Melanie Davis-Jones

Hidden Treasures

Recently we were sitting together at the HYPE Center and, having just finished a meditation, the young people were sharing their experiences. In the intuitive meditation style of Soul Seeds, there is an opportunity to release what no longer serves you and that was their topic of discussion. The kids (yes, they’re kids to me) were talking about releasing fear – but not the imbedded stressors of the fear in their daily lives – several said they had learned to live with that at some level. Rather, it was the fear of the future – of stepping out of their worries enough to really be confident and bold enough to pursue their hearts’ desires. Ayana (name changed) spoke, as they frequently did, of a desire to be a singer. When asked what was holding them back, they said it was fear. Fear of being judged. Fear of not being talented enough. Fear of being mocked on social media. We asked if they felt they were in a safe space with us; they said they were, so Board member Angela Picardo and I encouraged them to sing. The voice that filled the room was pitch perfect, with the kind of resonance that tugs at your heart. They were thrilled that we marveled at their voice. Though still a little shy in taking the applause, Ayana blossomed in being seen and appreciated. On another occasion, a young woman, Marisa, warily asked to share her book of drawings – which were skillfully detailed and insightful – and like Ayana, she was delighted, though rather surprised, with the positive response to her work.

As part of our work with Tacoma Housing Authority, I was at one of the residences for seniors, chatting with Steve about meditation; I asked whether he was interested in joining our session. He enthusiastically responded yes and began to talk about his journey with meditation that stretched for decades … including training with Ram Dass. I told him I would cede my time to him so he could lead the meditation! He laughed and declined saying he didn’t think anyone would want to see him up there.  After the meditation, he extoled its benefits, telling his neighbors that “consistency is key” – and clearly getting more comfortable with being the resident expert.

Fear, self-consciousness, or feeling unworthy keeps many of us from stepping out of our comfort zones. (It took many years for me to confidently call myself a healer, so I get it!) The people we work with have another layer of resistance to overcome. Think of the talents that go unheard or unseen or untapped because youth who are unhoused or seniors or any other marginalized group are shuttered away rather than being seen as individuals with hopes, and dreams, and gifts to be shared with the world. I do not have a magic fix for this societal woe, though taking the opportunity to listen and encourage someone to express themselves feels like a place to start.

Simon Sinek defines the art of listening like this, “Listening is not the act of hearing the words spoken, it is the art of understanding the meaning behind those words … the art is in creating an environment where the other person feels heard.” I particularly like one aspect of the art he describes as “replacing judgement with curiosity.” How well that would work in our daily lives and in connecting with people like Ayana, Marisa, and Steve! We would uncover the hidden treasures of their lives … and have an opportunity to share our own. In this short video, Sinek talks about the transformational power when people truly listen to one another. It is a practice that we can begin today.

Listening deeply reminds me of our intuitive meditation. Taking time to turn within and making a connection that shifts our perceptions and uplifts our days. So, I encourage you to engage deeply with a meditative practice to go within … and practice the art of listening to look outward with inquisitiveness. Who knows what treasures we’ll find!

Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers) Executive Director

Free Healing Friday is Back!

Thanks to our partnership with Tacoma Housing Authority, we have a new location for Free Healing Friday — Bay Terrace Apartments Community Room, located at 2550 South G Street in Tacoma. We will resume on October 21st. Shoutout to Byron, Stephanie, Tiffany, and Melody at THA for making it happen. We appreciate you! 

Free Healing Fridays are open to the public, the 3rd Friday of each month, from noon to 5 pm. Learn more. 

In Case You Missed It:

Meditation to Help You Believe in Yourself | Video by founder, Nancy Rebecca

Healing Our Community — each month, Board member Kathleen Dowd leads a meditation to help in “healing and releasing our own challenges as well as providing support for others who are struggling.” Cost: love offering to Soul Seeds. It’s a chance to recharge yourself and support our organization. Mark your calendars for October 25th and November 22nd, 5:00- 6:00 pm PT Learn more.

The Family You Choose…

This month I’m thinking about friendship because of the Facebook posts on my birthday from people representing many different parts of my life –- those I’ve known since the age of five and new friends who feel like family. Each of them holds an image (or many) of me — as I do them — in a time and place from a chapter in my life. I’ve been reflecting on the value of those connections; how meaningful it is to know you are thought of, appreciated, and loved, but it also has me considering how we can better support those who feel terribly alone.

This was prompted, in part, by a young man (I’ll call him Jack) at the HYPE Center. After the meditation, which was a very moving experience for him, Jack told Nancy that he had been on the streets since he was 11 years old. (He’s now in his early 20s.) Jack said, during that time his shadow was “his very best friend because it never left my side.” It is heartbreaking to think this is a truth for him and countless others. Now that he is off the streets, Jack wistfully added that he sometimes feels alone and misses his shadow because it got him through the most difficult times.

In the opposite stage of life, older adults face a similar sense of isolation, even when they have a place to call home. The shutdowns of the pandemic exacerbated the sense of seclusion and case workers are noticing that many individuals are having a difficult time venturing out and returning to social circles. I met two women and a man (who called themselves the Three Musketeers!) at one of Tacoma Housing Authority’s senior residences. They were clearly the gatekeepers, suspicious of visitors, but they warmed up a bit when they found out I was coming to do a meditation with them. Quietly, one of the women confided to me that she missed the chance to go to the community room (which recently reopened after more than two years). She said, “I wasn’t sure I was going to make it through with all that Covid stuff. It wasn’t the virus but the loneliness that was killing me.”

Photo by Austin Pacheco on Unsplash

According to the Mental Health Foundation, “Friendship is a crucial element in protecting our mental health. Our friends can keep us grounded, help us get things in perspective, and help us manage the problems that life throws at us.” Though it can be difficult to cultivate friends as an adult, studies have shown that friendship lessens stress, increases happiness, and assists in a better aging process.

We know that meditation has similar benefits, and it is why we are avidly pursuing partnerships with organizations that work with populations prone to marginalization, high levels of stress, and frequent anxiety. According to Mental Health America, “the number of people looking online for help with their mental health increased significantly from 2019-2021; over 5.4 million people took a mental health screening, representing a nearly 500% increase over the number of people who completed a screening in 2019.” Although the number of people seeking mental health services has increased dramatically over the last two years, their access to the services of mental health professionals has not kept pace.

The work of Soul Seeds is designed to help address the mental health and emotional well-being of communities that historically have had limited access to the benefits of meditation; we’re hearing more and more about how crucial access to care is at this time. We are working to raise awareness of our intuitive meditation as an alternative therapy that is practical, accessible, and user-friendly; it’s an actionable way to help people cope that does not require any financial investment by the individual.

Hubert Humphrey once said, “The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.” Let’s add meditation to those two. Now consider, how often do you prioritize these things (or other self-care activities) in your week? It’s tough to be there for others and hold a supportive space when you’re not taking care of yourself. Take time to relax, daydream, and do things you enjoy. Then call or visit your friends. Check in. Laugh. Cry. Reminisce. Tell funny stories. Reconnect. Find the joy and the unconditional support in being together. After all, that’s what friends are for!

Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers) Executive Director

In Case You Missed It:

Water, a Sacred Celestial Intelligence | Video by Nancy Rebecca

Pandemic Amplified Existing Youth Mental Health Crisis | Report from Duke University on conditions and how to help 

Let’s Goooooo!

When I watch the footage of the fight for human rights in my lifetime I often consider the courage it takes to lead a movement. There must be an intensity of belief that allows you to set aside fear or doubt, propelling you forward to take on the enormous mountain of old beliefs, existing systems, and flat-out contempt for the cause. Seeing the vision clearly and uncompromisingly must provide a beacon of hope and possibility. Founder Nancy Rebecca and I recently did an energy reading on Soul Seeds. The core of the spiritual message we received was that Soul Seeds is a movement, tailor-made for this time. The guidance was to stop focusing on the minutia (though process was important) and see that we all (yes, you too) have roles to play in bringing this way of going through the world (connected to our inner light) to as many people as possible. What else? Trust the mission. Fortify ourselves against disappointments. Believe that change is not only doable but necessary. We paused at the thought of Soul Seeds as a movement. For me, it was wondering if I was up to the task. Then the Marianne Williamson quote echoed in my mind, “We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? … your playing small does not serve the world.” That is our shared call-to-action. Movements – large and small — are all grounded in standing up for what you believe is right, just, and fair.

In a Philanthropy Impact article, author Derrick Feldman, notes that “Social movements typically strive to generate policy or cultural change, social movements for good work to generate awareness and enact change for an issue or population in need of support and resources. [They] have the power to generate awareness that produces tangible results, helping the general population live longer, more productive, happier lives.” Soul Seeds’ mission certainly does feel aligned with this definition.

We can sit around and be distressed about the state of affairs. Or we can choose to do something as best as we can. Each of you reading this is part of our movement. You appreciate the transformational power of meditation. And, as part of Soul Seeds, you earnestly believe in the importance of sharing it with those who, in many cases, can benefit the most.

In the coming weeks and months. we’ll be inviting you – encouraging you — to get involved. Right now, I’d ask that you donate as generously as you can (perhaps $10 or $25 monthly). Share stories of our work. Include Soul Seeds in your meditations and prayers. Believe our world can be different. Manifest our collective vision of healing, harmony, and equity.

“All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” (Victor Hugo)

We share a universal calling: grounding our individual light into the Earth. Let’s start our movement there by activating our own light and its inner wisdom. Let’s amp up the enthusiasm with a rallying cry, “Let’s goooooo!” (A nod to my sons and Tom Brady for that one.) Perhaps we’ll even name our vision, our passion, our movement — Manifesting Healing with Humanity. An idea whose time has come.

Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers) Executive Director

In Case You Missed It:

Why is the Brain-Gut Axis Spiritually Important? | Video by Nancy Rebecca
A Meditation to Combat Adrenal Fatigue | Video by Nancy Rebecca

Patiently, Diligently, Persistently

This refrain echoed in the lyrical voice of instructor, S.N. Goenka, at the Vipassana course I attended last month. Ten days of silence coupled with ten hours of meditation daily … the few words you hear repeatedly have an impact. “Work patiently, diligently, persistently” was his gentle yet insistent way of reminding us that there is a discipline to becoming proficient at anything. The lesson of patient, diligent persistence is one we’re continuing to learn with Soul Seeds.

Back in September, I wrote that we would continue to show up, even though there seemed to be little interest in our work among the young people at the HYPE Center. Now they tell us that Soul Seeds is “the bright spot in their week.” The counselors say even those who don’t attend appreciate that we come week after week because it shows they matter to us. (Yes, they absolutely do!) We recently began our work with the Tacoma Housing Authority’s 2Gen Program (THA) and again it’s a slow start. The staff is incredibly supportive, and their dedication is truly heart driven. We recognize that what we do can seem inconsequential when you’re working hard to put food on the table and a roof over your head. When your job, and kids, and just living in the world today are stressors, taking an hour to join our session to meditate can seem like an unnecessary or unattainable indulgence. With the team at THA, we’re striving to convey that learning these techniques can provide a beacon of stability for coping with day-to-day realities. It can be a hard sell, but we keep showing up, knowing that our work will have a meaningful influence on those who give it a try.

Case in point, a woman I’ll call Dani came to our session last week in a sweatshirt emblazoned with a gold glitter heart that said LOVE. (Being a fan of sparkle and of love, to me she felt like a specially wrapped gift for Soul Seeds from the Universe!) Dani is the mother of five in a blended family with three teenagers. Her friend gives her regular Reiki treatments and Dani tries to meditate as often as she can. After our 15-minute meditation, Dani marveled, “Whoa, I’ve meditated before, but this was totally different!” It was the most grounded she had ever felt. Dani added that she felt connected to her spirit and heard its message: “everything is going to be okay.” This was said through gentle tears as she went on to share some struggles she had “never even shared with her therapist.” Dani felt the healing energy of her own spirit and was deeply touched.

I think about the leap of faith (and juggling of schedules) it took for Dani to come to our session. My life was not nearly as complicated as hers at age 35 but I could frequently find reasons – as I still do – to not take a step forward with faith, courage, and conviction; to not take up that first piece of a puzzle that could reveal a new life picture, a new way of being. So, I leave you with this question. How long will you put off what you’re capable of doing simply to continue what you’re comfortable doing? Evidently, this is not a time to stay on the sidelines. You have a gift. Use it. You have a passion. Pursue it. You have a compassionate heart. Express it. Be fearless and fabulous. Take pride in who you are — the world needs each of us to make a difference for all of us.

Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers)
Executive Director

In Case You Missed It:

Videos by Founder, Nancy Rebecca | Grounding with the Earth and Metal Energies and What is Energetic Competition?

If you’re in the Tacoma/Seattle area, join us for Free Healing Friday, featuring healers from a variety of disciplines, the 3^rd Friday of every month. If someone you know could benefit from an energy healing, please bring them with you.

Resources:

June is LGBTQ Pride Month “to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.”

For the first time ever, there are over 100 million people who have been forcibly displaced, according to  UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency). “[This] figure must ‘serve as a wake-up call’ for more action to promote peace and address all causes of forced displacement,” according to UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

Modern Books About Refugees compiled by the UNHCR to understand more about the emotions, memories, and realities of life as a refugee.

We Need to Talk

When I was nine years old, eight days before Christmas, my grandmother passed away. Nearly three decades later I learned the actual cause of death. She had taken her own life. I recognize that when it happened, I was considered too young to be told, yet the stigma clouded memories of her and shrouded in secrecy parts of our family history. This is true, I’m sure, for countless families.

The loss of Naomi Judd, three highly accomplished female college athletes – Sarah Shulze, Katie Meyer, Lauren Bernett — Regina King’s son, Ian Alexander Jr., Miss USA Cheslie Kryst — all in seemingly rapid succession this year — are only some of the most high-profile individuals lost to mental illness. Yet, according to Mental Health America, more than 11 million adults have suicidal thoughts.

We need to talk (about what we get wrong). During a training on suicide prevention, presented by Living Works they pointedly tackled one of the most common misperceptions about suicide. That is, if you ask someone if they are considering killing themselves, you’re putting ideas in their heads – not true. “Asking clearly, calmly and without judgment allows people to talk about their thoughts. Up until getting asked, they may not have felt they could talk about the deep pain they’re in. Asking shows you take it seriously; you can help connect them to resources and support.”

We need to talk (about how we treat one another). In a recent interview with Cheslie Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins said Cheslie had “high functioning depression.” Her stunning achievements (in sports, academia, entertainment) were “no match for what she struggled with in her own mind … exacerbated by comments in social media.” Then she made a sad observation, “People aren’t kind to people with mental illness.” There is a real need for open, honest dialogue about mental illness, especially for those seeking treatment, to give them the same unconditional support given to people coping with physical illnesses.

We need to talk (about checking in… genuinely checking in). Simpkins also pointed out that her daughter was adept at deflecting what was really going on with her. In response to a question about how she was doing, Cheslie would quickly turn it back to the inquirer, letting the conversation naturally flow to their lives instead of hers. This observation made me pause and think about how much more intentional I could be about checking in with people I care about. You’ve likely heard the phrase, “check in on your strong friends” – they may be carrying the heaviest burdens and adroitly hiding the weight. Check in. Listen carefully. Let people feel seen, heard, and valued.

We need to talk (about prevention). Mental Health America advocates making mental health screenings common for all ages, including children, for early intervention. They have a free online screening tool here. “People needing early intervention want four things, and only one of these is a referral to treatment. The others are: more information about their mental health problem; tools they can use themselves to monitor and improve their mental health; and connections to people like themselves who have had the same feelings, thoughts, experiences, and lived through them to recovery.”

We need to talk (about how alternative therapies can support mental health). This is the work of Soul Seeds. Our specific meditation techniques can help people cope with anxiety, stress, and depression. Many of our volunteers, trained in these techniques, cite the fact that their lives have been dramatically changed by the meditations and learning how to work with their own energy. Each of them wants to give back because they know the positive influence of this work on their lives.

Soul Seeds connects with communities that have had little to no access to meditation and its benefits. After a recent session with a team from the Tacoma Housing Authority, each person commented on how stressed, even anxious, they felt coming into the session and how surprised they were that, after a 15-minute meditation, they felt better and more relaxed. In addition, we are seeing continued progress with the young people at the HYPE Center – they report feeling more engaged, more connected with their lives, their hopes, and their dreams. One young man said, “I feel super energized after we meditate … and when I feel energized, I feel like anything is possible!”

Suicide is an excruciatingly stark reality, and I am not suggesting that meditation is the panacea. I am not a psychologist, therapist, or other mental health professional — I am conversant only in my own experience — but for Mental Health Awareness month, it simply felt important to talk about it.

Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers)
Executive Director

In Case You Missed It:

Empower Your Grounding – For Rapid Emotional Stability | This video by founder, Nancy Rebecca explores the top six energetic reasons why you experience anxiety triggers and a way to manage them.

The Energetics of Anxiety | Video by founder, Nancy Rebecca

Resources:

If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or dial 911 in case of emergency.

This compilation of Mental Health Resources from Mental Health First Aid, includes help lines and support groups.