave my nervous system something steady to hold while the anxious part of my mind did its usual forecasting in the background.

It didn’t erase the anxiety, but it kept me from being swept away quite as fast.

And here’s the thing:

You don’t need a crystal blessed under a unicorn moon (no offense to unicorns).

You just need:

• one small, solid object that feels good in your hand

• a simple phrase you can link to it

Here’s a simple way to set it up:

1. Pick your object.

• A stone, coin, bead, or small piece of wood. Something sturdy.

2. Hold it for a minute.

• Notice the texture, weight, temperature — the way ancient people would attune to an object before carrying it.

3. Choose a short phrase that actually calms you.

• Examples:

  • “I can handle this moment.”

  • “One thing at a time.”

  • “Breathe, then decide.”

4. Say the phrase three to five times while holding the object.

5. Keep it in your pocket or bag.

Use it whenever anxiety spikes: touch + phrase + slow breath.

That’s it.

This isn’t about believing the object has special powers.

It’s about teaching your nervous system a small, repeatable ritual:

Feel the object.

Say the phrase.

Breathe.

Over time, your body begins to associate that pattern with steadiness, the same way ancient practices used physical anchors to calm the mind.

A modern touchstone.

A pocket‑sized ritual.

A way back to yourself.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you — practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety — then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

For a long time, my self‑talk during anxiety sounded like a bad sports commentator.

“There he goes again, blowing it.”

“Of course you’re freaking out, you can’t handle this.”

“Nice try, but this will probably go wrong too.”

If someone else spoke to me that way, I’d cut them out of my life.

But because it was my own mind, I let it run unchecked, like a rogue spirit whispering the same tired prophecy over and over.

One day, while going through my notes, I noticed something I had been skipping.

I had pages of insights. Lists of components. Sharp observations.

But almost no counter — no grounded line I could reach for when anxiety rose like a tide.

Nothing I could actually hold in the moment.

So I sat down with a single index card and wrote one line:

“I am allowed to feel anxious and still take one small step.”

That was it.

Not “I am fearless.” Not “Everything is perfect.”

Just a simple, honest incantation: I can feel this and still move a little.

To be clear, I didn’t believe it at first.

But I placed the card where I’d see it every morning, a small talisman of intention.

And every time my anxiety flared, before a call, during an email, even walking into the grocery store, I paused, looked at the line (or remembered it), and read it slowly.

Out loud when I could. In my mind, when I couldn’t.

Here’s what began to shift.

At first, the old commentary screamed over it, the familiar chorus of doubt.

But after a week or two of repeating that one sentence, something subtle appeared:

A gap.

A breath. A moment of choice.

Instead of “I’m anxious, so I must avoid this,” the chain became:

“I’m anxious… and I have that line.”

And sometimes, that was enough to take the next step instead of retreating.

The point isn’t that this exact sentence is magic.

The point is that your anxious mind already has thousands of rehearsed lines — old spells it repeats without your permission.

You need at least one line on your side. A counter‑voice. A wiser inner ally.

If you want to try this, here’s a simple way:

• Think of one specific anxiety you’re working with.

• Ask yourself: “What would a wise, honest friend say to me about this?”

• Turn that into a short, realistic sentence. Examples:

• “I can feel afraid and still stay in the room.” “This may be hard, but I don’t have to run.” “I’ve gotten through this before, and I can again.”

• Write it on a card, big, clear letters.

• Read it once a day when you’re calm, and again when anxiety rises.

You’re not trying to hypnotize yourself.

You’re giving your nervous system a new line of power to reach for, instead of letting anxiety speak first every time.

There’s good evidence behind this. Short, repeatable phrases can shift how strongly anxiety hooks into us. Ancient traditions knew this intuitively — they used mantras, vows, and simple spoken lines to steady the mind.

You’re doing the same thing, just in modern language.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you — practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety — then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense. Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks. Timeless ideas. Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

I was sitting on the couch, staring out the window like a confused werewolf.

It was late.

I was wired.

My anxiety was high for no clear reason.

Work was fine.

Nothing dramatic had happened.

Yet my mind was racing, and my body felt like it had mainlined three double espressos.

I glanced out the window and saw it.

Big, bright, full moon.

My first thought was, “Great, now I’m one of those people. Next, I’ll be howling in the backyard.”

But I couldn’t shake it.

I started noticing a pattern.

A few times a month, when my anxiety spiked, sleep got weird.

My thoughts went sideways.

And more often than not, it lined up with… you guessed it… the moon.

Now, to be clear, I’m an analytical guy.

I’m not blaming every bad day on the moon like it’s some cosmic customer service department.

But ancient cultures paid a lot of attention to lunar cycles for a reason.

They tracked planting, harvesting, and even rituals based on what the moon was doing.

So I got curious.

What if, instead of pretending the moon doesn’t affect me at all, I experimented with working with it?

That led me to a simple practice I still use today:

Lunar intention‑setting for anxiety.

Here’s how it works.

The new moon is about beginnings.

Darkness and quiet.

A reset point.

During the new moon, I sit down with my journal and ask one question:

What anxiety pattern am I ready to work on this month?

Not all of them.

Just one.

I write it down, clearly and honestly.

Then I set a simple intention like:

“This month, I’m learning to soften my anxiety around social plans.”

“This month, I’m working with my fear of making mistakes at work.”

I keep it focused.

One theme.

One anxiety.

Then, as the moon waxes (grows), I take small actions that support that intention.

Maybe I practice a breathing exercise before social events.

Maybe I use grounding before a meeting.

The point is, I’m not “waiting to feel ready.”

I’m moving with the growing light.

When the full moon hits, I check in:

How did the month go?

Where did anxiety still grab me by the throat?

Where did I handle it better than usual?

I write it all down.

No judgment.

Just data.

Finally, as the moon wanes (shrinks), I focus on release.

I ask:

What old belief or story about this anxiety am I ready to let go of?

Then I write that story on a small piece of paper, read it out loud, and either tear it up or burn it safely in a fireproof container.

Simple, physical, symbolic.

And surprisingly powerful.

Is the moon “making” my anxiety worse or better?

I have no idea.

But giving my anxiety a monthly rhythm, a beginning, a middle, and an end, has been huge.

Instead of feeling like my anxiety is an endless, chaotic storm, I have a cycle.

A container.

A way to say, “Okay, this is what I’m working on this month.”

Ancient people used the moon to mark sacred time.

You and I can use it to mark intentional time, the time when we choose to engage with our anxiety instead of just enduring it.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you — practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety — then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

I was sitting at my kitchen table, staring at a single tarot card as if it had just insulted me.

I had pulled it on a whim after a rough week. My anxiety was in full force.

Tight chest. Racing thoughts. The usual.

I shuffled the deck, cut it, and one card slid out on its own.

It was The Moon.

If you know even a little tarot, you know The Moon is not the “everything is fine” card.

It’s about confusion, fear, doubt, and the things hiding just below the surface.

In other words, it was a perfect mirror for my anxious brain.

I’ll admit it, my first reaction was annoyance. I wanted something encouraging. Something that said, “Mike, it’s all good.”

Instead, The Moon looked back at me like, Yeah, we need to talk.

So I did something different.

Instead of Googling card meanings or trying to “decode” it, I asked one simple question:

What part of my anxiety are you asking me to look at today?

Then I picked up a pen.

Tarot (or oracle cards) can be an incredible reflection tool for anxiety.

Not because the cards predict the future, but because they give your mind a safe, structured way to pull up what’s already inside you.

With The Moon in front of me, I started writing.

What am I actually afraid of right now?

Where am I confused?

What story is my anxiety telling me that might not be true?

Within ten minutes, things that had felt like a vague storm cloud turned into clear sentences on paper.

Old fears about failure. Worries about letting people down. The pressure to “have it all together” all the time.

Nothing on that card told me anything I didn’t already know.

But it gave me permission to see it.

That’s the power of using tarot or oracle cards when you’re anxious.

You’re not handing your life over to a deck.

You’re using images and archetypes as prompts to have an honest conversation with yourself.

Here’s a simple way to try it:

• Pick one card — tarot or oracle, whatever you’re comfortable with. Look at the image.

• Notice what jumps out first. Then ask:

• What part of my anxiety does this card remind me of?

• What is this card asking me to face that I’ve been avoiding?

• What support or shift does this card suggest?

• Write your answers down. No censoring. No judging. Just honesty.

To be clear, this is not about fortune‑telling. This is about self‑awareness.

The card is a mirror. Your anxiety shows up in the reflection.

When you start doing this regularly, patterns appear.

You see the same fears repeat. You see where your anxiety exaggerates things. You see where your intuition has been whispering the truth while anxiety has been yelling over it.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you — practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety — then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

Have you ever had anxiety so loud that even your thoughts feel noisy?

One night, my mind felt like a radio locked between stations.

Static everywhere.

I tried reading.

I tried scrolling (terrible idea).

I even tried staring at the wall like a budget monk.

Nothing.

Then I remembered something from my research that I had mostly brushed off.

Sound.

Ancient traditions have used sound for centuries to shift mental states.

Chants.

Drums.

Bells.

Simple tones.

They understood something we often forget: your nervous system listens to rhythm.

So I decided to run a small experiment.

I grabbed a cheap singing bowl I had bought on a whim.

(At the time, it was basically desk decoration.)

I sat down, took a breath, and struck it.

The sound rang out, long and clear.

I followed it with my attention until it faded.

Then I hit it again.

Same thing.

Sound, follow, fade.

About three minutes in, I noticed something.

My chest wasn’t tight anymore.

My thoughts had slowed down.

Not perfectly quiet — but instead of fifty anxious thoughts at once, there were three or four.

Manageable.

I’m not saying the bowl “healed” my anxiety.

That would be nonsense.

But the combination of steady sound and focused attention gave my nervous system something simple to hold onto.

It pulled me out of the mental noise and into one clear line.

Sound has become one of my favorite anxiety interrupters.

You don’t need fancy tools.

Here are a few simple options:

• A steady drum track or soft rhythm on YouTube.

• A short mantra spoken out loud, on repeat.

• A chime, bell, or even a glass tapped gently with a spoon.

Pick one sound.

Stay with it.

Follow it like a thread.

Here’s a basic way to try this:

• Sit somewhere you won’t be interrupted for five minutes.

• Choose your sound: bell, bowl, simple mantra, or gentle drum.

• Close your eyes.

• Each time the sound happens, follow it with your attention until it fades.

• Come back to the sound when your mind wanders to anxious thoughts.

That’s it.

No drama, just repetition.

What’s really going on here?

Your brain loves patterns.

Anxiety is a pattern of threat.

Sound gives your brain a different pattern to lock onto.

A steady, predictable rhythm says, “Nothing is attacking us right now.”

Over time, your body believes it.

To be clear, this is supplemental.

It doesn’t replace your therapist, your medication, or any professional care.

But as part of your toolkit, sound can be a powerful ally.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you — practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety — then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

There I was, hunched over my desk, drawing what looked like a logo for a very confused alien company.

It was a simple shape.

A few lines and a couple of curves.

Nothing fancy.

But my hand was shaking while I drew it.

My anxiety had been loud that week.

Loud in that “something bad is coming” kind of way.

You know exactly what I mean.

I had tried breathing. I had journaled.

It helped, but my mind still felt like a buzzing beehive.

So I tried something I once would’ve rolled my eyes at.

Sigil magic

If you’ve never heard of it, sigil work is an old occult practice where you take a clear intention, turn it into a symbol, and then “charge” that symbol with your focus.

In plain English: you make a tiny piece of art that stands for something you want to feel or become.

I know — it sounds a little out there.

But stay with me.

Here’s what I did.

I started with a simple sentence:

“I am calm and steady in my body.”

Then I crossed out all the repeating letters.

I took the remaining ones and played with them.

Twisted them.

Overlapped them.

Turned them into lines and curves until they no longer looked like letters at all.

What I ended up with was this odd, personal symbol.

It didn’t mean anything to anyone else.

But to me, it meant “calm and steady.”

Then I did something very important.

I sat quietly, held the drawing in my hands, and imagined what “calm and steady” actually felt like in my body.

Heavy legs and soft shoulders.

Easy breath and clear head.

I held onto that feeling for a few minutes as I looked at the sigil.

For once, my mind focused on one thing instead of fifty.

Over the next week, every time my anxiety flared, I pulled out that little symbol.

I looked at it, took a few breaths, and remembered the feeling I had attached to it.

Slowly, my brain learned a new association:

“This shape = we’re safe now.”

To be clear, the symbol itself is not magic.

The “magic” is your nervous system learning a new link between a visual cue and a calm state.

You are training your brain with an image instead of just words.

That’s why sigils can be so powerful for anxiety.

Anxiety loves repeating scary images in your mind.

Sigil work lets you give your mind a new image on purpose.

If you want to try it, here’s a simple version:

• Write one short sentence about how you want to feel.

• Example: “I move through today with quiet confidence.”

• Cross out repeating letters. Keep what’s left.

• Turn those letters into a symbol.

• Play with them.

• Rotate them.

• Stack them.

• It doesn’t have to look “pretty.”

• It just has to feel like yours.

• Sit with the symbol for a few minutes.

• Breathe slowly. Imagine the state you want. Let your body feel it.

• Keep the sigil where you’ll see it when anxiety spikes — wallet, lock screen, journal, your Anxiety Box card, wherever.

Over time, the symbol may become a fast track to that calmer state.

A little anchor in the middle of the storm.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you—practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety—then you’ll probably love something I’ve been quietly building in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in ways that help you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective — one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools — you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

I remember sitting across from my therapist when she asked me a question that caught me off guard.

“What happens to your body when anxiety hits?”

I told her everything.

Heart racing.

Shallow breathing.

Tight chest.

Sweating.

The whole package.

She nodded and said something I’ll never forget.

“Your body knows how to fix this. You just have to teach it how.”

That line changed everything for me.

It’s what led me to pranayama, an age‑old yogic breathing practice that’s been passed down for generations.

And I’m telling you, it works.

Anxiety hijacks your nervous system.

Your body goes straight into fight‑or‑flight, and once it’s there, your mind follows.

You can’t think your way out of it.

You have to breathe your way out of it.

Pranayama isn’t just deep breathing.

It’s intentional breathing.

It uses your breath to calm your nervous system and bring your body back online.

The Technique That Changed Everything

The simplest pranayama technique is called Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing.

It sounds strange, I know.

But the science is solid.

Breathing through one nostril at a time activates different parts of your nervous system. You’re literally retraining how your body responds to stress.1

Here’s how to do it:

• Sit comfortably.

• Close your right nostril with your thumb.

• Breathe in slowly through your left nostril for a count of four.

• Close your left nostril with your finger.

• Breathe out through your right nostril for a count of four.

• Then breathe in through your right nostril.

• Close it.

• Breathe out through the left.

That’s one round.

Do ten rounds.

The first time I tried this, I felt the difference immediately.

My heart rate dropped, and my mind cleared.

I went from panicked to present in about two minutes.

I started doing this every morning.

Then I used it when anxiety crept in during the day.

Within a week, my body began to recognize the pattern.

When I started this breathing practice, my nervous system already knew what was coming.

It began to relax before I even finished the first round.

To be clear, this isn’t magic.

It’s physiology.

Your nervous system has two modes: sympathetic (fight‑or‑flight) and parasympathetic (rest‑and‑digest).

Pranayama activates your parasympathetic system.

It tells your body: You’re safe. You can relax.

Once your body believes that, your mind follows.

Why This Matters for High‑Functioning, Analytical Seekers

If you’re someone who thinks deeply, questions everything, and still wrestles with anxiety that hits out of nowhere, this practice gives you something rare.

A way to regulate your body without abandoning your intelligence or your skepticism.

It’s practical spirituality.

Ancient wisdom meeting modern physiology.

A tool you can use anywhere.

And it works.

Want More Practices Like This?

If this kind of work speaks to you—practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety—then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in ways that help you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue.

(As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective—one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools—you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

1 Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) is a pranayama technique from Hatha Yoga. Research shows it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces anxiety. See: Labhasetwar, P., et al. (2013). “Effect of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama on anxiety and blood pressure in patients with anxiety disorder.”Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 57(2), 115-121.

2 The vagus nerve, which controls parasympathetic activation, responds to specific breathing patterns. See: Porges, S. W. (2011).The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. W.W. Norton & Company.

I was sitting in my car in the parking lot, hands shaking on the steering wheel.

It was a Tuesday morning.

I had to go into the office.

Simple enough, right?

Except my anxiety had other plans.

It was screaming at me.

Don’t go in.

Something bad will happen.

You can’t handle this.

I sat there for ten minutes, just listening to that voice.

Then something shifted.

I stopped fighting it and started asking it questions instead.

What are you protecting me from?

What do you think will happen?

What are you really afraid of?

The answers surprised me.

My anxiety wasn’t trying to destroy me.

It was trying to protect me.

It just didn’t know how anymore.

It was stuck in old patterns, old fears, old stories that weren’t even true.

That moment cracked something open for me.

It’s what led me into shadow work—a practice that sounds intense (and honestly, it is), but it changed how I relate to my anxiety completely.

What Shadow Work Really Is

Shadow work is simple in concept but powerful in practice.

It’s the idea that we all have parts of ourselves we don’t want to look at.

Fear. Shame. Anger. Weakness.

We push these things down, ignore them, pretend they don’t exist.

But they don’t disappear. They just hide in the shadows, and from there, they run our lives.

Anxiety loves the shadows. It thrives there.

Shadow work brings those hidden parts into the light.

Not to judge them or fix them, but to understand them.

To listen to what they’re trying to tell you.

And if you’re someone who’s analytical, high‑functioning, and spiritually curious—but still dealing with anxiety that hits out of nowhere—this practice lands differently.

It gives you a way to explore your inner world without abandoning your intelligence or your skepticism.

How to Start Shadow Work (The Simple Version)

Here’s a straightforward way to begin:

• Find a quiet space.

• Grab a journal.

• Ask yourself one question: What does my anxiety want me to know?

Then write.

Don’t think.

Don’t edit.

Just let it flow.

Write what your anxiety is saying, what it’s afraid of, what it needs from you.

You might be surprised.

Your anxiety might tell you it needs rest.

Or boundaries.

Or permission to be human.

Or it might reveal something you’ve been avoiding for years.

The magic isn’t in the answer.

The magic is in the asking.

The moment you stop running from your anxiety and start listening to it, everything changes.

What Happened When I Tried This

I did this exercise for weeks.

Every time anxiety showed up, I’d journal about it.

I’d ask it questions.

I’d listen.

And slowly, my relationship with my anxiety began to transform.

It stopped being my enemy and became something I could actually work with.

To be clear, this isn’t therapy.

But it’s therapeutic.

It’s a way of looking inward and getting curious about what’s really going on beneath the surface.

If you’ve read Anxiety Alchemy, you know that transformation happens when you engage with your anxiety, not when you run from it.

Shadow work is one of the most powerful ways to do that engagement.

Want to Go Deeper Into This Kind of Work?

If this kind of inner exploration speaks to you—practical spirituality, ancient wisdom, and real tools for navigating anxiety—then you’ll probably love something I’ve been building quietly in the background.

It’s called The Mike Guarneri Letter.

It’s a monthly, old‑school PHYSICAL newsletter printed on high‑quality paper with a hole‑punched design.

Every issue explores ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science in a way that helps you move from the shadows into the full light of possibility.

Not quick‑fix nonsense.

Not recycled Instagram advice.

Real frameworks.

Timeless ideas.

Unconventional approaches that actually help you see yourself differently.

For a limited time, you can try it for free.

You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

You’ll also get five free gifts delivered immediately.

They’re yours to keep even if you don’t continue. (As an accountant, I appreciate a good deal.)

After the trial, it’s $48/month.

If you want a guide to a new perspective—one rooted in ancient insight and practical tools—you can start your trial here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

There I was, at 2 AM, staring at the ceiling again.

My heart was racing.

My mind would not stop.

I had been lying there for hours, and sleep felt impossible.

Sound familiar?

I remember thinking that night: There has to be another way.

I tried the standard stuff.

Medications.

Therapy.

Both helped, but neither got me where I really wanted to be.

I was still stuck in this loop of anxiety that kept coming back, no matter what I did.

So I started looking deeper.

Way deeper.

I discovered that ancient cultures had figured something out that we have mostly forgotten.

They understood anxiety differently than we do today.

They had practices, real, practical techniques, that worked with your mind and body in ways modern medicine sometimes misses.

And if you are the kind of person who wants something practical (not just a nice idea), this matters.

One of those practices changed everything for me.

It is called grounding, and it has been used for a very long time across different cultures.

It is not just about putting your feet on the earth. (Though that helps.)

It is about reconnecting with something stable when your anxiety is pulling you in a hundred directions.

What grounding does

When anxiety hits, your nervous system goes into overdrive.

Your mind spins.

Your body tenses up.

You can feel disconnected from reality, like you are floating in panic.

Grounding brings you back and anchors you.

The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding practice

The practice is simple.

Find five things you can see right now. Really look at them.

Then four things you can touch. Feel the texture.

Three things you can hear.

Two things you can smell.

One thing you can taste.

It is designed to pull your attention out of your anxious thoughts and into the present moment.

Into the place where you are actually safe.

I started doing this when anxiety crept in.

At first, I was skeptical. (I admit it, I am an analytical person.)

But after a few weeks of practicing, something shifted.

My anxiety did not disappear.

But my relationship with it began to change.

I was not drowning in it anymore.

I was observing it.

Managing it.

To be clear, this is not a cure-all.

But it is a tool.

And when you have the right tools, anxiety becomes something you can work with.

Not something that works against you.

A gentle next step

The insights that elevate your spirituality and free you from anxiety are not hidden in a sea of “quick-fix” ads.

They are rooted in ancient and occult wisdom, carried forward through modern practices that support personal insight and inner development.

That is what we explore each month in The Mike Guarneri Letter, my old-school physical newsletter on ancient wisdom, forgotten practices, and modern science.

Each issue is printed on high-quality paper and has a hole-punched design for convenience.

You can get a limited-time free trial. You just cover $9.95 for materials and processing.

When you start your trial, you also receive five free gifts immediately. They are yours to keep no matter what, even if you decide it is not for you. (I was once an accountant, so I know a good deal when I see one.)

After the trial, it is $48 per month to continue receiving it. If you want to try it, start here:

The Mike Guarneri Letter

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.

Did you ever think that you knew everything about everything?

When I was a teenager, I sure did. What teenager doesn’t think they are always right? Ahh, the traits of adolescence.

My problem was that my innate skills of analysis and logic were pretty advanced for an obnoxious teenager like I was. So even if I were completely wrong, I would expertly manipulate the illogical to seem logical and correct. If I didn’t win the argument, I would at least so confuse the other person that our discussion would end in a draw, regardless that I was wrong.

These abilities greatly added to my ego and led me to the conclusion that I was indeed the great wise adolescent. It was improbable that I could ever be wrong.

I was the wise superhero known as “Ana-logical Man!”

No other superhero could match me!

Batman. No problem. I could easily defeat him, wielding my powers of analysis and logic. He would be running home crying to Wayne Manor.

Obviously, now I know better than teenage Mike. In all fairness, teenage Mike was very analytical and logical. However, he had not yet refined or learned to control those skills.

A question to ponder, can a teenager be wise?

I think it depends on the definition of wisdom that you are using.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Celtic Triads. I encourage you to check out that newsletter if you have not yet done so.

“Each Triad generally consists of a subject and then three attributes of the subject. Although a few of the Celtic Triads I skimmed through seemed a bit antiquated, I suspect much wisdom is contained within the hundreds that are known. Perhaps, some Triads may prove helpful with mental health issues. Stay tuned.

In addition to wisdom, the Celtic Triads may provide an opportunity for deep self-reflection.”1

For example, I provided the following Triad and an analysis of how it applies to me.

There are three foundations of wisdom: discretion in learning, memory in retaining, and eloquence in telling.

I think the only foundation that Ana-logical Man had was a memory in retaining. Especially of late, I have been working diligently to improve my discretion in learning and eloquence in telling—a true work in process.

The other day I was flipping through the first few lessons of the Bardic course of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). One of the first Celtic Triads they presented is an excellent follow-up to the Triad from a few weeks ago.

Three followers of wisdom: imagination, purpose and endeavor.

OBOD’s brief analysis of this Triad is as follows:

"As wisdom grows in your heart, so too do your powers of imagination, your sense of purpose and mission in the world, and your ability to work hard to achieve your goals."2

I certainly believe that wisdom is growing in my heart, so let’s dive into the followers of wisdom.

Powers of Imagination:

Over the last year or so, I have been learning about many things, such as ancients, Druids, Celts, Pagans, ogham, philosophy, history, religion, productivity, etc. The things that I learned and analyzed have definitely increased my imagination. And that imagination has manifested itself in the form of this newsletter and my YouTube channel and Podcast.

But most of all, my imagination convinced me to pursue my theory of ancient Druid, Celtic, and Pagan ways and practices providing some natural relief to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Sense of Purpose and Mission in the World:

Clearly, my growing wisdom has shown me that my purpose and mission in this world is to research and find the previously mentioned old ways and practices that may be useful for mental health treatment.

Due to this sense of purpose, I quit my full-time job and dedicated myself to learning, researching, and sharing with you via this newsletter and my YouTube/Podcast.

Endeavor:

Well, I am indeed working hard to achieve my goals. My endeavor is this journey to past ways and practices for the benefit of mental health.

My Conclusion:

As I continue to improve my foundations of wisdom, I am indeed experiencing the three followers of wisdom!

Maybe the writers of these old Celtic Triads really knew what was going on… I know that I said in my first newsletter about Celtic Triads that some seem outdated, but maybe I was wrong. I just skimmed them without doing any deep dive.

These first two Triads I have written about have withstood the test of time.

I encourage you to do some self-exploration with the Celtic Triads.

That is all I have to say today, except for “Long live Ana-logical Man!”

I have a favor to ask!

Many people read my newsletter, but very few click the like button.

So I humbly request that if you like a particular newsletter issue, please click the like button (the little heart).

More likes translate to more exposure for this newsletter and my research.

Don’t Forget About My Upcoming Interview…

Paraic Donoghue - January 2023 - (Interview Temporarily Postponed From December)

Paraic is a native Irish language speaker. He was raised on the Connemara Gaeltacht in County Galway, Ireland. Paraic is committed to the preservation and growth of the Irish language, along with the culture that is inextricably linked to it. He currently provides private Irish language lessons to students all over the world.

We will be discussing what it was like growing up and living on the Gaeltacht, his views on the Irish language and its importance, and the customs and traditions of his Gaeltacht that may have derived from the time of the Celts or earlier.

The interview will be published on my YouTube channel and Podcast approximately one-week post-interview.

Have a great weekend!

My name is Mike, and I am a skeptic and recovering accountant just starting to make my way through the world of the Druids, Celts, and Pagans.

Join me on my journey as I use an analytic eye to extract what I believe to be golden nuggets of truth from these fascinating topics. My goal is to find valuable ways, practices, and insights to make your life better today.

If my content speaks to you, please subscribe to my newsletter! Also, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. I am here to serve what I hope will be a great community of curious and like-minded individuals.

“May the Road Rise to Meet You!”

With a skeptical mind and an analytical eye,

Mike Guarneri

(the former Ana-logical Man who is now trying to earn his Beard of Wisdom!)

My Links:

Podcast Platforms:

P.S. - I publish a new newsletter every Friday. Please be sure to subscribe. My past newsletters can also be found at mikeguarneri.com.

P.P.S. - Any links above to products on Amazon.com are affiliate links. Making a purchase via an affiliate link will cost you nothing additional, but Amazon will give me a small commission.

P.P.P.S. - If you enjoyed reading this piece, I’d like to ask a favor of you. For an extended limited time, I will be conducting 1-on-1 Zoom calls with select members of my SubStack subscribers.

Think of this call as a Discovery Call. The goal is to discover your vision, goals, and challenges as they may relate to the Celtic way of life, druidism, and pagan practices. This call will be beneficial to both of us.

My goal with these calls is to discover a common thread so that I can best add value and serve you. It will help me focus my content and research to ensure I cater to your true vision and goals.

These 1-on-1 calls are free, of course. And everything you share on the call will be private between you and me.

If you’re interested or want to introduce yourself and say hi, I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me directly via e-mail at mike@guarneriny.com.

1

Guarneri, Mike. “The Secrets Of The Celtic Triads.” Accessed January 13, 2023.

Mike Guarneri

The Secrets Of The Celtic Triads

To begin this week’s newsletter, I will start with a reading from the Book of Armaments, Chapter 4, Verses 16-20: “Then did he raise on high the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, saying, “Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.” And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs and toads and tree-sloth…

Read more

3 years ago · 4 likes · Mike Guarneri

So, it’s Friday. The first business week of the new year draws to a close. I hope everybody had a great start to the year!

Unfortunately, I have had a rough start to the new year.

The top-level summary is that I am suffering from spinal stenosis. Unfortunately, it has had a very negative effect on my life.

Also, we had a pipe leaking into our basement ceiling. It is now fixed, but we need to replace some sheetrock in the basement ceiling. And we have to spackle and repaint one of the bathrooms.

Anyway, that is my sob story start of the new year! It can only get better from here. Right?

Ok, let’s get to it! Today I want to discuss the Lost Island and the Lost City of Atlantis.

Is Atlantis real? If so, did it ever exist? Is it somewhere at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, or is it completely gone?

Who were the Atlanteans? Were they space aliens, as some conspiracy theories suggest?

Were they Druids?

In one of my early newsletters, I wrote about a claim by author Barry Cunliffe from his book, “Druids: A Very Short Introduction.” Cunliffe claims that the Druids existed long before the Celtic tribes arrived on the scene. This is something I believe to be true. Some refer to these pre-Celtic Druids as Proto Druids.

So, if we believe that the Druids existed before Celtic times, where did they come from?

Now we get to the fun part. Numerous theories claim that the Druids were inhabitants of the Lost Island and City of Atlantis. Over time, these theories have been considered anywhere from the ravings of lunatics to real possibilities.

I will share two derivations of a particular story:

• The oceans rose when the ice sheets of the last ice age began melting. The rising water ended up flooding and wiping out many areas, including Atlantis. Druids were among the inhabitants of Atlantis. However, the Druids knew what was going on and left Atlantis. They sailed east to Ireland and West to North America.

• In Atlantis, there were Druids and an evil version of the Druids. The evil Druids practiced black magic, infuriating mother nature and causing her to flood Atlantis completely. Like the first story, the Druids knew what was happening and sailed east and west before the island was flooded.

They are entertaining tales but not much more.

However, Keystone University in Ireland has put forth a fascinating theory.

The university admits that its theory contains circumstantial evidence which needs to be proven. Also, science will have to progress further in order to do so.

Keystone University posits that the island of Ireland itself, is the Lost Island of Atlantis and that Cerne in Mauritania, Africa is the Lost City of Atlantis.

The following is from Keystone University’s “Atlantis Ireland” presentation.

Greek Mythology:

According to Greek mythology, Atlas was the first king of the Island of Atlantis and the first king of Mauritania. The Atlas Mountains in Africa were named for him and the Atlantic Ocean.

Aristotle:

Beyond the Pillars of Heracles (Straits of Gibraltar) are two island. Albion and Ierne. Both are beyond the Celtae.

Albion is Britain. The white island (cliffs of dover are white).

Ierne is Ireland. The sacred island.

Celtae is France.

Plato:

The Greek philosopher Plato wrote a bit about Atlantis. Exactly where he obtained his information is not known.

Atlantis was an island in the Atlantic Ocean with a central plain surrounded by mountains.

Ireland meets this description by Plato. Keystone researched the 50 largest islands in the world, and Ireland is the only one that meets the description.

Atlantis has many hot and cold springs.

Ireland has twenty-seven know warm springs and thousands of cold springs (holy wells).

Atlantis was oblong and 3,000 stadia in one direction and 2,000 in the other direction.

A stadia is a unit of measurement. Ireland matches these dimension to within one percent!

In the center of the island there is a plain surrounded by mountains. It is said to be the fairest of all plains and very fertile.

Ireland meets this description.

Atlantis could produce two crops per year.

Due to the temperate climate from the gulf stream, Ireland in fact does produce two crops per year.

At the capital of the Island of Atlantis, there is a circular temple to Posiedon with a strange barbaric appearance measuring half a stadia wide.

This would probably be Newgrange. It meets the description and measurements. Some consider Newgrange to be the oldest temple in the world.

The temple is located fifty stadia from the sea.

The Boyne Valley, where Newgrange is located, is fifty stadia from the sea.

Atlantis was the way to other islands, and from those islands you might pass through the whole of the opposite continent.

Keystone believe that what Plato is describing is sailing from Ireland to Iceland to Greenland, and finally to North America. This would probably have been the best way at the time.

Atlantis Ireland was virtually destroyed by a great disaster causing a great flood (tsunami). Only a few survived.

Keystone believes this disaster was caused by a fragment of a comet hitting at the location of the Puerto Rico Trench, causing a great tsunami that washed over Ireland. Note Plato’s use of the word “disaster.” In Greek it means bad or evil star. Perhaps a comet could be considered a bad or evil star.

Given the above, I think Keystone University gives us a theory worth considering. And if they are correct, it is not a difficult leap to believe that Druids of times long prior to the Celts were inhabitants of Atlantis (Ireland).

What do you think?

Note that Plato presents similar information regarding Atlantis City, which Keystone believes to be the city of Cerne in Africa. That is beyond my scope at the moment, so I will not be writing about it.

Update:

Now that we are into the new year, I am making plans regarding my research and content production.

Here are some of my thought and plans so far:

• This weekly newsletter will continue.

• Perhaps at some point, I will create an offshoot of this newsletter with additional content like behind the scenes, my ramblings, seeing how I do my research and experiments, etc. The content will likely be provided using some combination of a newsletter, YouTube, and my Podcast.

• YouTube channel and Podcast - I plan to release new content at least twice per month. Content will be interviews, my thoughts about my research and experiments, and other fun and interesting stuff. Who knows, maybe even bardic musical performances by yours truly. If you like my newsletter content, please head over to my YouTube channel and subscribe!

• I am thinking of starting a Book Club on Zoom. I would pick a newbie-accessible book in my subject area to read. We would meet on Zoom maybe every couple of weeks, and I would moderate the discussion. Please e-mail me if you are interested in the book club idea at mike@guarneriny.com.

• My first top-secret conclusions regarding how the old ways and practices may naturally provide some relief to mental health issues are progressing. I am still experimenting and have a bit more to figure out. I will stay at it!

• In a matter of months, I hope to truly blow your mind with my first researched and tested formula to successfully apply old ways and practices to help with anxiety and depression.

• As I continue to research, learn, and critically analyze, more and more material is being generated for an eventual book. If you had asked me six months ago if I would ever write a book, I would have said no way! But here I am researching and writing as if I am a “real” author…

That’s about it for now!

I have a favor to ask!

Many people read my newsletter, but very few click the like button.

So I humbly request that if you like a particular newsletter issue, please click the like button (the little heart).

More likes translate to more exposure for this newsletter and my research.

Don’t Forget About My Upcoming Interview…

Paraic Donoghue - January 2023 - (Interview Temporarily Postponed From December)

Paraic is a native Irish language speaker. He was raised on the Connemara Gaeltacht in County Galway, Ireland. Paraic is committed to the preservation and growth of the Irish language, along with the culture that is inextricably linked to it. He currently provides private Irish language lessons to students all over the world.

We will be discussing what it was like growing up and living on the Gaeltacht, his views on the Irish language and its importance, and the customs and traditions of his Gaeltacht that may have derived from the time of the Celts or earlier.

The interview will be published on my YouTube channel and Podcast approximately one-week post-interview.

Have a great weekend!

My name is Mike, and I am a skeptic and recovering accountant just starting to make my way through the world of the Druids, Celts, and Pagans.

Join me on my journey as I use an analytic eye to extract what I believe to be golden nuggets of truth from these fascinating topics. My goal is to find valuable ways, practices, and insights to make your life better today.

If my content speaks to you, please subscribe to my newsletter! Also, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. I am here to serve what I hope will be a great community of curious and like-minded individuals.

“May the Road Rise to Meet You!”

With a skeptical mind and an analytical eye,

Mike Guarneri

My Links:

Podcast Platforms:

P.S. - I publish a new newsletter every Friday. Please be sure to subscribe. My past newsletters can also be found at mikeguarneri.com.

P.P.S. - Any links above to products on Amazon.com are affiliate links. Making a purchase via an affiliate link will cost you nothing additional, but Amazon will give me a small commission.

P.P.P.S. - If you enjoyed reading this piece, I’d like to ask a favor of you. For an extended limited time, I will be conducting 1-on-1 Zoom calls with select members of my SubStack subscribers.

Think of this call as a Discovery Call. The goal is to discover your vision, goals, and challenges as they may relate to the Celtic way of life, druidism, and pagan practices. This call will be beneficial to both of us.

My goal with these calls is to discover a common thread so that I can best add value and serve you. It will help me focus my content and research to ensure I cater to your true vision and goals.

These 1-on-1 calls are free, of course. And everything you share on the call will be private between you and me.

If you’re interested or want to introduce yourself and say hi, I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me directly via e-mail at mike@guarneriny.com.

Well, here we are again at the end of another year! I hope it has been a great one for you!

What does the New Year really mean anyway? Nothing actually happens when the clock turns to a new year. I believe most thoughts we have around starting a new year relate to ourselves and our perception of the world around us.

Some thoughts that pop into my mind for me:

• A figurative chance to start afresh.

• An excuse to make lifestyle changes (i.e., losing weight, spending more time with the family, etc.)

• Another year wiser.

• Another year closer to retirement.

• Another year of college bills.

• A great time to review the prior twelve months and set goals and plans for the next twelve (I will be doing my annual review and planning over the next few days.)

• Another year older!

Speaking of another year older, I just mentioned to my wife last night that it is a good thing that I don’t age an additional year every time I celebrate a new year. Otherwise, it would get really old super fast!

You see, I currently celebrate four new years during each twelve-month period!

First, in the upper left, we have the “Regular” new year celebrated on January 1st as per the Gregorian calendar. (Photo by cottonbro).

The photo on the top right represents the “Chinese” new year. I celebrate this new year out of respect for my wife and children. My wife is from Taiwan, and my children are, accordingly, half Taiwanese. Chinese New Year is celebrated for about two weeks starting sometime in January or February. In 2023, it begins on January 22nd. The upcoming new year will be the year of the rabbit. (Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash).

The bottom left photo represents the Jewish New Year which is called Rosh Hashana. As my mother’s family is Jewish, this is a holiday I also “celebrate” out of respect for my family. These days, celebrating is mainly limited to a giant e-mail chain of mutual well-wishing with extended cousins and other family members. Rosh Hashana is celebrated in September or October and lasts for two days. In 2023, it will begin at sundown on September 15th. (Photo by Joey Dean on Unsplash).

And finally, the bottom right is the most recent addition to my celebratory list, Samhain. This is the Celtic / Pagan new year. I have discussed Samhain in more detail in previous newsletters. It is typically celebrated each year on the night of October 31st through the next day. (Photo by tengyart on Unsplash).

So, as I said, it is a good thing I don’t age a year for every new year’s celebration!

Philip Carr-Gomm Interview

If you have not done so already, please check out my interview with Philip. He is really a great interviewee!

If you enjoy watching this interview, please click on the YouTube link. This will take you to YouTube, where you can like this video and subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Also, note that this interview can be listened to on all major podcast platforms. See the below links.

Don’t Forget About My Upcoming Interview…

Paraic Donoghue - January 2023 - (Interview Temporarily Postponed From December)

Paraic is a native Irish language speaker. He was raised on the Connemara Gaeltacht in County Galway, Ireland. Paraic is committed to the preservation and growth of the Irish language, along with the culture that is inextricably linked to it. He currently provides private Irish language lessons to students all over the world.

We will be discussing what it was like growing up and living on the Gaeltacht, his views on the Irish language and its importance, and the customs and traditions of his Gaeltacht that may have derived from the time of the Celts or earlier.

The interview will be published on my YouTube channel and Podcast approximately one-week post-interview.

Have a great weekend, and Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

My name is Mike, and I am a skeptic and recovering accountant just starting to make my way through the world of the Druids, Celts, and Pagans.

Join me on my journey as I use an analytic eye to extract what I believe to be golden nuggets of truth from these fascinating topics. My goal is to find valuable ways, practices, and insights to make your life better today.

If my content speaks to you, please subscribe to my newsletter! Also, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. I am here to serve what I hope will be a great community of curious and like-minded individuals.

“May the Road Rise to Meet You!”

With a skeptical mind and an analytical eye,

Mike Guarneri

My Links:

Podcast Platforms:

P.S. - I publish a new newsletter every Friday. Please be sure to subscribe. My past newsletters can also be found at mikeguarneri.com.

P.P.S. - Any links above to products on Amazon.com are affiliate links. Making a purchase via an affiliate link will cost you nothing additional, but Amazon will give me a small commission.

P.P.P.S. - If you enjoyed reading this piece, I’d like to ask a favor of you. For a limited time, I will be conducting 1-on-1 Zoom calls with select members of my SubStack subscribers.

Think of this call as a Discovery Call. The goal is to discover your vision, goals, and challenges as they may relate to the Celtic way of life, druidism, and pagan practices. This call will be beneficial to both of us.

My goal with these calls is to discover a common thread so that I can best add value and serve you. It will help me focus my content and research to ensure I cater to your true vision and goals.

These 1-on-1 calls are free, of course. And everything you share on the call will be private between you and me.

If you’re interested or want to introduce yourself and say hi, I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me directly via e-mail at mike@guarneriny.com.

To begin this week’s newsletter, I will start with a reading from the Book of Armaments, Chapter 4, Verses 16-20:

“Then did he raise on high the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, saying, “Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.” And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs and toads and tree-sloths and fruit-bats and orangutans and breakfast cereals …

Now did the Lord say, “First thou pullest the Holy Pin. Then thou must count to three. Three shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither shalt thou count two, excepting that thou then proceedeth to three. Five is right out.

Once the number three, being the number of the counting, be reached, then lobbest thou the Holy Hand Grenade in the direction of thine foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.””1

Amen!

What can I say about the number three? Well, too much to write about in this newsletter. Throughout history, the number three has had great significance to many cultures, religions, spiritualities, esoteric systems, etc.

Just for fun, I did a quick three-minute (pun intended) brainstorm of three in my life or whatever popped into my mind. Here we go:

• Morning, afternoon, and evening.

• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Three kids.

• Past, present, and future.

• Three Amigos.

• Three Musketeers.

• Three Mile Island.

• Three-day weekends.

• The Three Bears.

• The Three Little Pigs.

• Birth, life, and death.

• Three points on a triangle.

• Three aunts and three uncles.

• My kids currently attend three schools.

• Three months in a quarter.

Anyway, you get the idea. I suspect there are probably more things in our lives related to the number three than we realize.

What are the threes in your life?

I previously mentioned the number three as it relates to religion. Here are a few that popped into my head regarding Christianity:

• The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

• The Three Wise Men.

• Jesus was resurrected on the third day.

The number three also plays a part in Celtic culture.

• The Three Realms.

• An Trì Naomh (Gods, un-Gods, and Ancestors)

• In Irish mythology, many times, events happen in threes.

• The Irish Triquetra and Triskele.

• And so on.

While studying the Bardic Level course materials from the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD), I learned about the “Celtic Triads.”

The Celtic Triads are mainly derived from Welsh and Irish traditions. They were likely passed down verbally until they were eventually committed to writing spread across multiple texts. Over the years, these Triads have been collected from their various sources and translated.

Each Triad generally consists of a subject and then three attributes of the subject. Although a few of the Celtic Triads I skimmed through seemed a bit antiquated, I suspect much wisdom is contained within the hundreds that are known. Perhaps, some Triads may prove helpful with mental health issues. Stay tuned.

In addition to wisdom, the Celtic Triads may provide an opportunity for deep self-reflection.

Here is an example of one of the Celtic Triads:

There are three foundations of wisdom: discretion in learning, memory in retaining, and eloquence in telling.

This Triad is especially important to me as I try to become a wise sage. I already have the beard; now I just need the wisdom!

After thinking about this Triad, I have determined that I still have a lot of work to do, but I am heading in the correct direction toward my quest for wisdom. Right or wrong, I feel I need wisdom in my research to determine if the old ways and practices can naturally provide some relief to mental health issues.

Let’s take a look at my shortcomings and bright spots in my search for wisdom:

Discretion in Learning:

This is a huge weakness for me! I love learning all sorts of information. I have more books than I can read in my remaining years. And that is not counting other sources of learning such as online classes, videos, etc.

I am on the right track in trying to institute discretion in learning. I have been putting aside books that catch my interest but probably have no practical use in my research. This is very difficult for me. My mind says it is the right thing to do, but my anxiety says, “what if somehow there is some earth-shattering nugget that I can apply to my research or that will change my life?”

Even within the sphere of Ancients, Druids, Celts, and Pagans, I have a hard time putting aside some books that have a very low chance of impacting my research.

I must work to be selective with my learning and accept that I cannot learn everything I wish.

Memory in Retaining:

I have always had an excellent memory. However, as I age and my brain becomes overloaded, I must be able to remember the important information that I have learned and be able to connect it together.

Back in the days of the oral tradition, it was probably literally retaining in their physical memory everything they learned. But fortunately for me, I think this Triad has stood the test of time.

I interpret this as not necessarily retaining information in my physical memory but retaining the learned knowledge in a system that is easily retrievable, connectable, and promotes my own thoughts and conclusions.

This comes down to the sophisticated note-taking system I am utilizing, which checks all the boxes. So, I am clearly on a good path with this foundation of wisdom. Hopefully, it will become a juggernaut as I build my knowledge.

Eloquence in Telling:

Back when knowledge was transmitted orally, there needed to be eloquence in telling. How could the elder pass down wisdom to the younger if there was not?

The wise person needs to effectively communicate their knowledge and understanding.

This is another foundation of the Wisdom Triad I have been practicing. I have been communicating knowledge and my thoughts and feelings to you weekly. I am not a writer by nature, but I try to be as eloquent as possible. I feel that my writing has improved over time since my first newsletter. I hope you agree! I will keep at it…

As I continue to build out my YouTube channel and Podcast, I hope to practice and improve my verbal eloquence in telling.

So, this was a beneficial exercise. I learned the three foundations of wisdom as per the Celtic Wisdom Triad. I analyzed the logic of it and its application to today’s world. And lastly, I applied it to myself as an exercise of self-reflection. As a result, I determined that I must continue to work through some deficiencies, but I am definitely on the right track to attaining wisdom and earning my beard.

Don’t Forget About My Upcoming Interview…

Paraic Donoghue - January 2023 - (Interview Temporarily Postponed)

Paraic is a native Irish language speaker. He was raised on the Connemara Gaeltacht in County Galway, Ireland. Paraic is committed to the preservation and growth of the Irish language, along with the culture that is inextricably linked to it. He currently provides private Irish language lessons to students all over the world.

We will be discussing what it was like growing up and living on the Gaeltacht, his views on the Irish language and its importance, and the customs and traditions of his Gaeltacht that may have derived from the time of the Celts or earlier.

The interview will be published on my YouTube channel and Podcast approximately one-week post-interview.

Have a great weekend and Happy Holidays!

My name is Mike, and I am a skeptic and recovering accountant just starting to make my way through the world of the Druids, Celts, and Pagans.

Join me on my journey as I use an analytic eye to extract what I believe to be golden nuggets of truth from these fascinating topics. My goal is to find valuable ways, practices, and insights to make your life better today.

If my content speaks to you, please subscribe to my newsletter! Also, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. I am here to serve what I hope will be a great community of curious and like-minded individuals.

“May the Road Rise to Meet You!”

With a skeptical mind and an analytical eye,

Mike Guarneri

My Links:

Podcast Platforms:

P.S. - I publish a new newsletter every Friday. Please be sure to subscribe. My past newsletters can also be found at mikeguarneri.com.

P.P.S. - Any links above to products on Amazon.com are affiliate links. Making a purchase via an affiliate link will cost you nothing additional, but Amazon will give me a small commission.

P.P.P.S. - If you enjoyed reading this piece, I’d like to ask a favor of you. For a limited time, I will be conducting 1-on-1 Zoom calls with select members of my SubStack subscribers.

Think of this call as a Discovery Call. The goal is to discover your vision, goals, and challenges as they may relate to the Celtic way of life, druidism, and pagan practices. This call will be beneficial to both of us.

My goal with these calls is to discover a common thread so that I can best add value and serve you. It will help me focus my content and research to ensure I cater to your true vision and goals.

These 1-on-1 calls are free, of course. And everything you share on the call will be private between you and me.

If you’re interested or want to introduce yourself and say hi, I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me directly via email at mike@guarneriny.com.

My interview with Philip Carr-Gomm is live on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, as indicated below!

It was a great interview! If you enjoy it, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons!!!

**END TRANSMISSION**

“It all started with a big bang!” No, not the theory explaining how everything came to be. I am referring to the CBS television sitcom, the “Big Bang Theory.”

The show is long over but is still aired in syndication. It chronicles the humorous goings-on of four young scientists. Have you ever watched the show?

My whole family gets a kick out of the “Big Bang Theory” (“BBT going forward.”) I particularly like it because the science speak reminds me of my cousin, Leon Lederman.

Leon was a real scientist, an experimental physicist (like the character Leonard in the show.)

Among other things, Leon discovered the Muon Neutrino, the neutrino beam method, and the bottom quark. In 1988, he was named a Nobel Laurette for physics.

Other terms occasionally spoken on the “BBT” are the Higgs Boson Particle and its nickname, the “God Particle.” Leon coined the nickname the “God Particle” and has a layperson’s science book with that phrase in the title, “The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What Is The Question?”

So now that we have established why I like the “BBT” television show, let’s discuss the characters. By far, my family’s favorite character is Sheldon Cooper. He is a super genius, but that extra genius comes with a dose of eccentricity and inflexibility that frequently gets in his way.

We love Sheldon so much that we named our golden doodle Sheldon.

Sheldon the dog reminds us a lot of Sheldon Cooper. On the show, Sheldon is very possessive of his spot on the couch. He scientifically chose it based on various factors, such as airflow, proximity to heat and the television, etc. Well, Sheldon the dog is the same way; he has his spot on the living room couch bumper. He gets mad and “nudges” people when they sit in his spot. It is a well-selected spot. Large enough to stretch out, with a window to look out, sun shining in for sun naps, and a perfect place to see most of the first floor (including the front door and dining room.)

Sheldon the dog also has other quirks along the lines of Sheldon Cooper. For example, he won’t eat his dog food if he can see the bottom of his bowl, and his water bowl cannot be next to his food bowl.

So, I hope the above has entertained you. But I guess by now, you are wondering what this has to do with anything. I’m getting there…

In one of the holiday episodes, Leonard and Penny decorate a Christmas tree. Although Sheldon had no interest in helping, he asked to hang his Isaac Newton ornament. During this exchange, Sheldon points out to Leonard and Penny that they are decorating a Saturnalia tree, not a Christmas tree.

Sheldon goes on to explain that the decorated tree originated from the Roman Pagan mid-winter festival of Saturnalia.

As with many other things, the growing Church “borrowed” or “adopted” numerous pagan holidays, sacred sites, deities (as saints), etc. Mid-winter festivals surrounding the winter solstice are no exception.

As Mélusine Draco states in his book “Have a Cool Yule: How-to Survive (and Enjoy) the Mid-Winter Festival,”

“This, these academic sources tell us, Winter Solstice or Mid-Winter Festival as our ancestors would have called it, is the most magical and mystical time of the year and should be celebrated as such with all the pagan gusto we can summon. It is an ancient fire festival that heralds the shortest day of the year; an astronomical turning of the tide to annouce the rebirth of the sun and the promise of warmth returning to the land.”1

Many winter holiday traditions come from the Yule period, usually from December 25th to January 6th or December 24th to January 5th. I will not list them out here, as it is easy enough for you to Google. But I will provide one example. On December 19th, the Romans celebrated Sigillaria. This was a day to exchange presents.2 Does this sound familiar? The one thing that sets Sigillaria apart is that the gifts did not suggest a social status. Often given were pottery or wax figurines called sigillaria.3

However, I would like to tell you about the previously mentioned ancient Roman Festival of Saturnalia. What is known of it has been pieced together by people more intelligent than I.

Saturnalia was celebrated starting on December 17th and lasting some days that have not been definitively determined. Saturnalia consisted of role reversal. Slave servants became the aristocracy and vice versa. The regular everyday Romans became Senators and ran the government, and vice versa. Activities that were outlawed or frowned upon were allowed. There was much partying and drunkenness.4 It was Romans Gone Wild!

The craziest part of Saturnalia is that one person (I guess in an area) was chosen to be in complete charge of the Saturnalia lunacy. For their trouble, this person was sacrificed at the end of the festival. Crazy stuff!

Anyway, don’t forget that the Winter Solstice is next Wednesday, December 21st. Maybe give a moment’s thought to your ancestors, wherever they were and what possible Winter festival they may have celebrated.

I hope everyone has a great holiday, whichever one it may be that you celebrate!

Don’t Forget About My Upcoming Interview…

Paraic Donoghue - December 19th/20th

Paraic is a native Irish language speaker. He was raised on the Connemara Gaeltacht in County Galway, Ireland. Paraic is committed to the preservation and growth of the Irish language, along with the culture that is inextricably linked to it. He currently provides private Irish language lessons to students all over the world.

We will be discussing what it was like growing up and living on the Gaeltacht, his views on the Irish language and its importance, and the customs and traditions of his Gaeltacht that may have derived from the time of the Celts or earlier.

The interview will be published on my YouTube channel and Podcast approximately one-week post-interview.

Have a great weekend!

My name is Mike, and I am a skeptic and recovering accountant just starting to make my way through the world of the Druids, Celts, and Pagans.

Join me on my journey as I use an analytic eye to extract what I believe to be golden nuggets of truth from these fascinating topics. My goal is to find valuable ways, practices, and insights to make your life better today.

If my content speaks to you, please subscribe to my newsletter! Also, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. I am here to serve what I hope will be a great community of curious and like-minded individuals.

“May the Road Rise to Meet You!”

With a skeptical mind and an analytical eye,

Mike Guarneri

My Links:

Podcast Platforms:

P.S. - I publish a new newsletter every Friday. Please be sure to subscribe. My past newsletters can also be found at mikeguarneri.com.

P.P.S. - Any links above to products on Amazon.com are affiliate links. Making a purchase via an affiliate link will cost you nothing additional, but Amazon will give me a small commission.

P.P.P.S. - If you enjoyed reading this piece, I’d like to ask a favor of you. For a limited time, I will be conducting 1-on-1 Zoom calls with select members of my SubStack subscribers.

Think of this call as a Discovery Call. The goal is to discover your vision, goals, and challenges as they may relate to the Celtic way of life, druidism, and pagan practices. This call will be beneficial to both of us.

My goal with these calls is to discover a common thread so that I can best add value and serve you. It will help me focus my content and research to ensure I cater to your true vision and goals.

These 1-on-1 calls are free, of course. And everything you share on the call will be private between you and me.

If you’re interested or want to introduce yourself and say hi, I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me directly via email at mike@guarneriny.com.

Do you know what’s in your subconscious? Is it your repressed memories, thoughts, and ideas related to yourself? Perhaps it contains a restrained potential for significant mind expansion?

I don’t know what is in my subconscious, but I suspect some pretty bizarre things. My therapist theorizes that my problem with getting restful sleep is due to anxiety created by my subconscious.

There are so many theories about what the subconscious is and does, including from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. There may never be, at least in our lifetimes, a proper understanding of the subconscious mind.

Freud theorized that the subconscious is exclusive to each person and based on what that person believes and experiences.

I do not believe this is the case. As if I have any qualifications to say that. Can you envision the great debate, Mike vs Sigmund?!

For the longest time, not having done any research, I felt that it made some sort of sense that part of our subconscious is inherited. We inherit traits we can consciously see, like physical traits and mannerisms, diseases, etc. Why wouldn’t we inherit aspects of the subconscious as well?

In the early stages of my research, I was brainstorming why I felt most at peace and comfortable in Ireland. Don’t get me wrong, Ireland is a wonderful and beautiful place, but there had to be more. I have visited many other great places over the years, but none gave me the special feeling of Ireland.

I am sure respect for history and those who have come before (like my Irish ancestors) plays some small part. But, I think it is the people that are the overwhelming factor. Yes, the Irish people, in general, are fantastic and extremely friendly, especially if you have the time for a very long chat.

However, that is not what I mean. It is just the vibe of the people. I feel like they don’t know that they know something. It seems to me that numerous practices and beliefs, large and small, seem to be done out of habit, out of tradition, as if something from the past is hardwired in them. I view it as “spiritual DNA.”

Little did I know that psychologist Carl Jung believed something similar. He called it the collective unconscious.

Britannica defines “collective unconscious” as a:

“term introduced by psychiatrist Carl Jung to represent a form of the unconscious (that part of the mind containing memories and impulses of which the individual is not aware) common to mankind as a whole and originating in the inherited structure of the brain. It is distinct from the personal unconscious, which arises from the experience of the individual.”

While researching Druidry, I noticed that most reputable sources indicate that there is very little known about the Proto and Celtic Druids. This is because they had an oral tradition, with nothing written down. All we are left with is third-party biased sources, archaeological evidence, etc.

This fact is accurate but can be considered what we consciously know about the Druids. What about subconsciously?

In his book “The Druid Mysteries: Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century,” Philip Carr-Gomm believes that “spiritual inheritance” is one of the ways Druidry survived for approximately one thousand years between the extinction of the Druid religion and its revival during the renaissance.

Carr-Gomm states that:

“Druidism as a religion was extinguished, its ideas and inspiration lived on in the cultural and spiritual inheritance of successive generations, encoded in the old tales, in folklore and the landscape itself.”1

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Carr-Gomm. This is one of the topics that we discussed. See below for information regarding this interview.

This idea of a “spiritual inheritance” is very interesting, and I hope to research it further.

Updates:

Philip Carr-Gomm

As mentioned, I had the great honor of interviewing Philip Carr-Gomm this week. It was a fantastic interview, and we discussed several interesting topics.

I want to thank Philip for his generosity with his time and for sharing his knowledge.

The interview should be available for you to watch or listen to soon. I will announce its availability via a newsletter, but if you want to access it as soon as it is published, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the little bell to receive updates.

In addition, this interview will also be available via Podcast on the platforms shown at the end of the newsletter.

Podcasts

I am happy to announce that my Podcast, called “A Skeptic’s Journey,” is now available on most major platforms, except for Google, which is still processing.

Currently, there is only a brief welcome Podcast posted. However, in the future, it will have interviews (including Philip Carr-Gomm), research updates, stories and mythology, my ramblings, etc.

Please note that although my Podcast is available on most major platforms, it may not show up listed on the platforms for a few days to a week. However, the links below will take you directly to the Podcast.

Don’t Forget About My Upcoming Interview…

Paraic Donoghue - December 19th/20th

Paraic is a native Irish language speaker. He was raised on the Connemara Gaeltacht in County Galway, Ireland. Paraic is committed to the preservation and growth of the Irish language, along with the culture that is inextricably linked to it. He currently provides private Irish language lessons to students all over the world.

We will be discussing what it was like growing up and living on the Gaeltacht, his views on the Irish language and its importance, and the customs and traditions of his Gaeltacht that may have derived from the time of the Celts or earlier.

The interview will be published on my YouTube channel and Podcast approximately one-week post-interview.

Have a great weekend!

My name is Mike, and I am a skeptic and recovering accountant just starting to make my way through the world of the Druids, Celts, and Pagans.

Join me on my journey as I use an analytic eye to extract what I believe to be golden nuggets of truth from these fascinating topics. My goal is to find valuable ways, practices, and insights to make your life better today.

If my content speaks to you, please subscribe to my newsletter! Also, feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think. I am here to serve what I hope will be a great community of curious and like-minded individuals.

“May the Road Rise to Meet You!”

With a skeptical mind and an analytical eye,

Mike Guarneri

My Links:

Podcast Platforms:

P.S. - I publish a new newsletter every Friday. Please be sure to subscribe. My past newsletters can also be found at mikeguarneri.com.

P.P.S. - Any links above to products on Amazon.com are affiliate links. Making a purchase via an affiliate link will cost you nothing additional, but Amazon will give me a small commission.

P.P.P.S. - If you enjoyed reading this piece, I’d like to ask a favor of you. For a limited time, I will be conducting 1-on-1 Zoom calls with select members of my SubStack subscribers.

Think of this call as a Discovery Call. The goal is to discover your vision, goals, and challenges as they may relate to the Celtic way of life, druidism, and pagan practices. This call will be beneficial to both of us.

My goal with these calls is to discover a common thread so that I can best add value and serve you. It will help me focus my content and research to ensure I cater to your true vision and goals.

These 1-on-1 calls are free, of course. And everything you share on the call will be private between you and me.

If you’re interested or want to introduce yourself and say hi, I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me directly via email at mike@guarneriny.com.