Be Careful What You Ask

About a year ago I resigned my work as Assistant Director at Laurel Ridge Camp and Conference Center and committed myself to a year’s sabbatical. I told myself I would spend a year outside the work force, explore and ponder, write a blog, catch up with friends and fun and family. But I would not take a job with a paycheck for one year. After about six months I started thinking about how I like to work, a paycheck isn’t all bad, and it’s really nice to routinely contribute energy to something I believe in. That led me to formulate my request to the universe. It went something like this, ” I’d like to work 15-20 hours per week with an organization that I really connect with. I want my work to be easy but address the needs and hurts of the world. I want to work with people who live their convictions. I want my experience to be useful, but I really want to immerse myself in an unfamiliar situation. It would be great to work in a non-patriarchal system for the first time in my adult work life. I’d like to experience more feminine energy in the leadership. I’d like the bottom line to be people rather than money. I’d like to be the only white southerner on staff. And just for fun, it would be nice if organic gardening and cooking could play into my job description from time to time. And as long as I’m asking for the perfect job, why not ask for daily meditation or yoga.”

So what do you think? In the 11th hour…just one month before the official end of my sabbatical, a new friend emailed me saying there was a position with Stone Circles that she thought would be perfect for me. She didn’t know about my message to the universe…actually. she didn’t know much about me at all. But her little nudge led me to apply for and accept a part-time job that included all of the criteria listed above. Yes, even the garden…and cooking…and meditation!

“The Stone House is a home for spiritual life and strategic action in Mebane, NC. It offers transformational experiences in an atmosphere of deep spiritual life, radical hospitality, strategic action for social justice and sustainable relationship with the land. We are a sanctuary for people of all traditions and no tradition, a place of stillness that understands and values action.” Check out stonecircles.org to see what’s happening.

Spiritual activism is a new term for me even though I’ve been living the philosophy without benefit of terminology. I’ve never considered myself much of a joiner. Certainly not a political or social activist (although this election year should be making an activist of anyone with a pulse), but I find myself right at home working with an organization that supports political and social activists by supporting their spiritual well-being. Cool!

I’d rather be challenged than bored. I love looking at someone’s bookshelves and finding I’ve read only about 1/3 of the books I see on the shelf. There’s a lot for me to learn at The Stone House (retreat center for Stone Circles) and I believe I have a lot to contribute to their work. Ain’t life grand?

So the moral of the story is, be careful what you ask for…you’re probably going to get what you’re looking for. Ask for the desire of your heart. But get ready to handle the generosity of a loving universe!