The Soul-Discovery Journalbook: An Intimate Journey into Self

The Soul-Discovery Journalbook

An Intimate Journey into Self

Also by Adriene Nicastro

Little Gifts: The Adventures of a Pigeon Angel

Precious Little Loves

The Soul-Discovery Journalbook: An Intimate Journey into Self

Copyright © 2021 by Adriene Nicastro

All rights reserved.

Cover image: CC0 Creative Commons License

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No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles and book reviews.

The advice and strategies found within may not be suitable for every situation and are not a replacement for professional medical or therapeutic treatment.

This book was published in 2018 as five separate volumes and in 2019 as a combined version under Spirit Speaks Publishing.

Pathways to Freedom Press

Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

www.pathwaystofreedompress.com

Library of Congress Control Number: ##########

ISBN Hardback 978-1-7358558-1-3

ISBN eBook 978-1-7358558-2-0

To my children Jackson and Payton and fur babies Ash, Zannah, and Koffee, thank you for blessing me on this great adventure. You make my life so very rich.

To my soul sisters, you know who you are; your friendship is a breath of fresh air and deeper than words.

To the Sacred Garden Fellowship family, your support and teachings have made my own evolution possible; to Rev. Penny Donovan, your love, compassion, and connection to Spirit has inspired me and to Donald Gilbert, whose gifts and guidance encouraged me to be more.

To the challenging characters I’ve met on my path, thank you for the opportunities to grow.

And finally, to all the spiritual warriors and sacred rebels who allowed me to be part of their growth and soul-discovery, your courage, grace, and authenticity is a joy to behold.

Table of Contents

Letter to the Soul-discoverer

Introduction

Volume I: A Single Step

Setting the Stage

Guidelines on Use

Journaling Suggestions

Using Guided Meditations

Our Sacred Space

Centering

We Are Guided

Setting Our Intent

First Glance

Freedom!

Scribbled Reflections

Through the Looking Glass

Our Internal Climate

That's What I Like

Grrrrrrrrrrr

Create!

Old Habits Die Hard

Dreams

Multi-sensory Memory

The Ties That Bind Us

Value Park

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Volume II: Constant Companions

Constant Companions

Attitude of Gratitude

Breathe

Wise Baby Vision

Quieting Our Mind

Thankfulness Tree

The Ego

Spiritual Chutzpah

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Here and Now

Mandala

Mindfulness and Gratitude

Creating Affirmations

Only Love is Real

Your Inside Circle

Volume III: Metaphysical Musings

Metaphysical Musings

Our Energy

Beautiful World

The World Sings with You

From Consciousness into Awareness

We Are So Loved

There Is Order

Moon Moods

In the Heart of the Jungle

Wynebgwrthucher

Faith in Ladybugs

Serendipity and Synchronicity

Into the Butterfly

Understanding Illness and Healing

Karmic Cords

Blessings Blooming

Let Your Love-light Shine

The Substance of Stars

Volume IV: A Deeper Gaze

A Deeper Gaze

Love Your Spots

Letting Go

Remembering the Love

The Mysteries of La-La Land

Letter of Love

Joy and Happiness

Shedding Perceived Failures

The Final Frontier

Ho’oponopono

Chagrin

Dearest Friend

Waters Deep and Wide

Volume V: Hip Boots and Waders

Hip Boots and Waders

Meeting Peter Pan

Transforming Drama

The Letter That Won't Be Sent

Visiting Never Land

Snow White and the Evil Queen

Message in a Bottle

The Merry-go-round

Leaving Our Swamp of Judgment

The Power of Belief

Oh, Merciful Heart!

Return from the Looking Glass

At Journey’s End

Thank you

Epilogue

Appendix

Resources

Glossary of Terms

Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.

— C.S. Lewis

(J. Tenniel illustrator)

Letter to the Soul-discoverer

Dear Courageous One,

Welcome to The Soul-Discovery Journalbook: An Intimate Journey into Self. Within these pages lies a great adventure…a pilgrimage…soul-discovery as a unique expression of YOU. Some readers may arrive here already feeling like a well-seasoned journeyer, while others may see the path ahead as new and fresh. All of us travel a multitude of routes. In truth, we are but headed to one destination through many, many different trails – a journey to the Self. Your adventure awaits in the following pages through soul-discovery.

While any journey may elicit excitement, anticipation, and joy, perhaps under the surface or even not so hidden lies fear, uncertainty, and anxiety, creating a push and pull inside us. Because this adventure travels within to places many may never have seen or noticed before, the trail may seem like a bumpy mountain path. Often, what we actually discover is less frightening than what we’ve imagined. We may even realize that fear of our own fear serves as the real root of our nervousness, believing more in the danger of facing the unknown or hidden negative pieces we all carry than in our ability to release or overcome whatever we encounter.

Through this journey, with all its metaphorical deep streams, dense forests, and majestic peaks, I greatly desire that you grow in self-love – the Mount Everest on the Great Path of Life. This very self-love calls to the spark of Life within you. And as you let this journey within peel back the layers of misperceptions that have long skewed the vision of who you really are, may you find the joy, creativity, and peace that is inherently and eternally yours.

I look forward to your metamorphosis, happily imparting what I have learned and remembered from my own twisting and sometimes rocky path. Thank you for taking this journey, for as you grow, we all grow with you. Like the sun, your radiance becomes shared with all.

I hope to hear from you and read the stories of your evolution. Please write to me at www.pathways2innerpeace.com and share your struggles and your triumphs.

May your path be most rewarding and blessed as you intimately connect with yourself and your Self. Be brave, be authentic, and most of all, be loving.

Much love and light,

Adriene

Introduction

We each have the power within us to transform our lives. Our desire to grow brings new opportunities – journeys of metamorphosis that arrive special delivery from the Universe. Through your intentions, the world heard your call, leading you to this book series and the adventures in soul-discovery that lie within its pages.

While there are many paths to personal growth, the The Soul-Discovery Journalbook offers a set of distinct tools for personal evolution through what this author calls soul-discovery – the unearthing and shedding of limiting beliefs held in our soul memory. While each step herein evolves uniquely for each reader as a journey within, broadly speaking they create an adventure to uncover our True Nature by shining a light on debris and by offering ways to put psycho-spiritual tools into action to release what no longer serves us. As a result, we unblock our path, cleanse our soul memory of misperceptions, and facilitate self-love, all while moving toward the awareness and expression of Self – our ever-present Internal Sun.

The beginning of any change is simple – a desire for movement and growth in our life. Simple, however, doesn’t always mean easy. Some of the most potent and transformative aspects of these volumes are the most simplistic in nature. Others may feel elusive or complicated, requiring slow progression and intentional revisiting to assimilate what they offer. Nevertheless, throughout The Soul-Discovery Journalbook, everyone is encouraged to find their own distinct path through the gentle nudges to explore, contemplate, experience, laugh, cry, feel, draw, scribble, ponder, process, and practice – expressing with freedom and authenticity.

Traveling through topics, chapters, and exercises, only one key element is required – willingness – perhaps the most important aspect of personal development. The Soul-Discovery Journalbook personally invites you to explore through openness, honesty, and a willingness to look…a willingness to really experience your internal world, allowing everything that surfaces to move through you, embracing all to progressively and lovingly accept its gifts. This is willingness in action. In turn, opportunities continually unfold to uncover any shadow aspects and put into practice new behaviors, mindsets, and feeling states that ground your growth. Willingness cannot be given to you; each person must reach deeply inside to find their own. Those who do will reap great rewards through lightness of being, transformation, and love. The choice is always yours.

While psycho-spiritual in nature, The Soul-Discovery Journalbook is not a substitute for psychotherapy or other modalities of care. Certainly, it provides fruitful, direct, and sometimes side-door gazes at the forces that compel us. It aids those who investigate its pages to understand themselves better, release old struggles, shift perceptions, and grow. What it helps us uncover might urge us toward other ways to heal through therapy and related healing practitioners, or it may serve us in our existing healing process as we embrace what it offers, incorporating the materials and journeys as we are drawn.

Originally envisioned as one, six-section book, The Soul-Discovery Journalbook’s first publication circulated as five interdependent volumes, each working together to guide readers through progressively deeper soul-discovery. This new version returns to the author’s initial intent, housing the five volumes under one cover. It provides the opportunity to easily cross-reference and explore related chapters listed in the comprehensive Table of Contents, an Appendix that outlines Resources as books, movies, and websites supplementing your journey, and a brief Glossary of Terms used throughout the series. Additionally, each volume presents chapters within a common theme. Chapters, in turn, introduce a lesson or topic of exploration and follow with one or more exercises called Journeys. Journeys allow for practicing the chapter lessons through frequent use of centering and setting intentions, as well as through a variety of personal and practical explorations in soul-discovery. Even though each section focuses on a general theme, metaphysics, spirituality, mindfulness, and psycho-spiritual tools and lessons infuse the entire book series, blending and weaving concepts and approaches as a comprehensive whole.

Looking across the six sections of the series, we find Setting the Stage, First Glance, Constant Companions, Metaphysical Musings, A Deeper Gaze, and Hip Boots and Waders.

Volume I: A Single Step

Setting the Stage offers important preliminary information; the chapters within paint a significant backdrop to this author’s meaning of soul-discovery. Gather valuable tools for self-exploration, the preparation before setting out on the trail with compass and backpack in tow.

First Glance eases into self-discovery by starting the process of exploration and expression to learn new and intriguing ways to uncover feelings, thoughts, and belief systems that inform how we operate in the world.

Volume II: Constant Companions

Constant Companions continues personal exploration, offering tools and perspectives that may be practiced repeatedly. This volume facilitates mindfulness, inner peace, and self-acceptance as vital tools of our evolution.

Volume III: Metaphysical Musings

Metaphysical Musings holds foundational metaphysical and psycho-spiritual gear invaluable for any journey of personal growth, especially a set of core tools to navigate life’s daily challenges, as well as a journey to make an intimate connection with Self.

Volume IV: A Deeper Gaze

A Deeper Gaze devotes time to progressively deeper soul-discovery. Dive into layers of self-exploration to uncover the well-worn patterns and old beliefs that hold us back from living in Union with all of life.

Volume V: Hip Boots and Waders

Hip Boots and Waders continues the process of soul-discovery as part of our life-long adventure in getting to know self and Self.

Traveling the pages of The Soul-Discovery Journalbook, various volumes may pique your interest. However, regardless of where you feel drawn, the attention and time given to Setting the Stage will be time well spent. This section offers valuable information, in the same way that packing before a trip prepares us for the journey ahead. Any adventure missing clean underwear, comfortable clothing, or important toiletries can produce stress along the way and the discomfort can make us think twice about our preparations or haste. So, when allowing for freedom of movement to explore topics and taking what may seem to be a diversion on the trail, this author advises that everyone gathers basic supplies and adequately pack by first exploring Setting the Stage. Beyond this section, those compelled to skip around must remember that some chapters present a deeper, more complex version of others; what you may bypass could hold foundational material needed for future exploration and chapter comprehension. In any event, set the intent that moving too quickly ahead ignites an inner guidance to slow-down, refocus, or return to earlier missed chapters to regain your bearings.

Additionally, the nature of this work at times employs the benefits of repetition, which offers opportunities of more comprehensive experiences, diving deeper into the layers of our soul with each pass-through. At other times, it pays homage to growth as a way to witness and celebrate our evolution. At best, the simple idiom, practice makes perfect, can transform into a new mindset; repetition gently sheds the layers that we no longer need to reveal the perfection of the Self within. So by all means, repeat when it feels right, and know that each time we revisit a theme, idea, or lesson, it can help us progress on the path.

Staple foods for growth, navigational tools for life’s daily challenges, faithful traveling companions, dependable lanterns, indispensable adventuring gear…these are what you, my soul-discovery friend, find within these pages. May they serve you well.

Many, many blessings on your path.

The Soul-Discovery Journalbook

An Intimate Journey into Self

Volume I

A Single Step

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

— Lao Tzu

Setting the Stage

Welcome to the very first step of soul-discovery! The tools contained within this section help you prepare for your journey. Setting the Stage includes important tips about navigating the work, valuable journaling suggestions, ideas on creating a sacred space, helpful ways to use guided meditation, steps to call in your Divine helpers, and how to set your intent.

Treasured information lies within these beginning pages that aid in making the most out of your experience with The Soul-Discovery Journalbook.

Happy trails!

Guidelines on Use

The materials before you create a journey. Well really, each of you creates the journey; these pages provide the food, tools, lantern, and map to assist and help guide the way in soul-discovery.

While some may interpret a journey as a paced walk over time, others may see it as a sprint. Our inclination to mesh with a fast-food culture brings an instant gratification mentality to our life and day-to-day living, but this book series is not a sprint, nor can you learn everything within these pages all in one big bite. Let me say that again. The Soul-Discovery Journalbook series is not a sprint, but a marathon. If approached in a fashion that strives and rushes – a want results now mindset – expect frustration, exasperation, and discouragement. Moreover, hurrying the process and movement through these exercises may lead to emotional overload. So, take the time to progress naturally… organically…and trust that your process and progress is perfect for you.

While some of this soul-discovery may seem quite foreign, if thought of as a new way to approach life challenges and situations, we find a common thread. ALL of us face challenges in this great adventure called life, and knowing the tools that help us navigate these difficulties more smoothly, deeply, and meaningfully is what this author endeavors to provide.

Reading and working within these pages often affords more than a once-and-done opportunity. Like new ways to condition the body give rise to a stronger, healthier physical state, this material embraces the same vision. While a new Pilates pose or interval training regimen provides many gains, we certainly cannot expect to do either only one time or for a single day to demonstrate improved stamina or muscle tone. The same applies to soul-discovery and personal evolution. Even though this author doesn’t presume to know how much or how often the treasures and tools within these pages need to be read, as well as traveled to experience benefit, the changes will be highly individual and vary from person to person. Some changes will be immediately incorporated, expressed as a new attitude or mindset to practice, growing in strength with each passing day. More commonly, revisiting exercises may feel like peeling an onion, as readers uncover deeper and deeper layers of misperceptions, negative beliefs, or old habits. Still other opportunities to apply new ways of being – employing the help of constant companions – aid readers in navigating challenging situations and thus make the path lighter, clearer, and filled with ease. Regardless of how each journey unfolds, trust that your personal prescription is in perfect order, giving room for practice, visiting and revisiting wherever and whenever drawn. Remember, every leg of your journey differs slightly, even though it might seem like the exact same lesson or exercise. However seemingly repetitive or similar circumstances or lessons appear, we change with each experience, each journey, each chapter navigated. As such, growth occurs in sometimes immeasurable ways, yet most certainly through observing, living through, shedding, and understanding one step at a time as we put what we’ve learned into action.

Inherent in soul-discovery, some exercises also provide immediate shifts in the form of less tension, lower anxiety, more peace, greater understanding, or the proverbial ah-hah moment. Other exercises palpably increase anger, sadness, frustration, and nervous tensions as buried emotions surface for examination, expression, and ultimately release. Becoming easily overwhelmed by emotions especially happens when feelings routinely get ignored, stuffed, or bypassed, so be gentle. Give room for movement and breaks, time to process and experience, time to express and transform. Know that all things come to pass and that accepting whatever internal state presents itself heralds a place in the transformative process. Again, every step is progress.

For many, The Soul-Discovery Journalbook guides readers through newly charted waters. Others may find themselves in familiar seas. In general, anything new can feel strange because we are creatures of habit, so what’s unfamiliar often breeds discomfort. Remember all of life and living, whether pleasurable, unusual, or challenging, provides valuable opportunities for growth.

Knowing that self-discovery may feel challenging or uncomfortable (in life or in a journey within these pages), what is a good benchmark for constructive navigation? Simply said, work within a manageable range. What is manageable? Well, that varies from person to person and experience to experience. Most importantly, when we live mindfully by paying attention to the body, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, all reveal valuable information. Take time to express, reflect, sit with, witness, journal, draw, feel, bawl your eyes out, meditate, laugh like crazy, walk, talk with a friend…using whatever processing tools and pace that is workable. And remember, discomfort is where the magic happens, especially as we allow it to help us transform what no longer serves our highest and best.

If, however, you feel increasingly overwhelmed to the point that days or weeks are consumed by a negative internal state, consider counseling or therapy. A widely accepted misperception says that we must be sick, weak, crazy, or unable to heal to seek help. Our world holds so much assistance. The mere desire for a guide to light our path or to help develop tools currently beyond our awareness provides a hand to cross a deep and swollen river of challenges – perceived obstacles need not obstruct our journey forward with so much help available.

As a teacher and therapist, student and client, my beliefs firmly rest with getting assistance to learn, heal, and grow, instead of continuing to struggle on our own. When we wait until the stresses of life reach a critical mass and we feel that we are breaking, we block our own development. Many may even stretch beyond that point into depression, anxiety, or disease states that not only impair living, but also thwart Life – an expansive expression of Divine force that flows through us with love, joy, and peace.

Most important of all, our True Nature, exposed through soul-discovery, forever remains our internal compass. Within each of us lies this soft, intuitive urging…a feeling…a voice that always guides us toward our highest and best. It leads us Home to the Self that whispers, Remember Me.

Journaling Suggestions

There are no right or wrong ways to journal. The process itself is a very personal and individual one. The suggestions intended within this section offer a guide to make the most out of journaling and the journeys within these pages; quick references, helpful tools, and useful reminders assist and enhance your personal journaling process.

For this author, journaling is much more than a log of events. It is a place to process thoughts, feelings, emotions, situations, and reactions as a multi-sensory and multi-media experience. Drawings, descriptions, and pointed notes coalesce to illuminate limiting beliefs, unhelpful patterns, and habits of our ego-based personality. As our internal climate unfolds before us, it can be examined non-judgmentally, giving room to align with our true Self.

Listed below are general journaling suggestions for this book series, as well as journaling beyond these pages. While some appear self-explanatory, other specific suggestions/exercises unfold in the chapters to come, deepening the practice and understanding of particular topics. So, if a suggestion appears cryptic or elusive, know that relevant exploration lies in subsequent chapters.

• Create a safe, quiet place to write, free from distractions, foot traffic, and curious eyes whenever possible.

• The blank canvas for the journeys within each chapter may not provide enough room to complete what you are processing. Consider a separate journal for additional space, one in lieu of writing within these pages, some combination of the two, or another creative solution to comfortably navigate these exercises.

• If choosing a journal, consider one that offers the space to draw, write, color, and paste items. Whether you create one out of your own paper or discover another that feels right, all journals help to honor and observe your progress.

• Find a private place to keep this book series and/or your journal to give you the mental and emotional space to write freely – freedom from the concern that anything shared may be exposed without your permission.

• Be generous and loving – gift yourself the time to spend with you writing, exploring, and being.

• Log events that you experience or imagine and your accompanying thoughts, emotional reactions, and behaviors in response to those experiences.

• Give yourself permission to express all thoughts, emotions, and feelings, freeing yourself from censoring. This may mean swearing, scribbling, yelling, punching a pillow, running, crying, etc.

• If you have difficulty identifying or reaching elusive emotions and thoughts, props like music, photos, videos, and movies facilitate expression, bringing to the surface what may be suppressed, compartmentalized, hidden, or stuffed.

• Use gratitude and affirmations freely to promote the flow of positive energy, manifestation, and creative growth.

• Consider writing out an action plan, where appropriate, to assist the development of new patterns of behavior, thoughts, emotions, and feelings, even if that plan is simply to observe yourself and your world. This particularly helps when writing about situations that seem problematic.

• Be prepared to shred and/or burn pages when you feel the need or as a means of letting go of old energy, emotions, thoughts, or situations. Even when we have a safe location for our journal, sometimes the mere thought that others could somehow discover our hiding place inhibits our writing. Remember, shredding or burning pages is always an option to give us the space to freely express.

• Encourage and remind yourself to develop the habit of non-judgmental self-observation, seeing anything that surfaces not as good or bad but as an opportunity for change and growth.

• As often as possible, consider the broader context of what you uncover through each journey; examine how current circumstances are part of a bigger picture that feeds personal patterns in life relating to other situations, work experiences, family, or community interactions.

• Remember that this is a path…a journey…and all it holds is for you and not for someone else, even though everyone in your life benefits from your growth.

• Affirm that you deserve to have the time and space for growth, self-development, and soul-discovery.

• Most of all, enjoy your soul-discovery as much as possible. Life is an adventure and you are journeying to YOU!

Using Guided Meditations

Throughout The Soul-Discovery Journalbook series, various journeys make use of guided meditations. Just as notes create melodies, guided meditations use words to create mental images and multi-sensory experiences. Like painting a picture in the mind, colorful descriptions build vivid landscapes where readers travel to places and states of consciousness. Images, feelings, and thoughts move through the reader or listener producing relaxation, reflection, introspection, and/or revelation – an alternate universe of the astral plane rich with opportunity, solutions, and inner peace.

Generally, the imagery of guided meditation takes us to a tranquil setting to lower stress and cultivate calmness. This priceless passport into the ethers enables us to leave our chaotic world behind so we may rest in alignment with our Self. As we follow along, allowing our imagination to flow, we may find our five senses alight with the mere suggestions of wind, sunshine, or fragrant flowers. Additionally, the language offers suggestions to the conscious mind but may hold deeper, subconscious meaning. For example, water (symbolic of emotions and cleansing) identifies or clears away old emotional debris.

Guided meditations, however, offer much more than wrapping us in a gentle blanket of comfort. Within this book series, they aid in the discovery of our mind’s hidden corners, the excavation of internal states forgotten or veiled, and the recreation of situations to discover more loving solutions.

Sometimes when navigating a guided meditation, we experience internal states (thoughts, feelings, images, etc.) that differ from the presented language. At these junctures, what surfaces may demonstrate our mind’s wandering nature, our personal discomfort, or a consciousness beyond our awareness attempting to reveal its secrets. These points of seeming digression can serve as food for deeper understanding. Giving permission for ourselves to experience whatever arises, we can trust that valuable clues to our inner world are being shown, the very clues needed to navigate soul-discovery.

Readers will find the guided meditations within these pages written out, as well as recorded for those who desire a digital version for easy listening. Recorded meditations can be found on www.pathways2innerpeace.com on the OM page, which is linked through the QR code next to each written meditation. Some readers may find reading the meditations suitable, retaining the essence enough to re-create the mental imagery without the step-by-step language. Others may desire the help of a trusted friend or partner to read the meditation out loud. Most will find the recordings provided through this author’s website calming and simple to use, generating the visual cues desired. Playing Goldilocks, like the beloved, golden-haired, curious, storybook child of yesteryear, offers the opportunity to try out different approaches to determine what feels best.

Simply said, we can remember the following:

• Follow the description in the guided meditations and allow the imagery to unfold in your mind’s eye.

• Let the experiences move through you and flow instead of grabbing or wrestling with any specific words or descriptions.

• Observe what you experience by paying attention to surfacing images, feelings, emotions, thoughts, and body sensations.

Our Sacred Space

What comes to mind when thinking about a sacred space? Is it a location…a pillow-filled room lined with candles, plants, and an inviting rainbow of soothing colors, smells, and sounds that feed us on all levels? Maybe we imagine an empty room, bereft of detail and things to distract; instead, its clean lines and surfaces feel simple and uncluttered. Whatever we envision, all can benefit from a room, corner, or little hideaway from the world – a place to temporarily remove ourselves from the responsibilities and demands of this earth adventure. A physical sacred space provides the place to journal, center, meditate, contemplate, do soul-discovery, and just be, taking a break from everything that pulls us in twenty different directions.

Let’s stop for a moment and contemplate a sacred space. How do you feel about creating it? Using it? Some may envision a space perfect for them but immediately dismiss its creation as a wild fantasy, feeling as if the time, physical place, or an overall lack of freedom makes it impossible. Others may immediately consider expense or practicality. Some may question whether they deserve the time to go there. Regardless of your mindset, I encourage all who travel these pages to create a sacred space that helps quiet the mind, rest the body, and feed the soul. Remember, it doesn’t have to be large or fancy or cause more burden to an already busy life.

In the beginning of my journey, I used a corner of my bedroom where I placed a small, portable stereo and a chair. My intent set the energy. Centering and meditating in the space grounded and infused it with my desire for personal growth. With some boundaries for my children like Don’t interrupt unless there’s an emergency, and If you want to join me, you must be quiet and sit still; if not, please find something to do until Mommy is done, I established a sanctuary oriented to self-care that grew into its own room filled with plants, healing crystals, spiritual books, and an abiding climate of peace, harmony, and healing.

I know you might be thinking, A space is great, but what about the mental and emotional freedom to center, express, and be me? Only you can give yourself the time and space for self-nourishment, as well as the permission to express your thoughts and feelings honestly and openly. When you allow it, the tools and exercises in this book series will lead the way.

So, let’s first intentionally select a physical space designed to cultivate peacefulness, a place to do your inner work, center, meditate, and remove yourself from the world, if only briefly.

Most importantly, a sacred space has:

• freedom from foot traffic and interruptions;

• freedom from phones, computers, or TV noise, or has devices that can be silenced;

• a comfortable chair or floor cushions and a cozy blanket;

• pens, pencils, markers, crayons, paint, paper, a journal – materials to allow for self-expression;

• incense or sage to clear unwanted, heavy energies (see Wynebgwrthucher ); and

• a candle for comfort, to draw angelic help, and to represent your eternal light.

The following can be added as you are drawn to provide support on your path:

• music and/or white noise like a fan or small fountain;

• plants or flowers to infuse your area with nature, cultivate beauty, and honor life;

• an altar with objects and images to represent your growth;

• crystals that resonate with you; trust the ones that draw your attention; and

• mindful reminders such as quotes, images, and photos that support you on your journey.

Remembering that self-care makes us better caretakers of everyone and everything in our lives, even small breaks and respite from busyness, chores, or chaos nurture us through our day. Thirty minutes, two or three times a week, gifts us the opportunities for the personal feeding of mind, body, and spirit, which facilitates growth and soul-discovery. As we honor ourselves and allow for the exploration of our inner climate through a sacred space in geography and time, we grow awareness of our most important self – our sacred space within.

Journey: Creating Sacred Space

Review the list of qualities

of a sacred space.

Make your own list of

essentials for a little

sanctuary in your home or

apartment. What feels

vital to support the ways

you desire to travel soul-

discovery and your

personal growth?

Remember, this is the place

where you’ll go to do your

inner work, center, and

meditate, cultivating inner

peace.

Collect and arrange the

items from your list in your

sacred space.

Journal about the process of

creating it including any

reactions or challenges

along the way.

How do you feel having a

special place just for you,

dedicated to your soul-

discovery and the journeys

in this book series?

Now you’re ready for

centering!

Centering

A common practice to many traditions (yoga, martial arts, spiritual studies, mindfulness), centering may be used anywhere and anytime to gain clarity, calm the mind, soothe emotions, and/or bring a sense of peacefulness. We center to rest in a consciousness beyond our focus on the external world and our internal climate. When desired, it segues to meditation.

Centering, defined as a gathering of our energies to shift of our attention inward, is meant to quiet all our layers – physical, mental, and emotional. As we do this, we first notice our body sensations. How our body feels – current aches and pains, general health, lack or abundance/quality of sleep, restlessness, etc. – affects our centering. When our body hurts or doesn’t feel