The old year has come to an end and the new one seems to advance no less hurriedly and densely. Winter came to visit after all for an indefinite period of time, inviting us to winter walks followed by a warming cup of tea on the sofa with a blanket and a book.
The coming months will continue what the last ones have started, upheavals and upheavals, realignments, miracles and realizations…. The time is ripening – to face oneself, to look at images in the mirror, from which one turned away until now. To look for the key to open the door to the true self, which we had locked away for so long, perhaps even ashamed of its existence, because it is perhaps just a little different than the environment wanted.
It is the chance to welcome ourselves and thus our happiness again. This path is rarely easy, as it is often rocky and uncertain. The new and the unknown frightens us and thus we often prefer the misery we know, since we do not feel happy in it, but safe for it, even if we intuitively know that this path is a dead end, which is labeled “illness and depression.”
Each and every one of us has (invisible) companions who worry about us, stand by us, and guide us when we are open and ready for it. It is always wonderful to experience how much love and care these companions often give to a client during a treatment in the practice.
Carefully, we can thus set out on our path, curious as a small child. It is a path full of gifts (which are often recognized as such only later) and sweet fruits, which, however, often have to ripen before we are allowed to pick them. So patience and trust are our provisions and gratitude our song.
The “Inner Child”
A little afterthought to the text above…. What do you feel when you think of your “True Self”, what if of your “Inner Child”? Is there a difference? Which one?
“Childish”, “Don’t be childish!”, “Grow up already!” – all instructions to send our Inner Child into the desert – or just lock it away and throw away the key; to say goodbye to joy, curiosity, fun and discovery and start the seriousness of life (conformity). When we talk about the inner child or the “child in me”, it is indeed in us, but just not part of us – so actually almost like a “cast”. Maybe we are even a little ashamed of it towards the outside…
So I think it’s time to retire the term Inner Child and instead call the child by its proper name: True Self. It is not part of you, it is You.
Ayahuasca
The sacred master plant is a liana plant found in the South American rainforest. Brewed in combination with chacruna leaves, you get the mind-altering ayahuasca potion, which you hear more and more about in the media lately. Banned in many countries, ayahuasca moves in a legal gray area in Switzerland.
Indigenous tribes say they can talk to the gods by taking the drink. Indeed, ayahuasca seems to lift the curtain to the “other world.” Perhaps questions can be clarified or one’s true self is brought before one’s eyes; perhaps blockages are released or loosened which have so far prevented one from accessing one’s own spiritual abilities. Of course, there is also the “risk” that you will be shown things that you are perhaps not yet ready to see. What finally happens in a session cannot be predicted, because each of us comes with a different story, has different questions, a different path. What can be predicted is that you can expect probably the most violent vomiting diarrhea you have ever experienced and there may well be a point where you would like to die right now, please. The intensity of the physical “cleansing” depends on how often and in which
again depends on how often and in what strength you take the potion in one night.
It is important to be well and lovingly cared for during a ceremony, because depending on the intensity, one can practically no longer move and is dependent on outside help, for example, if one wants to go to the toilet.
Ayahuasca is a sacred plant and so is potion and ceremony. The problem begins when a sacred and healing plant – as has happened with tobacco – is taken out of context and spiritual setting and becomes a fun drug. What was healing is now doing harm.
In recent years, a “hype” has developed around ayahuasca. There are more and more providers and ceremonies in our space and guided trips to the Amazon in camps to find the truth or in the hope that an addiction or serious illness is cured. This supposed “money blessing” then also lets more and more self-proclaimed “shamans” appear on the scene, who also want to earn from ayahuasca tourism and so often do evil things.
As with any remedy or drug, one should be aware of the risk of taking ayahuasca. If someone is very sensitive and the curtain to the “other side” is otherwise already very thin, this experience may well trigger psychosis. Even if the risk is small, it is still possible that the ingestion could trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction. Serious as well as unserious shamans are usually overwhelmed with such situations. As in the case of 18 year old Kyle Nolan, it is often the case that the body “disappears” or is found the next day in a ditch. There are also reports of rape and sexual assault. However, these cases are fortunately very rare and there are many wonderful shamans who do wonderful healing work and help people from the heart.
Should anyone be thinking of traveling to Peru, for example, or even attending an ayahuasca ceremony here in the area, then here are a few pointers:
* Recommendations are good, but first and foremost listen to your gut feeling. In the spiritual euphoria you drop this, as well as often any caution and critical faculties. If someone you trust and hold in high esteem recommends someone to you, make up your own mind about that person first as well. Google and if possible, make a phone call or meet them for tea and conversation. That way you can best judge if this person is acting from a pure heart.
- There are also well-known shamans whose hearts have been corrupted by the flow of money from the West – again, listen to your gut.
- There are “shamans” who say that sexual acts are part of the ceremony – walk away!
- If you are doing this in our area, clarify how many participants and how many attendants it has – and how many toilets.
- As everywhere, the price is always a sign of whether people are trading from their hearts or their wallets.
- Please ask yourself, why do I want to do this ceremony. What questions do I want answered. What is my goal?
- Shaman is a designation given to a person from the outside. A serious shaman may offer shamanic work, but would not call himself so.
An ayahuasca ceremony with a heart shaman is certainly an unforgettable experience. However, a ceremony should always be treated with respect and the plant should not be viewed as a party drug.
The following are two film contributions worth watching. On the one hand “The Shaman of Arosa”, a program which was recently shown in the SRF Reporter and on the other hand the very worth seeing film of Clemens Cubly, who has visited healers and shamans around the world. First of all, Clemens Cubly is in the camp of the shaman Don Agustin.
Ki & Sound in January
On the afternoon of Saturday January 28, will be held the first monthly seminar this year. Stillness and movement, grounding, body awareness, sound will be the focus; however, as always, I will ultimately leave the program design to the spiritual world 😉
In February I will be with my Wolfpack and the animals of the Alaqua Animal Shelter in Florida. So then the next date will be March 25.
Now I wish you continued days of wonder and hugs and let your true self shine and share it with the world – because each of us is precious and unique!
Namaste
Gerald