The Four Directions programs are designed to support full engagement in your personal, work and community life. These tools are cross-cultural and can be applied in any environment where leadership, wellbeing, creativity and wisdom are valued. We hope you can join our community of practice.

In her seminal book, The Four-Fold Way, Angeles Arrien provides an ancient, cross-cultural map for living a healthy, balanced life. She identifies four archetypes: the Leader, Healer, Visionary and Teacher. Each archetype corresponds to a cardinal direction. Each direction contains a set of practices synthesized from worldwide shamanic traditions.

The Four Directions programs are intended to deepen our knowledge, and application of these practices. Whether you are new to this work or a returning student, the programs are designed to support deep personal congruence and greater harmony with others and our world.

Patrick O'Neill is a management consultant and teacher with an international client base. He taught with Angeles Arrien for twenty years and is committed to carrying on the work that Angeles pioneered.

The Four Directions workshop series are held seasonally in Corte Madera, California and in Seattle, Washington as follows:

Seattle, Washington
The South: May 23 & 24, 2015
The East: Sept. 26 & 27, 2015
The West: Nov. 14 & 15, 2015
The North: Jan. 30 & 31, 2016

The Four Directions is offered first as a full subscription to all four weekends. Individual weekends will then be opened for single sessions, as seats are available.

THE NORTH

The North (Winter) is devoted to the practice of leadership and the wise use of power. The powers of presence, action and communication are the foundations of leadership. We will explore the principles and applications of personal leadership and group leadership. The practices of the North help us show up, make positive contributions to our families and communities and avoid the abuses of power that plague our times.

THE SOUTH

THE EAST

The East (Summer) is devoted to vision and our life dream. This is the home of the authentic self, of truth telling without blame and our gifts and talents. Summer is the time for dismantling the false-self system and of releasing patterns of indulgence and denial. The East supports us to drop fixed perspectives and open to expanded vision.

THE WEST

The West (Fall) is devoted to loving detachment and gathering wisdom. To do this, we must become comfortable with uncertainty and learn to trust. The fall is associated with shedding. The West teaches us about letting go of positionality, judgment and controlling behaviors that are barriers to wisdom. We become more flexible and fluid when we are open to outcome. Here we can listen to our own inner guidance in the stillness of the quiet mind. Clarity, objectivity and discernment grow as a result.