A Sacred Journey

practicing pilgrimage at home and abroad

Finding Myself on the Interior Journey (Plus 3 Tips to Help You Find Your Way, Too)

I’m interrupting this June blog break to let you know that my first post on Susan Cain’s new website, Quiet Revolution, has finally published! This journey has been a long time coming, so I’m so excited to finally see my words in print…er, on the screen. Read a preview below and pop on over to read the rest of the post! I’d love to see your own reflections over there in the comments section—I know you’ll be able to relate!

Image from Quiet Revolution

Image from Quiet Revolution

I grew up in a large evangelical church filled with constant activity.

We’d gather twice on Sundays and once on Wednesday evenings for Sunday School, worship, and fellowship (a word that seems to be used only by churches these days, often in conjunction with that other F-word: food). This activity-oriented approach to spirituality was especially true of youth group, where my faith was formed and informed by the exterior world in largely extroverted ways.

In the small town where I lived, youth group was the place to be, and mine was the group to belong to. Because we were young, we had even more activities than the average church-goer. (Capture the Flag, anyone? How about a relay race that involves Jell-O, marshmallows, and eating a cow’s tongue?) Sure—I loved the hay rides, the retreats, and the hours playing cards on our way to our next mission trip destination. But looking back, I realize I was always floating along amidst this flurry of youth-oriented activities with little opportunity to land—something my introverted nature desperately needed in order to maintain a sense of clarity and rootedness.

Back then, I didn’t know what it meant to be an introvert; I’d never even heard the word. What I did know was that it was good to be social, good to be involved. It was also good to invite friends, to pray out loud, and to stand and sing each and every word (bonus points for raising your hands in abandoned praise). As a good Christian girl, I did all the good things without question. This is faith, we were shown. Was there any other way?…

Read the rest of the post at Quiet Revolution »

Practice: Welcoming Your Emotions (+ a meditation inspired by Rumi)

Guest House, Rumi

I first discovered the wonderful world of the Sufi mystic, Rumi, almost five years ago through his poem, “The Guest House.”

It was the beginning of a season of self-discovery as well as an introduction to self-care for me, and Rumi’s declaration was both radical and freeing. I wanted his words to be a daily invitation, and so I commissioned a friend to write out and illustrate the poem so I could frame it.

The framed poem and illustration now hangs above the corner chair in which I practice centering prayer (almost) every morning, and I secretly hope that as I sit there in silence it beams its wisdom on me from above since I’ll forever be a novice at welcoming all the parts of myself, learning anew each and every day.

Here’s the beloved poem, “The Guest House,” as translated by Coleman Barks:

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

This evening my “Pilgrim Principles” class at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will meet for the first time and we’ll be exploring the first pilgrim principle: “A pilgrim looks for the Sacred in the Quotidian.”

The pilgrim knows that even the most ordinary aspects of our days can serve as windows to the Divine. One everyday aspect that is often overlooked, and yet can consistently offer insight into our soul and the work of God within our lives, is our everyday emotions. Inspired by Rumi’s poem, this evening we’ll be participating in a meditation that encourages us to welcome the emotions that greet us each day, and I want to share it with you here so you can journey with us from afar.

MEDITATION

Find a comfortable spot free of distraction and have your journal close by. Settle in with a few moments of silence and steady breathing and then direct your mind to the emotions that have decided to greet you today. Some might be obvious, such as worry that already has your mind racing or relief brought about by a slow day ahead. Other emotions might be lurking in the background, not as easily translatable but still present, such as shame or sadness.

Take a few moments to explore these emotions, not going too deeply, just simply noticing their presence. As you notice them, acknowledge and welcome them, no matter how uncomfortable or unsettling they might be.

close your eyes and explore your emotions for a few minutes, welcoming them

Now go a bit deeper with the emotions present, especially the ones that are surprising or strange, and begin to wonder what they might be trying to tell you. Do this internally first, making space for the Sacred Guide to give you insight rather than allowing your analytical brain to take over.

close your eyes again and spend a few minutes wondering about what your emotions might be trying to say

Close your meditation with a breath of gratitude for your emotions and what they communicate to you, and then write down any new discoveries as a reminder of what your feelings can convey. As you go about your day, carry the purpose of this meditation with you in your heart. Become aware of your emotions as they arise, welcoming them and finding Sacred meaning within. You might be surprised at the wisdom found in things so seemingly ordinary.

(Meditation excerpted from Pilgrim Principles: Journeying with Intention in Everyday Life.)

GO FURTHER…

How can you begin to welcome your emotions as they come to you each day rather than rejecting them or pushing them away? Share your response to the question or the post in the comments.

When I Discover All of My Desires Being Met (+ pictures of our new house)

Stained Glass on the Front Door

morning glow through the stained glass on the front door

Abundance.
Valued.
Settled.
Energized.
Ease.

These are the Core Desired Feelings that emerged when I revisited The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte in April. (Read my Core Desired Feelings from my first time working through the book here.) When I named these desires as my season of asking “What’s growing?” came to an end, they seemed so accurate and filled me with hope of the new season to come.

front of the house

front of the house

And yet, with house-hunting and many ten-hour work days these past few months, they became the furthest things from my mind. In stolen moments where I paused to breathe, I often wondered, “What ever happened to ease?” But before I had the chance to clear a path to pursue it, life’s tornado would come by, sweeping me up again into it’s ever-twisting funnel.

living room, with stained glass and leaded windows on each end

living room, with stained glass and leaded windows on each end

Last week, though, after signing the final papers for our house, saying good-bye to The Seattle School staff as I left my role as Content Curator, and packing up 25 boxes of books, I decided to take a final pause in our tiny garden—one of my favorite places over the past six months—and intentionally revisit these Core Desired Feelings in this season of change.

Are they being met? I wondered. Am I choosing to seek them? Where am I making choices against them?

the dining room, with a view of the kitchen in the back and a curious puppy getting acquainted his new home

the dining room, with a view of the kitchen in the back and a curious puppy getting acquainted with his new home

Right now I am indeed at a threshold. It would be easy to miss it, though, if I instead focused solely on my growing list of to-dos, which is an ever-present temptation (along with its neighboring itch, figuring things out). What surprised me, then, despite my continual distractedness, is that as I brought these Core Desired Feelings out of the vault in which they had been kept these past many months, I realized that things have been falling into place without any conscious action on my part.

New House: Bedroom 1

first downstairs bedroom

I stand at this threshold—between working part-time at The Seattle School and returning full-time to A Sacred Journey; between nine years of seemingly nomadic living and my very first house of my own; between what has been and what will be for my family, my vocation, and my life—and as I take the time to sit back and truly see, I’m surprised and humbled to find all of these Core Desired Feelings already being met.

second bedroom on the first floor

second downstairs bedroom

As this roller coaster of a summer began to slow down and I revisited these Core Desired feelings, I at first felt guilt that I’d missed four good months of pursuing these feelings. But then I began to wonder—if prayer is truly communion with God and the sharing of your delights, doubts, and desires with the Divine, then perhaps these Core Desired Feelings emerged four months ago as a prayer of the soul, released into the heavens and captured by the One who sows life. Perhaps God has been tending to these desires all along, even without my constant vigilance. (Imagine that!)

first floor bathroom and second floor bathroom

first floor bathroom and second floor bathroom

Or, perhaps the realization that these Core Desired Feelings are being met is simply a shift in perception, brought to the surface in the slow, silent moments when I finally choose to pause. Could the two be so different? After all, A Course in Miracles (popularized by Marianne Williamson, among others) defines a miracle as a shift in perception, and finding these Core Desired Feelings met without much effort on my part undoubtedly seems like the work of the Divine.

second floor master suite (formerly an the attic)

second floor master suite (formerly an the attic)

Whatever it is, I’m starting to take notice, and I think that’s the part of the equation I’ve been missing all along. There’s so much value in setting intentions and choosing to make changes when circumstances are getting in the way of your True Self, but it can also leave a future-tripper like me always striving for what’s next and never sinking into what is.

the backyard

the backyard

As I cross this threshold, I want to practice awareness and continue to set intentions and make changes as I pursue my Core Desired Feelings, but I also want to add a new practice into the mix so I’m not missing the work of the Sacred Guide as I’m caught up in my own master plan. I want to name the things that bring me life, count my blessings, and recognize the areas in which my desires are already being met—resting in abundance, being valued, feeling settled and energized, experiencing ease. Because if their source is Sacred, I’ll find them there, waiting—every last one.

GO FURTHER…

When have you been surprised to find your desires met without your effort? When have you found prayers answered that you didn’t even know you had? Leave your response to the question or the post in the comments.

PS: Discover your Core Desired Feelings with The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte.

PPS: I’ll be engaging in the Sacred practice of nesting over the next few weeks, and I’ll be sure to share with you pictures of the finished product when I’m done, as well as tips to make nesting a Sacred practice for yourself, too.

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