Embodying the Explorer: Charting the Inner Terrain

It was a windswept, hot, and humid round of golf that started with confusion. I’ve played this course in Orlando many times, but this time something felt off. Turns out, they had flipped the front and back nines—and my GPS couldn’t even locate me.

But as I laughed to myself, I realized it didn’t matter. Good thing I was embodying the Explorer archetype that day. My GPS said I was lost, but my soul knew exactly where I was—fully here, in the present moment, exploring the inner terrain of my own consciousness.

Before every round of golf, I choose one Presence Golf Practice from my upcoming book Presence Golf: A Sacred Path to Self-Mastery. This round’s practice was The Explorer.

The Explorer invites us to ask powerful questions:

• What did I learn about myself today?

• What emotions surfaced and why?

• Where am I being called to grow?

What I Learned About Myself

I used to love playing golf alone—just me, the course, and the quiet. But I’m discovering how much I enjoy the shared experience. There’s something sacred about spending four hours with strangers who quickly feel like old friends. We celebrate great shots, laugh at bad ones, and share stories of work, family, and life.

Even if we never cross paths again, the connection remains. For a few hours, we are one in Spirit.

What Emotional Patterns Surfaced

Every time I ignored my inner voice, I paid the price. My intuition whispered, “Don’t hit that shot,” but my ego said, “Go for it.” The result? A chunked ball into the water and a double bogey.

Golf is a mirror. Life is, too. When I pause and listen to my heart instead of forcing outcomes, things flow. When I trust that quiet knowing, I play—and live—more freely.

What Breakthroughs Emerged

One of the reasons I love golf is the beauty of the course itself. In Colorado, I was spoiled with mountain backdrops and open skies. Orlando courses feel tighter, more enclosed.

Maybe that’s the invitation. Maybe the Explorer in me is being called to expand within, not just outside.

The Explorer adapts. He embraces new terrain—whether it’s Florida fairways or unfamiliar seasons of life. Each new course, each new day, is a chance to chart the landscape of the soul.

This isn’t just about golf—it never is.We can explore the inner terrain of our soul anywhere: in the quiet of morning meditation, during a walk in nature, or while navigating the demands of work and family. The key is to bring awareness inward, to stay curious, and to let life itself become the course we play on.

Take time to reflect. Journal. Listen. Ask yourself:“What did I learn about myself today, and how can I grow just a little bit tomorrow?”

That’s the spirit of the Explorer.To learn. To fall. To rise. To keep showing up.

May you embody the Explorer in your own life—on the course, and far beyond it.