Dear friend,

For the last year, my attention has been given to something I noticed being named in the Light House community on a regular basis, which is that members were starting to call it their spiritual home.

I sat up and took notice when this began to happen.

And so for the last year I've been listening to it, asking questions, sharing conversations, dreaming and noticing and discerning, and allowing more pieces to be put into place—like scaffolding—to further support and uphold that experience of our members.

For example, we just rolled out a monthly contemplative gathering, called Sanctuary, that is becoming our form of "church" together—a way of gathering in spacious grace for communal silence, reflection, namings, and prayer on a monthly basis.

It has also included shifting our weekly threads, too, at least for a season, to more directly reflect the kinds of rhythms a spiritual community would keep, like naming gratitudes and weekly prayers.

I have to tell you, it's been an unexpected turn in the story of the Light House.

I never set out to start a spiritual community, but that is what the Light House has become. It turns out that when you gather contemplative women in all their stunning beauty in a dedicated space, the ground and essence of what they share cannot help but transform into spiritual community.

And so the first part of my note to you here today is to say this: If a spiritual community sounds like something you've been looking for—a spiritual home for gathering in contemplative practice and deepening friendship with other contemplative women—we welcome you to join us in the Light House.

You can learn more and join us in spiritual community here.

And now for the second reason for my letter to you today, which has to do with the reason I did start the Light House in the first place, which is to help you notice, name, and live into the invitations of your unique life.

What might those be—those unique invitations?

Do you have a sense of what those are for you?

I shared a few weeks ago that I'm in the process of broadening the scope of my work beyond the community of the Light House. I've been considering how this work of helping you notice, name, and live into your light can be offered to you in different shapes and sizes.

So, to start—drum roll, please—I am developing a workshop and (optional) group experience that's for you if you are wanting to move forward with the expression of your light in some way but find yourself getting stalled out again and again.

Does this sound like you?

Maybe you have something you've been wanting to do but don't know how to get there. Or you've been drawn toward a project or a way of bringing your gifts to a need you see around you, but you feel overwhelmed or scattered, or you keep getting caught up in distractions, or you just feel scared of it.

Maybe you don't know how to let it matter—how to let you and your light matter—just as much as the lives of those around you do.

Enter what I'm designing to meet you in just that place: a workshop and (optional) group experience to support you in putting your light into action.

Fun fact: I got to this offering based on data you all have given me!

For the last long while now, a treasure trove of data has been gathering quietly in the background through the free light assessment I make available on my website. A few weeks ago, I remembered it was there and printed out the data spreadsheets for 220+ responses.

Here's what I noticed.

Some of you aren't sure you can trust your discernment, and some of you aren't sure what your light is.

But the greatest percentage of you (49.8%) said you have things you want to do but no clear pathway to get there.

You used words like overwhelmed and hard time prioritizing and limited energy and so much to learn and unorganized and too many choices and not an obvious path and managing time and doubting my ability to see it through.

When it came to what would change if a magic wand made it all better, two namings poked through again and again: clarity and courage.

Concerning clarity, you said things like I would know at the core of my soul that what I am doing is right and I would be more sure about what I want and I would see and hear clearly without doubting and I would know with certainty it's correct and have a clear path to get there and my mind would be clear and I would know the next step to take and I would know what practices to put into place and my priorities would be clear and I would know my life counts and I would know what to pay attention to and I would have mental and emotional clarity.

And concerning courage, you said things like I would feel empowered and I would trust myself more and I would feel free to follow the path of my heart and I would be filled with courage and I would honor my life without second guessing and I would feel more bold without apology and I would live without fear and I would have confidence and I would shut off the voices that say I'm not enough.

Isn't that beautiful? I'm humbled by the honest namings I was privileged to receive from all of you.

And I hope it makes you feel less alone in the ways you, too, are struggling to carry and live into your light right now. So many others are feeling the exact same thing.

So, here's the next part.

A great deal of what you said would help in the carrying and living of your light is accountability and community. When asked what helps you act on your discernment when you know what's yours to do, you first named figuring out the next right step (68.4%), but following swiftly thereafter was ongoing affirmation and encouragement (65.4%) and regular check-ins with self and others (56.6%).

So here's what we're going to do.

I'm going to host a workshop on Friday, August 12, from 1-4PM Eastern.

Mark your calendar! This workshop will help you with the clarity piece, offering you space to notice and name what's yours to do right now, what's getting in the way of moving forward with it, what would help you better live into it, and what your next right steps might be.

The workshop will then be followed by a 13-week optional small group that supports your movement into action. These contemplative-style groups will provide you with space for ongoing discernment, abundant encouragement and support, and a way to keep yourself moving forward.

Does this sound like something you could use? Registration will open soon, but for now, I hope you'll earmark your calendar to join us. 🌟

Yours in contemplative light,
Christianne

What Keeps You From Doing What's Yours to Do?

7/19/22