Welcoming Wonder: The Field Guide Experience with Nya Abernathy
It’s like a bookclub, but better.
Soulful leadership, rooted in intentional practice, fosters greater authenticity and empathy. When leaders cultivate awe and wonder, they develop humility and a sense of interconnectedness, enhancing their ability to relate to and inspire their teams. Engaging in practices like mindfulness, reflection, or spiritual grounding sharpens focus and clarity, while awe and wonder fuel creativity and innovation by expanding our sense of possibility. This often leads to breakthroughs in problem-solving and a sustained flow state where work feels more effortless and rewarding. Awe, in particular, is linked to a profound connection with something greater than oneself, reducing feelings of isolation and overwhelm.
Joining us in this exploration of wonder is Nya Abernathy, creator of the online publication *Of Earth & Of Stars* and author of *Welcome, Wonder*. Nya, not typically a fan of traditional book clubs, set out to engage readers with her book in a more intentional and transformative way. The idea of using *Welcome, Wonder* as a field guide to wonder emerged, and now you’re invited to join this *Welcome, Wonder* experience. It's a bookclub-ish space where wonder-seekers use the book as a field guide to navigate the landscapes of their lives and their relationships—with themselves, others, the earth, and the cosmos. This approach makes the journey deeply personal and interconnected, just like the awe and wonder that nurture soulful leadership.
What’s included?
The program begins on Sunday, September 22, 2024 (the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere), and concludes on Saturday, December 21, 2024 (the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere). We encourage participants to journey with us through all three months. However, you can also join on a month-to-month basis. To ensure a cohesive experience, entry and exit will only occur at the start of each new lunar cycle.
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This is a fee-based group. If you’re joining on a monthly basis, the cost is $15 per month. If you’d like to participate in all three cycles, the total fee is $40. If the cost is a challenge but you’d still like to join, please reach out to us at engage@thedignityeffect.co.
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Entering the Darkness. As we align with the seasonal rhythm of the Northern Hemisphere, where sunlight gradually gives way to longer nights, we will let Wonder guide us as we journey into the expanding darkness.
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We’ll be managing our group through Bookclub.com. Nya and Amber (a team member helping to curate this space and experience!) will actively engage on the platform, providing updates, messaging, and posting at least once a week.
On Our Best Behavior- Book Study w/ Erica Friedman Coburn
For centuries women have been told how to be good.
In our journey toward integrating our identity and stepping into soulful leadership, we must confront and dismantle narratives that undermine our effectiveness, authenticity, and confidence. That’s the heart of what Erica Friedman Coburn is helping us explore through her facilitation of the book club on On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen.
In this book, Loehnen unpacks how cultural norms—often labeled as selfless or distinctly feminine qualities—are, in fact, societal constructs that have shaped and constrained women’s behavior for centuries. She traces the origins of these norms back to the Christian Church’s codification of the Seven Deadly Sins—pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—in the fourth century. Despite living in a more secular and patriarchal world today, these powerful frameworks continue to shape expectations around women’s behavior. By interrogating these ingrained narratives, we can begin to liberate ourselves from limiting beliefs, fostering more authentic and confident expressions of leadership.
What’s included?
The program begins on Sunday, September 22, 2024 (the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere), and concludes on Saturday, December 21, 2024 (the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere). We encourage participants to journey with us through all three months. However, you can also join on a month-to-month basis. To ensure a cohesive experience, entry and exit will only occur at the start of each new lunar cycle.
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This is a fee-based group. If you’re joining on a monthly basis, the cost is $15 per month. If you’d like to participate in all three cycles, the total fee is $40. If the cost is a challenge but you’d still like to join, please reach out to us at engage@thedignityeffect.co.
-
Entering the Darkness. As we align with the seasonal rhythm of the Northern Hemisphere, where sunlight gradually gives way to longer nights, we will let Wonder guide us as we journey into the expanding darkness.
-
We’ll be managing our group through Bookclub.com. Nya and Amber (a team member helping to curate this space and experience!) will actively engage on the platform, providing updates, messaging, and posting at least once a week.
Book Study & Practice Groups
Book clubs and practice groups offer soulful leaders across the country a chance to gather around the principles and pillars of soulful leadership. While participants may work in different sectors and hold various roles, soulful leadership is rooted in one’s personal commitment and how that commitment shapes their teams and workplace atmosphere. Our books and practice groups are designed for those seeking to deepen their soulfulness as leaders and enhance their skills as both team members and leaders. Led by our partners, these gatherings focus on books or topics related to soulful leadership principles. Each experience is unique to the facilitator, but will always be dynamic, thoughtfully rigorous, inclusive, research-based, and, of course, lead with soul.
Get the Book.
The first step in joining our soulful leadership journey is simple: get the book. Each selected book is carefully chosen for its alignment with the principles and pillars of soulful leadership. Whether it’s a deep dive into leadership theory, mindfulness practices, or the exploration of awe and wonder, these books serve as both inspiration and a roadmap for your personal growth. As you read, you’ll be invited to reflect on how the lessons apply to your life, work, and leadership style, preparing you for rich discussions and personal breakthroughs within the group.
Join the Club.
Once you’ve got the book, it’s time to join the club. Our book clubs and practice groups bring together soulful leaders from across the country who are committed to deepening their practice. These virtual gatherings are led by seasoned facilitators, offering you a space to explore themes that resonate deeply with your leadership journey. The clubs are more than just a discussion forum—they are dynamic, inclusive, and thoughtful environments where you’ll engage with others, share insights, and strengthen your commitment to leading with soul. You’ll find that the collective wisdom and diverse perspectives of the group enrich your own learning.
Local Meet-Ups
For those looking to connect in person, optional local meetups offer the perfect opportunity to build community and extend the conversations sparked by the book club. These meetups are a relaxed yet intentional space where you can share your experiences, discuss insights from the book, and apply soulful leadership principles to your unique context. Whether it’s over coffee or in a shared workshop, these gatherings create deeper bonds with fellow leaders, allowing you to cultivate a sense of belonging and collective growth as you apply what you’ve learned to real-world settings.