Wow, do you ever wonder where to start? That’s how I feel about what’s in my heart that’s calling to be expressed. Might as well start from the heart!
I’ve spent the last decade in a deeply introverted phase, apprenticing in the healing arts, and doing a deep study of Gandhian nonviolence. In my experiments with the truth, I have found how living nonviolently in our busy modern world is the most efficacious solution to our most pressing and unprecedented challenges.
I’ve been applying the full effort of my soul, my heart, my spirit, and my life to learning how we can best address the crises we now face as common humanity, and how we can come out stronger for it – post traumatic growth – yeah baby!
In the process, I’ve looked deep within myself, owned my divine imperfections and past love-lessness, and old wounds. I’ve found that healing our wounds brings out the inherent wisdom in them, as long as we are willing and have the courage to face them and do our work.
I’ve experienced deep transformation in my soul and have learned how to safely lead others through their own transformative processes to align their lives with love.
After all, isn’t that what this is all about? Only love is real, and the sooner we wake up to that, and embody this truth in our lives, the sooner we will find the healing, genuine sense of connectedness, joy, and peace we all long for in our hearts.
For the finale of my graduate studies, I completed an independent study called “The Embodied Nature of Transformative Learning”. What the science says, and what I’ve found to be true through my own, and others, experience, is that transformation is an experience of our full being, our hearts, minds, spirit, body, emotions (especially our emotions). In other words, everything that makes us human beings empowers us to have transformative learning experiences. Our souls grow and find expression through this transformation, and so too will our societies.
Complex adaptive challenges (more on this to come) are abounding in our world today, and in our personal lives. These include things such as the Corona virus, climate change, failing social structures, the looming healthcare crisis and so much more, are all examples of complex adaptive challenges.
Complex adaptive challenges by their nature are novel, they are unprecedented, and they demand paying the price of transformation. What happens when we meet complex adaptive challenges with the same ol, same ol’? Old solutions don’t work in their current form, old forms of leadership no longer work, new territory calls for new action as the risk of staying complacent in the status quo outweigh the risks of moving forward…sound familiar?
Transformative learning is initiated by disorienting dilemmas. A perfect example of this is the corona virus situation we are all waking up to in its many intricacies and nuances. It’s safe to say disorienting dilemmas are, well, disorienting. In sum, I have poured my heart and soul into finding ways to navigate our global crises with as much wisdom and efficacy as possible, and that is what I look forward to sharing with you.
I’ve been going through my own transformation, especially the last 6 months as I’ve recovered from an auto accident related injury (I’m better now, thank you!), the subsequent challenges and delays, dealt with family health crises, and witnessed what’s happening throughout our educational systems, among other things. I’m grateful for the humility and healing this time has brought me.
I recently turned down an opportunity to be a professor at my alma mater, why? Because I was no longer guided to, even after many months of time spent working on syllabi. And for many reasons I won’t get into here, it’s infeasible.
Simply, now is the time, and what I’ve learned is too important to be kept in the halls of academia, a societal institution which has, in many ways, become an impediment to justice and the necessary transformation of the times. Meanwhile higher education is more relevant than ever to meet the complex adaptive challenges we now face. And face it we must to have the opportunity not only to survive, we can thrive beyond anything we’ve ever experienced, by working together and respecting everyone’s unique being.
As people, we can only do so much with our time, attention and energy in a lifetime, and above all else I’m committed to doing my part for the unfolding of this divine plan that is so much bigger than any of us can imagine, conceive or fully understand. Our lives are each important and irreplaceable puzzle pieces nonetheless.
Our health and well-being are deeply interwoven with the well-being of the world, in many ways they are one and the same (I am excited to dive into this with you!) And yet, no matter how far we take our personal health and well-being, our self-care, and self-interest only go so far before running into the injustices that are rotting the foundation of our global society. Life is calling on us to seize the moment, this ripe opportunity for transformation, and course correct.
To empower the best possible outcomes for all of us, we must heal the foundation of our society by creating just structures, and that starts with aligning our lives with love. Embodying love is the center point to nonviolence, it is the starting place, and how all that is righteous and just can emanate from us (as my friend Bushy says, righteousness is doing good and good will follow).
Aligning our lives with the living presence of love is the foundation through which we can create that which will sustain and nurture us through generations. Aligning our lives with love keeps us in integrity, to the best of our human ability, with divine & natural law (one & the same, how perfect is that!) This is how we live in harmony with all life and feel good in our bodies.
While preparing to be a professor and write a book on living nonviolently in the modern world, I have taken a deep dive into restorative justice, environmental justice, peacebuilding and healing. I’m here to share that with the world and to create socially just and healthy change in the process, and I’m honored to be on this journey with you.
The more we can recognize the processes we are in, the more grace we can bring to navigating them. I will be writing, teaching and speaking about all of this and much more, as I feel called in my heart and guided in my spirit to stand up and live what I’m truly here to do. I know you feel it too. Let’s move forward together with love in our hearts and courage in our souls & may the soul force be with you!
From My Heart to Yours,
Shelley
P.S. I’m ready to write, speak, and teach my heart out! If you have any avenues, digital, global, or local that might be interested in my work, please feel free to let me know. I’d love to share & thank you!