Author: Kathy Milano

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Via Sophia: Embodying the Mystical Feminine

Via Sophia has arrived.

This “Way of Wisdom” offers an invitation to step upon a Living Spiral Path and discover a new understanding of what it means to embody the Mystical Feminine.

For the past fifteen years I have lived and taught within the Mystical Feminine. I have sat within many circles and immersions with women as we explored how to practically and powerfully engage Feminine wisdom in everyday life.

Listening deeply to the voices of women walking this path, I noticed something important. 



As women partnered with the Mystical Mothers as loving resources, they discovered kinder ways of living. Trust in Life increased. Trust in the Mothers deepened. And trust in their own inner capacity began to grow.

Yet even with these beautiful discoveries, I continued to see something else. 



Women still struggled with self improvement, the pressure to elevate their spiritual approach, and the endless effort of managing complex lives. Greater peace and compassion were present, yet effort, discouragement, and self judgment often remained.

You’re aware that modern culture trains us women to be productive, accomplished, and constantly giving to others, often at our own expense. 



Many of us quietly carry fatigue, fragmentation, and a subtle erosion of trust in ourselves. It becomes difficult to recognize the natural rhythm of your life when societal expectations are loud and certainty about success is constantly proclaimed.

And then Via Sophia arrived.

Not as a dramatic revelation, but as a quiet whisper pointing toward something deeper beneath cultural conditioning, spiritual expectations, and the constant narration of a busy mind.

I listened closely because I sensed there was more to the path of the Mystical Feminine than I had yet recognized.

What emerged was an ancient orientation toward life that is relational, cyclical, embodied, creative, and inseparable from the natural world. Via Sophia honors rhythm over urgency. Integration over reaction. Depth over display.

As I explored this Way of Wisdom, I discovered that the less I tried to manage my life, the more Life revealed itself.

Far from becoming passive, I learned how to participate directly with the natural rhythm moving through the phases of my own life.

Something changed within my work as well.

As women gathered and slowly relaxed together, nervous systems settled and perception naturally expanded. Within that quiet coherent field, clarity returned. Self trust strengthened. Capacity widened. With less effort, women began to align gently and steadily with what was most important.

When striving softens, you begin to recognize the deeper rhythm already moving through your life.

Via Sophia: Embodying the Mystical Feminine was born from this lived recognition.

 

The Via Sophia 16 Week Immersion offers an intimate Circle of thirteen women a path of discovery about what embodying the Mystical Feminine actually means.

It is not about transforming yourself or rising above your life. It is about inhabiting it more fully in a practical and very human way.

You will explore direct relationship with the intelligence that animates life while remaining rooted in the ordinary.

Along the way you will meet thirteen Mystical Mothers, each illuminating a distinct quality of embodied wisdom. Through guided temple journeys, experiential practices, and shared reflection, you will begin to recognize what has always been quietly alive within you.

Via Sophia unfolds as a Living Spiral. A path of return, deepening, refinement, and integration.

Each encounter with the Feminine Creation Cycle, the Field of Feminine Intelligence, and the Mystical Mothers becomes less about transformation and more about inhabitation. You begin to recognize how compassion, courage, humor, sovereignty, devotion, and beauty naturally arise within ordinary life.

If something in you recognizes this invitation, I invite you to explore the Via Sophia 16 Week Immersion.

You may read the full details on the Via Sophia Immersion page.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Care within the Cold Dark Winter

Driving into Soul Sanctuary last weekend, I noticed the trees were engaged in a wild dance.

I should have paid closer attention as I got out of the car, because the wind nearly took me with it. Walking to the door, I had to lean in and brace myself for a moment just to stay upright. The cold whipped through my clothes and found every uncovered space, sharing its bone-numbing chill.

I’m a bit over the cold, dark days of winter. And it’s only the beginning of February.

I wondered how a child who grew up playing and skiing in the snow could become an adult who avoids the cold like a hot potato.

I’m not alone in feeling that this winter has been long and unrelenting. The cold settled in, the snow kept arriving, and the darkness has lingered a bit too long. I’ve noticed that people who usually move, walk, and gather are sharing a quiet resistance toward going outside.

It’s not dramatic. More like a deep reluctance to push against what is already heavy.

It shows up when you don’t want to go out. You don’t want to muster and you want to stay within the comfort of home. Yet, alongside that is a missing of being outside, walking and breathing, and moving through the world more freely.

I’ve been thinking about how comfort soothes dark and cold times, both with weather and with the circumstances of life.

In Norway, there are months when sunlight disappears almost entirely. People don’t fight the inevitable. They prepare, adapt, and even celebrate the dark cold. They cultivate warmth in their homes with candles, roaring fires, and hearty soups. They strap headlamps on and walk to meet friends at a café or pull bundled-up children on sleds to family gatherings.

Some brave souls even gather at the sea, entering frigid water with hardiness and laughter as a communal ritual. While the thought makes me shudder, I appreciate the reminder that aliveness, in any weather, can be celebrated.

In my neck of the woods, people have grown used to mild winters and a few days of melting snow.

Persistent cold invites retreat inward. In some ways, this mirrors the season of Winter itself. A time to slow down, enjoy the quiet, and allow the body to restore. This is where seeds of inspiration are nourished, waiting for warmer days and heightened energy.

When moods, energy, physical activity, and social engagement dip, there is often a quiet, or not so quiet, voice that says something is wrong.

That you should be handling things better, staying upbeat, being more productive, or pushing through some imagined standard.

What if that story isn’t true? What if this long, dark, cold stretch is asking for a different kind of care, one that doesn’t require justification?

Caring well for yourself in winter invites honoring how your internal rhythms are moving and what you genuinely require at this time.

It’s a season when your system may be conserving energy or seeking comfort because conditions are demanding. Responding accurately means noticing this rather than overriding it. Winter invites choosing warmth, beauty, and pleasure without apologizing for them or framing them as indulgence.

Comfy clothes. Time under blankets. Home-cooked meals. Less socializing and more contemplation.

For most, this isn’t the season for optimization. Winter is the season for tending.

 

You might find yourself drawn to slower mornings, softer lighting, heavier blankets, and food that takes time.

You might want fewer conversations but deeper ones. You might want to read instead of scroll, sit by a window instead of pushing yourself out into the cold, or let your evenings close down naturally rather than staying artificially bright and busy.

It’s also important to discern whether you’re enjoying winter and thriving in the cold, or pushing yourself to maintain a rhythm that’s easier with light and warmth. People vary. It helps to know where you land.

Layered beneath this cold, snowy weather is another kind of winter.

Looking out into the world right now, the climate feels harsh in more ways than one. Division, outrage, harm to people and the environment, and unsettling news create a sense that something essential is being strained or torn.

Witnessing the state of the world can feel like a long season with no clear thaw in sight.

That makes personalized care even more important, not less.

Choosing comfort, warmth, and nourishment, if that’s what’s called for, makes good sense.

It’s wise to harmonize your nervous system, calm your mind, and soothe your emotions. This is how you remain capable of kindness, discernment, and presence when the world feels loud and fractured.

Care doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can be quietly pleasing.

A candle lit for no reason. A meal that actually satisfies. An early night without explanation. A conversation that feels human instead of performative.

You don’t need to earn these things by being productive first. You don’t need to frame them as self-improvement. You are simply responding to Winter as Winter, living in a way that matches your preference and bandwidth.

Movement will return, of course. Light is already on its way. Cold and snow will soften, and days outside will become more inviting.

But those days have not arrived yet. Don’t jump ahead or live as if they have. There’s something deeply supportive about being in sync with your inner rhythm in every season. When you’re not, strain builds inside and everything outside feels harder.

This cold, dark, often windy season asks you to stay close to yourself.

To tend the small hearths of your life in ways that feel pleasing and comforting.

And if you worry that you’re withdrawing too much from the world, be at peace.

This is a time to inhabit the way you’re called to live right now. Close, warm, and true to yourself.

There will be a time to turn outward again. Listen for the inner urge, but there’s no need to move before you’re ready.

Enjoy this time if you can. Seasons change. Light returns. And warmth is always generated from within.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Milo, the Snowstorm, and a Small Lie

We recently had a big snow in my neck of the woods.

Everyone was hunkered down. The fridge was full, chicken soup was bubbling on the stove, and my book pile sat patiently on the coffee table. As the snow covered the neighborhood and the plows dumped fresh mounds over our carefully shoveled walk, we took turns peeking outside.

As a kid, snowstorms were pure joy.

The neighborhood gathered as we went sledding and built snow forts until someone’s mom called us in for hot chocolate or hot maple syrup poured onto pristine snow. After drying off in front of the fire, we played Monopoly until the next outdoor adventure began.

These days, naps and shoveling are more my speed.

“It’s still snowing,” my husband reported for the umpteenth time. Milo, with his nose pressed against the glass, stared longingly at the winter wonderland. After a while, the whole scene became a bit ridiculous.

So I channeled my inner child, bundled up, and took Milo sledding.

It was great fun, the two of us flying down a snowy hill on speedy discs, snow spraying everywhere. You can see for yourself that Milo was living his best winter life.

Except for one thing. At fourteen, Milo is deaf. He can’t walk down steps and he got stuck in the snow the last time he went outside.

So no, we didn’t go sledding.

I’m still laughing at the image I created using Milo’s post-bath photo with the help of ChatGPT. In the midst of all the controversy about AI, it felt worth remembering that a funny image can just be funny, even if it isn’t real.

These days, fake images and fabricated narratives are everywhere. That’s the moment we’re living in, and it will only become more apparent as people become more skilled with AI.

Humans making things up is not new. Civilization itself runs on shared fictions.

Myth, metaphor, theater, religion, advertising, etiquette, fashion, money, nations, marriage rituals, résumés, bedtime stories, polite smiles, academic theories, and social media bios are all constructed narratives. What has changed is the scale, speed, and reach of how stories travel. 

So how do you go forward from here?

When I listen to people talk about AI, I hear fear, anger, excitement, and certainty, often all at once. There’s a lot of positional shouting about whether we’re headed for collapse or a shiny new golden age. 

I’ve wanted to slow it down a bit. Not the technology itself. I’m not in charge of that. Just my own response to its obvious presence in the world.

These days, I’m practicing discernment in earnest.

I’m not dismissing everything and I’m not swallowing everything whole. 


Humans have always told stories to entertain, protect, educate, market, control, delight, convert, and create.

It’s complicated. So I’ve simplified it for myself with three questions.



First Question: What’s the intent? Why is this story being told?



Some stories are playful. They invite humor, imagination, or connection. Milo’s wild ride in the snow lives here. No one was harmed or misled.



Some stories are protective, using humor as a shield or storytelling as a way to hold a boundary.



And some stories are manipulative. They seek advantage at another’s expense, meant to sell, control, inflame, extract, or deceive. Our world is full of these narratives, and with AI, they can be harder to spot.



Still, it’s worth remembering that AI doesn’t create intent. Humans bring intent to the tool.



Second Question: What’s the context? Where does this story live and with whom?



A fabricated image meant to delight is not the same as one used to distort consent, truth, or power.

Absurdity works on a playground or a stage. Metaphor belongs in art and education. Accuracy matters in medicine, courts, and aviation.



The same story can be harmless in one context and dangerous in another.

Right now, we’re living with massive context collapse.



When everything arrives on our screens looking equally important, information easily loses its framing, expertise, and relational cues. The answer isn’t to believe everything or to decide nothing can be trusted. 



Discernment asks us to strengthen our contextual literacy.



Third Question: Who holds the power? Who benefits if this is believed? Who is impacted but can’t be heard?



A joke between friends isn’t the same as a narrative imposed on a population. The real danger isn’t fabrication itself. It’s distortion amplified by imbalance.



I understand fear and anger as responses to this messy moment, especially as people worry about the impact of AI on artists, livelihoods, education, the environment, and more.

But fear collapses discernment and anger flattens nuance.

Both push humans toward extremes and give away agency faster than any technology ever could.



Discernment, by contrast, requires a calm nervous system and a willingness to pause.

It asks simple questions: What’s being claimed? Who’s speaking? In what context? And what is being asked of me as I take this in?



As a wise human, you’re capable of asking these questions and choosing your response, including the choice to wait when something isn’t clear.



As for outsourcing creativity, critical thinking, or personal agency, that’s a human decision, not a demand made by AI. So it’s important to think for yourself before handing over that task to AI.



AI is very good at analytical intelligence: pattern recognition, extrapolation, prediction, optimization. Humans participate in a different kind of intelligence when they aren’t overwhelmed or constantly narrating experience. This natural intelligence arises through presence, attunement, coherence, relationship, and timing.



AI works with explicit pattern memory. Humans participate in living systems rich with nuance and meaning.



AI is a tool, an interface, a resource. It is not a human, a guru, a friend, or a conscience.

You choose how to use it, or not. You don’t have to hand over your agency, creativity, or natural intelligence to use a powerful tool.



Smiling at a picture of my dog wildly sledding down a snowy hill doesn’t diminish your capacity to create art, learn something new, share kindness, commune with nature, or embody wisdom.



So with all the harmful intent that has always existed in human history, remember this: don’t abandon your intelligence, your creativity, your heart, or your capacity to choose.



Stay curious. Stay relational. Stay human. 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Name Brands

“I think we need to be friends.”

Those were the first words out of my mouth when I introduced myself to Rev. Hilda Covington. We’d just finished a county meeting of nonprofit mental health and social service agencies. She was the presenter that month.

We almost didn’t meet because Hilda arrived an hour and a half late to a two-hour meeting.

I later learned that Hilda moves through the world in her own time. That meeting was not the first she was late to, nor the last. But she lit up that room when she introduced her agency, SisterHood, or “Sisters in the Hood,” as the founders named themselves when they decided to serve the families in their neighborhood who were often overlooked or dismissed by traditional systems.

I was immediately taken by her light-hearted, warm-hearted, big-hearted way.

Having spent so many years with communities society loves to marginalize, I recognized a kindred spirit. I went up to thank her for her humorous and honest presentation, and those unexpected words just came out. I’m forever grateful they did.

Fast forward 27 years.

By now, I’ve learned to listen when something unexpected tumbles out of my mouth. Time and again, I’ve watched the Soul guide me into the right moment, the right person, the right doorway. You know how that works — the quiet nudge that opens a relationship that reshapes your life and deepens your understanding of yourself and the world.

Becoming friends with Hilda did exactly that.

We live very different lives. Our beliefs about the bigger picture diverge. Our thinking was shaped by very different worlds. Our ways of serving look similar on the outside but arise from distinct lineages and lived experience.

We speak an entirely different language.

I grew up with a felt sense of safety she never had access to. We were raised a generation apart, with differences in race, class, neighborhood, education, and economic stability.

These differences have paved the way for deep, often uncomfortable, always meaningful conversations.

My mother used to tell me a story from when we lived in Germany. I was a preschooler playing in a sandbox with a little girl who spoke an entirely different language. We chattered and played as if we understood every word.

Lunch with Hilda feels like that sandbox.

I walk in unsure what the conversation will bring — seeking her counsel, planning a project, or checking in about a neighborhood need — and I always end up on a winding path through delight, discomfort, insight, and truth.

She shows me the world I cannot see. I do the same for her.

Looking back, the hidden gem of that first encounter was discovering I can enter another’s world without defense.

With Hilda, I could bring both my knowledge and my ignorance.

I could let myself be disturbed without collapsing. I could grow beyond the ideas that once kept me small. I learned to listen past the familiar and allow my Soul to point toward the beliefs that needed to be uprooted.

To be fully accepted — and to offer that same acceptance — is a rare grace.

Despite all our differences, we share the same kind of heart. And thankfully, the same sense of humor. That lightness has carried us through years of challenges, tragedies, and triumphs in her community. It is often through her laughter that my eyes open just a little wider.

A few years ago, I called to wish her a happy birthday. Quarantine had kept us from our lunches, but she was still tending to her community and her flock. (Yes, she’s also a pastor.)

“Kathy! Your people collected so much food!”

Turns out it wasn’t my volunteer contact who told her about our Sidewalk Food Drive. It was the neighborhood.

“Pastor! Your friend delivered food. Name brands!”

I didn’t understand at first.

Hilda laughed and shared story after story about the excitement of receiving name-brand groceries — not the cheap knock-offs typically stocked in dollar stores or donated to poor families. Her joy carried an edge of truth that cut straight through me.

The inequity of our neighborhoods, our expectations, our lived experience landed in my body.

When our call was done, the tears came. Gratitude mixed with heartache.

Another glimpse into a world I don’t live in but care about deeply.

For 27 years, our Soul Sanctuary community has supported SisterHood families in countless ways. What started as a small intention — easing the financial burden of economically disadvantaged parents so they could have a little more room to breathe and be with their children — has rippled far beyond anything I imagined.

A bit of relief. A moment of peace. A chance to read, play, or talk together. Small shifts with long-term impact.

I could tell so many stories of how your generosity helped parents and soothed children, but those stories belong to them. What I can say is this:

When you show up for people, they become “your people.” Period.

Next week, my family will deliver a few car loads of toys and gifts to SisterHood volunteers for the Holiday Giving List — 450 children and teens this year.

My basement looks like the North Pole and an Amazon warehouse had a love child.

This Sunday (12/14), we’ll gather at Soul Sanctuary’s Holiday Open House and collect any last-minute gifts you feel called to offer.

Last week, my husband and I took Hilda and another SisterHood founder, Linda, out to celebrate Hilda’s 80th birthday. We laughed, reminisced, and honored the years of shared work, heartbreak, joy, and community.

So as we wrap up this year’s Holiday Gift Drive, please receive the gratitude of Hilda, the SisterHood volunteers, and the families whose lives you touch.

The greatest “brand name” you can offer another human being is to call them sister or brother — to recognize their belonging in your human family.

For every way you show up, in any neighborhood, for any people, in your own authentic way,

Thank you.

The world needs exactly what you bring.

Keep giving.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Uncertainty. A Traveling Companion

When standing at a crossroad in your life, it’s natural to seek answers.

To search for certainty about your next steps. To want assurance that the decision you are making will lead you in the right direction, with the best possible outcome.

So you think through the pros and cons. You talk with trusted people. You consider expert advice. You scroll the web and social media for guidance. Maybe you even check in with your own heart and soul.

And still, you can’t know exactly where this choice will lead you.

Eventually, after all the thinking and seeking, there comes a moment when it’s just you and this one guest that refuses to leave: Uncertainty.

The two of you sit quietly together, perhaps over a cup of tea.

You feel the mix of discomfort and excitement. The longing for clarity. The ache to know for sure that everything will work out beautifully.

But as you spend time with Uncertainty, something unexpected happens.

Your anxiety softens.
Your mind loosens its grip.
Your Heart begins to speak.

Quieter now, more spacious, you can hear the subtle conversation unfolding between your Heart and this mysterious companion.

They talk about the wonder of discovery and the potential for extraordinary growth.

Your Heart remembers the countless times you’ve navigated challenges with grace, strength, and grit.

Uncertainty gently reminds your Heart to trust itself completely.

Together, they soothe the body.

Worry loosens. New possibilities flicker. A different kind of courage rises.

Somehow, without trying, your Heart and Uncertainty become allies — fellow adventurers in this next chapter of your life.

And as the two of them finish their tea and begin packing for the journey ahead, your Heart notices an extra bag sitting nearby. It’s already packed and glowing softly.

“Who owns that bag?” your Heart asks.

“Oh, that one?” Uncertainty smiles.

“It’s for your Soul. Whenever you wander beyond the edge of the known, your Soul insists on coming along — offering its light, its wisdom, and its quiet reassurance.”

Your Heart relaxes, remembering the truth it keeps forgetting:  You never walk alone.

So you gather yourself.
Take a breath.
Feel your feet on the ground.

You may not know what this path will look like, but you trust your companions — Heart, Soul, and even Uncertainty. Especially Uncertainty.

With a little spark in your step, you begin.

Not because you know exactly where you’re going,
but because everything you need is already within you. 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Building Cathedrals

How’s your perspective these days? 



Especially in the midst of upheaval in this country, famine and war in the world, and an unbelievable swing toward hatred, greed, and cruel behavior. That is before you consider your everyday stress or the big challenges your and your loved ones may be facing.

When stress rises, perspective shrinks. 

It’s the brain’s natural response to survival signals.

You hyper focus on essentials like food, funds, work, and family (unless you’re ready to toss your family out the window, but that’s another story. Hang in.)

This contraction is understandable. Yet, the invitation is to remember to take a breath, soothe your system, and connect to the wisdom within and beyond you.

The Self Soothe System is free and available to assist you. Get that free resource here on my site here.


When your system is disorganized, harmony is unavailable. 

The Soul’s vision becomes cloudy. So the first move, always, is to harmonize. To come into coherence. Then you can see more, know more, and be more. This matters, not only for you, but for all of us in this interconnected family.

From this Soulful perspective, beautiful questions arise:

What am I learning? 

How may I grow, mature, evolve during this challenge?

What might I offer others without compromising my own wellbeing?

What is asking to be healed within me so I can transcend the smaller story of my life?

That last question – it’s a big one. In the midst of this turmoil, your patterns are likely activating.

Perhaps you may view your vulnerability as your Inner Healer trying to catch your attention. Once you’ve soothed the stress response, you’re more likely to become curious.

More Beautiful Questions arise:


What belief or pattern is creating this tension?

Do I want to carry it or is it ready to be released?

Am I carrying burdens that aren’t even mine? 

Am I still listening to that societal voice that tells me I have to hustle and achieve to be worthy (such a silly idea, but we’ve all been snookered)?

This moment is potent and rich with possibility.

So, do the work with yourself, a friend, a mentor, or a celestial ally.

You may be just fine right now as you read these words with a full belly, safe house, cell phone, and a few dollars in the bank. But, don’t miss this energetically charged moment because there’s something deeper waiting to be freed — something beautiful.

Recently I recalled receiving a strong perspective jolt (mini lightning strike) during the pandemic. (Remember that crisis and how we weathered it together?)

I had come across a youtube video of Andrea Bocelli’s Concert of Hope. In the isolation of quarantine, he stood before the massive Duomo Cathedral in Milan. 



Singing. Alone. To the world.

His voice carried across silence, through distance, across grief and hope. His open heart awakened hearts across the globe. Tears. Prayer. Awe. Beauty. Google it and you’ll see the image. 



Tiny human. Massive Cathedral.

Humans have built cathedrals to the Divine for millennia. Imagine it: a Soul envisions a Sacred monument. Artists, funders, and masons gather. Grandfathers, sons, grandsons labor generation after generation to honor something greater than themselves.

A cathedral was sparked by a simple person who was moved by a Divine impulse.

Infused with imagination and devotion, they gathered others to build something magnificent for others to inherit.

It humbles me every time every time I see a cathedral. A sense of majesty that unfurls when you widen your view.

When you open your heart to the mythic operating within the mundane. When you honor your vulnerability and your magnificence. Both together as one Sacred human journey.

When you let your Soul move you, everything changes.

Andrea Bocelli, a tiny human with a huge voice, offered hope his way. This is what generous beauty does. It wakes you up and returns your focus to what matters. It’s a good time to wake up to what deeply matters and ask the beautiful questions that lead you to offer your song to the world.

By the time you’re reading this, I’ve flown into Milan and traveled to the Temples of Humankind in Damanhur, Italy.

Here, I’m committed to listening to both my Soul and my stress. 



I’m going to walk amongst the builders of another epic cathedral buried deep within a mountain. Over 45 years ago, one idea sparked 70 people in the Damanhur community to create the inexplicable and make the impossible possible. I’ve walked in the Temples of Humankind which are dedicated to awakening the Divinity in all people and honoring every wisdom tradition. It’s extraordinary and inspiring. 



I’m grateful to bring the Q’ero shamans from Peru to Damanhur so they may add their magic, ceremony, vision, and love to the Temples, Crystal Labyrinth Project, and Damanhurian community.

I’ll walk in silence upon and within that place of power so that I may listen and perceive the mythic story that wants to birth through me.

Today, on the anniversary of 9/11, I’m committed to building cathedrals, not walls. I hope you join me in that idea, however you do it.

And a reminder. Breathe and soothe your system when life gets inexplicable and overwhelming.

If you need support, ask for it. Reach out to me, to someone. Don’t go it alone. Not now. The world needs harmonized people in tune with their inner wisdom and open to the Divine Spark that may launch a simple action or a magnificent project.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Wisdom in the Dark

It’s uncomfortable feeling the darkness within the belly, leaking into the day.

The waking to news that frightens, angers, and confuses you. This world gone astray. There is a longing to seek the light to chase the darkness. As if sunshine might polish circumstances into something more palatable. Shaping the story into something you can live within.

Don’t be so quick to chase the dark away.

There is wisdom within the depths of your body’s response. The power of anger, leaking of tears, flutter in the belly. Wisdom that whispers “Something is out of whack.” Knocking you off balance, unsettling your peace.

Opening the door for the mind to spin its tales. Strengthening your position, whatever it may be.

Activating a fearful future landscape that devastates your current wellbeing. Despair leading to withdrawal in order to protect. Agitation readying for a fight against that which you can not bear. Confusion as to why your fellow humans think so differently than you.

All stories are false. All stories are true. It’s how you live your stories that matters.

What if the sorrow, fear, anger, or disillusionment arrived to invite you into a deep, honest exchange? To welcome you within your stories about how the world should be. So, you may meet the storyteller within you and begin a dialogue.

Sitting within the early morning darkness, candle burning, a cup of tea, a cozy blanket. Perhaps a journal.

Here, you begin the dive within to find that which creates this sorrow that tugs at every aspect of your being. It doesn’t take much to enter the conversation for sorrow has a voice and it spills over with the heartbreak that has been contained within the body and masked by the stories.

You listen as sorrow speaks its anguish that the humans of the world have lost their way.

It begins with evidence garnered from one day of darkness, yet soon spreads to evidence of harm in all directions around the globe, throughout history, upon the planet. Including the harm done to self with judgement, dismissal of voice, and alienation of worthiness. The sorrow cries, allowing despair, disappointment, disillusionment to join the conversation. Emptying, the conversation slows as the body quiets, calmer now as the sorrow has been given its path of movement.

The sun rises, bathing the body in light. As it always does after the dark.

Allowing the eyes to see the beneficial presence of humans. Seeking in the light of day all that is helpful, generous, creative, and beautiful. This luminosity reveals what may not be noticed in the dark. Yet, it serves not as a source to eradicate discomfort. Nor shape deeply felt fear into something unimportant. The brilliance of day also reveals all that you judge, back away from, and condone as wrong.

Don’t be so quick to choose the light.

It is the turning away from that which is hidden in the dark that leads to misunderstanding and actions that harm.

Your wisdom calls you to the conversation with yourself before it sends you to share deeply with others.

What is your hope, determination, anxiety, or numbness wanting to share? Every experience has a voice and something wise to offer you.

Nature, which is your essence, models inclusion of every movement. Day gives way to night which returns itself to day. Seasons, amiss as they are, give way after allowing each to offer wisdom to those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and a body to sense. The moon dances through cycles of bright and dark, modeling the beauty and potential in each phase.

Wisdom is unpredictable and subtly changes the rhythm of the conversation.

Intelligent perception begins within the wholeness of what you’re experiencing. Inviting an inner dialogue where you discover that the stories you tell are true for you, until they are discovered to be false. Where you find yourself basking in the warm beauty revealed by despair and the breaking of the heart. Not only a place of suffering nor a refuge from pain, you journey within your darkness to discover the brightest felt sense of life. 

Here, you discover that both sorrow and joy matter. 

A lightness of being is possible within hard times and heaviness arrives even when circumstances are bright. These experiences arrive to be noticed, to offer something you may learn from and then choose to keep or discard. Moving in the rhythm of life, regardless of whether circumstances are to your liking or not, you recognize there is wisdom in insecurity and discomfort. 

There is no urgent need to deep dive into a dark that terrifies or to fly too close to the sun. 

Begin gently and with great kindness. Honor the wisdom that is being felt throughout your being, uncomfortable as it may be.

Don’t back too far away from yourself in order to mask that which feels disabling. There is potential in every movement of life, even though in times of discord it is difficult to see. Resist the urge to run helter skelter toward the light and proclaim it as the only power of good. 

The greatest potential for life lies within the wisdom of your being. 

Join with this rather than following the personal and societal stories of mind. When you can welcome uncertainty and discomfort as wise teachers, you welcome another rhythm. That which quietly hums a tune of harmony flowing within the dark and light of human existence. 

Listen carefully to the wisdom that whispers within you.

Steady and true, it leads you toward that perfect perception and inspired action which cultivates the love, respect, and generous care for every living being.

And if you haven’t downloaded The Self Soothe Strategy, now is a good time. It helps. A lot. Scroll down and get started. We need your calm.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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I Got My Wings

I got my wings today.

No bell chimed. No angelic harmony resounded. They were just handed to me.

An official metal pin from a national airline declared me “flight crew.” I flashed back to childhood when flying on TWA.

I recalled the thrill as my brother and I met the pilot in the cockpit and received our wings to wear during the flight.

This plastic trinket added a level of delight as we flew the friendly skies toward our next adventure. You can tell that story happened a long, long time ago as no one is getting in the cockpit these days.

As she handed me my wings, she said “You changed my life.”

Another story was pulled from the past as this lovely woman recounted an Angelic Healing Journey she had with me many years before. At that time, she was in a pickle. A serious one. The empowering words and images offered during that Angelic conversation revealed a fence on which she was sitting, and her power to move in one direction (up) or another (down). It offered her hope and a choice.

Apparently, as she reminded me, the Angels suggested the friendly skies were a part of that deal – strange as that was at the time.

It’s not my story to tell here.

I will mention that it involved tremendous courage, hardship, and adventure (not all of it soaring nor fun).

It isn’t every day that you learn the impact of something you offered to someone 10 years prior.

To be clear, I mean offered as the transmitter of the Angels’ messages embedded with their tremendous wisdom, love, compassion, and wit. Holding that pin, we spoke of her decision to follow the invitation to fly through her challenges to discover what was on the other side.

Years of hard work led to doors opening and life changing in ways that continue to amaze her.

Life showed her that there was more in store for her when she dared to get off that damn fence. How making one choice and taking small actions led to the next choice, the next actions, and the next open door.

We spoke about personal responsibility and the commitment to dare to live a life she dreamed about.

I witnessed someone who had given up her story of unworthiness and was deep in the process of claiming her preciousness.

We kept the conversation going.

Exploring how to keep expanding and prepare for the inevitable tough times life was sure to deliver. The adventure of living offers ongoing opportunities for transformation.

As any traveller knows, excitement and trepidation may accompany you on the journey.

Facing the next challenge, you have the option to back away, sit on the fence, or step on the path. All approaches are understandable, yet one choice ultimately allows you to fly more freely toward your destiny.

Did I mention that she became a flight attendant much to her surprise?
Those Angels, they know stuff.

Wings in hand, now part of the “flight crew,” I was reminded to seek the open skies in my life. To have the courage to look deeply within when challenged so I might understand the gift life is presenting. Then make that choice, take that action, and walk through that opening door.

I hope you know that new horizons exist beyond your current vision.

And that you have plenty of Angelic helpers to guide your steps along the unique path you are walking. Trusting that each step awakens greater courage and offers the excitement of the next new discovery awaiting you.

Claim your wings. You don’t need the pin to soar higher. After all, the sky’s the limit.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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Living with Shamans. A Lesson in Love

My husband and I drove separately to the Philadelphia airport in the pouring rain to pick up our guests from Peru.

Not knowing what to expect, I felt an open anticipation. A few conversations had led to this moment. It struck me that these men were traveling far from home to meet a woman they didn’t know, live in an unfamiliar home, and spend an immersive week in service. I considered how much trust they had in Spirit and commitment to the path of the paqo (shaman) to say ‘yes’ to this call to Seed the Light in New Jersey. To show up within the unknown and share their wisdom, love, and healing energy.

I recognized this familiar ‘yes.’ It had led me to this highway and with that awareness, all that was unsettled within me washed away.

In that moment, I knew I’d spend the week being instructed how to live in beauty, trust, and love.

We met these beautiful, tired men with warmth and received the same. Connected, yet strangers, we gathered luggage and headed home. As Pascual played the flute in the backseat, we drove slowly through the torrential downpour. The rain offering cleansing for the Philadelphia area as the healing of the Earth, Pachamama, and all Her creatures began.

Once settled, we called our friends to lunch. They showed up with gifts.

This is the way of living in Ayni (eye-knee), the Peruvian cultural and spiritual practice of living in right relationship with Pachamama and each other. In gratitude for our caretaking, we were wrapped with bracelets and draped in shawls made by their families. Giving and receiving. Receiving and giving. After lunch, Chino did the dishes while others played flutes and rattled, cleaning and blessing the space.

Centered in our intent to care for the paqos, my husband and I consciously opened to make space to receive every blessing and gift offered.

As the days unfolded, we entered a joyful rhythm of relaxed friendship, laughter, give and take, shared meals, and quiet time on the deck. Eager to work, the paqos headed to Soul Sanctuary or our Weekend Gathering with enthusiasm. After long days and nights, they laughed and joked in the backseat on the way home. Their camaraderie and genuine enjoyment of their time together was obvious.

When I showed Francisco my “magic closet” filled with overflowing bookshelves, binders housing my creations, and mini altars, he offered to bless it.

Returning with his bells, he blessed my closet and all the wisdom within. He blessed the altars in my office. I was ready to offer my gratitude, but he quickly moved on. Generously blessing the plants and crystals in the bathroom, cleaning the energy within our clothes closet, and moving on to the bedroom and altars within. I trailed Francisco as he blessed our space and then looked to me with a question, “okay?” Okay indeed, papa, as we shared a hug.

Morning, evening, and throughout the day, I felt the delight of every greeting. I witnessed how the paqos greeted us and each other in genuine friendship and loving attention.

How different this was from the rote greeting often observed in daily living. That ‘how are you?’ without much attention to the answer.

With every meeting, something lit up in the face as the handshake or hug was offered

I felt the underlying message. ‘I see you. I welcome you. I enjoy you. I respect you.’

This wasn’t only offered to people.

It was apparent in how the paqos greeted each day with reverence , enjoyed the busy birds in the backyard, and felt nourished by the greenery of the neighborhoods. Pascual and I walked along my gardens and down the street to the pond. Curious about what was naturally growing and if fish were present, he greeted the plants and the waters with “Munay Sunqo!”

This “love from my heart” greeting was often heard and sent off in all directions to all aspects of nature, including the beautiful participants in the Gathering.

As the days unfolded, in the midst of a busy schedule with many moving parts, I became still inside.

I began receiving lessons directly from the wisdom of Life Itself. The kind of teaching that quietly states, “This is how you live. This is how you love, relate, work, play, and grow.” I felt generosity move through my being in a constant flow with so many different forms of expression. Laughter bubbled up frequently without cause and tenderness claimed my heart as its home.

Witnessing the preciousness of each participant as they received a blessing or initiation threatened to dissolve me.

My eyes soft, my inbreath deep, I felt Life Itself delight in the scene before me. Like a proud Mama watching Her children enter an exchange with such sweetness and open hearts. Pachamama breathed deeply and exhaled long and slow Her acknowledgment that healing was happening and magic was returning to the world.

Something profound was seeded during these interactions, welcomed in the belly with the promise of nourishment, safety, and love.

The Seeding the Light Gathering, every part and each location, offered an alchemical crucible for a shifting of such magnitude that I was surprised the weather remained calm. The subtle movement of thunder and lightning was present in the invisible power of every ceremony, yet poured into each person like a gentle mist.

At some point, I became conscious that the desire to serve inhabited my whole being.

It was easy. No thought required, no idea of how or why, just an abiding love that wished to move in service to Life. No instruction, preparation, or even intent was required in this natural tendency.

Just the awareness that Life serves Life in all of its myriad forms. And that strangers becoming family is the natural order of things.

When the Gathering was complete, we rested, enjoyed some shopping and a taste of Philly cheesesteaks. Arriving at the airport, I moved to retrieve their bags from the hatchback. I was stopped as Francisco and Pascual adorned me with bracelets and a headband. I don’t know why I was still surprised at their grateful exchange for the ride to the airport. Receiving graciously, giving generously. Ayni in constant practice is the way for those in tune with the overflowing abundance of life.

Arriving home, my husband and I compared notes. 8 days of living in love and we were shifted.

There was no end to the gratitude we shared. With a full heart, a tired body, and many seeds of light, I settled onto my back deck. I thought to offer Munay Sunqo and Muchas Gracias to Pachamama, the beneficence of Life, our beautiful teachers, and every participant who called forth this shared experience.

Since no words were needed, Life rested as I promptly took a nap.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

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The K’intu. An Andean Blessing.

As I climbed the hills in the Sacred Valley, every step was a prayer of gratitude.  

Pausing often to catch my breath in the high altitude, I drank in the beauty of the mountains, valleys, small towns, and roaming llamas. I felt the hum of power of the Sacred Site moving up from the Earth to bless my body and offer me nurturance and strength. While I saw and heard my fellow journeyers, I was immersed within my own experience of quiet wonder as I prepared for the ceremony above.  

I arrived to find the Paqos (shamans) had prepared the space and had laid the first layers of the Despacho.

This offering (meaning dispatch in Spanish) is a traditional offering of the shamans in the Andes. It is a sweet gift of sugar, spices, nuts, seeds, candies, flowers, and other items representing the cosmic journey we share with all living beings. Laid upon paper, it will be wrapped and used to cleanse the energy of all participants before being offered to the fire. 

As we settled in a circle, the shamans gave a k’intu to each participant.

“Anay” (thank you). I dropped within for a moment to explore what prayers wanted to be blown into this small offering. With intent, breath, and quiet voice, I offered my prayers in the tradition of the Andes. I first called upon the lineages, celestial bodies, and archetypal powers to be present. I then recognized my humanness which included all that I did not know and the mistakes I inadvertently made. I moved on to offer my gratitude for life and all things within this experience. Lastly, I shared my personal prayers for the wellbeing and harmony for myself, my family and friends, all those I serve, and all projects I was called to offer. I offered my prayers for all people, creatures, and Pachamama. 

The k’intu is a fan of three cocoa leaves with a red and white carnation petal.

The k’intu may serve as a Despacho, of which there are many varieties, as an offering of thanksgiving and reverence to Pachamama (Mother Earth), the mountains and sacred spaces, and the celestial beings that watch over Earth. It may also, as in this case, be placed in a larger Despacho which gathers the prayers of many.

The three leaves of the k’intu represent the three worlds and the three Divine attributes of human equilibrium. 

In the Andean cosmovision, there are three worlds or realms known as the upper world (hanaqpacha), middle world (kaypacha), and lower world (ukhupacha). These mythical realms each serve a purpose, have guardians to guide your journeys, and offer support to the human experience. 

In the Peruvian tradition, there are also three energetic centers (belly, heart, head) which empower living in connection and right relationship with all life.

Each center represents and fuels one of the three Divine attributes of human equilibrium. The belly, or llank’ay (yank eye), represents creative expression, work and loving service. The heart, or munay (moon eye), represents pure loving and being in right relationship. The third eye, head, or yachay (yach eye), represents wisdom, clear knowing, and clear sight.

When it was time, I went to the shaman and offered my k’intu, vibrating with the power of my prayers.

Using this trio of cocoa leaves, she blessed my three centers before offering it to the shaman who was creating the Despacho. My prayers, along with all who participated, entered this sweet gift to life. I sat in the fresh air, hot sun, amidst the ancient ones residing in the mountains, and felt my body vibrating with this blessing.

I prayed to live this blessing in the moments of my life. And to be reminded of this ceremony and place of power when I fell into the slumber of my conditioned human self. 

I believe in the practicality of translating this tradition of the Andean ceremony into the everyday journey of living. I see this as a practice which has no end and no score card. Just the simple desire to evolve into a kinder, more peaceful human being who offers something beneficial to the world. The key word here being practice. 

To practice munay, you have to open and clear your heart. To practice yachay, you have to let go of judgments, opinions, and the idea that accumulated information equals knowledge. To practice llank’ay, you have to act and express your creative work imbued with loving service.

Sitting in ceremony offers you the opportunity to receive your k'intu, receive the blessings of your centers, and contribute to the Despacho. 


If you are able to travel to New Jersey at the end of July, you’ll have this direct experience with the Peruvian shamans during the Seeding the Light Gathering. 

This primoridal light, known as Ti in the Peruvian tradition, may be known by other names as well. It is the chi, ki, prana, holy spirit, and pure light of the Divine. That which animates all life and connects all living energy. 

You may think of all ceremony, shamanic healing, and the Munay Ki initiations as a sharing of this light.

The light is information. It is energy. And the Ti informs your energetic system so it may uplevel in vibration as it clears the old, dense energy from your system. All activities in the Seeding the Light Gathering are offering you this energy transmission so your LightBody may upgrade. This empowers your intent to practice wisdom, love, and creative expression in your own life.

You are an expression of this pure Ti and have your own way of sharing your wisdom, love, and creative work with the world. 

While the Peruvian shamans and ceremonies will enhance your capacity to do this, there are many ways in which you may grow your light. Clearing out the dense or stagnant energy from your field is an essential health and growth process. However this is done, it benefits the free flowing of life force (chi, prana, Ti) so that your innate wisdom may expand your capacity to live and serve with wisdom, love, and creative work.

50% of tickets for the Seeding the Light Gathering have been sold. If you are interested, please book your Weekend or 5 day Immersion now.

When you register, you’ll also be given the opportunity to have a private healing session with one of the shamans. This is a chance to experience the traditional healing methods which clearing your field of old energy and receiving an infusion of the high light.

I’ve also experienced the power of ceremony and healings on ZOOM. Seems funny, yet the Sacred healing practices know how to use every technology.

If you are unable to make the Seeding the Light Gathering, yet would like to experience a Despacho ceremony, Munay Ki initiation, or Andean Energy Medicine healing session, I’d be happy to offer this for you. Please visit my Andean Energy Medicine page or reach out to me if you’d like to bring a group to Soul Sanctuary in the future. I have limited availability in mid August and then am booking in mid October. 

Please know that when I blow my prayers into my k’intu during ceremony in the Seeding the Light Gathering, I’ll be including you.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions.