Shamanic Pilgrimage Journey

Shamanic journeys are almost impossible to put into words. Whether the journey is a physical one or one using the imagination, another, supernatural world is entered, and trying to put words to it using the language of this world is near impossible. Much of the magic and meaning takes place on a spirit/energetic/subconscious plane, so we often do not have the conscious awareness to be able to "make sense" of it with our minds and describe it to others. 

But I shall do my best to share a bit about my recent pilgrimage to the sacred lands of the Huichol people of central Mexico. Historically, the Huichol have made this annual pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Wirikuta and Mount Quemado on foot. It takes a great deal of dedication and devotion to do so, as the journey has historically been long and the preparation for the journey is quite strict. The pilgrimage is embarked on as a way of praying and honoring the earth, life, Spirit, the gifts and blessings of the medicines and teachings of their sacred traditions, and the spirits of these powerful places. 

While with the aid of modern modes of transportation, the pilgrimage is short for me in terms of days in central Mexico, it is long in terms of preparation for the journey and the feeling of the actual journey itself. The preparation begins 40 days prior and includes various lifestyle and dietary restrictions to help purify and prepare the body, heart and spirit for the powerful ceremonies of the pilgrimage. There can be various initiations along the way to test one's sincerity and commitment.

This year, I feel that the entire four months leading up to this journey were one big initiation for me. It was a time where many areas of my life got shaken, and my spirit was tested to its utmost capacity. While I was experiencing various life-quakes in the areas of home and relationships, the challenges called into question my ways of being in all other areas of my life and really tested my personal well-being. 

It was probably one of the most challenging times I have experienced in recent years, and it was only after the pilgrimage that I realized it had all been a big cleansing of areas of my life where there were energies that were no longer serving me. It lead to a physical move to a new home, the releasing of two significant relationships, and a great deal of personal and spiritual growth and development. While it was happening, it was hard for me to make sense of, but during the pilgrimage, I realized it had been a series of initiations preparing me for the pilgrimage and the next stage of my personal, spiritual, professional journey.

Doing the pilgrimage for 5 years is a major rite of passage and initiation to a deeper connection and greater empowerment on this sacred, healing and spiritual path. For me, this was year 3, and each year that I have done this journey, I have experienced such incredible blessings, healings, and teachings. I have also experienced a dramatic shift in my energy with each journey and have come back with more vitality, strength, and commitment to my path.

It's difficult to describe, but taking part in the pilgrimage is like going up in levels of capacity and awareness, and I see this journey as well as my annual trips to Peru as very important parts of my continued development not only as a healer but also as a being of spirit on a continual journey of growth and evolution. Thus, it is an important undertaking for me both personally and professionally.

During the pilgrimage, I take part in an all-night ceremony in Wirikuta, a powerful land that represents the feminine place of void, birth, creation. During the ceremony, I receive tremendous benefits of deep healing, clearing out of old patterns that don't serve, a very powerful energetic reboot, and very beautiful spiritual insights and wisdom. My heart opens wide and connects me in a deep and indescribable way to the Spirit within all things. I become one with pure existence, and I feel a sense of being reborn/renewed.

That ceremony is followed a day later with a dawn hike up to Mount Quemado, which is the sacred masculine place of power for the Huichol. My body, heart and spirit have received the necessary cleansing to hike up the sacred spot and participate in giving thanks and asking for the fulfillment of any prayers I may hold dear. On the mountain, I take part in welcoming the dawn of a new day by welcoming in the sunrise in a ceremonial way, I make offerings to Spirit and this beautiful, powerful land, I receive the formal blessings for the completion of another year of pilgrimage, and I participate in the most powerful prayer ceremony I have ever taken part in.

The first year I was preparing for this journey, I asked a mentor to assist me in setting good intentions for the journey. I was advised to ask to have really powerful prayers on the mountain because that is the whole purpose of the pilgrimage...to really open our hearts and deepen our connection to Spirit. Each year I pray on this mountain, my heart is cracked open in the most profound way possible and I find myself full of immense gratitude to Spirit for the gift of life and all the blessings I have received.

I also find myself in a state of complete vulnerability and openness, and prayers I did not even know I was holding close to my heart come out of my mouth and surprise me. It's really the most simultaneously humbling and empowering experience. I walk away with wonder at the magic, miracle and wonder of it all. It gives me a deep, deep appreciation for the spiritual traditions of the Huichol people, how lovingly and fiercely they have preserved their ancient traditions, and an immense gratitude for having the opportunity to walk this sacred path, which accelerates my development and evolution in a way I could never have known was possible.

I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be on this sacred healing path and to have the opportunity to share it with you. Should you have any questions or comments about my pilgrimage, this healing way, or anything else, please feel most welcome to email me. Big blessings to you on your journey.

(The photo above is taken on Mount Quemado just before sunrise.)

5 Ideas for a Magical Spring

Spring is almost here! The Spring Equinox is tomorrow, Tuesday March 20th at 9:15am Pacific Time. This is a wonderful time of transition that has been celebrated all around the world since ancient times.

I have come to realize through working with so many clients that different people experience the seasons differently. So, while traditionally, Spring has been seen as a time of new beginnings, fresh starts, rebirth and regeneration, you may not experience Spring this way. 

I work with several clients who tend to experience more of the lower frequency, heavier feeling energies in Spring/Summer and come to life in Autumn/Winter. So, all this woo-hoo, celebratory energy doesn't really resonate with them at this time of the year. If that's you, know and honor what your natural rhythms are and gift yourself the self-care that feels best for you.

But, if you're like me, and you come alive with the arrival of Spring, celebrate your heart out and honor the opportunity for New Beginnings that this season provides. Here, I'll share 4 things I do to connect with the beautiful Spring energies and rhythms and invite you to try some of these ideas and see how they feel for you:

1) I start dancing! Even though I live in San Diego, and Winter is practically non-existent in terms of weather patterns, I still am usually extremely relieved when Winter is on its way out and Spring energies start to emerge. This is because Winter is the season that has historically been the most challenging for me. 

It's when I tend to experience my dark nights of the soul...when heavier emotions and patterns rise to the surface. The benefit of those times is that I clear out a lot that doesn't serve my highest and best good. I become aware of coping patterns, energies, emotions that drag me down and hold me back from being my best self...and Spirit/the Universe usually give me big opportunities to clear them out.

This is a wonderful process of growth and renewal as layers get stripped away and I emerge lighter, brighter, and a truer version of me. But the process can be quite challenging and painful, so I am usually very happy and relieved to be on the other side. I celebrate these feelings through dance and it feels wonderful! It's as if every cell in my body is reborn and can't wait to jump up and down in glee. 

2) I do some kind of fast or cleanse. Fasting is a part of most spiritual traditions, and Spring is the perfect time to do a fast or cleanse. A lot of people do fasts to lose weight or cleanse their physical bodies. But a fast done mindfully also has amazing health benefits for the mind, heart, and soul.

A fast can be as simple as drinking water or juice for a day, or it can last for weeks, and there are many types of fasts one can do. I've done many fasts of varying lengths, and I have found I gain the mosts benefits when I slow down and do a fast in a reflective/mindful way. Last week, in preparation for a shamanic pilgrimage I will be going on in a few weeks, I did a salt fast, and it proved to be so healing and inspiring.

I ate food each day, but I did not eat anything with salt. This naturally inspired me to not only juice more, which I do regularly most every day, but it also caused me to eat much smaller amounts of simple foods instead of large, more complex meals. And my body felt great! I experienced gentle symptoms of a physical cleanse, and the experience helped bring me back to a way of eating that feels best for my body and digestion. It also helped me reflect on my life/work and gain clarity in how I want to experience and create in my life.

3) I beautify my environment. I get ready for this new beginning by clearing out clutter, doing some good cleaning of my space, and beautifying it. I might get fresh flowers or plants. This year, I also want to plant some herbs...cilantro, sage and mint to start with. 

The act of connecting with the natural beauty of flowers and plants brings joy to my heart. It reminds me of how beautiful nature is and how there is a wonderful rhythm to the unfolding nature of growth and the blossoming of the inner beauty as a flower opens to the light. It's a process that brings me hope, optimism and comfort.

4) I spend a little time dreaming and visioning. I think every change of season is a wonderful opportunity to move forward intentionally and mindfully. It's a great time to think about what the previous season has brought into my life and consciousness and what it has taught me. I then take those reflections to create some intentions of what I want to do/experience in the coming season.

I made my Spring Magic list this weekend. It has 11 things that I want to give my time and energy to in the coming few months. Some of the items are small and some require a bigger commitment. Some are about growth and some are just fun. Some are work related and some are connected to my personal well-being, spiritual journey and relationships. 

It doesn't take long to jot my ideas down, but it's a wonderful practice that sets the tone for the coming few months and helps me to focus my time and energy on the things I value most. If you want to try it, ask yourself how you want to experience the coming 3 months, what you'd like to give more or less energy to, or what positive transformations you'd like to welcome into your life. 

5) I take time for ceremony. I find it deeply gratifying to honor and celebrate the passing of one season and the coming of the next through ceremony. It brings me to a place of gratitude and reminds me of the beautiful blessing of being part of this creation. So, I take time both for personal ceremony and also to do something with others.

For Spring, I like to do a personal sunrise ceremony. I will head out tomorrow to watch the sunrise and to greet and give thanks to the spirit of the East (the direction associated with Spring on the medicine wheel). I'll take a little offering of cornmeal, rice, dried fruits and offer it to the Earth and the spirits of Spring and the East. I'll say my prayers, give thanks for the blessings Winter brought me, and ask Spirit, my allies/guides, and the spirits of Spring and the East to guide, assist, and protect me in the coming season. 

On Wednesday evening, I will gather with others to honor and celebrate together. We'll co-create a beautiful despacho or prayer bundle of offerings, do a healing guided visualization journey, share out intentions for the coming season, and enjoy beautiful music and movement. It's always such a blessing to share these sacred moments with others, so if you are in the San Diego area, I invite you to join us. If you're not, maybe you can find or co-create something in your area. 

Whatever you do, enjoy the blessing of the coming Spring season. And if you have any questions about any of these ideas, please feel free to email me or call me.

Much love and many blessings to you all,

Parminder

***

For San Diego friends: Join me for this magical Spring Celebration evening, which will include a healing guided visualization, heart-opening ceremony, a beautiful offering to the Earth, and joyful music/movement.

Wednesday, March 21st

6pm - 8:30pm

at the Japanese Friendship Garden

Tomorrow Tuesday March 20th is the last day to get online tickets for $25. Tickets at the door on Wednesday are $30. Purchase tickets and get more info here.

Lessons on Love and Fear

One of the most profound experiences I had during my recent trip to work with the Shipibo shamans in the Peruvian jungle took place during a shamanic ceremony I participated in. During that ceremony, I received many beautiful teachings and wisdom as I went on a shamanic journey of the heart and soul.

At one point, I asked to be taken to the world of Spirit and taught the most important truth or teaching there is for us to know. I was shown an incredible world of light and told that the greatest teaching or lesson we are meant to learn is to choose love over fear.

That was it, as simple as that. Choosing love over fear was the ultimate lesson, the pinnacle of spiritual truth. I was dumbstruck by the simplicity of the teaching and wondered as to how I could best put it into practice in my life so that it would have the greatest impact.

Of course, I could think of some simple ways, but I knew there was a deeper meaning behind it. I knew this was big and that I needed to understand the teaching better, so since then, I have been reflecting on choosing love over fear and asking for guidance and assistance on discerning between these two energies.

Guidance and wisdom come to us in many forms...we may have a sudden flash of insight, read something, see something in nature that holds a message for us, or come across a message in some other form.

This morning, guidance and wisdom came to me in the form of a Super Soul conversation between Oprah and Gary Zukav, author of Seat of the Soul. I read this book long ago and realized after this interview that I need to read it again with this question about fear and love in mind.

As I listened to the interview, I was moved by some of the insights shared about the nature of the soul, the motivations behind our intentions, the difference between external and authentic power, and the roles fear and love play in our lives.

Because I found the conversation so inspiring and educational, I wanted to share it with you all. I hope you find it meaningful and beneficial also:

I would love to hear your thoughts on the interview and how these teachings and wisdom apply to your life. So, please email me to let me know your thoughts. Big hugs and blessings to you.

What Is Reiki and How Can It Benefit You?

I first heard of Reiki from one of my favorite healers on the planet--Dr. Cynthia Aten--my physician in college. She was the first doctor I saw as a young adult who I felt really listened to me, was patient, and had an old soul sort of wisdom I immediately trusted.

She took care not only of my physical well-being but also got me onto a path of emotional healing that I'm so grateful for. Because I loved and respected her so much, I kept in touch with her after college. In one of our conversations, she told me that she was studying Reiki. At the time, I had not heard of Reiki and thought it sounded a little strange.

Fast forward about a decade when my whole life trajectory shifted through an amazing, spontaneous healing experience. This event led me to seek a healing modality to study and Reiki kept popping up everywhere. Because someone I admired so much had spoken highly of it, I decided to take a class and have been in love with this healing way ever since. I get asked about it so often that I wanted to share more about what Reiki is and how it can benefit you.

Reiki is a beautiful, gentle yet powerful Japanese energy healing technique used to reduce stress, enhance relaxation, and promote healing at all levels of the being. Reiki healing energy is channeled through the hands and can be used on oneself, others, animals, environments, and any animate or inanimate objects. It can be used at a distance or in person. It can be sent into the past or future. Here is how Reiki is described in an article by Hilary Miles: 

“Reiki is an energy healing treatment that works holistically; on the whole body, mind and spirit. Not a system of religious beliefs, Reiki is simply a relaxing treatment whereas natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner (acting as a conduit) to the body of the recipient. The purpose of a Reiki treatment is to relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, accelerate natural healing, balance subtle bodies energies and support other medical modalities including traditional therapies.” 

The benefits of Reiki are many. When I do Reiki on myself or receive it from another practitioner, I typically feel an amazingly deep sense of relaxation that feels so delicious and sweet. Sometimes, some imbalances are being cleared away, so I can feel uncomfortable in my body, but most of the time, it feels incredible.

Reiki relaxes not only the body, but I find that it also clears my mind, opens my heart, and leave me feeling lighter and brighter. One of my clients recently described it as receiving a lovely bath for your soul. It's a little hard to describe, so you have to experience it for yourself to really feel its benefits, which are numerous. Here are just a few: 

    1.    Reiki promotes stress reduction and relaxation, which in turn helps improve sleep, strengthens the immune system, and optimizes the body’s overall state of health and well-being. 

    2.    Reiki helps to bring balance to the mind and emotions. It provides relief for emotional distress and helps in the grieving process by clearing stuck emotions. 

    3.    Reiki provides relief from physical pain and can be an effective way to treat immediate problems and to speed up recovery after surgery or illness. 

    4.    Reiki helps open and heal the heart, allowing one to strengthen and heal personal relationships with self and others. It improves one’s capacity for empathy and allows for greater hope and optimism. 

    5.    Reiki brings about a sense of inner peace and harmony, which can be a very valuable tool in the quest for spiritual growth and improving practices such as meditation and mindfulness.

I have felt the incredible benefits of Reiki firsthand and love doing Reiki on myself, sharing it with others, and getting Reiki treatments. If you have ever been curious about Reiki specifically or longed for a natural, safe alternative/supplement to medical treatment, I encourage you to try it.

I'd recommend first receiving a Reiki treatment and if you love it, consider studying it yourself. It's such a simple yet powerful way to enhance your health, wellness and joy. Email me or call 858-444-7993 to learn more and to receive special savings if you'd like to try Reiki for yourself.

Spirit Rewards Commitment

“Spirit rewards commitment.”

I first heard these words from from one of my teachers, Lena Stevens, during my early training in Shamanic Studies. Since then, these three simple words have come to my aide many, many times over the years. 

Learning and growth involve stepping out of one’s comfort zone, and this can be a scary process. Doubts, fears, and insecurities can arise as we attempt to do something new or when we try to shift to a higher level of being in some way. 

A natural instinct for many of us may be to pull back in the face of fears or doubts, to let go of a dream or goal and not follow through when we face obstacles. Sometimes, this instinct can serve us. For example, if we step back to reflect and reevaluate so we can move forward with greater discernment and wisdom, the pause may serve us very well.

But other times, the pause can lead to a complete stop if we allow the fears, doubts, or obstacles to overwhelm us. We may then give up entirely or allow the obstacles to delay our movement forward indefinitely. 

This type of delay or halt is tragic in my eyes because it not only robs us of what we would learn and gain by staying the course, but it also robs the world of what we could create or contribute if we followed through on our visions.

On this journey of growth, I have come up against many fears and obstacles that made me want to give up. And on numerous occasions, I have stepped back to reevaluate and reflect on how best to proceed. 

When I have been tempted to give up or give in, I have heard the words, “Spirit Rewards Commitment” almost in a mantra-like fashion in my head. This message has inspired me to fight the internal battles and continue to stay the course and move forward on my journey, trusting that somehow, someway things would work out and I’d be supported in the process.

A recent example for me took place when I got sick just a few days before I was to fly to Peru for a Shamanic journey. All sorts of fears came up for me and I almost canceled my trip because I didn’t want to risk getting worse with travel to the jungle.

But I had made a commitment to going on this journey many months back, so I decided I would do my very best to heal my body quickly and proceed with my preparations as best I could. As the doubts surfaced about the wisdom of embarking on the journey, I kept remembering the message about Spirit rewarding commitment, and it helped me to continue moving forward.

I felt better enough to fly but was definitely still sick when I got on the plane. But, somehow, by the end of my flight to Lima, I was near 100% recovered. And the time in Peru was incredibly enriching, healing, and gifted me with so much strength and physical vitality. I was able to get a lot of rest and received great wisdom about how to care for myself after returning home.

It was a fascinating experience and made me realize the illness had been a sort of test and valuable lesson. It brought into clear focus some fears I had around being physically vulnerable and some limiting beliefs I had about my body. The experience significantly shifted the intention I had for my journey and made the experience incredibly valuable in unexpected and surprising ways.

Each time I have persevered on the shamanic path, I have been rewarded a thousand fold for my commitment. As you move forward during this time of transition and set new intentions for yourself during the Winter Solstice and/or the New Year, I invite you to hold fast to these words, “Spirit Rewards Commitment” and allow them to inspire you and give you strength when fears, doubts and obstacles arise. 

If you would to receive support, guidance and assistance as you move toward the fulfillment of your visions and goals in 2018, check out the upcoming Supercharge Your Goals and Dreams in 2018 course. Many blessings to you on your journeys.

The Power & Benefits of Ceremony

Do you ever feel uninspired? Like life is happening, but there isn’t much that excites you? Maybe you even feel lost, stuck, or have the feeling of just going through the motions of living without a great deal of joy. 

If you do, you’re certainly not alone. Many people feel quite uninspired and disconnected or even disenchanted with life. One of the reasons I think this happens is that we so easily lose touch with our hearts, our spirits, and the sacred magic of life.

We can get easily bogged down by the day to day demands of life and lose that sense of wonder and awe at the magnificence that is life and creation. Our spirits get depleted and we can experience a great deal of dis-ease in our hearts, minds, and bodies.

One very powerful and effective way to nourish our spirits and get re-inspired is through engagement in sacred ceremony. 

Ceremonies do not have to be big, elaborate, religious affairs. We can create simple, powerful, personal ceremonies that we do on our own. Or we can participate in larger gatherings of individuals from all walks of life coming together to commemorate a special occasion or event.

I recently had the great blessing of facilitating a ceremony honoring the Autumn Equinox. It was a beautiful, uplifting, healing get-together of people of all backgrounds and beliefs. 

The evening included a guided healing visualization journey, a walking meditation, and a ceremony of gratitude that incorporated offerings to the Earth and setting of new intentions for ourselves. It was a beautiful gathering and you can hear from a few of the participants what they gained from the evening:

Fortunately, I have the great blessing of participating in these types of ceremonies regularly, and I am always in awe of the powerful benefits being in sacred space provides. For me, ceremony is really about opening my heart and connecting with the divine/sacred beauty and energy of life. 

Engaging in this way is healing on many levels. It fills our hearts, renews our spirits, relaxes our bodies, and allows us to rest our minds. Participating in ceremony nourishes our spirits and gives us renewed energy to move forward feeling more centered and grounded in our personal truth.

We can create big ceremonies of celebration to mark life events, ceremonies to honor times of transition, ceremonies of healing, and ceremonies of blessing a space. Or we can simply light a candle and create a personal ceremony of healing, release, blessing, etc.

The point is to take a little time out to honor the sacred magic that exists in each of us and in all of life. In this way, we open ourselves up to the connection that feeds our hearts and nourishes our souls. All of life is a sacred ceremony, and when we connect to and live by this truth, we live inspired lives—every day.

If you are in the San Diego area and would like to participate in our Winter Solstice Ceremony, mark your calendar for December 21st and get more information on the event here. And if you would like any assistance or support in creating a ceremony for a special occasion, feel free to email me at info@shamanicsoulcenter.com.

Don't Wait for Happiness - Do This Instead

Those of you who have been part of the Shamanic Soul Center community for a while know that I am a big fan of dreaming BIG. I’m also a huge fan of transformation. The two go hand in hand for me. When we have a vision of what is possible, a vision of what our hearts and souls yearn for, we want to transform a present day reality in order to realize that dream/vision.

It’s a wonderful process. Sometimes it can be very demanding and challenging because it strips away layers of beliefs, patterns and ego that no longer serve us. But it can also be beautiful because in the process, we become better versions of ourselves and experience the great rewards of spiritual growth.

A problem that can arise in the process of change/growth is that we put our happiness on hold and make it contingent on the end result of our efforts. So, for example, we think we’ll be happy when we have that beautiful relationship our hearts long for, or when we have that dream job we’ve been working towards, or when we have a certain amount of money in the bank, or when we get the healthy/fit body we want, or when we move into our new home, etc.

The two problems with this approach are that we make our internal state of being dependent on external factors and that we wait for some point in the future to experience positive feelings. Thus, happiness is often just around the corner, or if it’s here, it’s fleeting and dependent on things outside of our control.

We don't have to fall into the trap of waiting for some elusive and fleeting state of future happiness. There is a simple and effective solution to this problem. 

What is that solution? 

It’s to focus on cultivating joy in the present moment and stop chasing a future state of happiness. We may think of joy and happiness as being pretty synonymous, but there is a big difference between them. Joy (as opposed to happiness) is an internal state that we can cultivate with practice and self-awareness. 

Joy consists of opening our hearts and appreciating all the beautiful blessings that we already have in our lives. It’s enjoying the little moments that we often rush past on our way to tomorrow. It’s accepting what is with grace even as we dream of a better tomorrow. It’s looking at ourselves, our lives and the world around us with wonder and awe…because it all truly is miraculous when we stop to think about it.

Joy is not dependent on external factors and it can be experienced at any moment. Being in a state of joy is simply a muscle we develop. The more we practice it, the stronger it gets, and the more of it we can enjoy. 

So, my invitation to you is not to stop dreaming or to stop going after your dreams with all your heart. It’s to stop chasing a fleeting happiness that’s dependent on some external factor. 

Instead, I invite you to choose to welcome greater joy and appreciation into your life right here, right now…even as you move towards transforming some aspect of your reality. In doing so, you truly get to enjoy every step of the journey instead of waiting to get to the destination to be happy.

How to Transform Fear Into Love

What am I choosing to bring to the world?

This is the question Gabrielle Bernstein invites us to ask ourselves in her book May Cause Miracles. The premise of her book is that we can create miraculous shifts in all areas of our lives by turning our fears into love.

In the final week of practices, she points out that in healing our fears and choosing love, we bless the world and create new energetic patterns that foster the spread of love, light and transformation to others.

I have come to believe that much of the journey to personal healing and transformation is really about healing/releasing our fears and transforming those energies into love. Along this path, I have learned many techniques for letting go of fear, and I use at least half a dozen with my clients and students.

Today, I would like to share a simple yet powerful shamanic technique for transforming fear into love, courage, confidence, joy, trust...anything you'd like to welcome into your life in place of fear. I learned the foundation of this technique from one of my teachers, Jose Stevens, and I have integrated some of Gabrielle's Bernstein's methodology and others I've learned to create a really powerful practice.

Here are the basic steps for this technique:

1) The most important thing to cultivate is awareness of the underlying fear that you've gotten hooked by. One of the best ways to do this is by observing yourself. Pay attention to when you don't feel good...maybe irritated, sad, frustrated, anxious or afraid. Notice it and realize that most likely some underlying fear/wound has gotten triggered.

2) It's very difficult for most of us to simply be with our feelings, so we often try to escape, numb or avoid them by turning to unhealthy coping patterns. When you feel yourself doing this, sit down and tune into what you're feeling and get ready to explore your feelings by either talking to your heart or doing some stream of consciousness writing.

3) Then, get quiet and grounded in your body and ask yourself the following kinds of questions: "What's wrong? What's upsetting you? What are you afraid of? Where's the hurt coming from? What's the deeper fear behind everything you're feeling?" It's amazing what insights you can have by simply pausing and exploring your feelings and thoughts.

4) Once you get to the heart of the issue, recognize that the underlying fear is just an energy. You don't have to let it control your actions or feelings. To put this fear in perspective and release it, see it as an energy that's outside of you and separate from you. And then in a very neutral way, speak to it saying, "You have no power over me." With that one statement, you are beginning to take your power back. 

5) Then, decide what you would like to welcome in place of the fear. Perhaps love, courage, joy, confidence, power, peace, or something else. And ask, "What would it be like to experience this from a space of love (and/or courage, peace, joy, or whatever qualities you've chosen)? What would that look like? What would that feel like?" By asking these questions, we bring curiosity to the situation and open ourselves to more positive possibilities.

6) As you put your question out into the Universe, allow you heart and mind to wander and imagine feeling those energies you want to welcome in and living your life from that space. I find this visualization of the emotions and whatever images come to mind to be very healing and inspiring. It shifts our energy to a higher, better-feeling state.

7) To close, seal your intention to live life from a space of love, courage, joy, etc. by saying, "Today, I choose to live from a space of love (and whatever other qualities you want to welcome)." You can use this phrase as a mantra you repeat anytime a fear thought comes up, and you can add even more power to your intention by then taking some action forward that is loving, courageous, etc. 

This is a beautiful process that gains power with practice. It's like a muscle you develop...the more you use it, the stronger it gets. When I first began working with the basic technique, I didn't feel the shift right away, so don't worry if that's the case for you. The act of intending to release fear and welcome in energies of a higher frequency is powerful and with practice, you will feel the transformation. 

If you have any questions about the technique or would like additional support in releasing fear or anything else that no longer serves you, I invite you to email me. Big hugs and many blessings to you on your journey.

How to Clear Your Mind and Create More Time

One of the big obstacles that stands in the way of us living our dreams and experiencing lasting happiness is the frenetic pace at which we live these days. Many of us feel busy, rushed, overwhelmed, and anxious all too often. We are living at maximum speed and capacity, so there is little room for life's little (or big) surprises and curve balls.

Over the years, I have developed solid spiritual and self-care practices to help me stay more grounded and centered in the midst of the hectic pace that is our modern world. However, I still find that I can very easily get caught up in the quick pace and busy-ness of life.

I am blessed in that I get to press reset multiple times a year as I leave my surroundings for shamanic retreats and ceremonies. Each time I experience a reset, my desire for slowing down and taking more time to simply be is renewed.

Earlier this month, I took a few days solo retreat in the beautiful redwoods of Mount Madonna, and during that time, I made a conscious decision to stay offline. I put my phone on airplane mode and turned the WiFi on my computer off. At first, this was a little challenging...a bit like withdrawal. 

But staying offline just for a few days really allowed me to slow down my monkey mind and feel a great sense of peace. I also didn't feel the need to rush anything. I felt so good that on my drive home, I decided I would try my best to take a short daily tech break and a little longer break each Sunday.

I've done this for the past three weeks, and it feels AMAZING! My head feels more calm and clear, and I feel like I've been able to create an abundance of extra time for myself. Here's the simple layout of what I've done:

The practice I've developed is to stay offline a total of 9 - 12 hours from late evening to about 7 or 8am daily plus all day Sunday until 6pm. I haven't been militant about this. If I realize something has to be done during that timeframe, I'll use my phone, but I try to have anything that isn't truly urgent wait until I'm ready to get back online.

The key to having this work for me is that instead of turning the ringer on my phone off as I did in the past, I now put my phone on airplane mode and I turn the WiFi off on my computer. This allows me to use the notes function on my phone to jot down things I don't want to forget and also to write reflections on my computer.

Doing this one thing for the last three weeks has felt incredible. At first, I was genuinely stunned to realize how good it felt to regularly and frequently give my mind a break and to enjoy real rest without distractions. It especially has transformed how rested I feel after the weekend. 

I've always taken Sunday as a rest/reset day for myself, but staying offline has taken it to a whole new level. I get an amazing amount done and feel I have oodles of time left over. It has made me realize how easily I had previously let me precious free time get squandered by overusing technology.

If you find yourself feeling stressed and rushed, I invite you to give tech breaks a try. After the initial resistance and withdrawal, I guarantee it will feel good. The simple act of staying offline can lead to a significant drop in your level of anxiety and give you a much greater sense of having an abundance of time on your hands.

I know, even as I write this, that some of you may feel that it's not possible for you to do this. But I ask you to keep an open mind and experiment with it. Most of us these days have multiple devices that we rely on to help us stay connected in very essential and critical ways for both our personal and professional lives.

I, for one, love my smartphone and computer! I'm amazed at all the things they help me do so easily and quickly. But, I can also very easily get sucked into checking them way too much. It's so very easy to get addicted to our technology, and that can really create a lot of clutter in our heads as well as a constant sense of low-grade anxiety and urgency.

So, I'm not proposing you ditch any of your devices. I'm proposing that YOU take charge of how and when you use your devices instead of having the devices continually tugging at you to check this or that. Like most good things, it may take some experimentation to see what works best for you.

The basic concept for giving your mind regular, uninterrupted rest is so simple and amazingly effective. As you try it, I invite you to email me to let me know how you're doing. I'd love to hear from you and support you in any way I can.

You Are So Worth It

Do you ever have trouble doing things that you know are good for you? Like exercise, for example? Eating well? Taking a break to get more rest? Staying away from that addiction?

Do you ever hesitate in fully pursuing your heart's longings? Maybe making that change in career you fantasize about? The move you'd like to make? Or telling someone you love them?

These are just two examples of the many ways we can hold ourselves back from fully committing to doing, having, or being what we deserve. Why is it sometimes so hard to do what's good for us or take the risk to make a positive change in our lives?

There are, of course, a wide variety of reasons. One big one is that doing things requires effort, and it just feels too hard to put in the effort at times. Or we might feel we don't have the time, money, resources or opportunity to really do what we want. And maybe we fear change or the risks involved.

I think behind all these reasons is another, often hidden, obstacle that holds us back from showing up for ourselves. I think there's a part of us that doesn't feel we are worth the effort or that we deserve what the change would cost in terms of time, money, resources, etc.

This idea of self-worth is something I've been working with since I went on my pilgrimage to Mexico in March. As part of the pilgrimage, we hike up to a sacred mountain at dawn in order to do a sunrise ceremony at the top followed by prayers. 

My prayer this year was to really own my worth and to embody it fully in my life. Working with this idea through shamanic practices, prayer, ceremonies, and healing sessions has been so enlightening.

It's brought my awareness to the many seemingly little but important ways in which I sometimes don't give myself my very best in terms of self-care, time, love, attention, kindness, compassion and understanding.

I find that when I'm working with something, the Universe brings me many opportunities to put it into practice and also many confirmations along my journey. This happened recently in a yoga class when the teacher spoke about self-care and said, "You are worth the effort."

The words really resonated with me, and she repeated them each time she nudged us to push a little more to hold a pose longer or stretch a little deeper. Hearing her say, "You're worth the effort," hit home and inspired me to give more of myself to my practice.

Since the class, it has become a favorite mantra. When I feel some resistance and want to take the easy way out, I say to myself, "You are SO worth the effort!" It's amazing how that little saying inspires me and helps me take the right action for myself. And I end up feeling great each time.

So, next time you hesitate in being good to yourself, remind yourself that you are so worth the time, effort, money, risk, resources, or whatever else it will take to do what's good for you. And then take immediate action and enjoy how awesome it feels to show up for YOU.