Turning to Wisdom
February Newsletter: Soul Care Cohort From Wounds to Wisdom
“The unfortunate result of not being guided by deeper wisdom is personal and collective disorientation. It’s not difficult to see how humanity is careening toward its own demise, taking much of the other-than-human life on earth along with it, but this disorientation is also felt by each of us personally.” ~ Toko-Pa Turner, The Dreaming Way
“O Lord, deepen my wounds into wisdom;
shape my weakness into compassion;
gentle my envy into enjoyment,
My fear into trust,
my guilt into honesty,
my accusing finger into tender ones.”
~Ted Loder, Guerillas of Grace
Hello Dear Ones,
Some of us are feeling disoriented, reeling from the news, planes crashing, fires in LA, swirling chaos, so much out of our control. All the more we need to be rooted in Love, to draw from the Source of Wisdom, both cause we need it and the worlds needs grounded, loving people. Author and Jungian-influenced dreamworker, Toko-Pa Turner continues the above quote by citing English poet William Blake’s call for two-fold wisdom:
“We are more connected through technology than we've ever been in history, and have derived great benefits from these advances. But without the guiding influence of soul-and-body oriented wisdom, a one-eyed approach to life always leads to instability and crisis. I'm not suggesting we should discard science or rationality, but as William Blake suggested, we should develop a twofold vision--the ability to not only look at things as they are, but see through them to their relational ecosystems.”
In this spirit, I am excited about sharing the first newsletter of this new series: From Wounds to Wisdom: Rooted in Love. More info below about an online Cohort, and to receive weekly posts, consider becoming a paid subscriber from Feb-April. It’s behind a paywall for various reasons.
Upcoming 2025 Events:
Drop-In Soul Care Groups
February 11th 10-11am PST (All Welcome)
February 28th 10-11am PST (DV Advocates/Therapists, NWFL Staff)
Soul Care Cohort: From Wounds to Wisdom
February 18th-April 22nd
This series is an invitation into a contemplative and reflective journey, peeling back the layers on behaviors that keep you stuck and are leading to burnout.
It’s an invitation to lament and let go,
to exercise your imagination,
to encounter the living Christ,
to dwell in love,
and dive deep into your inner life.
A few more spots available: Registration closes February 12th!
If you are considering it and have questions please contact me.
Often in the New Year, we desire to make changes. Yet without rooting ourselves in Love and addressing the inner narratives that drive our behavior, making changes can be futile.
I’m excited to announce that I’m going to be offering this Soul Care Cohort for Lent again this year! It will be my third time leading a small group of people, who will be placed in spiritual direction triads for the entire 9 weeks.
9 (1-hour) Soul Care Groups: guided reflection and same triad
2 individual sessions
Weekly Newsletter Reflection Questions
Click below for more information and feel free to contact me with questions.
Whether your addiction is to help others, to be busy, or to the adrenaline of the next thing, you will be invited to root your identity as a Beloved, gain wisdom from the Source of Wisdom, and from that place, explore your motivations and the wounds that drive you.
Material integrates: Twelve Steps, Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, Lectio Divina, guided imaginative exercises, body-based practices, and reflection questions.
For now, I invite you to PAUSE.
Take a deep breath even as you are reading this.
Notice what is coming up in you.
What do you feel?
curious?
overwhelmed?
dismissive?
What sensations do you feel in your body?
heart racing?
gut tense?
jaw clenched?
What are you telling yourself?
Invite you to welcome what you are feeling and recognize those voices.
What are you grateful for as you enter this New Year?
What does a movement toward wholeness look like for you?
RESOURCES
BURNOUT & RECOVERY RESOURCE LIST (Hay varias en Español también). If you have recommendations, I'd love to hear about them!
INSIGHT TIMER GUIDED MEDITATIONS:
I’ve recorded some of my soul care group meditations for your listening and prayerful contemplation on-the-go. I welcome your rating and sharing of the meditations.
SOUL CARE FOR WOUNDED HEALER: CUSTOMIZED NON-PROFIT WORKSHOPS
Based on the book, From Burned Out to Beloved, workshops integrate discussion questions, grounding activities, trauma research, recovery tools, contemplative practices, and other spiritual disciplines. They seek to improve the overall well-being of individuals, enhance organizational culture, and improve sustainability and effectiveness in work.
Workshop topics can be combined or tailored specifically for your group. Contact me to start the conversation.
Bethany Dearborn Hiser is the Director of Soul Care for Northwest Family Life, a network of therapists trained to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma.
She is the author of From Burned Out to Beloved: Soul Care for Wounded Healers. For more about her, her book, or workshops she offers, visit: