I was walking along the water’s edge with my dog Ash this morning, just up the beach from MEA, when a question arrived seemingly out of nowhere.

What gives life to your soul?

Wanting to avoid a cliche answer, my first reaction was to pause. I’m quite comfortable with pauses. In fact, I like them. I’m used to pausing in a session with a client. It gives me the opportunity to listen to wisdom that doesn’t come from the intellect, mine or theirs. It comes from a combination of intuition, gut instinct, and the magic of caring about the person in front of me.

Over the last few decades of my work I’ve gotten pretty good at listening, posing the right question, and then entering into a deeper conversation. Together we discover their honest thoughts, feelings, current puzzles and soul desires. And of course we uncover obstacles, the limiting stories that operate behind the scenes of our awareness. It’s exciting when these inner saboteur tales come out of hiding. They’re responsible for creating the limiting way we answer the bigger soul questions. They keep us locked in fear, stagnation, and confusion. Pausing to listen to our deeper self, the essence of who we really are, offers answers that set us free. This is when magic happens, when a new vitality starts flowing through our veins. As scary as we think this process of unfolding might be, it’s not as scary as rejecting our soul’s desires.

"Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.”
- Rumi

Since childhood the world does try, and succeed, in making us something other than our true self. It can be scary to change this because we need to let go of stories and ways of being that feel familiar. This kind of comfort creates a sense of safety, but holds us back. Sometimes this inner storytelling goes on autopilot, and our hidden saboteurs run the show. But, the wisdom to face these outdated tales and reconnect with the essence of who we really are lies within. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the discovery of this inner wisdom thousands of times. I am always awestruck at the grace that enters the room at these moments. And the transformation that ensues. My job is to listen and pose the right question at the right time. The inner wisdom in my client’s heart does the rest.

Pausing long enough to listen to an answer from our true essence is powerful. The heartfelt answers will remind you of the bigger you that’s waiting to exist. Your soul longs for you to reconnect to the essence of you. It longs for you to complete the unfolding of you. To face and release your old tales.

You are here to connect with who you really are, to find joy, and to offer the world your gifts. Every chapter of your life will bring a new opportunity to say yes to a bigger call to action.

What gives life to your soul?

For a few moments I tuned into the rhythm of the waves. Emptying my mind I merged with their soothing heartbeat. I felt the power of the rumbling ocean and the trembling that comes with radically listening to my deeper self. Watching the sea refuse to be held back or contained I felt terror and beauty. The terror of letting go of hiding my bigger self for fear of ridicule, and the pure beauty of saying yes to bravely unfolding my wings in this sixth decade of my life.

For the love of my grandchildren, I said a mighty oceanic yes.

Lover of wisdom, crusader for the unseen forces of love, helping visionaries walk into their wildest dreams while making our world a better place, Vanessa Inn has advised and guided some of the most famous creatives in the world. She and MEA co-founder Jeff Hamaoui are offering a “Leading from your Essence” workshop at MEA Feb 5-12. It’s about to fill up, so if this sounds interesting, you might want to apply asap. You won’t regret it as she’s one of MEA’s most popular guest faculty members.