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Hello again, dear ones. Welcome back (or for the first time, for those who have recently joined) to the monthly Resourcing the Revolution newsletter.

As I write this edition, we are slowly closing in on the longest night of the year. The trees have all shed their autumn glory, the winter birds have returned, and the energy of mother nature has begun its turn to rest, composting, and darkness.

Since getting back from Mexico, there's been something on my mind I've wanted to share with you.

Consider this: every action, thought, or feeling... every substance we introduce to our bodies through any of our senses... every moment of our lives... is an opportunity for growth and healing.

And beyond that, every challenging situation, every bump and bruise, every time we're stretched outside of our comfort zone, is what we could consider "medicine."

By medicine, I don't mean the modern scientific interpretation of medicine (think pharmaceuticals, doctors, labs). Instead, let's look at "medicine" as many Indigenous traditions do, or many of our ancestors used to, as a way to holistically heal the mind, body, and spirit.

Take the Latin term Medicus. As well as being translated as "doctor," it can also be used as an adjective that means healing or curative.

And if you cut out some of the modern interpretation in places like Wikipedia, you still end up with "the science and practice of caring… a variety of practices evolved to maintain and restore health."

For a long time before the modern medical system came into being, medicine was an art and healers were held in reverence.

And so, in this edition of the newsletter, I want to reflect on what medicine there already is in our lives and how we might bring more of it in.

Kate, one of my fellow retreat attendees, shared the following on our last morning in Mexico:

So what is medicine, really? Let's dive in.

Quote of the Month: It’s All Medicine

Let's embark on a journey, beginning with a question: what if everything in our lives has the potential to be medicine?

Paracelsus, a Swiss physician born in the late 15th century, believed there were qualities of poison in everything:

If all things can be poison, then why can't they potentially be medicine as well?

Idea of the Month: Even Stress Can Be Medicine

Today, I'm sharing an insight that originally came from Vishen Lakhiani, the founder of MindValley.

In a recent email to subscribers, he talked about stress and how often it's perceived as something negative. But, there's some recent research that indicates that our interpretation of stress determines whether the body ultimately perceives it as good or bad.

This means when we view stress as an opportunity rather than a threat, it can actually enhance our performance and growth.

Vishen illustrated this concept with something he called "the experiment that proved stress can be your ally."

First, picture two groups of people facing separate high-stakes, high-stress circumstances. These could be events like a college football player getting ready to take the field at a bowl game, a graduate student getting ready to take a huge exam, or someone facing another potentially life-altering situation.

The first group feels nervous — hearts racing, adrenaline coursing — but they also feel ready and excited to do their best. They. Are. Pumped!

The second group has the same adrenaline and rapid heartbeat, but instead of feeling confident, they're panicked and dreading the event. They just want it to be over already.

This set of situations shows us the same body response with significantly different outcomes.

Here's an excerpt from the email:

This got psychologist Jeremy Jamieson wondering: What if it's not the stress itself, but how we interpret it that makes the difference?

So, Jamieson ran an experiment. He handed a simple note to half the students taking the GRE (the academic version of climbing Mount Everest):

"People think that feeling anxious while taking a standardized test will make them do poorly on the test. However, recent research suggests that arousal doesn't hurt performance on these tests and can even help performance—people who feel anxious during a test might actually do better. This means that you shouldn't feel concerned if you do feel anxious while taking today's GRE test. If you find yourself feeling anxious, simply remind yourself that your arousal could be helping you do well."

The results were jaw-dropping.

The students who didn't get the note scored 706. But those who read the tiny note? They scored 770. That's a 9% boost—just by reframing how they thought about stress.

Why this matters for you: this study reveals something extraordinary: stress isn't the villain it's made out to be. It's how we perceive stress that determines whether it drags us down or lifts us up.

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There are two factors involved in determining how stress impacts your body. First, it's biochemistry — the sweaty palms and racing heart accompanying an adrenaline rush. Second, it's belief — what story are you telling yourself about what those sensations mean?

As you might imagine, when you interpret stress as harmful, it signals to your body that what's happening is a threat. The adrenaline ramps you up and then drains you.

But when you view the rush as a sign of your body preparing for something great (rocket fuel, anyone?), stress can become what Vishen called a "secret weapon."

Photo of the Month: Nature is Medicine

Here in the Appalachians, the autumn leaves have all turned brown and begun to compost by this time of year, but I had to throw back to this photo of some of the maple leaves from a few months ago.

If you haven't recently taken the time to hold a leaf (green, red, yellow, or whatever color) up to the sun and examine how the sunlight hits the cells and reveals the universal patterns within… well, I highly recommend it.

Spending time in nature is medicine. Fresh air in your lungs, dirt under your feet, sunlight on your face, snowflakes on your tongue, breeze on your face...

It's just what "the doctor" ordered.

Short Practice of the Month: Gratitude is Medicine

Since I've been home, I've had the opportunity to reflect on one of the mantras we held during our time on retreat.

It feels just right for this month's short practice, with three steps (sometimes four) that you can do right now and take with you into your life:

One: breathe.
Two: feel.
Three: say thank you.

When you're in your head, freaking out about something, worrying ahead of yourself…

Stop.

Take a breath. Feel the inhale come through your nostrils. Let the exhale go down and out.

Feel whatever it is that's inhabiting your body.

And say thank you (and sometimes dammit). But always come back to gratitude, for whatever lessons this moment has for you. For being alive. For having the presence to catch yourself in your mental soup. And to…

Breathe.
Feel.
And say thank you.

Gratitude is medicine.

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Post of the Month: Play is Medicine

Adulting can be challenging. We're expected to be polite and professional, dotting our I's and crossing our T's, paying bills, surviving in a world that can seem like it's out to get us, blah blah blah…

But what if life could actually be, I dunno, fun again?

​This month’s post from the archives examines what your inner little might do, on the yoga mat and off, to bring a little more lightheartedness into life.

From the post:

What say you? Want to bring some fun into your adulting? I vote yes!

Song of the Month: We Are All Medicine

While I plan to stick to similar categories most months, there will be times when I add a new section just because.

If you've been paying attention the past few editions, that's been every month. Roll with it. ;)

This month, there’s a beautiful song with Spanish lyrics that aligns just perfectly with our theme. The title of the song is Todos Somos Medicina by Shimshai & Susana (Spotify link).

“We are all medicine, We are different medicines, We heal each other…”

Here’s the full translation:
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We come today to sing

The wonders that the world has

It's the Earth we live on

It is the Earth that sustains us

Together with our brothers

Minerals, plants, and fish

Birds, lands, rivers, mountains

We share in harmony

And to live with the great spirit

And to live with Mother Earth

To live in peace and harmony

Share this new era

We are all medicine

We are different medicines

We heal each other

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It’s like Kate said, “you as medicine, me as medicine.” Let’s each be the medicine the world needs right now.

Mindset of the Month: Medicine Isn’t Always Fun

Before we wrap up this month's edition, I feel it needs to be said: medicine isn't always lighthearted, sunshiney, fun, and uplifting.

Sometimes, it takes you into the dark.

Healing isn't linear. And medicine, while ultimately intended to heal, sometimes takes the twisty path to get us there.

Much like our human propensity to try to love-and-light the darkness away during the longer nights of winter, humans are also pretty bad at being uncomfortable.

We don't like being pushed out of our comfort zones, feeling sick, doing the hard but necessary work, or slowing down and sitting with discomfort.

Know how I know? Because I'm human. Right there with others in the squirmy "get me outta here" vibes.

But the darkness isn't inherently bad. There's knowledge and healing there, if you stand still long enough to listen.

So as we find our way toward and through the longest night of the year, we have a beautiful opportunity to sit with the darkness and to invite it to share whatever lessons it has for us.

The light is coming again soon enough. May we savor these dark, slow, inward-drawing days while they're here.

What’s Your Medicine?

As we navigate this holiday season, my wish for you is to find peace, healing, love, and all your heart's desires...

But also hope you spend some time in the darkness, drawing inward and spending time with whatever serves as medicine for you.

Enjoy the Winter Solstice, have a beautiful holiday season, and I'll see you on the flip side.

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PS, if you're new (or missed a previous edition), you can catch up on Volume I and Volume II.

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