Welcome! This world needs more Contemplative Grand – Elders like you, especially now.
You know how the world feels upside down and the littles you love like crazy are struggling and you’re not sure how to help in ways that are real for you?
Let’s just say it.
It’s hard to be a Contemplative in this world!
Lots of times, others may think we do a lot of nothing.
Not true! Listening for insight, being an intuitive, holding space for hope… those are not easy things. Especially in this moment.
To riff a bit on Stephen Covey, they are important things. And they’re getting more urgent by the day!
So much of our history and our high-speed, high-tech world has drowned out the ancient wisdom of spiritual grandmothers… women holding firmly to hope in times when women’s gifts weren’t valued and the world was a harsh place.
How many things would be different if more and more of us felt connected to each other and to Creation? If we truly valued the wonder of ourselves and the world?
Whether you are called to a yoga mat or to Intentional Creativity® or to attentive walking, to prayer scarves and knitting needles or to ancient chants for peace or to making mandalas in nature, you invite your littles into your practice for it is your greatest gift…
My son had a bit of the contemplative in him when he was very small. In fact, he wasn’t walking yet when he crawled across the family room floor at my folks’ house and sat raptly noticing as he turned a pedal on my sister’s stationary bike and watched in absolute wonder as the wheel went round and round.
It helps to remember that those precious littles have much to teach us, even in brief moments of attention.
One of the most important things they teach us is the power of noticing and wondering. This is not something many of us learned in school. It’s not something I learned a lot about, even in seminary. In fact, I’ve just been helped to notice how much wondering I have left to do!
You see, I’ve recently discovered stories of women contemplative mystics like Hildegard of Bingen and Julian of Norwich. In fact, I mentioned them in an early draft of this email. And then a dear friend noticed that they were both Anglo-Saxon Christian spiritual mothers. And then she wondered, aloud, about spiritual mothers from other lands and traditions.
I wondered, too! And so I asked a bunch of friends which, frankly, created quite a powerful tempest in a teapot!
Skipping along, in true Contemplative fashion… Now I know more! (And have more questions!)
You, too, are a Contemplative Grandmother. Thank goodness!
Recently, I wrote a Grandmothers’ Manifesta. A friend asked me how long it took.
My answer was simple. Thirty-five years and 10 minutes! Which is to say, it’s a path. A path of passionate hope, even on the hard days. A path to empowering our families and our world. I’m so glad you’re on the road, too.
For much of those 35 years, I was making my way from life as a poor, scared single mom, turned professional student, all the way to a whole lot of diplomas in the basement and some really helpful learning. Among the useful things… years and years as a pastoral counselor putting that learning to use. I’m a certified leader of Developing Capable People, a certified Intentional Creativity® Teacher & Coach, and the author of three Grammy friendly Amazon bestselling books.
My life was transformed when I became a Grammy! So much so that, these days, I help wise Grand-Elders like you discover and claim your special archetypal gifts for empowering yourself and the ones you love the most to survive and thrive. Art and creativity are often involved!
You can get started now, with this link to download a copy of the Grandmothers’ Manifesta, just for you!
