October 22, 2006

"Rituals for the Muse"

In her book Real Life Rituals Karyl Huntley writes that our lives are rift with change. Some changes are disappointing and others joyful. The transition of summer to fall, the step from childhood to adulthood, the choice of whom to spend your life with, saying good by to something or someone important to you, the move from one home to another—all these life transitions can be filled with satisfying experiences beyond words if you only had a way of honoring them.

Rituals for major occasions of birth, death, and Weddings, of course, go with her calling as a minister. Karyl is the senior minister at The Golden Gate Center for Spiritual Living of Corte Madeira. She has always had a deep interest in the earth based religions of ancient cultures. When she was 23 she took her first trip abroad directly to Greece There she saw structures still standing that had nurtured many, many generations with spiritual experiences long before the formation of our modern religions. That was the beginning of a life long passion for research of new and old ceremonies used to honor our passages here on earth. Perhaps she was a priestess in a past life and that’s why Rituals was the book for her to write.

In graduate school Karyl had an epiphany that myth is more real than daily life. Now she’s working on creating a new book, Rituals for the Muse. Some of the rituals the book will explore are how to accept inspiration, overcoming writer’s block, bonding with a new musical instrument, how to get out of an artistic rut, and how to survive criticism and rejection.

Her advice is "Really look into what excites you. Pay attention and experience your passion." Karyl's Sunday talks at the GG Center are always full of laughs and delight the audience. You’re in for a treat.