A TRUE LIBERATION
OF THE HEART
Thank you for being here. Thank you for choosing this journey into heart~mindfulness for self care, heart liberation, and empowerment. And thank you for choosing it now at a time when collectively we're reeling as a human family in search of meaningful connection.
These times we live in.
As the world churns through triple crisises of culture, covid, and climate, we're being drawn together to think, act, and love at a holistic level – inclusive of person and planet. Our choice is to either slow down, listen, and respond authentically – or pinch off that urgent call to love and die on the vine (an underdeveloped life form).
From the moment we're born the process of separating from the whole begins. No longer tethered to mother, the world is both glorious and monsterous. Glorious in all its beauty and wonder, and monsterous in all its danger and death. Born of the stars, yet mortal in design, the human heart pulses in synchronicity with the heart of the world. And all the while the ego fashions its protections.
So dear friend, let's answer that call to crack open and be real, together. In this journey, I'm going to lead you on a journey of liberation and initiation that is both practical and poetic. It's a slow study into transformation that every human is destined to make, if only they're brave and persistent enough to enter the wilderness of their own hearts.
WHY THE MONARCH?
Through their extraordinary life cyle, one might say that monarch butterfies provide human beings with an evolutinary pathway to freedom. If only we could get out of our own way (distractions, addictions, triggers, fear of being seen – and so much more), then we too could awaken the imaginal in ourselves and transform from consumer to creator, capable of soaring to new heights we never deemed possible.
I first learned of the monarch's miraculous life path after my unexpected move in 2016 from the Bay Area to San Diego. Monarchs thrive here, so close to Mexico. I've spent hours upon hours watching them satisfy their ravenous hunger for milk weed, pausing only to shed a skin.
Monarchs are brave. Each time they pause and shed, they risk being taken off by a predator. But, they're never deterred. They risk it all in order to grow.
After about four to five treacherous cycles of shedding and growing, the caterpillars that survive begin a new phase of transformation. They search out a hidden spot to anchor a foot with silken threads and then hang upside down in a "J" shape that to me looks like a monk praying upside down. After a day in waiting, the caterpillar sheds its final skin and wriggles free as if kicking a pile of old clothes to the corner of the room. Underneath is revealed a bright green chrysalis that looks sewn at the seams by metallic golden thread. It's truly a miracle to behold.
But, what occurs next is truly one of the most extraordinary and mysterious events on earth, and it happens in pure darkness. An enzyme activates the "imaginal cells" of the developing butterfly and the caterpillar transforms from earth bound into winged over the course of several weeks. When the time is right, the chrysalis's shell grows transparent and the new creature pushes out, gripping the old shell with new slender black legs and hooks for feet.
In the ten minutes that follow, the monarch collaborates with gravity to move its juices down to its wings and fill out its new glorious form.
But, there is no need to rush it. The monarch knows that it must be patient. Only when it feels ready and tempted by the warmth of the sun will it flap its new golden wings adorned with blackness to ride the wind and ascend up, up, up to the tallest branch nearby. Fly, fly, fly – it must! It is now wholly transformed and life begins, anew. Just recounting the journey makes me weep!
This is what awaits us all from the moment we're born. We are winged. We are transcendent. We are meant to fly!
So welcome my friends to 'Way of the Monarch'. Here you will be taken on a journey of liberation along the three fold path of the extraordinary monarch: 1) shed the old, 2) awaken the imaginal, and 3) fly free. Here's a glimpse of what awaits you:
Shed the Old: We begin by making space for growth. This starts by transforming dogged triggers into teachers, by dismantling depleting distractions, and then consciously adopting practices of self care. Following this essential work, we move into softening the ego by reclaiming the magic and co-creative energies of nothingness and stillness, of chance, and of exile. Only by first reclaiming the liminal in our lives may we truly hear and respond to the whispers of the heart.
Awaken the Imaginal: The realm of the heart, the seat of our true intelligence, is where we venture next. We enter in slowly and with grace to share profound love stories. From there we take care to reveal the science that proves the heart is the predominant sensory organ of the body. Then it's time to drop beneath the surface into guided meditation and reclaim the light at the center your being. Having opened and awakened the energies of the heart, we ultimately shine a light on your life story and lift up and out the poetic form that is you and lies waiting to be recognized.
Fly Free: Having now shed and awakened, it's time to fly! We move next to the stage of authentic expression and belonging. An open heart gets trampled on in our society when we fail to communicate in a manner that masterfully integrates life affirming boundaries. With the cultivation of new skills around compassionate relating, we peer deeper and deeper into self and tune into your unique frequency. Harnessing this frequency is the key to unlocking true belonging, purpose, and joy in life.
We do this good work under the metaphoric and practical wisdom of nature's mentors – Snake, Chrysalis, Lion, Whale, Wolf, Bee, and Hummingbird.
We are nature. With 4.5 billion years of successful evolution in full display all around and within us, we have what we need to be whole, free, and empowered every day of our lives.
So, let's take a look at what actually lies ahead in journey through 'Way of the Monarch'. The diagram below is your 'Eco Map', complete with the eco-mentors that shape your journey, providing timeless wisdom that is born of the ages. Take a moment to review each leg of the journey, inclusive of below the line (status quo stagnation) and above the line (renewed liberation).
This will all be a new way for you to live. One that requires an open imagination and talent for observation. I will be your interpretor and guide, every step of the way.
HELLO!
It's time I properly introduce myself. I'm Lori Wallace, founder of Career Ecology and creator of this embodied work. As pupil of the monarch butterfly, everything shared in these pages reflects a lifetime of experiences, study, observation, and relentless devotion to love. It was the work of burning away layers upon layers of coping mechanisms, grooming, shame, and more that helped me heal my brokenness. Liberating the heart is the critical work of our time. We're being called to be brave beyond measure and reach for the stars. We're being called to fly!
This is my offering to those who, like me, want to live every moment of their lives awake, attuned, and connected to truth and love. This is the true state of prosperity in which all good things come.
I welcome you here and join you with all my heart. Here is a short message of gratitude and welcoming from me (10min), along with a touch of Rumi from my heart to yours.
