If you had told me ten years ago, when facing down the destabilizing, panic inducing diagnosis of thyroid cancer, I never would have believed you where I'd be today.
This weekend, I began a two year meditation teacher training program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and feel such a profound sense of "This is exactly where I'm meant to be."
I first stepped into meditation practice at the Won Buddhis temple in 2008, I began a contemplative approach to the creative process in 2013. Meditation and creativity have helped me to cope with great difficulty: illness, anxiety, and loss to name a few.
In the ten days leading up to this launch of this program I've had a few stunning opportunities, and I don't think it is a coincidence. I facilitated a meditative creative process with 92 middle schoolers as part of my work at Interfaith Philadelphia, I shared my story and facilitated a contemplative art activity with students in Temple's art therapy program, and most recently I was interviewed by Pauli Reese on their podcast Uncommon Good about my contemplative creative practice.
Sometimes the universe gives us gentle winks that we are on the right track. This past few weeks it has felt more like a big hug.
I'm profoundly grateful for the alignment of my life to make enrollment in this Mindful Meditation Teaching program possible. I am ripe for this next level of engagement and curious and open about the pathways that will open and unfold within and around me.