Real Talk With River Johnson

 I recently teamed up with a beautiful free spirited woman who I have had the honour of connecting with via social media. Her name is River Johnson, and you can follow her @river.magick. Since Covid 19 began this year, I knew as i'm sure many of you can relate, is that our mental health was going to suffer. So I decided to team up with like minded, deeply connected and powerful women and ask them a series of questions about who they are, and how they bring light and joy into their own lives in the hope that it might be able to add little value to yours. Plus who doesn't love getting real! She also created a gorgeous series of photos for us wearing her favourite Kyoti pieces. Here's what River had to say. 

1.If you were guaranteed Success or a positive outcome, what’s one thing you would do in terms of career?

"Astronaut, no doubt! I would absolutely love to float around in space, see our beloved planet Earth from the skies...it would be so humbling, plus I have always daydreamed about floating gravity-free inside of a spaceship."

2. When do you feel at your best?

"I feel at my best when I am in a healthy state- of mind, body, and soul. I feel at my best when I am in my flow- when I am surrendering to the divine plan of life, when my actions and words are in alignment. When I say I am going to wake up and do something, and then follow through with that something- that feels amazing. Also being in love is a pretty damn good feeling."

3.Do you have nay daily rituals or weekly practices? If so, what are they, and why do you feel they support you?

"I am currently participating in a 12 week course called The Artist's Way. It's a book by Julia Cameron and right now I am repeating week 3 because I was a bad kitty and didn't complete the tasks so I had to re-start that section. Every morning, you are supposed to do your "Morning Pages" which is when you journal *first thing* after waking up. You are to write three (minimum) consecutive pages of stream of conscious writing. No rules as to what you are supposed to write, just w r i t e . So lately, I have been waking up and writing. It sure is fascinating to see what comes up to the surface first thing in the morning. But before I do my pages, I stretch my body and breathe excessively on the floor of my bedroom. This helps me to awaken my senses and get my energy moving. Then I will make my morning elixir, MUD/WTR and write, write, write. Then I like to exercise, and I try to avoid my phone until absolutely necessary. Getting centered in the morning typically sets the tone for the rest of my day, which is why my morning routine is s a c r e d. I like to listen to Indian Ragas (Indian classical music) to tune into my body, mind, and spirit. Something about that music makes me feel so deeply into who I am and who I am becoming. I resonate with it so much-the music helps me to connect to myself on a very deep and spiritual level."

4. Can you describe your relationship with mental health and well being?

"I would say I have a very positive relationship with my mental health. I have always been quite positive and optimistic, and I don't let things bum me out too much. Of course, I have my days, just like everyone else, but in the end I truly trust that everything will work out, everything is in divine alignment, and I am always exactly where I am meant to be. I have an undying faith in the divine and I believe that this keeps my mind so happy and healthy."

5. Do you and those close to you have open conversations about mental health?

"Yes, my circle is very open about mental health and it is a constant dialogue- which I believe is extremely healthy."

6.Who is one or some influential figures in your life?

"Most of my friends are do-ers and creators. Most of them have successful clothing brands and they have been a huge inspiration to me, always encouraging me to go after my dreams and never give up. I surround myself with go-getters."

7. Any tools in your basket to get through tough times or hard moments, that you’d like to share with us?

"During rough times, I create. The art that I have created that I am most proud of has come from heartbreak and loss. Creative expression is the best therapy for processing + transformation."

8. Is there a saying or an expression you’re tired of hearing? Why?

"This might not be an expression or saying, but the narrative that women are discarded after their late twenties or when they turn thirty has *GOT TO GO* !!!!  We live in youth-obsessed culture, and sometimes I even find myself having negative thoughts about aging/growing older, but the truth is, women are like fine wine, we are better as we age. I wish we didn't live in a world where your value is determined by your looks, weight, age, etc. We have been conditioned to believe that life is over after you reach 30, but even though I am not thirty yet, I can see that what society has fed us is a big, fat, LIE! In my experience, life has only gotten to be more amazing as I've gotten older."

9. Do you think the movement towards women supporting women is important? Why or why not?

"Ashae Sundara (@ashaesundara) - she is an absolutely incredible woman- even though I have never met her- I just know. She is a powerhouse, she is inspirational, she is on FIRE and she will light you up! She teaches women about orgasmic abundance, claiming your queendom, making BANK, and how we are meant to relax into our feminine in order to RULE. She is f u e g o ! Go check her out- you won't regret it. ;-)"

11. Tell us something you love about yourself.

 12. If ever, when do you feel most at peace?

"When I am anywhere in nature. Nature heals all"

13. How would you describe your perfect day?

"Wake with the sun, feeling fully rested and rejuvenated. Have a challenging and sweaty workout. Eat an abundance of fruit for breakfast and drink lemon-mint-strawberry infused water. Walk barefoot or ride my bike to the ocean, and give thanks for a beautiful and blessed life. Have a picnic with lush foods, like the iconic scene from "A Little Princess". Spend time with my loved ones under the sun. Perhaps go on an adventure- hike to a waterfall that lies deep inside the jungle. Be surrounded by butterflies and monkeys and (friendly) jaguars and kittens. See a double rainbow after a rainstorm...make my way to hot springs under the moon and stars..make love as the sun sets to the sound of the ocean waves and fall asleep in my lover's arms under the new moon...that would be a perfect day for me. : )"

14. What do you put most of your energy into? And – what do you wish you could put more energy into?

 "I put a lot of my energy into my relationship with my beloved- we are fairly recent and have many deep conversations about building a solid foundation of where we are and where we are headed. It's quite beautiful. 

15. Tell us something that people might assume about you that isn’t necessarily truthful / Or tell us something no body would assume about you.

"I have been told that I am a lot more "down-to-earth" in real life than expected. I have also been told that I am way cooler than they thought I was going to be. LOL."

16. Do you like crystals because of their look, or because of their mystery and healing elements?

17. What do you love about Kyoti as a Brand?

"Nature and traveling to foreign countries has always inspired me. I always come back home feeling revitalised and inspired."