We Within

Scientists have been able to map how pregnancy and motherhood change brains in substantial ways. This shouldn't come as a surprise to those of us going through this process . In fact, I've always noticed a clear difference in how my brain works depending on where I am in my monthly cycle. One of the things I've observed is that, when there's a hormonal surge, my empathy levels skyrocket. And as a vegan, that means the pain of animal suffering becomes more acute, so I feel a strong need to speak up for their rights. As I reach the end of my pregnancy and become more attuned to emotions, I can't help but think of all the injustices in the world. War, genocide, oppression, hatred and violence in so many forms... So much human suffering, and so much animal suffering, the kind that goes unnoticed, the kind that vegans speak about and receive blank stares or even hate in response. I've talked about veganism on this blog before, but today I want to get personal, open ...

I have been devoid of words for a long time. My journals are empty; my blog, abandoned. Only one poem has come to me in the last few months. It caught me as I walked under a beautiful sky: the words just started forming in my mind, and my mouth recited them to memorise them so I could share them with the world. It happened to be just what I and many others needed during these difficult times.  You can find the poem on Insight Timer (MemberPlus): I believe there is a reason why my creative life is so quiet, and it's not just because it's winter  or because of the state of the world. There simply hasn't been any space in my mind for creativity. The reason is this: In my last post , I talked about the baby I lost almost a year ago. I happened to lose another one after that, although it was so early we couldn't even see anything on the screen. But on the third attempt, things worked out. The pregnancy was successful. I got to hear this baby's strong heartbeat on the sam...

I come to the page with hesitation, as part of me wants to keep this story to myself, hidden away like a treasure, or a sin. Then I start wondering why this particular story isn't meant to see the light, why women stay silent so often, why we are masterful secret keepers, especially when it comes to our own experiences. Grief is one of the topics my writing tends to gravitate towards. I follow this impulse because it is a common experience that most people tend to go through in silence. Grief, in essence, is lonely. Even when you have other people's invaluable support, it is a process you have to undergo yourself. But there is nothing more comforting than feeling understood when you're in the midst of it. So, I write these words to make sense of my own experience, but I share them to let others know they are not alone. It goes like this: Earlier this year, I was pregnant, then I wasn't. For almost three months, I carried a life inside of me, shared my body, my resource...

I was attending a coaching retreat in Saratoga Springs (New York) when I heard the words, loud and clear. They weren't the words I expected, but the words I needed. I had told the agent at customs that the purpose of my visit was to attend this event which would help me create a business. “Can't you do that on your own?”, he asked with the seriousness that defines both cops and customs agents. Clearly not, agent , I thought. At least this time they didn't search me. And here I was, sitting among dozens of strangers, eyes closed, with a hand on my heart, asking the wisest part of me for guidance. I had a coaching certificate and was determined to start a coaching business, but the words that came to me pointed at a different path. The words were Speak and Write . Speak and write. Well, yes, coaches do speak and write, but at that moment I had the first hint that I didn't want to offer coaching sessions in the traditional sense. I wasn't surprised by the word write ; ...

In my previous post , I talked about the power of contentment and the beauty that can be found in the smallest things. This is the gift of mindfulness and spirituality, but we are not only spirit, just like we are not only body or mind. I was forced to remember this when something began stirring within me after months of quiet bliss enjoying the present moment. Slowly, my old coaching teachings started whispering in my head: You're not meeting all your needs. Yes, I have a Life Coaching certificate! (I'm also a Psychology drop-out, but that's a story for another day). Even though I haven't chosen the coaching path, everything I've learned over the years permeates the content I write and record. Today, I want to present to you a powerful teaching that comes from psychology: The Six Human Needs . The concept is simple: There are six needs all humans share: Certainty , variety , significance , connection , growth , and contribution . Everyone experiences them, but...

It seems like yesterday that I turned 30. I celebrated that birthday alone, but I wasn't lonely. I took myself out for lunch after work and ordered a piece of cake. “It's my birthday”, I said, smiling at the woman who owned the small vegan café. She sang happy birthday as she brought that unforgettable mango cake. “I've cut you a big piece”. She was smiling too. I think back on that moment now that I'm slightly closer to the threshold of 40 than the threshold of 30. I remember how happy I was to start this decade. I've met many people in their late 20s who were horrified at the idea of turning 30, but I embraced that age feeling the shift that it sparked within me. My 20s were learning years, healing years. My 20s were full of mistakes and lessons. And even though I still make mistakes and hold similar fears, my third decade feels like a gift. In the last months, I've had a lot of time and mental space to ask myself why that is. As autumn progressed, I felt my ...

I often hear people complain that some animal lovers are "humanising animals". I agree to some extent. Some people don't let their dogs be dogs. They don't let them run and roll on the grass or socialise with other dogs, or they treat them like a human baby rather than a member of their own species with their own particular needs. In the case of wild animals , they assign the wrong meaning to their expressions, like when they think dolphins or monkeys are smiling (they don't smile like we do). But I've come to realise these people's definition of humanisation differs from mine most of the time. What they call humanising, I call treating   animals with the care and respect they deserve. And so they will get offended at the suggestion that members of other species have emotions as if emotions were exclusively human. They will get offended at the sight of a sick dog enjoying walks inside a pram as if being sick meant life is over for them. They will get offen...