Yes, this site is a quiet spring by the side of a long road. Drink from it and, as you said, know you are not alone. I was just reading an article about going through a void period. It suggests disconnected from media, reading, just spending time listening, allowing the world to come in; decluttering; doing things that are spiritually satisfying–connecting with nature (walking on grass or sand); stretching; staring at birds or flowers (or bees if you can find any after the pesticides have wiped them out). Of course, if we have the time and space to do so , we are very lucky. Since I wrote that posting on Erica’s site, I had another couple of wipeouts in educational institutions (oxymoron?) in Abu Dhabi and Natuashish, Labrador but what going to these far and away places and cultures gave me was the opportunity to witness situations that (from learning from professional writers at writing studios and seminars) lend themselves to the short creative non-fiction form. I’ve been writing a memoir of life as an HSP in the world of great systems but more generally as a traveller in other cultures. I’m up to page 300 and have done this writing at an amazing place–the childhood home of the Pulitzer prize winning poet, Elizabeth Bishop, in Great VIllage, N.S. Bishop was most definitely an HSP. I have been in the over a hundred year old house (which was purchased by ten admirer/writers of Bishop and now used as a writing retreat) for twenty days in total. It’s the only place I can do this book as I need complete focus and intention to mine this experiential ore. I don’t know how I’ll develop an audience to read this work, whether I’ll put it on a blog and read it on a live stream. I’m going to hopefully learn about how that is done by going to a company that does websites for artists. Anyway, Violet Juice, if you have the opportunity to get in touch with your spirit and being, that is great. Those battles in the system take their toll. “What doesn’t kill you, makes you weaker.” (Christopher Hitchens). I ended up with adrenal fatigue and PTSD (because of being in a dangerous out of control school for seven months, but that’s a story you can read (hopefully) someday in the book. Keep the faith. Your work with foster children saved lives. I just read a biography that broke my heart “Who Killed Ty Conn?” about a little boy who became a victim of a system, mostly through lack of sensitivity and insight (and spiritual empathy) and, above all, stupidity. Maybe you’ll write a book to enlighten people about those sickening things you witnessed. Take care. Stay whre your hands are. Joanne Light

I am going to work in an isolated aboriginal community in Labrador so I will need my contact with HSPs more than ever. I’ve just discovered the poetry of H.D. Hilda Doolittle and am reading her biography, called H.D. She was an amazing American poet.

Joanne

I adore your site, and it’s a special honor to be listed there! Thank you so much for that. I agree completely, that our paths are very similar. I want as many people as possible to know about your work, and was happy to add your site to my resource page: http://www.joyful-work-for-sensitive-people.com/links.html. (And if I ever get a blog roll going here, I’ll certainly add it here as well :-).

Shine on,
Erika XO

Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog :)

Having read some of your blog and perused your site, it seems that you and I are on similar paths. I discovered my life purpose in much the same way as you describe here (more detail on this here: http://empathicguidance.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/so-what-is-synchronicity/) and like you, hope to give people the opportunity and wherewithal to find theirs through my site http://www.empathicguidance.co.uk.

I will add a link to my blog to this and to your ‘Joyful Work’ site as I feel the work you are doing will inspire and help my readers.

Thank you so much for finding me – you are a shining light and I will continue to follow your blog :)

Warmest wishes from a fellow sensitive,

Sharon

@Joanne Light – Bless you. For the investments you’ve made in your students. For the power it took to stand against/within systems and institutions that insist upon their precious Boxes. For the self-awareness you use as True Navigation. For the sacrifices you’ve made to simply Be You. Bless you! Things are shifting in our favor, Joanne. A world ready to self-implode cries out for our sensitive touch and influence. Thankfully, there are pioneering, edgy women who give a damn — like you — who have the fresh, new insights and guidance that will *lovingly* lead us into an unprecedented game that has no losers. It’s my humble opinion that you aren’t meant to “function in the system.” You’re meant to transcend it.