I am a human person who practices how to be a human person on this planet everyday. I am a human person who grieves and celebrates every day. I am committed to a practice, and though it looks different on different days and sometimes fades into a passing glance, the practice is in me and always available as long as I am willing to be with it. Over the years, the practice has deepened and becomes more and more accessible during challenging times. But I must choose every day to commit (or not), and I believe it is my responsibility as a human person to figure out what that means while offering compassion and acceptance to myself through the process. I remind myself that self discipline is a form of self love when practiced in this way, and by offering compassion and acceptance to myself, I am able to offer it to others. Self care begins with me, but it is not about me.

I have been involved in humanitarian aid work on the us/mexico border since 2007, when I moved to a small, rural border town on land that was forcibly taken from the Tohono O’odham people, and colonized as southern arizona. The teachings of yoga and āyurveda have been integral in sustaining me through this work, and provide a framework for self and community care within the context of grass-roots organizing. Living in this militarized, migration corridor with all of its ugliness and beauty has made me the person that I am. I often say that the desert has been my greatest teacher. And while this includes the land and the animals and the air and the sun and the glorious night sky, what I mean when I say this is that life in these borderlands has taught me what humanity looks like. It has taught me the true meaning of hospitality, humility, compassion, safety, and risk. It has taught me the difference between inconvenience and struggle. It has taught me what love is, how to love, and how to receive love. The borderlands have taught me about anger, fear, guilt. The desert holds my grief and the grief of countless beings. The desert offers space for celebration, joy, and gratitude that is part of this both/and all the time reality. The desert has taught me about the many shades of life and it has taught me about the many shades of death. I am a better friend, adult child, sibling, auntie, compañera/x, co-worker, teacher, student, guide, support person, human because of the experiences these borderlands, its' inhabitants, and visitors have shared with me.

I call my practice Stable In Self because I truly believe that being stable in oneself is key to balanced health, well being, and maintaining sanity in this often confusing human life. My personal and communal spiritual practice is what sustains me and allows me to continue to be and to share year after year. I believe that self care is community care. That as a member of what Martin Luther King referred to as Beloved Community, I have a responsibility to care for myself so that I can be available to support others and show up for my small role in transforming this world and healing the land. Self care begins with me, but it is not about me.

I discovered the healing powers of āyurveda and yoga years ago along my own journey of healing and recovery, which continues to deepen and transform. After studying on my own for many years and with various guides through experiential work, books and other resources, I decided to attended The Kripalu School Of Āyurveda, where I received my Āyurvedic Health Counselor Certification. Support from my community in souther arizona and a partial scholarship made that education possible, for which I am ever grateful. By continuing the study and daily practice of āyurveda and yoga, my understanding of the macrocosm and microcosm through the lens of the five elements, allows me to share the teachings with others and practice the principles in all aspects of life. I worked at The Āyurvedic Center Of Vermont for several years following my training at Kripalu. I was part of the clinic team, offering body treatments and health consultations to our clients in addition to serving as cook and office assistant. I served as Program Director and Teacher for the Āyurveda Integration Program and was an integral part of creating the program that is offered there today.

Prior to more formalized educational experiences with āyurveda, yoga, and death care I spent many years assisting elders in navigating the process of living and aging gracefully in our ageist and death phobic culture. Āyurveda considers the elder or wisdom years to be the vāta phase of life, and since coming more fully into the teachings, I have a better understanding of how to support our elders though this phase of life and eventual death. Aging is not a disease, it is a natural part of human existence, and each of us deserves to move through our wisdom years with grace and dignity. I am certified as a Death Doula through Going With Grace, and with an understanding of the western medical systems’ ways of being, it is an honor to merge the spiritual and practical concepts of āyurveda and yoga philosophy as I be with people through their journey into dying. My approach is secular, spiritual, practical, and respectful, honoring the religious and non-religious beliefs' of each person. I grew up in a jewish family, and am in the process of deepening my understanding of the customs and practices for the dying, dead, and grieving through that lens. I've had the sincere privilege of being with loved ones as they die, as well as witnessing family, friends, and community honor their people through aging, death, and beyond.

With a practice of compassion and a daily attempt at integrity, I encourage all those I sit with and work with to be accountable and responsible for their own healing journey as a means of supporting the collective. I believe that we are as we practice. I believe in the power of community. I believe that individuals (microcosm) and communities (macrocosm) must take care of themselves and each other for the benefit of all beings. I am grateful to all of my teachers, students, clients, compañerx, and co-conspirators. To all of the beings with whom I have the privilege of learning and being, I thank you deeply.