End of the World

with the End of the World steadily approaching, we're all wondering what will become of us come December 22nd, 2012. will Jesus return for the Rapture? what will happen to all the Christmas presents you bought? will there be some crazy implosion of Earth or maybe a worldwide earthquake that ravages every major metropolitan area and then the inevitable Zombie Apocalypse ensues?

i don't think any of that will happen, at least not to the scale that would constitute the End of the World. maybe it'll be a combination of all these things; Jesus will Rapture some, Christmas presents will all evaporate, the Earth will quake only in certain regions and the Zombies, who already have control, will continue to consume the brains of the average citizen.

much like Y2K and other arbitrary end-of-everything dates that passed and nothing happened, nothing major will occur this week other than the annual Winter Solstice and a piddly ol' Galactic Alignment that doesn't happen but for ever 26,000 years or so....

yet, the Winter Solstice is enough of an astronomical event to make a fuss over every year. all over the world we celebrate the death and resurrection of the Sun. the 21st is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the Sun remains in this position for three days until we begin our journey back into the Light; incrementally increasing the amount of daylight until we peak on Summer Solstice.

it's no wonder we celebrate, either. Winter is long and difficult and before of all our mod cons, your chances for survival over Winter were slim to some. the last feast before the fast was meant to not only fill tummies, but also the hearts of the community, to reinforce the group on every level, thus increasing their chances of survival. think about that when you're gathered around the table this holiday with your family. consider how many Winters your ancestors had to survive to get you here...and how many others must have died along the way.

every year-end means the End of the World.
and the Beginning of the World.
it is the Death of those things that will not survive the Winter...
and the promise that the Spring will bring to us Life anew.

here's a link to a favorite astrologer of mine who provides frequent updates to current astrological events and an easy to understand interpretation of those events.

so, in Light of the End of the World and the Death of our current paradigm, steady yourself in meditation, journaling, kindness to self, and celebration with family and friends.

blessings on your holy days!

Dead Crow

the other morning i was on my way to school when i found this dead crow in the road.

i read that it's good luck in some places...like Russia.

Dark Night

sometimes…life is hard. hard like when you're riding a skateboard, cruising along a familiar sidewalk and you're so sure of your way that you completely miss the little pebble on an otherwise-smooth stretch of concrete and you go from cruising in real time to falling in slow motion to >>>SMACK<<< your whole body is suddenly acquainted with the finite qualities of concrete.

and it's hard. and unforgiving. and it hurts. knees, hands, elbows were all thrown in front of you to catch your fall so they get the brunt of the pain. scrapes and road rashes tell the tale and remind you every time you move again, i look back on my old journals and i see countless occasions of having to confront the concrete reality of our world - bills, debts, obligations, joblessness. situations i've gotten myself into and out of go in obvious circles and cycles. summarily, success follows and eventually back down to the valley and back at the foot of another mountain to climb.

walking through this dark valley has been full of disappointments, fake-outs, surprises of all kinds. its piling and mounting weight eventually becomes overwhelming and i can no longer bear the burden of another stark reality being revealed to me. i become crushed under the heaviness of the dark nothing of things not known and succumb to the weight of the void. i take a deep breath and disappear forever into the abyss, becoming one with dark matter. i imagine the darkness and me hurtling through vast, open, empty space, shot through infinite blackness in search of indefinite light. tearing through wormholes, exploring eternal extremities.


when things get shitty, you can almost plan on them getting shittier before they get better.

the darkest of night is just before dawn and all that.

eagerly, i await the dawn.

Life's Little/Big Lessons:

You are what you eat.
You are who you hang out with.
You are the only one who decides these things for you.

Trust your instincts. All the answers are within!
Love yourself. At the end of the day, you're all you got!
--->And you can't really love others until you love yourself, right?

Challenge yourself. Otherwise, the Universe will do it for you.

The Void

"nothing exists in the void."

That Which No Longer Serves Me...

i wonder if the snake feels pain as it sheds its skin?
i wonder if he misses the skin he sheds?
i wonder if the new, fresher skin is sensitive to light, heat, and rough terrain...?

fact is, the new skin has been there all along, developing the strength to break out into the world and have its go as the premier layer of protection. and the snake probably doesn't miss the old skin much, since the shedding is required for growth. as if scratching an itch, the snake rubs himself against a rock until the layer to be shed becomes torn, and works its way out of the shell of skin. the new skin is vibrant and the snake is free to grow until the next shedding.


"May I Shed Like The Snake, Frequently Letting Go Of The Things That Keep Me From Growth And Growing. May I Enjoy The Process Of Shedding As I Look Forward To The Changes That Come With Growth. Shedding Old Skin Means That New And Vibrant Skin Can Be Revealed. I Allow Myself To Freely Shed My Old Skin And Reveal My New Skin!"

I Am The Snake. <--Read about Snake as Power Animal

image from here

dealing with darkness?

here's some excellent advice for dark times from someone who knows a thing or two about darkness.
healing starts within. perspective is everything. i love the plethora of lessons found in simple guidance.

Focus

focusing on focus.
finding the focus.
chasing the focus.
and the subject shifts.
and you have to refocus.
and refocus because everything always changes.
paring down the distractions, it's enough to breathe, drink water, and eat nutritious food.
this is the daily focus.
that it comes so readily in our world makes it a non-issue and we're sent up the pyramid of essentials and into more daily focuses. work, relationships, friendships, and our new online obligations.

http://visual.ly/how-focus

so, in addition to getting back in touch with the essentials - the breath, water, food - shedding the things that no longer serve me frees me up to focus on the things that do. i'm finding the focus. when i look back on my past i see very much how every little choice i've made has led me to my present moment. and that's all i have. and that's all i will have when future moments become present moments. and all the choices i've made will carry me along into my future.

it's exactly like that sailing ship analogy my dad always told me growing up. it goes something like this:

when you set sail for your destination, the course you set might not be the course that you take. there are a lot of factors along your journey; wind, current, sail, the ability of the crew, inclement weather conditions...a slew of things that you simply cannot change once you set sail for your destination. the decisions you make as captain of your ship are in how you steer your ship from moment to moment. how you respond to the change in wind, making the tiny changes in your sails and rudders you decide how and if you will stay on course. the sea will always change, the weather will always change. the wind will always change. for better or worse, change will happen...the only thing you can do is steer your ship, prepare as much as you can, keep an excellent and experienced crew on hand, and keep your destination in focus so that no matter the course, you are always able to reach your goal.

thanks Pop. i dig it for reals now.

Focus gets shit done. It gets the vessel and her crew through the storm. And it keeps the ship on course. It maintains the safety of the crew security of the cargo. Focus gets you to your destination, no matter what changes along the way.

Retrospection!

rest, relaxation, reflection and recreation. they all involve a re-turn of sorts, the "re" prefix re-minds us to take another look over our work, to go back and double check everything before moving forward. as we approach another Mercury Re-trograde re-member to clean out your literal and figurative closets, re-pay debts, tie up loose ends, finalize projects, and do the inner work that we are often called to do during these times - re-set, re-group, re-focus....re-joice and re-peat!!!

Urban Survival Kit!

found this great little adaptation among Altoid hacks:

click here to view the original with a comment thread that explains each item.
Fun and practical! :)

Becoming More Myself

on the path of becoming more myself, i have encountered a number
of detours along the way. diverging from my track to explore other
territories, derailed by doubt and fear, coaxed from the trail by
curiosity, boredom, misguided hope, laziness....

i often stray from the spiritual path...and am quickly reminded
of how much more difficult Life is when i try to be something i'm not.
when i follow in another's footsteps, i lose sight of my own.
where i've been, where i am and where i'm going all gets lost
in somebody else's idea of being. all of a sudden, i look up and
i've wandered so far from my own path that i can't even see
what set me off track in the first place.

that's when i realize that it's all part of the journey.
the detours and divergent paths of distraction are
opportunities to practice what i've learned
and more importantly:
to learn what needs more practice.

it is this crucial lesson that is to be
 brought forth by such wanderings...
to become illuminated by imperfection.

basking in my own humanity i am reminded of my path;
of my own, personal journey to perfection
of becoming the perfect me
...which i already am.

remember:

a drop of positivity has the power to turn the tide 

in an ocean of despair.

Enjoy the Moment

enjoying the moment takes practice.

ya gotta practice paying attention.

being present.

and joy.

practicing all these things at once is kinda difficult.

so how do we even start?

and why?

the beginning of attention comes with focus.
focus on the task at hand

the people you're with

the space you're in.

being present is more than paying attention to
what's going on around you,

it requires your participation in the moment...

to fully engage yourself and your senses and your thoughts... 

to weave yourself into the fabric of now and what it's made of.
realize your breath...
unite with each involuntary inhale...
experience each imminent exhale...

the practice of joy brings the joy of practice
and joy begins with gratitude.
gratitude for the breath, for each passing moment, for lessons learned...
it brings us peace with our past that cannot be changed
it delivers us to our future, happily anticipating the unknown.

enjoying the moment isn't a magic trick
that suddenly brings enlightenment.
it is the practice that is, in itself, the enlightenment
because all we have is here and now.

New Moons

the uncertainty piles on and on.
every morning, infinite possibilities...
every night a hope for something perfect.

i wobble between hope and fear.
hope that i have chosen my path well...
fear that i have not.

hope, again, in the knowing that
there is so much i do not know....
fear that, in not knowing,
i've already missed my chance.

Hope rises, Fear falls...
Sunrise, Nightfall

Fear comes from Uncertainty...
the Void, the all consuming Darkness.

it's not fear that makes us uncertain,
it is uncertainty that makes us fearful.
not knowing everything scares us.
Not knowing the future, or our power or which way to turn
or what our choices will mean five minutes, five hours,
five years from now.

that's why all we have is Here and Now.

the New Moon is the time to plant seeds.
this is one of the most practical applications of being
present in the moment...

the Farmer knows when it's time to plant the seeds,
under the Darkness of the New Moon...
the Farmer walks up and down each row in the field
throwing seeds deep into the fertile soil.
if the Farmer were not present in planting those seeds,
there would be no food to grow. the Farmer must
be present in each stage of the process to achieve the
greater goal - Harvest for Subsistence.

once the seeds are planted, the Farmer must wait
patiently while the seed takes root. under the New
Moon we also learn rest. to chill out from the heat
of the daily hustle and bustle and to go within.
much like the seed beneath the wet, dark earth -
we require the Darkness to grow roots.

with each Sunrise, the seed is coaxed from the ground. the Light begs it forth, demanding growth and beckoning Life. with each Moon Phase the roots extend deeper, seeking nutrients, water, rest...soaking in the Darkness.

Remember to be present in the Dark of the New Moon.
Plant seeds in Season and with Love.
Tend to your Garden - water it regularly with Love and Compassion. Treat yourself gently and kindly knowing that "you reap what you sow" and what is done in Dark of New Moons will be revealed in the Light of Full Moons....that the plants that spring up from the soil of our souls are the products of our presence in each moment.

Take a moment to make a list of EXACTLY what you want from Life.
Don't be shy...write down elements of your Perfect Life. 
Put this list up somewhere where you'll see it multiple times a day.
Imagine yourself ALREADY having or ALREADY doing these things and watch your dreams unfold. 

Happy Planting!

decide to pay attention

all the secrets of the Fear Machine are being exposed. people agree more often that a fundamental shift is required to make right the litany of wrongs in our world. that shift is happening within each of us. that's our responsibility. be present...breathe...in each moment. in that God moment. in that moment when you realize that we're all connected to the great source of Light and Love and the Journey is the Prize. and in the darkness where things are unknown..each dark moment is our opportunity to love and trust ourselves and the Universe for all good things. today in my meditation i learned that "it is the Darkness that allows Life to flower and flourish."

We need that break, that change...the Feminine aspect...the Moon that changes daily...to go within...the Darkness like the womb...the void...the beginning of life. when we're born it is the Light and Breath that make the baby on the outside different than the baby on the inside. that's it. Light and Breath. and when we wake up it is because the Light wakes up our brains. our Breath shifts, a deep inhale and exhale prepares the body for the Awakening...to greet God's Only Sun whose mercies are new every morning. the Sun does not change as frequently as the Moon....the Sun is Masculinity - it is external, it is fierce, it changes by degrees throughout the year....it lights the way and gives us the spark of Life....

and truly...it is the balance of Sun and Moon, Masculine and Feminine, External and Internal, Dark and Light, Breath and Death...that make up all of Life on Earth. a beautiful spiral of sacred knowledge that is self-evident when one decides to pay attention.

Power Animals/Animal Totems

Recently i asked the Universe for a personal practice
and inclined myself to the desire to learn more about
Animal Totems or Power Animals and my Ancestors.
What followed were a series of events that allowed me
to explore all these things.



I began to look up all my animal sightings throughout
the day...and as i encountered animals i began to connect
with each animal; to engage them, to harmonize with
their being. Butterflies, lizards, birds, dogs, cats, dead animals
on the side of the road. And the more i searched, harmonized
and studied, the more sightings and messages i began to receive.
Here are a few of my favorite sites for animal totems and
their meanings:

Shamanic Journey
What's Your Sign
Star Stuffs



I spent a few weeks visiting the "folks back home" which gave
me a heavy dose of ancestor study. Driving those familiar roads
i kept seeing dead raccoons on the side, so i asked for a live encounter.
Within 48 hours i was waiting for a ride outside, late at night, when
a big raccoon visited the nearby dumpster. I sat with him for a while,
watched his methods, his grace and strength...I watched until he
waddled off and laughed with gratitude for the live encounter.

Being in a different region allowed me to explore other animals;
cardinals instead of lizards, locusts instead of monarchs, fearless
dragonflies, birds of prey and a stray dog from out of nowhere,
who sat in front of me in a very intense moment of transition.

Upon returning home to LA, i took a little trip down to my beach to
reconnect and perform a ritual asking my ancestors to join me
in my current location. I waded into the water and just as the
wave pulled out, the sand particles settled, and the water cleared,
i saw three stingrays moving along the sea floor.

Open your heart to animal totems and allow the spirits of our
animal brothers and sisters help you and guide you on your
path. This is a great meditation exercise for discovering your power animal:

Denise Linn takes 8 minutes to help you here.

and here's a fun little quiz you can take to find your power animal:

Pop Quiz! Find your Power Animal!

You can use your power animal to tap into the oneness
of the Universe. It's not magic. It's using focus and
knowledge to increase your power in the present moment.

The themes are similar; adaptation, transformation, the connection
between the sleeping and waking dreams....it is the finer points of each
animal spirit that helps us learn and grow and follow our paths with
help and faith and courage. it's what makes a kitty cat a kitty cat and
a stingray a stingray. and it's those par-tic-ular differences that make up
all the beautiful diversity of all the things in the Universe :) kind of a
happy little spiral of logic, but shit....it's all about the journey and the
present moment anyway, right? so enjoy each butterfly, each lizard,
each bear, spider, squirrel, fly, mosquito, puppy dog, and kitty cat.
give thanks to the animal spirits that sacrificed their existence to
nourish your body. honor their energy by being kind to yourself
and others. feel free to comment on your animal experiences!

love, light and all good things

ask for help

i have been seeking help from my subconscious entities
for guidance and answers for about a year.

during meditations, a test, even when doing homework
or regarding finances,  i have a panel of spirit guides
that i can call upon for help, answers, healing,
revelation, comfort, wisdom....

recently i have been visited by a bald eagle.
we took flight together and as we soared over the sea
and up towards the high cliff, he showed me his life - how

he feeds his family, their nest and perch.
we talked, perched up on the edge of the cliff, looking down
over the earth and sea below us. he was like a grandfather,

showing me the world before it - or he - passed away.
i asked about our fate as humans

here on Earth, about Earth herself, but Grandfather Eagle
only shrugged, smirking with wisdom. i was quiet.
then he looked up at me and said,
"Everything is as it has always been."
Then we took flight again as we toured the entire world -

Dense Forests, Massive Deserts, Jagged Mountains,
Infinite Jungles, Flowing Rivers and Oceans.

in another visit, we simply soared together, our silhouettes
dancing against the bright orange sun, swooping and diving
into sky, rising effortlessly towards the heavens.

i am grateful for these visits. i accept the freedom of the eagle.
the eagle is the bridge between earth and sky - i ask for help
from the eagle to go between earth and sky with ease.

excerpt from my personal studies:

as i continue to explore my role in society without the expressed guidance of a single elder or guru to show me the ways of shamanism, i've set out to read and study as much as possible the ancient history of those who have gone before me. today while reading Shamanic Voices: a survey of visionary narratives i found this paragraph to be informative and uplifting:

"The shaman, a mystical, priestly, and political figure emerging during the Upper Paleolithic period and perhaps going back to Neanderthal times, can be described not only as a specialist in the human soul but also as a generalist whose sacred and social functions can cover an extraordinarily wide range of activities. Shamans are healers, seers, and visionaries who have mastered death. They are in communication with the world of the gods and spirits. Their bodies can be left behind while they fly to unearthly realms. They are poets and singers. They dance and create works of art. They are not only spiritual leaders but also judges and politicians, the repositories of the knowledge of the culture's history, both sacred and secular. They are familiar with cosmic as well as physical geography; the ways of plants, animals, and the elements are known to them. They are psychologists, entertainers, and food finders. Above all, however, shamans are technicians of the sacred and masters of ecstasy." - pages 3-4

Updated Vision/Purpose....

From 2001: "Ephesians 6:19-20. I will preach the Gospel wherever God sends me, speaking the Truth with boldness in the city...I will mobilize believers to the mission field, equipping them with a burden for the world. I will reach out to the youth of America and abroad, tearing down the idols of the world from their lives. I will live a selfless life, making the decision to take up my cross daily to follow Jesus. I will be obedient to follow the will of God for my life by taking risks and walking in faith, according to the Spirit of God...and I will know the will of God through a personal and intimate relationship with Him. I will give my gifts and my life away for the sake of the Gospel so that the name of Jesus shall be exalted among the nations."

When I was 19 years old, I wrote this as my "Vision" or "Purpose Statement" at the end of a 3-day fast from food and talking. I'm not a Christian anymore, but it still resonates in my heart. I'd like to modify it a bit to reflect the 11 years of growth and change since:

"I will act in Love wherever I go, speaking Truth with boldness in the city...I will mobilize others to fulfill their Dreams, equipping them with a Love for Life. I will reach out to all people in my sphere of influence and live a selfless life, making the decision to have Compassion on myself and others; to Love myself and others. I will be obedient to follow the path of destiny for my life by taking risks and walking in faith; in accordance with my own desires, passions, life goals, values, and Dreams. I will know my path through a personal and intimate practice that fulfills and satisfies me. I will offer my gifts to the Universe so that Love and Peace shall be exalted among the nations."

that's better :)

as i step out into uncharted territory, i cling to what i know is true.
the language changes, but the truth remains; in some ways it is strengthened by the metamorphosis...hardy from years of tests and trials.

Do you have a vision/purpose statement for your life? > If not, don't wait - jot some dreams down today!<
When was the last time you updated your vision/purpose statement?
Has your language changed since you first put it to paper?
How? What have you learned?

seeking truth

when something is true, it's true whether you like it or not.
it's true when the going gets tough.
it's true in the height of your realization of truthfulness
and in the depths of your doubts.

truth is something that you circle back around to
after exploring the multitudes of mis-truths, half-
truths, and outright lies...and everything in between.

truth is usually the option that's not given as an option.
much like election season, we are forced into choosing
the lesser of two evils; choose the truth that hurts less.
but the truth of the matter is that we have far more
options than the ones given and apparent.

in truth-seeking, have you found ways to sift out
lies and expedite the process? what techniques
do you rely on when gauging truthfulness in
self and in situations with others? what parts of the
body are engaged in dealing with matters of truth?

i find that sleeping on a matter helps me sort out
facts from truths. since they're not the same thing and
so much of both rely on perspective, it helps to bring
my thoughts to the table of my sub-conscious for
assessment. meditation also works, especially if you
require quick results. ask a spirit guide for help or use
a physical symbol such as a stone or favorite desk toy
to bring your focus and awareness to the matter at hand.

by tuning into the truth of all things, we begin to realize
the connectedness of every thing in existence. hopefully
this leads us to greater compassion for self and others and
ultimately, the manifestation of the truest truth; which is love.

take your own advice...

as i peruse my old journals and doodles and notes and jots, time and time again i see how i knew all the answers before they became apparent to my consciousness. muddling through the details, sweating the small stuff, wondering how ever in the world was i going make it through....

looking over old texts, clearing out emails and messages, i also see tons of answers to my own questions...making me further realize that all that i need i already have within me. sometimes i just have to take my own advice.

do you look over your old journals and notes? what do you see throughout the years? do you find this kind of information useful?

if you see patterns of negativity in your personal paper trail, you can change your present course by saying (or yelling) "ok, self...listen up!! we're gonna change a few things around here, but it's for the better - so your cooperation at this time is greatly appreciated!!!"

if you mess up, forgive yourself and move on. each moment is a new opportunity. if you hit a wall, change your definition of success. make your goal something you can easily accomplish in a day.

somewhere, buried in all of us, are the all the answers we'll ever need...since we're the ones who make the questions in the first place.

facing fears through acupuncture

once during acupuncture i was not quite halfway through my session and i was starting to become fidgety and irritated. i took a few deep breaths, entered my dream body and swam to my Garden (the place in my subconscious where i go for healing, adventure, wisdom, understanding, answers, and also the place where i meet my Wise Counsel and where i enter and exit the Upper and Lower Worlds). I entered my Garden and was immediately drawn to the whirlpool of black snakes that has been there since i began my journeys within. despite my usual petrifying fear of snakes, i dove into the whirlpool and allowed the snakes to engulf me. i died a thousand deaths as the snakes covered me and i reappeared to be covered over again. i saw a snake eat me whole, shit me out and eat me whole again, repeatedly. at one point, i realized what i was imagining and just to test my fears i allowed a large snake to wrap around my neck and kill me. this happened a dozen or so times. i went back in time to particular memories of encounters with snakes and i readjusted my perceptions - i changed the dream. i felt that i had encountered the very ancient practice of acupuncture. suddenly i felt a pain in my hip. i looked down as a snake sank its fangs into my left hip, sucking the pain/negativity from my hip and shitting it out of his body in the form of rusted nails and screws. the session came to an end and i re-entered my physical body. i had a ton of energy that night and woke up early the next day still feeling refreshed. such a powerful experience!

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Beginner's Breath

as we encounter the onslaught of information each day, our brains process each bit of data according to importance. if you're at work and 'in the zone,' you're not going notice the gatherings at the water cooler or another pot of coffee being made...but when you need social integration or a break, these things will come to the forefront of your attention and distract you from the task at hand. likewise, when mediums such as television, magazines in the grocery check-out line, billboards on your commute all tell you what to be and how to be that thing and what product you need to get you there, don't think that you are immune to its message. depending on your mental state, you may be more or less susceptible to the message of the mass mediums of our day.

set your focus on positivity and allow the positive of each bit of data flow through you. acknowledge your emotions and your reactions throughout the day. if you're angry, you might really just be hungry or thirsty or tired. examine your actions throughout the day....are you eating enough vegetables and drinking enough water? are you getting enough rest and sleep? did you know that rest and sleep are not the same thing? do your actions reflect your lack of breathing into each moment or are you calm, cool, and collected despite adversity? what kinds of situations make you hold your breath or induce shallow breathing? remember that it begins and ends with the breath, so using it to move through difficult moments is as helpful as it is in keeping you alive throughout the day....it's just that you have to think about one of them.

combine your thought with your breath. the best way to begin is to set an intention and then inhale and exhale 10 times, thinking only about each breath as it is happening. don't worry if it's perfect, we'll get into the intricacies of breath work soon...just take a moment to think about your breath today, give gratitude for this involuntary reflex that keeps Life in us! BREATHE!

the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step....this is step one, y'all

wondering and wandering, i finally looked up the wiki definition of "shaman" and a couple things caught my attention: shamans are either born into the craft and mentored by an elder family member or they are self-proclaimed by personal experiences of severe illness and self healing. shamans also tend to be of the "two-spirit" variety, clinging neither to their assigned sex nor its opposite, but moving fluidly through gender roles and expressions.

as i read, it struck me that i come from a long line of healers and i overcame a terrible flu that should've killed me, with the help of friends and my own desire to continue living. i also consider myself of the "two-spirit" variety....riding the thin line between yin and yang, i embrace the duality of my existence.

shortly after proclaiming myself an "urban shaman" my girlfriend searched for a book for me to be begin my studies. she found a book called Urban Shaman! i considered this a good sign and set out to study. within the first two days of reading, i caught a bad cold that was going around. i pressed on and used some of the exercises to heal myself...within 3 days i was well again...others with the same affliction suffered at least a week before shaking it. the power and simplicity of this handbook blew me away. at times, i could only read a few pages before having to set it down and let it all sink in.

quickly, i began practicing on myself and others. seeing tremendous results in myself and having a confidence in my ability to facilitate the same experience for others, i put myself out there with child-like abandon. it actually didn't matter if what i did for people actually worked or didn't, i was expressing myself with love in a way i hadn't been able to do in many years...to genuinely offer love to people and their hurt and apply the healing energy i know i have within me to the present moment and sharing that vibration with others. first you gotta believe, then you gotta do the work, all i can do i hold a place and facilitate the movement of energy.

i'm continuing my studies and practice and with each success and failure, i become more and more confident of my role in society. it comes with the same kind of pressure of not knowing what you'll be when you grow up...but you just relax and realize that it doesn't actually matter. you'll just be who you are, but older.

the way of the adventurer is a harmonious path, inclined to love and confidence and positivity. the battles are adventures, evil is just the other side of good, and bloodshed is a symbol for cleansing, not a death sentence. as we transition from duality to unity, we are changing rapidly. the inner work is what counts...loving self and others, thinking positive thoughts, being happy with all things as they are.

thank you for reading. may the good things of the day bring you happiness and the hard things of the day make you smarter and stronger. each obstacle is an opportunity, it's all in how ya look at it.

The Seven Shamanic Principles of the Hawaiian Way of The Adventurer

Seven Shamanic Principles from the Hawaiian Way of the Adventurer:
IKE
1. The world is what you think it is.
- Everything is a dream
- All systems are arbitrary
KALA
2. There are no limits.
- Everything is connected
- Anything is possible
- Separation is a useful illusion
MAKIA
3. Energy flows where attention goes.
- Attention goes where energy flows
- Everything is energy
MANAWA
4. Now is the moment of power.
- Everything is relative
- Power increases with sensory attention
ALOHA
5. To love is to be happy with.
- Love increases as judgement decreases
- Everything is alive, aware, and responsive
MANA
6. All power comes from within.
- Everything has power
- Power comes from authority
PONO
7. Effectiveness is the measure of truth.
- There is always another way to do anything