I’m so glad you are here,
it means you are curious.
And, curiosity is a wonderful companion
if you’re going to explore the inner world ...
… along with compassion, courage, self-care,
and other needed supports along the way.
This journey is my greatest joy
and I’d love to walk with you on yours.
W E L C O M E
Story
How to begin a story? Well, naturally, it starts at the beginning, all those many years ago. A simple child living a simple life. One might say a bit naive, but a child always aware of an underlying beauty to life that just seemed natural. There were also familial, cultural, and religious environments making their impact and influencing my development, all which were taken in stride because there didn’t seem to be anywhere else to live but the living I was born into.
Fast-forward a decade ago. Life seemed to be what life was and everything seemed to have its place. I understood how the world worked (at least my small world) and all was good until that fateful night. I went to bed in one state and woke in another. All had changed. Most notable was that God was utterly and completely gone and what was left in the God place was a painful hole that opened from the depths of me.
I was shocked by this discovery, actually nauseated, and totally dumbfounded. There were many months of crying, wondering, and crazy-making. None of the previous support systems could adequately explain what had happened. Fortunately, there was a part of me that sensed this event was spiritual in nature and so the journey began, one that brought me right into the center of myself.
While my current relationship with Church is tenuous, the Christian mystics lovingly revealed and continue to reveal a way forward into an experience (a key word here) of Life and Love. Along the way the Enneagram introduced useful tools for knowing myself, a tenant of transformational work across all traditions of mysticism.
I’ve now returned to a more natural, even child-like life, which is to live moment-to-moment. Pain, sorrow, joy, or exhilaration, all is welcome. This welcoming life is available to you as well. One of my greatest joys is listening together to the Sacred’s invitations in (your) life. Love is always at work, a dynamic force that is always inviting us forward to unknown fullness.
Services
Enneagram/Life Coaching
Are you wondering why you do the things you do? Have you had the sense of “there I go again” feeling helpless to change? Do you wonder how you might live into an authentic self instead of preprogrammed reactions? Are you looking to drop ego personality sensing there is more to you?
Together let’s use the wisdom of the Enneagram to explore patterns and habits keeping you trapped and unaware of the gem that you truly are. You are a miraculous, whole BEing.
“Although it is true that we need to be patient and persistent during the process of transformation…we do not have to go anywhere or accomplish anything. What we must learn is to stop running away from ourselves.” (The Wisdom of the Enneagram)
Spiritual Direction
Direction is for you if you feel lost or have a sense God is distant or gone. If you’re wondering “is this all there is?” Do you feel some existential crisis or that your spiritual life no longer serves you. Or, perhaps you sense something drawing you out beyond yourself. A longing has welled up in you that is difficult to make sense of.
If this describes you let’s listen deeply together for the invitation being extended to you. Let’s discover how you might move within yourself to a deeper dwelling place?
“The whole purpose of spiritual direction is to penetrate beneath the surface of a man’s life, to get behind the facade of conventional gestures and attitudes which he presents to the world, and to bring out his inner spiritual freedom, his inmost truth…” (Thomas Merton)
Supervision
If you are a Spiritual Director or Coach then Supervision may be for you. Do you remember the unexpected reaction to something a person said or the sticky response you had with a particular client?Is there a connection between your growing edge and what you’re noticing in a session?
Whether you’re noticing an edge or stickiness a compassionate listening ear can help you discern the inner landscape. We’ll unpack and discern what block, story or belief is in the way of freely showing up to your client.
“In supervision, my own desired outcome centers on the growth of the spiritual director in themselves, in their ministry and practice of spiritual direction…” (Lucy Abbott Tucker)
Reflections
For many years now I have been fascinated with Bernadette Robert’s work. She has contributed to the Christian contemplative path two invaluable insights. First, as a contemporary contemplative, she has taken the archaic, patriarchal language of the Church and modernized it without losing the kernel of Good News that is missing from a majority of churches. Second, her work is invaluable in that she is not theorizing or intellectualizing the path but, as a human being, actually recounting the path as it unfolds in real life. She speaks from first-hand experience.
Roberts lived the Christian contemplative path to its full and proper measure. Perhaps this was her earthly assignment, to show it is possible to become Christ. I am also appreciative of her kind directness in her recounting of the path and her openness in stating that the Christian contemplative path she lived was her experience alone. This openness is a common theme the mystics share. They understand their direct experience reveals a universal knowing albeit expressed uniquely from their personhood.
I’ve picked an essay in Robert’s book (see inset) to work through and reflect on over the coming months; paragraph by paragraph. Perhaps you’d like to join me on that journey.
Contact
I look forward to working with or hearing from you. Bear in mind services are intimate, one-on-one conversations of the heart. For that matter so are any comments. If you are interested in sampling any services please contact me and I will get back to you shortly.
Generally, services are offered in one hour monthly increments although other options are available such as 30 minute or bi-monthly sessions.
Business hours are weekdays.
Kim de Beus
krdebeus@gmail.com Pasadena, CA
Copyright 2024