Say Wow with Chelan Harkin
On this episode I'm so honored to be joined by the poet Chelan Harkin. Chelan's poetry journey began at age 21 on the heels of a traumatic event, a mystical event and an unparalleled creative opening where inspired verse started to pour through her with very little need for editing. Her experience with channeling the muse was profound and intimate but also quite private. It took Chelan 12 years to find the courage to share her poetry with the world through her first self-published book, "Susceptible to Light". This publishing journey that began at the end of 2020 has been something of a magic carpet ride characterized by prayer experiments gone right and has included some of the most awe-inspiring events that have completely shifted Chelan’s way of relating to herself and the world. Her current published books include "Susceptible to Light", "Let Us Dance: The Stumble and Whirl with The Beloved", "Wild Grace" and "The Prophetess: The Return of The Prophet from The Voice of The Divine Feminine".
On the latest episode we discuss:
* How a brain tumor and a subsequent pilgrimage inspired by her Baha'i faith led to a spiritual awakening for Chelan at age 21, which included an influx of divinely inspired poetry
* How Chelan experiences her creative inspiration as a flow of energy that offers tremendous insight and wisdom
* The generative nature of suffering, and why she feels like suffering is simply "energy that hasn't been brought back into the fold of love"
* Chelan's incredible publishing journey, which was presided over by two of her favorite dead poets, Hafez and Khalil Gibran
* Plus, she reads the first poem that ever flowed through her, "Say Wow"
Here are a few notes related to this episode:
* You can follow Chelan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chani.harkin/. You can also find more information about her at her website, www.chelanharkin.com, and follow her on instagram @chelan-harkin
* You can pre-order Chelan's new book, The Prophetess: The Return of the Prophet from the Voice of the Divine Feminine, here: https://www.amazon.com/Prophetess-Return-Prophet-Divine-Feminine/dp/1401977561
* Chelan discussed her experience growing up within the Baha'i faith.
* She also referenced the work of two poets: Hafez, and Khalil Gibran.
And here are a few more details about this show and my work:
*If you’d like to know whose ancestral tribal lands you currently reside on, you can look up your address here: https://native-land.ca/
*You can also visit the Coalition of Natives and Allies for more helpful educational resources about Indigenous rights and history.
* Please – if you love this podcast and/or have read my book, please consider leaving me a review, and thank you for supporting my work!
* You can listen to this and other episodes wherever you access your audio podcasts
*For more Sacred Feminine goodness and to stay up to date on all episodes, please follow me on Instagram: @hometoher.
*To dive into conversation about the Sacred Feminine, join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hometoher
*To go deeper in your Sacred Feminine explorations, check out the course offerings via Home to Her Academy: www.hometoheracademy.com
* And to read about the Sacred Feminine, check out my award-winning book Home to Her: Walking the Transformative Path of the Sacred Feminine (Womancraft Publishing), available wherever you buy your books!. If you've read it, your reviews on Goodreads and Amazon are greatly appreciated!
Mentioned in this episode:
We Are Sovereign: A 9-Month Transformational Leadership Program for Women
We Are Sovereign is a 9 month transformational leadership program designed specifically for women who are ready to claim full authority and power over their own lives. The program includes a deep dive with: • Powerful Sacred Feminine figures, drawn from history and mythology, who will serve as our sovereignty guides along the way • Transformational practices rooted in creativity, play, energy work, ritual, ceremony and even magic • Embodiment practices, including dance, yoga, and other intuitive movement exercises to tap into the wisdom of the body • The Enneagram as a tool for understanding the human psyche and our individual personality types • Yogic philosophy, creative writing and journaling exercises, and much more • The power of the group field that we cultivate to dive deep and be witnessed fully for who we are, allowing the property of emergence to support our becoming The journey kicks off with an opening retreat on the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii, September 12-15, 2024. From there, we’ll gather twice a month over the next 9 months via Zoom, and we’ll wrap up in June 2025 with a closing retreat at Hestia Magic Retreat Center, located in the shadow of majestic Mount Shasta, California. To learn more, apply, and/or book a discovery call, visit: https://www.hometoheracademy.com/course/we-are-sovereign
Transcript
Hello, and welcome to Home to Her,
the podcast that's dedicated to
2
:reclaiming the lost and stolen
wisdom of the sacred feminine.
3
:I'm your host, Liz Kelley, and on
each episode, we explore her stories
4
:and myths, her spiritual principles,
and most importantly, what this
5
:wisdom has to offer us right now.
6
:Thanks for being here.
7
:Let's get started.
8
:Okay.
9
:Okay.
10
:Okay.
11
:Okay.
12
:Liz Childs Kelly: Hey everybody,
it's Liz joining you as usual from
13
:Central Virginia and the unceded
lands of the Monacan Nation.
14
:And as always, if you would like
to know whose lands you might
15
:be residing on, please be sure
to check out native-land.ca.
16
:There's a map of North America, really,
I think they've got the whole world
17
:there but it's super helpful for those
of us in North America, and I will
18
:put that in the show notes for sure.
19
:And I am so glad you're tuning in today,
and If you are interested in learning more
20
:about the Sacred Feminine, there are many,
many ways that you can do that, but there
21
:are a few, in particular, through me.
22
:You can check out my award winning book,
Home to Her, Walking the Transformative
23
:Path of the Sacred Feminine, which is
available wherever you buy your books.
24
:You can check out the classes
available via the Home to Her Academy.
25
:Gonna keep rolling those out
all year long in collaboration
26
:with some really great teachers.
27
:And you can follow me on social at
home to her on Facebook and Instagram
28
:also have a pretty busy Facebook group
By the name of home to her And then
29
:you can check out articles and all the
past podcast episodes at home to her.
30
:com We'll put all of that in the show
notes And if you are a regular listener,
31
:I would love for you to leave a review of
the show wherever you access it It helps
32
:other people find this Which is great.
33
:Let's help us find each other in
this information because goddess
34
:knows it could definitely be more
front and center in our culture.
35
:And as always, feel free to reach
out to me with your thoughts and your
36
:comments, your feedback, your suggestions.
37
:I love hearing from you.
38
:Social is a really, really
good way to do that.
39
:And, okay, that's my spiel.
40
:Let's get on with the show.
41
:So I have a feeling many of you will
recognize my guest's name today.
42
:Although I just learned from her,
the way I was saying it in my
43
:head was totally butchering it.
44
:But I've been following her work for
a long time and it's such an honor to
45
:have her with me on the show today.
46
:So let me go ahead and
introduce her to you now.
47
:Chelan Harkin's poetry journey began
at age 21 on the heels of a traumatic
48
:event, a mystical event, and an
unparalleled creative opening where
49
:inspired verse started to pour through
her with very little need for editing.
50
:What a gift.
51
:Her experience with channeling
the muse was profound and
52
:intimate, but also private.
53
:It took Chelan 12 years to find the
courage to share her poetry with
54
:the world through her first self
published book, Susceptible to Light.
55
:This publishing journey that began at
the end of:
56
:a magic carpet ride, characterized by
prayer experiments gone right, and has
57
:included some of the most awe inspiring
events that have completely shifted her
58
:way of relating to herself and the world.
59
:Her current published books include
Susceptible to Light, Let Us Dance,
60
:The Stumble and Whirl with the
Beloved, Wild Grace and the Prophetess,
61
:the return of the prophet from
the voice of the divine feminine.
62
:She lives in the Columbia Gorge
with her seven and three year
63
:old kids, Amari and Nahani.
64
:Since this publishing journey began,
Chelan has traveled the country as an
65
:inspirational speaker, talking about
mysticism as the path of opening the
66
:heart to embrace our wholeness, and
she's joining us today from Lyle,
67
:Washington, near the Columbia River Gorge.
68
:Chelan, I'm so happy that you're here.
69
:It's an honor to have you with me.
70
:Chelan Harkin: Thanks so much, Liz.
71
:It's really fun to be here with you.
72
:Liz Childs Kelly: Okay, good.
73
:I think I got a nod from you,
but just confirm rookie move.
74
:I did.
75
:I pronounce your children's names, right?
76
:This is perfect.
77
:Yes.
78
:Perfect.
79
:Good, good.
80
:That's important to me.
81
:Sweet.
82
:Okay.
83
:I did better with them than your name.
84
:That's good.
85
:I told her in my head, it
was Che-lan, which is, you
86
:know, Chelan so much prettier.
87
:All right.
88
:So if, if, you know, people who've
listened to the show know that I,
89
:I usually start in the same place.
90
:But I would always love to hear from
guests about your spiritual background.
91
:And the reason that I ask about that
is, you know, first of all, I'm just
92
:curious, but especially when we're
talking about the sacred feminine,
93
:I'm also curious about like, what,
you know, what was it like growing up?
94
:Was it a helpful journey?
95
:Were there things that
you needed to let go?
96
:So yeah, I'd love to hear you
talk about that if that's okay.
97
:Chelan Harkin: Absolutely.
98
:Yeah.
99
:That's, that's one of the richest, I
think, richest questions to ask somebody.
100
:It gives so much material and
background and it's a fertile subject.
101
:So I grew up in the, have you
heard of the Baha'i faith?
102
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yes, I have.
103
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
104
:So I grew up in this small little
town in the Columbia Gorge, town of
105
:300 or so in the Baha'i community.
106
:And.
107
:It is such a trippy thing to grow up in a
minority faith like that, like the Baha'i
108
:faith began in Iran, and in the 1800s, and
it was a small community here, a really
109
:beautiful community, actually, of Baha'is
happened to be in the Columbia Gorge, but
110
:quite small, and so, as it is for many
Baha'is in the United States it was a,
111
:I didn't have a Like a peer group really
of to connect in that area of my life.
112
:And so it was a really interesting
journey and very multi layered
113
:as it often is for people who
grow up with faith of just like,
114
:there's so much that I've received
from the Baha'i Just perspective
115
:and, and inspiration and worldview.
116
:And and like, it's a very, many
Baha'i spaces are really, really
117
:encouraged are very, just are very
encouraging in general and are very
118
:encouraging of creative expression.
119
:And so that was beautiful.
120
:And then.
121
:Just, I think just navigating faith
in the, in the US where it's both,
122
:it's, it's just a complicated journey.
123
:It's complicated to talk about.
124
:It's complicated to find
genuine, authentic connection
125
:points with other people.
126
:People around this subject.
127
:So I think I just part of what was
complicated about it for me was just
128
:needing more spaces to explore it.
129
:Honestly, the, the things I loved about
it and the areas where I didn't resonate
130
:or understand and just more permission
to yeah, talk about my love and my
131
:doubts and my questions and all of that.
132
:But the Baha'i, the Baha'i view of all
religions coming from the same source
133
:and kind of being like what's the word?
134
:That, that there are moments in
human, in the developmental process
135
:of human history, where there just are
major kind of leaps forward and, and
136
:spiritual and social understanding.
137
:And that the Baha'i perspective is that
the great spiritual teachers kind of
138
:unlock this energy and this capacity of
consciousness in humanity for forward
139
:movement, and that they all are in
cahoots, really, and come from the
140
:same source and are leading us to this
place of what Baha'u'llah, who's the
141
:founder of the Baha'i faith, says is
the, is the recognition of our oneness.
142
:That's a pretty beautiful foundation
of understanding, and it's a very
143
:unitive view and it also gives a lot of
perspective to the suffering that humanity
144
:is going to and going through right now
and frames it in a way that is hopeful.
145
:So there was a lot of really,
really, really deep philosophical
146
:support that I was like pretty
anchored in with that growing up.
147
:Liz Childs Kelly: That is really
beautiful and I didn't know that
148
:much about the Baha'i faith.
149
:Although my what I do know about it
has it's always felt very positive for
150
:me like a like a beautiful supportive
thing and I was thinking of like As
151
:you're describing that of Yogananda,
the Autobiography of a Yogi, and that
152
:yogi, that yogic perspective that
there are avatars which is, I think,
153
:kind of similar to what you're saying.
154
:There are enlightened teachers and
beings who come here to help us find
155
:the path and and even like the more of
the New Agey concept at the Ascended
156
:Masters, like same idea, right?
157
:Like that.
158
:And so I don't, that
really resonates with me.
159
:Like, of course, it all is, is,
is emanating from the same source.
160
:I find that very, yeah, very unifying.
161
:Yeah.
162
:Chelan Harkin: Yep.
163
:And then also I just want to add
though, like every religious group, I
164
:would say, certainly in this country.
165
:And like all people, like there's still,
there needs to be the revolution of
166
:the feminine force in the community
and in the beings, in, in the
167
:individuals to really make it whole.
168
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
169
:And
170
:Chelan Harkin: so There was a lot
of, you know, like the philosophy of
171
:the Baha'i faith for the most part
is so beautiful, and the community
172
:is still in its process, you know, of
recovering, you know, deconstructing
173
:some of its religious baggage,
because a lot of Baha'is in the U.
174
:S.
175
:came from Christian backgrounds and and so
there's still just like in, yeah, in every
176
:community, we have to have the revolution
of the feminine for it to be grounded
177
:and, and really Aligned, you know?
178
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
179
:Well, yes, and I want to talk about
that more, obviously, but one of the
180
:things that It's kind of coming to
mind as you were describing it is
181
:just this the way in which when we
put structure around something, and
182
:if you want to talk in gender terms of
masculine, feminine, we can do that.
183
:I think we could take it out of that.
184
:But you know, sometimes it's
helpful, right, for that framing.
185
:But when we start to put structure around
things and dogma, and it's almost like
186
:then it, it, it, it limits you by nature.
187
:Right?
188
:Yes.
189
:And then when you're talking about the
divine, like, you know, when you're
190
:describing like wanting more places
to, you know, To talk about love and
191
:like spirit and like all of that.
192
:You're like, it's kind
of ironic, isn't it?
193
:That the boxes that we've created
to help us relate to that also
194
:can end up cutting us off from it.
195
:Chelan Harkin: Absolutely.
196
:And even if the ideologies are beautiful,
197
:Liz Childs Kelly: if
198
:Chelan Harkin: they're still at
that ideological, if we're relating
199
:to life and God ourself through
that ideological framework, it's
200
:not It's not satisfying for one.
201
:Yeah.
202
:It blocks us from our own, the
wholeness of our, our being and the
203
:experience of what we're trying to do.
204
:And then there's a lot of performative
ways, which, you know, aren't bad
205
:and are understandable, but or they
can be harmful, but anyway, yeah.
206
:Authentic relationship as opposed
to ideological relationship with
207
:faith or with everything is.
208
:Is everything at shift.
209
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah, for sure.
210
:Well, and then so, the other question that
I always ask guests is, so tell me then
211
:how, how you found the Divine Feminine or
how she found you, and feel free to, if
212
:that language doesn't work for you, Sacred
Feminine Goddess, Oh, it's all good.
213
:Perfect.
214
:Whatever you want.
215
:Yeah, you, you've, yeah.
216
:I'd love to hear how that,
that unfolded for you.
217
:Chelan Harkin: Okay.
218
:Oh, awesome.
219
:Great question.
220
:So well, have you seen, you've
seen the movie Barbie, right?
221
:Yes.
222
:A few times.
223
:I love that.
224
:So I love how, you know, it's such a cool,
creative, genius idea that, that they
225
:used Barbie to deconstruct all that Barbie
had stood for in the past, you know, they
226
:like totally redefined that, that old
symbol and that's so powerful to do that.
227
:And so interestingly, like my, really
my first profound and transformational
228
:experience of the divine feminine
was it was when I was 21 and I I
229
:just had brain surgery, actually.
230
:It was, it was crazy.
231
:I had an aneurysm, long story short,
in the central artery of my brain
232
:and found it by, it was, it was just,
I had no symptoms and it's amazing
233
:that I found it and I wouldn't have
lived to be 30, they said, had I not.
234
:But So I was just the shocking
jolting total disruption sudden of
235
:my life and it this brain surgery.
236
:So that's just an important context.
237
:And then to a month and a half after
that, I had had this pilgrimage study.
238
:I had plane tickets to go to Haifa, Israel
by myself to do this Baha'i pilgrimage.
239
:And so and that surgery had
just shaken everything up.
240
:It was like everything inside of me
that had been needing to that was all
241
:my, like my patterns of the past had
just been that they were at a point
242
:of really outliving their usefulness,
but I didn't know how to break
243
:through into another way of operating.
244
:And it was really an acute time of crisis
and the surgery just like amplified that.
245
:And and so I was really in a place of,
of needing like just permission, really,
246
:I feel to, to enter this more authentic
relationship, move from the path of
247
:fragment, maintaining a fragmented, Self
to, to representing a whole experience,
248
:experiencing and sharing from wholeness.
249
:But I had no mentors and I had really
no examples of that at the time.
250
:And I, I didn't have access
to any like healing arts that
251
:would help me get into that.
252
:And so I was just sort of using this
old model of like, okay, I should
253
:do this religious pilgrimage and
pray and ask and stuff like that.
254
:That was kind of all I had access to.
255
:And Anyway it's like the
last day of this pilgrimage.
256
:We went to the prisons, Baha'u'llah's
prison cell, and I had this very
257
:strange, potent desire to be there
alone that didn't make any sense to me.
258
:And so we went into this prison cell and
it was a small cell and I, there were
259
:probably 30 other people in there with me
and I closed my eyes and I opened my eyes
260
:and everyone had left the space and the
door was closed and and I hadn't heard
261
:any You know, commotion of anyone leaving.
262
:I had no awareness that
people had left the space.
263
:I've never had an experience
anything like this before or since.
264
:And I kind of opened my eyes and took
stock, like, what the hell is going on?
265
:And was just filled with would call
maybe like electric light or it was
266
:like every cell of my being became an
amplifier vibrating with this message.
267
:Let us dance.
268
:And in true poetic form, like that
concise phrase had such meaning and it
269
:was like, and it had this authority to it.
270
:This beautiful, loving authority that.
271
:I could come to the divine and
to my life with this from a
272
:place of dynamic living truth.
273
:I could have a stumble and whirl with the
beloved and it wasn't just a nice message.
274
:Like it really carried this energy of
authority somehow that I could really
275
:trust and lean on like without question.
276
:And it unlocked for the
first time in my adult life.
277
:profound catharsis that was just
so beautiful and was sort of
278
:woven with ecstasy all at once.
279
:This release, this surrender, it was
my first experience of surrender,
280
:emotional soul level surrender.
281
:And in that moment, as energy was moving,
like rippling through my being, It was
282
:like a piece of my destiny was also shown
to me that I would absolutely without
283
:question one day have a book called Let
Us Dance the Stumble and Whirl with the
284
:Beloved, which I now do, and that the way
to access my authentic self and to express
285
:from that place, which was my absolute
hearts in most desire and real requirement
286
:for wellness for me, was to, was to find a
way to unlock and open so that life could,
287
:life force, life with a capital L could
move and move through me and, and conduct
288
:my expression and my everything with,
with what, and, and to just surrender
289
:to the, and open to this wild grace.
290
:So that, that changed my whole life.
291
:And then and, and around that time is
when poetry really just started to flow
292
:through me as it, as it still does today.
293
:Liz Childs Kelly: Wow.
294
:Oh, I have so much.
295
:Yeah.
296
:Chelan Harkin: And just, I guess
to wind up, like to connect
297
:the Barbie part, it was like.
298
:What I meant by that was like the Bahai
faith, while it was I so important
299
:to me, it also represented like I
was also coming at it from a place of
300
:like perfectionism and like old kind
of, sort of like Christian ideology
301
:about, you know I need shoulds, like
a should based faith and am I good
302
:enough and like fear and all of that.
303
:So that was like.
304
:This point of reframe into a whole new
way, but using the same kind of platform
305
:for a transformational experience.
306
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
307
:Well, and I assume that's what you're
referring to in your bio when you said
308
:the traumatic events in a mystical events.
309
:Those were the, those were the two, right?
310
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
311
:Yeah.
312
:Liz Childs Kelly: Well, it's
so interesting to I love
313
:hearing you describe this.
314
:I mentioned to you, and I know listeners,
if you've been listening for a while,
315
:you've probably heard me reference, or
if you read my book, you certainly know
316
:that I had my own kind of spiritual
awakening, which was very, very embodied.
317
:And something that I don't talk about
in my, in my book though, but I think
318
:I've, I've mentioned here, maybe on a
podcast before, is that this language
319
:of poetry started moving through me too.
320
:And I used to write when I was a kid.
321
:Yeah.
322
:Oh my God.
323
:I did it when I was like 12 or 13.
324
:I had a little Mickey mouse notebook
and I just, you know, I'd go out and
325
:I'd go out in the woods behind my
house and I would write these poems.
326
:And and then I was just like,
yeah, I'm going to put that aside.
327
:I'm not, I can't make money on that.
328
:It's not practical.
329
:So, and I'm not, I'm not a
professional and I'm not trained,
330
:so I'm not going to do that.
331
:But this channel, opened up big time.
332
:And I ended up participating in a
project called the 100 day project,
333
:which was, you did a, it was, it was
an Instagram thing, but you did like a
334
:hundred days of any creative challenge.
335
:And and so I, I called mine
one, one true sentence poetry.
336
:And I just tried to write at least five.
337
:I mean, I ended up writing a lot
more than that, but like at least one
338
:sentence every day for a hundred days.
339
:And it totally changed my life.
340
:So yeah, so I don't know when
you talk about it, and it felt
341
:very, Divinely orchestrated.
342
:And that was the catalyst for me to leave
the corporate job that I had and to start
343
:doing the work on the Divine Feminine.
344
:Chelan Harkin: Oh my god, that is amazing.
345
:Wow, that's so beautiful.
346
:Thank you for sharing that.
347
:That is so cool.
348
:Liz Childs Kelly: So I just, I get all
lit up when I hear about yours and I
349
:want to know, first of all That, that
voice, that let us dance, oof, like just
350
:gives me chills, like that, just that
simple, simple beauty of that statement
351
:did you recognize this as a feminine?
352
:Did you gender it or did it, like, how
did you, yeah, where and how did the
353
:divine feminine kind of dance into that?
354
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
355
:Oh, good question.
356
:So the voice was, I would say, actually
very masculine, interestingly, but yeah,
357
:It was, it unlocked the feminine, like it
gave permission, which is how I feel like
358
:it operates, I would say, you know, the
masculine force of like, in my experience
359
:of like, of consciousness, I would, you
could say pure consciousness, like being
360
:willing to come in and connect and value
what's in the body, and to stay with
361
:it with, S with love and stability and,
and curiosity and value and presence.
362
:Stay with whatever obstacles I'm
encountering and, and not judge
363
:them, not reject them, just be
with them is then what unlocks them
364
:and moves them from bound to free.
365
:And and so it was, that's how it felt.
366
:That's how it, that was my first other
level kind of profound experience of that.
367
:Does that make sense?
368
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah,
it absolutely makes sense.
369
:Chelan Harkin: Cool.
370
:Liz Childs Kelly: And, and then you,
and then you, you're writing, but
371
:you're not sharing it with the world.
372
:For a long time.
373
:Chelan Harkin: Really long time.
374
:Liz Childs Kelly: Wow.
375
:So tell me about that.
376
:And what, and what, what kind
of, what, why'd you keep it
377
:under wraps and what gave you the
push to get it out in the world?
378
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah, great question.
379
:Well so in the in the bio, I think I said
that, like yeah, so age 21 was a big year.
380
:So there was this brain surgery.
381
:And then there was this major,
like, perspective shift through
382
:this experience I just shared.
383
:And then there was this still,
there was a creative opening
384
:that that needed to happen.
385
:And That was right as soon as I got
back from this pilgrimage, I, similar
386
:to you in some ways, I decided to do an
experiment where for 30 days I would,
387
:I was going to allow myself to write a
bad poem and I would share it no matter
388
:what because I still, you know, like
you have a mystical experience and that
389
:doesn't mean that you're there, right?
390
:Like that's such a huge,
there's such a huge need to
391
:reframe that, like this, this.
392
:really untrue idea that like awakening
is a one experience thing and then
393
:you're done with vulnerability
and suffering, essentially.
394
:Liz Childs Kelly: You're
just getting started.
395
:Chelan Harkin: That's where it begins.
396
:Exactly.
397
:That's where that's when you get to go in.
398
:And so then I just became aware of
like, Oh my God, I really need to figure
399
:out how to unlock like that again.
400
:But I didn't know how, but
I knew poetry was the key.
401
:And so yeah, so I did this experiment
just to get out of the paralysis
402
:of perfectionism in this very
kind of contracted way that I had.
403
:And so yeah, writing a bad poem
a day is first of all, what, what
404
:really unlocked the flow for me.
405
:In a way it's interesting cause I live,
I live in the Columbia gorge and hundreds
406
:of thousands of years ago, it was
like carved out by this massive flood.
407
:It's a really dramatic geographic area.
408
:And that's how this felt when the muse
flowed through me as this first poem
409
:that came from this force of wild grace.
410
:So that happened.
411
:And anyway, so then for 12 years,
I just had a huge collection
412
:of these inspired poems.
413
:But they, they were like my lifeline
and they were so precious to me.
414
:They, it was like this poetic channel.
415
:was, it was like an umbilical cord to
everything that was real and true and
416
:alive and my main point of connection.
417
:And so well, I loved and revered
and trusted with all my being,
418
:whatever was coming through me.
419
:I still just had a ton of relational
human, relational fear and trauma.
420
:And I was really afraid that what this
expression of what was most important
421
:to me would not be received by.
422
:others by a people and that that somehow
would create a bigger discrepancy
423
:a bigger chasm between my truest
most authentic self and like human
424
:belonging if it were to prove that
people just like didn't get it or it
425
:didn't resonate or it was really scary.
426
:It was just really scary and
I was really insecure on that
427
:relational level to share it.
428
:So 2020 happened, which was such a time
of like, what the hell it was such a,
429
:like, what the hell, I might as well try
things time, I think for many people.
430
:And and an old connection actually
came back into my life at that
431
:time, who there was just a potent
element of inspiration there.
432
:That, that this person and I really,
really unlocked in each other, there
433
:was sort of a seeing and a resonating
with this soul space and connection
434
:with this dear friend, like, it gave
me permission to And, and resilience
435
:enough to courage really to take what
was the greatest risk and experiment
436
:of my life to put these poems into book
form and to share them with the world.
437
:And it was really like a bringing
forth of this whole part of
438
:myself that I'd really privatized.
439
:And it was a complete rearrangement of.
440
:Of being like, you know, when, when the
foundations change, everything changes.
441
:So that's a little piece of what
was going down in the, in the:
442
:Liz Childs Kelly: And it seems like, I
mean, that that channel is, has stayed
443
:open for you since do you find that you,
it's something that you need to cultivate
444
:or how does that process work for you?
445
:Chelan Harkin: Great question.
446
:So Yeah, people often ask me what my
writing practice looks like, and it
447
:doesn't, I never sit down to write
which it's, and I want to say that
448
:if people do have a more disciplined
type of way, that's wonderful.
449
:We just need to be You know, genuine
with, I think what works for us, but
450
:for me, it's, it's really just the
process of keeping my being open.
451
:And I do that through really an immense
amount of tending to my, my inner
452
:being through again, this process
of just bringing consciousness into
453
:my body and connecting with whatever
is asking for my attention there.
454
:And, always, reliably, every time I
do that, it unlocks, energy unlocks.
455
:And so it's this I think, and
that's the process of change
456
:and growth when we do that.
457
:That's how, and then, because when
this energy that's bound up in my
458
:body, releases, it's not just energy.
459
:I think energy that in our body,
it's, it's filled with information,
460
:with insight, with wisdom,
with inspiration, with amazing,
461
:extraordinarily wise guidance.
462
:And so when I, what, surrender
that, which is when I'm willing
463
:to feel it rather than store it.
464
:And leverage it in some kind of way for
some kind of security or gain, which is
465
:kind of how we operate when we hold parts
of ourselves down when I'm willing to
466
:give it to life, essentially, by letting
it be free rather than controlled.
467
:It gives me poetry, really, and it, and it
also it moves me forward, it changes me.
468
:And so I think being committed to
and willing to dramatically go
469
:through metamorphosis that just hasn't
stopped is what has kept that open
470
:and finding enough both value in and
necessity for this ongoing process of
471
:returning to close connection with the
feminine source through continually
472
:surrendering to her with capital H
473
:.
Liz Childs Kelly: Mm-Hmm.
474
:Chelan Harkin: is what keeps this open.
475
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
476
:Yeah.
477
:I love that.
478
:Do you find it challenging?
479
:I sometimes I, everything that you're
saying is so deeply resonant with me
480
:and then I often Yeah, no, it really is.
481
:And then I often go to this place too of
like, and I think this is my storyline,
482
:but I've also heard other women mention
it to me, and I think it's a real thing
483
:and we don't operate in a culture that
values that kind of deep listening and
484
:that deep spaciousness to, to allow
that to come forward in the first place.
485
:Like we just don't, that is not something
that is, and so I wonder if you find
486
:that challenging, you know, it's sort
of that, I don't know if you describe
487
:it as moving between worlds, but
right, you still gotta, we still have
488
:to exist in this, in this paradigm.
489
:We're part of it.
490
:There's no, there's no
opting out of it, right?
491
:Chelan Harkin: Absolutely.
492
:Yeah, it's extremely
difficult, I would say.
493
:And, and it's, it's
extremely counterculture.
494
:And it's extremely, by normal standards,
it's extremely odd to, I mean, our whole
495
:society, I would say, I think it's fair,
I think it's reasonable to say, is built
496
:on avoiding all that is in our bodies.
497
:It's a, we revile and reject and
are terrified of all the amazing
498
:power and wisdom, power from
within, and transformational
499
:power and wisdom in our bodies.
500
:We're terrified of the
feminine, culturally speaking.
501
:And so to be on a path of doing
everything to embody that and and to
502
:advocate for that and to just require
that to be basically, well, like
503
:this process of being honest with
about my emotional limitation like
504
:difficulties and having this big process
of tending to those and all of that.
505
:Yeah, it's really it's there's
so much that just rubs up against
506
:all of the all the conditioning.
507
:And so I spend one of the ways that
I deal with that, I mean, which
508
:has been very hard is just through.
509
:Isolation too much isolation.
510
:And so it's really we need each other, you
know, because even just we need to affirm
511
:we need this podcast that you're offering
is so valuable because we really need to
512
:connect with people who are on this path
to encourage it, but also to remember
513
:that we're not alone on it when we're so
514
:called to, by really deep conditioning, to
operate in this way where there's just so,
515
:so much facade and so many walls and so
many blocks to what's real inside of us.
516
:And so to any environment, like the
one you're creating is, it's really
517
:profoundly essential and revolutionary
to create spaces like this.
518
:Yeah.
519
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
520
:Thank you for that reflection.
521
:And I'm, I'm thinking again of containers
and how, and structure and order.
522
:Oh God, we love all that stuff so much.
523
:And it, and it does
serve a purpose, right?
524
:Like if I think of, and I don't know
if this resonates with you, but if
525
:I think of like that big expansive
energy that maybe we call the feminine,
526
:It's, it's chaotic, not in a bad
sense to me, but generative, you know,
527
:like it's, it's pure potentiality.
528
:Like all of this, anything can happen.
529
:It's huge.
530
:It's dynamic.
531
:And to operate, you need to put some,
you know, if you're going to bring
532
:something into form, you've got to put
some structure in a container around it.
533
:Like you finding words, like you
are taking all that, that huge swirl
534
:and you're boom, you're giving it a
container so that we can relate to you.
535
:And it's beautiful.
536
:And yet it almost seems like
culturally we've done the opposite.
537
:Like if that pure potentiality
is informing the containers,
538
:then we're, we're good.
539
:But if it's the container that then
we start to honor, or like, it becomes
540
:more important to hold the container.
541
:Now we've lost the pure potentiality
in the beauty, even if we were trying
542
:to access it in the first place.
543
:And to me, that's not like a static state.
544
:Like I would imagine we just, you
got to dance, you know what I mean?
545
:It's like a constant process
almost of creation, destruction.
546
:Yes.
547
:Yeah.
548
:Chelan Harkin: Oh, you said
that really, really potently.
549
:Yeah.
550
:Yeah.
551
:And the, you know, and the feminine
it's so cool because it's so often
552
:ignorantly, I guess, I don't mean that
like from a place of, I, it's just,
553
:you know, the feminine is often pitted
against the masculine and we have
554
:this binary, but yeah, the feminine,
when we open to this energy, I mean,
555
:it's like, it's the same force that
brings the apple tree to its blossom.
556
:It, it it's not without, it's, it is the
energy that allows the potentialities
557
:of something to fully flourish.
558
:And, and it's not, and the masculine
and the feminine are just one.
559
:Yes.
560
:Is the truth.
561
:But culturally speaking, we've been
obsessed, like you said, perfectly,
562
:like with, yeah, with this container.
563
:And so we've just limited This life force.
564
:And so nothing generative,
really, it can happen.
565
:I mean, not nothing, but
way less can, can emerge.
566
:And when we're doing that.
567
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
568
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
569
:And so like when the, the apple tree, you
know, allows life to flow through it, it
570
:doesn't relinquish its structure at all.
571
:It's structure gets to, you know, become
more than itself and give this gorgeous
572
:gift to the world that is filled with
also this, you know, iridescent or, you
573
:know beautiful, anyway gift of grace,
like through the apple or the flower,
574
:you know, it like, anyway structure and
the, and spirit or structure and energy
575
:are, are absolutely in, in cahoots.
576
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
577
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
578
:Liz Childs Kelly: So another question
that I had for you is the, I, and I'm
579
:curious how this has worked for you,
but what I have noticed for me is that
580
:sometimes that channel of like, well,
it seems like your, your channel, you've
581
:figured it out, how to keep that channel
kind of open through really carefully
582
:guarding your space and your, your energy.
583
:I have noticed that for me, that kind of
creative, like raw Place from which that
584
:poetry seems to move through me shows up
more freely in times of great challenge.
585
:And yeah.
586
:And I'm wondering if you, yeah.
587
:So I'm wondering if you could,
you could speak to that.
588
:In fact, I know, you know, we always
check in with guests and if they've got
589
:thoughts, you know, that they want to
cover and you mentioned this phrase,
590
:which I thought was so powerful, which
is the generativity of suffering.
591
:And, and I also think that's a very
feminine thing too, that I want to talk
592
:to you about, you know, as opposed to
the binary of good and evil and happy
593
:and sad, like the feminine sort of whole.
594
:But yeah, but I would love
to hear you speak to that and
595
:what that's been like for you.
596
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
597
:So well, okay.
598
:So another thing that happened around age
21, that was just a really potent time.
599
:I discovered hypnotherapy
as a healing art.
600
:And that was really the first,
before that, I just thought there was
601
:talk therapy and or 12 step groups.
602
:I didn't have, I wasn't exposed to
any kind of alternative therapy and
603
:so I tried this particular method that
was so beautiful and, and that really
604
:is when my healing journey began.
605
:And I was, what happens in hypnotherapy
is you're, you enter a, it's a totally
606
:naturally occurring state but it's, it's
one in which the fight flight mechanism
607
:isn't really activated, and so you can
really sink into really understanding
608
:what's going on at the deeper root
of our patterns that are limiting us
609
:without flinching, without this fear
response to seeing that and in that.
610
:That's kind of all it takes to
really profoundly heal and unlock old
611
:patterns is going to the root of them,
witnessing and presence and love.
612
:So anyway, so I had this profound
hypnotherapy experience where I.
613
:Connected with this part of me that
was has always been healthy and happy
614
:and whole and inherently worthy of
love and acceptance and I like, and
615
:it was an experience of that, you
know, it wasn't a concept of that.
616
:And so anyway, after that, that That
it just empowered me to it gave me the
617
:tools to just want in a really intense
way, really full on way my life path
618
:has become just this dedicated journey
to, you know, resolving any obstacles
619
:that I find between me and that place.
620
:And so that involves connecting with
a tremendous amount of suffering.
621
:There's just a shit ton of buildup
from human history right now.
622
:A shit ton of like, of the agony of
separation and in all of its various
623
:forms that we've played out for
millennia, and such intense wounding
624
:and which is just Ways where we've
been disconnected from and played out
625
:distortions of our nature, which is
to be in authentic loving connection.
626
:And so, yeah, so, my journey has really
just been to meet that suffering as, as
627
:it, in a really full on way and then And
then since:
628
:life kind of cracked open and my marriage
started to deteriorate and my marriage
629
:of 10 years and the husband or the father
of my kids and and that's just been huge.
630
:It's really been that my marriage
breaking down has been like the
631
:kingpin for me into the deepest
transformational journey of my life.
632
:And it's just really
accelerated this process.
633
:I think of.
634
:This levels of suffering, which is just
it's potential really, our suffering
635
:is, it's energy that hasn't been
brought back into the fold of love.
636
:And it's and so it's just, yeah, I've
been a really accelerated process of
637
:meeting a whole lot more of my potential,
we'll say through this security of
638
:my husband not being there anymore
and not being able to lean on that.
639
:And in that, absolutely in parallel, my
creative flow has become just torrential.
640
:Yeah, yeah.
641
:Liz Childs Kelly: You're reminding
me of a moment that I had last fall
642
:just in a place that I was at with
just an immense amount of pain.
643
:And I have a screened in
porch that I like to sleep on.
644
:Especially when things are, I don't
know, there's just something that's
645
:very soothing to me about waking up
in the middle of the night and hearing
646
:the, you know, the sound of the
crickets or whatever, well, eventually
647
:they go quiet, but you know, just
the frame of the trees around me.
648
:And, but I remember waking up on the porch
as I'd slept out there and just feeling
649
:so heartbroken, broken, and also knowing
that God was very, very, very close.
650
:So close in that moment and like there's
something so profoundly beautiful
651
:about that to me, like even in the,
like the pain that there's this, this
652
:opening to a closeness to the divine
that I don't think that we always feel
653
:when things are going perfectly well.
654
:Chelan Harkin: Yes, I think that's true.
655
:And yeah, if we think of the heart as
kind of the portal, like our willingness
656
:to open and I think are the open
heart kind of opens our whole being.
657
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
658
:Chelan Harkin: And and open it
for a reason, you know, we don't
659
:open it because it fucking hurts
when we do, cause there's pain.
660
:There's just, we have there that's why,
cause we are, you know, yeah, culturally
661
:just, we haven't learned how to hold
and deal with pain for the most part.
662
:And so when circumstances show that to us.
663
:when we can't avoid it anymore.
664
:There's so much grace too
that begins to come through.
665
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
666
:I love that word grace.
667
:Yeah.
668
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah, I do too.
669
:And I think about the metaphor
of the seed a lot and just
670
:how it just has to crack open.
671
:I mean, germination is no joke.
672
:Like its whole form has to
completely deconstruct, like
673
:all the way through that's nice,
comfortable seed pod that's so safe.
674
:And But not yet, you know, giving
its thing, doing its thing has to
675
:completely crack open all the way
to the freaking core and deconstruct
676
:entirely before more can come from it.
677
:And I, I see that process as
the generativity of suffering
678
:is that it cracks open these
forms that have contained us.
679
:And and that's when more can come through,
which is what we most yearn for anyway.
680
:What comes forth from us are our own all
we might be that's that's what we most
681
:yearned for and then of course are trained
to seek things from the outside world
682
:and that will never fully satisfy us.
683
:So the yeah the blessing of
circumstances bringing us into our
684
:suffering is that that that can just.
685
:Yeah, that's how, that's
how we, we become, I
686
:Liz Childs Kelly: was
thinking of the seed too.
687
:And it's all happening
in the dark, you know,
688
:Chelan Harkin: yes,
689
:Liz Childs Kelly: you know, and that we
can think of, and I'm, this is a little
690
:present for me cause I'm participating
in an underworld journey right now.
691
:That's another podcast guest
Damascena Tanis, who is an astrologer
692
:and works with the Venus cycle.
693
:And so you go listen to that
podcast people, if you haven't
694
:listened to it, it's really good.
695
:We went kind of deep on that one.
696
:And But this underworld journey
is part of it is recognizing that
697
:the darkness is another thing that
we have labeled as bad, right?
698
:Like, it's the underworld or
it's bad, like down there.
699
:It's like the dark is bad.
700
:And in reality, that is a huge
part of the feminine to me.
701
:And so that being the wraparound in
the container to hold the seed, it
702
:doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt.
703
:It still hurts, but that, that
darkness is, is her and we're,
704
:we're still being held in it.
705
:I mean, if you think about birth, like if
you're a mother and you've like brought
706
:a child into the world, one can only
imagine what's happening for that baby.
707
:Like it's held in the earth, you know,
and then to become, I mean, it's held in
708
:your womb, which is like the darkness.
709
:And then to become this thing that
it wants to become, it, it's painful.
710
:It has to, It's got to hurt.
711
:It hurts the mother.
712
:It's got to hurt the child.
713
:It's at the very least, it's
traumatic, I would imagine.
714
:Right.
715
:But it's all part of the process
and that, that holding in the
716
:dark is, was where the, the mother
feminine energy to me is too.
717
:Chelan Harkin: Yes.
718
:So, so true.
719
:And just like you said,
reframing that it's not, it
720
:hurts and it can hurt like hell.
721
:It can be excruciating,
but that it's not bad.
722
:And that when we don't, when we
receive it rather than resist it.
723
:Like, as we're so trained to do, to
resist, then such beauty comes with it.
724
:Yeah.
725
:Yeah.
726
:Liz Childs Kelly: For sure.
727
:Chelan Harkin: Mm hmm.
728
:Liz Childs Kelly: So much so.
729
:Yeah.
730
:Do you consider your words prayers?
731
:Like, what is prayer to you?
732
:And how do you Yeah.
733
:What does that mean to you?
734
:Chelan Harkin: What
does prayer mean to me?
735
:I think we're praying, I think
we're praying all the time.
736
:And and there are desires in us
for security or for acquisition.
737
:And those aren't our true prayers.
738
:Our true prayers are beneath that.
739
:And there are prayers that life, life
herself has placed within us to blossom.
740
:And that's one of the most profound
concepts that I've been playing
741
:with in the last few years is that
the desires of the, the, the the.
742
:What I call in one poem, the great
wild beloved, and what's most
743
:beautiful and joyful and opening and
life giving to us might just be one.
744
:And so, you know, an old model of prayer
is like, oh, I have to do what God wants,
745
:but it's not what I want, and God's
boring, but I have to submit to what's
746
:boring and, you know, and like that.
747
:And what I should do,
what's moral and right.
748
:And, but and kind of morally, yeah.
749
:Anyway, so but that life force
knows exactly, you know, what.
750
:And that there's feedback of our
own satisfaction and joy when we
751
:bring these things forth and that
life wants to support that has been
752
:a really amazing journey for me.
753
:So I do feel like my prayer, I
don't know, I, yeah, my, my, my
754
:poems feel like a deep celebration
of, of, of connection and reunion.
755
:But my journey with prayer has been a
huge piece of this publishing journey.
756
:And at the end of 2020 I just, I decided
to do an experiment of praying to my
757
:favorite dead poets for like, specifically
for marketing support because this
758
:book, Susceptible to Light, I just
self published it and didn't have any
759
:contacts in the publishing world, but
just more than anything wanted to To
760
:be able to just basically to do this
full time and for it to have impact
761
:on, on people and have a wide reach.
762
:And, that, that prayer experiment
worked out in, in, in ways
763
:that are just beyond belief.
764
:Liz Childs Kelly: Wow.
765
:Who are you praying to?
766
:Who are you, who are your dead poets?
767
:At least one or two.
768
:Yeah.
769
:I want to know.
770
:Chelan Harkin: Good question.
771
:Okay, so Hafez, a mystical poet
from the, I think,:
772
:know this, but my primary poetic
inspiration, Hafez, and then Khalil
773
:Liz Childs Kelly: Gibran,
774
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah, and and those were
the, those were the two, those were the
775
:chairmen of the A team, I called them,
and I asked them to just go tap everyone
776
:and anywhere who could help me with this.
777
:And then, yeah, so those
were my two main ones.
778
:And then two weeks into this prayer
experiment, Daniel Ladinsky, who's the
779
:man who has done all the, really all the
renderings of Hafez poetry that have made
780
:him a superstar to the Western world.
781
:Sent me an email out of the blue.
782
:It was like, Hey, Chelan, I saw your book.
783
:I don't reach out to anyone.
784
:I'm an extremely reclusive poet in
Taos, New Mexico, but weirdly, I
785
:had this irresistible, irresistible
nudge to reach out to you.
786
:Congratulations.
787
:I was like, that was when the,
like, I described it as the
788
:cork came out of my existence.
789
:Like it, that moment changed
everything forevermore.
790
:And then I wrote back, like, with
all sorts of, holy expletives, like.
791
:What the, you know, bleep, bleep, bleep,
like, and I told him this whole story
792
:and shared a poem with him because
I'd been in this communion with Hafez,
793
:this experimental prayer communion, and
sent him a poem that felt very extra
794
:inspired by that source, and his email
back to me was like, Well, there you go.
795
:And I've been looking for a
poet to co author a book with.
796
:You're the one.
797
:Let's do this.
798
:So then my favorite living poet
and I started co authoring a book.
799
:And he's endorsed me to the major
publishing houses of the world.
800
:He had written the foreword
to the extended edition of
801
:The Prophet by Khalil Gibran.
802
:And now I'm publishing The Prophetess,
The Return of the Prophet, from The
803
:Voice of the Divine Feminine, with
Penguin Random House, because of
804
:this connection, and he's written the
foreword to that, to my book as well,
805
:so it's just been a, and that book, by
the way, you all, is available for pre
806
:order, and it would be so wonderful if
you, if you feel drawn to, to get it
807
:Liz Childs Kelly: Oh my
goddess, that is such a
808
:Chelan Harkin: story.
809
:Wow.
810
:Isn't that a story?
811
:I mean, it's, it's good.
812
:I just need to talk about it because
it's been so much to integrate.
813
:It's been so, yeah.
814
:Liz Childs Kelly: It's so beautiful.
815
:Oh, wow.
816
:Thank you, Liz.
817
:It's wild.
818
:And just such a testament to like, You
like opening that channel and saying
819
:yes, and, and, and like, you're,
you're not alone, you know, and like
820
:the beautiful like co creative energy.
821
:It's just so mystical and
magical and wonderful.
822
:And also incredibly powerful.
823
:In a way, I think if we know
how to do this, like, right.
824
:And you, and you, the devotion, I
don't know if you use that word, but
825
:the devotion that you've given to
yourself into that creative process.
826
:Yes.
827
:Seeing the output feels like,
well, yeah, of course, but
828
:still it's freaking amazing.
829
:Chelan Harkin: It's amazing.
830
:You S I think you said, yeah,
it's like, it's freaking amazing.
831
:And it's like, it wants to feel, it does
feel like the most natural, but in a, You
832
:In a wild way thing ever and it's the most
easeful to this whole creative journey.
833
:It's been like, I don't know.
834
:It's it's been Excruciatingly painful
in that I'm burning through so much
835
:but there hasn't been any push with it.
836
:I'm not forcing it at all To move along.
837
:I'm not being strategic about my you
know, I'm not like it's just completely
838
:conducted by this Wild wild grace is
all I can say and it's been up beyond
839
:beyond belief and I'm still like in
kind of like I shock maybe it's the
840
:word about how this is all played out
841
:Liz Childs Kelly: Amazing Wow.
842
:Well, and I you know, we're almost out
of time, but I want to ask you just cuz
843
:I'm so in love with the title of your
latest book like the The, The Prophetess.
844
:Like did, can you say a little bit
about the inspiration of that and
845
:then I'm gonna put you on the spot.
846
:We didn't talk about this,
so if it's a No, it's okay.
847
:Yes.
848
:But I would love if you would read and
it your choice, like any poem that's
849
:like, Ooh, this feels like based on this
conversation that I wanna bring forward.
850
:I would be so honored if
you would wanna do that.
851
:So
852
:Chelan Harkin: thank you.
853
:Always, always.
854
:Yeah.
855
:Thank you so much.
856
:So the Prophetess, the Return
of the Prophet from the Voice
857
:of the Divine Feminine it feels.
858
:It feels directly inspired by Khalil
Gibran, actually, who I was in just
859
:close communion with for these years,
and yeah, I was putting my kids to bed
860
:one night or they were asleep, and I
was just doing something very ordinary,
861
:like drawing a bath, and was sort of
just lightning bolted by this this
862
:knowing if I were to translate it, it
would have said it's time to write the
863
:prophetess and you're the one to do it.
864
:And then it just started pouring.
865
:And that night alone, I had a
few, like the main part of a few
866
:chapters already written and wrote
the whole book in about two months.
867
:It was just so, it just poured.
868
:And and it's a, it's so it's, it's,
if you're familiar with the book, The
869
:Prophet, just this beloved classic, it's.
870
:It's one of a, well, yeah, it's,
it's, it's an amazing book about the
871
:human condition and just goes into
all kinds of life's most meaningful
872
:subjects with poetic redefinition
and adding of depth to it so that we
873
:can relate to ourselves in our lives
from a deeper place of understanding
874
:and of consideration and of openness.
875
:And so the prophetess does that too.
876
:It's, it's paralleled in structure.
877
:It has 28 chapters just like the
prophet does, and it's in the style,
878
:written in the style of poetic prose.
879
:And interestingly, The last chapter
of the prophet, it's all, it's this
880
:prophecy about his return one day.
881
:And The Prophetess, I got the
contract 100 years, the 100th year
882
:anniversary of the publishing of
the prophet, which is just wild.
883
:And it turns out Khalil Gibran was
deeply inspired by the Baha'i writings
884
:Liz Childs Kelly: and,
885
:Chelan Harkin: Which is nuts.
886
:And anyway, there's been all kinds
of winks from God, I guess, but the
887
:last line of his book says a little
while, a moment upon the wind,
888
:and another woman shall bear me.
889
:Yeah, it's just wild.
890
:And so this book is it, it's about
it's a, it's about the, the entrance,
891
:it's really an introduction into the
feminine, it's, it's about a passage
892
:to the new paradigm, which is embodied,
which, so there, the chat, some of the
893
:chapters are sensitivity, vulnerability.
894
:And then there's a lot
of redefinition work.
895
:Sin is a chapter but from a whole
new kind of angle, religion, God,
896
:prayer, marriage, relationship, love,
for forgiveness, anger, creative
897
:expression, transformation death,
suffering shadows, joy love, intimacy.
898
:So it's just attempting to
offer an inspired bridge
899
:into a new way of relating to
900
:all things.
901
:Liz Childs Kelly: Wow.
902
:It sounds incredible.
903
:And when, when is it?
904
:What's your release date?
905
:Chelan Harkin: Release
date is September 24th.
906
:What I've learned is like pre orders
are super important to get it, position
907
:it for a good launch and all of that.
908
:So it is available.
909
:You can buy it on Amazon.
910
:Right now you can pre order it or from, I
think you pre order it probably from any.
911
:Yeah.
912
:Anyplace where you buy books,
but yeah, it's so exciting.
913
:It feels like a culmination of
this journey that began at age 21.
914
:And it's the end of a whole
lot of chapters in the opening
915
:of a, of a big, big new one.
916
:So,
917
:Liz Childs Kelly: oh, wow.
918
:Well, yes.
919
:And so exciting to see where this is going
to take you and what's going to come next.
920
:And I'm already like, you need to come
back and tell us whenever that unfolds
921
:for you, come back and do it again.
922
:Like, let's talk more of it.
923
:Yeah.
924
:Yeah.
925
:Is there anything that's calling to
you that you'd like to share with us?
926
:Yes.
927
:Well, should I end with a poem?
928
:Yes, absolutely.
929
:That's what I meant.
930
:Yes.
931
:Any poem in particular.
932
:Is that
933
:Chelan Harkin: so good?
934
:Yes.
935
:Well, what do you think, Liz?
936
:Should I say the poem, the first one
that came through, or kind of the
937
:one that busted open my, like, there
was one poem that I shared that just
938
:went viral that is kind of why this
whole publishing journey has been, you
939
:know, why it's had such a wide reach.
940
:Which one feels best to you, do you think?
941
:Liz Childs Kelly: I'm really like,
I feel like you're such a channel.
942
:I'm like, you, you, you choose,
like you're the, you're the portal.
943
:Chelan Harkin: Well, I'll read the
first one that busted through at age 21.
944
:All right.
945
:This is like my first love.
946
:Like, this poem, it feels like
my poem that's my first love.
947
:It's called Say Wow.
948
:Each day before our surroundings
become flat with familiarity, and the
949
:shapes of our lives click into place,
dimensionless and average as Tetris cubes.
950
:Before hunger knocks from our bellies
like a cantankerous old man and the
951
:duties of the day stack up like dishes
and the architecture of our basic
952
:needs commissions all thought to
construct the four door sedan of safety.
953
:Before gravity clings to our
skin like a cumbersome parasite.
954
:And the colored dust of dreams sweeps
itself obscure in the vacuum of reason.
955
:Each morning, before we wrestle the world
in our heart into the shape of our brain,
956
:look around and say, wow, feed yourself
fire, scoop up the day entire, like a
957
:planet sized bouquet of marvel sent by
the universe directly into your arms.
958
:And say, wow, break yourself down into
the basic components of primitive awe.
959
:And let the crescendo of each moment
carbonate every capillary and say, wow.
960
:Yes.
961
:Before our poems become calloused
with revision, let them shriek
962
:off the page of spontaneity.
963
:And before our metaphors get
too regular, let the sun stay
964
:a conflagration of homing pigeons that
fights through fire each day to find us.
965
:Wow.
966
:Thank you.
967
:Thanks so much,
968
:Liz Childs Kelly: Liz.
969
:That was the first word that
came off, I'm like, yes, wow.
970
:Chelan Harkin: Cool.
971
:Well, I enjoyed this so much.
972
:It felt so good
973
:Liz Childs Kelly: talking
974
:Chelan Harkin: with you.
975
:Thank you.
976
:You
977
:Liz Childs Kelly: too.
978
:I feel like the time just flew by.
979
:I'm so grateful for your time
and your energy and your gifts
980
:and your willingness to say yes
and to share this with all of us.
981
:It's so Beautiful and powerful.
982
:So, so much gratitude to you.
983
:Chelan Harkin: Really
great to know you, Liz.
984
:Thank you.
985
:Thanks to everyone who listens to this.
986
:Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.
987
:And so if people want to find more
and I'll put it in the show notes,
988
:but website or Facebook, how should
they, how should they find you?
989
:Chelan Harkin: Yeah.
990
:So I would say connect
with me on Facebook.
991
:I share, you know, usually daily.
992
:I'm pretty active on, on
that space, in that space.
993
:So that's a good way to
stay, to stay in touch.
994
:Yeah.
995
:Liz Childs Kelly: Awesome.
996
:And I'll make sure
that's in the show notes.
997
:Yes.
998
:And thanks to all of
you listeners as always.
999
:It's, it's It's a joy to be
on this journey with you.
:
00:56:53,291 --> 00:56:56,351
I love knowing that you're out there
and that you're listening and that your
:
00:56:57,001 --> 00:56:59,681
Heart is cracking open in similar ways.
:
00:56:59,731 --> 00:57:01,661
Is mine around this subject.
:
00:57:01,671 --> 00:57:05,401
It's it's beautiful to know that we're
not alone and You know, if you like
:
00:57:05,401 --> 00:57:07,531
the show you can subscribe to it.
:
00:57:07,531 --> 00:57:08,851
You can leave it a favorable review.
:
00:57:08,851 --> 00:57:10,021
You can tell all your friends about it.
:
00:57:10,021 --> 00:57:14,581
You can do all those things if you
feel so inclined And until next time
:
00:57:14,581 --> 00:57:16,401
take care Such good care of yourselves.
:
00:57:16,471 --> 00:57:17,531
Say, say wow.
:
00:57:17,891 --> 00:57:19,711
And yeah, we'll be with you again soon.
:
00:57:30,331 --> 00:57:32,961
Home to Her is hosted by me, Liz Kelly.
:
00:57:33,491 --> 00:57:36,171
You can visit me online at hometoher.
:
00:57:36,181 --> 00:57:39,871
com, where you can find show
notes and other episodes.
:
00:57:40,161 --> 00:57:43,881
You can read articles about the
Sacred Feminine, and you'll also
:
00:57:43,881 --> 00:57:47,161
find a link to join the Home to
Her Facebook group for lots more
:
00:57:47,161 --> 00:57:49,641
discussion and exploration of Her.
:
00:57:50,501 --> 00:57:54,551
You can also follow me on Instagram,
at home to her, to keep up to
:
00:57:54,551 --> 00:57:55,811
date with the latest episodes.
:
00:57:56,911 --> 00:57:59,401
Thanks so much for joining us
and we'll see you back here soon.