Some people become addicted to becoming spiritual athletes, believing that if they meditate for longer and longer periods each day, endure fasts, and chant non-stop, they will attain enlightenment. While these practices are a beneficial and beautiful support for stilling the mind, entering presence, and becoming aware of resistances, they are not “it.” All of us have experienced moments of "coming home"--feeling relaxed, grounded, free of the restlessness that characterizes so much of our everyday lives. These moments can arise in nature or in the depths of an activity we enjoy, alone or together with people we love. They show us that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. All of us go through times of transition, challenges, and difficulties. We may have faced or will face times of loss, confusion, or heartbreak, when we realize we cannot control the way our life is unfolding, whether in our personal lives or in the world around us. With mindfulness, we can learn to move through these intense, challenging times in ways that don’t add to the suffering and difficulty that are already there. We can even learn to open our hearts to the richness and wisdom these times of immense disruption can bring us. When we touch this experience of coming home, it is like we have finally arrived home after a long journey. During my time in India, I wrote in my journal, contemplated each experience, and asked the shadow to be revealed in dreams. I was also led to experiment with self-inquiry exercises.

The practice of „making a nest“ was shared with me recently to welcome in a new soul as I was having trouble conceiving, but what I soon realized was that this was a practice calling in the parts of myself that had been discarded and letting them know it was safe to return. Finally, after an episode of her screaming, purple with rage in response to the way I had handled a project, I realized it was time to take a deeper look at myself. The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself. And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart.” — Mike Dooley We have traveled so far away from ourselves that the journey home can seem difficult, even impossible. We are too far from home that we have forgotten who we are. And we have been away, listening to the advice of other people, striving to embrace the kind of life they told us is ours. Yes, as my friend Thilo Konzok says, there is a lot of advice online, and everyone seems to have the secret ingredient to happiness, everyone seems to have the secret to success and wealth. The thing is that the secret might work for them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will work for you too. So, what do you really need to succeed?We can experience encountering this spacious and free place of our true home in unexpected moments as we spend more time tuning in to what is happening inside us and around us. One morning, when I was a novice nun, in slow walking after our early morning sitting meditation, I was very present and able to be aware of nearly every step. I began by being aware that as I was stepping with my left foot, I was at the same time stepping with my right, because my left foot could not be without my right. And vice versa. Then I saw that my arms were also contained in my feet, so I was also stepping with my arms. Then my hands, my stomach, brain, sense organs, heart, lungs. I was 100 percent with my body. So I was tasting the earth with my feet, listening to it, looking at it, feeling it, knowing it, smelling it with my feet. My heart was loving it, my lungs breathing it in and out.

Write down the names of at least five people (living or dead) who inspire you. Alongside each name, identify one positive quality that they embody. For example: Mother Theresa: Compassion Ultimately, shadow work marks the beginning of the end and is a turning point on the spiritual path. This is so important because we can live our whole lives estranged from this home within ourselves. Birds have been symbols for pagans, shamans, seers, prophets, and native peoples all over the world. Their ability to be at home soaring in the heavens, and equally at home nesting in a bramble bush close to the earth reminds us that home is within us, not without us.Though simple, shadow exercises should not be underestimated. They are very, very powerful. They allow us to tap into energy that has formerly been repressed. Once released, a dynamic force is unleashed, initiating immediate changes in our consciousness and in our lives. In this blog post, we invite you to embark on a captivating exploration of the book's core themes and practices, empowering you to forge your unique journey toward finding the profound serenity that resides within. It’s a wonderful thing to have role models, but we are not supposed to imitate our role models. Role models should encourage us to live our values with courage and consistency. The reason why many people experience stress and suffer a lot is because they are constantly making efforts to run away from themselves and their reality — they want to be like someone else. They want to be the pride of their parents, the pride of loved ones, and ultimately, they want to be validated. It’s such a pity how much life is wasted, how much energy is wasted, how much humanity is wasted as we struggle with the mask to make others see us differently. And so, we end up pleasing everyone, left with a deep and disturbing emptiness we can’t fill. With the book as your guide, you will embark on a transformative journey of inner healing, rewriting the narrative of your life, and embracing the profound serenity accompanying the journey towards inner peace. Nurturing Relationships and Connection

Self-care allows us to recharge our energy and replenish our inner resources. It's essential to nurture ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. Engaging in activities that bring joy, such as hobbies, exercise, or spending quality time with loved ones, helps us recharge and reconnect with ourselves on a deeper level. It revitalizes our spirit and enhances our overall well-being. Breathe and Regulate: When I gently asked questions to the cold/uncaring qualities, the responses were enlightening. I heard:She needs time, like we all do. Time to be ok with being ok. Because sometimes feeling right, after feeling so wrong for so long, is the hardest thing to get used to.” — JmStorm