By Valerie Brown, JD, MA, PCC "Still, the profound changehas come upon them; rooted theygrip down and begin to awaken. . . ."----William Carlos Williams Imbolc or Cross Quarter, January … [Read More...] about Shifting Seasons: Imbolc, a Celebration of Coming Spring
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Shifting Seasons: Imbolc, a Celebration of Coming Spring
By Valerie Brown, JD, MA, PCC “Still, the profound change has come upon them; rooted they grip down and begin to awaken. . . .” —-William Carlos Williams Imbolc or Cross Quarter, January 31 to February 7, is a time in ancient Gaelic traditions of celebrating the shifting season, from winter’s darkness to the slow, […]
‘Drishti’: A Yogic Approach to Strengthening Focus
“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.”– Rumi Do you find yourself “going through the motions” in your daily life, on auto-pilot? In this new year, new decade, this is a time to engage in a deeper and different way of being that supports your focus to live your big dreams. An approach […]
Rituals: Four Practices for an ‘Honorable Closure’ to the Year
By Valerie Brown “There comes a time in the spiritual journey when you start making choices from a very different place. And if a choice lines up so that it supports truth, health, happiness, wisdom and love, it’s the right choice.” Angeles Arrien Ritual is a way of honoring life transitions, and are especially useful […]
Pilgrimage of El Camino de Santiago, Spain: Leading from the Heart
By Valerie Brown “…even before you sat down with them, broke bread and drank wine, wiped the wind-tears form your eyes: pilgrim they called you again. Pilgrim.” —David Whyte, from Camino The Pilgrimage of El Camino de Santiago is filled with symbolism, metaphor, and meaning. The physical effort of walking to reach the pilgrim’s goal is interpreted […]
Pilgrimage: The Art of Building Community
By Valerie Brown “….Trust that meaningful conversations can change your world. Rely on human goodness. Stay together.” —Margaret Wheatley, from Turning to One Another As I return next month with a group of pilgrims to Walk in Beauty: Pilgrimage of El Camino de Santiago, Spain, The Way of Saint James, to walk this 1000 year old […]
‘Thin Places’: Encountering the Power of Pilgrimage
By Valerie Brown, JD, MA, PCC Have you heard the term a ‘thin place’? A thin place describes the distance between heaven and earth, a place where the space between the sacred and the secular is ‘thin’. The term comes from Celtic spirituality and the Celtic people, who feel deeply connected to the natural world and […]
Pilgrimage: Awakening the ‘Inner Life’ of Leadership
“When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss it.” Boris Pasternak By Valerie Brown Leadership is a journey, much like the soulful and forgotten art of pilgrimage. Over and over, research shows that technical skills, […]
Leadership & Ritual
By Valerie Brown, JD, MA, PCC Recently, I was part of a webinar in a year-long online learning course on transformational leadership. We opened the session with a ritual practice For a moment, I was stunned. In my rushed and productive life, moving breathlessly from thing to thing of a never-ending list, I had forgotten, lost track of […]
Look up!
Cultivating a kinder world by reorienting your vision.
Ghost Ranch: A “Thin Place”
Ghost Ranch is a place that gives voice to ‘your whole self’, to ponder the big questions of life purpose, meaning, and direction.