What ‘Fourth Wing’ Taught Me About Healing
BodyMind Lessons from the Riders Quadrant
Dear Adventurers,
Welcome to Whimsy Wonderland—where the worlds of healing and fantasy intertwine, and our real-life transformations echo the epic battles and blessings of our favorite books.
As we journey through the BodyMind Blueprint, it would be awfully unlike me not to sprinkle in a bit of magic. Here at Shire & Bonsai, we believe growth isn’t always gritty. Sometimes, it comes cloaked in dragons and lined with lightning.
Lately, I’ve found myself thinking about Rebecca Yarros’ The Empyrean series. Or rather, it keeps finding me.
At first, I thought it was Violet Sorrengail’s experience with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome—how her body protested her ambition to survive the Riders Quadrant—that was calling to me.
Or maybe it was the deeply attuned connection between dragon and rider, reminiscent of the delicate sync between our nervous system and our conscious mind.
But it wasn’t those threads exactly.
It was the Signets. And later… the Venin.
Signets as Shadow and Shield
In the Empyrean world, Signets are supernatural powers gifted through the bond with dragons. But what if they’re more than fantasy? What if Signets are a metaphor for how old wounds can become powerful protections?
Let’s look at Xaden Riorson (cue brooding shadowy soundtrack and Tairn’s dry commentary). His signet is shadow-wielding. He doesn’t just control shadows; he was made in the shadows—of grief, war, loss, and rebellion. When he tells Violet about how the shadows came to him in moments of danger, we see it: his mind registered danger, encoded darkness as safety, and when the magic arrived—it amplified his already-existing survival response. Shadow became shield.
Mira, Violet’s eldest sister, manifests a shielding signet. She's a protector, a guardian, the eldest daughter with a lifetime of responsibility. Her gift? Defense. Again, her psyche had already built the architecture for protection. Her Signet just made it visible.
These gifts—these powers—are not random. They are manifestations of subconscious defense mechanisms made magical. Sound familiar?
Mind to Body, Thought to Flesh
In our world, it looks like this:
A child who grew up silencing their needs becomes the adult who cannot say no—but also, perhaps, develops a profound sensitivity to others’ emotions.
Someone with anxiety may ruminate endlessly—yet also has an exceptional ability to strategize, anticipate, and plan.
A perfectionist raised in chaos might struggle to relax—but might also possess a gift for precision, creativity, or performance.
The mind’s first instinct is protection. It catalogues experiences, files away survival patterns, and when needed—it activates them. Over and over again. Sometimes to our benefit, sometimes at our expense.
But like in Fourth Wing, we can learn to train these instinctual powers. To honor them. To refine them. Even to transform them.
I used to think my asthma was only a weakness. But now, I see that the breathlessness taught me presence. Chronic inflammation kept me attuned to subtle shifts in my environment and mental state. My childhood rumination created patterns but also helped me become a contemplative, creative writer. The pain carved out pathways. And now, I’m choosing to fill them with power, compassion, and presence.
What’s Your Signet?
This isn’t just Romantasy. It’s Revelation.
It’s your opportunity to look inward and ask:
What gifts have my struggles given me?
What protection mechanisms have become my patterns?
What Signet might I carry—not in magic, but in mindset?
The perfectionist’s pitch.
The overthinker’s storytelling.
The anxious heart’s empathy.
The survivor’s resilience.
The chronically ill body’s wisdom.
All of it—data. All of it—you.
So dig deep, adventurer. Listen to your body. Notice your mind. Honor the patterns that once protected you, even as you outgrow them.
Because you, my friend, might be far more powerful than you think.
A Thought for Your Journey
What have you always seen as your weakness that might actually be your signet—your source of strength?
What would it feel like to honor it instead of hide it?
Or, If you’d like to support my work in a simple, meaningful way, you can buy me a cup of coffee ☕✨
Healing Roots, Transforming Stories, Cultivating You
Much Love, Jae