welcome!

There are so many splendid things happening these days— natural products, organic food, interest in sustainability, recycling, up-cycling, alternative and off-the-grid living, local business and community cooperation, fair trade initiatives, green living, permaculture, urban gardening, farmer’s markets, environmentally friendly movements of all kinds. 

It’s so exciting! There is no other generation I’d rather be part of!

We are finding new, creative approaches towards our lifestyles and how we treat the earth.

It’s also time for a new, creative approach to how we treat our bodies.

Like many, I struggled with depression and eating disorders in my teens and early twenties. I suppose that when you are prone to anxious, obsessive, repetitive thoughts they can take anything as a focus; for me, it was body image.

During many long, long periods, “My Problem” seemed to fill the whole universe; it dominated my thoughts, it made life unbearable.

I did it all—I forced myself to throw up, often several times a day; I starved myself; I did water purges that left my whole body aching; I cut myself with knives and razor blades; eventually I even tried to take my own life.

I hit rock bottom— and then found that there was an even lower, harder rock bottom below that. It was hell.

Perhaps the worst part of the whole thing was that I was so terribly alone throughout. I felt I could not talk to anyone. I thought that no one—especially those closest to me— could understand just how bad it was.

Those who have struggled with severe depression know that there is a certain kind of pain you simply cannot put into words.

But the truth is, we must put it into words. I was shocked to discover— when I finally did start to talk about my troubles— that many people around me were suffering too, fighting their own private wars with depression and/or eating disorders.

I had to ask —what in hell is going on? Why would these sweet, smart, beautiful women feel so rotten about themselves? Why do they feel the need to starve or otherwise harm themselves?

 

... a well-loved path...

We are right to be concerned about the damage to the earth; we should be concerned, too, with the damage to ourselves. After all, we come from the earth (our bodies are organic!), we are sustained by the earth, and eventually we rot and turn back into the earth.

Our bodies are one with the earth. We must love and honour both!

There are still rising numbers of women struggling with bulimia, anorexia, and other eating disorders, depression, and types of self harm. What causes this? How can it be remedied? 
If we are to find solutions, we must get over ourselves, past our embarrassment, past the social stigma surrounding depression and eating disorders, and share what we have learned.

I am still susceptible. I always will be. But my world has changed a lot since the days when I regularly hurt myself, and I have learned a little bit more about myself, about depression, and about hope.

It’s time to start talking about these things.

This is a little place to share the wood and sea treasures, the things that have helped me, and the things that I hope can help others too. I don’t have all the answers, but I hope that, as I continue asking questions, I will learn more. 

Thank you for joining me!