A Story of Empowerment

As CBS News corespondent Steve Hartman once said, "Everybody has a story." Each story is as unique as the individual. Some stories have mysterious twists and turns to the plot while some have tragedy, romance or wonder. They all have one thing in common. Nobody has to be defined by their story.

In the shamanic practice story is a powerful tool. The shaman, often referred to as the Master Storyteller, will work with a client to help them see that while the events and relationships that have occurred within their story are undeniable and very real, the amount of power we give to them is always within our control.

So many times this depends upon our perspective, our willingness to let go what is no longer or has never served us and to embrace any gifts or lessons that have come our way from the unfolding story and its energies. We can use these events and relationships to propel us forward, to grow and expand and learn more about ourselves, or we can use them to keep us stuck and in a victim role. Authoring our story and choosing what to emphasize, to serve as fodder to our life's journey and to what we want to call our truth is where the power lies.

When we reflect on our life story we can find the places that serve as traps for us. Think back to your past, note the memories that come up, feel the emotions that are attached to them, pay attention to the energy of your body, and note how your soul feels? Your body, mind and soul can help you to discern if your story is empowering for you or not. Anger, guilt, blame, sadness, fear and bitterness will weigh us down and our story is not serving us as an effective tool. But if we find in these reflections peace, fondness, honoring of life lessons and trust of the future then we know we have done the work to move forward in a healthy relationship with our story.

How do we step away from the negative emotions and energies of our life story? There are many answers to that question, but the first step that will lead in the right direction is learning how to create a new version of the story. We have the ability to choose how we will continue to react to what others have done to us or what they have not given us. We have the choice of whether to stay stuck festering about a life event that was not fair, tragic or life changing or not. We can look to these places for insight and lessons, learn to walk away with this and apply it to our current moment and take it along with us. All the while, we then leave behind all the negative energies, the wounded ego, the guilt or shame that does not encourage our soul's growth.

Learning to find a life story that is empowering, supportive and has possibilities give us a chance to step out of our past and be fully alive in the moment. It gives us the ability to be open to all the options and opportunities that life will offer. It affords us to embrace the energies of forgiveness. When we become engaged in the role of author of our life story, we no longer leave it up to others belief, actions or energies to dictate what our future holds. Instead we are in charge and we can bring all our creative energies and dreams to the story of today.

Blessings, Lisa

Evolving

As with many spiritual practitioners, the shaman understands that one has to put more than just intention into one's evolution. It seems for most people the desire to expand to grow, and to move forward is a natural one. Transformation is sometimes born from dreams and hopes, often from pain and struggle and our soul beckons us onward.

As a shaman I see the unfolding of the transformation. The longing and desire to respond to the soul's call, the inspiration and influence of the guides, the coming together of the energies that surround and support us all taking part in the formation of the "medicine" necessary for the next step along the path. The seeds are planted, but the nurturing needs to take place for the growth to occur.

Bringing all this together, whether through ritual, practice and ceremony, and applying it with intention the manifestation begins. Intention is of the mind. We need to do more than just think about how we want things to be different in our life. Action is directed by the energies and the guides. When we engage this action with our intention then the shifts begin to occur. These changes are not always what we anticipated. They are sometimes quite challenging, especially as we break out of our comfort zone. Often times they are questioned by those around us, as we approach our day to day relationships and tasks from a different perspective. But they are necessary.

Evolving into our most Soul Self needs the combination of the two factors; thought and action. We all know how thinking about a new cleaner way of eating does not make it happen. We need to make healthier food choices, change our cooking methods, or perhaps alter the quantities that we eat. Just thinking about it, talking about it and wanting it or intending it...does not make it happen. The evolution is not complete. So it is with our soul work.

Whatever we are seeking to change, to grow, to release or to embrace of our self on a spiritual level requires us to listen closely to the direction of our soul. That intuitive voice that challenges you, that inspiring thought that tugs at you, those dreams that you have where you see your new self doing or being what you are hoping for...all these are thought activators and change making moments for you to adopt.

Shamanism brings together the beauty of the possibilities of evolving to our soul. It supports the bridge between intention and evolution by bringing together the thoughts with the energies, the inspiration with the guides and the dreams to the reality.

Blessings, Lisa

All It Takes Is One Small Step At A Time

One small step is progress. It is moving forward, changing the perspective, the energies and our options. We have to remember to not always get too focused on the big picture. Living that way can often cause overwhelm. It can often be discouraging. And we can lose our motivation, our connection to inspiration and our awareness of the smaller lessons and gifts along the way.

Each day we are given possibilities that can impact our soul's journey. We are given opportunities to engage with new energies. We meet new people. We have fresh moments of pause for reflection, rest and regeneration. Each day we are afforded twenty four hours to dream, to re-invent, to negotiate and to discard what is no longer needed or not the right fit. Our life unfolds, day by day, moment by moment. And yet time seems to fly by.

So many times we get caught up with the big picture, the ultimate goal, the grand scheme and by doing so we lose so much. There are moments of wonder woven into the fabric of each day. There are tremendous lessons that will save us the waste of time, energy and more. There are people who are crossing our path that are meant to inspire us, support us and celebrate us. There are gifts the Universe has planted along the way, waiting for our discovery and appreciation. But if our vision is only set on the far distant horizon, we become unaware of these special moments.

If we keep a story in our mind that there is tremendous work ahead of us, we grow weary. If all we tell ourselves of all the years of effort, tremendous lengthy strategies and required stages before we can have what we hope for, to achieve what we long for, or to reach this projected destination on our path, we lose our energetic commitment. Instead, we can chose to focus on just one small step at a time.

Each step we take is of value and can carry great intention. Each step can be celebrated and honored. Showing up in our life with this perspective keeps us engaged with the energies of the present moment; our now. We embrace the gifts that come our way, we value the lessons that will save us as we move forward and we cherish the relationships that inspire us.

Being present and appreciating the importance of every single step we take allows us to make the most of this beautiful gift of life, instead of forever focusing on the some day in the future. After all, life is meant for living, not waiting for.

Blessings, Lisa

The Sacred Ritual

As a ritualist I often will turn to my practice to bring alignment to my needs with my hopes, to highlight intention in my actions, or to shed awareness to my words. Doing so establishes an honor to my efforts and an energy to them as well.

Rituals can be found in many spiritual books and websites. My most favorite and often most effective are those though that come from my own being as they have my breath in them, my heart and passion and my longings and awareness. Some rituals have many layers to them and can be quite deep in process and ceremony, while others gain tremendous power from their simplicity.

Rituals can be done to honor seasonal intentions, life's rites of passage, healing opportunities and more. They can be done at specific times of the day, phases of the moon or during significant life stages. I think that rituals can be as unique and splendid as the person acting upon them.

For some, the word ritual creates a snag, yet we are surrounded by them in our day to day lives. Many have rituals that they perform around the holidays, for example. Take the kissing beneath the mistletoe or the breaking of a turkey's wishbone, these are rituals. Rituals can be done at life events such as the tossing of the bride's bouquet at a wedding or the showering of a mother to be at a baby shower. Rituals also can be quite sacred and based on a person's spiritual practice, such as the various rituals we perform at the time of a loved one's death.

The next time you are facing a major life event, try creating a ritual that can honor this passage. Bring to the ritual specific intentions, honor from where you have come and to where you are going on your life's path, or choose symbolism that helps embody the essence of this time for you.

Perhaps a ritual can be created to honor an intention you are setting for yourself. Where do you want to focus your energies? Are there colors that, for you, create powerful meaning about this? If so use them. Is there an action that you can do that embodies this intention that you can incorporate into your ritual?

Bringing your creative self to your ritual planning allows you to incorporate so many different things that can have great meaning to you; music, family artifacts, images, colors, flowers, crystals, food and more.

Bring your playful soul out and allow it to dance with the sacredness of your ritual. See what comes to mind, what awakens and what longs to be honored. Whether it be small and private or more festive and community based is up to you, but the sacred act of bringing ritual to your practice can create a tremendous amount of power, healing, beauty and celebration to your moment of recognition. It will most certainly create a memory making event out of it so that you can often recall the intent of the moment, the special role it played in your life and the way in which your brought your soul's energies to your spiritual practice and life event.

Blessings, Lisa