I am writing this on Guru Purnima: in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions this is the Full Moon of the Guru and a time to honor our spiritual teachers.
Today I want to dedicate this newsletter to Carolyn Congers - one of my teachers, who passed into Spirit on June 23rd. I met Carolyn in the 90’s while studying with one of my main teachers: Brugh Joy. She was an incredible role model for me, and I was blown away by her embodying the power of the Feminine. As my friend Susan Rosen said, “she was one of our greatest treasures”.
Carolyn encouraged me to write and teach on ritual, and she showed me how to access and honor both the dark wild part inside of me as well as the gentle compassionate side I tend to show the world.
I learned from her that a true teacher helps others discover their innate spiritual wisdom. She was a wisdom guide in the fields of healing, intuition, creativity and dream work and she brought her real-life experiences with tribal societies into all her teachings. My first trip to Bali was with her (photo below).
We all need mentors in our lives. Expand your network. Become a mentor, allow others to guide you and find a community that encourages your greatness. We are all mirrors for each other.
As a spiritual practice: reach out and freely share your wisdom with others this week without expecting anything back.
Happy 4th of July to all who celebrate: remember that real freedom holds the best of all possibilities.
Until next time,
Barbara