MY STORY
In the late 90's I moved to Western North Carolina after having earned a Bachelors in Fine Arts at the College of Charleston. Soon thereafter I enlisted in a massage therapy program and upon completion began working in an acupuncture clinic under the tutelage of Cissy Majebe, OMD who introduced me to the fundamentals of traditional healing. I eventually became a birth doula and completed a certification program in clinical herbalism with a focus on female endocrinology which led to an internship with Dr Rosita Arvigo in the rainforest region of Belize, Central America. It was there that I was initiated into a lineage of Mayan spiritual healing passed down from a native H’men named Don Elijio Panti. His teachings were the bedrock for much of the spiritual work and plant medicine that I used with clients for the duration of my career.
In 2010, after many years of running my own practice and working with various integrative modalities, I began training as an interfaith minister at The New Seminary in New York City, founded by Rabbi Joseph Gelberman. I considered myself highly spiritual but not religious, and this caused a stir amongst some of my conservative peers who believed that to officiate a marriage one needed to choose a religious path. It posed an ethical conundrum for me that ultimately led to my dropping out of seminary and moving to New Orleans where some very special teachers shared their wisdom freely and influenced my life in profound ways.
MY VISION
During that first summer during the Covid 19 outbreak, a wave of activism spread across the nation. The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor sparked a movement that was clearly aided by a brief but glorious pause in our capitalist agenda. People had the time, energy and combined resource to speak truth to power in a way many of us haven't seen in our lifetime. The combined efforts of each generation, young and old, made it very clear- systemic change requires constant unified pressure. It is in this spirit of mutual aid that I approach the undeniable symptoms of the climate emergency and all branches of oppression- including who we are "allowed" to love.
In 2018 I confidently began officiating marriage ceremonies with an emphasis on LGBTQ and mixed race / mixed faith couples (which you can read more about here).
I am sharing this because I believe in transparency. You should know who you are working with before you sign on, and my vision is to work with people who share the same hopes, dreams, and values that I have for an equitable, sustainable society. If you feel energized after reading this then I very much look forward to working with you and co-creating a truly sacred experience for your special event.
During that first summer during the Covid 19 outbreak, a wave of activism spread across the nation. The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor sparked a movement that was clearly aided by a brief but glorious pause in our capitalist agenda. People had the time, energy and combined resource to speak truth to power in a way many of us haven't seen in our lifetime. The combined efforts of each generation, young and old, made it very clear- systemic change requires constant unified pressure. It is in this spirit of mutual aid that I approach the undeniable symptoms of the climate emergency and all branches of oppression- including who we are "allowed" to love.
In 2018 I confidently began officiating marriage ceremonies with an emphasis on LGBTQ and mixed race / mixed faith couples (which you can read more about here).
I am sharing this because I believe in transparency. You should know who you are working with before you sign on, and my vision is to work with people who share the same hopes, dreams, and values that I have for an equitable, sustainable society. If you feel energized after reading this then I very much look forward to working with you and co-creating a truly sacred experience for your special event.
Justin Nunnink photography
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