Genius Work
"To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation"
~ from The Alchemist
~ from The Alchemist
The philosophy behind Genius Work is simple: Each one of us was born for a specific Purpose in this life, and our gifts, talents and experiences uniquely qualify us to live out that Purpose. We belong here, in this place, in this time. The world wants us to be here, and needs the particular gifts we have to offer. We are here to do certain things, to have particular experiences, to live out certain themes, and learn the lessons laid out for us. Evolution of the Soul is the point of it all.
The ancient philosophers believed that each one of us was born with a unique guiding spirit or soul companion that held the image, or blueprint, of our Destiny here on earth. The Romans called it your "Genius". The Greeks knew it as your "Daimon". The Christians called it your "Guardian Angel". Others have variously referred to it as Spirit, Soul, Calling, Purpose, Character, Fate, Path, Mission, or Destiny. The source of the word Genius is the Latin genius meaning "guardian spirit", originally "inborn nature". The ancient PIE root is gene, meaning "to give birth". The Genius births and protects our Purpose in this life.
As life unfolds, we often wander off our Path, or have trouble finding it in the first place. Our Genius, however, never forgets why we are here. It watches over us and has our best interests at heart. It reminds us, it motivates, it protects, it invents and persists. It nags and pesters. The ancients also believed that we selected the body, the parents, the place, and the circumstances that uniquely suited our Soul and its Purpose. This idea embodies personal empowerment and responsibility, and is a very different vision than the one that seems so real to many of us – that we are the passive victims of our circumstances, our DNA, our parents and our story.
This idea of personal empowerment and Destiny is what is lost in so many of our lives, and it must be recovered if we are to live a soulful life. This way of seeing life is a return to the way the ancient mystics saw the world, full of magic and mystery and adventure. Not the dull grind it all to often is today. It’s the re-enchantment of everyday life.
The ancient philosophers believed that each one of us was born with a unique guiding spirit or soul companion that held the image, or blueprint, of our Destiny here on earth. The Romans called it your "Genius". The Greeks knew it as your "Daimon". The Christians called it your "Guardian Angel". Others have variously referred to it as Spirit, Soul, Calling, Purpose, Character, Fate, Path, Mission, or Destiny. The source of the word Genius is the Latin genius meaning "guardian spirit", originally "inborn nature". The ancient PIE root is gene, meaning "to give birth". The Genius births and protects our Purpose in this life.
As life unfolds, we often wander off our Path, or have trouble finding it in the first place. Our Genius, however, never forgets why we are here. It watches over us and has our best interests at heart. It reminds us, it motivates, it protects, it invents and persists. It nags and pesters. The ancients also believed that we selected the body, the parents, the place, and the circumstances that uniquely suited our Soul and its Purpose. This idea embodies personal empowerment and responsibility, and is a very different vision than the one that seems so real to many of us – that we are the passive victims of our circumstances, our DNA, our parents and our story.
This idea of personal empowerment and Destiny is what is lost in so many of our lives, and it must be recovered if we are to live a soulful life. This way of seeing life is a return to the way the ancient mystics saw the world, full of magic and mystery and adventure. Not the dull grind it all to often is today. It’s the re-enchantment of everyday life.
"The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new."
~ Socrates
~ Socrates
Symptoms of all kinds – whether a physical ailment, financial trouble, lack of aliveness, anxiety, addiction, conflict, or anything else – can be taken as a sign from our Genius that we are off our Path and not living out the life we were meant to live. In that way, symptoms are a blessing, and are only unpleasant in order to make them difficult to ignore. They represent not a problem to be fixed, but rather guidance to be heeded. Symptoms, when properly listened to and understood, will always lead us towards wholeness, and healing, and Destiny. Commonly, when we get back on our Path, our symptoms will lessen or disappear. This approach – focusing on Mission and Purpose rather than on pathology and dysfunction – is often much more effective, and avoids the labeling and other negative connotations associated with pathologizing our survival strategies.
Genius Work involves a variety of inquiries designed to help you discover your inborn nature. We may begin by identifying the themes and loves that have been with you for most of your life. What do you love doing? What work do you do that doesn't feel like work? When you are doing a thing you love, what do you love most about it? What are your unique abilities? The answers to these and many other questions start to give us clues to your Genius. There is never any doubt as you home in on it – you come alive inside in a way that is unmistakable. Eventually you will arrive at a name for your Genius, and begin to apply this information to your life. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to make big changes in your life, but sometimes you may want to in order to be true to yourself and live authentically. It's your choice. Support and guidance is provided to you every step of the way.
Genius Work involves a variety of inquiries designed to help you discover your inborn nature. We may begin by identifying the themes and loves that have been with you for most of your life. What do you love doing? What work do you do that doesn't feel like work? When you are doing a thing you love, what do you love most about it? What are your unique abilities? The answers to these and many other questions start to give us clues to your Genius. There is never any doubt as you home in on it – you come alive inside in a way that is unmistakable. Eventually you will arrive at a name for your Genius, and begin to apply this information to your life. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to make big changes in your life, but sometimes you may want to in order to be true to yourself and live authentically. It's your choice. Support and guidance is provided to you every step of the way.
"I think the meaning of our existence is not invented by ourselves, but rather detected."
~ Viktor Frankl
~ Viktor Frankl