A New Year

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

In thinking about my year I was just looking back over some of my blog posts, especially the little missives I wrote back in August as I was finishing my PhD and Devon and I were dissolving our life in Hawai’i. 

My goodness. Such intensity. So much questioning. I think I really just needed a nap.

Then again, it was an intense time. All told, it took me ten years to get my PhD—two years for prerequisites, two years in my masters program, and six years in my doctoral program. 

And at the end of it all, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a professional psychologist.

I’m still not sure.* 

In fact, all I seem to want to do at the moment is meditate long hours every day.

And, when I think about it, I stand by most of the things I said in those long ago blogs: that I’ve never really wanted a day job; that monastic life still seems like the best life to me; that the mindfulness movement appears a bit unhinged; and I’m still wondering about the power and problems of lineage . . .

The difference is that, after having spent three months in retreat, I feel a lot calmer about it all. Yes, I don’t know about my career; but I do know what I’m doing for the next 12 months. Perhaps I will go back to monastic life, or maybe I won’t, or maybe Devon and I will ordain together; but none of these questions need to be settled right this moment. 

In this moment, at the turn of the year, on my way back to Hawai’i to do a little teaching (while Devon is at Spirit Rock doing a little teaching) I feel . . . content. I feel happy in my marriage, happy in my family, happy with my friends, happy to be alive and healthy, pained still by the pain of the world, yet also marveling at its wonders . . .

I hope you are happy, too, my friends. I am sending you all many good wishes as we find our way, together, into 2020.

All good things,
Craig

P.S. This would be a lovely time to preorder our book. Just click here.

*Note: I am still working toward licensure as a psychologist, though in a non-traditional way, and with some questions about what my practice of psychology will look like . . .