Hi friends,
Welcome to an Inbox Inhale where I’m thrilled to finally share a new energetic experience with you, that is close to my heart - a new website for Illumine Within - launching this Saturday! Over the past 9 months, I’ve been birthing this new virtual home with the help of Laura and her visionary consulting, and I can’t wait to unveil it to you. This space invites you to wander, explore, and reconnect with the embodied truth of who you are, offering you invitations to come alive from within.
This space has been a journey of rediscovery. During COVID, I came to realize just how disconnected I had become from myself. One morning, after sitting in silence with my Centering Prayer meditation, I found myself overwhelmed by the weight of uncertainty and the shadow of our collective pain we were all experiencing. As I gazed out at the rising sun, a truth dawned on me—I had been saying "yes" to activities and commitments out of fear. Fear of not being enough, fear of needing external validation to say I was good, that I belonged. In the stillness I could see how I’d become so wrapped up in people-pleasing and performing that I could no longer hear the sound of my own desires
And in the stillness, a quiet voice rose within me: “The only way out is in.” This marked the beginning of my inner journey. So I turned towards myself, and began to explore. I leaned into my interests, read books on my own, began a virtual book club with a dear friend, got back into singing, and immersed myself in nature. I committed to my Centering Prayer practice and revisited my contemplative roots, exploring the mystics and practicing yoga at home, which gave my body space to feel, grieve, and weep. Recent tragic news, like the school shooting in Georgia, has shaken me deeply. It underscores the need for our collective action for these grieving families.
Here's how we can take action (with gratitude to my friend Holly Phillips for offering these steps):
Get informed — Mom’s Demand Action is a great place to start.
Call your elected officials: Find out who represents you and their contact info here.
VOTE: Support candidates who advocate for common-sense gun reform. If you’re not registered, do so here.
My inner journey showed me that I had so much to feel. So much to re-discover. Approaching the places that felt dark and unknown, I feared I might fall over the edge and lose myself. But what I discovered was that at my edges, I fell into Love. Love can be indescribable - hard to name —and yet, I found a surprising solace in embracing the mystery of trying to meet myself again, and my shadows, and deepest questions. I realized I had long buried many of my questions out of fear of judgment, silence, or being pushed away. But in the darkness, I discovered a sense of peace, like being held in a warm cocoon. It reminded me how much I love asking the big questions—about spirituality, our shared humanity, and the hopes, mysteries, pains, and love that connect us all to each other, the Divine, and this earth we call home.
Reclaiming my curiosity led me to a two-year apprenticeship as a Spiritual Director, where I learned to trust God-within and the sacred that surrounds us, with the same gravity I had been conditioned to give primarily to external voices like church and faith leaders. While I still believe wisdom can come from others, I’d forgotten it also rises from within.
I’ve come to realize that embodying our spirituality is deeply intertwined with healing, and that our questions aren’t enemies, but portals to becoming and transformation. As a spiritual director, my roots are grounded in the Contemplative Christian lineage, yet I honor and welcome all spiritual paths. As James Finley says, 'At the deepest level, it does not really matter where you seek this path because it is everywhere' (Center for Action and Contemplation).
My remembering led me to somatics, where I am mentored to offer coaching to help others reconnect with their bodies' innate healing wisdom. I trust that our inner light of wisdom, though it may wane, always rekindles with kindness and sacred curiosity.
I’m excited to offer a 9-week cycle of Centering Circles, beginning the last week of September, designed to help you connect deeply with yourself, others, and the Presence of God within and around us. This sacred somatic experience goes beyond social interaction—it’s an invitation to meaningful connection through mind, body, and spirit. Whether you're new or experienced, these circles provide a gentle, supportive space for reflection and growth.
What Are Centering Circles?
Centering Circles are intimate, embodied listening groups where we engage in centering prayer (silent meditation), somatic practices, and group spiritual direction (sacred listening). These practices cultivate inner clarity, stillness, self-trust, and a deeper connection to Love within and between us.
Details:
Morning Circles: Thursdays, 6:00am - 7:30am (MST)
Mid-day Circles: Tuesday and/or Wednesday, 12:00pm - 1:15pm (MST)
Evening Circles: Thursdays, 6:45pm - 8:15pm (MST)
Cost: $279 for full 9-week cycle ($31/circle)
*Sign up for the full 9-week cycle to secure your spot. If you need to miss a session, I understand.
Registration opens next week.
If you want to join, send a message below!
Try for FREE Online:
Join me Wednesday evening, September 18th at 7:15pm (MST) for a free, one-hour Centering Circle on zoom—a gentle space to pause, breathe, and reconnect.
What Can You Do?
If you feel drawn to explore your inner light of wisdom and connect with your questions, doubts, and desires, I warmly invite you to join me on this journey. Engaging with your embodied thoughts and emotions can deepen your connection with yourself, others, God and shape how you move through the world.
By tending to our inner, sacred flame—sometimes called our soul or heart—we foster healing and connection in ourselves and the world.
Creative Consulting?
If you’re looking to bring a creative vision to life, I’d love to connect you with Laura Mowbray. I found her on Instagram, reached out, and am so grateful she said yes! Over the past nine months, we explored the flow of the Divine Feminine together, with Laura serving as a creative doula for the birth of Illumine Within’s virtual home.
Laura is a gifted artist and listener with a unique ability to bring imagination into form. With deep reverence for the sacred and meticulous attention to detail, she nurtured this dream from its earliest seed, guiding it through uncertainty and helping it blossom into a beautiful, vibrant space with courage.
If you need support in realizing your own creative vision, Laura’s talent and guidance are truly exceptional.
Or email her: info@lauramowbs.ca
Sacred Pause…
Take a moment to reconnect with yourself. Notice your feet on the ground, feel the earth beneath you. Can you sense your breath without trying to change it? Consider these invitations:
Breathe (adapted from Hilary McBride):
Inhale: “My body is a voice”
Exhale: “Worth listening to—wise, flexible, resilient, kind.”Reflect:
What if you gave yourself the space to listen deeply to your own inner voice? How might embracing your true desires and needs transform your life? Start small—breathe, reflect, and honor your inner wisdom.Try:
Join me in Centering Prayer in Centering Circles. Centering Prayer is a contemplative practice of sitting in stillness and surrendering to the Divine indwelling of Love. It’s an embodied invitation to remember that we have what we need within us—because Love is still here.If you want to join, send a message below! Registration opens next week.
What if we embraced coming alive from within? I’d love to help remember and nourish your flame that has been sparked to be alive. Explore Illumine Within’s new website, Saturday!
Come home to who you are; we need your light.
With love and gratitude,
Devany
And in case you missed the last Inbox Inhale:
Read how your body is here for you, even as the uncertainty of life turns up.
Read: What this newly-inspired space is all about, or what is spiritual direction or how Centering Circles have helped me. I recently shared why listening matters.
If you answered yes to wanting warm, wide attunement to your embodied experience -I have openings and would love to connect with you , or recommend a spiritual director I trust.
Yoga is one of my favorite ways to listen to my body. Come join us Fridays at 12:15pm or in the evening.