Follow Your Heart

When you follow your heart, life becomes magical.

Following my inner compass has led me on all sorts of adventures - from sowing my own tipi to sharing a story for the first time, from spending the summer with a Sámi medicine woman in the north of Sweden to wandering the English countryside in search of an ancient tree.

For me, following my heart is about listening to the guidance of my own inner voice as well as opening my heart to the universe, asking, “How can I best be of service? How can I share my gifts with the world?”

Life will certainly become unpredictable when you dance to the beat of your heart, and sometimes the way ahead will be clouded with mist and you will wonder what on earth you’re doing. It won't always be easy. Sometimes the path will test you and sometimes people will judge you, but have faith dear pilgrim, because you will also come to meet other people on the way who also dance to the beautiful music of their own hearts.

Maria Estling Vannestål is one of those heart-dancing friends who I have met along my path. Following the guidance of her inner voice led Maria to leave a promising academic career in order to devote herself fully to her creativity. Now she works as a writer, blogger and lecturer, and runs a podcast in Swedish called "Drömmen om Målajord" about following ones heart, where she interviews people who have dared to follow their own inner guidance in life. Listen to Maria’s Ted Talk “Listening to Your Inner Voice.”

This past summer, Maria and I met up at Mundekulla Retreat Centre in southern Sweden where she recorded an interview with me which you can listen to (in Swedish) in Drömmen om Målajord's latest podcast episode. Learn more about Maria Estling Vannestål and Drömmen om Målajord on Maria’s website, and you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

-          Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist