Offerings, Gifts, & Invitations
Following the thing that pulls you
There are some moments when we experience a knowing that is beyond the comprehension of our mind. It may be ineffable or fleeting yet we find we can’t argue with it.
This is what happened when I was 18 and I chose to pursue a path in process-oriented psychology. I’d only read a few books about the approach, but what I read resonated with me, in a way other books had not. Reading the words I felt a knowing ring through me like a bell. I didn’t fully understand this experience, but I did not question it because it felt connected to something larger and supportive.
So I decided to embark on this path. It wasn’t until a year after making my decision that I arrived at an understanding as to why this was the direction for me.
“We exist in a field of information that's always there, and always available to us. Because of this, we are never alone.”
These were the words that Emetchi, a wonderful teacher at the Process Work Institute, said in a class I attended many years ago. It was a summer day in Portland, Oregon and we were about to move into an experiential exercise to apply the theory we’d been exploring.
Hearing these words sent ripples throughout my entire being. They bumped up against belief systems that I didn’t even know were there, ones that said “I was alone,” or that “I had to figure things out myself.” As they moved through me their resonance pushed aside beliefs that had been keeping parts of me separate and isolated.
We exist in a field of information that's always there.
Learning that we exist in fields of information gave me a sense of solace. In many ways, it felt like a homecoming. Looking back I’d followed the pull and left ‘home’ only to return to a new home. This new home which came through a process-oriented approach, helped me see how I am always held in a field that is constantly offering me resources. Relating to the world in this way opened me up and invited awe to move through me, in the same way, it did when I was a child.
Later I learned how these resources arise through pre-signals and signals; soundbites of information that occur through our senses. In a way, our senses are apertures of our perception, they open and close to calibrate our experience of reality according to what catches our attention.
Sometimes what catches our attention resonates with our identity, other times it challenges us and nudges us out of our comfort zone. Yet even in the face of challenges, be it a relationship conflict, illness, or a community issue, we are never alone because we exist in a field of information. This field can also be understood as nature.
No matter where we are it’s always there. In the midst of the city or even on an airplane, it’s always there. We are it, and it moves through us.
When we relate to the fields of information from a place of awe, the background of our own being steps forward and more of our wholeness can flow into our lives. Sometimes we may know something but not understand it until later. But when we reach this understanding and more of our wholeness comes forward we may discover a deeper sense of belonging in the fields we exist within.
What I’m reading:
The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain,
by Annie Murphy Paul
What if our best thinking happens outside of our brain?
This book explores dominant assumptions about the mind and how these influence our ideas of intelligence and what it means to think. I’m only a few chapters in yet am enjoying this book thoroughly.
Stalking Wild Psoas: Embodying Your Core Intelligence,
by Liz Koch
Last week I listened to a conversation on zoom between my dear friend Sarah Bryden of Elemental Self and Liz Koch. I’ve known Sarah for several years, yet Liz is new to me. The two met through studying with our mutual teacher Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Sarah works as a nature guide, who brings myth into the backpacking journeys she leads. She also works with archetypal Chi Gong.
Hearing Liz speak about engaging different systems in our body to shift our perception and move between form and formlessness inspired me to read Liz’s book, Stalking Wild Psoas. In ‘Stalking,’ she unpacks dominant assumptions about the ‘core by decolonizing the popular mechanistic thinking of psoas as muscle.’ She describes the psoas ‘as a vital, intelligent messenger that links us to an expansive network of profound possibilities.’
What I’m listening to:
From Perception to Meaning-Making - John Vervaeke & Amanda Blake
What is 4E cognition?
How do we create meaning?
This podcast delves into these questions and many more. John Vervaeke and Amanda Blake explore topics such as meaning-making and the role of ‘perceptual narrowing’ in addiction. Vervaeke offers comprehensive theory and Blake grounds the ideas with relevant examples for coaches and those in helping professions. I listened to it once, and know that I’ll be listening to it again very soon.
Upcoming classes!
Constellations: A 4-month Group Focused on Cultivating Clarity and Knowing
Over the past few years, of teaching classes, I’ve had the experience that teaching 1-3 classes isn’t always enough. Often unexpected insights will arise in class as well as between sessions. Yet with limited time and a certain structure, we can only go so far together.
The intention of Constellations is to offer just enough structure and a consistent rhythm within which we can connect with each other and explore the themes of each session. It will offer space for individual reflection and other insights and activities to arise as the months unfold.
The series will include, a 105min session each month, and office hours between. t
Each session I’ll share some content, in the form of reflection prompts, metaphor and theory. There will also be time for reflection and experiential exercises. Together we will explore practices for staying connected to your inner knowing and aligning with clarity. There are two spots left!
Learn more HERE.
On September 27th, my wonderful Converge colleague Carri Munn and I will be facilitating NLS.
This cohort-style learning experience is focused on the core facets of leading networks. Over the course of 8 sessions starting, we’ll build our confidence as network leaders and hone our capacities to engage complexity. Together we’ll explore frameworks for network coordination and focus on applying a network mindset in practice.
By the conclusion of our learning journey, you’ll have practical next steps to better engage your networks and relationships with network peers for ongoing communication and support.