A Spiritual Coach’s Journey: Preach What You Practice (and vice-versa)

Me: Be Your Own SHEro👊🏼 Also Me: Capricorn on the cusp of Sagittarius ✌️ Still Me: Pray, Meditate, Believe, Manifest 🙏 A word for my fellow coaches: I’ve been a spiritual seeker all of my life, and was fascinated by astrology, witchcraft and the occult as a kid, even as I was going to Sunday School in a little baptist church with my bestie and her family. My parents always encouraged me to explore the world through books and research, and never forced any particular religious views on me though they both had traditional religion as part of their own upbringing. My journey towards eternal truth has been a wonderfully weird mix of Church, God, Astrology, Tarot, Mysticism, Jesus, Self-Help, Therapy, Witchcraft, and Buddhism. A total spiritual mutt! Always growing, always learning, always seeking, always evolving. At different points along my path, I was more intently focused on one practice or another, at some points denouncing “one way” only to pick it back up in a familiar embrace years later. I am constantly learning that there truly are many trails to the top of the mountain, and at any time you can choose the one you want to walk along. In my role as a personal Empowerment Coach, I do allow room for my spirituality and personal self-care practices to inform my work as it applies to each individual client- yet I hesitate to brand myself as a “spiritual coach” as that just doesn’t feel like the right fit for me. It’s not a mantle I am comfortable wearing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t if you feel so called. With the most recent pushback and distancing from traditional religion, clearly there is a huge emerging market for people interested in embracing alternative spirituality, and with that comes the opportunity to provide offerings/services that cater to this demographic. The responsibility however is on us as leaders to avoid cultural appropriation and truly heal from an aligned heart of love, light, and compassion. Doesn’t mean we cannot have a solid and profitable business, just… don’t be a dick about it, you know? I can tell you that the world needs your wisdom, it doesn’t need more “Yoga for Slimmer Thighs!” or some nonsense shit like that. If you as a self-proclaimed spiritual coach lead from a religious background, please do so in the true spirit of Love and transparency, without judgment and hypocrisy. If you are exploring astrology, the Tarot, Yoga, or non-western healing modalities and incorporate these into your professional practice, please remember to include cultural context and be careful not to bastardize these practices just to make a quick dollar. Again, don’t be a dick about it- actually practice what you preach. I am truly grateful for the many wonderful teachers, guides, and mentors I’ve been able to learn from over the years. I am especially grateful for those who have helped me to tune in to my inner wisdom, that deep knowledge that comes from doing the hard, brave work of exploration and messy healing. Having these amazing people in my orbit has given me the green light to move forward in the direction of my biggest dreams, align my heart & spirit, and face down the gnarliest of my fears. When we share our journey authentically and invite our clients to explore their own path to healing, we engage in an awesome opportunity to teach and pass along these ancient traditions and rituals to a generation that is seeking truth. It is rich and ripe, beautiful and powerful, and anything but superficial.That is what truly spiritual coaching looks like to me. 💖🦋