Maps of the Heart
by JoAnne Dodgson
mentor at the Wise Woman University
author of Unleashing Love, MoonDance Journal, Walking the Spiral Path, Gifts of the Grandmother, and Cocooning
“I feel so lost.” The woman’s tear-choked
voice on the other end of the phone was swallowed into silence.
A few moments later, struggling to keep her tears at bay,
searching for words to tell her story, she continued on. 
“You know, I used to feel pretty okay, just going
along, living my life. But everything’s gotten turned
upside down. I’m not so sure anymore where I’m
headed or what I’m supposed to do. It’s like
the map I had just flew out the window.”
These are poignant moments, when the familiar path of our
lives and our long-held beliefs about who we are, what we
do, and where we belong unexpectedly become filled with
unknowns. We may feel lost in the wake of changes in our
jobs, health or financial situations, when relationships
begin or end, when we relocate our homes or experience transitions
such as births and deaths, graduations and retirements.
There may even be times when the circumstances of our lives
outwardly appear unchanged, yet we feel shaken off-course
by unexpected rumblings in our inner world, when something
not-yet-understood begins to stir and awaken, yearning for
expression.
Our lives are often shaped by the well-worn maps handed
out by our culture, media, family, schools, peers, and other
sources of social conditioning. We dutifully adhere to these
manufactured instructions, buying into the belief that these
sanctioned maps, with their offical stamp of approval, offer
us a lifetime guarantee of safe passage to love, acceptance,
and success. Over time, the maps become all the more familiar,
and our faithful following of them all the more habitually
routine, regardless if we actually find what we’re
seeking or thrive in our journeys along the way.
Whether we deliberately throw away the maps we’ve
long-carried or discover they’ve been unexpectedly
swept away by some other force, we may find ourselves floundering
around without clear direction. Looking out toward new distant
horizons, we may feel pulled to explore yetunseen lands
all the while yearning to return to the comfort and familiarity
of the way things were.
Finding ourselves in between what used-to-be and what-hasn’t-yet-manifested
may feel murky, ambiguous, even threatening. Though we may
fear we’ve lost our footing, we’re actually
standing on rich fertile ground. The lush space in between
what has-been and what’s-yet-to-be is potent and alive,
resonating with creative energy.
There we come face to face with the mystery and magic of
life, which calls us to open our vision, plant the seeds
of our dreams, hold clear our intent, and nourish the organic
unfolding of healing, transformation
and change.
So beyond all the confusion and fear of being lost, there
are vast potentials just waiting to be found. Feeling lost
is a compelling invitation to find our way home ~ to clarify
who we are and what we want, to discover our innate belonging
and connection, to seek nourishment, enrichment and joy
along the way.
A hiatus from the once-familiar ways of thinking, feeling,
doing and relating offers a rich opportunity to reorient
ourselves and explore new maps for our journey. We can honor
what has been, hold compassion for the release of what’s
ready to be let go, and open up to the creative possibilities
of what can be.
Authentic maps for the journeys of our lives won’t
be found somewhere-out-there. Rather, we need to take a
look inside. Vast knowingness resonates in the very cells
of our being. The knowledge we carry in our hearts is filled
with boundless treasures ~ clear awareness of our true essence,
understanding of our life purpose, clarity about our passions,
and recognition of the particular gifts we’ve come
to experience, explore and share. Trustworthy guidance is
found in the remembering of our truths, in the reclaiming
of our unique and natural ways of being. A map painted with
the vibrant understanding of who we really are is an unshakeable,
steadfast guide.
Following our own inner knowing means living empowered
and free. When we discard the old maps made somewhere-out-there,
we leave behind assumptions and expectations. We release
the limited pictures we’ve carried of the prescribed
roles we must fill, well-worn roads we’re to travel,
and socially-acceptable destinations we’re supposed
to fervently strive to reach. We free ourselves from dogmatic
rules about how fast we should move, where and when it’s
permissible to rest, when and if we can play and with whom,
how to look and behave once we finally “get there,”
and where we’re forbidden to go.
Removing the blinders that have narrowed our vision, we
open up to the vast universe of possibilities and choice.
With inner knowing as our guide, we intentionally direct
our energy and attention into the activities and endeavors
which are authentic expressions of who we really are and
what we’ve come here to do. Walking our own unique
path with passion and freedom, with commitment and discerning
awareness, we understand we’re making choices with
each and every step that we take.
We can bypass the potholes of judgment, the misleading
detours of fear, and the dead-end roads paved with addictive
distractions by following the maps of the heart. Trusting
in the guidance of our inner knowing means owning our power
and embracing our passions, joining hands with the mystery
and magic of life.
So enjoy the grand adventure of discovery as you explore
who you are and what you really want. Venture into the sacred
space of your own remembering to reclaim the purpose and
direction of your unique journey in this life. Leave behind
any heavy baggage stuffed with judgments and fears, all
the shoulds and supposed-to’s and blindly-held beliefs
about yourself, others and the world. Listen and feel, with
all of your senses, to the spiritual guidance living within
you and all around. Vision and dream. Feel your song. Dance
your rhythm. Let your heart lead the way. Let passion be
your trusted guide.
Copyright © 2005 by JoAnne Dodgson
Stories by JoAnne Dodgson
Each lesson offers discussion of unique aspects of the shaman's path such as bridging the varied dimensions of reality, living in balance with natural cycles and creating sacred ceremony. Each lesson guides you in opportunities to discover and enrich your innate connection with the web of life on the mother earth and in the world of the spirits. 
18 Wise Woman Songs & Chants from the heart
