Melanie Davis-Jones

No Lost Causes

Last week I was listening to a presentation on Native American Heritage Month. The speaker referenced The Seventh Generation Principle, which is “based on an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy [circa 1142 -1500 AD] that the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future.” While it is generally thought of now as a discipline on sustainability for our Earth, it also applies to interactions. “Every decision should result in sustainable relationships seven generations in the future.” From a spiritual perspective, we know that as we heal ourselves, we send healings seven generations back and seven generations forward. The actions we take today have far-reaching implications.

This concept struck me as I recently listened to two individuals from the Pierce County Community Engagement Task Force’s Speakers Bureau who were formerly homeless. (Yes, one of them was Marvin who I worked with on his story.) He said, “I was a drug addicted, gay, black man. Everyone had me pegged as a lost cause.” Hmm. If we apply the Seventh Generation Principle, then we cannot view anyone as a lost cause. Each relationship, each interaction, each connection matters, which necessitates seeing the innate value in every person. Amanda, the other speaker, said the best way to approach someone on the streets is with this thought in mind, “I wonder what they need to feel safe.” Can you feel the basic humanity in that statement? They both talked about building trust by listening and really caring, thereby giving them hope. Marvin put it eloquently, “Be the one voice we can follow out of the darkness.” (Nope, I didn’t write that, he did.)

Being a light amid the darkness. As we continue to work at the HYPE Center, we are seeing glimmers as the young people experience the power of connecting with own their inner light. On our last visit, all the participants had attended at least one other session. (The only newcomer was the Center’s director who had never meditated before but talked comfortably about his positive experience with feeling his own energy.) We’re beginning to know one another as our connections grow. We could see the flush of pride come over Andy’s* face when Nancy told him he dropped into meditation so deeply and quickly, he could have been a guru on a mountaintop. He happily agreed. And Joseph* who has severe anxiety was a little more relaxed and talkative in the second session he attended. And Bryant* — who has attended every session after bolting from the room the first time, said, “I’m beginning to enjoy this class. I even look forward to seeing the two of you.” We’ll take that as high praise! (*all names have been changed)

Let us remember this, “There is within each one of us a potential for goodness beyond our imagining; for giving which seeks no reward; for listening without judgment; for loving unconditionally,” Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

The benefits of seeing one another — connecting on a soul level and building interpersonal relationships are many. Renowned expert on equity and the American economy, Heather McGhee’s concept of the “Solidarity Dividend” states that everyone is ultimately better off if they put aside their racial differences and find common causes with one another. If we look at this idea through a wider lens, then when we set aside all differences – seeking out more of what we have in common rather than what separates us – we can build relationships that uplift not only ourselves but our communities.

As we head into Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday (November 30), this simple quote from W. Clement Stone nicely sums up the idea of coming together. “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” Give generously to causes you believe in. Share your talents, your abundance, your heart, your light, your love… think of how it will reverberate in individuals’ lives today and for generations to come. 

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

In Case You Missed It:

Loving a Loved One After Loss | Blog or Video by founder Nancy Rebecca

Resources:

November is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, “a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people.” Download this eBook, 23 Tips for working with Indigenous People.

It is also Men’s Health Month. From the nonprofit Movember, “Our fathers, partners, brothers, and friends are facing a health crisis, yet it’s rarely talked about. Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent.” Five things to know to promote men’s health.

Heart Math Institute: Solutions to Major Stressors “Whether you, a friend, or loved one is seeking help for job stress, anxiety, fatigue, sleeplessness or another stressful condition, you will find proven, easy-to-use and free solutions here.”

In Ten Minutes

Watching the strong wind boldly swirl the autumn leaves, I had the thought that life can feel that way. There we are, minding our own business when whoosh, something unexpected happens that turns us around. Sometimes it is a temporary state of uncertainty or strife; other times it’s not. Though conventional wisdom tells us to take a pill or a drink to escape, how viable are those forms of escapism as long-term solutions? Those of us who practice energy work, meditation, prayer, or mindfulness recognize there are other ways to cope and get centered. A Psychology Today article on the basics of meditation says, “Studies show that meditating even for as little as 10 minutes increases the brain’s alpha waves (associated with relaxation) and decreases anxiety and depression.” We are starting to do more work IRL (in real life) to give people the Soul Seeds’ meditation experience.

Early on a Sunday morning in late September, Nancy, Yvonne, and I attended the board retreat of the Tacoma Women of Color Collective (TWCC). They are a dynamic group of professionals dedicated to supporting one another and their communities to inspire change. After I spoke about our work, Nancy took them through a 10-minute meditation. Upon reflection, each woman reported feeling more centered. Some admitted it was tough to quiet their minds but eventually they did get to a feeling of calm. They also felt energized going into the creative visioning training for their group; it was an opportune time to share our work with women so deeply connected to their communities.

In our next session at the HYPE Center we were glad to have a staff person and 12 young people. Most were quite engaged, and it was encouraging to see the couple who had attended the previous session looking brighter and more centered. Driven by the participants, the conversation ranged from meditation to colors to astrology to Jesus. I also got a curt lesson on “not gendering someone before asking.” I’m learning; we’re all learning.

Though the meditation was just under 10 minutes, it was clear they were feeling the energy. One of the young men looked down at his upturned hands, fascinated by what he felt; others had that slightly blissed out expression (you know the look). Afterwards, a few chose to share their experiences. The most profound came from Moonlight (name changed), whose deep purple hair and dramatic attire made them a striking presence in the room. In the beginning, they did not join the circle and were rather confrontational… everything spoken with a tone of mistrust (they schooled me on not misgendering), but they did participate. After the meditation, they said, “Inside I always feel crazy chaotic and it’s really bad whenever I close my eyes. But this was the first time in my almost 20 years (other than once when my grandmother died) that I actually felt really calm inside.” Wow.

After the session was over, Moonlight told Nancy that with this sense of calm, they were more optimistic about getting a housing placement soon. Moonlight also told me they were so highly empathic that they profoundly felt all the physical pain of those around them – and had been called a “freak” all their life because of it. They had never met anyone like me or Nancy who understood and could offer ways to help them cope.

Hearing the reactions of the young people; appreciation from the staff person; and simply knowing each of them had been touched in some small way, I will self-consciously admit that Nancy and I left the building with a discreet high-five. THIS is the work of Soul Seeds. THIS is Healing with Humanity.

As West African elder, author, and teacher, Dr. Malidoma Somé says, “Healing is a revolutionary stance you take… to break apart the status quo.” Here’s to being revolutionaries, each in our own way.

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

In Case You Missed It:

Just in time for Halloween, The Dark and Light of the Spirit Realm | Blog by Nancy Rebecca. Scroll down to the end of the blog for 10 Tips to Protect Against the Darker Realms of Spirit.

Resources:

October is National Bullying Prevention Month to “encourage schools, communities and organizations to work together to stop bullying and cyberbullying … by increasing awareness of the prevalence and impact of all forms of bullying.” Resources for children at stompoutbullying.org and for adults at victimsupportservices.org.

It is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Foundation reports that recently there have been decreases in screenings and early detection. NBCF supports women, particularly those who are vulnerable, by helping them get access to the education, screening, and support they need.

And, it’s World Vegetarian Month. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate.

Keep Showing Up

I am pleased to report that in the last few weeks we’ve had the opportunity – for the first time since late January 2020 – to do some in-person work. Masks on and spirits high, at the invitation of the Tacoma Housing Authority, several of us volunteered to do chair healings at the Hilltop Summer Splash event. It was a celebration of small businesses and community organizations in a place that is currently balancing the preservation of cultural identity with the inherent challenges of changes in the name of progress.

Though a few people had to be coaxed to try a chair healing (~15-minute method of grounding, clearing the aura, and balancing of the chakras), those who did were surprised — and some deeply moved — by feeling their own energy. One woman was so affected she went home and brought her fiancé to experience a healing for himself! Soul Seeds working in the community. Our long-held vision became a gratifying reality.

In a world where it sometimes feels more reasonable to throw up our hands in exasperation (or hide under our bed covers), being able to connect by reaching out and contributing what we can feels like the ability to exert an element of control when hopelessness or despair can overwhelm us.

Consider what you know how to do and where the need is. Then show up, even though it might be tough/uncomfortable/heartbreaking.

These feelings were certainly true for us when Nancy Rebecca (founder and Board president) and I went to the HYPE Center – a gathering place for young people who are homeless. Despite what the director had intended, there was no one there to greet us; no one to introduce us; no staff member in our session … and although there was initial interest, only three individuals attended. However, Nancy and I recognized – and in their own way, each one acknowledged – they had a deep experience with the meditation. They did connect with their inner light, even if it was for a moment. It could have been easy to become discouraged or disappointed but that would have made it about us and not about the young people. We’re scheduled to be there on alternate Thursdays at least through the end of the year. We’ll keep showing up.

This is the work of Soul Seeds – it pushes us out of our comfort zones, yet our service hearts call us forward. We’re going to keep showing up – learning, pivoting, growing – because our collective commitment is unwavering; your ongoing support motivates us. This is only the beginning of bringing Healing with Humanity forth. I cannot wait to see how this partnership unfolds. And there are more partnerships to come. We’ll take the learnings from each session to become ever more responsive to people’s circumstances and needs.

As Professor Wangari Maathai (the first female African recipient) said in her 2004 Nobel Peace Prize lecture, “In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now.” True in 2004 and even more of an imperative 17 years later. Where can you be that beacon of hope? How can you be of service? Where would you like to show up? And how? Step out. It’s time. The world needs your light.

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

In Case You Missed It:

The Energetic Coping Patterns of Fight, Flight or Freeze | Blog or Video by Nancy Rebecca

Resources:

September is National Suicide Prevention Month | Know the Warning Signs and Risk Factors of Suicide “Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background.”  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-TALK (8255).

Article on Pandemic Burnout from the Headington Institute includes link to a short self-test to discover your risk-level for burnout.

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) recognizes Hispanic Americans’ contributions to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. “This year’s theme: Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope invites us to reflect on how great our tomorrow can be if we hold onto our resilience and hope … a reminder that we are stronger together.”

Who You Were Born to Be

My birthday is in August and anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I adore birthdays – my own, yes but also others’. To me, there’s something special about celebrating a person for no other reason than being born. (I also tend to send happy “birth” day messages to mothers on their children’s birthdays to give credit where credit is due!) Birthdays feel like they honor the essence of the person — not their jobs or their accomplishments, only the gifts they share simply by being in our lives as who they are.

As I’ve gotten older, birthdays are cause for self-reflection. If I had been given a magic book depicting where I am now when I was 10, 25, or even 35, would I have said, “What happened?!” Certainly, but isn’t that the wonder of life? After all, the lives we imagine for ourselves can hit big roadblocks of loss and wonderful synchronistic opportunities — all converging in the phrase, “Life happens.”

When we live in our humanness, those twists and turns can be challenging, yet when we connect to our souls, our spirits, our inner light – something bigger than ourselves — and trust that knowingness, our lives begin to expand. Psychologist Donald Kalsched, Ph.D describes the soul in this way, “… a vital animating core of our embodied selves – a certain essential something that links us (through love) to the divine, to each other, and to the exquisite beauties of the natural and cultural world. We know the soul when we experience it.” This grounds us in our ability to connect with who we were born to be.

Rumi put it this way, “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”

The idea of connecting with our souls as a way to express who we were born to be echoes in the mission of Soul Seeds – “expanding individual consciousness and honoring each person’s innate wisdom.” We are currently in discussions with two organizations that work with youth and families on stable housing and social emotional services. We are excited about the potential to not only share our meditation techniques to help them cope but also to help them discover that expansive part of themselves. It feels like beautiful gifts we will both give and receive.

Each chapter of our lives has moved us to who are born to be. We cannot get lost in regret or nostalgia or anxiety about what will be. Each step, each turn is a way forward, as in the lyrics of Who I was Born to Be sung so poignantly by Susan Boyle. “Though I may not know the answers/ I can finally say I’m free/ And if the questions led me here, then I am who I was born to be.” And that is cause for celebration!

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

In Case You Missed It:

August Frequency Forecast | blog or video by founder, Nancy Rebecca. “This month of August is all about adapting to the rapid changes in your new environment quickly, no matter what is happening.”

Resources:

August is National Wellness Month, “a time to focus on your self-care and healthy routines to better manage your stress.”

The Spiritual Heart: A Scientific Inquiry | HeartMath Institute

For people experiencing homelessness: Housing Resources list and Landlord Liaison Program (Pierce County, WA)

All in Due Time…

If you read our newsletter frequently, you may recall how excited we were about our connection with The IF Project. In December 2020 we announced our formal partnership; in February I wrote about participating in their Writers’ Workshops. Then suddenly things went inexplicably quiet. What we know now is that they underwent a major reorganization. It would have been easy to believe they became indifferent about our work together and give up. However, the thing that drew our organizations together initially – to be of authentic service to women who are or recently had been incarcerated — remained. As a result, I am pleased to report we have reconnected and are discussing ways for Soul Seeds to help support their new Health & Wellness programming.

What a reminder to trust the process that is both seen and unseen! One of my favorite quotes is from Patrick Overton. “When you come to the edge of all the light you have and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” I love the metaphor of being taught how to fly. How often do we set aside a project, relationship, or dream because we cannot see how it could possibly happen? How consistently do we dwell in possibility and hope and trust? If your answer is, “Not very often,” then join the club!

When we trust the process, it allows for other paths to unfold. At this point in the year, we imagined being several months into shared programming with The IF Project. Instead, other opportunities have arisen. We have delved deeper into approaches to understanding mental health and trauma. The powerful film featuring Dr. Gabor Maté, The Wisdom of Trauma (next broadcast is July 28 – August 1) sets out his vision is of “a trauma-informed society in which [we] …are not concerned with fixing behaviors, making diagnoses, suppressing symptoms and judging, but seek instead to understand the sources from which troubling behaviors and diseases spring in the wounded human soul.” Those of us with Soul Seeds feel the resonance with that approach as we seek to bring healing support that reconnects individuals with their innate wisdom and capacity to love themselves, touching the light of the “wounded human soul.”

We’re beginning to feel the movement of energy around our work! We’re connecting with more community partners interested in bringing us in to support their staff and their clients. Two more volunteers will be hosting Healing Our Community gatherings this month. We’ve discussed volunteer opportunities with Dakoda Fox, who is singlehandedly combating youth homelessness in Pierce County (WA) through her organization, the Power of Two. We have begun to consider how to continue our equity work by adding more structure in programming and in our engagement with our Board and our volunteers. Many paths unfolding.

And, in this month’s biggest news, we anticipate the return of Free Healing Fridays in September. We are grateful for the volunteer healers who have remained committed to the program. We recently started meeting again and had a wonderful session in June when we traded healings with one another in breakout rooms on Zoom. We can’t wait to see everyone in person!

As I write, the song Turn! Turn! Turn! (The Byrds rendition) is playing in my head. “To everything/ turn, turn, turn/There is a season/turn, turn, turn/And a time to every purpose under heaven.” Everything is in alignment. Everything happens for a reason. All in due time. It is much easier to release and let go when we believe we’re being taught how to fly!

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

In Case You Missed It:

Remember the Sunshine of Your Soul | Video by Nancy Rebecca, Soul Seeds Founder and Board President

Nancy’s interview with Soul Seeds volunteer, Kathleen Dowd

Resources:

Mental Health First Aid “teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions.”

July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, created to “bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the U.S.” (BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and is pronounced “by-pock.”)

The Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 (GHO) is “the world’s most comprehensive, authoritative and evidence-based assessment of humanitarian need. Through plans that prioritize those most in need, it aims to fight hunger, killer diseases, gender-based violence and displacement.”