Intros on Intros
Introducing Angel Whispers... and Me
Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, “Grow, grow.”
The Talmud
Hello, and welcome to 2023. The beginning of January can feel like a lot, so I’m going to keep this short and sweet.
Firstly, I want to thank everyone who read, shared, and responded to my last post, Dear Hayley. Several of her loved ones have already reached out for tarot readings, and the opportunity to serve and connect in this way warms my heart.
Thank you. I can’t think of a better way to honor Hayley’s spirit.
Just a gentle reminder that this offer stands until Dec. 18, 2023 — Hayley’s Angel birthday. And for anyone seeking general cosmic guidance or clarity on a creative project, please check out my intuitive consultation services.
Introducing Angel Whispers
Speaking of Hayley and angels, one of the things I want to introduce is the Marco Polo Sharecast I just started. It’s called Angel Whispers, and you can find it here.
The idea is to continue sharing pieces of my life and ideas that I’d typically send to Hayley, but in a way that anyone can watch and reply to. In my first video, I shared a short gratitude list and my intentions for 2023. It’s something I missed at the end of 2022.
I hope you join me on this new adventure!
Re-introducing Action Potential and Myself
A lot of new folks have recently joined, and I’ve kind of just emerged from… being stuck in my own head.
Anyway, between that and the New Year, I thought, why not share a bit about who I am, what I do, and how I got here?
Hi, I’m Lauren
Who I Am
I’m a freelance writer, intuitive adviser, and green witch. I live on a small farm nestled in an enchanted forest, across the street from rocky Maine beaches. Past places I’ve called home include New Jersey, Washington, California, and Arizona. I also spent six months living in Perú and teaching English.
My husband, Jason, and I are proud pawrents to four big dogs (Smokey, Sampson, Bruce, and Isabella), one aquatic turtle (Bowser), and a small flock of layering hens + King Louis the rooster.
We’re medical caregivers (Maine’s term for licensed, tax-paying growers of medical cannabis). We also grow a shitton of organic garlic and various medicinal and culinary plants. This year, we raised our own poultry birds for the first time. Twas quite the adventure.
What I Do
I started Action Potential as a place to explore the crossroads of science and magic.
For those who don’t know, an action potential is the electrical excitement of a neuron (brain cell) before it fires. The neuron doesn’t send its signal until a certain voltage threshold is reached. Once it has, BOOM! Action potential triggered. Neuron fires. You go.
Do the thing.
Take action.
Basically, an action potential is the spark that initiates anything and everything you do and have ever done.
Did you know you have bajillions of sparkles in your brain at any given moment?
Baby, if that’s not magic, I don’t know what magic is.
How I Got Here
My background is in neuroscience, but perhaps you already guessed as much. I went to college intending to study clinical psychology, stemming from my personal experience with mental illness.
After taking a few neurosciencey classes my junior year, I fell in love with studying the brain and switched my concentration to biopsychology. I started working in my advisor’s research lab, using electroencephalography (EEG) to study memory, attention, and learning.
My true passion was studying the link between emotional and physical health, but I stayed in the EEG lab because it was not the type of experience one walks away from (now I know better).
Shortly after graduation, an EEG lab manager position opened up at Princeton University’s Center for the Study of Brain, Mind, and Behavior (later Princeton Neuroscience Institute).
I became that lab manager.
While there, I had amazing experiences — meeting, listening to, and working with brilliant minds from all over the world. But a few really changed my outlook on science (and magic) forever.
Firstly, the co-director of the Institute, Sabine Kastner, said, “I’m a dreamer, otherwise I wouldn’t be a scientist.” I still love that quote.
Secondly, I attended a lecture given by Andrew Newberg, in which he talked about “finding God in fMRI.” The walls separating science and spirituality came crumbling down, and I reveled in the expansiveness they left behind.
**side note** I’m currently reading Dr. Newberg’s book, Brain Weaver, and highly recommend it.
Thirdly, I had the opportunity to take a graduate course in public health, learning from the former president of Merck Vaccines.
Get Back to Your Point, Lauren
Anyway, I couldn’t stay in academia. The shoe didn’t fit quite right.
The desire born of that experience was not to keep bouncing ideas off other scientists, thus keeping them trapped in an insular bubble. I wanted to take the research and convey it in an engaging way the general public might actually want to read.
And so I find myself making a living as a medical writer. I get paid to read scientific research papers and explain the key points in readable articles that help people make informed decisions about their health.
I also study and practice tarot and EFT/Tapping, a form of energy healing that’s been deemed “pseudoscience.”
Action Potential is a place for both/and/also, babes, not if/then/but.
In this newsletter, you’ll find posts about mindset, gratitude, aromatherapy, and other fun ways to incorporate magic into your everyday wellness routine.
I promised this would be short. I kind of lied to you, didn’t I? Sorry about that.
I hope you found this post interesting, and have a great weekend!
XoLauren
PS - Giving Dry January a try? Might I recommend Grüvi NA wine?
PSS - To support my work without subscribing, you can buy me a coffee! Thanks!