Endings Are Beginnings

Welcome To The School Of Love

Which path will we take? Maybe one not yet forged. Iceland Nessa © 2018.

Dear Ones,

Hi flower hearts. Wounded healers. Modern systems cause us to harm each other and nature so much. This harm broke the foundations of our societies. We move around the rubble with ravaged souls. What an inconvenient truth.

The sun rises. The Earth spins heavenly on her axis. The tide ebbs and flows. There is solace in celestial bodies. In seasons. The second half of the year will go even faster.

What is the antidote for our polycrises? Can we meet these momentous times with more love and less fear? Will we see a shift from centralization to decentralization now? Will we, at least, collapse into a sense of community?

I have a stubborn belief in our:

• capacity to respond to crises with compassion and courage.

• wisdom for regeneration of our culture and nature.

• strength to be a part of a healing movement based on love.

• courage to live a purposeful life in an age of societal breakdown.

Is the job of a healer to relieve suffering? If so, then why was it always a losing fight with these “systems?” I hang up my stethoscope in 2 weeks. Walk towards something soft. Something that aligns with my soul.

I write you from this sacred space. May my sanctuary nook inspire creation of your own safe healing space. Creativity is love and needs safety.

THE ART OF LIVING

One thing is certain. These are dark chocolate times. I have gone through a lot of dark chocolate. Justified by all the benefits in my humble opinion. Afterall, we need energy to fuel civil disobedience and radical transformation.

Life is full of suffering. This is the first Noble Truth. Who told you it was supposed to be otherwise?

Our mothers are falling ill. We endure wounding due to collective Mother Hunger. Mother hunger manifests as severance from ourselves, other beings, and Mother Earth.

The cure for this wound is possible when we rewire and reparent ourselves with love. When we increase consciousness and change brain connectivity. It took me 2 grueling years to rewire. To do what plant medicine apparently may be able to do in just 2 doses. This is very intriguing to me.

What a caterpillar calls the end some call the butterfly. Embrace collapse of familiar harm. A sacred union in the garden. Nessa ©

***Nessa Tip:*** Recite daily: everything is impermanent. What a relief this is. Yes, everything is impermanent. Let go of familiar pain. Everything during this temporary human life ends. The joy. The pain. All of it. These are laws of nature. Who am I to contend with these universal laws? Observe life vicissitudes with equanimity. Practice looking with no reaction. Be present for all moments. Breathe.

So much looking but are we really seeing? Self portrait of me in motherland. Nessa Iran © 2019.

SCHOOL OF LOVE

I am happy to be my own healing guide during these tumultuous times. I know all about catastrophe and critical thinking by now. Life is a game of building new tools for new unpredictable moments. Life is a game of MacGyver.

Love is our nature. Love is the path. We just forgot. It is that simple, lovebugs.

Many years ago, I was gifted these beautiful stepping stones by a dear friend. Nessa © Peas in Massachusetts garden.

Welcome to this school of love. We are all lifelong students and teachers on this new old path. Together in this school, may we:

• explore new definitions of love.

• reconnect with nature and our nature.

• unlearn and relearn a universal language of unconditional love.

• build a new and revised toolkit to alleviate old and new suffering.

• learn to connect in vulnerable and meaningful ways.

• cultivate nourishing lifestyle habits.

• rewire our tormented brains and hearts.

An otherworldly moment. Near Santorini Greece © 2011.

LOST AT SEA

Surf’s up. This storm will end. It is okay to feel lost at sea. Don’t drown in the riptide. Float and breathe. Be your own beacon.

It is perfectly okay to cry. The origin of tears is from our hearts. Crying relieves somatic pressure from achy bodies and souls. I water my sacred garden and meyer lemon tree with tears. Why do you think they thrive so much?

Human tears release oxytocin which is often called the “love hormone.” Oxytocin:

• plays a role in social bonding, empathy, and trust, as well as in childbirth, breastfeeding, and sexual arousal.

• Reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and promotes relaxation.

STRESS AND HEALTH

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is an important field to understand the downstream effects of stress. It explores complex interactions between the mind, nervous system, and immune system.

It focuses on how psychological factors, such as stress, emotions, and relationships (to self, others, and the world) can influence immune function and therefore individual health.

My favorite definition of love. Send me your favorites. I am collecting them.

SOME THINGS THAT HELP ME SOMETIMES

• Learn a few breathing exercises. Breath awareness is prerequisite for mindfulness. Find refuge in breath during crisis. It is the best way to connect body and mind in a flash and from anywhere.

• Practice present-moment awareness throughout the day all day. Until it sticks. One day, it just sticks. That is a good but very startling day.

• Protect sleep and non-sleep rest states. Be kind to yourself, especially during sleepless stretches. Quadruple down on efforts to relax if not sleep. Do not trust how you view the world unless brain is rested. Or there will surely be trouble.

• Do not eat garbage. There is so much poison disguised as food. Stop treating your body like a garbage can. Select wholesome and fresh food. Grow your own. Visit farmers.

• No more nervously distracting self with a myriad of activities that serve as distractions. May we rise above this nervous tic right now.

• Intuitive movement practice. Listen carefully to body language. Provide what is needed for detox and restoration.

• Device detox. Deeply connect with nature. Spend time outside.

• Sensory rest is sacred rest for me. I quadruple down on this type of rest due to overstimulation of a noisy violent world. I can’t handle pings and pixelations anymore. I need real life.

• Grounding techniques. I use a variety of these multiple times a day. See if some of these would help you.

Is anyone even out there? Did you make it this far? Want to support my labor of love? Slam on the heart below. Thank you for your kindnesses. I also love when you comment, share, and subscribe.

988 is the U.S. National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

May we be open to new and ancient ways of healing together.

May everything change.

May All Beings Find Peace.

Nessa (born at 333 ppm)

July Scars Of My Happiness:

1. Cherub reunions. 2. Purple cooked fava beans. 3. Onion flower stripping 4. Nessa's Summer Elixir: hibiscus, lemon, lemongrass, ginger, lemonbalm. 5. Tomato gift turned sandwich. 6. Yes please and thank you to this little local community.