A Broad

Hi! I’m Natalie. I’m a 2nd generation Lebanese-Canadian writer and filmmaker living in Türkiye and Canada.

I’m also a Buddhist lay teacher in the lineage of Namgyal Rinpoche. And I’m in 12-step recovery.

So, pretty typical.

Here you will find personal writing about creating connection and building community within our colonizing, capitalist, increasingly isolated, incredibly f***ed up system. Themes include:

• addiction and recovery

• Buddhism and faith (from a feminist, activist, swear-word-heavy perspective)

• travel (and food)

• stories from those who were born here, and those who have no choice but to live here

• dating, relationships and singleness in midlife

• life in a tiny Turkish mountain village and also a small Turkish seaside city

• really old places

• my neurotic but beloved dog, Django, who comes with me almost everywhere.

I practice the tradition of “dana” here, as I do in my teaching.

Dana means ‘generosity’ or ‘free will offering’.

Or, as Caitlin Johnstone puts it:

I [want] to write about the healthiest things I can possibly write about from the healthiest parts of myself, and if I'm going to get paid I want it to be by the healthiest impulses of the healthiest sort of people.

If you enjoy A Broad, want more of it, and are in a position to do so, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

The more people who pay to receive this newsletter, the more time I can devote to writing it.

Most importantly: I’m really glad you’re here.

1. more about the filmmaking stuff here and also here

2. to get info about weekly meditation sessions or Tarot time, you can respond by email to this newsletter