Monday, October 13, 2014

Giving Thanks to Those Beings Who’ve Come Before Us



Just this past weekend, I went to a Sweat Lodge close to my community.  Each time I go to a Lodge, I know I’m going to walk away with a gem of wisdom or transformation that will carry me for a long time.  This one was no different.  

I learned more about the traditions of the stones coming in – known as Grandmothers and Grandfathers.  By being willing to join us at the Sweat, these stones are offering their long kept wisdom and knowledge that have been stored within them for hundreds of years.  By heating and awakening them, they provide us with the energy and guidance to grow as people.   I asked the Sweat Lodge Facilitator how to tell the difference between a Grandmother and a Grandfather stone.  She said that the stones that break are Grandmothers because they are opening up their hearts.  What a gift! I was reminded that the traditional role of the masculine is to create safety and protection so that the feminine heart can open and bless the world. 
She also affirmed something for me that I have felt for a long time. That women who do not have children by middle age are destined for Spiritual Warriorship – that we have come into this lifetime to fulfill our purpose in a different way.  This gave me great meaning and truth of my journey so far of being misunderstood or pressured by others to have children when my soul knew that this was not what I was meant to do. I was here to bring in something entirely different into the world. Hence, Blossoming Heart Intuitive Arts.

At this ceremony there was a theme coming up about tyrants and perfectionists.  I asked the Facilitator why it is that I seem to attract tyrants in my life, explaining that I have a tongue-in-cheek joke that if Hitler were alive, he’d end up falling in love with me.  No kidding! I’ve attracted the most intense male energies that have made me feel anything but safe.  The facilitator said that there is something within me that is attracting this because I am too hard on myself.  Which, when I looked at how I danced with the tyrant, in ways where I would unconsciously allow them to be dominating and overpowering and send me into self-doubt, she was totally right.  

The issue of the perfectionist also came up in the lodge with a woman who had a hard time extending kindness towards herself even though she could extend it to others.  Sound familiar to anyone?  The inner critic that doesn’t allow us to make mistakes, is on-guard 24/7, and tells us we have to be more – whether that be more beautiful, thinner, sexier, wealthier, more talented, more interesting, more creative, etc. It’s so bloody exhausting!  And it stops us dead in our tracks and blocks us from simply experiencing the flow of love in our lives and to make choices that feel good and full of ease.

Everyone in the lodge could relate with this harsh energy in our lives, and praying to not be so darned hard on ourselves.  Because ultimately mistakes can simply mean failed expectations – either yours or another’s – and clashing standards of reality.  For example, I am NOT a clean freak. And this has gotten me into all sorts of trouble with people who are, what I would call, control freaks because of their Mr. Clean standards.  I could beat myself up and tell myself I have to improve this part of myself, etc. etc. But the reality is, I don’t care that much about having everything squeaky clean.  In fact, I prefer the flow of people, art, and fulfilling my life purpose than I do about scraping the egg off the pan and would just leave it to soak when it’s easier.  So who is 
right and who is wrong? No one. Just different standards.

We came out of the lodge with more self-acceptance and letting go of this intense energy that has blocked our natural selves and created a whole other matter of havoc in our inner lives and relationship with the world.  We thanked our ancestors, the Great Spirit, Mother Earth, our Guides and all beings that supported us for this sweat which opened up so much more unconditional love in our lives.    

So this (Canadian) Thanksgiving, I say” thank you” to you – the people who have entrusted me with your life journeys of healing and soul development in all areas of your life and took the risk to try a spiritual approach to your decisions.  And I would encourage you to put your hand over your heart, hold it there, and say “Thank you” to yourself for desiring love, kindness, courage and your soul’s greatness in the world.  We need more people like you who care about living a life that is more caring, purposeful and connected to your relationships. Please know you deserve treatment that is gentle and kind, even when it needs to be confrontational about any habits that do not serve your greater good.

If you are interested in connecting to and gaining the ancient wisdom of your ancestors, please consider joining me at a Soul Constellations Gathering.  It is a group ceremonial event rooted in shamanism, psychodrama and energy healing.  It is nothing short of profound and allows you to walk away with greater insight and strength for your life journey.  There is a woman’s gathering coming up this weekend on Friday Oct 17th in Peterborough: http://blossoming-heart.ticketleap.com/soul-constellations-weekend-for-women/
and a Pay-What-You-Feel gathering in Guelph (a mixed gathering) on Sun Oct 26th: http://blossoming-heart.ticketleap.com/soul-constellations/

Because we can always use more wisdom and heart opening in our lives….

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