"Be humble, for you are made of earth.
Be noble, for you are made of stars."
(Slavic proverb)

"An unexamined dream is like an unopened letter from God."
(Talmud)

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions."
(Albert Einstein)

"Such a price the gods exact for song: to become what we sing."
(Goethe)

"Find your purpose, heal your pain, live with passion."

It's on my business cards. It's on every page of my web site. I've come to appreciate it's capacity to convey a bit of what I do.

Yet it began as an exercise in a marketing group for therapists, an exercise to which I was, at first, adamantly opposed. Each of us was to come up with a "tag line" for our practice, a few words to capture the attention of potential clients. Tag lines are big in marketing and business coaching these days, but I felt such an approach was part of the problem with the way therapy is often practiced: reducing the mystery of the human condition to quick fixes and catchy slogans.

Begrudgingly, I gave the exercise a try. What emerged surprised and humbled me.

When people come to see me for counseling, it's usually because of some "problem" they are experiencing: stress, depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, dissatisfaction with their job, a disconnect from spirit, creativity gone AWOL. To put it another way, they are in pain.

Like a light on the dashboard, that pain points toward something, some part of their life that has become neglected or stagnant and needs attention. That "something" may be their purpose: why am I here? what does this mean? what's my place in the world? In the course of struggling with everyday concerns, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture, and the journey is that much harder when you don't remember where you're going.

As people sit in counseling and try to rediscover that purpose, as they make the descent down into their pain so  they can listen to what it's trying to tell them, what often emerges are lost dreams and desires, things for which they once had...passion. These passions come in many forms--relationships, work in the world, creative pursuits, group activities, spiritual paths, to name just a few.

My "tag line," and the reflections above, may make it seem like a straightforward, sequential process: "find your purpose, heal your pain, live with passion." Don't be fooled. The Three "P"s are inextricably intertwined. Trying to define which comes first, or how they relate to each other, is like trying to find the beginning of a circle.

I'm still a bit suspicious of "tag lines," including my own. But I've come to have some faith in the place of purpose, pain, and passion in living a rich and soulful life.

(music) "Dreamers Everywhere" (Kathryn Mostow). This CD celebrates life and showcases one of the sweetest voices you'll ever hear. Years ago I  reviewed one of Mostow's concerts, and wrote this: "On stage, Kathryn has a real, intense, passionate, sensual, open, beautiful way of being. It's rare to come away from a performance and feel like you've had an experience, something that has not just entertained you, but changed you. That's what Kathryn brings." To get a feel for what I mean, visit Mostow's web site, watch her new music video, "I Give Thanks," and order your copy of "Dreamers Everywhere."

(book) The Tao of Psychology: Synchronicity and the Self (Jean Shinoda Bolen). When I first came upon this slim (128 page) volume more than 20 years ago, it changed my life. It "explores the inter-relationship between meaningful coincidences and our intuitive sense that we are part of some deep oneness with the universe--a oneness called Tao in eastern philosophy and synchronicity in Jungian psychology. By relating the concepts of Tao and synchronicity, Dr. Bolen reveals important links between psychology & mysticism, right brain and left brain, the individual and the external world. The Tao of Psychology provides the key for each individual to interpret the synchronistic events in his or her life and gives fresh insight into the relationships, dreams, and flashes of perception that transform our existence" (from the book's back cover).

(program): "Reclaiming the Goddess--Circle for Women." In this experiential, year-long circle, facilitated by my colleagues Christine Wallace and Linda Lasz, "women will together rekindle and reclaim the Goddess within. Using the archetypes of the Goddess and the seasonal wheel of solstices, equinoxes, and cross quarter days (the Sabbats), we will explore the Goddess in her many forms and bring this sacred energy more fully and consciously into our lives. We will work with ritual, shamanic journeying, witnessing, ceremony, and sacred crafting during our time together. We will conclude the year with a weekend integration retreat." For more information,  visit the Reclaiming The Goddess web site, or call Christine Wallace at (206) 736- 2446.

I offer professional counseling and astrology services for individuals and couples. Whether you come to me with a problem (like depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues) or simply the sense that it's time for a change, I help you look at how that starting point is calling you to grow, and how you can respond with creativity, vitality, and hope.

To learn more, visit my web site by clicking here.

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