Good Medicine News: January ‘25

Monthly Newsletter featuring upcoming events at GMC, creative reflections and critical commentary from our Collective members on the front lines of healing and consciousness change work.

Jan 08, 2025

Friends,
The origin and nature of consciousness have been on my mind these days. Perhaps because I went down the rabbit hole after listening to Zach Haigney’s excellent podcast with neuroscientist, James Cooke, which led me to Cooke’s book “The Dawn of Mind” (which also led me to binge watch the Apple series, Dark Matter, but we’ll save that for another conversation).

Truly, I suppose the most vital reason I’ve been considering the question of consciousness is because of my father, Papa. Consciousness, according to Cooke, is not an individual’s sole awareness of reality, but instead an inherently relational unfolding process in which each of us participate. That feels too conceptual for me to really grasp, but I had a moment with Papa over the holidays that helped me to understand what Cooke was talking about. Since we think a lot about consciousness at Good Medicine, I figured I’d share this inquiry with all of you. It’s longer than my usual newsletter intro, so bear with me.

Papa has advanced Alzheimer’s. Most of the time I am with him, I’m not sure where he is. Sometimes, I look for him in his eyes. As if I stared hard enough into his pupils, his whereabouts might reveal itself. Or perhaps I would see a spark of recognition and we might find each other. But often, he doesn’t seem to be “here,” the question of his whereabouts remaining a mystery. Not to mention the mystery of what “here” even means.

Last week, however, Papa and I had a magical moment of consciousness co-location (a term I just made up, meaning being “here” together in a realm of shared awareness). I got to see him come home, both literally and metaphorically. Papa has been living in a memory care unit for the past 6 months, about 5 minutes from the house where I grew up and where my mother still lives. Don’t take him home! The aids at the memory care told us, it will be too confusing and hard. My mother and I heeded their warnings. Yet over the holidays, like two rebellious schoolgirls, we decided to take our chances, break Papa out of memory care and bring him home for dinner.

As we pulled down our driveway, where my parents had lived together for 50 years, my father seemed to awaken into our reality. I know this! I’m here! I held his hand as we walked up the stairs to the front door into the living room. He paused in what appeared to be an acute state of wonder. My house! Ahhhh. Ohhhhh. At a loss of words, he vocalized ecstatic sounds which resembled something between a purr and a growl. He stood there for a while, purring, taking in the warm candle-lit room, mostly unchanged through the years down to the furniture my parents had gotten in 1969, the year they were married.

Papa looks at me with incredulity. Like he’d finally arrived at his destination after a lifetimes-long search. We’re here! Across the vast terrain of the dark matter, it was as if we briefly found each other in the same reality. We were “here” together in a shared experience of a delicious moment that was both in the past and immediately present at the same time, even as it was already passing. It was utterly beautiful. And then it was over.

I am not sure how to make sense of that experience, the feeling of being “here” together now, spontaneously, urgently and impermanently. Holy, perhaps, sums it up the best.

****

I had been reading The Dawn of Mind during this visit to Papa which informed some of the ways I reflected upon it. What struck me most was Cooke’s suggestion that consciousness is not an isolated individual phenomenon, but a dynamic relational process arising from interactions within and between living systems. The Holy moment I shared with Papa seemed to be the embodiment of this theory. Holy because of the palpable experience of the moment being shared, so unexpectedly.

Cooke’s view of consciousness as an emergent relational experience softens the hard edges between science and spirituality. Quantum theory’s observer effect suggests that the act of observing influences the system being observed. Applied to consciousness, this means awareness is co-created in relationship- there is no “pure” observer; the observer and the observed shape each other. Like the Zulu concept, Ubuntu. “I am because you are,” emphasizing interconnectedness and mutual existence. Consciousness emerges through these connections, implying we are not fully “ourselves” apart from our relationships to others and the world.

Additionally, Cooke believes consciousness is not privileged to humans, but also exists in plants, animals, fungi who also possess relational awareness, share resources, communicate, etc. Consciousness may not be something located in the “brain” but instead is a fundamental feature of the universe in which we all participate.

At Good Medicine, I’m happy to be around people who are wondering about such things. People who value curiosity, creativity, connection & collaboration as vital aspects of being alive. And as much as I like thinking about this stuff, I appreciate how the providers and therapists here move beyond the intellectual, beyond concepts and into the realm of practice. The practice of transformative change. Where are our ideas about reality limiting what’s possible in terms of compassion, connection and healing?

From my vantage point, it’s wondrous to behold the many and proliferating offerings occurring at Good Medicine that support a consciousness that is universal and relational. I think of this month’s Psychedelic Studio, exploring plant consciousness. Imagine the ecological implications if humans authentically experienced plants as conscious beings with whom we are in active relationship! I think of all the dance happening here, where bodies find energetic and rhythmic coherence in a relational field. I think of community acupuncture, medicine circles, group breathwork, altar building. I think of our new offering, GRACE Circles, where, in the context of community, we find different access points and expressions for our grief.

In the quest to understand our true nature, may we remember that the truth of our nature is relational. I am because you are.

May it be so.

Love, Liz

Introducing GRACE Circles

Upcoming GRACE Circle: Tuesday Jan 28th 5-6:30pm. Tears may be the gems of our humanity, our greatest expression of love. In a world that never slows down, that lures us into distraction, we can avoid the great grief call. Join us the last Tuesday of the month in a safe space for your unique grief song to be expressed, shared, witnessed and transformed. You are not alone. Inspired by Francis Weller and facilitated by interfaith minister, Ashley Jansen and Riverbird clinicians David Wright and Liz Strawbridge. Donation-based, proceeds support the Good Medicine nonprofit for diverse and accessible opportunities for transformation in community.

TONIGHT Psychedelic Studio

Next Psychedelic Studio is tonight Wednesday, January 8th 6-8pm. These are monthly gatherings for intellectual exchange, learning and discourse around consciousness change and culture. This month Good Medicine facilitators Tessy Seward, Samantha Hubbell and Ginny Gill will speak to the inter-weaving of human and plant connections over millenia, including intentional practices such as dietas and vigils for deepening relationship. There will be the opportunity to work with White Pine and an offering of tea from locally foraged pine needles. All are welcome to join us in this conversation. Cost is donation-based with all proceeds going towards the Good Medicine nonprofit.

Other Upcoming Events

*NEW* West End Community Acupuncture on Wednesdays 12-3pm with Zach Haigney.

Genell Huston Yoga: Practice with Genell Huston Friday, Jan 10th at noon.

Rhythmic Ritual Dance: Dance with DJ Pika, hosted by Sabra Saperstein. Friday, Jan 10th 7-9pm.

Pelvic Steam Ceremony for women to experience the soothing and healing effects of pelvic herbal steaming with Vivian Rae on Saturday, January 11th 3-4pm

Art of the Altar with Sabra Saperstein from 2-5pm on Sunday, Jan 12th. Explore the basics of creating an altar. Where does it go in my home? What do I put on my altar? How do I make it beautiful? How do I interact with it? Participants are invited to move creatively and intuitively.

Wolf Moon Medicine Sunday, Jan 12th 6-9pm. Honoring the wolf mood with somatic flow, poetic prose, herbal allies and sauna release with Haley Brandt, Quincy Brimstein and Desiree Lester.

30 Day Breathwork Challenge: A Pathway to Self-Love: 30 Days-30 Breath Practices w/ Tania Zuckerman. Begins Wednesday, January 15th (ends February 13th) .

Elemental Ecstatic Dance Friday, January 17th 7-8:30pm with Charity Joy (DJ CJ Feé, accompanied by drum wash and didgeridoo).

Oceans of OM: Sunday Jan 19th 6-7pm, chant OM ont he Eve of Inauguration with Susannah Sanfilippo to support the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Spiraldance Community Breathwork Circle with Tania Zuckerman on Tue Jan 21st 5:30pm.

Good Movement: Contact Improv Jam for Women, Jan 30th 7-8:30pm with Shelagh Reiser.

Transformational Leadership Program. Brad Peirce guides 12-Steps for Regenerative change, meeting the last Thursday of the month following the cycles of the year. Season 1: Navigating Today’s Meta-Crises begins Jan 30th. Email brad@regenerativechangelab.com for more information.

Healing for Healers Riverbird’s 2-day ketamine assisted therapy group for health providers. Jan 31st, Feb 1st.

Sound Meditation with Vivian Rae, Friday Jan 31st 6-7pm.

Imbolc Ceremony with Maddy Riker and Casey Ricci on Saturday Feb 1st from 1-4pm. Tune into the rhythms of nature and connect with the theme of rebirth as the days grow longer with movement, sound bath and sauna. 20% of the proceeds to Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness.

Kindling Desire: An Expressive Arts Workshop with Katharine Doughty on Saturday Feb 1st from 3-5pm.

GMC Events

Notes from the Field

Creative reflections or op-ed pieces from members of the Collective about what’s unfolding in the micro and macro landscapes of consciousness change, psychedelics and mental health. This month we hear from Desi Lester, GMC Community Organizer and highlight community partner, Sabra Saperstein.