Welcome to The Way of Persephone (formerly known as Messy Recovery)
Hello community!
Messy Recovery served as a space for me to come as I am, to show up authentically, and share. It was meant to be a place for all of you to find something inspirational, relatable, maybe close to your heart. It was a journal, a written thought process on things I like to think (sometimes obsess) about.
As someone who has been in recovery more-less her whole life - recovery from alcohol, drugs, sex and relationships, and mostly recovery from shame, anxiety, depression, self-pity, insecurity, anger, and many other human conditionings - I have focused in this publication mostly on these issues.
The Way of Persephone is diving even deeper - below the obvious and detectable, below the consciousness and the expected, beyond the facades and appearances, and into the deep dark shadows and taboos, into the unconscious, the raw and, most often, socially undesirable, unacceptable, and even shocking. It is exploring and witnessing how different areas in life - more precisely, unconventional (as well as conventional) sexualities, preferences, and practices - can (and, very much do) serve to our personal process of individuation - in this case, my own.
This publication is about sex. And sexuality. And kink. And spirituality. And the psyche. And how these affect the psyche and can go hand in hand, and serve as a vehicle on one's path to becoming who they truly are. I will be sharing (mostly) from my own experience.
About Me
I quit alcohol and drugs in September 2014. I quit unhealthy sex practices, sexual misconduct and codependent love relationships shortly after. I am still “dancing” with my relationship with food and coffee. Since quitting alcohol and drugs, my life completely changed. And when I say completely, I absolutely mean completely. Nothing in my life is the same as it was. There are those who met me in my “drinking” days, who have been following my recovery path since and sometimes have a hard time recognizing me. And then there are those who met me in sobriety, who say that they could never imagine me being a drunk. Thank god for my blurry memory these days, so that I can’t imagine me either.
Although sobriety (or abstinence) and recovery aren’t necessarily the same thing, my recovery started as soon as I dropped booze and drugs. I dove right away into exploring different health and wellness routines; my spiritual life blossomed; I have committed to learning (and slowly living) yoga philosophy and regular meditation; I have been studying Buddhism, mindfulness, and Ayurveda; and finally stirring my career towards counseling, therapy and teaching. I am not near perfect in these areas of growth; but, I can tell you, I am far from where I was, and with no desire to get back to what my life once was.
You can check out my IG here.
~ Maki
Why Subscribe?
This is a weeklish publication. Please feel free to share parts of this newsletter that speak to you, or send it to someone you love.
This publication is free and open to all. However, paid subscriptions make writing possible and is the best way to support this newsletter. I am profoundly grateful to those who choose to support my work through financial contributions.
My hope is that you will find this space and my offering supportive, inspiring, informative, encouraging, useful, and thoughtful; and that you will feel connected, hopeful, and seen.
Thank you for reading, sharing, liking, commenting, subscribing… Thank you for being here - it means a lot.
