Nicola Ranson
Cult recovery involves dismantling belief systems
The collapse of a belief system is hell at the time – but eventually I found it an enormous gift. Of course another one moves in fast to replace it, but just for a moment there is a pause when we get to see outside the bubble that each of us lives in.
Plant Talk Example of Resilience and Toughness
Who said flowers would always be flowery? That was my expectation when I chatted to Statice about healing – but she showed determination and grit. Healing isn’t all soft and soothing.
PLANT TALK healing words from trees and plants. BAMBOO.
It is a soothing meditation to sit silently with any plant or tree. I write down what comes to me. It feels like hearing a voice and receiving a gentle nudge or a kick in the pants – depending on my mood, or is it theirs?
Kitten: tenderness towards the inner kitten is a good way to start the day
Every morning I invite one supportive word. I try not to censor what arrives, then I define it. It is handy as a mini-meditation as well as a satisfying writing exercise – I know I have written something each day! I am sharing my Word Bath for you to jump into if you choose – … Read more
Gratitude and Ulcerative Colitis. Really?
9 Reason I’m Grateful for my Ulcerative Colitis This was a challenging exercise – to find gratitude for something I would prefer to have never encountered. But The Mighty gave me a prod and I managed to come up with reasons to be grateful for ulcerative colitis. Has chronic illness given you anything to be … Read more
Standing Up for NIMBYs & Opposing By Right Construction in California
The new state law in California renders our local design and environmental laws obsolete when a development is designated By Right. This is a huge gift to developers under the guise of creating affordable housing – which, in my community, is not a big part of the package. I’ve looked at great ugly buildings in … Read more
PLANT TALK – The Bamboo
BAMBOO: We’re big grass, not small tree. Don’t underestimate the strength of a grass – skinny protects from the wind. And we’re most definitely a ‘we.’ Yes, I am an ‘I’ too, which makes for the very best we. Thinner, fatter, older, younger. Always someone to lean on if you fall over. We can take … Read more
What Does the World Want from Me?
Here is a wee poem just out in this lovely publication, the Journal of Expressive Writing. I asked myself, “What does the world need now?” (a theme of this year’s San Diego Writers Festival), and this poem popped out: What Does the World Want from Me? What does it want from you?
Dating Tips For Ulcerative Colitis
CLICK HERE for a recent article published on The Mighty. Dating and intimacy present unique challenges for those with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and other conditions that entail long periods spent in the bathroom. (And we are not talking about primping in front of the mirror.) My intention is to add some hope … Read more