[Cate Burnett]

For me it isn’t really about next steps, rather a continuation of a soul directed life. I find myself wanting to engage more and more with deep self-reflection and to honor and recognize whatever comes my way as an opportunity to explore these areas of growth. Which to me looks like day to day life and people, communication, kindness and presence with all of it. We live in a world that is on hyper-drive and I find it’s so easy to glide along with this way of being, yet when I can just ‘be’ everything slows down and I am able to find the beautiful silence within. This is my priority for now, stepping into mindfulness/presence and feeling with my senses. This can be done hiking/walking, but also in my interactions with others. I use triggers to remind myself and I pre-set the stage for how I’d like it to be. A life’s journey of sorts, right? And, this is how I see myself as a leader in that I am setting an example for others to witness. Ultimately my stretching and growing brings more integrity, wisdom and grace to not only myself, but all those I meet. Life is a lovely dance and I am fully engaged! 😊

[Cate Burnett]

My vision has changed over the years of course, with the ebb and flow of life, initially I was very goal oriented. This has changed to some degree, although I can say I continue to have many goals, but the goals are based more in self exploration and a willingness to hold space for myself to change and grow. I find that much of what I am learning about myself comes from interactions with others and how I choose to be in relationship to varied situations. Even in difficult situations that may not feel good or right I continue to explore my role and how I might grow from these varied opportunities. I focus more on not making a situation right or wrong, but rather what is going on to create the feelings I am experiencing (parts work has really enhanced this process). As for my life’s path and knowing I am on it, it’s more about forecasting where I want to go with an idea and stepping into that direction even if it’s uncomfortable. The stretching is a huge part of the growing and has greatly benefited me over the years. I have experienced life enough to know that the unfolding brings ups and downs, it’s the journey and how I decide to move through that keeps me grounded and positive. I try to focus on the present moment as often as I remember to do so and nature is often the key trigger that takes me there.

[Cate Burnett]

This Parts Work stuff is quite amazing and I’m having a lot of fun with this process! I am interested in creating a portable mandala and pulling it out as the need arises. I will be working on this while in the desert lands of Death Valley and can’t wait to see what appears in this regard! As mentioned previously, I have done a significant amount of work around balancing my masculine/feminine parts and yet now understanding that perhaps there are additional parts within those parts (ie: dominant male figure/adolescent? & passive female figure/child?) I am stepping more fully into these parts and exploring a deeper understanding of needs beyond the basic balancing act.
Michael also mentioned that just because we work hard to make changes does not mean we are changed in that it’s a process of reintegration with intention. The new program/behavior is strengthened by priming the pump with intention (neuropathways) and identifying what might trigger reactions and old patterns of behavior. In essence we are grounding ourselves in a new pattern and anchoring ourselves each time we recognize old behavior and replace with new behavior. I have been working on this re-programming for a few years now, and what I’m beginning to understand is that the observer self can prime the pump with intention, but if we don’t go deeper within to identify the affected Parts, we’re dealing only with the situation at hand, the trigger. As well, the concentric rings that ripple out from us may be playing a huge role in triggering unwanted patterns in others. This process is a life-long exploration of self. Fascinating, right?

[Cate Burnett]

Thanks so much for sharing this piece of you and being willing to be vulnerable in the process. Your story resonates in so many ways to my own story and/or that of my family, especially in the care-giving role and elderly parents. I appreciated your comments about discovering yourself later in life and valuing the parts that are now being presented. It’s interesting how as we age the old childhood wounding takes a front seat if not addressed in an earlier phase of life. It appears there are many levels to parts work and yes, so amazing to overlay with the unfolding of life as it is now.

[Cate Burnett]

Thanks Cindy, and Yes! Having an observer has helped me to recognize when I’m being triggered and then there are the emotions that come up allowing an exploration of what is truly going on. I can dive so much deeper, right? Otherwise it’s an exercise in reaction to the trigger that is often blamed on others or my own behaviors not knowing there’s likely a part of me needing to be heard. I now often set myself up when I know I will be in a situation that has in the past triggered me. This way my observer is heightened and allows me to not react, rather sit with it and be patient, observe. I’m finding I don’t have to respond at all in many cases and that allows a bit of softening and lightness. I love the exploration of this process!

[Cate Burnett]

The Parts Work teaching has offered a deeper sense of recognition that my observer self is already, to some degree, participating in this process. My observer self routinely checks in, but what I think I’m understanding to a finer degree is that there are ‘parts’ that chime in and steer the conversation within. In other words, perhaps I’m self-observing but not necessarily recognizing that in many cases I have parts of myself that want to be heard. My way of moving through the world, especially when triggered, is to instantly check in with my feelings (IF I remember to do so) and then observe the situation from that perspective because feelings will take me to the why’s and how’s. If I get it mixed up it’s the other way around and then I’m lost in hurt, anger and judgement! I’m good at judgement and when it comes up I know I missed the feelings piece. So, with that, feelings can be the catalyst for the parts of myself that want to be heard. This is my journey with the masculine/feminine component in that the feminine part wants to be heard yet the masculine part feels compelled to dominate (old pattern). I clearly see the Parts Work teaching in this self-awakening and I feel blessed to have firsthand experience in how it works! I’m excited to explore this in more detail and would love to hear how others have experienced the observer self as well as Parts Work in daily life experiences.

[Cate Burnett]

Thank you Daniel & Kelly Janae for your words as it’s lovely to receive reflection and feel heard. I would say the starting point has much to do with the constant need to be active, looking for fillers instead of recognizing the gift of openness and slow time as valuable. I would say this has been my biggest challenge. I’ve recognized this behavior in many of my friends and use this recognition as a wake up to honoring the gift of slowing down, doing nothing. And for me that looks like mellow time in nature, the sit spot routine is a perfect example of this! I spend endless time wandering and use my senses to go deep…I get pulled this way and that, just allowing…mind and all. I have to say though that over the years there’s less mind chatter and more presence and being.

Now as I am aging and contemplating a huge chunk of open space ahead of me I have fear of too much quiet time…this is my new challenge! The journey is on going yet with mindful practices I am finding there truly is balance if I trust and allow the unfolding. It’s much easier to push ahead (old patterns) but I am committed to a balanced approach. This is how I would like to gracefully age. 🙂

[Cate Burnett]

I am someone who has always valued congruency with whatever work I choose to engage with. And of course, sometimes in my earlier years, I had jobs that were not necessarily first choices but, in every case, valuable on the path forward. I continue to hold to that core vision now, as I age and find that by visioning where I want to be and exploring options with a mindset of possibility yet discernment, my choices are balanced and truly alive within me.
I am a true dabbler/doer (masculine ‘can-do’ way of being) and find that over the years this has served me in many valuable ways and I truly value the part of myself that can focus and manifest. Yet I have recognized that the softer, receptive side (feminine) often takes a back seat to the outward way of doing and being. This balancing between the two has been an amazing journey over the last 15 or so years. Being raised in a patriarchal society I took on the masculine role model of doing, doing, doing. No judgement here as it clearly served me, but a recognition that I did not have a role model who embodied balance between both the masculine and feminine ways of being. It has become very clear to me that balance is the only ‘way’ and that by exploring a receptive, allowing approach to life, less pushing against, hurried, stressed, I have much more clarity of purpose, vision of where I want to be and trust in the process. Patience and being present with what life brings, sitting with uncertainty and allowing the unfolding is a beautiful dance of trusting in oneself and life.
Life offers many choices and by gently guiding myself in mindful ways of being in the world I hold space for myself to expand and grow. As a Right-of-Passage guide I feel blessed to midwife the deep soul encounters of others on their own personal journeys. Nature is the teacher and it’s beautiful to witness the endless variety of ways we each find our inner compass of self-exploration.

[Cate Burnett]

Wow! Reviewing each of your words is so incredibly uplifting and I feel blessed to share in this journey with others who are so deeply aware and alive within themselves! Yes to all of it! My own journey with soul discovery is deeply connected to nature and wild places. It’s the allowing of presence, stillness, slowing down and sinking deeply into our senses. The natural world is a doorway into self-discovery and to be fully immersed we are offered the opportunity to just be, no pushing, agenda…just being with the trees, sky, wind, plants & animals. I find it hard to even put into words…it’s just a way of sinking into the present moment connected to all, beautiful and soul infused. This is how I live my life, it’s no longer a choice, just the path and the way forward. The ego still exists and is a valued guide, we all need our egos to navigate life, it’s in the honoring of both ego (shadow too) and mindfulness that allows balance and wholeness. 😊

[Cate Burnett]

Hey! I’m Cate from WA state. I’m so excited to venture forth with you all! I will be remote on the first class day but will catch up soon after. Looking forward to a fun filled adventure together.

[Cate Burnett]

Beautiful! I love to observe how others are stepping into uncertainty and allowing the path to unfold without knowing every detail. I honor that part of you that is so deeply allowing and appreciate the sweet example that I might apply in my own life.

Thank you!