*Full episode on Patreon*

Happy end of Summer! In this month’s letter, I offer my observations on the only cultural conversations that have captured my attention in 2025: 

1. New New Spirituality & Overall Metaphysical Vibes: Astrology’s mounting cultural importance, the craze around this year’s 8/8 portal, wavy ranch-y fashion, psychedelics, the non-toxic movement, push toward natural fibers, etc. 

2. The Politicization of Fitness: The growing interest in fitness is accompanied by a certain strain of panic about the “dark side” of a cultural value around health, fitness, and the body. Plus, the binary of Body as Machine vs. Body as Garden and how you can tune inward to sensation before exploding outward from neuroses…

3. The Mythos of the Modern Conservative Women: I’ve been fascinated by the media’s obsession with “defining” and “understanding” the modern conservative woman. What’s going on here?

Then, I give an update on my capital-h Healing Summer and invite you into a fall of spaciousness, routine, and uber clarity… 

Links:

• Gabi (sigh swoon) on 8/8 portal

• STARGIRL Ep. 39 where I predicted this metaphysical folkloric return

• “Pop’s Prosperity Gospel: How Addison Rae Ushered In a New Spiritual Style” Biz Sherbert in AnOther Mag

• “Zen and the Art of Being Jennifer Aniston” Julie Miller in Vanity Fair 

• “2024 was the year of the Chad” Angelica Frey interviewed me about physique posting for Fast Company 

• “Is Pilates Political?” Calum Marsh in the New York Times 

• “Getting Fit is Great — But It Could Turn You Into a RightWing Jerk” Zoe Williams in The Guardian

• “Can President Trump Run a Mile?” Zach Helfand on the return of the Presidential Fitness Test in the New Yorker

• “Demin, Dating, and Conservativism: Inside a ‘Make America Hot Again’ Party” Mandy Taheri in Newsweek

• Sydney Sweeney for Bai Coconut Water… why