Shamanic Living: by Lauri Shainsky, Ph.D

Yesterday during meditation, Karen Hefner of Igniting Spirit lead us to a magical place, a dome shaped library, in the lower world of non-ordinary reality. I entered this place by crossing a threshold at the Heron Lake Sanctuary Sound Studio’s door, and descending down stairs between the studio and my mama cedar at the top of the drive.

While Karen described the library as full of books, my library instead had a complex braiding network of tree roots and branches. The “shelves” were the in-between spaces between tree structural threads woven on the walls. No books, but foci of knowledge stored and then transmittable to us about anything occurring, or having occurred, on Earth. As my colleagues Susan Simard and Dave Perry have aptly researched and written about, trees communicate to each other via below-ground and aboveground networks of structure and dialogues of chemistry. Physical and metaphysical dimensions of the whole of Earth are linked and woven together through this spectacular network of trees.

I recently met a human-formed spirit who “decodes the star signals of the sun, as captured by trees” as he describes. This spirit arrives during this meditation, as a docent of this magical library. I can access information and healing stories, energies, sounds here in Sacred Cedar Storage. Singing, merging, shamanic ally communing. On behalf of Earth, community, others, soul.

JOIN ME FOR A IN-PERSON DAY OF TREE MYSTICISM APRIL 21, 2024 10 AM- 4PM

MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION HERE.

—-By Lauri J Shainsky, Ph.D.

Shamanic Sound Healer / Soul Ecologist

This meditation is designed to be read to one who is preparing or in the process of passage. You can also modify it any way to make it more personal. I would love to hear about your process so please email me about what you noticed: lauri@shamanicsoundhealing.com. I am also working on an album for supporting the dying and their kin and support team. Stay tuned!

Aaahhhhh….. so take some deep breaths…while you are lying here, close your eyes. Know that you are completely held here by me, your support team, your kin—human and non-human, Other. Seen, unseen, known, unknown sources of divine support surround us. As we surrender into this luscious gathering of Spirit and support, imagine your body beginning to gently fill with a warm honey. Invite this warm honey to soothe, tingle, nourish your body. There is a sense of ease, maybe even surprising, that washes over and through you as this honey, this sweet sweet honey, bathes you. Your hands, arms, feet, legs,  your hips, torso, organs, heart, throat, head…all honey, dear sweet one you.

In this sweet nourished place, you can let your mind begin to float easily, as if in a kayak, on this sea of yummy honey.  Relaxed, aware, slightly curious.

Notice you can sense that you are indeed floating, lying comfortably on the floor of this kayak. This kayak is red, and offers the most amazing surrendering relaxing effects to all who float in it. There is a wonderful gentle rocking of the kayak, as on a smooth lake that has just the tiniest of ripples.  Feel the gentleness of the Divine’s rocking…

Looking up from your relaxed position in this infinite red Kayak, you see-feel the sparkle of stars of a warm night sky. Like little igniting sparkles feel the magnificent compassionate universe blessing you. You breathe in the warm night starry sky, and the magic of the stars effervesce on your skin, and then under your skin…vibrating into your whole body, meeting the magic of the honey.  

ahhhhh…..

The slight gentle rippling of the lake subsides. It is even more calm and yummy on this honey lake amongst the stars. The stillness of your kayak is sweet, you take it in….and yet, the stillness stirs your curiosity. You sit up in your kayak, and notice it has gently landed on the sandy beach shore of the lake.

You step out, and see that there is a fire burning on the beach. As if someone lit it especially for you. Which they did. A very fluffy sitting pillow awaits you. You sit, and warm your hands over the fire. Your face is warmed as well, allowing a smile to slide slowly up your face. The crackling of the fire is a comforting sound, and the smell of the fire reminiscent of campfires you once sat by (in ceremony). This scene feels very familiar and comforting. 

As the fire continues to sing its crackly wood songs, you gaze into it, and begin to see images. Hmmm, what do you see? Perhaps angels, power animals, human-form teaching spirits, dance and greet you joyfully as the flames flicker. You are mesmerized…contemplative. In this warm familiar place, invite these beings dancing in the fire to converse with you…maybe they have a message for you. Or  perhaps a friendly hello.

As you contemplate, mesmerized by the flames, you feel a gentle hand on your shoulder. You look up and behold the most radiant wise woman, glowing love and light into your beingness. Let her loving light bathe you, a flowing glow over and into you. Feel the gentleness of her compassionate hand on your shoulder. She moves her hand to your back, just behind your heart. Ah…..! there is an extraordinary soft heat coming into your back, your heart, and you sense her magnificent support. She is so happy you have arrived, and she totally has your back!  Ahhhh! Feel that warmth.

As you are sitting there, you notice some very faint and distant singing. She smiles knowingly, and offers you a hand; you take it and stand. She leads you to the edge of the beach, where Mystery Forest begins. The sweet singing comes from within this forest. As you stand there at the edge of Mystery Forest, she asks you if you would like to take a brief thoughtful walk into the forest. There is an enticing breeze that smells of pine and cottonwood and roses coming from the forest. This smell invites you in. The singing allures you. 

You can let go of the wise woman’s hand, or you can keep hold it, as you step over a small log and into this magic place. One step, then another, you head into this place, guided and supported by your wise companion.

Allow yourself to notice what and who you notice there. Is the singing getting louder or softer or staying the same? Hmmmm …notice other sounds sprinkling and wafting, of birds and other animals.

Notice any fragrances, shapes and the beauty of trees and other plants. Allow these ones to guide and nourish you on your walkabout in this forest. I will lightly drum, and you can have your time here. Me and your wise woman are here and will guide you back when it is time to return. Notice what is there for you. Really give yourself this sweet time of wandering and wondering. 

It is time to return to the edge of the forest, to the beach…you gently make your way back. You notice that something has been slipped into your pocket. Hmmmm…you roll it around in your palm. It was placed there by some magical being in the forest, to remind you how powerful, safe, and comforting this place is, your support team is, you are. The wise woman is beaming at you, smiling and so delighted and proud of your courageous journey. You are loved and held here in the forest, as in everyday life, just beneath the surface. And all around.

She guides you to the kayak, and helps you step in. You let the object the forest beings gave you roll around gently in your pocket, a connection to this experience. She assists you as you lie down in this infinite kayak. You close your eyes, and there is suddenly, more gentle loving singing! Blessings for your safe journeys. You begin to feel even lighter, as you are gently launched back onto the calm honey lake. The warm comforting honey lake peacefully holds you…as you float, nourished and at ease…back to where you are right now. Aho…

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Thank you to Pamela Stone of Soul Passage for your generosity and wisdom in the course you are teaching on Becoming an End-of-Life Doula. These latest 2 posts were inspired and part of our homework in this coursework.

Introduction

Sound is a carrier wave of intention. We drop into our hearts, concentrate our potency of spirit, remember the listening we have done with our people. From the quiet places within and throughout, we invite intention to form, and proceed Humbly. Using sacred sound, we embark on a sweet journey, asking that the magic of this place, this time, this person and their soul’s system, be amplified and focused on peace in the soul. That the most perfect, compassionate outcome unfolds for the evolution of their soul.

Tom Kenyon and Jonathan Goldman provide a foundation for sound healing where they posit that: 

Sound + Intention= Healing

Vocalization + Visualization=Manifestation.

I have added elements to their “equations” for sound healing that reflect what I have learned through my shamanic training at the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, LightSong, Sundance and other places.

My equation:

Sound x Intention x Spirit x Listening x The Open Heart= Manifestation x Creation x Transformation.

You can find a discussion of this at: https://youtu.be/UuTjfQYlKH8

And, everything is ABOUT INTENTION.  You definitely have the heart part covered, so you are already well-equipped! Indeed, no matter what your mind might do about the sound you want to make, all that matters is that you are carrying in your heart intention and trust in your capacity to listen and serve soulfully.

Intentional Sound offers so much to the dying and their kin–”kin” as human and non-human members of their support team. Research provides compelling neurological data that hearing is the last sense retained as one is dying, and that the dying can hear and connect with sound in their environment, even when appearing non-responsive (see footnote 1). Thus, regardless of what the status is of your person, your intentional transmissions of love and spirit through sound will bring about an effect.

Intentional Sound can be used to:

~ Alter people’s consciousness and state of beingness, bringing your person into a deeper state of relaxation / reduced agitation;

~ Bring emotional soothing comfort–-especially being sung to, so primal and such an expression of kindness and caring;

~ Calm the mind, especially through non-linguistic vibrations;

~ Bring physical comfort through neurological & physiological effects of sound;

~ Shift the energies in the space (and beyond) that you are all in;

~ Help people form connections with Divine realms;

~ Help people connect with their ancestors; 

~ Induce an altered state where perception of reality shifts, providing possibilities of new ways of being and seeing;

~ Form bridges between their inner & “outer” worlds, and beyond into and through the Portal, and

Much much more!

Sound-Making Tools and Their Use For Service 

Several potent tools can be used to accomplish many things from an energy medicine perspective. These tools include your voice, hand drums, conga’s and jembes, crystal and metal singing bowls, bells, gongs, chimes, and rattles. 

Voice: 

This instrument is always with you. So please, please, please make friends with your voice. The heart infuses the breath with compassion and intention as breath passes across the heart from the lungs on the way through the throat chakra and out the portal in your sacred skull. Singing, speaking, chanting, humming, toning, are beautifully empowered and imbued by your love, feelings, thoughts, imagery of intentions as it passes out of your mouth–this system is remarkable how it is designed!

The best way to support your process in providing vocal sound healing through singing, toning, chanting, speaking, humming is to decide that the healing you can offer with your voice is more important than any old ideas you may have about your voice. 

We all carry around old and unproductive programming and beliefs about our voices: “I can’t carry a tune, sit down and be quiet, the meek shall inherit the earth, better seen than heard.” We must just decide that these are obsolete, based on faulty data, are not true, and that what we are needed for is more important than letting any whiff of these unfruitful ideas get in the way. So we practice and surrender to getting out of our own way with compassion for Another Soul. 

Drum: 

When played in rhythmic fashion, the drum can induce trance states which are INCREDIBLY POWERFUL in helping people to relax and surrender, to connect with the Divine, to make connections with their people/ancestors, and access other dimensions. 

Many of us have been cultivated into shamanic service using Native American and other cultures’ hand drums-–usually made from a wooden round or polygonal hoop, with animal (or synthetic) hide stretched tight over the hoop. Usually people make sound with the drum using a beater (stick with a softish nob at one end). I would encourage people who are called to find and/or use a hand drum to experiment using your hand as your beater.

The drum evokes very primal sensations as it connects us with the heartbeat of mother, ourselves, earth. The drum, when played rhythmically, affects the hyper-sensitive, externally-tracking reptilian part of our brain. This part of the brain has an important ancient job of looking across the landscape for threats or food. It does so by noticing pattern and lack of pattern–indicating moving objects (food animals, enemies, other people) and clumps of edible plants (etc.). The drumming feeds the brain a pattern, so the reptilian brain can relax and allow for unbridled consciousness and “inner psychic navigation” (*tomkenyon.com). This is why/how the drum induces journey neurology.

Many of our people have lineage ties to drumming. The drum can thus be very comforting. And, it can also be very disturbing, so discernment is key (as with all of these tools!) Do accompany the drumming with vocal partnership sounds, please. The use of your voice contributes to deeper heartfelt comforting, directed effects.

Rattles:

Rattles provide invaluable instruments of moving energy, dissolving frameworks, wooing emissaries of the Divine, and palpably altering the energetics of our surroundings.

Rattles and “shakers” are tools that are generally composed of an outer hollow container of some sort (gourd, animal hide bubble, hollowed out things, etc) that contain small hard granules of something–pebbles, corn, rice, little bells, beans, beads.  In a pinch I have used vitamin and advil containers as shakers. When shaken, the rattle makes what Tom* calls “catalytic sound”–sound that breaks up, activates, or otherwise changes the energetics of our surroundings and our interiority. We use rattling for wooing the spirits and other energy medicine and shamanic procedures described below. Again, accompanied by the voice, the rattle directs healing with compassion, intention and love.

Singing bowls:

Crystal and metal singing bowls (Tibetan, Nepalese, Himalayan, Indian) create ethereal energetic environments that can promote even deeper states of relaxation and entrancement. 

Crystal singing bowls induce harmonic coherent pulsating sound as one rubs the felt or leather striker around the rim of the bowl. I use the crystal bowls to bring nourishing, filling* energies, with soothing, relaxing, calming effects. And, because the sounds from crystal bowls can be intense, do notice and watch for signs that the intensity may be inducing agitation. Your voice as a partner sounding with the bowl modifies, imbues, and sweetens that edge.

Metal bowls offer a variety of sounds for use in changing the vibration of you, your person, the environment, kin. Their rims may be rubbed with a striker (wooden stick with leather) to induce their notes; the bowl may also be tapped to induce their notes. I find that tapping the bowl is often easier while in an altered state, and of course, is always accompanied by my voice.

Extensive research shows the advantages of singing bowls in bringing about well-being. Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, a leading oncologist has been using chanting, music, and quartz crystal bowls to treat patients since 1991 with remarkable results. “Rooted in the musical principles of entrainment, resonance, toning, and harmonics, his methods help us achieve overall wellness, greater energy, and the realization of our highest spiritual potential.” (Footnote 2)

Intentional Loving Sound as Medicine

All of these tools used with intention, spirit, the open heart, listening, can be used for:

~ Gaining trust and rapport with your person and their kin;

~ Communing with and invoking Divine support and creating sacred space;

~ Removal of dense energies (extraction) and dense energies with consciousness and linguistic-conceptual content (depossession & curse unraveling); 

~ *Filling with Divine energies (including lost soul essence and peace); 

~ Making fine adjustments in energetics of the body-mind-soul-spirit ecosystem;

~ Communing with and thanking emissaries of the Divine that came in and support.

Gaining trust and rapport: Depending on the status of your person, it is always good and polite if you ask permission to sing, tone, or otherwise make healing nourishing sound. If they are not in a coherent state where you can receive a reply, ask inwardly if this is for the highest good, and inquire with their true self/higher self if this would be helpful. Also inquire with their kin.

We come into a heart-based union with our people and their kin with an initial quiet introductory set of sounds. Gentle humming or toning is a great start, as well as some light drumming. You feather into the energetic space slowly, with tenderness in this way. This gentle approach also opens up your energetic sound channels for the unfolding of whatever magic Spirit/God/Goddess has in store for all of you, and encourages the very essential practice of listening.

Invoking and Communion with The Divine: Being of service with intentional heart-based, Divinely-guided sound healing is a co-creative process and ceremony, with many seen and unseen, formed and unformed, known and unknown ones supporting you. The Divine realms are close by as you are sitting in the presence of THE PORTAL OF LIGHT– through which we come and go on the good earth. This is the magnificence of this midwifery work—sitting right next to that portal. So, the making of intentional sound attracts, eases, empowers, supports the magnitude of transformations that occur as one is getting ready to pass out of the earth through the Portal. In our work, we invoke our helpers, your person’s helpers, their kin’s helpers, using sound to woo and energize your sacred container. Gentle drumming, rattling, singing, toning, bowling all support this process of invocation and creating sacred spirit-filled space.

Energy Medicine Work: Releasing, filling, adjusting: Generally speaking, energy medicine work (I practice through a shamanic lens, but principles apply to many healing modalities) involves three main types of procedures: 

Removing energies and other elements that do not belong  and are out of resonance with the high vibration of the soul. In shamanism we call this extraction, compassionate spirit release, and curse-unraveling;

Filling, calling in energies that nourish and are of the utmost highest vibration–Reiki, soul retrieval, prayers for what is needed, imbuement, etc;

Energetic rebalancing–adjusting energies already present that need to be amplified or rearranged with other nascent facets of the person’s body-mind-soul system.

Sound has magical ways of accomplishing all of these energy medicine phenomena. Once the Divine has been invoked and fills the space, our hearts and minds, we invite the Divine to guide us, allowing us to gravitate towards one tool, and then the next, for what is most needed in the moment.

I often sing and drum myself into an altered state (a journey or meditation) where my egoic constructs (attachments to “the way things are”) fade into the background, and the Divine can flow through me in the form of sound. Then I open and listen, and let the spirits guide me to the right instrument at the right time, and for the right energy medicine procedure, and then the next.

In service to creating relief, peace, safe passage on their way to or into the portal, I tenderly walk with a curiosity, a wondering, that perhaps…

…some old energies from a life well- or less well-lived need to be released; so I rattle, sing, drum, and ask the spirits to remove, allow release of these densities. Into a bowl of water, a flame of a candle, a stone. Any of these may be present in ordinary reality, or in non-ordinary reality, in my imaginarium. I ask the scrubbing bubble spirits I work with to whisk these dense energies away.

Perhaps…the person needs freeing from tethers, oaths or vows that keep them unnecessarily tied or constricted or suffering; I ask the spirits to use me and my instruments to sever and remove these.

Perhaps…gifts of personal and spiritual potency, strengths, high vibrational soul-based qualities need to be called forth and infused into the person for relief and safe passage. To replace the energies, thoughtforms, ideas and beliefs that might have been released as in above removal procedures, with more refreshing, fruitful high vibrational ways of being and seeing and feeling in the world, during whatever time is left. The singing bowls and toning create vortices for nourishing source light and provide a superb avenue to ride into the space, the person, their life, their beingness.

Perhaps…knowledge and power gained in some part of their life needs to be brought to the forefront for use at this time, and wise ways that once served be moved behind the more fruitful ones wanting to be brought forth now. We surrender to the Divine and call in the rebalancing needed for this time, this moment. Different instruments and your voice and intention all support this prayer, this allowing.

Gratitude and Appreciation: At the end, we say thank you. I do not send the spirits home anymore like we were once taught; they stay and continue the work!!! Developing a thanking part of your sound healing becomes a rich process for all of us as we walk in this way. While we know that we have simply with our hearts intended to set something into motion on behalf of Other, we feel what it feels like when our prayers and intentions are manifested. 

Concluding Thoughts

The key to all of your work is to be open to letting the Divine, your heart, your compassion guide you, encouraging your listening at whole new levels. The prayer unfolds as the perfect tools–be it rattles, drums, bowls, bells– appear, and with your voice, teach you how to use and be in sacred partnership with them. Always asking for grace, ease, and the highest good for all.

A few always’ to follow: Always…
…Ask for permission from person (their highest self if they cannot respond);

…Inform the kin present what your intentions are, and that sounds will be used–respectfully, but sometimes in a way that might sound strange;

…Call in spiritual support and ask them to guide you;

…If removal, release, extraction is called for, have a place for those energies to go –a candle, salt water, a stone, or an ethereal place outside of the room and outside this dimension. 

…Ask for compassionate protection from these energies and that these energies transform to some useful energy somewhere else.

…If energies are removed, always always always fill with high vibrational energies afterward or simultaneously.

…Find all kinds of ways of expressing thankfulness.

…Assume that you will not be able to track all of what is happening, and so we…Surrender to the Unfolding, Trust in the Perfect outcome.

Always say thank you and feel that the greatest magical outcomes have been set into motion. Know that it is not really through your own hands, but the Divine’s.

Please accept this guidance as my love letter to you and feel free to connect with me to discuss, or learn more. lauri@shamanicsoundhealing.com

Resources Available For Further Inquiry

A procedural discussion of a shamanic sound healing ceremony:

Create Your Own Healing Sound

To practice making vocal sound: You can sing along with most of my tracks, as you will notice there are prolonged notes that wander around one of my singing bowls: http://soundcloud.com/redstonesong

Practice extraction and filling during my Journey through the Chakrasphere track ,where you will notice rattling and catalytic sound, followed by singing bowl-induced filling sound. 

Footnotes

1. (https://neurosciencenews.com/hearing-death-16620/)
2. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/sounds-of-healing_mitchell-l-gaynor

You can cue up the shamanic sound track now here

or Wait until prompted below  & hit Play

Broad Purpose & Intention 

This series of shamanic sound experiences is meant to be an expedition into the ecology of the soul.

We engage here in a fruitful spiritual and soulful investigation into the edge or boundary between “this” and “that”–two adjacent or polar states, conditions, ideas or beliefs.

Between them there may be a solid boundary or threshold we flirt with, or a grading from one form into another. Here we look, and listen, and work with an edge or boundary that yearns for resolution or dissolution.

Ecotone: Its’ origin:

The ecological concept of ecotones has been coming in vibrational waves through the senses, during my nature journeys and everyday livingness. 

In ecology, an ecotone is defined as  a transitional area between two adjacent ecological communities (Merrium-Webster).

There exists a unique set of dynamics and characteristics of the species present and facets of the physical environment, as we move from one ecological state to another, through the ecotone, to the other state. In ecological studies of biodiversity in forests, we call these stand conditions. So there is a parallel when we address boundaries or edges in our life between “this” and “that”. 

This concept of inquiry streamed into the forefront as a result of my work my sensing and working with thresholds (A hot topic inBill Plotkin’s  SoulCraft)

Here the term ecotone can be used to denote where to any two adjacent states butt up against each other– in the mind, heart, thoughtscape, belief system, energy field, or any other aspects of our physical & metaphysical lives. 

One of My Personal Ecotones

When I used this first sound journey for myself after it was completed, I found the edge between “safe and not safe”.

As I worked with my spirits from the bird nations, this ecotone feathered into, ascended up to a third way– neutrality–a spiritual practice/mindset/life skill/ soulscape quality is-ness. We have been cultivating, merging with, inviting, whooing neutrality very intently at in LightSong’s Mystery School teachings and learning experiences/ceremonies. So what a beautiful weaving of messages from the Divine to help me with my fears and courageousness.

Birds as Emissaries of the Divine: Singing Hearts on wings

We ask for help from compassionate spirits from the Bird Nations. Birds life our eyes from the heavy Earth to the sky with their glorious choruses, laments, and excitations! Their power of flight assists us to rise, and see our soul’s landscape from their bird’s eye…with eagle vision, a different, higher perspective.

Power and Practice of Part 1 of Ecotones, Edges & Boundaries: 

This part 1 of the Shamanic Sound Journey Ceremony initiates us into the power of sound and spirit which we invite to help us discover and transform edges, boundaries, ecotones. 

First, the invitation: The Invocation–Calling in the bird nations. You can include any of your known, vetted compassionate spirits. Rattle, sing, hum, drum, or simply vibrate with intention. INTENTION IS EVERYTHING. As close as you can get toa sense of love of your soul, and connection with your ability to hear your heart yearning…Call forth to the compoassionate universe!

There is an opportunity to make offerings, a simple altar, add to your own. You can pause the audio if so moved to do some listening and finding altar items and offerings.

Then we are propelled on a Sound-empowered Spirit-guided journey. My (Lauri’s) spirits and sounds assist us in this journey, holding the Intention to find an edge or boundary…of spiritual/mental/physical significance. It may be an abrupt line or a gradient/gradation between 2 conditions, this or that. 

The spirits will guide us to see-feel-sense-know more about a particular edge, boundary that you are needing to transform around. Nature spirits–in particular the birds–show us something surprising and important about the landscape of our soul/life and an edge that is revealed. As in forest ecology, the tree spirits may show up and reveal patterns that help us understand and sense our ecotone, as one state (“this”) fades into another state (“that”); graded or abrupt.

We engage compassionate spirits from the Bird Nations to be primary guides on this sound journey. This journey is meant to help provide a birds eye view & experience. The eagle’s view. 

Mato Lauri’s bear drum, and her Abundance (G) crystal bowl, along with lakeside birds Lauri recorded in July 2020 provide sonic drivers, cleansers, fillers, songs, spirits all!

We ask for trust that Lauri’s guiding ones will collaborate with yours in the biggest way, and support you in your own experience.  Journey and use the sounds coming through me (Lauri), my instruments, you, your instruments, our altars, to inspire curiosity!

Ask the spirits that you be surprised!

Mmmm

Begin!

Take a moment to breathe, contemplate…

Be comfortable, and make your space safe to do whatever you are guided to do!

If you are guided to set up a simple altar. and/or gather offerings.

Do not worry if you dont cant wont its all good!!

Play the shamanic sound track now here

Afterwards:

Come back; have some water, stretch. 

Walk around. Then write. 

What did you notice? 

How did that make you feel? 

What do you think this means–what story are you telling yourself about it?

Feel free to send writings of contemplation and sensation and manifestation, or whatever is in your heart. 

lauri@shamanicsoundhealing.com.

I was pondering on my morning walk yesterday as I usually do.

The nature of life seems more tenuous these days, and I was feeling enormous gratitude and appreciation for still being alive as I approach my 63rd birthday this week.

I wake up almost every day now, feeling my heart beat and thanking God, Goddess, deities, power animals, spirit guides, for still riding the planet around the sun.

It was 42 years ago this week that I was carjacked and assaulted at gunpoint. There was a moment during that time when I surrendered in anticipation of my demise. Though not a practicing Jew by any stretch of the imagination, I began singing the sch’mah, the seminal prayer of our faith. Probably for the first time ever on my own outside the synagogue.

Not long after, I was released, and I literally kissed the ground. And, for a while, though I was mostly philosophical about surviving the ordeal, I struggled. With great support from my sorority sisters (yes, I was in AEPhi at UCLA, for those who may be in disbelief, knowing me now), I managed through.

10 months later, I was in ceremony…We were exploring what God was to us…Spontaneously I felt/heard myself say “God saved me…I am not done with my work here on Earth”. These words shook me. And in that second, thunder and lightning lit up the night sky as confirmation. OMG! Literally.

What has unfolded is this most profound understanding, and sense, that indeed, I saw sent here to serve. I had just vowed in ceremony to live a life of service. Apparently the cosmos heard and saw me, and complied.

And so I walk on Earth, to this day, 42 years later, with this understanding that the worst thing that ever happened to me, was the best thing that ever happened to me. Deepening my faith in God, and all my divine emmissaries. Confirming my mission to serve others and the Earth. And to let others know that there is profound planning happen on our behalf when we listen and intend and connect with Spirit, God, those ones that are with us always. That there is a gift in every moment if we stop for a moment, stop reacting, and listen for a moment. Being “listenative”–listening with curiosity.

Aho.

One of most crushing things that T**** did was dismantle the scientific community and its interface with the government/society policy development.

As a scientist, I wept for my community members who follow their heart and curiousity to tackle the worlds pressing issues through the scientific method:

• Have the most curious question arise
• Formulate a hypothesis ofwhat the answer(s) might be
• Design and implement a system of gathering data to test whether there is enough evidence to make a statement of truth to an _____th % probability that you are right.
• Analyze the data and muse upon the findings….ask more questions

This morning I just so happened to catch a conference with the new president and  Vice President, announcing their appointees for science positions in the administration. I never watch TV in the morning, ever, so it was quite synchrony that I suddenly am standing, stretching in my living room, listening to Kamala Harris talk about her personal history/cosmology growing up with science. Ohhhhh it just rocked me.

As an ecologist in forest and desert systems, I have spent countless hours/days in the forests and deserts of CA,OR, AZ, WA. Wondering, making observations, gathering detailed data. Measuring stem diameter, water stress physiology, nutrient content, root structure, canopy layer architecture. We were curious curious curious about how forest succession worked, how forests respond to environment and management, how plant physiology responses layered up to population and community responses in N. American forests.

And now, glory be, science is coming back to an esteemed status in the US (Gov), and so the people we hope. All women-council involved in science and policy.

And in the energy medicine world, shamanism, quantum physics is providing the magnificent fascinating bridge between science and spirituality—previously cleaved by the Church long ago. And so we say thank you and rejoice in the a hallmark restoration, uptick really, in Science as a more solid standing for policy-making.