The Alchemy of the Heart

As I write this letter, I am feeling like my mind is having to skip timelines, the time before Helene and the time after.  Before Helene, The Pearl had already had a major storm slam us in that the decision to approve MDMA- assisted therapy was delayed indefinitely by the FDA in August.   That is what made our sold out Gathering of the Pearl such a beautiful moment for us.  The amount of gratitude that we have for the loving contributions from so many of you was overwhelming and gave us a new sense of purpose.  We felt a sense of renewal thanks to the energy from that night.  We brushed ourselves off ready to continue the good fight as our mentors who spoke at our event and others have done in the past working to bring the psychedelic medicine ball this far down the field.  That feels like ages ago now as after Helene many of you who gave so much to the Pearl lost so much; your studios, your homes, your life’s work, and some even lost loved ones.  Once again, the big waves of grief ripped through the fabric of our existence but once again, this beautiful energy of the heart that permeates these WNC mountains held on to hope and gratitude.  The way so many of you leaned in to lift each other up and literally clean each other up; sharing resources while comforting and encouraging each other was the best of humanity during the worst of times.  Once again, we found ourselves inspired to not only continue our mission of bringing psychedelic medicine forward but to make ourselves available for the basic trauma support care that is now needed more than ever in this area.  We have held space for some of you and your neighbors; both those who have lost possessions and those who have experienced the trauma from the storm, including those who were helping others. We have had some of you come forward and offer your services to be shared through the Pearl so that collaboratively we can all begin this long journey of healing together.  I think I have finally felt what it is to drop into one’s heart chakra.  It is not all roses and rainbows.  It is a messy alchemy of the heart where grief and gratitude join in a dance that forever changes the soul in a way that each day is a gift and community connection is where it is celebrated.  I do not know what tomorrow will bring but I can honestly say that for today I am grateful to be breathing this WNC mountain air and that I have all of you as my neighbors in this web of life where we spin our way back into renewal.