Soul Map | Memo
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Soul Map | Memo

The purpose of this memo is to serve as a high level update on the state of the project. Feel free to comment or get in touch if something inspires you!

NOTE: I am taking April to slow down and let things marinate. Thinking about a minimum viable product, hosting a New Moon Reflection Circle, facilitating workshops at events this summer, coaching a handful of people through making their own.

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(^ examples of map content integrated into physical, desktop and mobile experience)

What’s this all about?

Still figuring it out! Some ways to think about it:

  • Tuning Fork - a ritual tool to help you identify what is out of balance and bring it back into balance for the next cycle
  • Soul Media - media from and for your Soul. Soul ID - doing the work of dusting off and sharing our Soul Essence / higher selves.
  • We know, but it’s harder than ever to remember! A creative, practical, spiritual tool to support coaching/therapy clients in remembering what’s most important, serving as a motivational map to find center/north/Truth to navigate weirdness of Anthropocene (Meta-Map for meta-crisis, or Personal Metaverse). Practice of synthesizing most important knowings, learnings, intentions at different time scales. "The unexamined life is not worth living"
  • Devotional Art. Creating an artifact that is relevant, beautiful, useful, shareable (for accountability). Portable altar to support regular devotional connection.
  • Integration Tool. Clever method of reflecting back the sacred throughout physical and digital experience. Especially for integrating transformational experiences.
  • Community/Organizational Tool. Process of building trust, intimacy, and accountability. “We're all just walking each other home”
  • A new project Andrew is naturally coming into relationship with, integrating previous passion projects and insights from brief experiences with coaching. A context for collaboration, practicing what I preach re: ethical entrepreneurship, and channeling ideas around lifestyle transition / wayfinding.

Chronology

There’s a weird way in which I’ve been orbiting this concept for more than a decade:

2010: Had an idea to put inspirational quotes on rolling papers (Fortune Papers)

2011: Designed t-shirt frame to make it easy to display memorable t-shirts (Tik Tak Tee)

2018: Designed new smartphone home screen to display user’s “intention” (Siempo)

2020: Designed template for Personal User Manual

2020: Designed browser extension to display user inputted “prayers”

2021: Deepened connection with Jewish holidays, experienced Circular Calendar workshops, began work with coaching clients

2022

  • January
    • Supported coaching client A in making a forward-looking Circular Calendar
    • Supported coaching client B in creating a physical distillation of mission, habits, reminders
    • Created and shared personal v1 Life Map on social media
  • February
    • Facilitated two small workshops with Hestia Winter Incubator participants
    • Coached 1.5 clients through making their own version
    • Continued working with and ideating on Soul Map
    • Choose to deepen relationship with this project
  • March
    • Facilitating workshop for Vision Groundwork Rootcamp, as well as participating in the program with Life Map as my focus
    • Facilitated multi-week retreat for coaching client
    • Facilitated workshop for co-living community in San Juan
  • April
    • Slowing down, letting dust settle, integrating notes/thinking
    • Continuing to work with my own Soul Map
    • Conducting user research on those working on their Maps
  • May - July
    • Pilgrimage map guided my travels
  • August
  • October
  • November
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Early Insights

  • This is a flexible exercise/tool that can be adapted to the unique needs of participant(s). There appear to be three types of Maps for different contexts Types of Artifacts
  • S (Reason)
    M (Season)
    L (Lifetime)
    Business Card
    One Pager
    Multi-Pager
    Party Festival Retreat Ceremony
    Team Mission Program intentions Seasonal/annual intentions
    Soul Map

    Common Thread

    • Type
    • Process (slowing down, self-directed or facilitated, getting artistic)
    • Artifact (physical tool that can be engaged with, ritually)
    • Systems (refining, expanding to other surfaces)
  • A workshop only allows time to start work on one section, or a mini version, or introduce topic. It’s a long journey to make something “complete” or even usable. Large scope creates intimidation to get started.
    • It takes time (multiple cycles) and effort (hours of commitment each cycle) to meaningfully integrate the tool into one’s flow of life
    • There value in just thinking about / beginning the process; joy in sharing with others
  • There are existing tech tools that can extend the efficacy of DM (Momentum, Android homescreen, iOS homescreen)

Rough Plan for Upcoming Moon Cycles

  • Continue developing Personal Soul Map
  • Continue integrating notes/thinking
  • Continue updating Self-service Instructions
  • Conduct trial with Rootcamp
  • Write a Substack announcement
  • Test a clear coaching offering
  • Connect with Advisors
  • Facilitate workshop at community space in San Juan
  • Launch weekly/monthly Circles (community of practice)
  • Create personal Learning Journey

Potential Applications

  • Book / interactive workbook
  • Festival/Retreat workshops (especially transformational experiences)
  • Online Course
  • Personal / Team Retreats
  • Community / Corporate Workshops
  • Soul-cial Media Platform (share DM’s within communities)
  • License methodology to coaches
  • Smartphone operating system
  • Agency (to create custom browser extensions)

Questions

  • Analogs for this type of thing? What could I benefit from researching/studying? What is it to create a spiritual/religious tool? Pitfalls to watch out for? Is this actually about devotion?
  • Minimum Viable Product?
  • So many potential directions - how to prioritize? What role(s) do I want to play?
  • Document and share my process outwards?
  • How to create conditions for right engagement in this new relationship?
  • How to make Soul Map fit more smoothly into participant’s life? Actually useable and helpful.
  • Who to collaborate with, on what?
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🗺️Myx Map