A Universe Within

How a conversation with the smallest among us brought me back to connection

Dearest Readers,

May you remember that you are never alone. May you feel the presence of life moving within you, around you, and through you. May you come to know yourself not as separate, but as a living collaboration—a conversation between elements, ancestors, and the unseen worlds. May the tiniest beings within you remind you of your immensity, and may their ancient wisdom bring you comfort, connection, and belonging. 💖💖💖

We are each interconnected universes

I recently had a routine medical procedure. In the days leading up to it, I found myself experiencing tremendous anxiety. There were many reasons for the nerves, but the biggest had to do with my phobia of nausea and vomiting. The medical staff was wonderfully helpful and gave me all kinds of reassurance, but the anxiety lingered.

So I turned to my guides, asking them to lead me to whatever would help me feel more accepting and less anxious about what was to come.

Unexpectedly, what they brought me to was the beneficial bacteria within my body.

Bacteria are single-celled organisms that have existed for billions of years. And they account for more than half of what makes up our bodies. We consist of about 30 trillion “human” cells and about 38 trillion bacteria that form the very foundation of our ability to live, breathe, and thrive. They digest our food, regulate our immune system, and even influence our emotions. Beyond our human bodies, bacteria play a vital role in sustaining life on Earth—breaking down organic matter, cycling nutrients, and helping plants grow.

After the surprise wore off, I felt a deep delight in what my guides were showing me. Connecting with these tiny living beings within me—which make up a significant part of what I consider 'me’—was both fascinating and joyful. I could see them moving, growing, and eating, engaging in all the familiar activities of other living creatures. And then, to my amazement, I realized I could hear them.

They told me of how they are simultaneously ancient and brand new. Their lives are short, yet they carry a collective memory, communicating with one another through quorum sensing, sharing knowledge even as they individually experience replication and death. They told me how much they consider themselves to be me.

And then they told me something even more profound: they were likely among the first beings woven together from the elements here on Earth.

Whether we think of the elements as earth, air, water, and fire (as I do) or as the fundamental components of the periodic table, these building blocks of existence are alive and conscious. I believe that all water is one great, interconnected being, as is all air, all earth, and all fire. The elements within me and you are the same elements that flow through all of life, binding us to everything that has ever been. The bacteria within us embody this truth, their elements sharing a consciousness with every cell in our bodies and in all living beings. They are microcosms of the greater whole, constantly engaging in the living conversation of existence.

When I learned all of this, I remembered that I wasn’t alone. That it was actually impossible for me to be alone. Even in my moments of greatest fear, I am part of something boundless, something ancient, something deeply interconnected. And this is true for all of us. We are not isolated beings navigating a cold and indifferent world. We are ecosystems, collectives, collaborations. We are living relationship.

When we feel disconnected, overwhelmed, anxious, or afraid, we can turn inward—not to isolate, but to find our vastness. We can remember that within us, life is always moving, always supporting, always participating in the great cycle of existence.

I thanked my guides and the bacteria for all of this knowing. And in that moment, the anxiety softened. There was trust. There was relationship. There was the knowing that I wasn’t facing this alone—that I was part of something much greater, something that held the experience with me. Through that, I knew I had the capacity for it all. And I know you do too.

A Ritual for Connecting with the Bacteria Within

If you’d like to explore this for yourself, here’s a simple practice:

1. Find a quiet space. Sit or lie down in a position that feels comfortable. Close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths.

2. Place your hands on your belly. Feel the warmth, the movement, the life beneath your skin. Acknowledge that you are not just one being, but a collective. If it feels good, call your guides to you now, inviting their presence and support.

3. Bring your awareness to the elements within. Visualize the minerals in your bones and tissues as earth, the breath moving in and out of your lungs as air, the blood and fluids in your body as water, and the energy within your cells as fire.

4. Turn your attention to the bacteria within you. Imagine them as tiny, sentient beings, carrying ancient wisdom, sustaining you in ways both seen and unseen.

5. Spend time in conversation with your bacteria. Speak to them, and just as importantly, listen. You may not hear anything right away, and that’s okay. Simply being open to receiving messages from them strengthens your connection and deepens the relationship.

6. Express gratitude. In whatever way feels right to you, offer thanks to these tiny beings, to the ways they support and sustain you.

7. Sit with this awareness. Allow yourself to rest in the knowing that you are never alone, that you are part of something ancient, vast, and profoundly interconnected.

In this simple practice, may you come to feel the deep relationship that has always been there, within you and all around you.