Welcome to Everything Speaks if You Listen with Jen CobbleWorks where we befriend our humanity and the Sacred through story, soul questions, and every day life.

In this week's episode, we look at the insightful gifts we can receive when we engage with symbols and stories that often scare us. This is not the same as worshiping what scares us, or agreeing with everything that scares us. It's about being engaged so that our fear doesn't grow. What I mean by "engage" is staying open and curious and non-judgmental rather than trying to admonish or defeat our shadows or our fears. Fundamentally, there can be beauty, truth, expansion, opportunities for healing, greater self-love, and a deeper connection to the Sacred even beneath scary triggers. Pausing to notice what we react to and then how we respond is the core of living into life's questions and being curious. It's at the core of reflection and contemplation. Halloween is no different.

As an example, I share a story about why I loathed and was terrified of the Noah and the Ark story as a kid (and am still wrestling with it) and then we spend some time on ghosts: how they can represent regrets, fear about our place in the world in the midst of changing roles and technology, and an ache for something in the past to be different than it was. All of these examples point to one thing: if we turn away from every frightening image in our culture, stories, myths, and folklore, we are turning away from profound invitations that can be a threshold into greater freedom, understanding, and self-love.

The link to the Halloween journal and mini course (featuring Love + Hope!) is:

https://cobbleworks.teachable.com/p/soulful-halloween

You can follow along some more of this exploration of the underworld and the invitations it offers for our spiritual growth over on Instagram:

@cobbleworks

Or feel free to email me with questions on the course or anything else at:

jen@jencobbleworks.com

I'm Jen Cobble Willhoite, a contemplative storyteller, spiritual tool designer, and life-long soul seeker. My path is formed and framed by questions more than answers. I'm more comfortable wondering and wandering about things spiritual than I am in ideology, religion, or dogma.

My soul language and connection with Spirit is primarily grounded in Celtic Spirituality, science, nature, seasonal cycles, myth, folklore, and stories of all kinds. I do have roots in progressive Christianity that I sometimes speak from. My tap root, though, is ordinary life. I believe enlightenment is rhythmic, unfolding, and found in our everyday experiences and selves. I also offer tools and courses on my modern interpretation of the examen: a daily ritual of looking back, looking within, and looking ahead to cultivate a rapport with your inner wisdom and the Sacred as you understand it.

Every week, I share an episode from my own spiritual explorations, offering invitations for you to explore these themes on your own. Thanks for journeying with me!