About Julie

Purpose

My purpose in life is to build bridges of love. Of course, love already is, so perhaps it would be more accurate to say that my job is to help remove the blocks to our ability to love.

Blocks are created by our fear of feeling and lack of self awareness. Therefore, I focus on what helps us to be with feelings and increase self awareness, thus increasing our ability to love self, others, nature and the world.

An important aspect of my purpose is to continue to do my own Inner Listening and personal/spiritual growth so that I can be of help to others.

Philosophy

I believe that at our core, we are all love and light. The farther we move away from our core and engage in life (past and present) the more we experience the feelings of pain and pleasure. This is part of our human experience.  It is also human to avoid pain and seek pleasure. But what we avoid has great power and actually controls our actions on an unconscious level.

Thus we have the religious dogmatic individual, institution or state acting out and doing the opposite of what they claim to believe. This is as true today as it has been throughout history.

It is imperative that healthy humans learn to be with and allow all feelings without feeding them or pushing them away. This practice of being is called mindfulness or present moment awareness.

It is in the fully embodied present moment that we experience Love, the Mystery We Call God / All that Is. It is in this moment that we know we are loved and we are love.

Education

1979 BS, Michigan State University major in International Relations

1985 Masters of Divinity, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago

Clinical Pastoral Education, University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics

1993 Certificate in the Art of Spiritual Direction, 9month Intensive Internship at  Mercy Center, Burlingame, CA

Volunteer Experiences

Leprosy Health Care, Peace Corps Korea 2 + ½ years

Creator and Host of “Heart To Heart”  NMC College radio program

Empty Bowls Program, donate bowls and volunteer time

Work History

1983 – 1984 In – Home Services Coordinator for a County Agency on Aging

House cleaning during seminary

1986 – 1992 Pastor of a small church in WI for 5+1/2 years

1992 – 1993 Spiritual Director in CA private practice with seminary students

1993 – 2010 “It’s A Wonderful Life” (DBA) Inner listening Therapist, Premarital Counselor, Wedding Officiant, Workshop Facilitation

2010 – Present, Julie Chai MDIV, LLC Inner listening Therapist, Premarital Counselor, Wedding Officiant, Workshop Facilitation

1994 – 2010 Potter, Sunnyview Pottery (DBA)

2010 – Present Potter, Chai Pottery, LLC