My Divinity Adventure

I grew up in a Catholic household, and before my parents met, married and divorced, my father attended seminary school. Saints, martyrs, rosaries, praying, baptisms, stations of the cross, mass on the weekends, first communion...to me, this is what I knew of God. It was okay to suffer daily, as that meant "less time in purgatory, and a reserved seat in heaven," according to my Dad. My Mom was more of the "prayer will get you on the good list" kind of gal. To her this seemed to mean, taking no personal responsibility, because God would either grant you what you wanted or wouldn't. In this way, God was more analogous to Santa. And, like Santa's "naughty and nice" lists, with enough prayer, you might make the good list and get what you asked for, but if that didn't work out, it was no big deal to spend time on the bad list, because you could always pray again to reclaim a good list spot.

After years of living with this skewed perspective, which I'll clarify as my family's view - not necessarily a Catholic one - I hated the word God. All things religious or spiritual caused me to physically cringe. Just simple words like: faith, prayer, God...ugh...completely shut me down to any possible new information or opening within.

Ironically, despite this stunted start, in my late 20's and into my 30's spirituality kind of snuck up on me. Wrapped in different language and packaging, I found new ways to relate to something bigger than me. In my early 40's, I developed a greater sense of "me and..." as long as none of the trigger words were used. I began to notice "me and..." experiences, without fully realizing what was happening.

At times, I sat down to write a newsletter, and the words just flowed out. The exercise, so completely effortless, I believed I must have been mailing it in that month. Then, a year or two later, I'd reread that piece and say, "Damn! I wrote that? Good stuff. Where did that come from?!" Similar experiences happened when my "shower ideas" flowed in, or in the presence of a client...when something completely unexpected would come out of my mouth, and it would be exactly the needed thing. For me, these were tangible, day to day spiritual occurrences - just DON'T call it God!

As I rolled into my mid 40's, I attended a workshop that felt like a film version of a southern prayer meeting, with crazy God talk happening all over the room. What the f*ck had I just stumbled into? In an act of bravery/arrogance/stupidity - I don't know what to call it - I stood in this room full of apparent believers, looked at the primary facilitator and said, "But what if I don't believe in a God out there? What then?" She said, "I don't believe in a God 'out there' either!" Hmm...in the moment I expressed a bit more belligerence, and got summarily squashed, but a seed was fertilely planted.

About three months later, I took another dip into that same pool, only this workshop lasted for double the time (okay, so maybe some of my Dad's martyr philosophy secretly stuck with me!). Early in the game, the same facilitator sat with us in a circle and said, "tell me about your relationship with God." Oh good grief! Each individual in the circle was meant to chime in. In a seat near the end of the circle, I cowered, and my stomach did flip flops anticipating my upcoming turn. Nearly every person described a version of relationship that had no resonance for me. By and large, they had prayers and a male figurehead, while I had shower ideas and newsletters...oh boy...the dread leadened within my body. When I spoke I explained, "I was raised Catholic, but it didn't take." To my complete shock, the facilitator barked out a laugh, "didn't take - it sounds like a perm!" Then I explained my odd "spiritual" experiences, and without incident, the final few of participants shared. When the circle closed, the woman leading offered the most astounding insight - leaving me feeling validated in my experiences - while simultaneously watering the seed she'd planted months before. God is the universal energy coming through me (and you, too), manifesting in a way that shines light for me, and those around me. Cool!

That God word, though...ugh!!! Can't we just call it something else, please? This stuck piece required an exorcism of sorts, and for that I worked with a Theta Healer, who cleared away the false beliefs I'd held about a single word. That elegant body of work, freed me up to explore more.

And that brings us to these last few years. As my own spirituality has broadened and deepened, when there is an open door, I include this work in my practice with clients. Because of my own experience, I'm unwilling to drag someone on a spiritual path they are not ready to walk. Perhaps, better stated, I insist on meeting clients where they are - whatever that may look like - knowing that all paths are spiritual ones, whether consciously or unconsciously. So, I don't preach, and I'll walk with you, if this is part of your journey.

If you've attended retreats I've led in Costa Rica or Pennsylvania, there is no denying that those were spiritual retreats. In 2015, I hosted several Healing Circles, wherein a medium (a clean channel who offers messages from a plane of enlightened beings) shares wisdom that comes through her, and a Spiritual Life Coach supports follow-up integration of the information offered. Let me tell you now, there's no way in the world I would have done any of these things even five years ago.

I also never would have gone to Costa Rica alone. Nor would I have traveled to South Africa to be with the cheetahs. This last adventure - so full of conscious divine presence for me - has transformed me in ways I cannot yet fully know. The clarity I have is this: it's an experience I intend to share with those willing to engage in their own Divinity Adventure.

My life is currently filled with a kind of gratitude, peace, and abundance I never believed was available to me. It doesn't look at all the way I thought it would - it's much, much better! And that has been a HUGE part of the learning. Surrendering control of the outcome - meaning, to stop attaching to how something happens - because that is always limited by historical data stored in my inner library, frees me for new wonderful things. This surrender allows me to experience far more peace, because I can't do it wrong. I get to learn, no matter what choice I make. And I'm learning that the angst I create about "getting it right" separates me from peace and the divine.

While I am still very much on the learning curve, I will say that I am certain the universe wants to give me more. More joy, more abundance, more love, more compassion, more interesting experiences to learn from - I just need to be willing to receive all of this, and I have sucked at receiving. Here's a secret, you get to have more, too. Like me, though, you need to be willing to surrender control and receive. Those are big asks, I know, and the rewards likely exceed your imaginings.

In South Africa, the very nature of my experience required me to surrender to the unknown, because I simply didn't know a damn thing. I absolutely had moments of angst about "getting it right," but I was provided such stunning support to learn new things, that any mistake truly became a teaching moment for me - in turn, I couldn't do it wrong. While I freely gave of my whole self throughout, I also received more than I could imagine - in ways I wouldn't have believed possible. In all of these ways - and so many more - I connected more deeply with my own divinity and the divine that is far greater than the sum of it's parts.

In October, I'm returning to the Dell Cheetah Centre. I've been granted permission to take a small group of people with me. This will be known as: The Divinity Adventure - A working retreat at the Dell Cheetah Centre, South Africa. If you'd like to learn more, click the link above. Important to note - the nature of this retreat (and any program you share with me), is designed to allow room for any kind of spirituality. I am not here to announce a "right" way. My understanding is that each person, through their inherent curiosity, must find the spiritual connection that fits for them. So, may your mind be at ease, should you feel called to participate.

If this retreat is not for you, yet you feel ready to embark on another kind of spiritual adventure, find the way that supports you. If not one of the retreats I've listed below, maybe some one-to-one work with me or another practitioner will provide the gentle guidance you desire. It could be that, like me, the very notion of God turns your stomach. I'm here to tell you, that's excellent, and I'm excited about what you might choose to do with that!

Wherever your personal spiritual path may lead, give yourself the wiggle room to know that you can't do it wrong. It's a much kinder, gentler, and more truthful way to be toward yourself.

Wishing you love and peace in the new year,
Joanne Lutz