Hello Kindred Spirit!
Let’s talk about inner guidance.
How do you access it—especially when you don’t know what to do?
The Struggle to Market
The other day, I found myself torn about how to proceed with marketing my book. Should I purchase a bunch of Naked in the Now copies from my publisher to bring to events? Should I focus more time and energy on promotion? I’m no marketing expert, but I want to give the book its best chance to reach the people who might resonate with it. I know that if people don’t know about something, they can’t be affected by it.
My publisher offers the next level of publicity support once a certain number of sales is reached, so I thought: maybe if I ordered a stockpile myself, it would help tip the scales. I could bring them to workshops and festivals. A smart move?
And yet—something in me paused.
Childhood Memories and Deeper Questions
I remembered something from childhood.
As a little girl, I once asked a Christian friend: What happens to a kid on the other side of the world who’s never heard of Jesus? Someone patiently explained that missionaries go out to spread the word, but I couldn’t stop thinking about that unknown child— doomed, perhaps, just because they hadn't been exposed.
Even as a child, something in me resisted that logic.
I wanted that child, barefoot in the dust or nestled in their mother’s arms, to know Christ-consciousness simply by being alive, to feel it humming quietly in their being, like breath.
That may be why this question of book marketing stirred something deeper. Was I striving to be a kind of missionary? And if so, was that coming from love, or was I trying too hard?
Turning Inward: Listening Instead of Striving
This newsletter is about what happens when we stop striving to make things happen—and listen instead.
In moments like this, when I can’t quite see clearly, I often turn to ancient divination tools to access my deeper knowing.
In Naked in the Now, I write about my long-standing relationship with tarot and the I Ching as a way of bypassing the noisy surface mind and entering something more essential. I describe the experience as “a way of stripping away our old way of being and responding and opening to a new way of seeing. We learn to be open, listen carefully, become attuned to resonance, and surrender what we think we know.”
On this particular day, I turned to the I Ching.
Divination for Clarity: Consulting the I Ching
I'd already half-made the decision. I had contacted my publisher's wholesaler to place an order, and I was just waiting for a confirmation email. When the reply came back saying I’d have to finalize the order by phone, a quiet space opened up.
I found myself weighing what seemed like a simple decision—should I buy a bunch of books from my publisher to bring to events? On the surface, it was about logistics and timing. But underneath, something bigger stirred. Was I acting from alignment—or from fear of missing out, of not doing enough?
So, I asked the I Ching a simple question:
Should I buy a slew of books from my publisher right now?
The Message from the I Ching
The response was Hexagram 47, with two changing lines leading to Hexagram 44.
Hexagram 47 – Confining.
Cut off. Oppressed. Look within to find the way forward. Focus on what is truly important.
Changing line 3: You oppress yourself by beating against impossible obstacles—you’ll get nowhere.
Changing line 6: Stop indulging yourself; this shouldn’t bother you. Get yourself in order.
Hexagram 44 – Coupling.
Don’t grasp. Act through the yin. The connection is already there.
One thing was immediately apparent. It wasn’t a shining green light. It was more like a quiet hand on my shoulder saying, Pause. Breathe. Let go.
The words find what is truly important reverberated within me.
A Shift in Perspective: Letting Go of Urgency
My first reaction was disbelief. Really? But right on the heels of that resistance came a soft exhale. Some part of me knew. I didn't need to act with urgency. I didn't need to scramble. Almost immediately, I knew I would not make that phone call.
Instead, I turned toward what truly mattered—and it had nothing to do with sales numbers. It had everything to do with being present, slowing down, connecting with others, and responding to the moment in front of me—not postponing my life for some future measure of success.
Without even noticing, I had begun slipping into agenda-driven living. I didn’t need to try to reach as many people as possible. I needed to be with the people already in front of me, with the beauty already here, with life.
I needed what I wished for that little boy so many years ago: connection, love, and divine presence—not from being told what to do, but from being.
A Global Event, A Personal Resonance
I let these thoughts simmer as I went about the rest of my day.
Later, the News announced that a new pope had been selected: an American-born pope who would call himself Leo XIV. His name choice reflected his understanding that he was becoming Pope during a time of great conflict in the world.
My heart quickened. This man—a potential beacon of light for the world—might help lead many of us, Catholic or not, toward Christ-consciousness: a metaphor for goodness, humility, and presence. His first words set the tone: “I…would like this greeting of peace to enter your heart, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole earth. Peace be with you!”
Light as a Way of Being
I was struck by the announcement's impact, both globally and personally. It felt like a moment when the world shifted somehow, as though a new chapter of history was beginning. For some, this was a moment of deep religious significance; for others, it may have been little more than another headline.
But for me, it was a profoundly personal and spiritual moment, connecting me with my experience of what I sometimes think of as "Christ-consciousness." It was a reminder of something much deeper—the calling to shine as a light in the world. The calling is often framed in terms of “doing,” of action, of rushing out to make change. Yet, in that moment, I felt the opposite.
What struck me most was the strange timing of it all. I had just been wrestling with how to get my book out there—how to be seen and share this thing I believe in—without getting swept up in the constant push to fix, strive, and market louder. I'm not Catholic, yet when this Pope was named, I felt something about humility, hope, and a different kind of power.
It was like a wink from the universe, reminding me that the call to shine doesn’t have to come through fervor. Light spreads by being light, not by proving it. Just as the Pope's call to peace is rooted in humility and divine presence, so too can the message of my book reach the right people, not through striving but by trusting that the right connection will unfold when it's meant to.
Balancing Action and Allowing
During my quiet, gentle pondering, I realized that being an emissary of goodness—a beacon of light to the extent possible—is essential.
I don’t need to be imbued with the notion that it’s my job to save others, any more than I might subscribe to the notion that I must act quickly to get a message out. But that also doesn't mean to sit back and do nothing. Instead, I can avow to hold the light as best I can, not from a sense of urgency or from a desire for measured success but from a place of compassion and love.
I saw the issue more clearly: My little book is my heartfelt offering to the world—an act of devotion and volunteer work. I will help it find its way, striking a balance between striving and relaxing because Naked in the Now is my best expression of love for the world and its inhabitants.
The Wisdom of Stillness
In allowing myself a little time to wrestle with the question and to turn to an esoteric tool to help me see what I couldn’t see, I opened the door to my subconscious, to my inner wisdom.
Society teaches us to push, problem-solve, and 'figure it out.' But true inner guidance often arises in the quiet between our efforts. It doesn't shout. It waits for a moment of stillness.
In Chapter 6 of Naked in the Now, I describe how guidance often comes not through urgent striving but in those moments when we become still enough to notice what we already know.
From a societal lens, urgency is almost a virtue. We’re conditioned to respond now, optimize constantly, and fix ourselves endlessly. But from a spiritual perspective, urgency can be corrosive. It disconnects us from the present and from our own intuitive wisdom.
Encouragement for Readers: Remembering Your Own Divine Spark
When we’re always trying to improve ourselves, we subtly reinforce the idea that who we are, right now, isn’t good enough. That our lives are insufficient as they are. And that belief keeps us locked in striving mode—never quite here, never quite whole.
Maybe that's what I really want for anyone who comes across my book—not to be convinced, but to feelsomething they already carry—to remember their own aliveness, their own divine spark.
Trusting the Process
In the end, I didn't make the call. Not because I didn't care but because I care deeply. Enough to trust that pushing isn't always the answer. Enough to trust timing, presence, and connection. Enough to believe in the power of the light to spread.
Trust is its own kind of guidance. Light spreads by being light.
If you feel stuck and unable to find clarity, consider letting inner guidance back into your life with a Zen Tarot or I Ching reading. Trust that you can reconnect with your inner wisdom.
Juicy Practice: Listening Through Symbols
Sometimes, clarity doesn’t come from thinking harder—but from softening our grip on logic.
In Naked in the Now, Practice 12 invites you to access inner guidance through divination tools. For a step-by-step guide to using the I Ching or tarot—even if you've never tried them before—check out Practice #12. It’s a simple invitation to step away from the mind’s noise and tap into something deeper.
But guidance doesn’t have to come from a deck or a text. You can also listen to the signs and symbols your everyday life offers—a phrase that jumps out from a book, a strange animal sighting, a symbol in nature, a snippet of overheard conversation.
Just today, a coyote crossed right in front of me. I had to smile. The coyote reminds us not to take things too seriously—to find the balance between wisdom and playfulness.
This week, when you’re uncertain, try letting the universe speak. Open to metaphor. Tune in to synchronicity.
Then ask: What deeper wisdom is whispering beneath the surface of things?
Let that subtle nudge guide your next step.
You don’t need to be a mystic. You just need to pause, listen, and receive.
Good News + Gratitude
I'm touched and honored that Naked in the Now has been spreading its light organically, garnering attention and awards in the year since its release. To date:
· GRAND PRIZE WINNER - Chanticleer 2024 Mind & Spirit Awards (Non-fiction)
· GOLD Medal - Readers' Favorite 2024, New Age Non-fiction
· SILVER - Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2024, Non-fiction
· International Impact Book Awards - Personal Growth
· Featured in Spirituality & Health’s October 2024 “Books We Love”
· "Get it!" verdict from Kirkus Reviews
If the book resonated with you, it would mean the world if you shared it with someone, left a review, or requested it at your local library. That’s how the light spreads.
Community and Connection
I have been getting out there too!
· Interview in the Las Vegas Review-Journal
· My article, The Ageless Art of Creative Enlivenment, will be published in Spirituality & Health on May 12, 2025. (I’ll include a link in the next NakedNow Letter!)
· Nominated for the FLUXX Awards for Visionary Author in Wellness & Mindfulness
· Guest on podcasts/radio shows:
o The Mindful Journey Podcast, “Getting Naked in the Now”
o Cosmic Confluence Podcast, “Peeling Back the Layers: Inner Striptease and Cosmic Guidance”(Note: I also discuss divination techniques in this episode!)
o UK Health Radio, Alchemy 1.01 with JJ Stenhouse (coming soon)
o Zen Commuter Podcast with Thom Walters (coming soon!)
Upcoming Events
· Write Now Mind – Virtual Writing + awareness group, free to all. Email for more instructions. Next session starting 6/2/25
· Write by the Sea – Weekly ongoing Zoom writing group by invitation (but email me if you are interested)
· Write by Red Rock –Monthly in-person event in Blue Diamond, NV; next one 6/4/25
· Naked Writing Workshop – Village Books, Bellingham, WA 8/9/25, 2 pm
With Gratitude and Presence
As I continue to trust the timing of things and the unfolding path ahead, I invite you to do the same. Sometimes, the most excellent guidance comes in the stillness between action and striving. Trust that the next right step will reveal itself in its perfect time.
Thank you for being here, reading, and part of this light-filled community. Let's walk this journey of presence together—no rushing, just being.
Smiles,
https://marijkemccandless.com
Kirkus Reviews endorses Naked in the Now!
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