About me & my words

Hello & welcome, I'm Aliya (pronounced ah-lee-yah)

I've been "a writer" for as long as I can remember, since I precociously decided that's what I wanted to "be" and do as soon as I learned to read and write. That was some decades ago now.

After a stint in publishing then a career in journalism, and subsequently human rights advocacy and PR, I made one of the best decisions of my life and went freelance. This is now what I do - play with words and invite others to do the same, by way of figuring out how we can connect and communicate clearly, skillfully and kindly.

My essays, poetry, memoir writing and reflective pieces focus primarily on the nuances of recovery, reclamation and restoration of agency and personal narrative. This focus comes from my experience as a child of multiple migratory histories, coupled with my professional experience as a writer, editor, yoga and meditation student and facilitator. I'm currently working on a collection of narrative non-fiction essays about intergenerational healing and reconciliation.

My own, ongoing, experience and explorations of discovery and recovery has taught me several things: the value of disentangling from habits of striving, perfectionism, seeking and self-loathing; that life is a process to be navigated with all its undulations; the practices of observing the mind and working in the interests (rather than punitively resisting the changing rhythms of) the body, are best approached with an attitude of kindness, self acceptance and patience.

In other words, do it, feel it, allow for it, then let it be. In the words of the poet and Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh:

"If we want to survive in our fast paced society that is overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, fear and despair, we have to learn how to deal with it."

That's the gist of what you'll find here....

So what is The most important thing?

First thing to say is that this is an inquiry graciously borrowed from the Zen master Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, whose teachings have been fundamental to my own practice as a writer, Dharma student and practitioner, and teacher/facilitator of the contemplative arts (namely reflective writing, yoga and meditation).

Secondly, I’m not here to tell you dogmatically what the most important thing is. What I am here for is exploration and conversation, and sharing what I’ve found to be true in my own experience – when it comes to trying to live a sane and satisfying life.

I share personal essays and insights into the practice of reflective writing, teachings and wisdom from the Dharma, Yoga and other inspirational sources gathered and applied over a lifetime of wondering about the how, what and why of things. I write about mental health and approaches to mindfulness practice, about intergenerational healing and relationships, and share ideas and practices around wise/skillful communication in terms of how we relate to ourselves and each other.

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A free subscription gets you access to at on new essay each month, delivered straight to your inbox.

With a paid subscription, you'll receive that and much more. You'll be able to join conversations and a community of like-minded people, in a space where we can connect, share and learn from each other - via the comments thread and other forums I've got in mind. You'll also receive a second essay in the form of monthly drop of inspiration with readings and inquiries to use in your own contemplative practice, whether that's creative writing practice, journaling or whatever other means align with your own way of doing and being. And you get Words of Wonder, a monthly digest of all the wisdom I've been soaking up. There will also be audio practices and readings, and of course, you get access to the full archive of everything that's been published before and everything that's still to come. Your very own private library.

Finally, here's where and how else you can find me:

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