She wakes up in the morning staring at the ceiling as the day’s worries slice their way through the cobwebs of sleep. Squeezing her eyes shut, longing to return to the dreamscape, her to-do list tickers through her mind, endless and already exhausting. Nothing tantalizes her heart or teases her soul. Nothing entices her out of the covers and into action, yet she has no choice but to begin.

“There must be more to life than this,” she groans as she rolls out of bed.

Trudging into the kitchen, she’s on autopilot as she makes coffee and feeds the dog. The mornings used to be chaotic, trying to get everyone out the door. Now there is nothing but silence. She appreciated that at first, after all those years of raising humans, but not for long. Not when the silence became deafening.

She grabs her coffee and sits down at the computer to check emails and scroll through social media, her to-do list growing with ceaseless messages of what she must and should do. She knows in her heart that what she really needs to do is to create. To make her art.

Being creative is her medicine, the balm to her aching heart and the waters to fill her empty soul. Her art is also her sole source of income—both her life source and her life force. But…

Her creations aren’t selling like they used to. The income’s not flowing like it once was. The bills are piling up. She faces her work-in-progress, but the stress eats at her. It’s impossible to lose herself in her imagination when real life consumes every bit of her mental and emotional energy. She drowns in the endless cycle of needing to create to survive but not able to create because she’s so focused on surviving.

When she eventually calls it a night, there’s nobody but the dog to share her bed anymore. It’s as empty as the house and the rest of her life. She lies in the darkness, thinking about all the ways she thought her life would be different at this age, all the experiences she thought she’d be enjoying.

As she stares at the ceiling, it feels like it’s falling on her, its weight pressing on her chest. The emotions she’s been repressing all day push to the surface, enflaming her skin and clogging her throat. Her breaths grow shallow as she struggles to draw in air. Her body trembles with feelings she can’t name. With energy that’s been building for so long.

Until it finally explodes.

“THERE MUST BE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS!” she screams into the void.

And the sound of glass shattering rents through the air. She bolts upright, her eyes wide and her hand clawing at her chest as her gaze darts around the unfamiliar space before landing on the glass shards surrounding her. Picking one up, she blinks at the partial face staring back. She knows it’s her own but doesn’t recognize a single feature.

“Who are you? What is this place? How the hell is this my life?”

 

Does any of this sound familiar? Could this be your story? If so, you may feel alone in it, but trust me ~ you most definitely are not. I know because the woman in that story is me.

Until I woke up to the illusions of my life shattered around me.

 

“We have two lives; the second begins when we realize we only have one.” ~ Confucius

 

Like most women, I’d been living on autopilot for over twenty years ~ raising kids, working, managing a household, and just trying to get everyone where they needed to be, fed, comfortable, and safe. I followed the rules and constantly strived to not only meet the expectations placed on me, but to surpass them. I ran the treadmill race like an Olympian, trying to prove that I was good enough and receive that outside validation. And I got it! I was living my dream life as a full-time author, getting paid (insanely well!) to live in my imagination.

But as the adage goes, the only certainty in life is change. For me, it was divorce, an empty nest, a shift in the industry, and an overwhelming feeling of failure as my dream life I’d wanted since childhood had faded, melting into a nightmare.

What has shattered your illusions? Besides the above, it could be a number of things ~ a scary health diagnosis, loss of a loved one, retirement or job change, moving across the country or the world, caring for an elderly parent.

We go through so much change in our lives and relationships as women in our 40s and 50s.

And let’s not forget the “gifts” of menopause.

But wait! There’s more! As a double-bonus, Gen X and early Millennials have been experiencing these transitions during the Covid-19 pandemic and surrounding events that have changed our world and society at the collective level. If none of the above had affected you yet, 2020 most certainly did.

Talk about shattering illusions.

 

Some women gracefully navigate these transitions with only minor bumps along the way. For many of us, though, we feel like we’ve been picked up by a tornado, tossed about, and then slammed down into the depths of an abyss. We no longer recognize our lives…where we are…who we are.

The landscape of our lives looks so foreign, we wonder if we’ve been dumped on a completely different planet…and if we’ll ever find our way Home.

Is that you, too? If so, there is hope, love. I promise you. You can and will find your way back…back to your true, authentic Essence of Self.

And if you are reading this, you are feeling the call…a sense of urgency…to do it now. Because your second life has begun and there is so much you still want to do. And because you know deep down...

If not now—when?

 

 

You Don’t Have to Walk This Path Alone

A guide who is familiar with this journey is here to walk by your side, shining her light for you until you remember your own light within. She leads you to the springs of soul healing and points out the signs toward creating a purposeful, joy-filled life.

A life more brilliant and exhilarating than you could have ever imagined before the illusions shattered.

I am that guide, and I am here to take you on a heroine’s journey from what feels like the dark pits of hell to claiming your throne as the Queen that you are meant to be.

You see, you’re no longer in the full-on energy of the Mother, but you’re not quite ready to serve as the Crone, either. This liminal space is what I call the Queen years, because we can finally give ourselves permission to take care of us…to fill our own cups to overflowing so we can serve from the saucer…to treat ourselves like royalty.

And more importantly, it’s the time we wake up from the conditioning of society and remember our own inner power and sovereignty.

 

 The Invitation

Come with us, beloved, as we embark on this journey from Mother to Queen, spiraling our way toward our thrones that await us.

We start with three separate gatherings ~ Sacred Circles ~ that reorient us to our new surroundings and what we’ve experienced so far. Then those who feel called can join an intimate group of women on a deeper, 16-week journey of transformation.

To begin, preparations must be made. Before an artist can paint, she prepares the canvas. Before a writer starts a story, she must have at least a basic idea of her main characters and some plot points. Before a heroine walks out the door or jumps on her motorcycle or into the cockpit of her ship, she must know where she is now, why she must leave, and have some idea of where she’s going. They all gather their tools and supplies, mentors, and companions. And so we begin our journey with three gatherings.

 

 

Sacred Circle #1

Shattered Illusions:
Where the Heroine's Journey Begins

 

When the illusions of our previous life shatter, our new journey begins, but taking those first steps can be...terrifying. We know we want change ~ in fact, big transformation ~ but figuring out the how can be paralyzing. I'll share a secret from this first Sacred Circle: the "how" is not in the mind and you already hold the wisdom. You just need to tap into it. So we start by leaning into our own inner Wise Woman who sheds the light on the truth behind the illusions. We discard the many masks we wore before to rediscover who we truly are ~ who we are meant to be. We face our fears that try to hold us back from living authentically. We release attachments to our old ways of living, thinking, and being in the world so we can make ourselves available for the new. We remember who we are at our core. In this first circle, you will see that you are truly not alone as you connect with other women who are right there with you; deepen in with your own inner wisdom and the truth of your authentic self; and come away feeling held, supported, and empowered, knowing that you will be okay.

 

 

Sacred Circle #2

From Here to There:
The Journey & the Map

 

All transformation requires something to die so the new may emerge, and the heroine's journey is no different. To move forward down our path, we must leave the old one behind. We must put down what we no longer need so it doesn't drag us backward or weigh us down, halting our journey before it's barely begun. In this Sacred Circle, we lean into the archetypal energies of Persephone, Inanna, and the Queen of Death. We consider the repeating patterns in this world and how they’ve played out in macro and micro ways in our lives, noticing how we continue on a spiral through the cycles of life. We look at the map to determine where we are now, so we can see with better clarity where we go next.

 

 

Sacred Circle #3

The Becoming of You:
The Phoenix, the Lotus, the Butterfly, and Wine

 

Here, we delve into the different patterns of transformation. In this Sacred Circle, we lean into the frequency of life, death, and rebirth, archetypically held by the Creator/Destroyer/Preserver face of the Divine Feminine. We narrow in on our personal experience, discovering our who ~ what archetypal pattern we most resonate with, giving us insight, vision, and inspiration for what we are becoming.

By attending one, two, or all three of these Sacred Circles, you will:

• Find yourself already empowered as you continue along your own journey of transformation.
• Feel more secure and confident to move forward.
• Gain clarity of where you are now, what your next steps are, and what you are becoming.

From there, you’ll be invited to join the longer, deeper, more intimate, and transformative 16-week experience.

I Am Ready!

Yes, Reserve my seat for Sacred Circle #1:
Shattered Illusions: Where the Heroine's Journey Begins

Yes, Reserve my seat for Sacred Circle #2:
From Here to There: Understanding the Journey

Yes, Reserve my seat for Sacred Circle #3:
The Phoenix, the Lotus, the Butterfly & Wine

I can’t make it to any of those, but please add me to the wait list to learn about the longer journey.

 

 

About Your Guide

Who am I? Like I said, I am the woman in the story. My name is Kristie Cook, and I am an internationally best-selling, award-winning author of 25 fantasy and paranormal romance books and dozens of short stories, with over 1.2 million books sold and downloaded. My books have been featured in USA Today, on Good Morning America, and in the Emmy’s Gifting Suite. I am also the creator, editor, publisher, and one of the 45 authors of the award-winning Havenwood Falls, one of the biggest shared worlds in the industry with over 100 titles.

During my writing career, I’ve seen so many other authors, artists, and other creatives suffer through burnout, extreme life transformations that affected their creativity, and, of course, 2020. When they expressed their pain in not being able to create, I ached right along with them. I wanted to help so badly! So after a long healing journey of my own, I became certified as a life coach and a spiritual coach, as well as in alchemical healing, crystal healing, Reiki, and other modalities. I am also a shamanic practitioner and a priestess training to be certified as a temple and ceremonial guide. And this is where I found my true calling—being the light that shines the way for other creative women to find their spiritual paths, to rediscover their inner light, to remember who they are at their core essence: a fractal of the Divine Feminine experiencing a human life.

So through my company, Ang’dora Productions, LLC, I birthed Of Starlight & Moonbeams, publisher of Moonbeams Magazine, producer of Starlight Tea podcast, and space-holder for our community group and ceremonies…and now these Sacred Circles.

TL;DR: I’ve been where you are, I’m trained to be your travel guide, and I’m here to take this journey by your side.

 

 

 

 

About Sacred Circles 

Sacred Circles provide a container that takes us out of time into a place of timelessness, where the Divine presence weaves through and around us so we may remember our true Essence and our inner power of creation. We pass through a Gateway to step into a specific frequency for healing, soul growth, and transformation. It’s a place for us to come together in sisterhood to provide and receive support and unconditional love as we remember that we each bring unique gifts and light to this world.

Our ancient ancestors held these gatherings frequently, and more and more women every day are reviving this sacred tradition. Why? Because they provide transformative healing that we all need, as individuals and collectively. We are going through a mass awakening to gifts and wisdom we’d long forgotten, and we’re being called to remember and reactivate them now to forge a new way of being in this world. A way that acts from love and compassion rather than fear and separation. A way that re-members us to each other and to the One Heart—because we are all just a fractal image of the Divine Source.

If you are here reading this, you feel this calling, too. We hope you will join us, beloved sister, in opening your heart to remembering who you truly are and the sacred gifts you have to offer.

 

But What Do We Actually Do?

Short answer: We don’t do. We be.

Long answer: Because each Sacred Circle is a container to hold the ever-moving flow of energy, each one is different. Like entering a temple, we pass through the Gateways in sacred reverence and ground into the archetypal frequency being held within the container. There may be individual sharing, journaling, movement, sound healing, and guided journeys. Sometimes there are activities we do together. If you’ve been to one of our online New Moon or holiday ceremonies in recent months, you’ve been to an OSAM Sacred Circle. These, too, will be held online, on Zoom.

 

  

Are you ready to start your journey, love?

Yes, Reserve my seat for Sacred Circle #1:
Shattered Illusions: Where the Heroine's Journey Begins

Yes, Reserve my seat for Sacred Circle #2:
From Here to There: Understanding the Journey

Yes, Reserve my seat for Sacred Circle #3:
The Phoenix, the Lotus, the Butterfly & Wine

 

I can’t make it to any of those, but please add me to the wait list to learn about the longer journey.