“You have to be in the world to understand what the spiritual is about, and you have to be spiritual to truly be able to accept what the world is about”
WELCOME!
I’m Dana.
I believe in the magic that happens when the mystical meets the practical. I create calm, supportive spaces where people feel safe and heard, bringing creativity, intuition, and deep listening skills to everything I do. Through The Spirited Purpose Project, I support others in personal unfoldment, helping them discover their unique contributions.
Whether you're just beginning to sense what wants to emerge or ready to share your gifts with the world, I'm here to walk alongside you with deep listening, practical wisdom, and unwavering support for who you're ever becoming.
About The Spirited Purpose Project
The Spirited Purpose Project is a space for companioning and mentoring where you can be unabashedly yourself. Come with intention—whether you're called to grow a business, create meaningful work, or connect more deeply with your natural gifts. Here you'll find practical tools and soulful guidance designed to help you bring what's truly yours to life—with real-world application that sustains both your work and yourself along the way.
A few words about words:
Words can be tricky and sticky. Let's address a few that run throughout this website—and my work.
Soul — Is the language I use, but you might call this something else. Perhaps universal life force, grounded wisdom, or …
Purpose — A result that is desired, an intention. Also said, it’s what you most wish to give energy to, in service both to yourself and others.
Spirited — Lively, full of life, spirit or courage.
Guidance — As I experience this, it's that nudge that comes from within, from the gut. When I'm still & quiet, I can sense it, and it offers what I most want to know —or sometimes not know! It's subtle. Easily ignorable — and just as undefinable. I've gotten good at deepening, noticing, and working with it. I can help you with it too.
These are starting points—please use whatever language resonates with you.
We don't need answers; We need others to listen so we can hear ourselves.
Bits & Bobs: More about what shapes how I work with people.
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I’m a creative who for decades believed that I wasn’t that at all.
Until I realized that creating a business is a grand creative act — as is growing & sustaining it.
Given that The Spirited Purpose Project is my third entrepreneurial venture, I can now say I own my creativity. This is why I understand both the innerl calling to create something meaningful AND the practical challenges of sustaining it authentically. -
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I’m a Chaplaincy Institute of Maine (ChIME) graduate: a two-year program that deepened my spiritual identity & ability to listen with presence, as well hold safe space to be with others so they can hear themselves.
So whether it’s through companioning, mentoring, guiding, or facilitating, listening weaves through everything. -
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I’m an introvert with bold extrovert tendencies & to pull that off I need lots of contemplative, quiet time.
That’s my life secret — do “nothing” to do something. -
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I’ve been told I’m a great listener — who likes to talk!
But in my defense, it’s to process what’s going on with me.
We don’t need answers; We need others to listen so we can hear ourselves. -
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I’m spiritual-but-not-religious. I honor all traditions, faiths and paths, as well as none. I consider myself more of a mystic. Though I look inward through the lens of various mystical teachings & paths, Universal Sufism is my foundation, which stresses the sacred dance between inner receptivity and outer expression—something I weave into all my work
Ready to explore how my approach might support your journey?
Learn more about working together.
Reflections from others who have studied or collaborated with — & mentored — Dana:
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“Dana leads and follows with curiosity. Dana embodies humility and courage whether she is stepping forward to reflect, share, and invite or stepping to the side to listen, wonder, and question. Her patient and kind presence shines a gentle light on the truths that are hiding in plain sight. As a student, teacher, companion, and mentor, Dana's honesty, humor, and compassion will support others in finding their own way to shine.”
Rev. Lisa Steele-Maley, she/her
Executive Director / Dean
ChIME, Chaplaincy Institute of Maine -
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“I experience Dana to be fast on her feet and a truth seeker with a contagious sense of humor. Over many years of friendship, we collaborated to originate, design, and offer a well-received, successful weekend women’s retreat we called The Heroinne’s Journey. Dana has a strong backbone and a unique ability to let her Soul lead the way, even when she is called to stretch way beyond her comfort level. She has finely turned listening skills and the capacity to take appropriate and courageous action in a variety of personal and collective situations.”
Carol Rodrigue
Retreat Collaborator, Facilitator -
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“Sitting in the safe and supportive space of Dana’s presence is healing in itself. She is one of those rare human gems who listens more than they speak, and who has the remarkable ability to reflect back and reveal to you the wisdom of your own heart. She walks the path by your side, humbly shining the light of her deep and mystical knowledge.”
Rev. Kate Dufort
2024 ChIME Graduate -
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“Mentoring and guiding Dana through the last several years has been like working with a flowing river. A wonderful flow, a constancy of intention and purpose toward the goal, and a bubbling up of life energy combined with keen intuition.”
Tara Inayat Chishti
Senior Sufi Teacher / Spiritual Guide -
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“I met Dana more than a decade ago, when she was living in Pennsylvania and I in Connecticut. Our paths crossed at a Sufi retreat center in the Berkshires, first for a couple of weekend retreats focused on spiritual practices informed by the rhythms of farming and the growth cycle, and later we both committed to a two-year retreat/study program for a deeper dive into Universal Sufism. Still, at that time we were acquainted, but hadn't developed the bond we have now. Now we both live in Maine and she and her family are my Maine family. Besides our Sufi connection and living in Maine, we've both been ordained as interfaith chaplains and have nurtured a deep friendship and spiritual companionship. I've watched her bloom as she's explored and integrated the joyful, fun, serious, deep, loving, beauty-seeking, practical, skillful, irreverent, creative, courageous, intuitive aspects of her being. She's the full package, the real deal.”
Jan King
2022 ChIME Graduate -
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“Dana is an excellent communicator. She listens carefully to other people’s ideas, and she’s very insightful at pulling out and helping them to develop these. When she’s involved in a project or group, you can count on her to be enthusiastic and fully committed to a ‘successful outcome’.”
Karen Pearson
Spiritual Conversation Co-Creator -
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“It was my honor and pleasure to serve as Dana’s advisor for her years at the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine, leading up to her ordination as an interfaith minister. Our institute attracts many remarkable beings and surely, Dana is right in there with those. She was always thoughtful, dedicated and genuine, and I so looked forward to our meetings. One of the stand-out qualities of Dana’s is the way she shows up in the face of conflict. She is clear and courageous. Multiple times, Dana was the first to give voice to a challenge a group was silently affected by. She did so with respect and honesty - never blaming anyone, while inviting others to join her in moving closer to ‘right relationship’ for all.”
Craig Werth
Academic Coordinator
ChIME, Chaplaincy Institute of Maine
