July 2024's Soulful Living & Wisdom Periodical offers a personal note about Shamanic Practices, and thoughts, insights, and experiences related to health and living a holistic, or 'medicine path'.
We hope you enjoy the full version of your July 2024 - Soulful Living & Wisdom Periodical now available on the blog site of Integrative Therapies & Consulting. You're invited to share what inspired you, personal experiences that resonate with the topics, and uplifting thoughts in the comment section below.
A Personal Note about Shamanic Practices from My Soul to Yours...
In the world of shamanic practices, there has been a process of growth and expanding awareness. Because shamanism is a way of life - a method or practice - it has also been changing, evolving, and spreading for the benefit of others across various cultures and belief systems. It is calling forward the sacred that resides in everyone, who has a desire to answer a greater call, and way of being, as a human that is physical experience manifested within the soul of our true nature.
In some parts of the world, shamanic practitioners believed in full transcendence of any connection to the aspects of the ego, or the energetic and emotional self. This was thought necessary to experience a level of non-attachment to our illusory world of real experiences - and of self. And believed this to be true freedom that should be mastered to live fully as an incarnate spiritual being. It transcended them past the human experience, which led to no longer utilizing the purpose of conscious expansion via the vehicle of our time-space reality, which is the purpose of being.
Embodiment - being present, aware, and in the body versus just in the head/intellect is freedom. It isn't reaching for escapism from the body, physicality, and the world. Being an embodied being, we utilize the higher awareness we have and expand it by being more fully present and doing so consciously, through full interaction, compassion, and engaging the sensory and energy systems of the body and the soul, synchronistically.
In modern medical science and psychology, we have learned how the body systematically repeats patterns identified as trauma to the development of the brain and nervous system, that can be reprogrammed somatically - energetically. This has been understood in the majority of shamanic practices as well. There is value in the various exercises and methods, that many cultures have practiced, often referenced from the Eastern Philosophies, understanding that we incarnated into this time-space reality and the physical form with intention. Returning to our soul awareness of this invokes the freedom we seek outside of ourselves.
INSIGHTFUL THOUGHTS...
This means that learning and practicing presence as a means to being fully embodied is the purpose of our existence. This is what invokes our evolution which is an element of being eternal beings.
In all transparency, sometimes I have felt this was pure nonsense or unimaginable to attain in this lifetime with any level of satisfaction, particularly when I would continually review experiences in this life that, for lack of a better description, just sucked, seeming to have no control or say about circumstances. However, I understand that is a flawed premise, and I am compelled to share a broader viewpoint that may offer some insight into moving around and, more importantly, through our erroneous thought patterns.
First, let me say, we do not have these beliefs because we are bad, stupid, lazy, or flawed in some way. They are just learned patterns and misunderstandings. As we recognize them, we have the power and aptitude to change. This is the evolutionary process.
One of the elements to understanding the value in our expressing and experiencing through this physical reality is to be willing to recognize our innate value and worth, regardless of the stories and programming we've picked up in our human conditioning. A way to do that is to intentionally catch and redirect the patterns of thoughts that tell us any differently. This isn't something that we will do once, and it's done forever more. To live consciously means to practice self-awareness consistently. This is an aspect of living on the 'good' road, or shamanic pathway.
My journey in this deliberate practice of being self-aware, and consciously expanding, is the intention I came into this physical form with. Being aware as a conscious self without form before birthing into our perceived sense of separateness of physicality, creating a conscious personality, I knew with great precision that I AM that which I choose to be in that moment. There is only, ever, just the now moment. At that moment, it was being identified as a conscious personality formulated into, what we call, our physical reality, as a human 'being'. However, it was without determining factors that come with finite expectations, such as how, when, where, and all the details we tend to associate with conscious manifesting.
That is where some of the misunderstandings tend to arise, as our definitions get muddled around natural laws. Manifestations are natural - innate, eternally transpiring. That never changes, regardless if we are 'conscious' of it, or not, just like gravity. It's happening all day, every day. Our seasons, plants, and the cycle of life from the worldly standpoint, are evidence of that.
Paying attention to creation gives us the evidence we desire, to know that we are - everything is, intentional. Because we are/it is - here intentionally, purposefully - it is/we are, innately of value, worthy, and a part of the grander 'puzzle' if you will. Therefore, important. We do not need to 'prove' our worthiness, value, importance, or purpose because life - existence itself, is the profound, undeniable, unshakeable evidence that it is so. We are life consciousness, temporarily and deliberately, expressed as a human form (or whatever form in all of creation).
So one of the exercises I do, and if you so choose, I invite you to do as well, is to remind yourself of that - and live in alignment with that premise. When you do so, you will see a shift in yourself, thereby producing a shift in your outer experience that reflects what you truly believe of yourself and all of existence.
This is a step in fully embodying your life, as life itself, knowing itself, and consciously, joyfully, expanding itself.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER ASKING FOR YOURSELF and DISCUSSION...
In what other ways do I feel I could bring myself back to the present moment?
What thoughts do I catch myself believing, but realize aren't serving me?
Are the thoughts or beliefs I'm having now about myself, someone else, an event, or a circumstance helping me to be kind, compassionate, and gain clarity or insight?
Are my beliefs (on whatever topic arises) allowing me to recognize my path of least resistance to my improvement or desired - preferred, changes in myself?
How are my thoughts, words, or actions uplifting, allowing, and encouraging of myself or others?
For now, I leave this with you. May you discover the blessings that are already before you, and within you.
Insight into "health and healing in the way of the medicine path"...
Living according to a conscious, holistic (as possible), 'medicine or shamanic path' to everyday living, health, well-being, relationships, and how all is interrelated, means looking at how the body, mind, and spirit are harmonizing, or any disharmonies that arise related to illness in the body, mind, emotions, and relationally. I invite you to explore this topic with me, as I share my recent experience and some insights below.
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My family and I enjoyed celebrating with my niece and her, now, husband, who got married a couple of weeks ago at one of the campgrounds I had the joy of attending growing up. It was a wonderful time, not only spending time with family, and getting to know new family additions through the union of their marriage, but also spending time in one of my favorite places - the woods, camping - and at a place that I have many fond memories of.
Returning home from the wonderful weekend, I was looking forward to a fulfilling, yet busy, week with events, client appointments, leading groups, volunteering, and so on. And then, the day after getting back, my body experienced getting ill with a virus that made its way through the body in the head, sinuses, chest, etc.
So, needless to say, everything was changed for the entire week, to my displeasure and frustration. Yes, as we say, life happens. We can see it as happening to us (which, for a moment I did), or we can choose to see how it is happening for us (which, I opted to do).
The holistic-embodied approach, or following the ways of contemporary shamanism, called me to consider how the body may be responding to any pattern of beliefs that trigger the hormones and immune system to get out of whack. It also calls me to utilize food as medicine, the herbs, and plants of nature, and tune into Mother Earth for grounding, healing, and guidance, along with my oversoul and Source within.
Generally, we look at what events and underlying emotions (old wounds or pain that may be unprocessed from youth, or recent) are ready to be seen, thus processed, metabolized, and released. To my chagrin, though the wedding weekend was most joyful, I recalled a couple of old hurts arising that I could tell did not apply to the current experience. Though I mentally acknowledged them, I didn't take 5, 10, or even 15 minutes to truly process them. And like it or not, I had been allotted more than enough time to process all week, which I did.
Additionally, I addressed the physical needs with rest, compassion for the aspects of self that were ready to release old patterns, and to the part of me that was angry for being greatly inconvenienced on one of the busiest weeks (in the most positive way), that I was looking forward to. I focused on nutritionally dense, medicinally viable foods, along with herbal supplements, tinctures, and decoctions. Grounding - earthing, along the way.
Meditation and mindfulness practices included being present, in the body, and listening to the body, energy centers, and meeting the needs that came into my awareness to attend. I discovered how my biofield energy was out of balance from unstable points where [energy] cords were tapped into my field, so to speak, and lovingly removed them. It is only through compassion and love that low energy frequencies may be removed and adverted back to the original owner, or the Earth to be recycled into renewable, and beneficial energy. Staying in the lower frequency of fear, hate, resentment, anger, cynicism, etc. is the same frequency, which magnetizes it to you even more.
It is not uncommon for us to energetically (and most always unconsciously) tap into one another through regular interaction. It tends to happen when one or the other feels low energetically in some area of their life experience (mentally, emotionally, or physically), and they do not understand themselves well enough to direct their energy field and centers to clear them, and naturally replenish by Source Energy, Universe, and Mother Earth. It can also happen in positive, and uplifting interactions. Because, let's be real, good energy feels good, and we always want more of a good thing. Regulary balancing and realignment are a part of consciously implementing compassionate self-care. Some may be more sensitive or energetically aware of the shift in energy, than others, by nature, and practice. And, as you can see, it is beneficial for all parties involved.
Working with food and herbs medicinally, some of my go-to items for support in releasing viruses from the physical standpoint are raw local honey, raw organic garlic, organic ginger root, colloidal silver, and non-gmo oil of Oregano. Each of these individually, and collectively, are natural antibiotics, as well as having other powerful healing properties. These also have vibrational frequencies that correlate with their medicinal benefits, which serve us in that way, as well.
I've learned that what you believe works for you, will. Not by wishful thinking, but by faith, confidence, and actively tapping into the unifying field that shows us how we're interrelated. If you question your methodologies, decisions, and beliefs to support you, then doing it anyway does not serve you. Your path of least resistance is to take steps aligned with what you actually do believe in, even if it is not your preferred route. As you incrementally expand your trust and faith in your preferred route, applying the practices that strengthen those metaphorical muscles, then that will become your new path of least resistance, and one of most allowing for what you need, at that moment.
The 'medicine or shamanic path' has helped me to see how everything is interrelated, how to honor it and honor wherever I am on my journey, at any given moment, within any given topic. It means accepting all aspects of being - human, shadow, spirit, oversoul, physical, nonphysical, the good, bad, indifferent, the busy, the mundane, the beautiful parts, and the not preferred parts.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION...
What experiences have helped you realize how everything is interrelated?
Does working with nature, plants, herbs, and the Earth's energy, resonate with you? If so, in what way?
What do you do when you realize an old hurt or wound still affects you in your present moments?
What is your preferred means of self-care in similar circumstances, and what way is more believed by you?
Are your belief(s) about (fill in the blank) helping or hindering you or your well-being in any way? Can you correlate it to what you're feeling in your body, health-wise, or emotionally?
Do you have a question about anything I've shared here? You're welcome to post it in the comments below too.
I look forward to hearing what you have to share and answering any questions that might arise.
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Remember to "live in AAWE" and let YOUR light shine through soulful living and wisdom.
Expect Blessings,
~ Josephine
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