the "omm" story

"Life is a good teacher and a good companion, but don't expect it to settle down. It won't." ​—Pema Chödrön

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Creativity has always been a thread running through my life.

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Through music, design, storytelling, and the occasional entrepreneurial experiment fueled by too much coffee and a hopeful amount of determination — I feel that continually creating is an inseparable part of who I am. 

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For years, music has been one of the clearest ways I express myself—writing songs, performing, and connecting with people through shared stories.​

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It gives me a place to experiment. To collaborate with other musicians, organizations, and people in my community. To take ideas that existed only in my head and turn them into something tangible. To move through difficult times and come out on the other side - changed, but somehow still whole. 

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Omm originally stood for "Om Mani Mama," my own twist on the Sanskrit mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, which loosely translates to: "The jewel is in the lotus." This mantra has profound meaning, particularly in Tibetan Buddhism. ​The guiding principle it carries is about transformation: 

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• The jewel symbolizes compassion and altruistic intention

• The lotus symbolizes wisdom and purity (no mud, no lotus)

• Together, they represent the union of compassion and wisdom, which is said to be the path to enlightenment

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Om Mani Mama was my way of bringing some motherly energy and guidance into my own quest for enlightenment — guidance I felt I did not receive in my childhood due to a physical and emotional distance from my mother, who moved to another state when I was four years old, and essentially exited my life. It's complicated, but that's the jist.

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Om Mani Mama arose later in my adult life, shortly after I became a mother myself. It's had several iterations as far as professional goals - starting out as an apparel business (twice over), spending some time as music production company, promoting my own music and art ventures, and even some mindfulness-related activities like yoga and community meditation offerings. 

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Right now, as I write this, Summer 2026 is beginning to wind down and I am once again called to reflect on all of the twists and turns, ups and downs my life has taken. Remarkably, Omm has seen me through many of these seasons, and it's trajectory has closely mirrored my own. 

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I'm not entirely sure what the next steps are, if I'm being honest. I've pared my pursuits down to mostly music performance and finding small ways to support, encourage, and build community in my little corner of the world. I think that's how we'll inevitably survive this difficult season - music, art, and community. ​​​

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