Sharing the Journey:
Jeanne Marie Merkel, M.Div.
"Touch the mysterious whispering threads which bind the universe
together." John
Matthews
Can I say where my journey begins? It begins with the mysterious whispering threads that bind me to all the
soul friends I have been privileged to walk with. It begins with the grace of Spirit’s presence permeating every moment
of my being and becoming. It begins with the exquisite beauty of the North Fork landscape, calling me home to my deepest self.
My soul needs to be with others in the deep places in life -- those places of wonder and awe, of rooted strength,
of silent joy and ecstatic dance, of pain and woundedness and healing -- the tender tough facing the darkness within and following
the labyrinth of the Self till you come to its Center; the grace of finding your own rhythm within the rhythm of nature and
of Being itself; the beauty of watching another Being unfold -- This is where I feel most alive.
In
order to facilitate this work, I was blessed with the privilege of studying at
Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where I received a Master of Divinity Degree in Psychology & Religion. My focus was on Christian and Buddhist Contemplative Traditions, Earth Centered Spirituality,
Jungian Psychology, the Spiritual Aspects of Trauma & Depression, Movement as Meditation, Peace Building and Social Justice,
and the integration of spiritual practice, ritual,creativity, community and nature in healing.
The Master
of Divinity (M.Div.) degree is one that usually prepares people for church ministry, but I felt called to minister outside
of a church setting and outside the boundaries of any one faith tradition. I
want to meet each person as a unique individual and help them live more authentically their own integral relationship with
the Sacred. My training has prepared me to provide pastoral care and counseling, rites of passage (ceremonies
to mark transitions) and spiritual leadership for communities of faith.
I
also received Interfaith chaplaincy training in a New York City hospital and am a trained SoulCollage® facilitator, working with Collage as a means of
spiritual growth and guidance.
Responding to my life-long passion for spiritual connection with the Earth and my
deep respect for Indigenous wisdom, I embarked on a genealogical journey to find my own indigenous roots. I discovered
that my French-Canadian matriarchal line came to Quebec in 1641, and lived in close connection with the Wabanaki people. Knowing
that I am so deeply rooted in the soil of Turtle Island gave me the courage to pursue a path of training in Indigenous
spiritual traditions and a passion to help preserve Indigenous cultures and their wisdom. My goal in this training is not
to become a "Shaman" - that is a special calling that I feel requires many years of immersion in a Shamanic culture. Rather
my goal is to engage fully in an Earth-Honoring healing path that challenges me to give freely all I have been blesed
to receive from the deep well of Earth wisdom, and to activally foster a global Earth-honoring culture.
I began my training in Cross-Cultural Shamanism in 2004, with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies' foundational course, taught by David Corbin and Nan Moss. I completed a one year training program in shamanic healing
and indigenous life ways with Cathy Pedevillano in November of 2007.
In January of 2008, I had the delight of being introduced to the Indigenous
traditions of Peru and have been immersed in studying this rich tradition ever since. In June 2008, had
the privilege of studying for 2 weeks with elders of the Q'eros nation in Peru, receiving training and initiation in
their healing traditions and participating in earth-honoring ceremony together at sacred sites in the
Andes.
I have also engaged in two transformative vision quests (to the Green Mountains
in Vermont (2002) and to Mullaghmore, the sacred mountain in County Clare, Ireland (2006).
I am the mother of 3 grown daughters
and am a passionate grandmother of 3 delightful souls, and take special delight in nurturing mothers, couples, and families. I live a contemplative lifestyle of voluntary simplicity, and the Spirit-filled joy
of song and dance, nature and community. I am also a member of the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force and I do volunteer pastoral
care with women who are in recovery from domestic & sexual abuse, trauma and miscarriage.
I look forward to unfolding new ways of nurturing beloved sacred community here on the beautiful North Fork of Long
Island, and where ever I am invited to speak or present workshops.
I look forward to meeting you! Always feel free to call or write
and introduce yourself to me. I consider it a deep privilege to be able to call
so many of you my soul friends!
To Hear What Others Have Said about our Work Together (and to get a sense of what I mean by Beloved Community) - Click here for our Gratitude Page.
Here are some of the Services I offer:
Spiritual Counseling
Rites of Passage
A Spirit Song to Nourish You
A SoulCollage Card for Your Journey
(Click on Persephone to Receive her guidance)
