New book: Finding the ‘Pathless Path’ to what’s next in your life

Do you need to make a transition in your life — but you aren’t sure what to do or where to turn?

Nine years ago, Eric Blaser found himself in just such a place. His life in Portland had become drab. His dreams hadn’t panned out.

“I knew I needed to take a sabbatical from the horticulture work I’d been doing for much of my life,” he says. “It was no longer feeding my spirit. I was living by ‘shoulds’ and other people’s expectations. But I didn’t know what to do instead.”

Blaser has since found his way, and he has written a book about the process so that others might find their way too. The book, “The Pathless Path: Finding Clarity, Purpose, and Inspiration for the Next Chapter of Life,” will be available in local bookshops beginning in February.

For Blaser, the first step was landing on Lopez Island. “I just followed what felt good and ended up here by accident,” he says. “It felt like home.”

Once on the island, Blaser was “spurred to go deeply into myself. I filled 17 journal volumes. I found the ‘perfect absurd job’ working at Take It Or Leave It. That’s where I found resources from books donated by all the retired therapists on the island.”

“My interactions with people and the day-by-day lessons I learned there contributed to finding a path toward self-trust, clarity and confidence,” says Blaser. “I was seeking greater authenticity, self-honesty and to reconnect with the small voice from inside. And that’s where I found the beginnings of what I call the ‘pathless path.’”

Blaser began writing a book about this path just to help himself along it (and accomplish his lifelong goal of writing a book!). Along the way, he discovered undiagnosed learning disabilities. Laughing, he says, “No wonder that, for me, writing was a struggle, frustrating, with lots of tears – a dark path.”

Blaser’s new book includes stories and exercises to help readers find and trust their inner resources as they travel a path to greater clarity, just as Blaser learned to do.

“If you are afraid to go forward with your dreams or ideas because you can’t see either the dream or the path very clearly, this book can illuminate the journey,” says Blaser, “one step at a time.”

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