A Berkeley-born spirit, I found the deepest healing in a McKees Rocks circle

April Jackson, a coach, consultant and educator, sits at the Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource) I spent much of my life trying to share health and well-being. When my body faltered and my spirit sagged, the women I’d been trying to help, helped me in my greatest time of need. First-person essay by April Jackson, For PublicSource Once a week in a softly lit room, a circle of chairs awaits gathering souls, each one a beacon of solace in the dimness. This is a space we consider sacred. Tonight as we embark upon another Placed Based Healing Affinity Circle, the air carries a weight of shared sorrow and a lot of hope. The sorrow stems from the deepest and most sudden of losses: The deaths of children to gun violence. The hope comes from the community we’re working together to mend. This sacred space is adorned with flickering candles, fragrant flowers, the gentle hum of a singing bowl and the fellowship that comes from sharing time with one another. Our community has agreed to hold space for each other, to respect one another and to avoid harming one another....