In Pursuit of Joy
In case you don’t have a super religious nerd brain like mine which tracks the celestial, pagan, and liturgical calendars like a background app I can never close; Lent is coming!
Perhaps that’s exciting for you, perhaps that just conjures images of deprivation. Maybe you thought of devotional practices, or maybe 40 days without chocolate and wine popped into your head.
Yes, Lent like almost all other ancient religious practices has become a bit perverted from its original idea. Basically it came from Jesus going into the desert for 40 days after he was baptized. There he was tempted by the devil (enter, chocolate!) and returned triumphant to start his ministry.
Modern day Lent is bracketed by Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday on one end, and Easter weekend on the other. So, it’s a big deal. But does there really have to be so much suffering? If you know me, you know my answer. Hell no! Suffering is almost certainly the opposite of what God wants for us.
In fact, the very best spiritual practices are about removing anything from our lives that would keep us from experiencing the sheer exhuberant joy of Spirit. And let me tell you, Spirit is joyful indeed.
In our puritan culture (The VVitch, anyone?) we tend to think that austerity, deprivation, seriousness, and black stuffy clothes indicate Godliness. But I’ve come to see that flamboyance, delight, promiscuity, and the sheer riot of color and noise that is planet Earth are actually more what God has in mind.
So join me this Lent, no matter your religious beliefs, in pursuit of joy. I’m offering a brand new course (details below!) starting February 14th on all things joy and delight. Because the truth is, God doesn’t need more suffering of any kind on this planet. She needs your brightness, your laughter, your amusement, and your delight.
I’ll meet you there, my joyful friend.
New Online Course: In Pursuit of Joy
We’ll cover everything from what’s blocking your joy, to the purpose of joy in today’s crazy world, to the idea of Spirit as pure joy. Join me and your cohort for 6 weekly discussion calls February 14th through March 25th. And best of all, each student gets one whole hour with me to take a look at your joy blocks and bring in more joy flows.
Here’s what’s included in your course:
13 bite-sized video teachings spread across 6 weeks
Or, six longform audio teachings if you prefer your wisdom in one chunk
13 joy practices so good they’ll become lifelong habit
In-depth teachings about how the great masters Judas, Mary Magdalene, and Mother Mary’s personal angel Gabriel used joy as a power tool
6 group zoom calls facilitated by yours truly
A Clairvoyant Counseling session to bring out the medicine of your joy (a $165 value)
Delightful art and poetry bonuses from the very best modern teachers; Fr. Richard Rohr, Tara Brach, Rev. Jan Richardson, and more
Cost is one payment of $315, three payments of $105, or you can use your 15% discount if you’re a Mighty Networks member.
Incredibly Rare, Unebelievably Discounted In-Person Readings
Come join me for a rare cosmi in-person opportunity to hang with yours truly. I'll be giving psychic readings for an incredible discount ($20 for 20 minutes) while supporting my "local feral mountain cafe," as the Jamestown Mercantile calls itself.
It'll be a great opportunity to take a little mountain drive, get some clairvoyant insight, and enjoy the last Saturday in January together. I'll see you there!
More info on here: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/
Want to know more about the art? All images are hyperlinked to the artists’ websites, or as close as I could find. Top image is by illustrator Frank Godwin. Middle Image is from Jamestown Mercantile. Bottom image is by Elenore Abbott.
Thank you so much to folks who forward and respond to these newsletters. I love hearing from you and hearing that you’ve shared my work. Good theology matters.
