Happy Persian New Year (Spring Equinox 🥀)
And a few of my favorite things
Today, the weather is stunning in Southern California. Spring has sprung most gloriously and it’s palpable. The balmy temperature, nature sounds and aromas, birds and bees and beetles, oh my… It all reminds me that as Thoreau said, “All good things are wild and free.” Savoring our time among good things grounds us and grants us a greater capacity to attend to and help mend that which is ready to heal within us. And the inside job of healing allows more of ourselves to be available to address the more challenging aspects of the outer world.
If you know me, you know that another favorite way of tapping into grounding nourishment in my life is through community rituals. To prepare for the spring equinox and Persian New Year, last week we enjoyed Charshanbe Suri (Festival of Fire) among loved ones. We observed this ancient pre-Zoroastrian ritual by leaping over bonfires as a symbol of giving our maladies to the fire and receiving vitality in return. We then had a wild and free dance party. Here’s a glimpse of fire jumping:
Tonight at 8:06 PM, we’ll have a spring equinox welcoming ceremony with poetry, drinks, and music. Is there a spring community ritual you particularly enjoy?
Dancing with Refugees
With Women’s History Month and back-to-back events, this has been a busy month. We were still able to carve out some time to visit our favorite refugee shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, bring donations, and dance together.
For the past six years, we've taken part in this ongoing and life-affirming Musical Ambassadors of Peace program in Mexico. As I often mention, asylum seekers have escaped horrific situations and live in precarious conditions at the shelter but after we dance together, people often report an improvement in their overall state that lasts several days to a week. This time, I traveled to the location with David Lindstrom, an anthropology PhD student at UCSD who is researching the effects of joy-based programs on migrant populations. Dancing, communing, and laughing with refugees was, as always, wonderful. However, the journey back to the US ended up being quite stressful due to border lane closures that delayed us for several hours. By the time we got home, our bodies were achy and exhausted and I was a bit dehydrated. But when we checked in the next day, as with every other occasion after a dance session, the remnants of stress had dissolved and only a sense of well-being remained. This is the power of sharing joy with one another.
Transforming our Inner Garden
I’m presenting again at the Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship this Sunday.
We’ve all heard the adage “We are What We Eat,” but in this talk, we’ll explore the concept, “We are What We Feed.” From both a mystical and neuroscience perspective, the actions and qualities we nurture and cultivate within ourselves are akin to plants in our inner garden. Those we water and feed are the plants that flourish and thrive, while those we neglect wither away. This principle extends beyond personal bounds and applies to all relationships, recognizing the importance of tending to inner and outer landscapes that help shape and transform our world. Details are here.
Deep Rest Reset Retreat
Due to multiple requests, I’m doing another installment of Resilience through Joy—a one-day retreat focusing on deep rest. The retreat is on location in Austin, Texas.
We look forward to a day of vitality and healing through the five senses, movement, guided meditations, and bolstering our immunity and nervous systems through joy and rest. Details are here.
Coffee and Conversation (Mingei Museum, San Diego)
April is National Poetry Month and I’m excited to participate in an interactive talk on the creative flow that lies in movement among other things. Registration is required and details are here.
Arranged Friendship News
I frequently receive messages from people all over the world asking for advice on forming and maintaining arranged friendships. Click here if you’d like to learn more. This mini-documentary was filmed ages ago and just came out. I haven’t had a moment to post it on socials but here it is:
News of My MAP Colleague in Gaza
My friend and Musical Ambassadors of Peace colleague, Rahaf Shamaly, who's been through hell in Gaza in the past 6 months needs our help to evacuate. There is no safe place in Gaza. They’re trapped, facing unimaginable & incessant attacks with dwindling food, water, & supplies. But even through it all she and her band Sol Band Gaza have continued to help calm traumatized children through music. Check out the beautiful videos to see all her incredible work. Click here to make a donation and please share with anyone who might be interested in helping. As a friend beautifully said, “I’m doing for one what I wish I could do for many.”
One Last Thing…
Lately I’ve been giving more keynote speeches and facilitating Resilience through Joy workshops for companies, nonprofits, and educational institutions. I have several long-term projects in the works but have openings this summer and autumn in case you/your organization can benefit from these offerings.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️