For many queer folks, June is a holy month. The Pride flag, our sacred symbol. Its festivals and parades, a visual rainbow of our diversity and the sparkle we will not keep in the closet. I love it.

And I loathe the ways it has been commodified by straight supremacy, slapping a rainbow sticker on an unjust product and marketing for nothing more than capital gain. The church has been complicit in this, often neglecting the spiritual underpinnings of Pride.

A revolutionary book that gently and contemplatively honors this queer history and spirituality is Shay MacKay’s “At the Edge of the Sea,” a little book that is a balm to the queer mystic’s soul, and the focus of today’s Belief Behind the Book.

Belief Behind the Book is a feature that gives readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the beliefs—or what I call “the WHY”—behind books written by progressive spiritual leaders. Inspired by the Ministry from the Margins Books program, Belief Behind the Book shines a spotlight on why authors write the books they write, offering practical tips for readers to apply to their own belief systems.

“At the Edge of the Sea” is a collection of essays that invite readers to discover everyday mysticism. Using a four-step process, the book guides the reader on a spiritual journey, from preparation to integration, utilizing reflection and spiritual practice to begin living a more deeply connected life. Come stand at the edge of the sea and discover where the water takes you.

Rev. Shay MacKay is a Unitarian Universalist minister, composer and aging companion. She lives in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, with her wife, Rev. Diana McLean, with whom she co-created the ministry of Sacred Depths. Through that ministry, they work within a mission to help others deepen their connection with the divine through creativity and contemplation.

When asked why she wrote this book, Rev. MacKay responded:

“I’ve never thought of myself as a writer. In fact, I kinda hate doing it. But there are moments that are so moving, so striking, I just have to put them somewhere, try to capture some of their essence so as not to forget, so as to feel it again. And over time, I’ve collected enough of those jottings to have a book’s worth!”

As a follow up on how reading this book offers practical advice to readers, she responded, “What I do in this collection is remind myself and the reader that the sacred is everywhere all the time, and offer a few tips to not only recognize that, but be an active part of it.”

Amid the rainbows and glitter, parties and parades, MacKay’s book is an invitation to breathe deeply, searching our inner landscape for the queer spirituality that upholds us.