This is the book I wish I’d had in 2012 when I woke up to the false belief bubble I’d been in since childhood.
The “pop” was really painful. It always is. Maybe you know already?
Yet without it, I’d never have found the door inside me, the one that opens to the otherworld.
In time, I reclaimed a belonging there so powerful, so wild, so life-affirming, that I grew desperate to write everything down, to shine a beacon for others to remember that they, too, have an inherent place in the cosmic spiderweb. To know that our unconditional belonging connects us to a vast network of support and illuminates our paths on Earth.
You Belong Here is a self-help memoir that deconstructs our innate belonging via my mystical, messy, human journey. It unfolds at the intersection of non-denominational spirituality and motherhood to meet the rising tide of folks (parents or not) who yearn to trust themselves over external authority and ask: “Where do I fit? What am I to do with it?”
I intimately understand the heartbreak (and wild joy!) of self-liberation. Abandoning the Mormon theology I was raised in triggered years of detox and self-doubt alongside harrowing physical experiences. Dreams and meditations became portals to learn from nature and ancestor spirits about the Love that always holds us.
Then Bartholomew, a spirit being, challenged me to do what scared me most: own all of my story out loud. To claim my innate belonging and purpose here, I had to feel it there, in the otherworld. On the lap of the Great Mother, she of endless faces and names, I’m always held between sea and star. I believe you are, too.
In the realm where imagination and spirit dance, I gathered proof: we’re never separate from the center of loving intelligence or the many beings whose friendship supports our unique roles inside the anthill of the Universe. With the help of Raven, Grandmother Spider, Ant, and many others, I learned to trust myself as a bridge between and get to work.
Using the framework of a nine-year cycle in my life, You Belong Here empowers readers to know themselves this way, too. I weave together intimate stories, practical tips, insights from otherworldly friends, and journaling exercises for excavating personal identity, security, and purpose.
Each chapter begins with a poem and a quote from one of my otherworldly friends. The chapters are grouped into three parts with a central question that I answer for myself and invite you to consider.
Writing everything down was difficult, exhilarating, and ultimately an incredibly rewarding experience. I hope you’re able to find a cozy sit-spot with your favorite beverage and take a dive deep with me.
I’m beaming gratitude and love to you for reading my story. I hope you can feel it!
Photos by Kara Vorwald Photography
Want to explore these themes with me in person? Registration is now open for my fall retreat in Pennsylvania!
