| With "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, topping | | | | are better able to articulate their priorities. Above all, |
| the New York Times Best Seller List, and "The | | | | they are open to utilizing all available tools to help |
| Secret" still creating a sensation around the country, | | | | them both achieve their goals and achieve inner |
| there's little doubt that women are on an individual | | | | peace. |
| and collective journey to discern their life's purpose | | | | The Inner Journey |
| and awaken their spirituality. Although women | | | | Gilbert may have traveled to Italy, India, and Bali, but |
| continue to believe and participate in traditional | | | | women across the country are finding that they |
| religious practices, it's clear that many women are | | | | don't have to travel outside of the city limits to |
| seeking tools that help them define themselves and | | | | visualize and realize their newfound goals. Instead, |
| inspire them to live the best life possible. | | | | theirs is an inner journey, taken alone or in the |
| New Age or a Certain Age? | | | | company of like-minded women. |
| While about 20 percent of women identify with one | | | | At the heart of women's spiritual quests is the |
| or more elements of the New Age movement, a | | | | understanding that the mind, body, and soul are |
| much higher percentage are on metaphysical quests - | | | | inextricably intertwined. For example, the New Age |
| even though they might not define them as such. If | | | | belief of synchronicity often comes into play. This |
| you were to break down the demographics, the | | | | synchronicity is at the heart of "The Secret," which |
| pattern that emerges is a snapshot of a woman | | | | outlines the ways in which our thoughts create our |
| over 40 who has spent most of her life excelling in | | | | circumstances. Simply put, "like creates like," so when |
| her career, taking care of her husband and children, | | | | we think positive thoughts, we create positive |
| or both. It seems as though women of a certain age | | | | energy that, in turn, creates positive opportunities |
| begin to question their assumptions about their lives, | | | | and events in our lives. |
| reflecting upon careers spent trying to get ahead and | | | | Some women use meditation to create an inner |
| caregiving roles that might not fit as comfortably as | | | | quietness and piece, while others integrate yoga or |
| they once did. | | | | other spiritual-physical practices to bring harmony to |
| Taking Stock and Stepping Out | | | | the mind, body, and soul. Many women give |
| What triggers women to step outside of their lives | | | | themselves permission to get regular massages to |
| and critically assess where they've been and where | | | | release tension and connect with their bodies, or |
| they're going? Perhaps, like Gilbert, they are coming | | | | participate in other self-care activities for the first |
| out of a divorce and trying to build a new life. Maybe | | | | time. |
| their children are all in college or married, and they | | | | Healing and Happiness |
| need to redefine themselves. It could be that a | | | | Spiritual quests - in whatever form they take - often |
| parent has died, and they are faced with their own | | | | lead women on a healing journey and a path to |
| mortality. Rather than the hackneyed "mid-life crisis," | | | | greater fulfillment and happiness. No matter what |
| these women are experiencing a "mid-life | | | | event or events trigger introspection and the longing |
| assessment." They might have a deeper | | | | for metaphysical wholeness, the outcome is invariably |
| understanding of who they are, their dreams may | | | | positive. |
| have come more clearly into focus, and perhaps they | | | | |