Meet Shannon Gorres, Trauma-healing Spiritual Direction and Nature Therapy

Meet Shannon Gorres, Trauma-healing Spiritual Direction and Nature Therapy

“My life call is to support people through pain and disconnection into a loving relationship with themselves, the Divine, and the world.  I help people integrate childhood wounds into a greater sense of worth, fulfillment, and belonging, by offering embodied spiritual practices, nervous system science, trauma-healing techniques, and imaginal and nature elements.

Working on a continuum between emotional counseling and spiritual awakening, I honor the ancient and orient toward the present sacred beauty.

I grew up Catholic, in love with Godde, continually seeking the many faces of the Divine in the world and in my heart. In 2014, I earned a Masters of Divinity at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA and in 2020 became a Board Certified Chaplain. For 7 years I have apprenticed in Spiritual Direction with Denise Ellen Hill. I’m also a Certified Nature Therapy Guide, through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.

My practices are in universal Sufism, Zen Buddhism, progressive Christianity, earth rewilding, and classical Yoga. My personal life goals are to cultivate awareness, compassion, and wisdom. I am forging a path toward constant felt union with Godde (God/Goddess, aka the One Essence, Source, Is-ness, Love), and helping others find their way.

We can find our way through healing realizations, intentions, practice, and reflection. We find our way through effort and grace, dancing and falling. We find our way through movement and stillness, fullness and emptiness, and connecting all around and going deep within.

We find it with the witnessing gaze and encouraging company of others on the journey.

I’d be honored to be a loving witness and encourager on your journey, during the times you feel the Divine Friend’s presence and the times you smell the farting camel.”

~Shannon Gorres, MDiv, MA, BCC

www.DivineNatureTherapy.com

 

“Cast All Your Votes For Dancing”

I know the voice of depression
Still calls to you.

I know those habits that can ruin your life
Still send their invitations.

But you are with the Friend now
And look so much stronger.

You can stay that way
And even bloom!

Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions’ beautiful laughter.

Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear,
From the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.

Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days
Like a broken man
Behind a farting camel.

You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him,
What actions of yours bring freedom
And Love.

Whenever you say God’s name, dear pilgrim,
My ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other
And applaud all your nourishing wisdom!

O keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions’ beautiful laughter

And from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.

Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!

~ Hafiz ~