A Journey Home with Sophie Boldog.
During the final days of 2023, a wonderful friend introduced me to Sophie, the co-founder of the self-exploration deck of cards - A Journey Home. I knew this tool was aligned with the House of Rowdy values the minute I saw and read the cards, (which are now available in our store!) and believed it would be a significant addition to our House of Rowdy brand selection.
After a new year´s manifestation workshop was held in-store last week, led by Sophie, we wanted to have a sit-down with her, in order to find out more about A Journey Home, as well as introduce her to our Rowdy readers and customers. Here is the interview.
D: Sophie, tell me a little bit about you. When did you move to Barcelona and what brought you here?
Sophie: I moved to Barcelona two years ago. Before, I had been living in London for the previous seven years. It’s where I studied design and management and worked in strategy and innovation consulting. London is an amazing city and I lived my formative early 20ies there, but after a while, both my partner and I were wondering: is that all there is? (as Peggy Lee wondered). So, we chose to relocate to a much sunnier destination – and here we are!
D: You are the co-founder of the deck of cards ´A Journey Home´. How did you decide to create it? What was the thinking process like?
Sophie: My last job for a corporate venture builder did not go as I hoped it would, so I saw this clear fork in the road: either I look for another job in the same sector, or I follow my passion and build a business from scratch. So, I decided to do the latter. I had this idea of creating a toolkit for spiritual self-exploration years ago. So I decided to pitch the idea to my now co-founder who does all the amazing art for A Journey Home.
D: How is this project close to your heart and why is it important to you?
Sophie: I started my own spiritual self-exploration journey quite some time ago because I was an incredibly anxious and hyper-sensitive kid and basically completely overwhelmed with ‘humaning’. So, this inner distress led me to do research deep dives, Vipassanas, work with sacred plant medicine, traditional therapy, coaching, energy work… Little did I know that this path would lead me to create a set of cards for my inner child, for the part of me that keeps forgetting to observe my inner monologue with love, allow myself to feel all my emotions and practice noticing the little big wonders in life.
Sophie: I started my own spiritual self-exploration journey quite some time ago because I was an incredibly anxious and hyper-sensitive kid and basically completely overwhelmed with ‘humaning’. So, this inner distress led me to do research deep dives, Vipassanas, work with sacred plant medicine, traditional therapy, coaching, energy work… Little did I know that this path would lead me to create a set of cards for my inner child, for the part of me that keeps forgetting to observe my inner monologue with love, allow myself to feel all my emotions and practice noticing the little big wonders in life.
D: What are the ways through which someone could use these cards?
Sophie: Our intention is to inspire a deep spiritual self-exploration journey. This requires presence and vulnerability as well as divergent thinking. So, with all of this in mind, we believe using the cards while taking a small dose of sacred mushrooms could very much deepen the spiritual self-exploration journey, since one is more connected, more aware and experiences enhanced neuroplasticity. However, many people use the cards also without any substance and create mini rituals to connect deeper with themselves in their day to day.
D: How do you, personally, use them?
Sophie: I use them when I take small doses of sacred mushrooms in a more ceremonial way. I use the cards to give me inspiration on how to structure my own small ceremony. I start with a blue card which is a grounding exercise and then I select a red card to go deeper into my subconscious and my emotions. Usually after deep work, I repeat a grounding practice to return back to baseline. After that, I finish with a yellow card, so my vibration ends in let’s say, gratitude or joy.
Sophie: I use them when I take small doses of sacred mushrooms in a more ceremonial way. I use the cards to give me inspiration on how to structure my own small ceremony. I start with a blue card which is a grounding exercise and then I select a red card to go deeper into my subconscious and my emotions. Usually after deep work, I repeat a grounding practice to return back to baseline. After that, I finish with a yellow card, so my vibration ends in let’s say, gratitude or joy.
D: What is the one thing you do every day or every week to stay grounded?
Sophie: I start every day with a meditation practice. I cannot not. The first part of it is always just observing whatever is present. Observing what is present around me, what is present in the body, what is present in the mind, what is present in the heart. And then, I move to gratitude. Gratitude for my cells, my limbs, my whole body basically, for my mind, my chosen family, for the beautiful city I can call home…. I ground so I can rise and soar into my day.
D: What is one intention you have set for yourself this year?
Sophie: My intention for this year is just do. Period.
If you want to know more about this fantastic deck of cards, visit House Of Rowdy and check them out; and stay tuned for future workshops!
Love, House of Rowdy X