Loto Journal
Through personal storytelling and letter writing, follow our Founder, Jennifer Axcell, as she travels the 🌎 globe as a digital nomad and Desert Mother, exploring Consciousness, rest, and Self-care.
Including thoughtfully created blog content about somatic healing practices, nervous system regulation techniques, and contemplative practices, Loto Wellness Collective’s blog focuses on the art and science of rest and renewal, drawing inspiration from Christian mystics, monastic wisdom, modern neuroscience, and depth psychology.
Reader’s Note: In an attempt to bring a conscious sense of responsibility to our language (where inclusivity and equality matter), in our Loto Wellness Collective blog content, except for direct quotes, the pronouns often used for God are They/Them in reference to I AM. When referring to Jesus specifically, the pronouns He/Him are used. Also, we have taken the liberty of capitalizing the term “True Self” so you will know that we are not referring to the “false self” (psychological egoic self), but the foundational self that we are in God.
Morning Altars: Beauty as Creation Care
Nothing stirs my heart like stepping into nature, with open hands and heart, to gather what the earth offers in each season—fallen leaves, pinecones, stones, seeds, petals, feathers. Out of these humble materials, beauty is born. This is the practice of Morning Altars, nature mandalas created as impermanent works of art, meant to honor both the earth and the Spirit that animates it.
The practice, founded by artist and teacher Day Schildkret (morningaltars.com), invites us into a conversation with creation itself. It is part ritual, part meditation, part play. We collect what has already fallen, arrange it with intention, and witness the patterns of symmetry, surprise, and story that emerge. Each altar is temporary—eventually scattered by wind, rain, or passing animals. This impermanence reminds us of the fleeting nature of life and the call to treasure the present moment.
The Returning: The Way of the Naturalist
For the Naturalist, creation itself is the sanctuary. The forest becomes the temple, the tide becomes the hymn, and the rustling leaves become the voice of God. It’s not that nature points to God — it’s that nature reveals God. Every living thing becomes a verse in an unending psalm.
Tikkun Olam and Caring for Creation
The way we treat the earth is deeply connected to the way we treat our own bodies and each other. When we restore the land, we participate in God’s healing work.
Beauty That Heals: My Journey with Creative Prayer and Art Therapy 🎨
SALT + LIGHT 🎨
Contributors & Collaborators
Loto Living and Loto Journal, would not be possible without the ongoing support and generous contributions from an incredible team of writers, artists, healers, editors, creatives, and pastors.