Authentic Being
My spiritual exploration continually reveals a mystery that seems to ask nothing of me except AUTHENTIC BEING. For me, this is characterized by relentless creativity, unbound spirituality, and a constant longing to evolve - which involves a great deal of passion, intensity, eccentricity, whimsy, sensitivity, contradiction, and uncertainty along with my cockamamie but often visionary, sometimes profound, and usually worthwhile ideas!
I endeavor to meet clients and students with curiosity and compassion, insight and imagination, grace and humility. Please be encouraged to reach out - I'd love to hear some of your story and what inspires and sustains you! I also invite you to explore some of the Expressive Arts & Mindfulness Sessions I am offering or continue reading below to learn more about my spiritual journey.
Spirituality
I was raised Catholic and was devoted to the Church for many years. My spiritual path has since led me to investigate practices and expressions of faith from many different wisdom traditions, and I continue to be guided and informed by a persistent curiosity and a desire to deepen my understanding of what it means to be a spiritual being.
Given my background, you might be curious how I approach spirituality in my work - and rightly so. I think this is best explained by recounting a training on spirituality with Arbor Hospice: The chaplain leading the session lit a single candle, closed her eyes, and after a long, quiet pause, asked for a definition of spirituality. She opened her eyes, listened to and acknowledged each of the shared responses in turn, and then she said something that has become integral to my perspective: "You must remember that spirituality is whatever the person you're working with says that it is."
If you're willing to share your journey with me, I will respect whatever source you call on for wisdom, guidance, meaning, and inspiration.
Householder
I claim "Householder" as one of my many callings. I was first introduced to the role of a householder when I encountered the story of Dipa Ma, a Buddhist teacher who - unlike monks who choose to leave their homes and families to pursue a religious life - incorporated her spiritual journey into her home life and supported her family by teaching mindfulness practices in the midst of her household responsibilities.
As an independent artist and private educator, I do much of my work at home, while also being largely responsible for the care of our household and children. I have found it crucial to integrate my personal and professional life in ways that allow me to be more invested in both. For me, much like for Dipa Ma, the roles that I inhabit at home and those that make up my creative and professional pursuits are informed by my ongoing spiritual and artistic growth. It is with this perspective that I welcome clients and students into our home to share some of the wisdom and practices I have learned along the way.
Spiritual Practice
Like many others who reach mid-life grappling with some significant life transitions, I have been drawn into a greater curiosity about how I can best offer my gifts, talents, and resources in service to others. Much of the work I pursued during my yoga teacher training involved meditation practices focused on the uncovering of my “dharma code” or individual expression of my soul’s purpose. This process of self-discovery has underpinned my continued development through the Authentic Movement Practice, a meditative, improvisatory practice that heightens one's awareness of embodied thoughts, impulses, and consciousness. More recently, I began working with a spiritual director exploring the Ennegram, a model of nine distinct worldviews/ archetypes that resonate with the way people think, feel and act in relation to the world, others and themselves. All of this has led me deeper into my own artistry and has inspired me to offer opportunities for others to explore the creative arts as a means to deepen spiritual and personal growth through a variety of artistic, meditative, and therapeutic practices. I am eternally grateful to the countless people who have shared their own truths throughout my journey and, in so doing, have greatly illuminated my path!
