Hello, I'm Aliyah
I’m a spiritual guide, musician, and healer drawn to creating contemplative and compassionate spaces for vulnerability to flourish into healing.
I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light."
Barbara Brown Taylor
Professional Background
I have been a professional musician and educator for 15+ years. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance. I began my career as a classical vocalist and choral teacher/director before feeling called to a time of service as an accompanying missionary through Young Adults in Global Mission with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, partnering with the Hungarian Lutheran Church and local schools in Békéscsaba, Hungary. It was one of the most incredible years of my adult life, as I embraced a new culture and language, and was thrust into learning how to allow myself to be loved by others.
My love of building bridges between cultures led me to enlist as an active duty member of the United States Air Force, serving as a professional vocalist with the Air Force Bands.
Currently, I am a worship leader/coach and spiritual life facilitator for a United Methodist Church in Council Bluffs, IA. I’m a certified spiritual director and have a deep passion for teaching spiritual practices and facilitating spiritual groups.
In addition, I’m working towards becoming certified as an Enneagram practitioner through Evolving Enneagram and a Sound Healer. I have been participating in Evolving Enneagram’s Contemplative Practices & the Enneagram (CPE) groups since 2023 and am honored to be part of Evolving Enneagram’s CPE Facilitator Team.
A Healing Wholeness
In 2019, I was diagnosed with a rare, chronic mast cell condition. A few years later, the condition progressed and I was forced to listen closely to my body and make big, unexpected life changes. This led to exploring a path of healing that incorporates the three centers of intelligence.
We have been given the gifts of our minds, hearts, and bodies to teach us to release what no longer serves us. Oftentimes, we may not know exactly what is “stuck” so we learn to trust the guidance of the Spirit that is already within each of us.
My work with the Enneagram has been a substantial part of this healing. It has provided a loving invitation to gently open myself to the sticky patterns of my type. It has also opened the door to relationships filled with more compassion and understanding. It continues to invite me to look within AND simultaneously step outside of myself with curiosity and love to be interested in the inner experiences of others.
Most surprisingly, it has helped me heal deep seated relationship wounds.
Naming the Light
It is an act of love to listen deeply. It is an act of healing to know you are being listened to. It is an act of courage to be with the most hidden parts of the inner self and choose to hold them up to the Light. It is an act of transformation to step into the Light and recieve Divine love.
The spiritual journey is not meant to be a solo journey. As a spiritual director, I offer soul care and spiritual companionship to anyone seeking greater acceptance and understanding of the spiritual journey.
The art of spiritual direction offers a safe space for deeper spiritual exploration while being in the loving presence of an attentive and compassionate listener. More importantly, while being in the presence of the Divine. Topics often include grief, doubt, faith, trust, brokenness, discernment, and others that call us into living whole-hearted and authentic lives while being gently held by our Beloved God.
