Personal Inspiration

Written By Jennifer Peart

Hello friends! This month I have compiled a few of my favorite things. Don’t worry, I am not sponsored (yet!). These are just a few of my personal favorites for inspiration, regulation, rest, creativity, and pleasure. My list is meant to inspire you to think about your own List with a capital “L”! What helps you live a creative life full of pleasure and joy? My list starts with beloved books and ends with sacred animal-siblings.

BOOKS

Ya’ll know I love books. I love the whole culture of going to the library and shopping at local bookshops. My reading lists are endless, but below is a combo of my all time favs and more recent(ish) titles across all genres:

Feel free to follow me on GoodReads! I know it's not the most popular social media, but book nerds are out here! 

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

(my favorite books to read to tiny humans and the young at heart)

SHOWS + FILM

I am not the best at keeping track of movies and shows. Here are some favorites that came to mind! 

  • Firefly (2002)

  • Star Trek - almost all of it

  • Disney Nature

  • Secrets of the Whales (2021)

  • The Blue Planet (2002)

  • Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

  • Amelie (2001)

  • Netflix’s Chef’s Table Season 2 (specifically episode 2 with Dominique Creen)

  • Woman in Motion - A documentary about how Nichel Nichols influenced NASA space program

  • 2001 Space Odyssey

  • Wendy (2020)

  • Black Panther (2018)

  • Beyonce’s BLACK IS KING (2020)

  • Y tu Mamá También (2001)

  • Dune (2021)

  • Disney’s Encanto (2021)

  • Disney’s Soul (2020)

  • The Science of Sleep (2006)

  • Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

  • Before Sunrise (1995)

PODCASTS

I am not a big podcast person. I mostly listen to shows from random podcasts interviewing authors I like. Here are some shows I try to keep up with: 

ART + ARCHITECTURE

Architecture:

  • Retrofuturism

  • Mid Century Modern

  • Earthship movement

  • Arcosanti, Arizona

  • Modern architecture in general

  • Contemporary architecture in general

  • Contemporary urban landscape design

Art History:

  • Most of my art history knowledge is contemporary, but here are my pre-modern favs:

  • Futurism

  • German Romantics

  • Frida

  • Andrew Wyeth

Contemporary Artists:

  • Robert Minervini

  • Natasha Kissell

  • William Swanson

  • David Schnell

  • Leslie Shows

  • Lia Halloran

  • Paul Davies

Creative friends and friends of friends:


MUSIC

I love music and cannot imagine a creative life without it. Here are some of the artists in my ears these days.

  • Sylvan Esso

  • Leon Bridges

  • La Roux

  • The Bengsons

  • LP

  • Beyonce

  • Y La Bamba

  • Prince

  • José González

  • Tegan and Sara

  • Stevie Nicks

  • First Aid Kit

  • Glasser

  • Blood Orange

  • Grimes

  • Maggie Rogers

  • The Oh Hellos

  • Neko Case

  • Dolly Parton

  • Bon Iver

  • Fever Ray

  • Zola Jesus

  • Major Lazer

  • Phantogram

  • Metric

  • Ratatat

  • Big Thief

  • Beirut

  • Goldfrapp

  • The Knife

  • Cat Power

  • Mirah

  • Jenny Lewis

  • Arcade Fire

  • Devendra Banhart

  • Sufjan Stevens

  • DeVotchKa

  • Joanna Newson

  • David Bowie

  • Grace Ives

  • Lucius

  • Remi Wolf

  • MILCK

  • Jain

  • Yeah Yeah Yeahs

  • Chloe x Halle

  • Janelle Monáe

  • Emily King

  • Angel Olson

  • Wye Oak

  • Poolside

  • Flor de Toloache

PLACES + SPACES

  • My garden

  • Native plant gardens and farms

  • Used book stores

  • Libraries

  • Rivers 

  • National Parks, state parks, and public lands

  • The North Coast of California

  • The Sierra Nevada Mountains

  • Favorite cities that I have visited: San Francisco, Tucson, Albuquerque, Taos, Sante Fe, Portland, 

  • Favorite California small towns: Nevada City, Placerville, Amador City, Sutter Creek, Booneville, Kelseyville

CULINARY

  • Natural wine

  • New-to-me foods

  • Creative chefs

  • Sustainable salmon

  • Fair trade chocolate

  • Gelato

  • Sushi

  • Ripe figs

  • Fresh mangos

  • Hawaiian papayas

  • Heirloom tomatoes

  • Buffalo milk mozzarella 

  • Italian pizza

AROMATHERAPY, ALCHEMY, ELIXIRS, + SPELLS

I love almost all things witchy. Here are some of my favorites scents, herbs, spells, and crystals for Creativity. I highly recommend finding and building a relationship with your local apothecary. Remedy Garden of Nevada City, CA  is my favorite. 

Herbs:

  • Rosemary

  • Sage

  • Damiana

  • Ginkgo Biloba

  • Mint

  • Lavender

  • Cardamom

  • Chamomile

  • Wild Cherry Bark

  • Honeysuckle

  • Rose Buds and Petals

  • Mugwort

Tarot Signifier Cards:

  • The Empress

  • Queen of Cups

Spells: 

Learn to write your own with Arin Murphy-Hiscock’s books! Otherwise adrienne maree brown has a lot of good spells archived on her website. 

Crystals: 

  • Carnelian

  • Citrine

  • Red jasper

  • Labradorite

  • Tigers eye

  • Rainbow Moonstone

  • Bloodstone

  • Celestine

  • Clear Quartz

  • Pyrite

  • Malachite

  • Amethyst

  • Floutrite

  • Pyrite

  • Apatite

MEDITATION + KUNDALINI + SPIRIT

I meditate every morning. I utilize the Insight Timer app to help me set my intention for the day ahead. They even have a timer with a variety of different meditation chimes to choose from. There is a meditation for almost everything on there - pet loss to starting your own business! Check it out: https://insighttimer.com/

Teachers and mentors I call upon include: 

Kundalini

I also enjoy Kundalini yoga to help me regulate and release my emotions. Two lovely teachers I admire:

Snatam Kaur: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgDI_XRAYRg6fQNNwZiVXIA

Sat Siri: https://www.facebook.com/satsiriyoga/

If all else fails, a walk in the woods or a low-populated trail is where I find spirit and wisdom.

ANIMALIA 

  • My cat Shiva - may her kitty spirit continue to experience joy. Shiva came into my life when I was 20 and I had her for 15 years - almost my entire adulthood. She was the sweetest friend and best emotional regulator. I could not have gotten through college, heartbreaks, and teaching without her. Whenever people ask me what my favorite animal is, I say Shiva. 

  • River otters

  • Foxes

  • Elephants

  • Blue Whales

  • Goats

COMMUNITY

Last, but definitely not the least! I care DEEPLY about my people and my local orgs/circles. Community is my favorite!

Jennifer Peart https://www.jenniferpeart.com
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