Welcome to Mindful Journeywork
Peggy Dippen returned to Vermont in June 2020, driving a U-Haul with her then four-year-old son beside her. Amid the challenges of COVID and her second divorce, she reflected on words by Starhawk, an author, activist, and prominent voice in spirituality and ecofeminism, about community: Somewhere there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us, eyes will light up as we enter, voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends. Someplace where we can be free.
With connections in Vermont as an educator, yoga instructor, and community member, Peggy found a rental home in Hinesburg, where she has lived since that summer.
Many may recognize Peggy as a former sixth-grade math teacher or basketball coach at Hinesburg Community School, or from her yoga classes at the Hinesburg Recreation Department and Sweet Yoga. She is a familiar face at The United Church of Hinesburg, attending services, chaperoning youth trips, and singing in the choir. Peggy enjoys walking the HART trails and is always ready with a smile and greeting at Lantman’s or around town.
A leap of faith
Recently, Peggy took a “big leap of faith,” leaving a 26-year career in public education to focus on her business, Mindful Journeywork LLC. Her mission is to foster love, gratitude, and compassion for oneself and the world. One way she supports this vision is by leading an Ashtanga Yoga Fusion class every Wednesday at Sweet Yoga, blending mindfulness, breath, and movement for holistic wellness.
Peggy also works as a Real Dialogue Specialist, promoting understanding and communication to reduce bias and polarization. She facilitates workshops, offers keynote speeches, and leads difficult conversations among various groups seeking to improve their communication. Peggy co-facilitates “Ride the Waves” workshops with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath at The Osher Center and a weekly AMA. Additionally, she will lead a New Year’s Mindfulness workshop at the Carpenter-Carse Library on Jan. 16, 2025, highlighting mindfulness cultivation.
As a host of the free Courage Circle at the Carpenter-Carse Library every second Wednesday, Peggy engages participants with different themes each month to explore their inner wisdom through community resources, including reflective practices. Feedback has shown that participants feel more grounded and inspired to initiate changes in their lives. Peggy is also hosting her first residential retreat, “Courageous Awakenings: Integration for a Renewed Life,” in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, where spots and scholarships are still available.
Peggy is a Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Guide trained through The Center for Medicinal Mindfulness, facilitating ceremonial journeys with cannabis for clients dealing with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. She emphasizes that she does not provide cannabis but guides clients in selecting appropriate blends for their sessions. Kris Brown, an Iraqi war veteran who recently worked with Peggy shared, “Having an experience like this was very different. Smoking cannabis for years recreationally, I never was introduced to the medicinal side (of cannabis). I was nervous about what I was about to partake in, but Peggy made me calm with her energy. She was very comforting with her presence. Afterwards, the sense of peace and groundedness was something I never felt before.”
This past July, Peggy was a guest speaker at UVM’s first graduate level psychedelic therapy studies course sharing her knowledge, skills, and experiences with other interested therapists and clinicians.
Reflecting on her own journey, Peggy said, “I was born into difficult circumstances. After enduring trauma and years of traditional therapies, I found healing through psychedelics, gaining awareness of past traumas and the narratives holding me back from creating a more loving reality for myself and my son.”
Jeffrey Beaulieu, editor of Gossamer magazine, noted the following after hearing Peggy speak at a recent convention: “I was struck with how candid Peggy was, sharing her story and pain, but with a grace and confidence that was transcendent. It allowed me to begin having a deeper faith in my own path of personal healing.” This inspired Jeffrey to interview her for his magazine, saying, “I hope by highlighting her story it will help others know they are not alone in their struggles and be inspired and reminded of hope for better days.”
Find out more about Mindful Journeywork at mindfuljourneywork.com or e-mailing Peggy at info@mindfuljourneywork.com. All teachers, current and retired, can receive services at a reduced rate. Hours are by appointment only.