My life had been held down by judgment, a haunting sense of unworthiness, and mired by codependence; yet my truer self longed to emerge and kept calling me onward. I journeyed through various stages of recognition, doing deep inner work, and began the life-long process of unleashing a truer self. Through finding companions akin to my eco-spiritual values, faithful self-examination, allowing emotions to move through me, and making time for the “still-small-voice” to be heard, I gradually found the courage to take radically bolder steps; rediscovering my intrinsic self-worth, honing a deeply felt sense of belonging to this glorious Universe, and answering the call of my soul.

Born in the Midwest, Mary Ocken was raised by a devout Catholic family, on a ranch near Larkspur CO. After 20+ years exploring city life on the Front Range, she moved to Durango in 2007 to start life anew. She has been a member of UUFD since then, and enjoys volunteering the Worship Team. She also enjoys gardening with her neighbors who share her garden, hiking or biking with her husband Jeff, and (as a former DJ) listening to a wide array of music.

Topics: Summer Series