vision quest

By now a huge number of people have heard of the DVD The Secret, especially since Oprah's done not one but two shows on it. The first time I heard of it was when Schmin excitedly told me about it last summer. I didn't watch it then, but a couple months ago, Valecia generously gave me a copy, and I've watched it a few times since.

It's right up my alley. I'm a fool for anything that serves to remind us of the goodness of the Universe and the power of the mind. I like to joke that I tried living from a place of depression, fear, and limitation and if it had been any good, I would have stayed there. A joke, but not really a joke. It's Agape that helped me change my way of being in the world. Since I started attending in earnest a year and a half ago, my life has burst wide open. My external circumstances look the same, with the exception of my job. But let me tell you, inside, the only place where it counts, things are very different. And I know that things will only get better from here.

I can say this in the face of having lived through one of the most devastating life experiences I've ever had, which began this time last year. Even when I was in the depths of it, I could see the light, and it wasn't too far down the tunnel. I don't believe this thing would have destroyed me under any circumstances, but had I not begun the process of transforming my thinking, it would have taken me down harder and longer than it has.

To thoughtful, conscious offerings like The Secret and What the Bleep Do We Know!?, I say yes and yes again. And I am proud of Agape's spiritual leader, Dr. Michael Beckwith, for his participation in The Secret and his recent appearances on Oprah. So proud that I am working hard not to complain about having to attend Sunday service at 6:30am in order to beat the throngs and get a seat.

So enough deep, meaningful talk about my spiritual path. Now for the fun stuff.

My friend Efuru, who introduced me to Agape several years ago, and I were having brunch and talking about The Secret Friday before last when she exclaimed, We should have a vision board party! I know divine inspiration when I hear it, so I immediately agreed. We worked out the particulars and yesterday we held our gathering.

OH. SO. FUN.

And moving. And personal. And open. And beautiful. And imaginative. And giving. And supportive. And inspiring. And humbling. And playful. And transformative. And, did I mention? Fun!

I invited Natalie and my other GFTK (great friend through knitting), Darcy, along with Valecia, Carol, and The Bubs. Efuru's hubby attended (I LOVE it when men get involved in these things), along with their close family friends, Dianne and Rita.

I'm all about collage and, if nothing else, the party was a chance to practically roll around naked in a pile of cut-outs, glue, and, thanks to Natalie, sparkles. On a deliciously superficial level I thought of it as a craft orgy, which for me, and I'll wager, many of you, would have been plenty fabulous enough.

But it was so much more than that.

a few of our boards

See what I mean?

It was such a lovely, lovely time. Before we got started, Natalie presented each of us with a set of Buddhist mala beads from India. On each one, she'd hung a tag with a different word written on it. We chose our beads -- seemingly -- at random, but it occurred to me that each one of us drew the perfect word. Mine was "Enthusiasm."

We talked about what we want for our lives, and I learned many surprising things about these good people I call friends. Carol wants to run a scholarship program in honor of her late sister, Natalie plans to build her yoga teaching by offering a class in the park, Darcy wants to expand her music career. Everyone knows I want to write full-time and teach creative writing at my own leisure, but I also want to design clothes and own a house in Barbados. We all want to go on Oprah. :)

Dreaming big is such a blast. As I listened to everyone talk about their heart's desires, I realized how rarely people, even close friends, sit down and share these kinds of intimacies. It's possible to spend time with a person everyday and never get to this place.

Armed with so much information about one another, we all found words and pictures to help each other build our boards. It was wonderful, then to top it off, Valecia held a drawing and gave away a set of CDs by Esther Hicks, who is a prominent presence in the first version of The Secret.

This time next year we will gather again. We'll bring our boards and see what has been made manifest.

A few of us carried the magic through to church this morning. Joined by Laurie, sometimes fondly referred to as Crazy Aunt Purl (Laurie, I'm throwing you a bone because I know no one reads your blog, ha ha), Bubs, Efuru, and I attended the crack of dawn service, all wearing our mala beads.