a tipi of needs

Ever heard of Maslow and his “hierarchy of needs”? Did you know that it was informed by the Blackfoot?

“The Siksika Hierarchy of Needs” video offers a wonderful explanation if you might be curious. In this video you will learn about the work of Dr. Cindy Blackstock and her paper on The Breath of Life. Dr. Blackstock reminds us that “The Blackfoot belief” is not a triangle but rather a tipi, and skyward facing sacred structural orientation.

Self-actualization is at the base, a starting point, only the beginning, and community actualization and cultural perpetuity are what follow. This is a regenerative expression of needs from an indigenous worldview.

“The community perspective of needs, can help us mature our mindset to be able to collectively transform crisis to opportunity, injustice to equity and collapse to regeneration” - (Community Climate Coaches, 2023).

With ease,

Jas (like the music)

Community Climate Coaches, (2023). The Siksika Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved 11 MAR 2024 from https://youtu.be/Y9Sp9L1D3-4?feature=shared

harmonious reciprocity

What if we come together with the intent to learn how to transition our energy waste into optimal harmonic potential?  What does that feel like?  Smell like? Taste like?  Sound like?  Look like?  I welcome you to take a deep breath, and another, and another, until you slow down and lengthen your exhale, relaxing into your heart center.

Do you know that when we set healing intentions, our thoughts modulate our hearts electromagnetic field.  Talk about reciprocity!  In response, our heart modulates the earths’ static magnetic field creating a “magnetic internet” (Reid, 2023).  Imagine the possibilities!

We can reciprocate harmony with ourselves, our communities and our planet with simple practices.  Altogether, our harmonious sound bubblings then give birth to light which is the primary language of cell-to-cell communication (Reid, 2023). In essence, we are living sound and light shows playing together among and to the stars. 

Now imagine the reciprocity ripplings we are able to share when we tune our sound and light harmonies for optimal wellbeing, inside ourselves, at our home and design tables. Sound, in particular, moves much faster in water, so how might this be an immediate consideration for global healing?

GrateFULLy,

Jas (like the music)

(New Frontiers in Music Medicine and Cymatic Science, John Stuart Reid, 14 OCT 2023)

north star

beautiful stars, seven directions and sacred orientation

Orientation is relevant to where one is, on, or off this planet. The process is simple and complex, dynamic, inside-out, outside-in, at the same time, somewhere else and somewhere in between. There are immersions and pulses of great mystery and great presence in continuity where ever we touch ground.

Being in a place, as an earth keeper or dream keeper, is relative to the elements, earthward and skyward aspects and deeper life source of all that is directing the experience with or without our presence. All the while we are dreaming, in some capacity, our future, as a whole living experience, into being.

Developing our sensory perceptivity allows us to take what I call “a leave of presence” and cultivate deeper and more enjoyable life experience. Experiencing life as an emerging potentiality, breathing life potency in all directions, preventing emergencies in all ways possible. Cultivating joy from tears, peace from fear and beauty by softening the edges.

Following our “North Star”, or purpose, in a deeper way, listening, discovering the “hidden treasures”calling our attention and hearts is a choice. Creating inner and outer spaces for the joyful experiencing of life harmonies (including dissonance) in the form of sacred emergence is liberating practice that prevents harm in the form of emergency expression.

Imagine the ease of protection, kinship, guardianship, relationship potency this spaciousness of life emergence offers all living beings when reverential orientation practices open and close our personal and professional circle practices. Wherever the place we stand, presence and emergence are possible choices. And standing in these places with choices composed of deep purpose allows for deeper sovereign and relational emergence.

If we all fine tune our sovereign and relational signatures we are co-composing the greater dream of life in more resonant ways, literally. Breathe that in! Pause and appreciate the profundity of what life reflects to us at ay given moment. And in response, how might we mindfully modulate our own expressions in the continuum of life with reverence and gratitude?

When we all consciously co-create what it is we actually dream of for the benefit of life, we create harmonious being. Harmony (including dissonance) ripples harmony. If we compassionately reflect upon and integrate the hidden treasures we keep these radiant harmonious ripples alive.

And in this present moment, our collective harmonies are capable of integrating and healing the wounds of our past and future from wherever we see our “North Star” deeper purpose. We are met where and as we are and worthy already here.

In joyFULL and deep reflection,

jas (like the music)

leave of presence

I began a journey of what I call, “a leave of presence”, many moons ago. I remember having an epiphany about competing world-views when I heard a discussion at work about taking a “leave of absence”. This seemed ludicrous to me if the point was to take “time off and center” or “restore” or “care for” why would the word “absence” be used? From my interpretation, this literally meant work is more valuable than human wellbeing. So I made an agreement that regardless of whatever circumstances I was experiencing as an adult, I could choose to be present and focus on wellbeing.

There are many ways to define what it means to be present. The Etymology of present as a verb is: “bring into the presence of, introduce formally or ceremonially'“ (Etymonline, 2024). According to cultural theorist Gerald Vizenor, “Native artists, have continued to produce artworks as acts of survivance (an expression of active and dynamic presence that involves acts of resistance)” (Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 2020). The teachings of Eckhart Tolle focus on the power of Presence as “the awakened state of consciousness, which transcends ego and discursive thinking (the main focus is in the doing, conscious action as an end in itself)”(Connecting Yourself to the Universe, 2023).

I also deeply appreciate the offerings of Thomas Hubl and the way he weaves so many unique voices together for matters of presence. So I did a search to see what his interpretation of presence might be and interestingly I also found this mention “absence is the signature of trauma”(Hubl, 2021) in a video titled “From absence to presence: Restoring the Fragmentation of Collective Trauma”. Wow!

Like Hubl, I deeply appreciate the scholarly and practical work of both Ottio Scharmer (MIT) and Dan Siegel (UCLA) so I will add these two definitions he lists in the same presentation (that I found today!) here:

“Presencing to sense and actualize the highest future possibility in the now”

- Otto Scharmer

“Presence, the mental state of being receptively aware, has compassion and kindness at its core”

- Dan Siegel

Probably one of my favorite articulations is “presence” as a bundle with reverence and synchrony(Engagement Ethic Roots), what Darcia Narvaez calls the“Ethic of Love”(Communal Imagination)(The Indigenous Worldview: Original Practices for Becoming and Being Human, 2016).

Now, I borrow from all of these definitions a little, while also allowing space for mystery, omni-directional curiosity and continuous emergence of potential. And since choosing this path, or rather, when this path of presence chose me, so much hidden beauty has been revealed.

May these reflections bring hope, spark courage and ignite a gentle flame within you to discover what it means to chose presence in your own unique way.

Jas (like the music)

lucid dreaming

I love dreaming as much as possible! The following is an excerpt from a blog post focused on 3 herbs that support lucid dreaming (Polizzi, 2023):

They (Dreams) are one of behavioral science’s biggest mysteries, with no agreed-upon theory of their origin and specific purpose. For some, dreams occur nightly, but others never experience them at all.

The lucid dreamers I know are able to navigate their dreamscape with an awakened mind, asking characters they come across insightful questions about their life path. They can run, jump, and fly at will, gaining profound inner wisdom from the experience.

If you would like to dream more at night, and perhaps experience the mysterious lucid dream, there are three wild herbs that have been used throughout time to accomplish just that.

The herbs below are all 100% legal, and easy to get ahold of. However, please do your own research before trying any of them – herbs are medicine and they should be treated with proper caution.  These plants each have a variety of other medicinal uses, but we’re focusing solely on their dream-enhancing effects.

Wild Asparagus Root – Asparagus racemosus

The Chinese word for wild asparagus root is Tian Men Dong – or heavenly spirit herb. For millennia, it’s been cherished by shamans, monks, and yogis for its heart-opening effects.

Also known as “The Flying Herb”, it’s believed that wild asparagus root helps one fly through the universe at night, achieving magnificent dreams.  The wisdom schools of ancient China placed much value on dream work, namely lucid dreaming.

In Chinese folk medicine, it is believed that this particular herb has a direct and positive effect on the heart energy, dissolving the dualities that come with our physical incarnation – black and white, left and right, inside and out. This allows our consciousness to blossom into infinite space while we sleep.

Preparation: the best way to use wild asparagus for this particular purpose is to brew a tea of either the fresh or dried root.  Keep in mind that a tea from the fresh root will be much more potent.

Valerian Root – Valeriana officinalis

This herb has been used in folk medicine for centuries as a calming aid, muscle relaxant, and to promote deep sleep.  Because lucid dreaming usually requires a heightened state of slumber, it has become a commonly reported side effect of valerian root.

Many also report that valerian greatly improves the ability to remember their dreams. Robert Monroe, a famed specialist in Out Of Body Experiences, once said “Most of us dream, and those who don’t simply are not remembering them.”

Imagine an herb that not only promotes deep states of sleep that are fertile ground for vivid dreams, but also boosts our ability to remember what happened the morning after.  Valerian might be just that.

Warning: Because there isn’t enough information available regarding its effects during pregnancy, women who are expecting are better off avoiding it altogether.

Keep in mind: If you already experience extreme dream states, you might think twice before trying valerian.  It can intensify your nocturnal adventures quite a bit – which is wonderful when you’re having a good dream, but not-so-great if you’re having a nightmare.

Preparation: Valerian is most commonly brewed in a tea, but be careful to use water that is hot, but not boiling, in order to preserve the delicate oils in the root. Some also prepare a tincture from the dried or fresh root (this can usually be found at health food stores).

Mugwort – Artemisia vulgaris

Very common throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, mugwort has a rich history of use, both as a medicinal and metaphysical ally.  In the middle ages, it was known as Cingulum Sancti Johannis, because Saint John the Baptist famously wore a belt of it whenever he traveled through the woods.  It is referenced often in Celtic and Norse mythology as a magical plant that can ward off evil, and was hung in doorways and burnt as incense to clear stagnant air and prevent illness.

Mugwort is known as “Molush” by the Chumash Tribe of California, and its Paiute name translates literally to “Dream Plant”.  It’s often smoked in indigenous ceremonies, and interestingly, is also hailed by various tribes for its power to ward off evil, bad spirits, and disease.

Known for its dream-enhancing effects, many report that Mugwort magnifies the brilliance of color and overall duration of their mid-slumber journeys. On a personal note, I’ve had some lovely experiences with this one

Mugwort grows just about everywhere. You’ll often find it underfoot, whether in the woods or walking through an overgrown urban environment. Is it sheer chance that this sacred herb that reportedly heightens consciousness is sprouting up all around us?

Preparation: Like the two plants mentioned above, Mugwort is quite often taken as a tea, but can also be smoked in a pipe. The leaves of the Mugwort plant are what contain the active chemical constituents.

I wish you wonderful and wisdom-packed journeys tonight, and many nights thereafter. Remember, like any good herbalist, we each need to do careful research on the medicinals we choose to work with. This is a central pillar of the plant path.

Everyone deserves to dream,

Nick Polizzi
Host of Healing Kitchen: Let Food Be Thy Medicine
& Founder of The Sacred Science

solution spaces

Once we become aware of the root causes we can begin to heal deeply. Having safe spaces to illuminate the shadows and therefore our greatest offerings prevents the bypassing which has prolonged our whole embodied healing. Healing our inner ecologies has a positive influence that expands outwardly. So I am sharing as many resources as possible here for those who may be interested. Check out the upcoming Solutions Summit (you can also join for free!).

the doula

I would like to share space with others who have an interest in collective healing (micro-meso-macro scale) to birth a new economy. While we may be "midwifing" a new economy together this orientation (from my observation) is still focused on rendering, yielding and transaction.

As a mother, who has birthed with midwives I can tell you from lived experience, I wish I would have had a doula who was there to support me. And since, I frequently contemplate how the practice of being a doula, birth and death, or otherwise benefits the birthing experience for birther and the birthed in meaningful ways.

I am also interested in sharing reflections about collective healing as it relates to root causes associated with ancestral healing, legacy burdens and trauma in general. I see root causes related to trauma (at various scales) being a degenerative force. So I naturally question how being a regenerative (em)power(ed) doula reframes the story as we fiercely engage in the co-development of a new economy.

This is an invitation to anyone who is curious about sharing resources and practice demos that are nature informed, trauma informed and wisdom keeper informed. How might we improve our doula skills to birth a new economy through these lenses? In doing so how might we learn to doula life into being thereby personally and professionally optimizing our collective bio fields? How might a doula practice impact a quantum shift in our organizations and birth a transformational economical change through simple resonance tuning practices?

In deep reverence and reflection,

Jas

agreements

Living Agreements:

I am, and have been, contemplating how we, or any group of humans for that matter, can thrive with (or without) agreements.  And this begins with understanding what we mean by agreement(s).  I would like to improve this understanding and bring clarity before saying yes any more to any agreement in any form.

Do we define agreements this way?:

Verb:  a negotiated and typically legally binding arrangement between parties as to a course of action. (Oxford Languages)

Noun:  harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling; a position or result of agreeing. (Oxford Languages)

These definitions descend from Latin, which (as I see it) is problematic given the words root.  How is language limiting?  Can we expand beyond this belief and its patriarchal inheritance?  Words hold power (or force) so using them potently matters.

Then there are the legal implications to consider (Cornell Law School, 2023):

“An agreement is a manifestation of mutual assent by two or more persons to one another.  It is a meeting of the minds in a common intention, and is made through offer and acceptance. An agreement can be shown from words, conduct, and in some cases, even silence.

Agreements are often associated with contracts; however, "agreement" generally has a wider meaning than "contract," "bargain," or "promise. " A contract is a form of an agreement that requires additional elements, such as consideration.

Jurisdictions differ on their use of "agreement" in denoting a legally enforceable contract."

When taking a deeper dive I am also invited to consider alternatives from our ancestors and living relatives.

How might nature, over billions of years define agreements?  As we gather to co-design a new story, how might the way of nature (including humans) inform our treatise/agreements?  Are their sacred contracts/agreements that have lived for billions of years that can inform us?

From my lived experience I am only familiar with two sets of “agreements” that have thrived and resemble a deeper understanding of living principles, Wisdom Keepers Sacred Circle and Biomimicry Life's Principles(LPs).

WISDOM KEEPERS:  The first is the Sacred Circle, or Hoop.  Colonists coined the term “Medicine Wheel”, so I am intentionally avoiding this label.

Our indigenous ancestors, and living relatives, gather in circle around fire, or any light (understanding that all flames share the same source).  Breaking this circle has consequences that vary.  This circle “agreement” is quite purposeful as a way of orienting inward, acknowledging intra and inter connectedness, cultivating collective reverence and resonance while healing, learning or celebrating (and more…).  Quantum potential in this context has space to expand, express and emerge, often exponentially.

The fire is also used to bring forth what is needed and to burn off what is serving less than well.  All resonances (human and nonhuman sound/light signatures) are participating, contributing, adding to the circle without harming.  The agreements are symbolic and embody deep meaning related to cardinal directions, elements, natural guides (archetype of that direction), seasonality, cycles and intra & inter connectedness across space/time (past + present + future) and more…

When these sacred circle agreements are missing from intellectual gatherings, I often witness a sense of “lack” or “limited amount” of capacity and wholeness.  In these instances it is easy to feel drained or heavy and the discussions can be dense and hyper mind focused.

Even circles that are heart centered can ignore the burning off or transmutation practice and it shows.  When this happens there can be a subtle or greater sense of feeling unsafe or unhealthy the more I understand how resonance, particularly sound travels.

In essence, energy must be transmuted or composted with positive intent and reverence or it keeps blocking emergent flows.  The field of cymatics, and others like bio field science, are revealing these ideas/challenges in practice, illuminating the practice of our indigenous ancestors, and what I am basing my reflections here upon.

Related sources & links for those interested:

Evan Grant:  Making Sound Visible Through Cymatics

Shamini Jain (Biofield Scientist):  Health and Interconnection (I will add that I have also learned from Cymatics scientist John Stuart Reid, that in all actuality the word “wave” is an inaccurate term to describe what sound is given that sound expression is actually a bubble, continuously flowing.

LIFE’S PRINCIPLES:  The second set of agreements I am familiar with is known as LIfe’s Principles (LPs).  This set of principles is based on deep design patterns all organisms “agree to” and have done so for billions of years.  These LPs are what sustains life in all ecosystems everywhere.  So imagine the possibilities when making decisions informed by these living patterns. 

In the practice of biomimicry, when we deviate from “how nature does things”  we are considered to be “doing business as usual”.  The built environment is an example of how deviating from these principles causes harm.

Here is a lens of these LPs that includes operating conditions (outermost ring), primary LPs (middle ring) and sub principles (inner ring) : LIfe’s Principles

As a practitioner of deep biomimicry I would also add that it is easy to revert to what is often called “human cleverness”.  We are culturally predisposed to jumping into R&D (research and development) mode as if we need to reinvent something.  

Can our personal and professional agreements represent all life?  Can these agreements be potent enough to sustain an optimal resonance among us?  Are these agreements capable of being an optimal model for all stakeholders?  Is it possible to create agreements that have longterm living benefits?

Contemplatively,

Jas

earthing

We are energy, and we are surrounded by an energy field. Some call it the quantum field, some call it the bio field. Together, we are co-creating resonance. Our vibrational selves are dancing and singing with others. And when we feel out of tune, or in need of alignment, there are simple ways to create coherence and optimal resonance.

I personally love belly breaths and laughing yoga! However another favorite is earthing. This simply means touching the earth. Perhaps barefoot experiences may resonate on certain days, or playing in your garden, or caring for your plants, or sun or forest bathing. There are many ways we can express and connect more presently with nature from the inside out.

Enjoy with your whole being!

Jas

embodied

How can we more mindfully collaborate with our bio field and thereby repair and restore our resonance? How might this improve the resonance of the surrounding field? Imagine the potential!

Sound bathing is one of many ways I have continuously found results, especially when woven into curated events that include movement and reiki. Integrating movement supports an embodied experience by optimizing flow and presence.

I have found this practice visceraly improves coherence when applied in gallery exhibitions, trade show installations and live stage performance. This is proven to be true for talent, crew and audience members.

giving voice

Voice, resonance, is telling a story. It is colorful. It flows in and out of tune. How might we become more aware of how we express, adjusting our dials, growing harmoniously, reverently, as often as possible?

rights of nature

If you are interested in the “Rights of Nature Movement”, this is a great video to check out on the Bioneers channel: The Rights of Nature

inner-connected

Recognizing our interconnectedness is relevant because it allows us to also awaken our deepest source of creativity. We are curators, regenerators, innovators of sacred life potential. How are we cultivating this awareness, holding space for ourselves, our communities, our ecosystems so we may witness, explore and express this deep potency?

deep regenerators

I have heard this statement often and the jury is still out about who wrote it:

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”.

However, and based on my understanding of epigenetic inheritance and bio field science, I believe this phrasing represents a clearer reality:

We are conscious co-creators, manifestations of our ancestors dreams and dreamers of what the future brings.

And the more lucid our dreams become, particularly with greater resonance and frequency, the more potent the reality.

The original statement implies that the earth is a possession and our generational experience is transactional. This is a built environment mindset.

Words are powerful wands! May we use them with deep reverence and regenerate our inner and outer landscapes exponentially!!

Jas

bio field

This is an excerpt from Biofield Science and Healing: History, Terminology, and Concepts (Rubik et al., 2015):

“Biofield science is an emerging field of study that aims to provide a scientific foundation for understanding the complex homeodynamic regulation of living systems. By furthering our scientific knowledge of the biofield, we arrive at a better understanding of the foundations of biology as well as the phenomena that have been described as “energy medicine.” Energy medicine, the application of extremely low-level signals to the body, including energy healer interventions and bio-electromagnetic device-based therapies, is incomprehensible from the dominant biomedical paradigm of “life as chemistry.” The biofield or biological field, a complex organizing energy field engaged in the generation, maintenance, and regulation of biological homeodynamics, is a useful concept that provides the rudiments of a scientific foundation for energy medicine and thereby advances the research and practice of it.”

source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4654789/

body as subconscious mind

“Your Body is Your Subconcious Mind”, by Dr. Candace Pert, is one of the first audio books I ever heard. This was over a decade ago and I am still amazed at how much I learned, and keep learning when researching her body of work and activism. Here are a couple of excerpts from her bio:

“In addition to being a highly creative neuroscientist, Dr. Pert was also an activist. She lead the movement to advance the cultural and scientific context in which we understand, experience, and employ our imagination, beliefs, and expectations for the purpose of activating our highest realm of potentiality. The mechanism through which this was to be achieved was through our emotions and their stored memories in what she called the “bodymind”, intentionally written without a hyphen in order to emphasize unity of its component parts.

In this concept Candace realized the unified and integrated level at which physiology, mind, and consciousness access one another to enhance or diminish wellness.”

“She believed that emotions were one way to transduce the information of the bodymind between and among individuals and groups. Wellness practices such as somatic, behavioral, and contemplative modalities thereby had a physiological basis and could be used to promote or enhance health and recovery from illness by integrating the body’s native repair and regenerative systems, providing a biochemistry and modern interpretation of The Wisdom of the Body, one of the first books written on the subject in 1932 by Walter Bradford Cannon.”

cosmic coherence

As a regenerative design specialist, and human, I am continuously amazed by the emerging scientific understandings related to our interconnectedness as a whole living system. According to this understanding in science, we as humans and nature living within interconnected ecosystems and micro climates are capable of conscious participation that quantifies into cosmic coherence, expression and potential.

In essence, when we as humans, consciously choose to optimize our inner ecosystem we create coherence which benefits the cosmos. This bio field, also known as an auric field, is pure potential, and we can be active and positive contributors both as citizens and professionals on this planet.

I invite all regenerators to go deeper, reignite your unique potential and discover how expressing an even more conscious iteration of your personal and professional purpose creates quantum results.

I too am along for the ride and will be curating a series of blog posts to share insights and resources about the following subjects and specialists:

Deep Regenerative Design

The Life Field

Coherence: Personal and Planetary

Cultivating Joy

Heart Math

Gratitude as a bridge

Whole Living Systems

Irvin Laszlo

math of the heart

I have had the great pleasure of exploring what is known as “Heart Math” for a good decade. And in doing so discovered the many possibilities we has humans have to fine tune our resonance. Here is an excerpt from the book Science of the Heart which offers an overview of research conducted by The HeartMath Institute:

“Being responsible for and increasing our personal coherence not only improves personal health and happiness, but also feeds into and influences a global field environment. It is postulated that as increasing numbers of people add coherent energy to the global field, it helps strengthen and stabilize mutually beneficial feedback loops between human beings and Earth’s magnetic fields.”

multi-sensory

Does language constrain our sensory perception? Here are a few related questions and ideas from Naturalist Peter Wohlleben about the definition of the sixth sense in his book The Heartbeat of Trees (2019):

“In addition to the well-known five senses—vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—scientists have identified other ways of perceiving the world. Some animals, for example, are able to sense electrical fields or volcanic eruptions before they happen.“

“What I find more exciting is that people have this sense, too. It’s exciting because it deepens our connection with nature…”

“Have you ever heard of a seventh sense?”

“In short, it is an interplay of many organs and nerve ells all the way up to the brain, which analyses and interprets all the data it receives”

“Even plants have one. Even they, after all, sense gravity, and trees maintain the equilibrium of trunks that weigh many tons. For example, as soon as a beech notices its crown is getting out of alignment, it grows specialized reinforcing wood to shore up one side of the trunk so it doesn't bend any farther on that side.”

quantum healing

Quantum leaps, of any kind, are possible when cosmic potential expresses deep coherence. Winter Solstice is time to go inward, dive deeper into the black holes of ourselves. May we do so with community, reverence, compassion and contemplation as we alchemize optimal potential into being. Fine tuning our own resonance, luminescence and essence so we may be in harmony with ourselves and one another. Imagine our capacity when ancestral healing is where we begin!