Melanie Davis-Jones

TOGETHER, WE CAN DO HARD THINGS

[We’re sharing resources related to suicide prevention this month. If this topic is difficult for you, please honor your needs and engage only in the way that feels right.]

I’m sharing this story because September is Suicide Prevention Month, which made me recall a time I was grateful for my training in mental health first aid. My phone rang early one Sunday morning – well, 10 am is not very early, but it was for my 21-year-old client who started most days at noon. I knew something wasn’t quite right. I listened, then asked, “Are you considering suicide?” A pause. “Not right now, but yeah, I was.”  As I started to give her the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number (call or text 988), Anna said she had been on the phone with them most of the night. The counselors helped “soothe her soul.”

She took some time off from classes, but Anna graduated from college and she’s now in medical school. If I hadn’t taken a course in suicide prevention, I wouldn’t have had the courage to directly ask the question – I learned that is a critical step. According to mental health professionals, “Asking someone about suicide does not put the idea in their head or increase the risk of them taking their own life.” ( National Institute of Mental Health). It can open nonjudgmental conversations. I recognize this is a tough topic, but another thing I learned is that the more we share resources, the more people can be helped. Together, we can do hard things.

Soul Seeds’ mission, bringing the benefits of intuitive meditation to individuals who have limited mental health resources, is about increasing access to those in need – and to the people who support them – caregivers, staff members, health professionals, first responders. We are committed to creating a network of healing across communities.

Our founder, Nancy Rebecca, did a four-week program with Pierce County (WA) social workers. They were asked to assess their mental health before and after each meditation session. They consistently reported decreases in stress and anxiety. One participant summed it up for the group. “I now know how to calm myself when I’m starting to feel stressed and my family has noticed the difference.”

Our approach makes self-care practical and manageable, making it highly beneficial for individuals in underrepresented groups as well as those with secondary trauma. We are focusing on work with our Activators – community connectors – to identify opportunities to bring Soul Seeds programming to both these groups. Please email me if you are interested in getting involved (melanie@soulseeds.org)

And Soul Seeds continues to be of service to the broader community through our Healing with Humanity™ Global Meditations. I’m delighted to announce we’ve set the dates through the end of the year – October 16, November 13, and December 11. Mark your calendars or you can always find information and the registration link here on our website.

As autumn arrives, it reminds us that change can be both beautiful and invigorating. This season, may we come together with open hearts—sharing warmth, gratitude, and kindness as we strengthen the connections that enrich our lives and carry us through every season.

Melanie

Board Member

In Case You Missed It

Video: October Frequency Forecast, Learning to Know, Differently | Nancy Rebecca

Video: The Science of Oneness | presented by Millions Meditating | Explore the emerging science of meditation, coherence, consciousness, and our profound interconnectedness.

New Online Store! Soul Seeds t-shirts and hoodies, international shipping available. soulseeds.org/merch

Save the Dates

Global Meditations: October 16^th, November 13^th, and December 11^th. All Fridays, 8:00 am PT/11:00 am ET/16:00 (UTC+1). Recommended donation $10. Register for October here.

Resources

What to Say When You’re Worried About Someone, North Central Healthcare

Veterans Affairs (VA) – Suicide Prevention  for veteran‑specific prevention strategies and support resources.

National Alliance on Mental Health Teen & Young Adult HelpLine | Text FRIEND to 62640, call 1-800-950-6264, or email helpline@nami.org.

Millions Meditating Alliance exists to unite, illuminate, and amplify meditation gatherings around the world.

Quote of the Month

“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.”  — Gloria Steinem

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

As August winds down, we can remember to hold onto its charm — the gentle reminder that happiness can come from simple pleasures – the sweetness of fresh fruit, the laughter in casual gatherings, the rhythm of unhurried nights. This year August held another gift. The planetary alignments and the solar eclipse on the twelfth served as indicators of a time for embracing new chapters. Whether it’s new routines, renewed commitments, or a deeper sense of connection, this new chapter is about moving forward with intention and imagining how you’d like to shape the coming months.

Now is also a vital time to feel the connections that link us and commit to being a healing presence. We can reach out – to family, to friends, to colleagues, to neighbors, to new acquaintances — and create a circle of care. Mental disorders have nearly doubled since 1990, now affecting 1.2 billion people worldwide. Youth (ages 15-19) and women are disproportionately affected. Anxiety and depression are the fastest growing contributors. Declining social connectedness and lingering pandemic effects are cited as two factors in the increase. Global systems are not keeping pace with the rising need because of gaps in prevention, early intervention, and coordinated policy.

Soul Seeds seeks to expand access to mental health resources through some of the interventions with the strongest evidence base: increasing opportunities for social connection; strengthening emotional regulation skills (like meditation and breathwork); and building a sense of community.

Our Healing with Humanity™ Global Meditation on July 29th was an exquisite example of building community and using the power of meditation to benefit the individual and the collective good. More than 335 people registered for the event and there were 182 people on the Zoom call – from 15 different countries. In comments after the meditation, many participants mentioned they “released their emotional and physical pain.” Others said the group’s “energy amplified our capacity to extend loving forgiveness to ourselves and others.”

We invite you to join our next Global Meditation via Zoom on Friday, September 18th at 8 am PDT/11 am EDT/ 16:00 (UTC+1). Register here. Take part in community-centered healing. The suggested donation is $10; however, we understand that everyone may not be able to give at this time. Simply email info@soulseeds.org to request a link. It is important to us that our work be as accessible as possible.

May we all carry some of August’s energy with us — delighting in small moments, savoring time to rest, and making time for the people and the things we love.

In Case You Missed It

Virtual Event | Next Healing with Humanity Global Meditation – Friday, September 18th at 8:00 am PDT/11:00 am EDT/ 16:00 (UTC+1). Register here

Video | Special Prayers for the Nepal-Tibet Border Region | His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Video | August Frequency Forecast – Is Your Soul Dropping into the Deep End? | Nancy Rebecca

Audio | Listen to July’s Healing with Humanity Global Meditation

Resources

The Well-Being Project – a global initiative supporting community leaders, activists, and caregivers with mental health resources.

Befrienders Worldwide – an international directory of emotional‑support helplines that helps people anywhere in the world find local, confidential emotional‑support services, including crisis helplines, listening centers, and community‑based support organizations.

Quote of the Month

 “I just think we should love one another, try to lift people up, and spread as much light as we can.” — Dolly Parton

 

Finding Joy

I had the opportunity to present at a conference last month hosted by Intuitive Mind, the founding organization of Soul Seeds. It was gratifying to share with the group of about 100 our vision for Soul Seeds and feel their enthusiasm. I asked them to consider their roles. “What seed would you like to plant and how will it start to grow?” There were many wonderful answers; the most frequent were “hope” and “joy.”

One person wrote about a seed that would share anticipatory joy practices – how the brain creates pleasure from looking forward to positive experiences. A 2020 study published in Science found that anticipation activates key reward and memory systems, often generating more joy than the moment itself. Research tells us that people who regularly anticipate positive experiences — even small ones — report higher levels of well‑being. Anticipating a friend’s visit, a new recipe, or your favorite walk — these moments create tiny bursts of joy that support resilience and keep the heart open to possibility.

Another seed was “Hope that expands to understanding your unlimited access to unlimited possibilities. [Growing by] encouragement for one heart at a time through kind words and gestures” which got me thinking about FIFA World Cup fans in the U.S. and the many joy-filled moments. Scottish fans in Boston (or “New Scotland”) parading in tartans and bagpipes, joined by locals; South African women trying Waffle House for the first time; Argentine fans sampling Kansas City barbeque.  International visitors marveling at giant portion sizes and free soda refills with Americans laughing along. Times like these demonstrate the power of coming together – forgetting differences by finding joy.

Coming together is at the core of our Healing with Humanity™ Global Meditation. In these times, many of us are looking for peace of mind and ways to be of service. On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to invite you to attend our next one on Wednesday, July 29^th at 8 am PDT/11 am EDT/4 pm BST.  Your $10 donation will support the work of Soul Seeds. And, if you cannot attend, go ahead and register; a recording of the meditation will be sent to you. We understand everyone cannot donate at this time. If that’s the case, please email info@soulseeds.org. Read more about the event, including the selection of the date on a full moon, and register here.

May you find many ways to plant many seeds of hope and joy in your life. Together, we can change the quality of consciousness with which we respond to the events unfolding in our lives and in our world. Peace and love to all.

In Case You Missed It

Listening to the Guidance Within – Guided meditation by Nancy Rebecca

The Joy, Heartbreak & Magic of the FIFA World Cup™ — for some joy, relive moments that brought fans, players, and nations together through the beautiful game.

Registration for our Healing with Humanity Global Meditation on July 29^th at 8 am PDT

Resources

Article: The Overlooked Happiness of Anticipation, Shannon Sauer-Zavala Ph.D. in Psychology Today

July is BIPOC Mental Health Month to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental health in the U.S. | Free resources in English and Spanish from Mental Health America

July is National Anti-Boredom Month. An observance that encourages people to recognize boredom and combat it with creative, active, and engaging pursuits.

Quote of the Month

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” – attributed to Nelson Mandela

 

Meeting the Needs of Our Time 

On a walk the other day I took a slightly different route and came upon the artwork pictured. A mural on the side of a building with the phrase, “joy will prevail” repeated amid the swirls and butterflies. Sometimes it is only a brief and simple expression that shifts our perspective. It reminded me of the story of World War I soldiers and the Christmas Truce. “There were still odd moments of joy and hope in the trenches of Flanders and France, and one of the most remarkable came during the first Christmas of the war, a few brief hours during which men from both sides on the Western Front laid down their arms, emerged from their trenches, and shared food, carols, games and comradeship.” [Smithsonian Magazine] It’s inconceivable and inspirational. How can we find a space of healing amid difficult times? Soul Seeds is grounded in the idea of coming together for our collective good. In fact, our first event, which highlights that intent — a Global Meditation — is this Saturday, May 30 (more information below).

It’s hard to believe so many months have passed since our last newsletter. Many thanks to all of you who stayed with us and a warm welcome to those of you who recently signed up. We are grateful for your support.

I had envisioned titling this newsletter “We’re Back!” but we never really left. We got quiet, yes. As a board, we have spent a good deal of time assessing, creating, and revamping. At its founding, the focus of Soul Seeds was on the Tacoma, Washington area. As the pandemic prompted more public discourse about mental health and well-being, it felt like the moment was right for Soul Seeds.  Attempting to do in-person programming during the pandemic and in the months that followed as things gradually began to open proved challenging. However, we saw some very promising signs both in the interest in our work – and in the results we were hearing from the people who participated in our meditations. We always believed if we could get our meditations out to individuals in need, we could make a difference. Yet it was tough getting through the bureaucracy in some places; the lack of follow-through in others (not being accusatory here, things were tough all around).

Ours is a board of seasoned meditators and together we looked at the energy of Soul Seeds as we began considering how best to be of service. This was a few years ago. The guidance was to keep going, that a time would come when it would be apparent that the need for “caring, kindness, and compassion” would resonate with more and more people.

That time is now. Just as we did in 2020, we, the board members of Soul Seeds, felt the call to service – to relaunch Soul Seeds to help meet the needs of our time. What’s different? We are developing programming that is completely online to make it more accessible. Plus, our founding organization, Intuitive Mind now has a global reach to increase our impact. We remain true to our mission to bring our specific intuitive energy techniques to underrepresented communities; we will also offer meditation packages to a wide audience to help support our work.

Research has shown that meditation-induced changes can spread across social networks, influencing not only practitioners but also those around them. This is directly tied to how families and communities navigate collective stress. At a time when many of us feel helpless, meditating for ourselves and for others can be a balm for our hearts and minds.

May you find joy in unexpected places. May we all believe that what we do matters. Let us hold a place of compassion for ourselves and for those who cannot hold it for themselves. And let us remember this, “There is within each one of us a potential for goodness beyond our imagining; for giving which seeks no reward; for listening without judgment; for loving unconditionally.” Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross  

Melanie Davis-Jones, Board Member

In Case You Missed It

HEALING WITH HUMANITY™ GLOBAL MEDITATION

Saturday, May 30 at 8 am PDT/11 am EDT [GMT-7] via Zoom | approx. 90 minutes

Our first Soul Seeds’ group meditation! Compassion is an energy that we can carry into our daily lives, into our relationships, our work, and the way we move through the world. Suggested Donation: $10 to support the work of Soul Seeds. Please give as generously as you can.  Donate here.

Resources | May is Mental Health Awareness Month

• If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
• To learn how to get support for mental health, drug, and alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov.
• To locate treatment facilities or providers, visit FindTreatment.gov or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).

National Alliance on Mental Health, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization

• Find your local NAMI here for information on programs and assistance.
• Guidance for Families and Caregivers: “support for those who give support,” find it here.

Quote of the Month “Just like a skill or any art, we cannot possess hope without practicing it. It is the most fundamental craft we demand of ourselves.”— Amanda Gorman

 

 

WE NEED TO TALK …

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re sharing a 2022 newsletter that garnered the highest number of responses from our readers. It includes references to suicide, now the number two cause of death for 10-24 year olds. For mental health support or emergency, call or text 988. 

When I was nine years old, eight days before Christmas, my grandmother passed away. Nearly three decades later I learned the actual cause of death. She had taken her own life. I recognize that when it happened, I was considered too young to be told, yet the stigma clouded memories of her and shrouded in secrecy parts of our family history. This is true, I’m sure, for countless families.

The loss of Naomi Judd, three highly accomplished female college athletes Sarah Shulze, Katie Meyer, Lauren Bernett, Regina King’s son, Ian Alexander Jr., Miss USA Cheslie Kryst — all in seemingly rapid succession this year — are only some of the most high-profile individuals lost to mental illness. Yet, according to Mental Health America, more than 13.2 million adults have suicidal thoughts (a 2024 stat, up from 11 million in 2022).

We need to talk (about what we get wrong). During a training on suicide prevention, presented by Living Works they pointedly tackled one of the most common misperceptions about suicide. That is, if you ask someone if they are considering killing themselves, you’re putting ideas in their heads – not true. “Asking clearly, calmly and without judgment allows people to talk about their thoughts. Up until getting asked, they may not have felt they could talk about the deep pain they’re in. Asking shows you take it seriously; you can help connect them to resources and support.”

We need to talk (about how we treat one another). In an interview with Cheslie Kryst’s mother, April Simpkins said Cheslie had “high functioning depression.” Her stunning achievements (in sports, academia, entertainment) were “no match for what she struggled with in her own mind … exacerbated by comments in social media.” Then she made a sad observation, “People aren’t kind to people with mental illness.” There is a real need for open, honest dialogue about mental illness, especially for those seeking treatment, to give them the same unconditional support given to people coping with physical illnesses.

We need to talk (about checking in … genuinely checking in). Simpkins also pointed out that her daughter was adept at deflecting what was really going on with her. In response to a question about how she was doing, Cheslie would quickly turn it back to the inquirer, letting the conversation naturally flow to their lives instead of hers. This observation made me pause and think about how much more intentional I could be about checking in with people I care about. You’ve likely heard the phrase, “check in on your strong friends” – they may be carrying the heaviest burdens and adroitly hiding the weight. Check in. Listen carefully. Let people feel seen, heard, and valued.

We need to talk (about prevention). Mental Health America advocates making mental health screenings common for all ages, including children, for early intervention. They have a free online screening tool here. “People needing early intervention want four things, and only one of these is a referral to treatment. The others are: more information about their mental health problem; tools they can use themselves to monitor and improve their mental health; and connections to people like themselves who have had the same feelings, thoughts, experiences, and lived through them to recovery.”

We need to talk (about how alternative therapies can support mental health). This is the work of Soul Seeds. Our specific meditation techniques can help people cope with anxiety, stress, and depression. Many of our volunteers, trained in these techniques, cite the fact that their lives have been dramatically changed by the meditations and learning how to work with their own energy. Each of them wants to give back because they know the positive influence of this work on their lives.

Soul Seeds connects with communities that have had little to no access to meditation and its benefits. After a recent session with a team from the Tacoma Housing Authority, each person commented on how stressed, even anxious, they felt coming into the session and how surprised they were that, after a 15-minute meditation, they felt better and more relaxed.

Suicide is an excruciatingly stark reality, and I am not suggesting that meditation is the panacea. I am not a psychologist, therapist, or other mental health professional — I am conversant only in my own experience — but for Mental Health Awareness month, it simply felt important to talk about it.

Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers)

Board Member

 

RESOURCES | 2024

Suicide Prevention Resources | Reduce access to firearms and medications at home. It’s Okay to Not Be Okay: Tips and Resources for Mental Health Awareness Month Ask your teen about suicide, it’s really okay, as you’ll see in this video