PDF Table to locate your North Node and your next Nodal Return
However unhappy a person may be, the moment they know the purpose of their life, a switch is turned and the light is on…Even if a person has to strive after that purpose for their whole life, they do not mind so long as they know what their purpose is. Ten such people have much greater power than a thousand people working from morning till evening not knowing their life purpose. ~Hazrat Inayat Khan
What is Life Purpose?
I encounter many clients and friends who feel their life purpose is defined by what they are doing and achieving in the world. Many feel they are NOT living their purpose because they are not doing work they feel has a big impact. Often they are comparing themselves to people like Oprah Winfrey or Deepak Chopra or Neale Donald Walsh or Marianne Williamson.
The view of life purpose being defined by how much we produce or how many people we help directly is not useful for most people. Plus, this view or way of looking at personal life purpose often doesn’t have that much to do with our actual life purpose or soul’s intent anyway.
Re-framing What we Think is Life Purpose
Several years ago I was involved in a process that encouraged the participants to describe their life purpose in two words or less. This was a life changing for me because it re-framed my view about my own life purpose. I realized life purpose is not just what we do in the world but is also what we are here to experience.
Coming up with two words was not an easy task for me, but I found as soon as I let go of trying to figure it out – I heard the word alchemy. I was intrigued and felt an immediate resonance with this word. I then asked myself what do I alchemize? The moment I had that thought, the next thought I heard was Awareness. It was a great aha moment and I was thrilled to have my two words that summed up my life purpose.
Alchemize Awareness
The point of this exercise is to distill the sense of life purpose into a singularity designed to assist a person in moving beyond the notion that their life purpose is defined by the kind of work they do in the world or the people they help or how productive they are by our current middle world standards.
It is not what you DO but who you ARE that is most important. Of course what you do is the natural result of who you are and the choices you make. So having a sense of life purpose in a couple of words is a great way to assist and guide a person in making conscious choices that are aligned with their life purpose.
Our divine life purpose – not defined by work – adds to the evolution of consciousness, of life, of love. Eckhart Tolle summed this up saying:
You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are! ~Eckhart Tolle author of The Power of Now.
It’s a Wonderful Life
This 1946 Classic movie nominated for 5 Oscars takes a look at what the world would have been like if the character George Bailey had never lived. George was convinced his life was a failure and the world would have been better off if he had never lived. This speaks to the classic cultural belief system that bases our value on how much we accomplish and achieve, or how “good” we are. This is usually based on an impossible external standard.
In the movie, George Bailey sees a very different time line unfold if he had never been born and the ripple effects are far reaching as he learns in this exchange with the angel Clarence:
When George discovers his brother Harry’s tombstone Clarence explains: Your brother, Harry Bailey, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine.
George Bailey responds saying: That’s a lie! Harry Bailey went to war! He got the Congressional Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that transport!
Clarence tells George: Every man on that transport died! Harry wasn’t there to save them, because you weren’t there to save Harry.
Later Clarence says to George: Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?
Discovering Your Life Purpose
George Baily learned that he had underestimated the value of his life because he was judging it based on a limited view. This perspective is helpful in pondering your own life purpose as an expression of something other than what you DO and focuses on WHO you ARE.
Perhaps, the question is not what you are to DO in this life but rather who you are to BE?
Once you tap into that then what you do originates from and moves in harmony with awareness of your greater life purpose.
So if you are here to learn about love, kindness, compassion, ecstasy, joy, fun, acceptance or any number of other equally important life purpose issues – now is the time to explore what it is for you. I recommend finding two words (and if that is too limiting then find 5-10 words or less) that sum up your life purpose.
This process gives you another lens or perspective to see how your life has been designed to guide you in deepening your purpose and learning more about yourself through your life experiences. This will include the work you have done and do in the world as well as the relationships and other experiences you have had.
This also helps you to make more conscious choices as you move forward because whenever you have an important decision you are facing it may help if you can ask yourself: Does this serve my life purpose?
The other thing to remember is the purpose you connect with now might change or evolve over time. For example, I now perceive my life purpose is to also live and express ecstatic joy. It took me a while to embrace this one as it seemed too self-centered to have that as a life purpose. However, I am Scorpio Rising so it is a perfect description of the Scorpio Rising Mystery School and I do know living and expressing ecstatic joy is based in alchemizing my own awareness so I can embrace it as a possibility.
Interesting Nodal Transits
Discovering Your Life PURPOSE - 13.5 minutes
Here are the comments from the original post on the Life Purpose Audio
It’s about integrity, yet also combining that with our uniqueness. Your talk here gave the words “heart-felt compassion,” which fits right in with my Pisces rising. Before listening to your message, I came up with “compassionate writing,” as my life mission. Even as a young boy, my parents would ask me to write consolation notes to those who had recently lost loved ones, who had made their transition.
As you know, it was deep inner compassion for the lives of Filipino school children that inspired me to start a fundraising program to provide them with meals and school supplies. Since that program has moved on, I am seeking ways to use my gifts as they align with my mission.
You are so right when you say, our mission is not our work. It’s so much more than that and really aims at the core of who we really are.
Thanks so much for giving your thoughts on mission and also the knowledge that we are at a universal turning point celestially that can aid us in our personal search. God bless you and your family always! Om shanti, Bruce Warren
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I am also having the idea that Compassionate Writing is a form of Compassionate Communication so perhaps not only is your writing a form of expressing compassion, your other creative endeavors such as the school for the children and ways that speak and listen and otherwise express yourself seem to me to be are a part of that as well. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I am sure others will feel inspired by it too!
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A comment featuring the audio
Janice Cooley says: 03/07/2011 at 5:59 am Hi there Cayelin, Thank you for this interesting and provocative audio on mission/life purpose,and the two word summations for each sign or combination of signs. As I understood it, you linked Taurus and Leo with ‘Self love’ as their mission. I did not hear you mention Scorpio ‘s mission/purpose.
Did you link Aquarius with Sagittarius as ‘Alchemize Awareness’? (I assume because these are your placements Sag sun/ Aqu.Asc.or Aqu sun/ Sag.Asc).
Bless you, Janice Cooley.
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It has been awhile now since I created the audio so I don’t remember exactly what I said…I might not have said this in the audio but as I tune into Scorpio today what I am getting is “orgasmic bliss”. And Taurus is saying “ecstasy through intimacy” or “pleasure and beauty”.
The descriptions I give in the audio are meant to get your own creative process going as there could be many many different ways to create your own two or three word mission or purpose. The “Alchemize Awareness” I shared does connect with my Sag Moon and Mercury/IC conjunct in Aquarius opposed by Pluto and Jupiter (Jupiter and Pluto being a potent and challenging alchemical combination). However, when I came up with this two word description in the late 90′s I wasn’t considering my chart. I applied it to my chart after I came up with the words. I hope this answers your questions and helps clarify? Joyful Blessings, Cayelin
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The idea of being an “Architect creating new world structures” hits home so strongly. In my book “Talking to My Selves: Learning to Love the Voices in Your Head” I have 2 chapters on Co-dependecy where I literally teach people to heal from Co-dependency by creating their own Inner Family.
It transforms the Victim into the Inner Child who gets loved by the Rescuer turned Inner Mother and transforms the Persecutor into the Protector/Inner Father with all the attention of the Mother and Father going to the Child. This results in breaking the cycle of being martyred or victimized by looking for love and protection in all the wrong places (or thinking we need to fix everyone else).
It is a whole new structure of family as self-sufficient beings not having to lean on each other to compensate for weaknesses, but coming from an area of strength as we mother and father ourselves. I believe this would be the end of all abuse, war, violence, etc, if we could all embrace this new model.
Thank you for corroborating what I already know as my purpose, but giving it a name is always empowering: Alchemical Architect. Debbie Unterman
Thank you Debbie for sharing. I honor you as the Alchemical Architect!!!! What a great reference for all that you do! Joyful Blessings, Cayelin
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6. Rhonda says: 07/21/2011 at 8:13 pm All your audios are wonderful. I love listening to your voice and I am especially enjoying the audios on Taurus and Jupiter in Taurus as I have Sun, Venus, and Jupiter in Taurus. And as a Cancer Moon the Doing Addiction audio spoke to me and I realize listening to these audios that I have some letting go to do to be able to receive and enjoy the pleasure of life more and more. Your work has gifted me beyond words…
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7. Tori says: 07/22/2011 at 2:11 am My life purpose in two words – its a brilliant concept and I like how you connected it to the signs. I am considering my two words carefully. Responsible Play comes to mind tying together Capricorn Rising and Gemini Sun.
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8. Bernadette Macmillan says: 11/08/2011 at 7:17 am Thank you for all of this. I found you through Nalini’s site and she was right in her recommendation!! Just read through some of your recent postings and listened to your utube videos and now the nodes – 2 words with my so node in Libra (12th and is fully packed with all the transits) and no node in Aries!! Not easy but I came up with three – Beautify Alchemical Relationships or Beauty and Alchemical Relationships. Going to sit with this one. With gratitude. B
Yay, thank you Bernadette for taking the time to share and I love your words…a thought that occurs to me is The Beauty of Alchemical Relationships…the and of don’t really count as words and you might even add an action word like Experiencing or Embracing or Embodying… the Beauty of Alchemical Relationships. Sometimes two words are just not quite enough … though there is value in distilling it down like that and then that is the core essence to build around. I love that you are sitting with this one because you may get something else even more amazing. Thank you again for sharing. Joyful Blessings, Cayelin
Thank you Cayelin, for another timely blog! It is well and good for all of us to name our life purpose (which will only deepen as time goes on, I believe). My two words are: Courageous Uniqueness. It has taken a huge leap in faith, and incredible courage, for me to extricate myself away from a truly karmic family situation, to physically move away from that family that I felt imprisoned by, in order to fully embrace my true self, my uniqueness in the world. As well as to offer my particular brand of work to the clients who are attracted to it, helping them to help themselves. I intend to write these words down and post them up to see and read everyday! Many Blessings! Laurie
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Wow Laurie I looove your two words! Courageous Uniqueness. What a great blend of imagery and a beautiful life purpose. I hope your sharing this will inspire others to do this exercise too and yes posting them where you can see them … it might even be good to do a collage of imagery around those words…that is the idea that is coming to me today…to create a collage around my two words as a way to further anchor my current understanding of life purpose in my own being. Thank you so much for sharing this.
HI Cayelin, Courageous Uniqueness Sure does speak to many!!. I have been told to write A book and; title it THE LONG ROAD TO LONG RIDGE. This will be the story of my response to A COMMAND from GOD TO SELL MY DOMICILE and; Move to HIAWASSEE, GA. I had A home in Acworth , Ga. that was paid for when I was 62 yrs young that year. Well this was on Sun. Aug.22 1994. It took 7 yrs for that to happen. I will send Pictures of THE TEMPLE. It has 13- 8ft.Triangles that are the shape of the TEMPLE. Altitude is over 2000 ft. Hope you can come visit SOON, LOVE and;LIGHT. Nancy Craig.
I would love to come for a visit sometime soon and see pictures! (Probably doable sooner than a visit I suspect…) It sounds like you have had an interesting journey on the long road to long ridge creating your temple. Congratulations and let me know when you get your book finished! Love and Blessings, Cayelin
I think it is great to tune in and come up to what words might fit for Life purpose;
Here is a treat; http://www.tut.com, create your vision to help facilitate joy.
Sagitarius 11/30 – Alchemize Awareness. How we show up and put our energy into the world. Compassion, Joy, Style of Expressing! Perfect! My purpose is to look at that. Fullfillment is to help alchemize awareness while working within family and community through encouragement. Love~Bless, Melinda
Cancer/Capricorn: New structure and community, alchemy architect, Putting things together to make it work. Age of Harmony and Balance living with our communities. New World Creation, the builders. Taking what has been and putting it through a transformation to the Golden Age.
Taurus/Leo – Self Love, Gemini- Magical Play; Art, Libra/Aries-conscious relationship with self, (Libra-explore alchemical relationship), (Aries -all about self), Virgo -sacred reverance, work. Sit with the two words you pick, that describe your alchemy and put images to them and journal.
Live that life purpose and be that in the world. It’s a wonderful life. Shift life about what we live every day. What are the mysteries that we are apart of everyday. Thank you.
Hey Cayelin, I, too have Scorpio rising in my chart. My Sun sign is Cancer (June 22) on the cusp of Gemini and Venus, Neptune and Saturn were all retrograde. My Moon is Sagittarius 26 degrees at galactic center so I have been told. Wow that just flowed out. My question is how did you figure that your purpose was to live in joy thru your ascendent being Scorpio? It is wonderful that this is a purpose as what you do for yourself you do for all of us as we are all interwoven in the ocean of creation?
I have had challenges coming into the realization of my dharma or life purpose. I too feel that living in joy is definitely a life purpose but felt like I had to do more than that, that there is something big for me to do. Possibly be an example of learning how to love unconditionaly being that Venus is retrograde.
I so love the way you connect the dots thru astrology. Thanks for all that you do, all that you are and all that WE the ONE are becoming, Rael
Thank you so much Rael for taking the time to share this. I am so glad this inspired you to respond…And the short answer for Scorpio Rising living ecstatic joy or bliss as a life purpose is based on what we describe in Shamanic Astrology for the Scorpio archetype as learning to feeling the full range of feelings including the experience of ecstatic orgasmic bliss and one of the dictionary definitions defines bliss as “utter joy.” I hope this helps.
And my sense is if enough of us were living ecstatic joy that would shift the consciousness and vibration of this reality so everyone could plug into that energy more easily… and what bigger ‘thing’ could any of us do? It is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and the world. Joyful Blessings to you on this glorious Libra Full Moon!!! Cayelin
14. noname says:
the 2-word thing is really inspiring! thank you! i think my life purpose is also to experience happiness and maybe inspire happiness with others. even though i know i should follow it, it does sound a bit disappointing, coz i’ve always worked so hard to try to achieve things and to be on top to be successful, coz i thought i deserved it. but now i found out that my life purpose is something completely different, maybe even the opposite of that.
The cool thing about having a life purpose to experience and inspire happiness is that you can still achieve whatever it is that helps promote happiness for you and those around you. That is your guide. If you are not happy then you know it is NOT yours to do. I have a Buddha saying that fits this perfectly. “Success is NOT the Key to Happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” So this doesn’t mean that what you have been doing doesn’t support your life purpose it just shifts the focus to putting happiness first and making your choices based on whether they support your experience of happiness or not. I hope that helps to clarify this for you???
15. Eden Hersh says:
Hi beautiful! Feeling VERY tuned in to this eclipse cauldron we are now on the eve of, as well as the expanse of my multi-dimensionality. The books Inanna Returns, Inanna Hyperluminal and the works of Zecharia Sitchin have swung back into my field, urging me to REMEMBER. So, I linked back in with you and your powerful timings, my shamanic sister. While reading this post, I spontaneously heard, “Unbridled Love.”
That is the two-word sum total of my purpose. That makes sense to me, excites me and also brings some trepidation. This is me talking to my higher self (that more and more is becoming my animated self), “You want me to do what?! Completely open my heart and keep it open, lead with my heart, love and be loved like none of my multi-dimensional selves has ever allowed in all of humanity’s history?! Can you show me exactly where I wrote that in my intention statement?” Love you BIG …
Wow, thank you so much for this post Cayelin, it was so eye-opening!!🙏🏻
Ok, here I go 😊
First two words that came into my mind: HELP and SERVE.
I love making other people’s life easier, and mine too!
So I thought about SERVING HELP (as in being of divine use in making life easier).
But then I read the part about the Purpose being first about “who you are to be” (and not what you do), so I came up with HELPFUL SERVANT, as in spreading KINDNESS and help and compassion.
So I thought about EMBODING KINDNESS.
I think those ideas have to do with my Mars in Piscis, Moon in Virgo and Kiron in Aries (house 6). But then I saw Mars is trine to ASC in Scorpio and Moon bi-quintile North Node and IC in Aquarius and Kiron sextile North Node and IC, and so I wanted to include the ASC and NN archetypes too! and came up with this:
“EXPERIENCING THE ORGASMIC ALCHEMY OF KINDNESS”
And it’s so true, being helpful and kind to others is like a blissful orgasm that transforms me deeply everytime! 🥰🙏🏻🫶🏻
It sooo much resonates with this moment in my life, so that’s The Winner!!😍
Love and so much Gratitude to You for all you give to the World🌹🌹🌹
Lorena
Cayelin! I was guided to look at your website and I thank the Heavens that this article is the first thing on your page!!! The two word exercise just relieved a lifetime of doubt; self-criticism that I’m not doing “enough”; confusion about my purpose; shame that I was too scared to shine my Light too brightly for fear of rejection and abandonment by family and friends who have chosen to follow more traditional paths in society.
My two words came to me immediately because they are the same words my guides and angels have been whispering in my ear when I have been in despair and asking for assistance in aligning with my life’s purpose over the last couple of years since my second nodal return.
“Be Love”
As I look back, every career (server, then teacher, then sales, and the most recent- therapist) has had a simple Golden thread woven through it ~ showing up and loving the person in front of me. What the past two years have shown me is that there was only one missing piece in all of them – self-Love.
I was sitting outside looking up at Jupiter and Zubenelgenubi (the place in the sky where my natal Venus Star Point lives) and I remembered an article you wrote recently about Zubenelgenubi (I’m so glad that led me to come to your site!) When I allowed myself to imagine how my life will feel if I truly emabrace this as my life purpose, I literally felt the back of my heart chakra open up and release years of grief, pain, and shame. Your sharing this post again and me finding it in this NOW moment just made a profound impact on my life. I am eternally grateful, Cayelin!
Wow Ellen this is such an awesome sharing. I am so honored and delighted to know this happened for you. 🙂 I too have a special connection with Zubenelgenubi as it is what was rising when I was born. Thank you Jupiter for shining the way. So cool!!!! And I love your purpose “Be Love!” Being love raises the vibration all around and I myself am more consciously practicing that one these days, because I feel Love is the answer to our questions and Love Heals Everything!
So love your perspective and insights on Life Purpose. This answers some questions I have been wondering about recently. Thank you!
Cayelin,
It’s 10/29/2020 and I just listened to your audio on the nodes, and life purpose, that you recorded in 2011, shortly before I first discovered SAMS, when I met Ms. Delmar in Madrid, NM. I cannot truly express in words how you, and your generous sharing of wisdom has enriched our lives, And continues to touch so many beings as time goes on! As I receive these insights today , after listening to this audio you recorded over 9 years ago, I am so grateful, and wonder how I might still be struggling, had I not come to cross your path. ” Joyful Blessings!”
Hi beautiful! Feeling VERY tuned in to this eclipse cauldron we are now on the eve of, as well as the expanse of my multi-dimensionality. The books Inanna Returns, Inanna Hyperluminal and the works of Zecharia Sitchin have swung back into my field, urging me to REMEMBER. So, I linked back in with you and your powerful timings, my shamanic sister. While reading this post, I spontaneously heard, “Unbridled Love.” That is the two-word sum total of my purpose. That makes sense to me, excites me and also brings some trepidation. This is me talking to my higher self (that more and more is becoming my animated self), “You want me to do what?! Completely open my heart and keep it open, lead with my heart, love and be loved like none of my multi-dimensional selves has ever allowed in all of humanity’s history?! Can you show me exactly where I wrote that in my intention statement?” Love you BIG …
the 2-word thing is really inspiring! thank you! i think my life purpose is also to experience happiness and maybe inspire happiness with others. even though i know i should follow it, it does sound a bit disappointing, coz i’ve always worked so hard to try to achieve things and to be on top to be successful, coz i thought i deserved it. but now i found out that my life purpose is something completely different, maybe even the opposite of that.
The cool thing about having a life purpose to experience and inspire happiness is that you can still achieve whatever it is that helps promote happiness for you and those around you. That is your guide. If you are not happy then you know it is NOT yours to do. I have a Buddha saying that fits this perfectly. “Success is NOT the Key to Happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” So this doesn’t mean that what you have been doing doesn’t support your life purpose it just shifts the focus to putting happiness first and making your choices based on whether they support your experience of happiness or not. I hope that helps to clarify this for you???
Hey Cayelin,
I, too have Scorpio rising in my chart. My sun sign is Cancer (June 22) on the cusp of Gemini and Venus, Neptune and Saturn were all retrograde. My moon is Sagittarius 26degrees which is galactic center so I have been told. Wow that just flowed out. My question is how did you figure that your purpose was to live in joy thru your ascendent being Scorpio? It is wonderful that this is a purpose as what you do for yourself you do for all of us as we are all interwoven in the ocean of creation?
I have had challenges coming into the realization of my dharma or life purpose. I too feel that living in joy is definitely a life purpose but felt like I had to do more than that, that there is something big for me to do. Possibly be an example of learning how to love unconditionaly being that Venus is retrograde.
I so love the way you connect the dots thru astrology. I have not found what you have on th fullmoon of today. I will search further.
HAVE A POWERFUL JOYFILLED FULL MOON!
Thanks for all that you do, all that you are and all that WE the ONE are becoming,
Rael
Thank you so much Rael for taking the time to share this. I am so glad this inspired you to respond…And the short answer for Scorpio Rising living ecstatic joy or bliss as a life purpose is based on what we describe in Shamanic Astrology for the Scorpio archetype as learning to feeling the full range of feelings including the experience of ecstatic orgasmic bliss and one of the dictionary definitions defines bliss as “utter joy.” I hope this helps.
And my sense is if enough of us were living ecstatic joy that would shift the consciousness and vibration of this reality so everyone could plug into that energy more easily… and what bigger ‘thing’ could any of us do? It is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and the world. Joyful Blessings to you on this glorious Libra Full Moon!!! Cayelin
Taurus/Leo – Self Love, Gemini- Magical Play; Art, Libra/Aries-conscious relationship with self, (Libra-explore alchemical relationship), (Aries -all about self), Virgo -sacred reverance, work. Sit with the two words you pick, that describe your alchemy and put images to them and journal.
Live that life purpose and be that in the world. It’s a wonderful life. Shift life about what we live every day. What are the mysteries that we are apart of everyday. Thank you.
I think it is great to tune in and come up to what words might fit for Life purpose;
Here is a treat; http://www.tut.com, create your vision to help facilitate joy.
Sagitarius 11/30 – Alchemize Awareness. How we show up and put our energy into the world. Compassion, Joy, Style of Expressing! Perfect! My purpose is to look at that. Fullfillment is to help alchemize awareness while working within family and community through encouragement. Love~Bless, Melinda
Cancer/Capricorn: New structure and community, alchemy architect, Putting things together to make it work. Age of Harmony and Balance living with our communities. New World Creation, the builders. Taking what has been and putting it through a transformation to the Golden Age.
HI Cayelin, Courageous Uniqueness Sure does speak to many!!. I have been told to write A book and; title it THE LONG ROAD TO LONG RIDGE. This will be the story of my response to A COMMAND from GOD TO SELL MY DOMICILE and; Move to HIAWASSEE, GA. I had A home in Acworth , Ga. That was paid for I was 62 yrs young that year. Well this was on Sun. Aug.22 1994. It took 7 yrs for that to happen. I will send Pictures of THE TEMPLE. It has 13- 8ft.Triangles that are the shape of the TEMPLE. Altitude is over 2000 ft. Hope you can come visit SOON, LOVE and;LIGHT. Nancy Craig.
I would love to come for a visit sometime soon and see pictures! (Probably doable sooner than a visit I suspect…) It sounds like you have had an interesting journey on the long road to long ridge creating your temple. Congratulations and let me know when you get your book finished! Love and Blessings, Cayelin
Thank you Cayelin, for another timely blog! It is well and good for all of us to name our life purpose (which will only deepen as time goes on, I believe). My two words are: Courageous Uniqueness. It has taken a huge leap in faith, and incredible courage, for me to extricate myself away from a truly karmic family situation, to physically move away from that family that I felt imprisoned by, in order to fully embrace my true self, my uniqueness in the world. As well as to offer my particular brand of work to the clients who are attracted to it, helping them to help themselves. I intend to write these words down and post them up to see and read everyday! Many Blessings!
Laurie
Wow Laurie I looove your two words! Courageous Uniqueness. What a great blend of imagery and a beautiful life purpose. I hope your sharing this will inspire others to do this exercise too and yes posting them where you can see them … it might even be good to do a collage of imagery around those words…that is the idea that is coming to me today…to create a collage around my two words as a way to further anchor my current understanding of life purpose in my own being. Thank you so much for sharing this.