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Practices, workbooks, and a free guided meditation, offered freely. Start wherever you actually are.

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Start where you are

Everything here is free and none of it expires. They are not interchangeable, though, and starting in the wrong place is the most common reason a good practice goes unused.

If you are not sure what you want, or you have the sense of going through the motions without knowing why, begin with the Inventory. If something in your life has ended and the next thing has not yet arrived, begin with the free guided meditation. If you already know the direction and want something to work with daily, begin with the practices.

Take what serves. Leave the rest.

Begin Here

Where are you, actually?

In the Middle of Something

When one thing has ended and the next has not arrived

There is a stretch in every transition that has no name. Something has ended. What comes next has not taken shape. Nothing appears to be happening, and the temptation is to read that stillness as failure. William Bridges called it the neutral zone, and he understood it as the part of a transition where the real work gets done, out of sight and ahead of schedule.

Guided Audio · 14 minutes

The Neutral Zone

A free guided meditation for the middle of a transition. It works with grief, with letting go, and with the strange fertility of a season that looks barren from above. Recorded in 2023, with a full transcript on the page.

That one is yours to keep.

If you would like the next thing when it arrives, the letter goes out once a month.

Advance Reading · 45 pages

Paradise (re)Discovered: An Advance Reading

The Introduction and first chapter of the forthcoming book, complete and unabridged, months before it arrives. It ends on a question that does not need a finished book in order to begin its work.

That one is yours to keep.

Subscribers hear first when the full book arrives this fall.

Guided Practice

The Neutral Zone: A Free Guided Meditation for Transition

This free guided meditation is an invitation into that stretch rather than a way out of it. It works with grief, with letting go, and with the strange fertility of a season that looks barren from above.

Find a place where you can settle and give this free guided meditation your full attention. Headphones help. Leave yourself a few minutes afterward before you return to the day.

Full Transcript

The complete text of this free guided meditation is below, for anyone who would rather read than listen, and for returning to a particular passage later.

Hello, and welcome to this free guided meditation, designed to help you navigate through the Neutral Zone, a space of transition and transformation. As we begin, find a comfortable and quiet place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in, filling your lungs completely. Hold for a moment, and then exhale slowly and fully. Let's do this twice more, breathing in deeply, holding, and then exhaling any tension or stress.

As you continue to breathe at your own pace, bring your attention to the feelings of emptiness and loss that you've been experiencing. Acknowledge these feelings without judgment. They are valid and they are part of your journey.

Imagine these feelings as a cloud surrounding you. It may feel heavy or dense, but remember, clouds are ever-changing. They shift, they transform, and eventually, they pass. So too will these feelings.

Now, gently bring to mind a memory of the past, a moment that once was filled with love and satisfaction. As you recall this memory, notice the feelings it brings up in your body and in your heart. It's okay to feel a sense of loss or sadness. It's okay to grieve for what was.

As you sit with these feelings, remind yourself that it is okay to let go. Letting go does not mean forgetting. It means freeing up space in your heart and in your life for new experiences and new love.

Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, imagine releasing the tight hold on this past memory, allowing it to become a part of your history, a part of your story, but not the entirety of it.

Bring your awareness back to the cloud of emotions surrounding you. Notice if it has changed in any way. Observe it without judgment. Breathe into it.

Now, let's talk about acceptance. Acceptance is not about giving up or saying that the loss doesn't matter. It is about acknowledging what is, right now, in this moment. And in this moment, you are in transition. You are in the Neutral Zone.

In the Neutral Zone, it may feel like you are stuck, like nothing is happening. But in reality, this is a space of incredible transformation. It is the cocoon before the butterfly. It is the winter before the spring.

Imagine yourself standing in a field, in the midst of winter. The ground is barren and the trees are bare. It may feel like nothing is happening, but beneath the surface, roots are stretching, seeds are preparing to sprout. Life is happening, even if you can't see it.

As you stand in this field, remind yourself that you are not alone. Many have stood where you are standing, feeling lost and stuck in between what was and what is to come.

Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, imagine releasing any impatience or frustration with yourself for being in this space. Remember, transformation takes time. Growth takes time.

Now, shift your focus to the future, to the new beginning that awaits you. It may be hard to imagine what it looks like or feels like, and that's okay. What's important is to trust that it is there, just beyond the horizon.

Imagine yourself taking a step forward, into the unknown. With each step, you are moving closer to your new beginning. It may feel scary or uncertain, but remind yourself that with every end comes a new beginning.

As you continue to walk forward, imagine yourself gathering strength with each step. You are not leaving the past behind; you are carrying it with you, as wisdom, as experience, as love.

Pause for a moment and ask yourself, "What is it that I need to learn from this Neutral Zone? What is it trying to teach me?" Listen for any insights or wisdom that may arise.

Now, imagine yourself reaching the end of the field, the winter behind you, and before you, the first signs of spring. The trees are budding, flowers are starting to bloom. This is your new beginning.

Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, step into this new season of your life. Notice how it feels in your body and in your heart. It may feel uncertain, but it is also filled with potential and possibility.

As you explore this new space, ask yourself, "What brings me joy? What fills my heart with love?" Allow any images, thoughts, or feelings to arise.

Remember, love and fulfillment can take many forms. It can be found in relationships, in work, in hobbies, in nature. Be open to discovering love in unexpected places.

Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, imagine planting a seed in this new beginning. This is the seed of potential, of possibility, of love. With each breath, imagine this seed taking root, growing stronger.

As you continue to breathe, remind yourself that you are not alone in this journey. You are surrounded by love and support, even if you can't see it.

Take a moment to express gratitude for this Neutral Zone, for the lessons it has taught you, for the strength it has given you, for the transformation it has allowed.

Now, gently start to bring your awareness back to your breath, back to your body, back to the present moment. Wiggle your fingers and toes, and when you're ready, slowly open your eyes.

Take a moment to notice how you feel. Remember, the Neutral Zone is a space of transformation, and you are in the process of becoming. Trust the journey. Trust yourself.

Thank you for joining me in this free guided meditation. Remember, you are not alone, and a new beginning awaits you. Take care, and be gentle with yourself.

Practices to Live With

Something to do, not only something to read

Practice Guide

The Circle of Life

A six-step practice for bringing your life into alignment with who you truly are. An invitation, not a prescription, drawn from a thread that runs through Campbell, Jung, and Erickson.

Wellness Edition

The Circle of Life
Health & Wellness Edition

The same practice, oriented around the dimensions of your wellbeing: movement, nutrition, sleep, connection, purpose, and more.

Workbook

Book of Positive Aspects

Practice seeing and savoring what uplifts. Train your attention toward what aligns. A companion to the work in A Life Aligned, offered as a free workbook.

Mini Workbook

Eight Days to Authenticity

Simple, powerful steps to (re)discover your true self and start living it daily. A gentle, guided return to who you actually are, offered as a free eight-day companion.

Monthly Letter

Letters from the Interior

Once a month, a letter from the interior. Reflections on alignment, on authenticity, on the slow work of becoming. Between letters, shorter posts and reflections find their way onto Substack. As a subscriber, those come to you too.

  • A monthly reflection drawn from the work
  • Practices and prompts you can sit with
  • First word on new books, courses, and gatherings
  • Occasional resources worth sharing

Something here for where you are?

From the free guided meditation to the workbooks and the monthly letter, take what serves. Come back when you need something else.