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Journey Map came about as I navigated my way out of some pretty dark places after the ending of my 18 year marriage.  With 2 kids, 4 horses, 2 dogs, 1 sheep, 5 cats, and my daughter’s iguana in tow.  I had a lot of plates to keep spinning and a lot of healing to do.  It wasn’t easy.

I found myself stuck in a harsh and bitter sadness more often than not and desperately needing to find my way back to the soft and welcoming fullness of joy.  I read countless books to nudge myself closer and followed the prescribed guidance of trusted counsel, but nothing could move me past the last stubborn barriers to my healing. That’s when I realized the significance of the words, Journey Map.

Those words came to me several years before.  I didn’t know their source or their meaning when they first landed in my awareness, but they stood firmly in the foreground of my mind and insisted on their future significance.  Firmly entrenched in my frustration with nowhere left to turn, I reached to those words knowing their time had come.  I was at a place in my journey where I needed a map, so I set out to discover the secrets of the terrain and to become the map-maker.

I recorded every little step that moved me forward and dove deep into the grooves and curves that made up the path.  With brushes and paint, I transcribed these findings in front of me to see.  I enlarged them into a chalky diagram on my driveway to physically move through.  I filled a journal, cover to cover, with anything remotely related to those words and my nighttime dreams bridged the gaps.

This map finally led me out of the weariness and became a daily guide for me even with the smallest things.  The process is a way of being and, also, a way of becoming for me.  I’ve tested it repeatedly over the years and I can say it’s even more valuable to me now.

I originally published my findings in a book with a game-type format.  At the time, that was relevant for me because I needed a very tangible method of exploration.   Now, I’ve taken that same process and expanded it into a more developed and informative workshop.  I explain it with greater clarity and make it possible for you to form your very own hero’s journey.

My prayer is that this map will guide you out of any darkness that may come and will equip you with the tools you need to lead you through life with peace and contentment.  My hope is that you will find a new way of being – a way of JOY!