Resources
I have found these tools to be particularly helpful on the path of self discovery. Some of them help move and clear energies that are no longer serving us, while others help bring unconscious information and awareness into consciousness.
Healing Bath
It is helpful after any energy work to take a healing bath. This helps the energy to continue to dissipate and settle into new patterning.
Fill the tub with water. Add a cup of Epson Salts and some soothing essential oil such as lavender for enhanced relaxation and calming. Sit in the bath for 10-15 minutes and no longer. Use this time to meditate and intentionally release anything that you no longer wish to carry in your energy body. Think about lighting candles and playing soothing music. Rinse off immediately after in a shower. This tool can be used as often as you like for deep relaxation. This tool for self care is quite powerful.
Death Arrow
As we journey through life, it is helpful to transform our wounds into sources of power and compassion. This brings about healing at the blueprint level of our energy body. A death arrow is used to give final release to old patterns, emotions, or ways of thinking that are no longer useful to our healing. This ritual is particularly helpful during full and new moon times.
Find a stick that you will burn (it does not need to be large). If you don’t have adequate space to make a fire and burn a stick, you can use a toothpick in an astray or in a candle. You will blow the issues, patterns, etc. that you are prepared to release into the stick three times, say a word of thanks or prayer and place the stick, or death arrow, into the fire.
Dream Diary
Dreams are great teachers and informers. Train yourself to remember your dreams. Keep your dream diary by your bed with a light pen. As soon as you wake up, write down whatever you can remember. Don’t move around a lot - stay still and relaxed. Allow the dream to bubble up. By keeping records of your dreams, you can learn to resolve challenges and issues as you sleep in the dream time and come up with perfect solutions to your dilemmas.
Meditation
Although many people feel intimidated by the practice of meditation, it has been proven to be remarkably helpful in any journey toward self discovery as well as growing your capacity to engage in life in a calm manner. The key is to be gentle and kind to yourself if you are a newcomer to this practice. It generally takes time, commitment, and overall patience to successfully still our ever-chattering mind. There are many forms of meditation. Find one that works well for you and is sustainable. If it’s too complex and time-consuming, you probably won’t stick too it. I can recommend a number of audio guides for you to try. It’s a wonderful way to start your day.
Journal Writing
This is a very powerful tool. Use diary form, poetry, prose, pictures, or symbols. I suggest a combination. If you have difficulty getting started, some people find it useful to start their day with 5 minutes of stream-of-consciousness writing. Ask yourself a question about something you are wondering about in your life. Put pencil to paper and write non-stop for 5 minutes. Do not sensor your writing and do not stop, even if you are repeating the same thing over and over. You can do the same type of thing with drawing-without-thought using colored pencils, markers, or crayons. You can also split a piece of paper in half. On the left side write a question to a soul part, contract, power animal, etc. On the right side, respond back. You can keep this up for as long as it feels right to you in order to obtain clarity.
Opening and Closing Sacred Spaces
Opening Sacred Space thins the veil between worlds and brings you closer to Spirit. It can be done simply or more elaborately, but our reverence and intention is what makes it actually happen. It can be done full throttle with rattle, spirit water and voice, turning to face each of the directions, etc. or silently wherever you happen to be. It depends on what feels appropriate. Below are the words that introduce you to the process that came from my teacher, Alberto Villoldo. As he told me, these words are simply a guide - a starting place. Trust yourself. Speak from your heart. This practice alone can be a wonderfully powerful and transformative daily ritual. Feel free to use language that works with your personal spiritual practice, however, a word of caution - be mindful of what energies you call in. They are not all helpful.
To the winds of the South. Great Serpent. Help us to shed our past the way you so beautifully shed your skin, in one piece. Teach us the beauty way.
To the winds of the West. Mother, sister Jaguar, protect our medicine space. Teach us the way of peace, to live impeccably. Show us the way beyond fear and death.
To the winds of the North. Hummingbird. Grandmothers and Grandfathers. Ancient Ones. Come and warm your hands by our fires, whisper to us in the wind. We honor you who have come before us, and you who will come after us, our children’s children.
To the wind of the East. Great Eagle, Condor, come to us from the place of the rising Sun. Keep us under your wing. Show us the mountains we only dare to dream of. Teach us to fly wing to wing with Great Spirit.
Mother Earth, sweet Pachamama. We’ve gathered for the healing of all your children. The Stone People, the Plant People, the four-legged, the two-legged, the creepy crawlers. The finned, the furred, the winged ones. All of our relations. Teach us your beautiful ways of motherhood - and teach us to honor both your lightness as well as your darkness. Be with us.
Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, to the Star Nations. Great Spirit, you who are known by a thousand names and you who are the unnamable One. Thank you for bringing us together and allowing us to sing the Song of Life.
To close Sacred Space, return to each direction, thanking the corresponding archetypes for their presence and assistance.