Spiritual Direction with Rev. Dawn Russell marlinsquest@gmail.com
Welcome
I’m glad you stopped by. Take your time and explore what’s here. I wonder how God is in the process. Drop me a note at marlinsquest@gmail.com and tell me what you think.
About Dawn
Raised in the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), I graduated from a non-denominational Christian High School, a Mennonite College, and earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. Each tradition has a profound impact on my spiritual life and understanding. I have spent time constructing, deconstructing, exploring, realigning, and rediscovering my spiritual compass. My faith is an epic journey that continues to grow and mold me as a spiritual leader (a PCUSA pastor) and spiritual director or what I like to call a spiritual discernment guide.
I received my certification as a spiritual director having completed a 2-year program with The Haden Institute (Asheville, NC). I like to think outside the box and wonder a lot about how God/Spirit/the Divine works. I would love to listen and wonder with you.
Why Marlin’s Quest?
Marlin’s Quest was born out of my spiritual discernment experience with the Haden Institute that began in the Fall of 2024. With an orange Subaru Crosstrek, a white with turquoise swooshed teardrop camper, and visions of the movie Finding Nemo, I began to wonder what Marlin found as he searched for Nemo and what I found on this leg of my journey. Turns out that Nemo in Latin means nobody, a core doctrine of the Buddhist tradition. This core doctrine teaches there is no permanent, independent self or soul. The "self" we perceive is a temporary combination of physical form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. Making another leap, Carl Jung would say nobody is the relinquishing of the ego, that part of us we use as a mask to keep ourselves safe in the world. The true self is who we were created to be. How might we be in the world if we were able to be our true self? In spiritual direction, I serve as a guide to seekers interested in questioning who they are created to be while exploring a deeper relationship with the Divine.
Exploring the beauty of faith through images
