We live
in Shamanic times. Change is the name of the game and things are
speeding up ~ sometimes way out of control.
Each day
I have contact with people from across the country and abroad, and
all are asking the same questions. They want to know how they and
their loved ones can make major life changes with more consciousness
and less suffering. People are struggling with confusion, depression,
anxiety, grief, anger, relationship issues and a variety of addictions.
My heart
goes out to each and every one of those who contact me and I place
all of these people on my altar of prayers every morning. I am no
stranger to change and I have suffered through many a loss in my
lifetime. I have tried many approaches, attempted many shortcuts
and used various techniques, all of which eventually led to the
creation of Venus Rising, the Shamanic Breathwork Process ™
and my present work. The foundation of my work as a teacher, as
well as all of my personal growth, is based on a model I call the
"5 Cycles of Change." This model of how change happens
is a useful road map for surfing through the tumbling waves of chaos
that often accompany the transition from one way of being to another.
The 5 Cycles
of Change consists of five very specific energies. The first cycle
is related to water and is a time of rest and nurturing and preparing
for the journey. The second cycle is related to earth and is a time
to sort out what is not working and to get some grounding and support.
We then move into the third cycle which is related to fire and involves
taking the actions needed for transformation.
You might
think that this is all that is needed, but in my own journey I have
found my so-called will and actions can often be motivated by my
ego mind and fear. The fourth cycle is most important to me ~ surrendering
my life to my sacred source and higher power to guide and direct
me to the highest outcome. This requires that I let go of my control.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Many folks are with me
until we get to this part of the journey and then they balk. It
is understandable why any of us would get stuck here, but make no
mistake about it … if you cannot let go and you continue to
hold on to the old … you are stuck!
This is like the old saying my Mammy used to say to me when I was
a little girl, "you can lead a horse to water but you can't
make him drink." We can take action and move into the fires
of transformation but at some point we must surrender to God, Goddess,
Higher Power, or what ever you call it, and allow that magnificent
loving force to bring us our highest good. I learned this many years
ago after several miscreations along the way. I wish I could say
it was a lesson I only needed to learn once, but perhaps the lessons
have deepened over time and contributed to the teachings I offer
now. I remember to affirm to my higher power what I think I may
need or want and then I add in this phrase, "Creator …
this or something better." With this affirmation I am opening
myself to the highest truth.
The fifth
cycle births us into a new way of being ~ or seeing ~ and relating
to ourselves and the world around us. It is called rebirth and can
be a place of extreme vulnerability. It is also a place of feeling
high… of renewal and wisdom. We look out into our world with
new eyes and a heart full of loving gratitude.
As we find
ourselves spiraling more and more through these cycles we can become
accustomed to the process and the changes we will need to make along
the way. The Shamanic Breathwork Process ™ is one of the most
effective tools that can help us see more clearly where we are headed
and what is needed to get there. The 5 cycles of change are amplified
through the SBW process and the process of change can be accelerated
with the development of Shamanic Consciousness.
To live
in Shamanic Consciousness is to live consciously through these 5
cycles of change rather than going back to sleep and resisting the
constant process of death and rebirth. We all have a future self
calling to us much like the caterpillar is called by the future
self, or soul, of the butterfly. It is our destiny to become over
and over again something new and if we allow our ego minds to control
us then we begin to die one way or another. When we become locked
in fear of what we will lose we often look for an easier, softer
way. I understand … I have made many attempts to avoid the
void … They never worked ~ or at least not for long ~ and they
delayed the inevitable. It is much like drugging a mother to slow
the process of delivery, or even pushing the baby into the womb.
If that happens for too long both the mother and the child's lives
are endangered, and so are our hopes and dreams.
The 5 cycles
of change apply from the smallest of changes to the greatest of
transformations. Integrating an understanding of these five cycles
of change into one's life makes the process easier. This is a path
of higher love and wisdom, and like any spiritual path it involves
the practice of remembering to incorporate these concepts into our
daily lives. As we deepen our faith and trust the process of death
and rebirth ~ and hold conscious awareness as we move through the
5 cycles of change ~ we struggle less and move through the birth
canal and into a new phase of life more quickly. This is Shamanic
Consciousness.
Written
July 2004
copyright Linda Star Wolf, 2004
