On the outside, my summer was peppered with summery things: a regional Burning Man festival with dear friends, a sunrise wedding on Vancouver island where Shane and I taught a Lindy Hop class, a self-guided retreat on Cortes Island with delicious meals from world-class chefs, a spontaneous salmon swim in Campbell River where the salmon are making their way back to their original waters and a Lindy Hop dance intensive on Labor Day weekend! So much to be grateful for!!
On the inside, my year has been etched by the wear and tear of many kinds of challenges. Feeling the ghostly tentacles of fatigue and cynicism pulling on me, I’m relieved to still feel my purpose and my spirit when I’m working with my beloved clients. (I have such deep admiration and appreciation for the magical humans I’ve worked with in the Sacred Dream program!)
Ironically, while in the throes of such a stormy season of life, I am also writing about the path of disenchantment and re-enchantment in my first book, the Unicorn Principles. Amid this year’s unusually sunny spring and summer, a mysterious inner force motivated me to keep working away inside my writing cave. It’s been a long labor that is both sacred AND profane, yet I still don’t know when the baby will arrive!
“Here there be Monsters and Magic” is the title of chapter 1. So far, I’ve written close to 90 pages though 30 pages are likely part of another work. I’m slowly moving through a contemplative process that reflects a journey of 37 years. Part of this book is inspired by my former life as a misanthrope (a hater of humanity) and the impacts of deep cynicism. But more of the book is about the long quiet path that brings us back to life and the power of imagination mixed with genuine compassion.
When I began my life’s work as a teacher of inner work 14 years ago, one major theme of this path is to help people find either the Sacred IN the Profane or the Sacred AND Profane. Just like there is often comedy issuing from tragedy OR tragedy and comedy happening at the same time, it is enriching to perceive both threads and embrace the duality.
When we ignore the joyful, hilarious or beautiful and only see the profane, we lose our magic and divinity. On the other hand, when we deny the sadness, pain or ugliness and only admit the sacred, we lose our authenticity and humanity.
For a decade, I playfully surfed the waves of the Sacred & Profane but over the last 5 years, there have been some surprising bouts of existential crisis. It has been humbling and hilarious to see how my visceral connection with the Profane is important for this book. “Keepin’ it real” as some may say. Or “write what you know” as others would say.
The practice of re-enchantment also confirms that my sacred dream is to help myself and others create beauty and meaning from what is hard, uncomfortable or frightening. To find magic in the monsters. To express love in the loss. To share teachings in the turmoil.
This great act of the imagination is not a flight of fancy, but a poetic expression of the soul’s unfathomable creative capacity.
To explore the monsters and magic further, I cordially invite you to join me this September 2019 for a few journeys! If it’s the right time for you, I would be honored to work with you!
Learn more about of Monsters & Magic
~ Exploring the Sacred & Profane (online class on Sept.23, 2019)
Learn more about the 4 Virtues Assessment and Class
~ Exploring your soul expression profile (online class Sept.30 or Oct.1)
