The first time I met Masooma Kachelo she was wearing a multi-coloured wig, fitted jeans and a white fluffy jacket with inbuilt flashing lights. And that was just the first of SO MANY spectacular incarnations of her that I’ve witnessed!

Masooma’s life has been characterised by movement, change and adaptation. Her story contains moments of darkness - please be warned that there are conversations in this episode about trauma, addiction, abduction and depression - but there is always a rich thread of light, humour and beauty running through it.

Masooma has reinvented herself more times that anyone I’ve ever met. She describes her career as having taken the shape of a snake, and like a snake, she has shed her skin many times, revealing herself to be a fashion designer, a makeup artist, a therapist and a ceremonial creatrix. She says, “Don’t worry about the what. Worry about the who. Find out who you are, and everything else will work out.”

There are so many pearls of wisdom in this beautiful conversation with Masooma. You can find out more about her work by following her on Instagram, or by emailing her directly at weworshipwildly@gmail.com

Please enjoy this conversation with the amazing Masooma Kachelo.

And I’d love to hear from you too!

If anything in this episode has inspired you to see the world a little differently or to expand your own horizons in any way, I’d so love to hear from you. Please drop a note in the comments, or send me a message about a story you’d like to share.

And if you’d like to talk about your own experiences of living away from your home nation, please let me know!

Let’s come together to share stories of the things we’ve witnessed, so that we can learn from one another and see that, despite the differences in the details of our stories, we’re all global citizens of one beautiful and intricately interconnected world.

With love and light

Michelle xxx

I’d love it so much if you could add your voice to the Oblivious Witness community. I want to know about the things you’ve witnessed! To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

MUSIC: Defining Life, by Bill Conn

PHOTOGRAPHY: Michelle Neeling

Written and produced by Michelle Neeling

Get full access to Oblivious Witness at michelleneeling.substack.com/subscribe

72: Elle Rowley’s Advice for Moms: A Candid Convo about Covid Survival, PPD, and Being Intentionally Positive in Uncertainty