Dearest Visitors,

The Dearest Project was born after an Ayahuasca ceremony in August of 2011. During this ceremony, I asked for my inner flame to be reignited. Grief and healing had consumed my life since the unexpected passing of my father, Wally Bush, in October of 2010. With his death came change in every single relationship I had in my life, as well as other huge life changes; I lived with my dad, and he was my source of income. All he wanted was for me to pursue my art and my dreams, and I told him that if I ever needed to go out and get a job, all he had to do was let me know. He never asked me to, and I worked hard at building a career and network for myself in Seattle, WA. Everything collapsed when he passed. Because of all the change, a new life opened itself up to me. I put my things in a storage unit and went off to Glastonbury, England, to do Shamanic Practitioner Training.

For months, I underwent intensive healing, training, and traveling. The whole time I was consumed by such fear and worry. What was I going to do with my life? How would I earn an income? Where would I live? How would the art of my past blend with my newfound spirituality and a life as a healer? Or should I just let go of everything I ever loved? I waited for someone to drop a solution into my lap. A job, a project, an answer. Anything.

During a visit with one of my Shamanic Teachers, who also happens to be an Esoteric Astrologer, I got my answer. I was told that I should put together a One Woman Show. Something inside of me lit up. Yes! This is what I needed to do! But what would the show be about? My creativity was unfocused and unmotivated. Time and trust proved themselves to be great teachers and allies.

Lying in my sleeping bag, feeling the Earth beneath me, I was looking up at the inside of a Marquee in the middle of a gorgeously green piece of land. My first night of the Ayahuasca ceremony was near its end. Light was pouring in, and I could hear birds awakening and singing their songs of the morning. In this peace, a word presented itself to me: Letters. I thought of all the letters I have written throughout my life, even many of my emails are written as letters. This was it. The next piece to my new puzzle, or as I like to call it, a spiritual clue.

Later that month, I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, taking in as much of the Fringe Festival as I could handle. My same teacher had told me to go there to absorb as much  creativity as I could and learn what I need to do to take my show to the Fringe Festival in 2012. I was following that plan and having an incredible time. More clues were given to me. I knew the show would focus around grief. Should I tell my story? Should it be letters I’ve written to people that reveal my grief? I went and saw a One Woman Show where the woman recited letters the whole time to her lover. I had a realization: I should not do that. It was horribly boring. Later as I was walking, I suddenly understood that this show was not meant for me to wallow or be self-indulgent. In fact, this show isn’t about me at all. It’s about all of us, any one of us, who has lost someone we love, or know someone who has lost someone. Grief is a human experience. The show is a place to express and explore our love and our grief. It’s a place to honor those who have moved on into whatever comes after this life. It is a place for understanding and healing. To know that not one of us is alone, no matter how isolated we may feel from our grieving.

Conversations with other Shamanic friends led to all of these enlightened ideas, including the idea of this website. It is a free space to express whatever it is that you want to someone who has passed away. Write a letter or a poem. Send in a song or a video. It can be anonymous. Your privacy will be protected. And whatever you send in may be used in the show. I am going to incorporate everything I can, and I will switch out letters and videos to keep each show unique.

Please share this site with anyone you feel may benefit from it. Come back and read more letters as they’re submitted. Start discussions with comments. Support one another. Keep updated by following The Dearest Project on Facebook and Twitter. And support the show, as it will go on tour in 2012 in America and The UK. This is a place of healing, understanding, love, and community.

If you would like to get more involved in The Dearest Project, please feel free to send me an email.

Wishing all of you much love and many blessings.

~Morgan Elizabeth

Creator of The Dearest Project

morgan@morygliz.com

Submit: submissions@thedearestproject.com

Facebook: facebook.com/thedearestproject

Twitter: @dearestproject