Embracing the Chaos

I sat in the chilly air to drink my coffee and listen. A morning ritual of connecting with my Ancestors and the Spirits of the land. Today things feel different as I experience the social unrest. I hear the pain, it is palpable in the air and I can feel it in my heart. I have witnessed being sad, anxious and strangely excited by it all. I closed my eyes and heard “Embrace the Chaos” along with the birds and the breeze. 

In my mind's eye I was shown a pool of blood. Unresolved wounds from our past asking to be healed. What we are experiencing is natural. A response to an imbalance and lack of respect that has been lingering with us for centuries. Nature will always find a way to come correct and balance the scales. I find it eye opening where my mind goes. Attachment to how the city that I call home has been vandalized, it won’t be as beautiful as I have grown accustomed to. Its wrapping paper and bow have been ripped to pieces and I see myself judging it. More concerned with my comfort then what is actually being expressed. I see myself justifying my feelings by sympathising with the small business owners that must now deal with the aftermath. I have become comfortable with the growth that this city has made, the prosperity it exhibits and the opportunities it provides. Funny I don’t see this chapter as growth right away. 

Being more concerned with the comfort and beauty is part of the issue and I can take responsibility for that. As I dive a little deeper it is connected to what is being called white privilege. I can recognize that. I don’t know what it’s like to be a person of color in this country. It hasn’t been my path to experience that in this lifetime. There is no doubt I can’t even begin to fully comprehend the pain of those that have experienced prejudice, genocide, bigotry, or the theft of my culture and sacred lands. I am by today's standard very privileged and I’m clearly white. It totally fits.  It isn’t my story to carry shame about who I am or where I come from. I don’t and I won’t. However, I do realize that it means there are things I don’t comprehend.

As I received this insight I also understood that for me to judge any part of what is happening would be to feed the original issue, the illusion of separation. Every one of the people that has taken to the streets in protest is me. Every looter that has stolen and smashed windows is me. Every cop that has protected or killed is me. Every leader that has failed or successfully led their nation is me. For me to judge any of it is to judge myself. We are seeing what has been bubbling under the surface for as long as we can remember. This is the perfect storm. All the ideal circumstances to create enough pressure for everyone to finally decide enough is enough. I honor what is happening and offer gratitude as it is what it is.

My story is that we can’t be on the wrong path, it’s impossible. It may not look the way we want and it may not be comfortable to see what we have brought into reality but we made this. All of us. Finger pointing and blaming will only create more of what we are resisting. If that is what we choose that is our choice and is fine. It seems we are asking for something different as a collective. However, too get a different result we must take a different action. What if we embraced what is happening with compassionate courage? What if we took responsibility for our part in supporting the story of separation no matter how justified we may have felt it was or is? Of course, you are welcome to throw this directly into the trash. But what if you didn’t? 

Photo by Audrey M Sheldon

My intention is to hold safe and sacred space to honor what is. To take responsibility for my part.  Surrender to it. Look at it. See it. Feel it. Allow the heat of the flames and not walk away. My intention is to hold space for our collective highest and best, for a return to ourselves and remembering that we are all connected to each other and to the land. I play the drum, I burn the sage, I put my hands in the earth and I listen to the hearts of those that confide in me. I offer light and encouragement as well as a bit of hard truth when needed. The world needs each of us to hold a space large enough and powerful enough for all that is happening for the collective to evolve. We are ready to shift. Can you feel it? Now is the time. 

As Healers and Shamans I believe we are being asked to allow the chaos without judgement. It is our responsibility to our communities and ourselves to navigate in the darkness without fear. This is what we have been preparing for. To truly let go of our opinions and see the suffering that is being expressed in the world. A world acting from wounding and trauma. We are being asked to witness it. To listen to it. To allow it. And to love it unconditionally as it does what it must to find the path to wholeness. This requires something big. It means dropping all the reasons why we feel justified to forget everything we know at a time when that wisdom is needed the most. 

If you come away from this offended, forgive me. Forget you ever read this article and keep moving. Those that resonate with me, listen to your heart and do what you do. 

Sending Prayers to us all for liberation from suffering and separation. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. 

Introduction to Developing Your Intuition: Part I

I initially began this blog post a little darker than I usually do. Perhaps it’s the times we are in, maybe I was feeling dramatic that day. Who knows, but after rereading it I realize once again that what I want to put out into the world is light and love. So I am rewriting the introduction to this article on developing your intuition. Why do I feel like this is an important subject? I believe that if we all learn to not only listen to our intuition but to follow it, our lives and our world will shift in deeply powerful ways. It already has as more and more people are waking up to themselves.

There is something that connects us to the vastness that is the known, and unknown, aspects of our lives. What we call this, and how we connect to it, is very personal. God. Universal Intelligence. Great Mystery. Collective Consciousness. The Field. So many names, so many ways to attempt to understand what we all seem to inherently know to be true - there is something that pervades behind all of Creation. What we call it, and how we work with it, is up to us. My belief is that our connection to it resides within. Everything we have ever needed, or wanted to know, about how to move through our lives to a place of wholeness lies in the development of this sacred relationship to the Higher Self. One way to point to this is to call it intuition. Our personal connection to knowing. This article is an attempt to begin to dive into this vast subject of allowing our inherent inner knowing to rise to the surface. The purpose is so we can begin or rather continue to allow it to shape and guide our lives from a place of compassionate surrender and confidence. In my experience, magic lives in this place.

Where to begin?

I ask myself this as I’m writing. There is so much here but my intention is to simplify it so that it really is an introduction. Something that is approachable for anyone that wishes to set the intention to develop the connection to the Self. With that in mind, I will begin with what my intuition is telling me right now. I hope this information is helpful and I’m always open to feedback and questions. To even begin the conversation there are a few prerequisites, or some things to think about as we consider how to connect to and allow our intuition or inner guidance to rise into a place of focus. With these I have included some suggestions for journaling. I encourage you to sit with these ideas and write about them, see what is true for you. A powerful tool for connection with your inner wisdom.

Step 1: Set the Intention and Ask

The first step on any journey is to set the intention. Take a moment to ask yourself why you are feeling called to this information at this time. Share what is coming from your heart and ask your intuition to rise to the surface in ways that you can recognize and process. This sets the foundation for everything else. Depending on how far along you are in your journey you may even want to ask your Ancestors and Spirit Guides to assist you. There is so much support for us that we can’t see but is definitely there if we are open to working with it.

Step 2: Unlearning & Questioning

The most important step I have ever taken in my life was investing in the belief that I carry within me everything that I need to live life to its fullest. I don’t need to explain myself, justify my choices, make excuses for where I’m different or give my power away to anyone, ever. This process was, and continues to be, one of unlearning and liberation. I could go deeply into the unlearning process, but all I will say now is that we all have things that we need to unlearn; things that we agreed to that aren’t actually suitable for our Spirit to thrive. These could be agreements we made with our family, profession, culture, or religion to name a few. We are often unaware of these deeply imbedded agreements. When we begin to give ourselves permission to question them, it’s amazing what can happen. It takes courage to question, so be gentle with yourself. Always. Asking questions about core agreements can unearth a lot. Take your time. Don’t rush. Trust the process. It can shake us to our core but what is discovered on the other side is what I believe life is truly about. Freedom. To be, to do and to express our authentic magnificence.

Journaling Exercise: When you read this what are the first things that come to mind. Don’t sit with this at any length. Put pen to paper and write the very first thing that comes through without question. Don’t be afraid to allow what shows up to come to light. Developing compassionate courage is very important in this process. It’s always the first thing that is the most important. Get it out and on paper. Be with it. How do you feel about it? Where did it come from? How has it shaped your life? How might you do it differently? What is your Spirit asking for?

Step 3: Learning to Trust Yourself During this unlearning process I discovered something powerful. I began to trust myself. Tapping into our intuition isn’t going to help us much if we aren’t willing to trust what comes through, and learning to trust yourself is a huge part of the process. Here are a few suggestions to assist you with developing this very important part of the process.

• Emotional Navigation: How we feel matters, a lot. Our body is constantly telling us things about what’s happening in our lives by spreading feelings of wellbeing or lack thereof. What if the anxiety, depression and other emotional imbalances you are feeling are actually there to tell you that something needs to change? Are you willing to consider this? I check in with my emotions on everything and if something isn’t feeling “good” then I make a different choice. I have learned to develop the needed communication with those that are close to me so that they also understand this is how I operate. For example, if I make plans to do something but it comes time to follow through on the plan, if I don’t feel good about it or I’m in a different place I communicate this with those that are involved. Those that are close to me understand that this isn’t personal, nor is it me being flakey. Instead, I have given myself full and complete permission to make a different choice, if needed, in the moment.

• You don’t need to know why: We often are concerned with wanting to know why we feel a certain way about something. Turning it over and over again in our minds trying to figure it out. I invite you to let that go. If you need to make a different choice about something or make a choice you didn’t expect and this makes you uncomfortable, why is that? What agreements have you made that perhaps need to be reconsidered? Unlearned? Renegotiated to better support your authenticity and willingness to trust yourself.

• Allow All forms of information: I invite you to allow your imagination, your inner child and whatever else wants to show up, to be a part of this process. How we receive information from our intuition is different for everyone. Some hear things, some know things, some see things and some feel things. Our ability to discount this valuable information is part of how we as a society have gotten where we are today. We, as children, were often taught to discount our inner knowing because it didn’t align with the cultural, familial or religious agreements we had been asked to make. Learning to allow the subtle information to flow and to listen to it is an important part of trusting ourselves.

Journaling Exercise: Where are you afraid to trust yourself? Where do you rely on what you have been taught or told to be true, afraid to dig into it for yourself? Perhaps there is a fear that what you find will be too much. Again, I encourage you to write down the very first thing that comes to mind without question. You don’t need to know why. Let your journaling reveal to you what is lying beneath the surface. Trust yourself! You can handle anything that comes to light, it might just be the thing that liberates you.

Step 4: Pay Attention

This world is a mirror, a reflection and a creation of our own making. This is a whole subject unto itself but I mention it here because as you set your intention to receive communication and guidance from your inmost self it will come from everywhere and anywhere. Here are a few things to pay attention that may very well be your intuition or inner guidance coming through.

• Nature as our Guide: Animals, plants, clouds, and any other aspect of nature is here to teach us, to show us we are all connected. Pay attention when the crows come into your yard. Listen to your garden, what is it sharing with you? Or the squirrel that sat and stared at you for what seemed like a strangely long time. Listen. Not with your ears but with your heart. Everything in nature is communicating with us and will show us how to listen to the subtle messages meant to assist us on this path of liberation and wholeness, if we are willing to listen.

• Synchronicity: When we are in alignment things to fall into place effortlessly. Pay attention to this. To me it is a signal that I’m on the right track. In all honesty, you can’t be anywhere else but synchronicity is a message that tells us we are on point in the moment and to keep going. Give gratitude in that moment for validation from Creation that you are in the flow and this is a powerful place to be. Allow it to be so.

• Dreams: This would be a wonderful time to begin keeping a dream journal. Keep it next to your bed and when you wake up after a dream jot down anything that you remember. This is a powerful practice of taking notice of what is unfolding in your subconscious. By doing this you begin to learn the symbolic and archetypal language that is spoken to you by your unconscious and subconscious mind. We are also often visited by ancestor spirits and guides in our dreams. It’s a wonderful way to open ourselves to these relationships.

Journaling Exercise: Think back to a time when you felt you were in the flow. How did it feel in your body, mind and spirit. What led up to that feeling? Were you making a big decision or lIfe change of some kind? Write down what comes to mind. Write down any memories you have had when you felt connected to and supported by nature. What was happening? What do you remember. And finally, have you ever had a dream so powerful that it influenced your life in some way? What was the dream and how did it change your life?

Final Thoughts: Doubt the doubt. When it comes, and it does, watch out for the doubt. Watch out for the feeling you are making it all up or that you have an over active imagination. The agreements we have made, known and unknown, to us have largely been in an attempt to control our power. The more you dive into them you will discover the nature of these agreements for yourself. Along with these agreements come doubting anything that contradicts them. It’s natural and the more you practice these things the less it will arise. But in the meantime, just notice.

You are on the path to liberation and what that means for you! Not based on anyone else’s beliefs. Instead developing such a strong connection to your own inner guidance that it will act as a protection, a teacher and a healer of all the things that have kept us separate from our true nature.

I hope this information was helpful and gives you a place to begin. You really aren’t beginning at all actually, you’ve been on your perfect path all along. This information is meant to support you as you continue to navigate home to the Self and the wisdom that is held there. Thank you for reading this and considering it’s value.

I plan to expand on this post in future posts to support you on this journey. If you have questions, comments or feedback please reach out to me. I want to hear from you. Any as always, anything here that doesn’t resonate with you, chuck it! This is all about you finding your authentic path. I am merely offering suggestions along the way.

You can reach me at audreymsheldon@gmail.com. I offer private shamanic reiki healing sessions and spiritual mentoring. I’d love to work with you! Please reach out if you feel the call. If you found this information to be helpful consider making a donation. You can find me on Venmo @SuryaOm and PayPal at the above email address. Your support is deeply appreciated.

In Love & Light,

Audrey

**Photos are taken by me on a recent trip to California.

Sacred Objects: Working with Stones

Last week we talked about how to begin a relationship with stones and crystals. That blog post was received so well that I wanted to follow up by diving a little deeper into the subject. As I mentioned in the post Introduction to Working with Stones and Crystals the approach that I offer is one that points to learning to access our intuitive abilities. This article will continue this theme. To me it is a nessesary foundational practice that will support us in all aspects of our lives. 

In this article I want to talk about Stones specifically. The best way to begin the conversation is to introduce you the the stones that I work with daily. Talking a bit about them and how I came to carry them I feel will help to shed light on the qualities that stones carry that are unique to them. I also hope this information will help you notice how Stones show up in your life and how to hear what teachings they hold for you.

It is believed in some traditions that the Stones hold the archive of all of history in their being. They are the remains of our ancestors and speak to us from beyond time and space to teach us lessons that have been lost or forgotten. Wisdom once held sacred by those who walked in harmony with the Earth. Other teaching share that rubbing cornmeal on their surfaces will reveal hidden messages. One thing I know for sure is that they hold wisdom about how to come into harmony with the Earth. It is up to you to discover how that wisdom is expressed.  

Disclaimer: I want to say first that I am not a geologist, I’m not versed in the composition or formal names for different kinds of stones found locally or globally. For those that may read this that have more education in that area than myself forgive my ignorance. Feel free to add your wisdom in the comments, I am very receptive to learning more! 

Let us begin with the definition of Stone

The hard, solid, nonmetallic mineral matter of which rock is composed.

The photo above is a picture of the stones that I work with on a regular basis. I will share individual photos of each stone as well as the teachings and uses of each later in the article. But for now, I want to tell a story about how many of my sacred objects have come into my care. 

Personal Path

I walk the Shamans Path. This means I have been initiated into knowledge that permits me to walk between worlds and act as a guide, interpreter, facilitator and teacher for those that are called to work with me. My purpose is to remember who I truly am. I have committed my life to this call that I’ve been hearing since I was a child. In turn I share what I have learned along the way to help point those that wish to work with me back to themselves and the power they carry to reclaim the wisdom and knowledge of their unique expression of Spirit. What I share with you in this article comes from this path of initiation. I do not claim that it is THE way, it is a way, my way. If it resonates with you, that is wonderful. If it doesn’t I honor that and trust you will as well. We each have our own unique expression and role to play. First and foremost you must question and find out for yourself what is True. I offer this information as an opportunity to explore that Truth. Trust yourself. You know the way. 

Sacred Objects

In the facilitation work I do I have a lot of help. This help shows up as energies that I work with in Spirit such as the Ancestors, Guides and Spirit teachers. There are also the Sacred Objects that have found their way to me. These Sacred Objects have many purposes and uses. They are all teachers showing me how to use them, teaching me the qualities and guiding my Vision. The ability to listen through the heart is key to being receptive to what a Sacred Object has to share and learning to be receptive to this subtle communication in all its forms. This is a powerful and valuable practice.

Humans often fall into the delusion that we are the most evolved beings on this plane of existence. This belief robs us of the magic and knowledge that is flowing through all things. I invite you to open yourself and listen from the heart. You may be surprised by what you discover if you are willing to give it your attention and trust what you are hearing. 

The Stones

Each of these stones has a specific role to play and has taught me specific skills. They are my ally’s and I could not have learned the skills that I carry without them. They are extremely valuable to me. I hope that by reading this article you will recognize or discover the relationship you have with the stones in your life and celebrate them. Honor them. Give them gratitude. Ask them to share their secrets with you. At the end of this article I will offer a practice for honoring and learning to listen to the Stones in your life. 

The Water Stone 

In all honesty I have no idea when this stone came to me. I have had it for close to 20 years. This is the stone that I bath with and has lived on the edge of my bathtub for as long. This stone asked to be used in my bathing rituals for the purpose of grounding and learning the sacred relationship between stones and water. When I bath with this stone it draws all the energy that doesn’t belong to me out and clears the water. This stone has been primarily for my personal use. The only time it has shown up in the healings is when I hear to suggest that people be open to incorporating a bathing stone into their personal practice. I haven’t learned all the wisdom that this stone carries. This rock has always been mysterious to me but my bond with it is strong. It speaks to a relationship with the sacred blood of Earth Mother, her streams, creeks and rivers. The fresh water veins flowing and how this sacred water carries emotions, cleansing, and is vital for our survival. 

The Cord Cutting Stone

I remember distinctly walking at Hagen Stone Park in Southeast Greensboro and hearing the call of this stone. I felt drawn to it and knew I had to take it home with me. I offered some hair in place of the stone on the trail. For a couple years the stone sat on my altar. I would spend time meditating with the stone and just sit and ponder what mysteries it had for me. Nothing would come, for years. It just sat there. I was perplexed by it. 

This stone has distinct edges on it, and has always felt like a tool of some sort. One day I was working with a client at the yoga studio facilitating a shamanic healing session and during this session the stone spoke to me. I was being asked to cut old outgrown energetic cords that were draining the energy of this particular client. I allowed my vision and the communication from the stone to guide my hand. It showed me how to move the stone in a certain way and over areas of the body to accomplish the task at hand. I had never done a cord cutting before so was learning as I was being shown. This is how I learned what this stone was to be used for in my work. 

This is a distinct example of how a Sacred Object has taught me one of the skills that I now carry. After my session with this client we were processing and what she shared with me validated the experience I had with the tool. Later in a Healing Circle with some of my closest co-journeyers one of the women shared a vision she had of this stone. What she said resonated with me deeply, like a remembering of that day I found it. She was able to see how my Spirit Guide led me to this stone specifically. At the time of its discovery I hadn’t yet become aware fully of the Guide that was to become my primary teacher in the Spirit World. An Ancestor that remains with me to this day. I will talk about him more in another article. 

I don’t think that it is everyone’s path to carry a tool like this. Cord cutting is a process that we are all able to do for ourselves and a tool in physical form isn’t a requirement by any means. It is just how I was initiated into the knowledge. Often the tools we acquire in the material world are physical manifestations of the skills and tools that we need in the Spirit Realm. Once we understand how to use them and work with the energies the physical object is no longer necessary. However, with that said this stone remains with me.

The Shaman Stones - Moqui Stones 

This pair of stones was gifted to me by my sister Artemis Balyless during a particularly difficult time in my life. They stood out to me as powerful ally’s in the work that I have been called to do. I always heard these stones tell me that they help to create the “Dream Journey” or Non-Ordinary Reality container that Shamanic work is done within. They have a place on every altar I create and in every session that I do. They are the space holders. They in essence hold the space for me. They carry a proud energy about them and project the frequency of groundedness while still being able to easily navigate the unseen realms. These two stones have taught me how to embrace my gifts. Trust the process and have courage. As any healer will tell you, it is rarely sunshine and butterflies when unearthing energy of old wounds. Remaining steadfast is imperative to people feeling safe to do the work they are asked to do. These stones are amazing at supporting my faith and helping me remain steady under any circumstances. 

The Grounding Stone

This is another stone that was gifted to me by one the most influential teachers I’ve ever had. He was my partner for almost 10 years and taught me more about walking the Shamanic Path than anything else in my life thus far. He is a naturalist, a Shaman, a Warrior and a Wolf. The lessons he shared were about facing my fear of death, of loss and the power that these two things can have over me. He taught me inner strength founded on navigating the tangled web of attachment and truth, light and dark, my need for approval and trusting my own unique path. Ultimately what I learned from him was how to remain grounded in my own being and to develop the necessary qualities and characteristics to support the path I am called to. This doesn’t need to be approved of by anyone and where I have misdirected my need for acceptance it helped me to take responsibility for accepting myself. This stone embodies all this for me. When it was gifted to me I knew I had stepped into fuller expression of myself and in turn also validated the magical yet wildly difficult experiences that led me to it. 

I give this stone to clients when they come out of a meditative state after a dreaming or reiki session. It immediately brings them back to themselves in body, mind and spirit. This stone was once a tool used by indigenous people of Missouri and carrys the markings of this work. If you feel that a grounding stone would be beneficial for you, once again I encourage you to ask for your grounding stone to come forward. Trust that it will. What does grounding mean for you? Asking this question could be the path to finding the teacher that can shed light on the answer. 

Common Theme

As you read this article you may notice a theme that runs through the story of each Stone. Grounding. Rocks and Stones are inherently grounding. They are heavy, dense and hard. Each has a different way of teaching us to ground our energy. I once struggled with symptoms of brain fog, difficulty focusing, memory issues and shattered energy. I always thought I would have to deal with these bothersome symptoms but it turns out by working with Stones I learned all the nessesary skills to feel present in my own body while still being able to access the Spirit World whenever needed.

Our culture has diagnosed many disorders that express these symptoms. I often wonder if we deepened our relationship to the natural world would we find the cure to what ails us? I certainly did and continue to find healing in nature. It is amazing what happens when we open ourselves to the voice of the natural world. All we need to come into balance surrounds us. Stones are one of the many teachers waiting to share their wisdom if we humble ourselves to hear it. 

The Practice

It’s likely you have some Stones already. And as you read this article I bet things are popping into your consciousness about your experiences with them. Things you may have written off as an overactive imagination, or insights you may have taken for granted. Bring out the Stones that you carry and ask them who they are. What lessons do they have to share with you. Talk to them. Listen and trust your feelings and intuitions. Write what you discover down in your journal. Perhaps there are story’s behind how you acquired these stones that you haven’t given much thought. Journal about these experiences and what you remember. You can also come into a meditative state and travel to the heart of the Stone to commune with its Spirit. What does it say? Write what you hear in your journal. Again, I encourage you not to over think. Just allow the stream of consciousness and see what shows up. Get to know them. Honor them. Give them gratitude. They can be powerful guides in this material world if you allow them to be. 

Calling the Stones

If you are new to stones then ask. This is the key to discovering the mysteries that are held in the natural world. When we ask, we develop a receptive state of mind that allows the wisdom to flow in. Listen from the Heart and be patient. Humans are notoriously impatient. Once you have asked, trust that you will find one another. There are Stones that want to journey with you and when you find them or they are gifted to you, you will recognize them right away. 

Most importantly is to have fun. Find the lightness of heart as you discover the world around you as if you were a child once again. Curious. Receptive. Delighted.

If you are enjoying my blog please share and like the posts! I would love to hear your Stone stories. Please share in the comments of this article. If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out to me at audreymsheldon@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.audreymacnamarasheldon.com to schedule your private session or see what classes I’m offering. I look forward to hearing from you! I appreciate your donations for content that is meaningful to you. You can find me on Venmo @SuryaOm and PayPal audreymsheldon@gmail.com

Introduction to Working with Stones and Crystals

This week in one of the facebook live meditations I introduced the practice of meditating with crystals. I wanted to expound upon that with a blog post about developing a home practice with stones and crystals. 

If you are reading this post then you are either already working with stones and crystals or are curious about the idea. My approach to teaching people to work with stone/crystals is one that is firmly situated along the path of intuition. If you want to look up different stones and learn their attributes that way it’s easy to do with books and the internet. What I will share here is an approach that is designed to help you develop the skills to learn the magic of a language that is spoken in feelings. It is the empathic approach to developing a relationship with the natural world around you. I am tailoring it for stones and crystals for the purpose of this article. 

Energy

Everything in our natural world is made of energy. Each with it’s own unique frequency or voice. To learn the vibration or frequency of anything it invites us to tune into our subtle senses, to go beyond what is being presented to the physical eyes and “feel” the presence of the item or object. This may sound a little hokey but we do this all the time whether we are aware of it or not. It is beginning to practice this skill with intention that develops the ability to pick up on the subtle energies of things like stones and crystals. 

Just by merely feeling called to read this article you have picked up on the frequency of the information within it and followed that to read these very words. This is how we make many of the decisions throughout our day, by following what lights up along our path and engaging with it. I invite you to begin to notice this subtle thread that lies within all things, the more you become aware of it the more you will be able to engage with it intentionally in your life. 

Relationship

I learned long ago that every object that I have in my home is something that I have a relationship with.  Since all things are made of energy then in essence I am cultivating a relationship with those energies. I treat objects, plants, animals and spaces as sacred,  much like I would a close and dear friend. This practice was introduced to me through indiginous feminine earth wisdom from teachers like White Star Woman and Jamie Sams. I began to see all the tools I work with in my personal practice such as sage, fire, yoga mat, phone, computer, candles, stones, books and so on as sacred relationships to be cultivated with intention, respect, and honor. Just like relationships with friends or family I learned it must be balanced and recipirical. I continue to learn how to give just as much as I receive from the relationship. When I forget this practice the energy can become stale or stagnant and soon the value of the connection can be lost. 

Take a moment and look around your home. How many items do you have that you haven’t taken the time to connect with, some you even forgot you had. This is also a powerful reason for decluttering or purging uneeded or unused items from your home so that there is less energy required to maintain a high frequency in your home. 

Permission 

Based on this perspective one powerful practice for deepening your relationship with stones and crystals is to ask permission to work with them.  This is so incredibly important as it sets the foundation of building this relationship. Since everything is made of energy it means that you can interact with that frequency and receive communication from it. Perhaps that doesn’t mean you have a conversation like you and I might, but instead it’s learning once again to tune into the subtle information that is being shared. It also begins to deepen your awareness of the sacredness of all things. Their innate value. It will change your perspective. So first, ask permission if you may work with a certain stone or crystal that you are feeling drawn to. 

We already know that if you are feeling drawn to it then there is something about the energy or vibration of that particular stone that is speaking to some part of you. If you can feel that then when you ask permission you will be able to sense if it is giving permission. 

As a side note here, more than likely if you feel drawn to a particular stone or crystal it has already given you permission to work with it. However, that doesn’t negate the formal practice of asking. It is just good manners and will help you as you develop your ability to tune into subtle energies not to over step boundaries or take the object for granted just because you can. It will help you develop a deeper practice of awareness and respect that will serve you in all areas of your life. 

Another important note here is if you come across a stone in nature on a walk or in the woods it is important to follow this practice of asking permission. In addition it is good manners to make an offering if the stone wishes to go home with you. My favorite offering is my hair. I always have it with me and I have more than enough to share. I will find a piece of hair and place it in the same place as the stone to give something of myself back for the gift. Corn Meal is also a traditional offering that can be given. Offer a blessing and gratitude and give your exchange for the gift of the stone. Too many times humans think that what is in nature is just for us to take as we wish. Having a practice like this sheds light on the sacredness of all in nature and how important it is to be aware of our impact. To walk lightly upon the earth with respect. 

Listening

Now that you have formally begun to work with your crystal it is time to listen. When I say listen, what exactly am I referring to? For most of you it won’t be audible words that you hear you will need to feel what is being shared. Since each stone has a unique voice by feeling called to that stone you are wanting to hear what that voice has to say. Just like people, crystals have personalities. Dominate energies that flow through them and this is what we are called to. How do we then allow that information in and process it in a way that we can work with? 

Trust the Process

This is all about trusting the process. I would first and foremost invite your inner child to come and play with you while learning these skills. Let your imagination take the stage and give it permission to run wild. The reason why is that logic can kill the subtle insights that come from our receiving the vibration from a stone and a teaching that it has for us. We as humans have the tendency to rationalize away what we experience from our subtle senses. I invite you to be open and receptive for all the thoughts, images, instincts, visions, messages to be allowed and valued. This means everytime you feel like you are making something up, doubt the doubt. This is often the most challenging part of developing a practice like this. 

Personal Experience

Utilizing the skills I’ve outlined I have learned some of the most powerful healing practices from “listening” to the messages that have come from the stones and crystals that I worked with. For example, I learned how to create a space that is self cleansing and self charging by working with stones like citrine and kyanite. I implemented what I learned when building my yoga studio so we would have a sacred space that was designed for people to do powerful self healing work without alot of energetic upkeep for me to keep it vibrationally clean. This is just one example of how I have implemented what I’ve learned from working with stones and crystals into my everyday life and how powerful those teachings have become. 

Practice

You may already have a stone or crystal you are working with, or many for that matter. If you haven’t gotten that far yet you can use this simple exercise to open yourself up to working with these energies. 

1. Take a moment to connect with your breath. Close your eyes, bring your awareness to your heart. Allow your energy to settle here and feel your connection to the earth through your seat. Feel yourself breathing through all the pores of our skin and begin to relax into your heart space. Rest here for a few moments. 

2. If you don’t have a stone/crystal that you are working with yet use this time resting your awareness in your heart space to ask for what stone/crystal would like to work with you. Perhaps you have something going on in your life you would like support with. Ask that you be lead to the the stone/crystal that is best suited to help you with that situation or issue. Offer gratitude for the assistance and guidance.  Now pay attention the next day or so. You will see that the crystal or stone that you are going to work with will find its way to you or you will be draw to it. Trust the process. 

3. Ask permission - once you sense the stone/crystal you are being drawn to, ask for it’s permission to work with it. Introduce yourself like you would as if you were meeting someone new. Come back into the heart center space as we did before and sit with your stone/crystal in your hands. Breath and feel. Notice what arises. What do you see, sense, feel, hear and know about this stone/crystal. Write in your journal what you discovered. If you are unsure of the name of your stone do a little research and look it up. If you do then you can go and look up it’s qualities. See what lines up. Remember just because a stone is said to have certain attributes doesn’t mean they are the only lessons for you from that stone. They are the ones that have been collectively agree upon. What that crystal has to share with you maybe different and very unique. Trust whatever you learn. 

This practice will help you learn how to tune into the subtle energies of stones and crystals. If you have questions about this information don’t hesitate to reach out to me and ask. I will share more information about working with stones/crystals. This is just the first step. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. Please share your insights, questions and feedback in the comments. Share this post with anyone you feel could benefit from the information. There is so much magic in this world, I look forward to continuing to be a source for how to explore it and cultivate it in your own life. 

Audrey MacNamara Sheldon is the founder of Free Spirits Yoga in Greensboro North Carolina. Audrey offers Shamanic Healing Sessions, Intuitive Spiritual Mentoring, Reiki Sessions and Certifications. Audrey also creates traditional frame drums for meditation, prayer and shamanic work. Please contact Audrey with questions or to schedule a session today! 

Cleansing & Reflecting

All this cleansing has me in a reflective place. Thinking about how I've lived my life. The choices I've made. The people I've loved and what has brought meaning into my life. It's been a wonderfully sweet and gentle space. That isn't always the case with self-reflection. I'm grateful for the grace.

The first thing that comes to me as I look around is that I've filled my life with beauty. Everywhere I look in my home I see things that have meaning. I've been taught that each object I carry with me has energy and I have a relationship with that energy, they are my friends. That's why I don't own alot, but what I do own I love and care for and has meaning to me. The hands that have made these things, or gifted them to me. I'm surrounded by love.

I've known for a long time that healers are chosen by their community. One may feel called to this service but it's not up to the individual but instead appointed by those that ask for the gifts that person carries. I'm mentioning this because almost all of the tools I use in my work with people were gifted to me. People would feel an intuitive call saying "I'm not sure why, but this is for you" and I would receive the gift maybe not even knowing how to use it or what it's significance would be. This to me is another expression of love and beauty. It fills me with joy to care for these objects of power.

I'm also thinking about the relationships in my life. My life is so sweet. Quiet, calm, void of drama (except for what I create all by myself) and these connections are real and deep. They have strength, I can rely on them.

And then there is my spiritual family and those I connect within classes, workshops, private sessions and in other meaningful ways. Free Spirits Yoga has been a blessing beyond words. A powerhouse of space for true inner exploring to be done. Birthing it and caring for it always nourishes me. And then there is Radiance Yoga and the embrace that community has offered. When I take the time to truly reflect on all that I've been gifted, it's humbling.

I must also mention JVG here. I don't talk much at all about the work I do with them but it's big and powerful and teaching me how to expand my gifts in a way that is beneficial to growing companies on a corporate level. I could write alot about this but I've kept it under my hat as it is still in the developmental stages and is best kept private for now. The day will come where I share more. Corporate Healing Facilitation work, what? Yeah. It's happening.

My life may not look like much to some from the outside. I don’t own a home currently, I'm not married and I don’t have children. These things tend to be the markers of a successful life in our culture. It's difficult for some to pinpoint exactly what I do professionally. The traditional path has never been for me. It's not where my heart has led me. I've been led into spaces much less seemingly secure but yet the gifts that have come from the way I've walked my path has been experiencing a level of richness that is more valuable to me than anything else in this world. Reconciling this within myself has been the most challenging part of the journey. Self-doubt and comparison can ravage the spirit and cause more inner turmoil than I care to admit.

I sit at the Crossroads once again of a time of exponential growth. What do I want? What is meaningful to me? What qualities in those I spend my time with are important right now? How do I best practice self-love today? These questions often come with challenging answers. Ones that don't support glazing over or brushing things under. They require the ability to value my life, my energy, and my vision.

Here is to another day of being grateful to be alive in this body. Grateful for the journey of self-love that leads me to unlock the next level of wholeness. And, another day of gratitude for all those precious souls that have cherished me along the way and I have had the gift of cherishing.

Never forget, you are perfect as you are. Cherish and care for yourself. It really isn't anyone else's responsibility. We are our own healers, guides, teachers, benefactors, validators, and best friends. What we cultivate within ourselves we create around us. You want to know what someone's internal environment is like? Look closely at their life, relationships and how they spend their time. What is valuable to them is expressed in these things. We all make choices based on what is most valuable to us. Period.

What is most valuable to you? And is your life reflecting that? If not, perhaps it's time to take a closer look at where YOU lie in your priorities. Food for thought.

✨Sending Love and Light to All✨

Changes Anyone?

“The Sun is an image of optimism and fulfilment, the dawn that follows the darkest night. As the source of all life on earth, the Sun represents the source of life itself.”

— www.biddytarot.com

Can you feel it? See it? Even smell it in the air? That uncomfortable sense of being on the edge of something HUGE? Like you got ants in your pants? Don't know whether to sit down and shut up or go screaming out in to the street with a roady in your hand? You know what I'm talking about. Everybody is talking about it one way or another. The friction. We are getting ready to have a fire for real. The ember is about to burst into flame because we have the perfect conditions to foster and nurture it into something much bigger and more transformative. 

That's the thing about a fire. It doesn't judge what you put into it. It will burn it all up and not ask questions or make any apologies. So. My question to you is, how are you using this time? You can either learn to work with it and use it to your advantage or let it burn your damn house down. Your choice. My choice. We all have a choice. 

Lets get real. This is a very surreal time. Ha! I'm not going to get into the details but all we have to do it pay attention to all that is going on around us. 

I promise I don't have the answers but I do have alot of questions. I know that for me the stakes are higher than they have ever been. Some call it a mid life crisis, I call it coming to terms with what has been transpiring all along. It is more important than ever to commit ourselves to what we value in our lives and not allow doubt or fear to dampen our spirit. 

We are made in the image of the Creator. Do I really need to say anything else. Let me repeat that one again in case you missed it. We are made in the image of GOD. 

What are you creating in your life? It matters. Now more than ever. 

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