But heaven help you… it didn’t quench the thirst. You wind up having spiritual discussions with random people on the street, because something deep inside just can’t give up on the depth of meaning you find in talking about these things. Other people might be fine caught up in the SSDD (Same Stuff Different Day) mentality… but that’s not you.

You find meaning in the fact that you found a penny on the sidewalk, and that Lincoln was face-up. And it was outside of this yoga studio that you’ve been meaning to visit a class in for weeks – but you just haven’t had either the time or the money. But the penny means something to you. It wouldn’t to everyone – and you don’t have to call it “God” – but there’s a spark there, a glimmer… something that you want to talk to someone about.

But maybe you try to bring it up to that friend at work – and they say, “friend, it was just a penny…” but your soul, your spirit… they cry out “THERE IS MEANING IN THE PENNY!” And all you long for is that person who can help you figure out – how did I see meaning in the penny, and how do I make meaning out of the other “pennies” I encounter throughout my day.

You likely have spiritual trauma – maybe from a church, maybe from a parent or caregiver. So you gave up on Religion, but never on the Divine. You still want to taste and see that this whole thing is GOOD.

So in all likelihood, you’ve tried it all. Read all the books, attended a bunch of workshops, and ventured into a dozen different spiritual communities, looking for something that felt right… that felt like it was a safe place to wonder, to dream, to explore… to Find Your Way on your spiritual journey. And you have probably learned an incredible amount, and feel confident about some aspects of your spiritual practice. But there’s still something missing. Because part of the frustration of this journey is that you’ve found that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to spirituality. There are as many paths as there are people.

But you’re also not one of those “all paths have equal value” folk – because let’s be honest. Red is red, and green is green. And while there might be infinite shades, and sometimes red might look like orange or pink… there is still a definitive value assigned to the spectrum for whatever color you’re looking at. And there are also some paths that are completely devoid of any light on the spectrum.

You’re willing to invest a little bit of yourself – your time, your talent, your treasure – to be a part of something meaningful. To be connected with other people on the journey. But you also want to feel safe. You want to know that if you bring people your “pennies” – that they are going to see them as the treasure that they are to you – and help you understand them rather than make you feel embarrassed or ashamed for thinking of it in the first place.

You are willing to be vulnerable, trusting that you will be safe, and that if conflict arises, you will not be left alone to drift and be hurt (yet again) by a spiritual community. You’re willing to risk a little in order to find the huge reward that comes from being KNOWN. From being accepted and from having someone treasure your “pennies.”

You are WELCOME here.