Contemplations & Meditations

The Loneliness Epidemic This year, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the United States Surgeon General, made a public advisory about an “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation”. He states that “approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.” Seen as an urgent, widespread health crisis that “has profound consequences for our individual and collective health and well-being”, this announcement about the epidemic of loneliness made headlines across all major networks. The surgeon general has created a National Strategy to Advance…

World ME/CFS Awareness Day is May 12th. This time three years ago, I shared about having ME/CFS and how I make meaning in it. The reality is that this is a chronic illness and there is no cure. I feel it’s important to post occasional updates to be real about my long-term residency in the kingdom of the sick. What is it like to make a home here? Those of you with your own residency cards know what I speak…

Seeking Accessibility Yes, that’s me … in a wheelchair. I’m still getting used to the idea. I came to a point of no longer being able to leave the house. Being on my feet more than 10 minutes at a time and walking any distance at all became impossible. I can manage a trip to the grocery store once a week if I can be dropped off at the door and I am able to rest the remainder of the…

Photo: Stacey Couch and her horse “Isabeau”. Photo credit: Estella O’Connell Hiding Behind the Teaching My career began centered around a memoir. My story opened up doors to spiritual insights. I stepped through those doors to share with others. Over time, my focus shifted from sharing to listening. I embraced the role of transparent messenger. To write down “I” has become uncomfortable again.  Spiritual correctness, which is similar to political correctness, says to drop the ego. In life and work,…

Is time linear, circular or parallel? Depending on our perspective, we may be influencing our own healing. Chronos: Linear Time Regardless of the spelling, the name Chronus/Cronus/Khornos/Chronos, is associated with linear time and the early origins of the Earth. In some myths Khronos is a serpent with the heads of a man, a bull and a lion. He paired with the serpent goddess Ananke. They coiled around the primal egg and split it open to create the earth. In other…