Hello to our dear hive. We hope you are doing well and staying strong. This month’s newsletter is a bit different, given the outcome of the elections. No matter who you voted for, I think we can all agree that this has been an exhausting and dark part of our history. Jazi thought it would be helpful for me to share a bit about my part of our journey together. Armed with some dark chocolate by my side (😉), I agreed to share some of my thoughts.
As many of you know, back in 2009 I began writing what I thought would be a cute, Dr. Seuss-styled rhyming book to help children become more interested in bees. While living on Palomar Mountain, bees would Invariably explore the palms of my hands when I meditated outside. It was a ticklish and decidedly sweet occurrence, one I felt honored to have. Regularly, however, I saw children screaming and running away from them when they would try to sip some water from the fountain behind the businesses I worked in. It was this stark difference of experience that was the exciting cause for the creation of the book. I began to write it while in India getting a hip replacement and then put it away after returning to work, forgetting about it until the beginning of the Pandemic.
With Covid raging in 2020, I remembered the book and reached out to a couple of dear therapist friends and a grandmother raising her granddaughter to find out if it was even relevant for youngsters. They all gave me similar stories of great anxiety, panic attacks, bullying, etc., so I knew a cute little rhyming book was out of the question.
Thus, Jazianzza Azzaza Buzzabee’s memoir was born. What started as a simple, cute book about bees morphed into something I hadn’t expected when I began…a book about bullying, kindness, calmness, inclusivity, strength, as well as bees. I recently decided that it was important enough to give away free PDFs so that readers wouldn’t have to buy the physical book. This way, more people could gain access to breathing practices and life lessons about kindness, true strength, and inclusivity that are packed into the story.
Yesterday morning, the day after the election, I came to the startling revelation that these little offerings have potentially taken on a whole new meaning. If children can learn from an early age that bullying does not signify strength, but the opposite, and that inclusivity and kindness are actually superpowers, then maybe Bee-Coming Strong can be a little drop of light into the darkness that seems to be moving through our country and the world. So, I feel differently about it all now. Given this darkness, I’m more committed than ever to getting Jazi’s transformational story out into the public domain. If she can help even one child, then this will all be worth it.
Jazianzza and I started writing another book, this time with Spike, the grasshopper, and Sam C. Pillar, a monarch caterpillar. Spike is a real bully, and he gets a bit dark at times. I realized, however, that growing up with Grimm’s fairy tales, sometimes stories are dark before the light comes. Spike will definitely grow and become kinder, but he does start pretty dark. Why is he a bully? Because, of course, he doesn’t really like himself, and it makes him feel powerful and in control when he bullies others. Sound familiar?
My point is, if these little children’s books can help young ones realize that bullies are coming from a place of being deeply disconnected from themselves and others and if they could learn simple breathing techniques to help them become calmer and more centered within themselves, that would be awesome. And if they could learn that if at all possible it’s important to tell an adult they’re being bullied – well then, Jazi and I will be satisfied.
We’d like your help with this. Please share this book. We’d deeply appreciate you sharing it with parents and libraries, telling yoga centers about it, and talking with counselors and relevant foundations. Now, more than ever, little Jazianzza’s memoir is important for the mental health of our young ones, and for the health of this nation and world as we move into an unknown future.
And for us? Let’s all try to lean into kindness. A quick personal story sheds the importance of this. Last week, as I was leaving physical therapy, I said hello to a Black woman sitting inside the room, by the door. She looked surprised and thanked me for saying hi to her. I told her it was an easy thing to do. Shaking her head, she replied, “Oh, honey, if you only knew.” I got teary-eyed, feeling her pain at being invisible. Please join me in saying hello to strangers. Join me in being determined to allow awe in as we notice little bees flying about, as we see the determination of weeds pushing up through cement, or as we revel in the night sky. Please remember to consciously breathe, and maybe even take off your shoes and walk on the earth. Share these experiences with young ones so they can feel that natural wonderment, as well. We were called to be here during these times. Let’s all shine our lights brightly, just as little Jazi does, and help uplift humanity.
Speaking of kindness, I recently did a podcast with a most beautiful woman named Catherine Wilde. She has the Soul Care Mom podcast. I’d highly recommend you introduce her to any young mothers who might need a bit of help in parenting. (And let’s face it – who doesn’t?) She’s kind, calm, compassionate, and has the most loving voice and huge heart that you could imagine. I had a truly wonderful time with her. Here’s the link if you’d like to tune in.
In addition, to learn more about ways of dealing with bullying, I recently met Dali Rivera who focuses on anti-bullying in her practice. We plan to do a podcast one of these days, and I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. https://www.dalitalks.com
May this month be filled with kindness for yourself and others, as well as thanksgiving. May you thrive.