Welcome. Pathfinders is a series of conversations with ordinary folks living extraordinary lives. My hope is that these stories inspire and give you the courage to chart your own unique path in life, knowing you’re not alone. If you’re interested in being featured, please fill out this form or email me at thebarefootbeat@gmail.com
“It's the biggest gift we can give to ourselves when we don't have to belong just to one identity or one way of being or one box because we are multi-dimensional beings.” -Emma
My connection with Emma first began when she shared one of her poems, “You’ll Move In The Right Time” for our August Community Art Share. As I read her words, I found myself unexpectedly tearing up, an indication of the vulnerability and power Emma embodies so beautifully. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of being in conversation with her twice for her podcast The World Through the Heart of.
A few highlights from our conversation
Breaking free from our limited identities to recognize the I Am that exists in all of us
Balancing structure and flow with intuition when working creatively
Holding space for others by cultivating self-awareness first
Going into the darkness and being willing to find the gifts it holds
Choosing to self-publish her book of poetry after being offered a publishing deal
Throwing a launch party and creating rituals of celebration
A poetry reading by Emma
You are that sun that shines light on everything and all the clouds are your different ways of being. But you're the sun, you don't change. The I Am doesn't change.” -Emma
Before tuning in, I want to ask that you listen to our conversation with tenderness, grace, and compassion.
As our conversation flowed, Emma shared some extremely sensitive and vulnerable experiences from her past. It was unexpected for both of us that this would come through during our chat. Afterward, I gave Emma full agency to not publish this video or only share part of it, and full control to take it down at any time.
Emma took some time to reflect before choosing to bravely share our entire interview.
This is what she wrote during our email correspondence.
“Firstly, I wanted to say thank you for holding space for this conversation and asking some great questions. I've decided I'd like to share the interview, both audio and video. It feels right and I feel your space also feels like the most nourishing place to share it. Thank you again for such an amazing and heart-opening experience. I think we forget the power of what a simple and compassionate conversation can do.”
-Emma
I sincerely ask that you treat this conversation with care and offer it the same nourishing space we created during Emma and I’s time together. I believe in the power of sharing our stories in community and being fully seen and held. Thank you for your compassionate presence here.
“People are empowered, even if they don't know it yet, even if they haven't remembered yet, every one of us is empowered to know the path that is best for us. Everyone has that blueprint, so to speak inside of them, that is their unique way of being and doing. We all have access to that and what gives us access to that is space.
It's the space to explore what is and what isn't us and come into this recognition that we're not these separate pieces flying around. We're whole.” -Emma
Emma describes herself this way:
“Who I am is I Am, what my soul calls me to do is expressed in a multitude of ways, and although there are many paths you can take, to make the best choice, you only need to listen to your inner-voice.”
You can read her poetry (her published book of poetry is here) and listen to her podcasts at
. She holds space for the full spectrum of what it means to be human, offers thought partnership and facilitates meditation. In all of these expressions, Emma believes that healing is a process of remembrance, re-discovering who we are.
Emma’s personal mission is to know and experience unconditional love in all its forms.
Her wider intention is to create space for herself and others to feel the challenging emotions that are often avoided and suppressed. Emma's philosophy is that all of our emotions and circumstances are here to serve and guide us into a deeper, more intimate connection with ourselves and our lives. Please reach out and connect with Emma, learn more about her offerings, leave a kind comment below, and visit her new website!
“The only path I found to peace was compassion and this exploration of unconditional love. And I think because I was able to bring that to myself in such a deep way (and still practice today), it's what I was then able to start bringing to others.” -Emma
If you’d like to be featured for a Pathfinders interview, I’d love to hold space for you to share your story. Reach out to me at thebarefootbeat@gmail.com with the subject line “Pathfinders” and a little about yourself.
Heartbeats is a community where our stories weave connections and create a safety net of love to hold each of us in our messiness and worthiness.
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Pathfinders: Breaking out of the box with Emma Campbell