Monthly Archives: October 2018

Life as Pilgrimage & the Art of Transformation

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From my September newsletter:
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin
Butterfly has long been a totem animal for me and for many of us who have undergone a similar transformation through the dark night where we enter the chrysalis of our grief, then re-emerge reborn with a new way of seeing and being in the world.

No surprise then that butterfly woman (see my first mandala at this link) is reappearing at this threshold of my life as I embark on the next stage of this journey and navigate my second Saturn return. This 29-year cycle is often a time of disruption and transformation, and a necessary shedding occurs that opens space for the new. Has this been true for you? My first Saturn return was marked by the deaths of my brother and mother that initiated me into a new awareness of the preciousness of life, prompting my relocation to Portland 25 years ago.

I have been blessed to call this place home all these years and it has been through a long period of discernment that I have decided to move back to the East coast. It’s a leap into the unknown which is at the heart of any pilgrimage. And as pilgrims on the path, we must follow the call of the soul. This doesn’t mean it has been easy or without grief and many sleepless nights but the signs are clear. It’s time to spread my wings.

The signs were emerging four years ago, during an Animas Valley quest into the wild indigenous soul but I was caring for my elderly father and was unable to make a move at that time. This came via email recently from one of my teachers and guides on the quest, Bill Plotkin:

“Alongside our greatest longing lives an equally great terror of finding the very thing we seek. Somehow we know that doing so will irreversibly shake up our lives, our sense of security, change our relationship to everything we hold as familiar and dear. But we also suspect that saying no to our deepest desires will mean self-imprisonment in a life too small. And a far-off voice within insists that the never-before-seen treasure is well worth any sacrifices and difficulty in recovering it.” Read his full message here.
As I simplify materially, I sense more joy and blessings to come and it feels like time is of the essence. My commitment through my work, Sacred Art Studio, will continue to evolve and invite you to come along on this journey with me. I am looking at Asheville or Durham, North Carolina both of which are affordable, have thriving art scenes, spiritual community, and are progressive.I will continue to keep you updated and remain grateful to all of you–my friends, family, and supporters of this holy calling on behalf of our earth, other beings, and our creatures.

If you’re in Colorado, I’ll be back to Mile Hi for the closing of my show on September 30th. Hope to see you there!

In gratitude and love,
Amy