How Emma Sartwell is Finding Purpose through the Pandemic
“I see Naropa graduates as having more training in introspection (being), whereas a lot of other institutions put out students who are trained in extrospection (doing),” says Emma Sartwell (MDiv, 2014). “I think we need both, but training in the ‘being’ feels like a balance and an antidote to many of the current predicaments we find ourselves in as a species.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably invited us into introspection and Sartwell’s path demonstrates how different life can look when we focus on being in a world obsessed with doing.
When the pandemic first began, Sartwell and her partner, Chris Cannon (MA Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling, 20) began seeing clients online and started traveling to try different environments that might support some chronic health issues they both struggled with. They found relief upon visiting humid, warm Hawaii, and decided to plant roots there.
They started Somatic Spiritual Counseling in response to folks looking for support that blended mindfulness, body awareness, spirituality, nervous system knowledge, trauma healing, and self-actualization. This virtual collective is comprised of seven therapists, coaches, and healers—including Naropa graduate Jessie Allee-Walsh and Master of Divinity intern Leslie Grasa–who offer a holistic approach to integrating mind, body, and spirit through a variety of approaches.
Reflecting upon her time at Naropa, Sartwell is grateful for how her education has invited her into her truth. “My favorite class was called Process Lab. We got together as a group of humans with no agenda, and I got to examine the roles I play in relationships, my fears and my strengths around others, what is helpful and what is not helpful,” Sartwell says.
My time at Naropa was pivotal for me. It instilled a deep love of spiritual growth and a commitment to being of benefit. It opened my heart and gave me skills.
“To use Naropa language, you could call it ‘relational aimless wandering’. Curious exploration without attachment to the outcome is a goal and value of mine, at work and at home.” Sartwell’s curious exploration also led her to join a small group of editors to work on the publication of Cynicism and Magic, a new book released from Shamabhala Publications. Over the course of four years, the group took on the humbling task of translating raw, archived audio and video of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s first talks at Naropa Institute into polished book form. Sartwell credits her Naropa education for preparing her for this project in terms of being able to wrestle with ambiguity in a way that honors the teacher’s intentions while translating its essence into impactful work.
“My time at Naropa was pivotal for me,” Sartwell explains. “It instilled a deep love of spiritual growth and a commitment to being of benefit. It opened my heart and gave me skills to help others in difficult or transitional moments.”
Learn more: https://somaticspiritualcounseling.com/
