We can only speculate about what lies ahead as we begin a fresh new year and set course for a new decade. The wisest idea is “SMILE” no matter the negatives swirling around us; a smile is the brain’s signal to believe we are happy and things are good, regardless of all else. Sounds simple. Try it for yourself; you might even burst out in hysterics looking at the “grinning idiot” in the mirror; I did. While there are times when it seems even harder to put our positive foot forward or find that positive spin on our lives and events. Even though the stories and images of gloom and doom seem to fill priority spots in the news, there are many that may be given page 2 or 3, but certainly do go a long way to out-weighing the negatives. While I do not wish to belabor the positive vs negative things at every turn of our life paths, there is one truth that needs to be remembered -- Finding balance in life requires both positive and negative, like a fat, naught brat on the dark end of the teeter-totter that does his best to out-weight the skinny, happy kid on the other light end.
Imagine the physics in that picture for the basics we all learned in simple science classes (for some of us many years ago). Their teeter-totter won’t be moving much if the brat has ALL the weight and control and soon has the thinner, happier kid crying and stuck off the ground. (laugh at the imagery now, please!) At least, the analogy might put that smile on your lips enough to frighten off any adversity!
Just one more thought on the negativity all around us. From a metaphysical standpoint, that negativity is simply the other end of the teeter-totter of life and all is various craziness and changes that make it LIFE on this beautiful, unique planet! Although most people prefer to focus on only the light/positive end of the scale, we must remember that -- as my mother always said when something or someone bad happened along; “it takes two to Tango” Funny, how long it took me to understand that was not just a dance world reference; but it applies to so many aspects of life yesterday, today and into the future. Just remember that the chaotic events and negative ideas afloat in the world are “NECESSARY EVILS” for tragedies and even violent acts are the catalysts that help RAISE THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE PLANET. It would be nice if the positives were able to do it all by themselves and achieve the balance for our world “teeter-totter”. It is up to each of us to choose positive action and thought to keep alternatively pushing off the ground on our end of the board to eventually achieve the goal of a balanced fulcrum for the whole of the animal kingdom and mankind--and that’s the end of basic science lessons for today; aren’t you glad I never learned trig, too?
If we all believe we can make a difference, it will be so! The answer lies in discovering our unique gifts, skills and roles in this lifetime on this planet and dimension. Here on the Earth plane, we do not have to do anyone else’s part or live up to other’s expectations. Our true spiritual path is simple -- to awaken as a soul having an Earthly experience in its current vessel (body), as well as seek the awakening of the “shaman within”. It is that inner voice of heart wisdom that will guide us to our personal sacred purpose. This may be inspired by taking a symbolic Shamanic journey according to the way it best fits with your belief system or personal intuitive directive from either within or from our angels, spirit guides or loving ancestors. That journey is a symbolic and imaginary/meditative journey that features our death and rebirth, leading ultimately toward a place of deeper longing for more connection to higher realms or simply seeking the path of a healer, reader, medium or spiritually motivated writer, etc. This journey is a choice. But, one that will raise personal vibration and likely make many changes in your life that you might not be prepared to take if not prepared. I would advise seeking an experienced teacher or book and thus be prepared before beginning the process.
For the rest of this blog, I want to share some insights I’ve collected that I hope will provide you some inspiration or perhaps get you thinking more about some topics that abound nowadays, needing our positive input, thought and most importantly our prayers and energy directed toward them (a skill we all possess without much training beyond the knowing we can do it and it is ours for just by being human). I will share some quotes that I find especially valuable for the start of a new decade and hope you will find inspiration or reasons to consider on their topic further …
Wolf Clan, Seneca Nation, Grandmother Twylah Nitsch, once said: “Don’t worry too much about the world. The world will be here long after humans are gone. The waters can heal themselves over time, the earth’s surface and air will heal over time, but we may not be here to see it.”
Let me add to her words: to truly heal this planet, we must first heal the hearts and minds of human beings, beginning with ourselves--thereby, placing trust in our ability to awakening that “Shaman Within.
Perhaps you have been on this spiritual or mystical path for many years or perhaps you are a beginner who wears “new mystical shoes” that need breaking in before you are courageous to stride onward and literally upward. Either way, you need only to do what your heart inspires; while I know that sounds simple, sometimes it isn’t and that’s okay. As a reader, I am seeing a lot of people out there who have just had their wake-up call. They will soon realize what the others have known for a while; they will begin recognizing on a planetary scale, the signs that are all around us of the need to heal ourselves on many levels and then apply our wisdom and positive energy to change the conditions in our world. I believe there are many synchronistic things happening to us (including for all people and the world, in general) every minute of every day -- in the -- NOW.
To keep that trend going, I believe it is important for us to learn at the deepest level the concept of -- “Power With” versus “Power Over”. Power With comes from a place of love and its counterpart (back on the teeter-totter?) Power Over, comes from that of control and disconnection. We are creatures of both light and dark (maybe a sort of teeter-totter exists in our mind or heart; that’s one for the metaphysicians to debate over?). As we contain both positive and negative aspects, would it not be logical to assume we mirror the above world example (or it mirrors each of us?) and learn life’s greatest lessons from the dark side of us; knowing our wisdom rises us of both as we learn to understand and find inner balance from the work we do with and on both?
We are truly becoming co-creators in the now; and, as present day shamanic beings helping to envision and invent the future rather than becoming a passive byproduct of it. In order, to awaken that inner shaman, we need a crack in our outer armor and a willingness to step out of the box. Often this happens with a trauma, such as addiction, divorce, loss of job/career, serious illness or spiritual/mental crisis -- a real dance in our darkest corner of the heart/mind. This sort of thing usually takes us to a place of wondering and sensing there is something larger and then a longing for connection and then comes the remembering of soul purpose within. When this happens, we may even unknowingly (or in dire circumstances possible loudly) send a spiritual message out to the universe to that something beyond the human ego. Something like -- “I am open to Divine assistance from God, Goddess, the Higher Power, Creator or other Divinity of any Belief system.” This is often entitled the “sacred marriage” between the human and the Divine. Once one reaches this point, they realize they cannot do it alone and must surrender to that higher power; then, begin noticing how synchronistic happenings begin to appear everywhere -- i.e., some may refer to this as the coincidental resonances found without looking in books, heard on radio or TV, life happenings and our dreams and the intuitive things that just “pop to mind”.
All clear enough evidence that the inner shaman has heard the call our call to awaken; thus, receiving the messages and guidance from the Higher Power. On that thought, let me conclude this blog with the following and a hope that this new year will bring each of us a personal version or understanding of this truth --
When Buddha was asked if he was a god, he replied he was not.
When he was asked if he was a saint, he replied he was not.
‘Then what are you,’ he was asked.
“I am Awake.” He replied.
