Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

Biographies & Memoirs

synopsis

Synopsis

In blind faith, following what she believed was divine guidance, Cathy walks away from her life with no plan, no dreams, into the unknown woods of Wisconsin. During the eleven months she spends at The Christine Center, she walks the paths of her past confronting the issues that have fragmented her sense-of-identity; dissociation, depersonalization, depression, death and grief. Hearing the wind in the trees calling her to the sea, she leaves the woods and goes to the ocean to find her dreams again. In her connection with the ocean, she flourishes into her true-self and discovers the desires in her soul. Through the woods of Wisconsin to the beach in North Carolina, Cathy has taken her life, sharing her experiences in a way that allows you to go along for the ride with her, through every experience, every feeling, and every thought. "I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. What a journey you have been and still are on. I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced in your life experiences." Marie

bio

Author Biography

Cathy is an Author, Women's Personal and Spiritual Growth & Development Teacher Coach Mentor, Mindfulness Teacher, Reiki Master, Inter-faith Minister, Journaling Coach

The foundation of her writing, teachings and work is the spiritual wellbeing of women's growth and development through all stages of life.

Self-Care, Self-Discovery, Self-Expression, Authenticity, creative expression, listening to your heart, connecting to your inner voice, intuition and soul wisdom is a fundamental element in her writings and teachings, helping women be grounded in their own authenticity, connected to their heart and spirit and confidently making their own choices and decisions through all situations and circumstances of life.

She holds a B.A in Holistic Studies and an M.A. in Holistic Health and Wellness from Lesley University. She received additional Clinical Training in Mind/Body Medicine, and Spirituality and Healing through Harvard Medical School. She is a certified Spiritual Life coach, Reiki Master, and Inter-faith Minister.

This combination of education and personal experience informs her writing with practical knowledge and understanding combined with insight and wisdom. In reading her work, you will come to know who she is intimately. She holds nothing back. She writes about issues such as dissociation, depression, midlife, major life changes, grief, and death, self-care, women's development and issues as well as personal growth and development. Her passions of travel, cruising, the beach and the ocean inspire her to write about how traveling influences and affects our sense-of-self and enriches our lives as well as adding a little fun and humor to her voice. Through her books, blog posts and essays, Cathy hopes to inspire others to step into themselves and out into the world discovering and expressing their passions and loves fully and authentically. Cathy's lives on a barrier island off the coast of North Carolina.

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Author Insight

Routines of Life

I remember how simple and routine my life was when I was at the retreat center. My life was also simple and routine when I first moved to the beach. As time has gone on my life has filled up with more and more - work, people, events, obligations, fun, friendships. And yet within the more complications and more to do is a routine structure to life and my days. Our life and daily routines for many is now disrupted. People are looking for new routines to fill their day or a new way of doing their old routines. For me my routine hasn't changed much I still get up do my morning rituals and go off to work and return home late in the afternoon. The part of my routine that has changed is my social life. I feel lost without my friends and our times of friendship, music, food and drink. the new alone time is a great time to get back to practicing mindfulness, and gratitude for the simple things of life. For being present with my self and taking care of myself. Time for some of those creative projects that I have put aside. What have you put aside you can do for yourself now?

Book Excerpt

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

I have put everything I have left behind out of my mind. Being present and enjoying every moment, working, walking in the woods, socializing, getting to know everyone and just being. This isn’t a new concept for me. When the girls were little I was grasping at straws to get through the torture of the empty days. I read Jon Kabat-Zinn and his work on mindfulness meditation. I started meditating every day. I focused on moment to moment. His work and teachings were my salvation for a while. Then life dragged me back into the past and future. Worry about the future swirled me up into a tornado of fear and panic.

I realize that I have not had one single tension headache. Not one! Here I am miles away from everything and everyone I know, among strangers in a strange place, and I am not nervous or anxious or tense. How can I be relaxed and happy in this situation when I have been so anxious and unhappy in my own home? I am living completely in the present moment and loving it.

Maybe my life is simple here. I know others think I am being selfish and irresponsible focusing on myself. But the only life I can control is my own. My life purpose is to contribute what I have to offer. I am helping out here while I figure out who I am and what I might have to offer. It is the best I can do right now. I need this safe haven because I have failed to figure it out while I was out there in the outside world.

My daily life has become my mindfulness practice. I am only here. My mind does not wander to the past, to what I left behind or what might be going on outside my daily experiences. Nothing outside this center exists for me. I spend my days working, doing whatever chores I am asked to do.

Routine it seems is the structure of my day. Up at 7 am, breakfast at 8 am and then I begin my daily chores. Stop at 12:30 for dinner as the noontime main meal is called here. Work some more. A light supper of soup and salad at 5:30. By the end of the day, I am so physically tired I could fall into bed. Yet not wanting to be alone I stay up in the main building in the library on my computer or reading.

I have formed a relationship with a guest, Trish. She is a nun from Australia on sabbatical. We spend hours in the library talking, watching movies and laughing. I can’t even remember when I laughed before. Now I laugh every day. I have never laughed as long and hard as Trish has me laughing! This is what keeps me from sheer exhaustion.

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

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Cathy Teoste

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

Routines of Life

Book Excerpt

Through the Woods to the Sea A Journey of Becoming Me

Comment on this Bubble