Aptitude, yearning, calling

In working with my clients and with students I get asked questions about having a calling, about service or healing work, about individual paths and what people are ‘meant’ to do.  In orthodox religions there are structures in place with defined roles and boundaries that help people make choices about their spirituality, what activities or…

New Democracies

When an activity is new or new to you it can be exciting an awkward and joyous and full of missteps and stepping back to take another run at it.  Forming a new government works pretty much the same way.  Take out the old government, not just the people but the roles that they played,…

Thoughts on Consecration

Consecration is not a single act, although it is most often associated with the pomp and ceremony of initially opening a space.  Consecration is an ongoing process, an act repeated and reiterated through time building layers of dedication and actions like the rings of a tree, which grows in stature and majesty year on year. …

Identities and Memories

“Identities and memories are not things we think about, but things we think with.” – John R. Gilles I’ve been thinking a lot about memorials and monuments and public memory and political power through voice because of the new class I’m writing for DailyOm.com on Sacred Space.  There’s a lot to think about when you…

Turn Down The Noise

It is common for me to hear from clients that what I’m telling them is not new news.  They have usually been to other spiritual practitioners,  energy workers, astrologers, tarot readers, and have been told the same thing over and over.  Which is validating for me personally, but leads me to the question, “Why do…

It’s How You Say It

Communication is a tricky at the best of times.  We are using symbols, vocalizations, physical gestures, pictures or writing, to represent meaning in such a way as to impress that meaning on others.  It is up to the receiver to interpret those symbols and react to them accordingly.  And every living being has experiences, possibly…

The Illusion of Stability

Modern society has changed our lives dramatically.  So much that we live under the illusion that climate doesn’t affect us and we don’t affect it.  That food has no source except a store or a restaurant and it is ever-present and plentiful. And that we can have safety and security, with random occurrences of harm…

Totems can be challenging

Most people think of totems or animal guides as a figurine you collect, pictures you post or hang, or designs on t-shirts.  Rarely does anyone actual….gasp…interact with an animal they are attracted to.  I mean, how many people actually go out to be close to an eagle or even out to see where they might…

Anything but THAT!

Ever had family or friends or a colleague who had an issue?  Well, a problem?  Yeah, in the corporate world it’s called a challenge, but I’m not feeling PC at the moment so let’s be pragmatic, shall we? Notice that everyone but them knows about the problem?  Can see what it’s doing to them?  The…

What’s past is prologue

Just like personal past or history or baggage, however you want to look at it, Past Lives inform our current existence.  We are what we have been and only have what we have created to work with in this life. So to a certain extent remembering where we have been, what we have done, what…