Sasha's 'Newsletter' $7 / month

Sasha's 'Newsletter' is a blend of personal essays that explore a wide array of topics including creativity, psychedelics, relationships, self-improvement, and existential contemplation, alongside a fictional weekly novel about a vampire. The writing often delves into introspection, pragmatic wisdom, and the pursuit of authenticity.

Creativity Psychedelics Relationships Self-Improvement Existential Topics Fiction Meditation

The hottest Substack posts of Sasha's 'Newsletter'

And their main takeaways

Come hang out with me next week

369 implied HN points • 27 May 25
🎭️ Culture Events Education Literature Personal Development Entertainment
  1. There's an exciting event happening next Monday in San Francisco called Trampoline Hall, featuring funny and unique speakers. It's a fun and unexpected experience that you shouldn't miss.
  2. The author is working on a self-help book with their wife about being effective like her, set to be released in spring 2026. It's based on traits and habits that can be learned and shared.
  3. They are also starting a new Substack together to share more of their wife's insights and ideas. If you enjoy the author's writing, you might like this new project too.

How to like everything more

8860 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Art Music Literature Food Philosophy
  1. Enjoyment is a skill that can be improved by focusing on the details and layers in experiences, whether it's music, food, or art. Try to look for different aspects that you might usually overlook.
  2. Being curious and open to new sensations can transform how you experience intense music, food, or art. Instead of resisting strong stimuli, embrace their intensity and see them as opportunities for enjoyment.
  3. Creating a connection with the creator of a work can enhance your enjoyment. Think about the effort and emotion they put into their creation, which can make you appreciate it even more.

An open letter to 56 people I know

4473 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Relationships Friendship Self-reflection Personal Growth Communication
  1. It's important to recognize and appreciate the goodness in yourself, even if it's hard to see. Everyone has value, and it's essential to remind ourselves of that.
  2. Friendship can deeply impact our lives, providing support during tough times and helping us grow. A genuine connection can make us feel normal and understood.
  3. We often admire others for their unique talents and perspectives, which might inspire us to reflect on our strengths and insecurities. It's great to have people in our lives who challenge and motivate us.

My mind transformed completely, and there were some tradeoffs

5472 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Meditation Awakening Consciousness Mindfulness Personal Growth
  1. Meditation can change your way of seeing the world. It makes past and future thoughts feel lighter, almost like they are just wispy thoughts instead of heavy burdens.
  2. Practicing meditation often feels like having a hobby that others don’t understand or appreciate. You may see benefits in your life, but sharing that with others can be tricky because many might not be ready to commit to it.
  3. Even after lots of meditation, you might still experience normal emotional struggles. You can feel calm and connected one moment and then get upset over something small, which can be confusing and humbling.

Baby's first PR crisis

4017 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Cancel Culture Social media Political Discourse Public Relations Friendship
  1. Cancel culture can quickly turn a person's life upside down. It often feels more like bullying than actual justice.
  2. People can change their opinions and turn against someone really fast to fit in or make themselves look better. This back-and-forth can hurt businesses and reputations.
  3. It's important to stick by friends during tough times. Real support means standing strong together, even when facing mob mentality.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Cosmic impostor syndrome

2627 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Mindfulness Spirituality Self-Improvement Meditation
  1. Meditation can make you happier and more relaxed, but the journey has ups and downs. You might go through weird phases where your self-esteem feels all mixed up.
  2. Cosmic impostor syndrome is when you realize you're not in full control of your life and self-esteem doesn't make sense anymore. It can feel awkward when you stop taking all the credit for your accomplishments.
  3. Praise can start to feel less personal and more like a comment on something outside of you, like the weather. Relationships that matter to you become the main source of self-affirmation.

Almost everything I've written seems wrong now

2302 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
📚 Literature Writing Authors Personal Reflection Creative Process Expression
  1. Many writers feel that their past work no longer reflects their current ideas. They might find their old writing overly simplistic or disagreeable.
  2. Personal growth and changing beliefs make it hard to reconcile old writing with new thoughts. It's challenging to explain complex ideas that now contradict previous statements.
  3. Instead of worrying about regrets or how future readers will judge them, writers find peace in seeing their work as an offering. They hope that readers will learn and grow from both the mistakes and successes in their writing.

When I say I believe in God

347 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Belief Religion Spirituality Personal Growth Self-discovery
  1. Believing in God can start suddenly and unexpectedly, sometimes triggered by self-discovery moments. It’s a personal journey that can evolve over time.
  2. Understanding oneself better, like through personality tests, can lead to deeper realizations about life and beliefs. Self-awareness is key to personal growth.
  3. Explaining spiritual beliefs can be challenging, as they are often complex and deeply personal. Everyone's experience with faith is unique.

Playing in the ruins

3996 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Personal Growth Acceptance Self-discovery Existentialism Reflection
  1. Facing and accepting the breakdown of expectations can lead to a new way of being, a state of 'Playing in The Ruins'.
  2. Experiencing challenges and destruction can shatter illusions and preconceptions about the future, leading to a more authentic understanding of oneself and life.
  3. Encountering wreckage and failures is a common part of life's journey, and happiness often lies beyond achieving childhood dreams or societal expectations.

10x happiness increases are possible, and this is an underrated fact

2454 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Therapy Physical health Social Connections Medication
  1. Happiness is not a fixed state; significant increases in happiness are achievable through various factors like medication, career growth, physical activities, and personal growth.
  2. Factors contributing to increased happiness include therapy, meditation, improved social connections, financial stability, and positive life changes.
  3. Belief in static happiness levels may limit people from realizing their potential for significant happiness increases, preventing them from actively working towards a happier life.

Befriending the void

2844 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Contemplation Existence Fear Silence Mental health
  1. We are often afraid of experiencing unmediated, raw existence without constantly asserting our identity.
  2. By learning to befriend the void through contemplative practice, we can find a sense of peace and acceptance.
  3. Being comfortable with the void can lead to a deeper appreciation of life and a sense of gratitude for existence.

There's nothing wrong with doing things because you want to look good

2150 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Self-Improvement Creativity Appearance
  1. It's okay to strive to look good while pursuing your goals. Enjoying vanity-focused efforts alongside practical training can lead to better results and enjoyment in the process.
  2. Balancing aesthetics with functionality is important; looking good can have practical advantages, such as increased social opportunities.
  3. Engaging in the game of appearances doesn't make you vain; it can be a way to navigate social dynamics effectively and enhance your creative work with audience capture.

What I wish someone had told me about starting a meditation practice

2171 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Meditation Mindfulness Practice Awareness Techniques
  1. Beginner meditation instructions can be overwhelming and may not suit everyone's experience.
  2. Maintaining broad awareness during meditation can be more calming and natural than narrowing focus to specific sensations.
  3. Adopting a permissive and curious attitude towards meditation practice can lead to more meaningful experiences.

Talking Enneagram 7 blues

1889 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Philosophy
  1. Discovering your Enneagram type can be a revealing and enlightening experience.
  2. Being a type 7 can involve a complex mix of enjoying life but also struggling with simple discomfort.
  3. Understanding and accepting your Enneagram type's characteristics can lead to personal growth and self-awareness.

Things You Learn Dating Cate Hall

4039 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
  1. Cate Hall believes in winging it and that everyone is figuring things out.
  2. Dating Cate means quickly gaining knowledge and experiencing new things.
  3. Cate Hall values frankness, integrity, hard work, and not chasing prestige.

Should you meditate, and also, what is even meditation

1998 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Meditation Self-Improvement Mindfulness Spirituality Personal Development
  1. There are two tracks of meditation - one for enhancing performance and another for deconstructing your mind.
  2. The deconstructive track can lead to profound, life-changing experiences and personal growth, but it's not for everyone.
  3. Meditation can enhance mental flexibility, allowing you to embrace criticism and change with ease.

Hang out with me in the Bay?

325 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Art Events Theater Community Social
  1. There are two exciting events happening next week in San Francisco.
  2. One event is a fun lecture series called Trampoline Hall, featuring interesting topics like emotions and dancing.
  3. The other event is a personal and interactive show where you can get to know strangers quickly.

Have an actually fun wedding

2106 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Relationships Celebrations Event Planning Food
  1. Consider having a stress-free backyard wedding with minimal planning and decoration.
  2. Keep your guest list small and choose affordable catering options like a food truck and drinks from Costco.
  3. Delegate tasks to willing friends and family, and opt for non-traditional elements like multiple desserts instead of a wedding cake.

Life update, March

955 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Events Perfume Coaching
  1. Events with Misha: The power of finding inspiration and guidance in unique individuals along life's journey.
  2. Lost in perfume: Embracing the challenges and excitement of starting a new enterprise, even amidst uncertainties.
  3. Sometimes life turns you into a life coach: Embracing unexpected shifts in your career and finding fulfillment in helping others navigate life's complexities.

Why don't gurus scale?

173 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Spirituality Wellness Meditation Self-help
  1. Some gurus are really talented at helping people and can create big changes quickly. However, their personal skills often don't scale to help more people.
  2. Gurus rely on their personal charisma and unique techniques, making it hard to replicate their success on a larger scale.
  3. Many in the spiritual scene may struggle with growing their impact because their methods are too personal and can't reach a wider audience.

Hi NYC, hang out with me Monday/Tuesday

86 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Workshops Creativity Community Events
  1. There's a free gifting workshop happening in NYC on Monday and Tuesday. You can join either one or both days.
  2. The workshop is designed for you to create a gift or come up with a cool gift idea. You'll leave with something special or a plan to make something.
  3. You'll have access to tools like a 3D printer and help with ideas and words to make your gift unique.

Process notes: ethyl maltol

195 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Chemistry
  1. Ethyl maltol is a magical substance in perfumery with a childhood-like smell.
  2. It is single-minded, precise, and offers specific shades isolated from complex settings.
  3. Being closely related to maltol but stronger, it requires only a tiny dose and leaves space for other ingredients in perfumery formulas.

Process notes: iso e super

152 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Ingredients
  1. Iso-E Super is a popular ingredient in perfumery that is derived from myrcene and has a cedar-like scent.
  2. This fragrance ingredient undergoes complex chemical processes to enhance its aroma.
  3. Sasha Chapin discusses the intricate construction of Iso-E Super in perfumes in their paid post.