Guiding with Purpose

by Kiea Spake-Wright

Whether you regularly attend EarthWays daylong programs, dive deep into our week-long rites of passage ceremonies, or perhaps your way of connecting to this work is checking out what’s new and alive on our website… reading our newsletters, learning about juicy new resources, and/or exploring upcoming programs… we bow to your engagement and appreciation for rites of passage work.

As we are all acutely aware, the digital world is overflowing with information and can feel overwhelming and pervasive to navigate.  We may be seeking a sense of belonging, a glimpse of wisdom, or a moment of distraction…and yet, the act of spending more time on screens can leave us feeling empty and disconnected.  With that said, sometimes tapping into this online portal can support us in unplugging and revitalizing our intentions to spend more time on the land, in deep connection and reciprocity with the earth.

Perhaps you might be intrigued to get a sense of the in-person magic that happens behind the scenes at EarthWays, the catalyst that allows our programs to come to life.  How do we live and practice our purpose as a collective of rites of passage guides?

At our fall equinox EarthWays collective membership meeting, we gathered amongst elder oak trees, the earth was dry, but the scattering of ants reminded us of the abundance of life still present on the forest floor. As with all of our programs, our guides sat in a council circle, with an altar in the center. There was a desire to safely light a candle, but with respect to the parched earth, the candle sat unlit at the center of our circle alter.

We opened with a much-welcomed pause and reset…a few minutes of silence.  Silence that allowed our senses to become attuned to the golden-crowned sparrow, the sound of children nearby, and the freshness of the autumn air.  After just a couple of minutes, our senses were more awakened, our bodies felt more grounded and our nervous systems were becoming regulated.  We took turns sharing gratitude, for the abundance of acorns, health, grace, being with each other, vision and much more.

We practiced core council agreements, speaking from the heart and being of lean speech, each checking in about our personal lives for a couple of minutes, which could have easily taken each of us an hour.  Yet, as experienced guides, we were able to drop in and share the depth of our experience over this past season, with trust, speaking to the essence of what wanted to be shared in the moment.

We then dove into business items that needed to be attended to amongst a collective. The emotional experience was vast, sharing our truths about the labor of love of operating a collective of rites of passage guides. How do we simplify and streamline systems, while recognizing each of our gifts and commitments, with the unified goal of guiding rites of passage experiences.  We agreed that our shared passion of supporting participants on the land motivates us to create a sustainable business.

The West shield, the direction of autumn and adolescence, was alive in our experience as we shared our stories, harvested our unique gifts…speaking our truths and clarifying our roles and identities.  We broke our fast and celebrated with a meal honoring the abundance of the fall harvest.

We continued to tune in to the beauty of our surroundings, the Red-shouldered Hawk swiftly flying past, above the dry creek, and the sun’s warmth becoming more palpable.  We acknowledged the turning of the season…as we enter into longer nights, time to honor ancestors, opportunity for deeper reflection, clarity about our responsibilities, and time to dream and envision beautifully crafted rites of passage programs to offer to our community in the following year.  May it be so!  We thank you deeply for your time and attention.  May this Autumn reflection spark your desire to be in deeper relationship with your practices and the living world.