Rebuilding the Terrain

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My name is Casey Hersch. I am a licensed clinical social worker and founder of LightYourSparkle.Life. As many of you know, I live with autoimmune

illnesses and have a history of childhood trauma, which are my inspirations for the Light Your Sparkle community.

Lately I have been thinking about the conditions that ravage our terrains while I feel personally impacted by the fires in Northern California and my ongoing struggles with Crohn's disease.  Illness, aging, and stress break down our body terrains. Natural disasters such as the fires raging through the country right now destory the environmental terrain. The losses of our physical health and natural environments always trigger grief. However, when life events strip down our terrains to their most vulnerable states there is a tremendous opportunity for healing. I know it is possible to rebuild our bodies and environments making them stronger and more resilient than ever before. Community collaboration, gratitude, acceptace, and realigning priorities provide the assets necessary for this transformation to occur. 

Our Body's Terrain

Once you have lived with chronic illness, it can feel as though the process of rebuilding is impossible. Knowing where to start is overwhelming. It might feel as though you are destined to be sick forever. However, understanding the importance of an integrative health plan is essential. To rebuild the body's terrain, there must be interventions that address mind, body, and spirt. Physical and emotional goals are just as crucial as finding joy in your life, practicing gratitude, spending time in nature, and hugging a beloved friend or pet companion. 

Recently in my quest to understand how to rebuild the body's terrain,  I interviewed Dr. Josh Axe, founder of the popular health website draxe.com. He shared some practical suggestions and excellent starting points. Not only is gut health at the center, but Dr. Axe advocates for using food and lifestyle as medicine. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but once you start getting to know your body, you will find that each step along they way builds on the one before. Layer by layer, the body begins to heal and direct you to your next course of action.  

Environmental Terrain

As the fires destroy the terrain of beloved homes, communities, and sacred lands, we share the losses of natural resources and feel the pangs of human suffering. We want to help, but the course of action is not always clear. During the Paradise Camp Fire I published an article to help community members understand how to help. The content is still applicable to the fires we are witnessessing now. 

Despite my own shock and grief from the fire surges, I also feel fire inspired. I see blessings fill up the sad space around me. People coming together, acts of altruism and kindness replacing political divides, and a rekindling of relationships from past decades that bring hope to life. The fires are igniting sparks of inspiration and even while they are burning, people are already rebuilding the terrain. One community guy, who calls himself "Just a Guy" is giving people hope and comfort by reminding us how to get through a crisis and why we need to hold on together. 

Community Terrain

‍When I was in 6th and 12th grades, I played the piano for my graduation ceremonies. The song I played is from the cartoon The Land Before Time called If We Hold On Together. Tonight I listened to the song again. Even this many years later, the message is still so powerful. The song still makes me feel inspired and hopeful about the future. I hope you listen and feel it too. 

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