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I was living in New York City in circa 2004/5 teaching Pilates all over Manhattan to Powerful Leaders and Wall Street Traders who “worked hard and played hard.”
On top of my work schedule, I loved soaking in dance performances, going to yoga classes, and I had fallen in love with ‘Thai Yoga Massage’ as my teacher called it - as it was a blend of Traditional Thai Massage and Assisted Yogic Stretching.
After a year or two of taking weekend and week long trainings in NYC and in MA, I had just flown back from ½ way around the world - to drink from the source - to study at the root of it all. I went for a month to study with the world renowned master Ajan Pichet outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Upon my return, my friend (Also named Jenn) sat me down
with a serious look on her face and said
“Jenn - What are you running from?”
My jaw went slack.
I was dumbfounded.
“Was I running from something?”
Jenn was concerned about me.
She thought that maybe all the travel I was doing was because I was running from something. I didn’t think so, but maybe there was some truth about myself I couldn’t see?
It was a question that burned a hole in my head for the following days. Luckily, I had an appointment the following Tuesday at 5:30pm with my mentor and Jungian Analyst, Mary Bowen.
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((Story within the story.....)
Somehow I had managed to be invited to have a coveted weekly slot on Mary’s schedule. Mary is not just a therapist, she is also a legendary Pilates Elder who learned ‘Contrology’ as Joe called his method, directly with Jo and Clara. I met her in all her glorious quirkiness at the previous year's annual Pilates Method Alliance Conference where she shared how she blends her Jungian work with her Pilates teaching.
At 80-something, with her funky bright red hair and wild scarf - she was as wacky as she was wise. She recommended we all keep yawning vigorously throughout her teaching and I fell in love with her huge smile and spirit. “If I ever get a therapist” I thought to myself in the huge conference room, “I want it to be her.”
A month or so later I had been struggling emotionally and I looked her up. I called the number I found and much to my surprise she picked up! I told her “I attend your workshop at the PMA conference last month and thought, ‘If I ever get a therapist, I want it to be Mary’ - and I think I could really use a therapist” I started tearing up as bit on my little silver flip phone as she asked me if I was married and if I had any pets, then she told me to show up at her office on the Upper West Side the following Tuesday at 5:30pm.)
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So there I was sitting on Mary’s couch.
Often she’d ask me about my most recent dream or about dating and I’d start crying.
This day, however, was unusual
because I came to her with this burning question:
“AM I running from something?”
Of course, there was no yes or no ‘answer.’
So, we each parted ways at 6:30pm to go pondering over that question for the next 7 days. (I was slowly learning to ‘love the questions themselves.’)
As soon as I sat down on her couch the next Tuesday she said,
“You know I’ve been thinking about you –
I don’t think you are running from anything.”
I leaned forward as
she explained further -
“We’ve all got our ‘thing’
My husband - he’s got his soccer,
I have my cats, and you -
I think you are a quester, you ‘Quest’!”
I relaxed back and smiled -
“YES!” That felt more ‘right’ than any other label I had ever been called. That’s what I was - A Quester.
“I Quest!”
I left her office that night feeling lighter than ever.
Like all my varied passions made sense.
They all had a place, because I needed to explore and follow the energy, and follow my bliss… Why?
Because I was a Quester.
I found my friend Jenn at the studio the next day and reported what Mary shared the night before. “Ah! Yes!!! I totally believe that! You are a Quester. You Quest” She was also satisfied.
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So I ask you now -
“Are you running from something?
Or do you Quest?”
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Click ‘Reply’ to this email and let me know!
(It comes straight to my personal email inbox)
I LOVE getting replies to these newsletters - it keeps me inspired to go on. Feel free to simply type “YES! I QUEST TOO” or share a few sentences about your most recent inner or outer journey.
With joy,
Jenn
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