Seeing In Darkness

Ripples And Islands Of Me

Nov 24, 2024

Ripples of me at rare desert Lake Manly after record rainfall- reminiscent of an ancient lake. © 2023 Death Valley California.

Dear Ones,

Hi seed sowers. Master Gardeners. Worldviews are evolving at a rate faster than thought. Can our eyes adjust to such dark transitions?

We are moving into an era of mindset and language reframing.
We are moving into a world where there is no such thing as an invasive species.
We are moving from the neurosis of competition to the healing power of “collaboration survival.” I just strung those last two words together.

Unlearning + grounding is vital during periods of maximum entropy. My shock absorber muscles are very strong after 2 years of shock workouts.

Is total destruction better than exhausting charades?

No one knows. At this point, no one knows what better or worse even means anymore. Better for who? Worse for what? We adopt archaic and distorted definitions of words. Translation errors.

SOLACE OF CYCLES

Solace lives inside seasons. Solace of change is a refuge of sorts.

I am madly in love with Earth during this time of the year. Is there a word for that? I feel most alive during the cusp of fall and winter. Prepping for Springtime.

This period contains a tradition as old as pomegranates (Mesopotamia 5000 years ago). I get behind any day that worships seasonal fruits. Fruits of the Earth. You already know how I feel about sacred pomegranate medicine, dears.

Me, sea and solstice. California December 2023

Persians call Winter Solstice the Night of Yalda or Shabeh Yalda. The longest night of the year is followed by more daylight. How beautiful is that? Yalda means rebirth (of the light of the sun). This year it falls on Saturday, Dec 21, 2024, 1:19 AM Pacific Time.

Inspired by Yalda dishes. This is my made up pomegranate pistachio chicken dish. Vegetarian/vegan options are possible. Recipe here.

SEE IN DARKNESS

All I can say here is thank goodness all dark storms are temporary, storm chasers. Sheltering in storms is my specialty. I love rain and thunder.

That must be my calling or whatever you want to call it.

I work hard to maintain sight in the dark, thank you very much. Good thing underbellies are my forte. I study sources of things. Not to mention how we are all related to the source.

There is an infection of violence inside of our minds, Sapiens. Preliminary analysis reveals universal central nervous system disturbances. Connection malfunctions are widespread. Are distortions of our thoughts the OG terrorists?

Maladaptations are as ubiquitous as forever chemicals. The No, Not Me phenomenon is a remarkable property of the disease. Not a single one of us is immune.

LAWS OF NATURE

The future human will read about our Plastic Age in utter disbelief. It is the era of overconsumption. Chemical and digital warfare. Accumulation of a sinister material called plastic in human brains, hearts, and balls. Propaganda machines. Weapons of mass confusion.

Does it feel like science fiction is nonfiction now? It does to me. That is what happens when truth and fiction blur.

I turn to the laws of nature for clarity and clues. Honestly, I am not sure what else to do. I implicitly trust naturally growing things around me. Growing is the key word. It informs the chosen name here.

NATURE’S FOOD IS LOVE

I tried to grow a Fava bean plant a few years ago. It did not work. I forgot about it. A revival seed germinated for years under the soil. This pic is a surprise Fava plant this year. I did not plant her. The gorgeous flowers later turned into an absurd volume of nutritious Fava beans.

NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER

Nature deficit disorder (NDD) is a term coined by American journalist and author Richard Louv. Spending time indoors has negative effects on our physical and mental health, he concluded. It’s not rocket science, folks.

The term is not a recognized medical diagnosis in the conventional world. What a shocker! Another translation snafu?

Disorder assumes no cure. I would like to call our universal ailment a product of: Nature Deficiency.

UNCIVILIZATION

What makes a civilization a civilization? I am afraid dominant definitions do not apply anymore: civilization can be viewed as a complex human society characterized by the development of social hierarchies, cultural traditions, technological advancements, and a system of governance.

Should we ask the storykeepers what civilization means? Indigenous elders? Non-human counterparts?

Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist, believes that caring for others is a hallmark of civilization. A healed femur bone in archaeological finds is evidence that someone had taken the time to care for the injured person, providing shelter, protection, and food over an extended period of time.

How did our ancestral and societal bonds get so severed? What on earth happened?

One of my fondest childhood memories with my Mamani.

REGENERATION

The earliest known jellyfish (cnidarians) fossils date back to the Cambrian period, approximately 541 million years ago. Wow, those are some serious elders. True luminaries.

Adaptation is the greatest skill of our time. Don’t you think?

***NESSA TIP*** I love this Monterey Bay Aquarium live cam link for nervous system calming effects. Imagine what it would be like to float on like a cool and collected jellyfish. https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams/jelly-cam

Picture art and the power of visualization helps me practice calmness and flowing with natural rhythms. All while understanding the water we swim in. I remember this exact moment and the effortless feeling it invokes. Nessa © Boston Aquarium.

GRANDFATHER TREE

Maybe just maybe, with all this fantastic technology, we can discover how to behave as one species across time and space?

All outcomes are possible.

I am knee-deep in transmuting our grandfather wounds now. A particularly violent underbelly. I recently put a photo of my disturbed, late maternal grandfather on my altar of love. Whiskey in one hand. My oppressed grandmother in the other hand. (visual shown below). Don’t mind me. I am busy embracing stormy violence of my roots.