Welcome to Melodic Elixir

a sip of music medicine for weary, thirsty souls

Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed, detached, nihilistic, frightened, grief-flooded, rage-filled, shut down, and/or struggling to see any light at the end of this so-often painful tunnel called life. Maybe right now you’re actually experiencing a sliver of hope but also finding it hard to kindle that optimism with the intense and ferocious winds of authoritarianism, corporate greed, militarism, and fear-mongering trying to blow it out at every turn. I know on any given day I find myself in either or both of these camps. I’m right here with you, trying to breathe through it all, stay human, and stay connected to my own soul and to others in the face of uncertainty. And I’m grateful you’re here, reading this, especially when I’m well aware how much is vying for our attention in these chaotic times.

“The Light Beckons”—a stunning shot of a rhododendron-canopied trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway (photo credit: Jacqueline Franquez, used with permission)

The stories of violence and brutality along with the stories of incredible community care and grounded hope emerging from my dear home state of Minnesota (where I was born and lived for 20+ years) have been so fiercely on my heart these past few weeks. The brave example of my “North Star State” has been a shining North Star for me (and I know for so many of us) in these heavy times. The courage and compassion of my people (ordinary folks just like me) has lit a fire under me to start this Substack page. I believe hanging out here with you all and (hopefully) providing some healing balm with my songs and stories is one small way I can offer my medicine in these transformational times. (Also, at the bottom of this post, I have included a hands-on way you can love on our Minnesota kin.¹)

Why bother listening to my voice in the clatter of so many other voices, so much noise? That’s a great question! We all need to be extra discerning these days about how much we take in of the endless content and constant onslaught of information being thrown at us all day, every day. And I trust that my words and melodies will find who they are meant to find. My desire in being here is to let it be an overflow of who I am in real life—the rhythm-craving, people-loving, deep-rooted, unabashedly-passionate, community-oriented, ritual-relishing, joy-savoring musician, mystic, mama, and mental health professional that I am in the flesh. So that’s what I commit to in being here. Real. Human. Embodied. Rooted. Radiant. Shining my little lantern fiercely through the night hoping my life and the melodic elixir that flows out of me can help even one person to feel more seen, more cherished, more at home in their bodies and in this lonely world.

In posts to come, I’ll share a little more about myself, my vision for my own life and for humanity, my quest to reconnect with my Celtic and Nordic ancestral roots, my personal journey of embracing my shadows and shine while navigating love and loss, my professional experience as a psychotherapist (of 18 years), and my creative soul’s voyage as a musician (from as long as I have had lungs to sing). But since everyone’s nervous systems are already overloaded and our collective attention span is short, I’ll keep this as brief as I can. My main purpose in reaching out today is to offer a little welcoming note of love and to share the video of my song, “Rest, Then Rise,” Before you click play, I’ll share a few words of background and guidance for listening.

I wrote “Rest, Then Rise” on the anniversary of my little brother’s death as I was watching the horrors unfold in Gaza in real time. This song is about the weaving together of individual and collective grief. The feeling it all. The collapsing on Mother Earth when it’s too much to bear. The holding, the healing, and the remembering that the land, our more-than-human kin, and our well, wise ancestors can offer if only we listen with our hearts. And then, the rising back up again. As a relevant aside: It is worth noting that I and the stunning souls in this video have heritage connected to Iran, Palestine, and/or Minnesota (three parts of the world, among many others, experiencing violent systemic oppression right now). There is also Jewish, Celtic (Irish and Scottish), Nordic (Norwegian and Swedish), German, and Italian ancestry flowing through the four of us, too. A beautiful cornucopia of cultural roots dancing through our veins!

If you are able, I invite you to take 5-10 minutes to sit back, exhale, close your eyes, and let the music wash over you. You are more than welcome to take in the visuals from the video (which is soaked in forest, mountain, and waterfall scenes from the stunning part of Cherokee land I am grateful to call home). But if you’re already overstimulated (and so many of us are right now), taking in the music alone may allow you to sink in deeper to the experience. My deep hope is that this song gives you permission and space to grieve, to rage, or to just allow yourself to be held in feeling numb, tender, scared, overwhelmed, hopeful, or whatever else you may be experiencing.

The pauses. The releases. The spaces where we get off our screens and peek out the window—at the clouds, at the trees, at the stars. The connection to nature, to art, to beauty, to joy, to ancestral wisdom, to magic and wonder, to our own bodies, and to each other. This is how we breathe through all this heartache and birth a new world together. I have much more song spinning and word weaving to share here. And I would be honored if you do choose to hang around if my music or writing resonates. Thank you for your presence here and in the world. Your voice matters. Your soul matters. For your own healing and liberation. And for the healing and liberation of Minnesota, Iran, Palestine, and the world.

A few lyrics from “Rest, Then Rise”:

“I feel caught in a nightmare

I’m so tired of this fight

My bleeding heart and one small voice

Scream into the night

So I stop and I breathe

Fall on the earth and grieve

The leaves start to whisper my name

I hear the healing songs of the ancient ones long gone

Pulsing in the air and in my veins

They say, ‘Child, please rest then rise.’”

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1. In the spirit of my commitment to both the tending of our own souls while remembering how deeply interwoven we are with each other and our planet, here’s a very practical way you can support Minnesotans right now. Please consider donating to Stand with Minnesota— an incredible hub for many mutual funds, crowdfunding campaigns, and other non-profits and community organizations helping folks with basic needs and supplies, rent support, mental health care, and more. If you’re overwhelmed with the options, you can also just click on the big “donate” button in the upper right-hand corner and it will send you directly to the donation page for the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.