In alignment with his wishes, we're collecting funds for Jaya's body to be transformed into soil through Recompose  (https://recompose.life/) and for other after-life services. "Recompose uses the principles of nature to transform our dead into soil". Jaya was excited about recomposition - frequently "nerding" about it, along with other nuggets about soil science and passion for life's mysteries. Additional funds will go to Jaya’s favored causes. 
 
Jaya (Jake) Palmer delved deep —

 

If you've locked eyes together,
if you've seen his hands in soil,
if you've danced alongside him,
if you’ve received his touch,
if you've felt his anger,
if you've witnessed his joy —

you know Jaya's interest in delving deep.

 

Jaya delved into his pain — staunchly exploring darkness

Jaya delved into growth — cultivating life in the earth and expansion in us

Jaya delved into joy — finding wonder and magic in things big and small.

 

For so much of his life, Jaya quested for ‘truth’. He’d simultaneously pin down reality and support its slip between our fingertips. He took us on magical and sometimes infuriating knowledge-riddled rides only to know — well, to know we know nothing:

 

“Pick a part and play your role

Or pick yourself apart until

You see how little there is to control

And find solace in just being still

 

I’m an actor

On the largest stage

Built by some humans

Or some cosmic designer

 

I am a dancer

Making shapes in infinite space

As if I could fill dimensions

With anything but intention

 

I am a writer

With so many words

Merely gesturing at something ineffable

That words dilute”

- Jaya, October 2021

In the wake of his death, no words but Jaya’s come close to pinning his existence down. His multidimensionality continues to grow beyond even his — and our — comprehension. What a profound opportunity Jaya has left us with — to consider him in the trees, to know his consciousness in ours, and to choose to bring his light, our light, with us when we enter our own darkness:

 

“You can transmute this.

And you can change your plans over and over again.

All you can really rely on is your own breath.

Coming in and out. Make it all that matters. The only thing you can control”

- Jaya, 2021

On Jaya’s windowsill and on his desk, and in the other spaces he’s designed, there were plants rooting --

plants growing and finding light;

plants offering kindness and resilience amidst the decomposing soil.

 

We continue to honor, understand, and feel Jaya and the wisdoms unearthed by his existence:

 

“Maybe you feel the allure and relief of the afterlife

Maybe you’ll reunite with everyone else who doesn’t get to have a body anymore

And we’ll be waiting to see if our souls remember anything

Or maybe you’ll just be letters and pictures and dust and dirt”

- Jaya,  October 23 2021

As we collect our pictures, our letters, and grow beautiful connections through Jaya’s existence, we honor his body’s continuing contribution to life. We honor his words to become “dust and dirt”, as well as his continued growth.

 

“I have a complicated relationship with plants —”.

- Jaya, November 2021 

Funds collected will go towards costs of his re-composition through Recompose and additional funds will be sent to Jaya's favored causes.