Out here in the dry salt flats of Nevada, time stands still. The air is thick and dust filled. I draw a line on the windshield of my car in the exact same spot everyday to watch how many layers of dust settle here. A lingering stench of what I would imagine a bag of chalk would smell like fills my nose every time I step out of my tent. I hear laughing, crying, bike bells, zippers zipping, and a soft competition of music happening between two neighbors. The sun is brutal and I cannot avoid taking a direct hit from its rays throughout the day so I ride my bike to find a breeze. That breeze turns into a sandstorm and suddenly there is zero visibility, and with no other option I dismount my bike and curl up to shelter myself from the wind. I am laughing at the sheer thought of existence and the utter disbelief that I am alone in a large crowd of people who have congregated in the desert to celebrate life. And as the sand storm shifts away from me, the dust settles, and I can see a horizon that’s filled with people dancing under the sun. Life on the playa is temporary and otherworldly.
Rapid Rebirth pt. 3
My daughter, Liana, arrived at 2:54 in the morning, on September 7, 2018, less than three hours from the start of contractions. According to the American Pregnancy Association, rapid labor is characterized by labor that can last as little as three hours, also known as precipitous labor. I had never heard of this term prior…
Rapid Rebirth pt. 2
“Matt, Matt, wake up. I think something’s happening,” I whispered as I hunched my nude body over the side of our bed. I was dropping in and out of reality, and riding this new awareness of sensation. I felt bones shifting, muscles contracting, and electrical impulses dancing up and down my spine. This shockwave was…
Rapid Rebirth pt. 1
Holding onto the edge of the hospital bed, I release low and guttural groans as I drop deeper into my physical body. I have been preparing for this moment for the last nine months, and now that it’s here, I am trying to catch my breath. There is no pause, no break, no moment to…
The Sacred Body 
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