Dragon 🐉 Letters #71 Redefining Collective Influence
Early-bird registration through 3/10. Save $800 on registration, secure your favorite spot at Casa Flora Maria.
The other day I was reminiscing about playing Cranium (the interactive board game) with my kids. They are coming to visit in April. And I can’t wait. We haven’t all been together since December 2019.
We played Cranium regularly when they were little. I had a personal connection to the game because I met Richard Tait, the creator of Cranium, at Illuminations in 1999 when he was looking for retailers.
Wally Arnold, the Illuminations CEO, had a connected network including Howard Shultz, other investors from Rosewood Capital and more. Working for Wally, I was fortunate to be a wallflower around this kind of power and influence (still waiting for it to rub off on me, lol). As his content creator I was nicknamed Mini Wally by my coworkers (or maybe it’s because I’m only 4’10 lol).
Richard was such a kind and funny Scottish soul. The title on his business card was Grand Poobah. He had such an outside the box intellect. He loved sharing Cranium with anyone that would listen. It’s no surprise that after smoodging Howard Shultz in Wally’s office, his game finally made it into Starbucks everywhere. His enthusiasm was infectious.
He was shining example of someone who made it. So, I was crushed to learn last week that Richard passed away from complications due to covid in 2022. He was only 58.
Now, you might be wondering, “Why is Ixchel showcasing a very traditional form of old boys capital networking?”
Here’s the thing. Over and over I’ve seen examples of businesses becoming very successful because of tight networks. Whether it’s Venture Capital networks supporting their own, or coaching networks like Jeff Walker, Marie Forleo, Danielle LaPorte, Amy Porterfield and Selena Soo. They knew one thing, they weren’t going to make it all on their own.
The Gathering Threads Retreat in Chiapas this June is about leveraging our own value-aligned culture-making collective as we weave words to weave worlds. The people we need to be here are iconoclasts, movers and shakers that will all get pollinated and lit up from being around each other.
In a world where the narrative is too often written for us, this retreat is an invitation to reclaim our stories, to weave together our individual threads into a tapestry of collective resilience and creativity.
It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in a value-aligned community, where the synergy of our combined energies will amplify our individual and collective impact.
These leaders know that going it alone may get you there eventually, but it will be a slog. They know that partner marketing is vital to their business and do it regularly.
Those in power are hoping you don’t clue in to how the sausage gets made. They would much rather we be divided and individualistic.
Kellogg’s CEO discovered the quick responsiveness of collectivism this week after increasing cereal prices again and then suggesting that those families that struggle with inflation and making ends meet have cereal for dinner, because $10 is a cheap meal.
Social media creators responded with all the ways we can make puffed rice at home for pennies on the dollar.
Why is the Gathering Threads Retreat this June so crucial, and why now?
In an era where isolation has become all too common, and the prevailing powers thrive on our disconnection, this retreat is a cauldron for collective empowerment, creativity, and change.
It’s a call to those who dare to think differently, to the culture-makers, the visionaries, and the leaders who understand the unparalleled value of collective.
The emergent space I’m creating for you in Chiapas is sacred and necessary. Compared to other writing retreats, I could charge double and still remain competitive. But for me it’s not about the money, it’s about the people I’m bringing together that take the initiative to stand for the collective rather than just themselves.
Don’t let this moment pass you by. Link arms with us as we nurture something revolutionary, a gathering that promises not just personal growth but a collective leap towards a future we co-create. Secure your spot now and be part of this extraordinary journey.
-
Visit the retreat site and check out all the details including an updated section about the workshops I’ll be hosting each day
-
Register and share your room preferences and save $800
-
Look for the deposit link to secure your room
-
Get ready to fly to Chiapas in June!
Looking forward to weaving our stories together!
Looking for TikToks I’ve enjoyed? I’ve decided to just post them on Threads for the time being. The Chiapas Writing Retreat emails will be my main focus until we’re able to get it booked out. Even if you can’t make it, I’d really appreciate your support in getting the word out about this gorgeous retreat.
Stay wild, love fiercely. Your presence is golden.
With stardust and celestial love ✨🪐💫
xo Ixchel
Ixchel and the Chiapas Highland Flow Writers’ Retreat Team
P.S. We won’t be serving you corn flakes…Book your spot with Early-bird pricing here today!
P.P.S. Citing is a feminist and decolonial power move (/ht to Kelly Diels for making that an anthem). If you’ve gained insights and shifts from my work, please remember to cite me and share Dragon 🐉 Letters with a friend. Not citing is a form of epistemicide.
🌒 Get your Moon Phase (free calculator) →
✍🏽 Meet OoSo Studio →
👩🏽🤝👩🏾 Ways to work with me…
🎙️ Book me for your Podcast, speaking event, or program…
Walk in beauty. Live your magic. Go wild.
Your Sanctuary to Cultivate Wild Presence for Thriving with a Planet in Transition
I was raised and bore children on the traditional, unceded, and stolen lands of the Coast and Central Valley Miwok (colonized as Petaluma, CA) and Nisenan (colonized as Sacramento and Fair Oaks, CA), past, present, and future. I also write, work, and live in the highland forest of the traditional, unceded and stolen lands of the Totonac, Nahua, and Mexicah, past, present, and future, in what is known as Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico.
P.P.S. I do not live or consent to the colonial impositions regarding the construct of Time. I also practice honoring rhythms of work, play, and rest so that I can serve you with embodied presence and with loving care. This means I may take several days to respond to your requests and questions. (h/t Eva Glamaris)
P.P.S. A mention is not necessarily an endorsement of someone. It’s an acknowledgment, a citation, of the origin of information in my process of understanding. (h/t Kelly Diels)
Thanks for reading! If you loved it, tell your friends to subscribe.
We may include other affiliate links in our content. Thank you for supporting our work.
Copyright © 2026, Cheyenne, WY, and Veracruz, Mexico, All rights reserved. Sharing your lineage of knowledge is decolonial. When iterating, please cite me. Not citing is epistemicide.
