Welcome back to SunnyRoomStudio … sometimes we have to create our own sunlight; sometimes we have to offer light to others; and sometimes we simply need to visit a sunny creative space for kindred spirits. Whatever your motivation, thanks for stopping by!
Today I want to write briefly about the well of wisdom that resides within each of us.
How do we access it, learn to trust it? What can help us discover it in the first place?
For one thing “we need frequent, meaningful reminders that we are much more than current events, sensational headlines, drama, controversy and conflict, and interminable, often distracting, news bulletins.”
- From the cover of my recently released book: Always Returning: The Wisdom of Place, it’s true isn’t it?
How can we begin to learn about the well of wisdom within if we are constantly being drawn elsewhere — literally, figuratively?
If we believe all important life answers reside somewhere else, we forget to consult the wisdom of self.
“I, for one, have never been keen on prepackaged systems for personal growth. Wisdom that is organic and commonsensical, that taps into our inherent spiritual awareness, has an authentic and powerful ring to it. And, fundamentally, since life is seldom predictable, we must draw from the curious well of experience time and time again until we find our true place within. I hope, as you read, you will find opportunities to tap into your wisdom, more fully, perhaps, than before, while seeing this book as a starting point for dedicated exploration that is spiritual, heartfelt.”
- This is from the preface, one of my favorite parts of this book. It tells an entire story about how and why the anniversary edition came to be; it shares some of the ups and downs of being a “new author” back in 1999. A learning experience, to put it mildly!
The Upper Midwest Booksellers Association picked Heart Resides (first edition) as a Midwest favorite, which was a real honor; and out of the blue, after its release, while we were traveling, one of Oprah’s producers left a lovely message on our home phone. Well before the smart phone era, several hours elapsed before I picked up the message—we have an opening on our Remembering Your Spirit segment—so we weren’t able to connect. Alternative plans were already in motion by the time I returned the phone call (that was fast!); and what almost was, ultimately, was not. Admittedly, a national appearance sounded like a mixed blessing. I’d never craved a public image—prominence, visibility, recognition—although, paradoxically, all authors need one to develop a strong readership. Yet, I’m a relatively private person, a contemplative writer, content to let words on a page communicate for me; and somehow, I believe, we find the books that touch our souls. I’m sure I’m not alone when I suggest there is something inherently awkward about promoting one’s book (any work of art), since creativity often arrives as a gift through simply listening to the silence that is the deep intelligence of life itself. ~ Always Returning: The Wisdom of Place
- Haven’t you “somehow” found those books that touch your soul? Someone tells you about a book they loved, someone gives you a copy, or maybe you walked into a bookstore and a book seemed to practically jump off the shelf. Maybe you read a line or two about a new book on Facebook or Twitter, or via email. Perhaps you are browsing new titles on Amazon or walking through your local library. I’ve even discovered books I love when someone shares a quote, maybe two lines from a book that resonated with me. And let’s not forget the power of book covers — beauty, intrigue, emotions, and so on. Whatever leads you to a book, “somehow” we find those that touch our soul.
If you have a personal story about how you found a certain book, please share it in a comment!
Did it help you tap into the wisdom within? Or simply lead you to the next book, and the next. Whenever I’m on a learning curve, it seems like a logical succession of books “somehow” show up in my life to illuminate the subject at hand. Like a treasure hunt, I realize I’ve come full circle when the books I’m reading begin to refer back to the earliest ones I read.
I caught this picture last week. I love how the yellow leaves on the tree behind the prairie grass draw the eye. I could have stared at this scene for hours. It drew me in with its simple eloquence, helped me tap into that well of wisdom within. Growing up on the prairie, my eye was also drawn within … time and time again. Explaining this deep spiritual connection for my book, breaking it down into chapters that readers could value and appreciate, I knew what a timeless gift those years had been. But the journey isn’t over yet.
“Insights we call wisdom must be learned repeatedly: each time, at a deeper, more profound, level. Never, are we completely wise; rather, we’re always in the process of becoming wise – wiser, perhaps. It’s a mysterious journey without completion, and often we are ahead of ourselves: writing, listening, learning, and evolving while patiently waiting for the path to emerge more fully. A necessary leap of faith, we might say.”
- Publishing any kind of book is a “leap of faith,” so thanks to all the authors out there who have brightened my path over the years. I’m sure many of you have no idea how many lives you have touched. But writing a book isn’t about marketing. It’s about sharing something heartfelt with others who “somehow” find our words. And grow from them. Cherish them. Or simply find them inspiring. Keep reading, everyone. And I’ll keep writing. ~ dh
- Thanks for visiting, see you next Friday, November 7th. And remember: If you haven’t looked within, you haven’t looked.
- Click here for more about Always Returning: The Wisdom of Place …
- And if you should read it one day, please let me know how you discovered it and if it touched your soul. Thank you!
