🌗 December Quarter Connections
"Your naked freedom is your shield." — Rumi (trans. Haleh Liza Gafori)
Hi friends
December. It’s December! Another year arrives in just a few weeks.
Though I am definitely looking forward to a fresh start, I will make time to acknowledge the many gifts of this past year by planning for some quiet around the solstice to reflect and review. How are you feeling about 2023?
Thank you for the many kind messages after the last email mentioning my scans. I appreciate your care. The scans were not good. I mean, I have metastatic cancer. That’s generally not a starting place for anything good. And these were nowhere near the worst scans I’ve ever had. But they were no bueno.
I’m feeling fine both physically and emotionally. I was not particularly upset by this news. I wasn’t happy about it. But I was not upset. Not that it’s not okay to be upset. I’ve been upset by medical data many times before. Of course, it’s perfectly valid (and even helpful) to be upset by any kind of bad news – personal or otherwise. But I wasn’t. Maybe because I’ve been through this so many times now that the shock has worn off. Maybe because I’ve finally(!) learned that being upset doesn’t change anything. I kept wondering if I was repressing a response, but I actually forgot about the results multiple times this week. I am going on with life, with hope, with love…
I’m getting ready for my retreat/immersion into Aotearoa-NZ, deleting U.S. news apps and podcasts (except astrology ones, duh), prepping what I need for the month away. As I’ve been focused on my departure next week, I only have a few links for you today. After this, you’ll be receiving pre-scheduled posts until mid-January.
Until then, I wish you many blessings for the end of year. Thank you again for all your care.
With love,
Sebene
P.S. For anyone in Brooklyn tonight please join me to hear the brilliant Shahnaz Habib and celebrate the launch of her magnificent book, Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel. I’ve just reread it in prep for this evening and once again was blown away by her insightful research, gorgeous language, and superb wit. One of my favorite quotes: “It is impossible to tell a good story in which your primary antagonist is paperwork. That is the astuteness of using bureaucracy as a weapon of mass oppression.” LOL agreed everyone who’s ever dealt with immigration! You can hear Shahnaz talk about her book and all things travel in this NPR interview.
I was moved by this conversation on Gaza about grief hosted by the Othering & Belonging Institute. It makes me want to mention again the beautiful conversation I had about grief with Jennye Patterson and Kate Tyson.
This interview by Ezra Kelin with the Palestinian policy analyst and writer Amjad Iraqi is weeks old but still one of the most informative pieces I’ve come across. Also powerful is the companion conversation with Rabbi Sharon Brous. [Shoutout to my high school buddy Ben for first turning me on to t/his rabbi.]
I never before considered the connections between grief and grievance. This quote from the Booker Prize winning novelist Paul Lynch struck me: “A lot of political fiction begins with its own answer — it knows the problem and it knows the solution — and so therefore, it’s about grievance. And I think the work of serious fiction must instead be grief: grief for the things we cannot control, grief for what cannot be understood, grief for what lies beyond us.”
“African governments continue to be shut out of global debt markets due to exceedingly high interest rates, making foreign borrowing too expensive. They’ve had to turn to their Central Banks to print money, which has led to devalued local currencies and higher costs of living” From Africa Brief
We’re sedating women with self-care: “factors like air quality, domestic safety, community support and education access – account for as much as 80% of health outcomes. But these realities are neatly erased from most wellness marketing.”
My friends Peter & Paul do these mini-reviews of films they get at the Toronto Public Library and they’re a great source for my to-watch list. They do the work for me! Thanks fellas!
My friend Betsy sent me this Guardian article about high energy cosmic rays hurtling towards us from nothingness. What is going on!?!
I’ll be back at Omega Institute three times next year! In May, with my friends Jeff & Dan for Meditation Party. In June for The Greatest Love of All with Dawn, Kate and La. And in October for an encore with Dan & Jeff. Hope to see you there!
MEMES!
Thank you for sharing your cancer journey. Your generosity and honesty is a gift to others. Your zest for life inspires me. May your time in New Zealand bring your peace, balance & joy. Sending love and support. 🧡
Thank you for sharing your health news with us. Yes to continuing with life day by day! Safe travels to you 🌱