Created by Rachel Maria Kisellus

Field Guide Entry ~ June 11, 2025.

Kīlauea rises.

Over 1,000 feet of molten force thrown skyward.

And I feel it ~ not just in my body, but from my body.

I drop into a squat, piston sealed, spine primed.

I press my palms together at my heart, fingers clasped, elbows wide.

Ganesha Mudra.

And that’s when it clicks.

This is the lock.

This is the key.

Not a stretch.

Not a pose.

But a seal.

The chest closes, ribs knit, scapulae engage like vault doors.

A dome of containment forms across my upper body.

Below it, pressure builds in the hips and belly.

Above it, nothing escapes.

And suddenly, I understand: