energy work basics

SJG: Different Perspectives on Grounding

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The journey topic for this meeting is different perspectives on grounding. Many contemporary practitioners use a tree as a model for grounding, but what about other plants? What about birds? What about seas? Seafaring and wayfinding ancestors would ground while sailing long distances, paying attention to the way the waves lapped against the boat to see how far the land was. During this time of societal turbulence, sometimes our old versions of grounding could be “uprooted”, so perhaps exploring new techniques might be interesting. Let’s find out in this journey group!

Please post your comment if you wish to share what you received in journey space. If you would like to join this discussion on Facebook, join our Journey Group on Facebook.

Some helpful references:

Link to download the video

Link to download the audio

2020-04-28 - Perspectives on Grounding

SJG: Resilience in times of big change

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The suggested journey topic for this session is being resilient in times of big change. Many people are stuck at home in quarantine, doing their part in helping deescalate a huge pandemic affecting our whole world at this time. How do we as individuals help not amplify the fear and instead become beacons for groundedness and stability? Let’s journey about this together!

A great podcast as a compliment to this journey topic is a Why Shamanism Now podcast called, “Fear and grounding in pandemic time”

Please post your comment if you wish to share what you received in journey space. If you would like to join this discussion on Facebook, join our Journey Group on Facebook.

Some helpful references:

Link to the video of the recording

Link to the audio of the recording

SJG: Carrying the Burdens

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The suggested journey topic for this meeting is about “Carrying the Burdens”. The imagery that I was shown was a turtle carrying a great weight on its back. We will specifically be asking about what holes in our boundaries are present that allow us to take on these burdens that aren’t ours to carry. This is a time when many people could be feeling bogged down and overwhelmed because of the amount of stuff on their plate. We don’t need anything extra! So who in you is subconsciously inviting in extra burden and responsibility? Let’s journey to find out. 

Please post your comment if you wish to share what you received in journey space. If you would like to join this discussion on Facebook, join our Journey Group on Facebook.

Some helpful references:

2019-04-09 Carrying The Burdens

Soul Compass Path 2019

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Souls Compass Path

It’s that time again! For those that are not aware, Eagle Therapies will be starting up the Soul Compass Path in June of 2019. We had a great first year of the Soul Compass Path with 9 graduates.

Below is the information for what the Soul Compass Path is, and why someone would want to take it. For more information, you can click these links:

We live in a time that is challenging. How do we become the people who can create a sustainable change and transformation in this world? Join Eagle Therapies starting in the Summer of 2019 on a 9 day program stretched across 9 months.

New to Shamanism?

Don’t worry! This program will teach you all the basics you need to get you started.

Seasoned Shamanic Practitioner?

This 9 month program will meet you where you are. The purpose of this program is to help give you structure, solidarity, and a community to measure your discernment with. How many times have we stumbled in the dark, questioning if the message we received from a guide was accurate? This program is meant to challenge our perspective and deepen our relationship with our guides in a group setting by experiencing healing ceremonies and journeys together.

About the Program

This program was specifically crafted and co-created with Spirit to help bring people the basic foundational Shamanic Skills necessary to engage with the world around them in a good way. It doesn’t matter if you are new to this path or have been down the road of several spiritual traditions for decades. Using ancient Shamanic techniques and honoring the ancestors of the worlds traditions, we will engage with Spirit in an age old fashion that has been specifically crafted for this time. The cosmology and teachings in this program are based off of the Cycle Teachings and the Last Mask Community, an authentic and contemporary cosmology which honors the way our ancestors have done it without taking their rituals, ceremonies and culturally appropriating them.

Stephanie Seger has graduated from Mary Tyrtle Rookers 2 year Shamanic Training program and is a current student of Christina Pratt, Shaman, Author, creator of the Why Shamanism Now podcast and Director for the Last Mask Center for Shamanic Healing. Through Stephanie’s vast life experiences and training, she strives to bring her best to giving her all to this program.

The Soul Compass Path is 6 hours once monthly stretching over 9 months. There is an optional halfway “check in” that meets over Zoom about 2-3 weeks between classes to help support any questions that come up while sifting through the material. Recordings of important class material as well as the Q&A will be provided.

This program delivers a practical set of tools, techniques, and a way to engage with the more intimate aspects of yourself. If you are new to any type of spiritual exploration, this will hand you the basics. For the more seasoned practitioner, it will provide the framework to deepen your connection with your inner guidance and allow yourself to hear the song of your soul ever more clearly. This program is dedicated to helping one get out of their own way and step into their power with authenticity, integrity and sovereignty. Learn how to find your own life’s purpose and be able to live it in the world.

Payment is based on sliding scale, negotiated between your own heart and Spirit. Eagle Therapies is just the vessel to deliver this program of self transformation. What is the sacrifice you are willing to make? Suggested sliding scale pricing is $75-$200 per class. Payment due at time of class. Orientation and first class considered “one class”.

What might be a comfortable set of finances for one person might be a large sacrifice to another. Is $100 a night on the town, buying movie tickets and a couple of drinks? If so, then $100 is not a sacrifice, it is a simple commodity. This is an opportunity to put meaning to the monetary exchange and intentionalize it, not blankly pay with a consumerist mind. The sacrifice should not produce guilt, it should feel right in your heart, and pocketbook to offer.

The Spirit world understands the language of sacrifice, and it is up to you to decide what is the right price to pay within your own heart. Use your intuition and measure it with your own truth. It is possible that one month you can pay towards the higher end of the fee, while others it is the lower end. It is also possible that money is no issue at all and $200 per class does not cover the value of what is within the course material itself for you.

*reworded, but basic concept of language attributed to Christina Pratt

We, as a culture, have large wounds around the exchange of money. If you would like more guidance in this arena, a lovely book you can download for free is “Sacred Economics” by Charles Eisenstein. Once you read the book and you feel compelled to gift back, then you can choose to pay for it. The Non-Local Shamanic Community that Stephanie participates in is currently doing a community wide transformation around Love and Money, and obviously it has a large impact on what she is offering to the world. If you want to change something in the world, start with yourself first. Change comes from within.

If you feel very drawn to this course but do not think you can commit to the full 9 month program, then you can choose to be present for as many classes you feel comfortable taking. Payment is due before the start of each class, or you can choose to pay in one lump sum. If finances are a challenge, there is always delving deeper into the material learned and then hopping on to the program next year (yes, we are planning for this to be a repeating yearly program).  Once you take the class, the materials and resources from that class will be shared with you, and you can still choose to communicate with your fellow classmates.

Is this program right for you? Read more about it on the Soul Compass Path landing page to check out dates, the syllabus, and other tidbits you might find interesting.

Already feel that this resonates within your bones to take this course? Fill out our application form!

A good resource if you are anxious to get started is through the free, listener supported podcast, Why Shamanism Now. There are over 400 archived hours, and a teaser to what is available both within this course and beyond. A great place to start is the Basics of Living Well series and the specific podcasts below:

If you would like an in-depth resource, there is an online course by the Last Mask Center called Energy Body Mastery. We cover similar things in the Soul Compass Path, but for a more in depth exploration, we highly recommend the course.

Other material to get you started that is on this website:

You also have access to the archived recordings of the Bi-Weekly Shamanic Journey Groups.

The song of your soul is calling you.

Now.

The world is waiting for your gifts.

SJG: Grounding In the Moment

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The suggested journey group topic for this meeting is grounding in the moment. Sometimes when it feels as though life is pushing us around, it’s hard for us to be in the moment because we are constantly thinking about the past and our failures, or the possible futures. Which means we are not in the moment. Today we explore some of our most interesting roots and ask the question of what is our biggest challenge that prevents us from being present?

Please post your comment if you wish to share what you received in journey space. If you would like to join this discussion on Facebook, join our Journey Group on Facebook.

Some helpful references:

GroundingIntheMoment

Soul Retrieval Clinics

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Many people have felt that something has been missing in their life, constantly searching and yet feeling like they’ve just scratched the surface. For those that are unfamiliar with soul loss, feel free to read this article. There is an epidemic of soul loss in our society, and Eagle Therapies feels called to step up to do our part in helping bridge this gap.

The first Soul Retrieval Clinic was on Sunday, March 3rd, 2019. It was so successful that we have repeated it many times at least once per year. If there is enough demand, we would be happy to host it once a quarter.

Why?

  • Community wounds take community healing. A lot of the people I am running into have been doing a lot of personal development work on their own. When you have really deep wounds that were caused by family, loved ones, or society, it can be hard to heal on your own. There is a certain “bigness” that makes it feel super big or almost impossible to slog through as an individual. Having others that have gone through similar experiences can help “lighten the load” and help us feel less lonely on our healing journey.
  • Offering healings as a group is a more affordable way that people can receive the benefits of a soul retrieval, and best of all, find other people who are on the same journey of healing themselves. People who otherwise would not be able to afford an individual session could be able to afford a group session at this low cost sliding scale.
  • There will be a 2 week and 2 month check in on Zoom after the healing ceremony. Those who cannot be present live are encouraged to share their updates with email so we can keep in touch with each other.
  • This is not just for individuals that are new to Shamanism, but others that are stepping more into their path and deepening their relationships with their helping spirits. The community container we put together often has a deepening experience where you can connect easier to your emotional, spiritual, and energetic bodies.

Logistics:

Event will take place in Richmond, VA. If the in-person participation is greater than 3 people, then we will have to consider an alternative location besides the Eagle Therapies office in Richmond.

    Sliding scale between $30-$100 per participant. Cash, card, PayPal (eagletherapiesevents@gmail.com) or Venmo (@ChenchiraSeger) accepted. If you would like to pay by credit card, send an inquiry to chenchira@eagletherapies.com to negotiate a solid price, and then an invoice can be generated through QuickBooks.
    NEW: Due to a recent hacking of an Eagle Therapies event, all registrants will not be given the zoom link without filling out this survey and processing a payment or setting up a payment plan.

Structure of event:

  • Plan to arrive around 1pm. We will begin introductions and opening exercises to get to know each other.
  • Around 1:30, I will explain the process of going into sacred space together, then we will create it together. We will enter ceremonial space, and that’s where the magic happens!
  • Typically there is a pattern or theme of why people have gathered together. Feel free to join me while I do a diagnostic journey to see what that pattern is, and how to proceed conducting a Shamanic Healing for the whole group. If you are new to this, then I would encourage you to meditate and reflect on what has been stirred up for you since the start of the ceremony.
  • We will pass around the talking stick and share what felt/experienced during the diagnostic. It’s okay if we want to pass and not share.
  • From here, it’s a group commitment to participate in our own healing. We will generate the energy through singing, dancing, drumming, or enjoy doing some conscious movement. When the timing is right, I will blow a soul part into each participant once I get the cue from Spirit. I will explain what the soul part is, what it’s gift is, and where in the body it landed. Since there will be a group of people there, I will be recording each individual retrieval so that each person has record of their retrieval during the Ecstatic experience. I will not share your experience with anyone else. You can opt out of this if you choose and if you don’t want your soul retrieval experience recorded.
  • After the healing, we will rattle the space clean to seal up the work. There will be a moment of silence for integration, then we will close up circle.
  • For those that choose to share, they can share their experience at the end.

Follow up

  • Each individual will receive a copy of their soul retrieval recording.
  • All participants will be able to participate in a 2 week check in using Zoom, to share their experience of how the healing affected them and their patterns. This is where we discuss common experiences of people integrating soul parts.
  • There will be a 2 month check in using zoom, going over common experiences and “what to expect” after a soul retrieval integration.
  • Those who aren’t able to make it to the 2 week or 2 month check in will receive the recordings via email.
  • We will have a group email thread (since a lot of people don’t have a Facebook or are transitioning off FB) if people feel called to share their experiences with integrating that particular pattern.

Considerations for the future?

  • It is part of the dream to consider creating similar events for Veterans, as well as survivors of domestic abuse. If enough inquiries were there, we could create a centered event around those (or similar) topics

Helpful links for those who are visiting for the first time:

SJG: Boundaries for the Holidays

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This suggested journey topic is all about boundaries for the holidays. We can journey to our energy body and ask our guides what specifically happens during our boundaries during specific events. We list a few examples of things that might potentially happen during a journey of this sort – but be open to what you might discover!

Please post your comment if you wish to share what you received in journey space. If you would like to join this discussion on Facebook, join our Journey Group on Facebook.

Some helpful references:

SJG 9/25/18: Sacred Garden

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This was a nice journey group where we ended up exploring our inner sacred garden. You can listen/watch below for our suggested journey group topic.

For more information, you can click these links:

Much love everyone!fountaingarden

Journey Group 8-28-18

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I swear, I’m going to get better about posting better suggested journey topics! Here is todays journey group in case you would like to get involved in the conversation 🙂

Todays group was about tending our own inner fire in context of summer coming to an end. What are some good journey questions we can reflect in on at this time?

Thanks for watching!

Other pages you might visit:

What is a power object?

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Plenty of people have heard me talk about power objects and why they are so significant. The basic definition of a power object that was explained to me, is any object that we use with intention for a specific purpose. In a way, a toothbrush or glasses can be looked at as a type of daily power object that we use and they are very important to us because we have a specific amount of personal energy invested in those objects. Hence why sometimes it’s easier for us to “track” where we’ve lost our glasses as opposed to other objects, because they carry more significance for us.

cropped-Header.jpgA shamanic power object is an object created through intention and prayer. It can be as simple as a few choice words written onto a piece of paper before you burn it for a one time use. It can manifest as concretely as a drum or rattle, to work with throughout the course of a lifetime – potentially passed down to the next generation. It can be something that already exists, like a gemstone, crystal, or scarf. The point that gets made with a shamanic power object is the amount of energy that is invested by both yourself and Spirit. Often times, a spirit of something will be blown into a power object. This is how the object feels “alive”, because it literally takes on a life of its own. When the spirit of the power object has served its purpose and moved on, typically the power object will break or crack in some way – thus releasing the spirit. The spirit within the power object generally needs to be honored in some fashion, especially if it is a sacred power object.

Common examples of Shamanic Power Objects:

  • Eye curtain to help assist with journeying. Every time you would put on this eye curtain, it helps you get to and maintain a specific altered state of consciousness. Typically these are handmade and can easily be made by folding a bandanna in half and then cutting them so it has that fringe on the bottom.
  • A Mask of your helping spirit – to help with embodying that specific helping spirit.
  • Staff or Walking Stick – This will help one connect more with the “world tree” to make travel easier between realms of Non-Ordinary reality.
  • Shamanic Regalia – All of the above can be categorized as part of a Shamanic Practitioners regalia. This helps them embody their own helping spirits or the energies they want to work with on a more intimate level. This helps us ground into the middle world, because that’s where our physical bodies are. Other aspects of Shamanic Regalia include scarves, rings, jewelry, etc. They can either be hand crafted or inherited already assembled. More information below.
  • Drum or Rattle – These are power objects that are typically their own being. They sometimes only want to come out for sacred events or ceremonies. Please don’t touch another persons drum or rattle unless they invite you to. This is another reason why sometimes people keep their drums back and away from the circle unless they are holding it. Some drums people have made by themselves, and are sacred. Typical unspoken language includes covering a drum or rattle to denote its sacredness, so that others don’t touch that particular power object. There are some that are more friendly then others.

Working with pre-made power objects

You can get the call from Spirit to craft your own power objects, such as necklaces, bracelets, eye curtains, and potentially drums or rattles. There is such an empowerment to making something and co-creating it with Spirit. But what happens if you have an heirloom that has been gifted to you? A carving of an animal that you didn’t make?

Sometimes power objects already have power and they need to find their next home. These things are often very mysterious to people that don’t know much about the background or history of power objects. When a particularly sensitive person picks up an object, they can feel into the energy an object and feel the emotions or energy of what is within the object. That’s why it is important that if a particular power object doesn’t want that energy in them anymore, it is released in a good way. Even if you can’t feel the power within it. Don’t just assume what you need to do for this power object. This is an active state of “listening” that takes our other senses to pick up what exactly needs to be done.

Did you ask your helping spirit for a way to connect with them a lot easier then journeying? Then get a gift of a owl trinket to put on your keys from a friend that “thought of you” and got it? This is very common. And it’s also recommended to cleanse the object before you really begin working more intimately with it.

If journeying is a skill you possess, then feel free to journey to the spirit of what is already there (if you pick something up) and ask for it to show you how to release it (if that is what is called for), or how to begin working with it. Make sure to keep checking your truth cord to see if this is something that resonates with you, or perhaps if this Power Object is meant to go to someone else.

rockpileSometimes power objects can be much more simpler then that. A simple stone picked up from the beach, woods, or desert might be a great power object to help you connect in with a particular Spirit of the Land. While there in a power spot, feel the draw of that particular rock that wants to help assist you in connecting with the land. If you get a “No”, please do not take and respect the answers you get from nature. If you do get a “Yes”, then give gratitude and sprinkle some tobacco, cornmeal, or gift an offering of a song. Giving gratitude is important, because that helps keep the flow of Ayni alive.

Working with rocks, gemstones or crystals can be a wonderful way to create a power object. Something to be mindful of, is that most rocks, and crystals already have a living spirit within them, so you have to ask permission from the item if they would like to embody the energy. Most of the time you will get a yes, but it’s always polite to ask.

Sometimes we need help releasing toxic thoughts, or a reminder of something that aligns with our true path. A gemstone or crystal is the perfect being to ask if they will help embody an energy so we can connect with it easier and draw it closer to us. For example, if we are going through a particularly tough time, we can ask a stone to embody the energy of Forgiveness so that we can have compassion for ourselves and be mindful of this whenever we pick up the rock. Another power object that I interact with daily is a crystal that represents true love for me. Sometimes it has been prescribed to clients of mine to have a stone that represents Sovereignty as a reminder that they are whole and complete beings, and to hold that energy daily to remind themselves that they have the ability to stand within their own power and not be afraid.

This is why it is helpful to have an altar practice. This doesn’t have to be long, but power objects make it easier to be able to place them in a spot that we have already declared as sacred space. Because if we make room for the sacred in our lives, the sacred will happily meet us there. It is our responsibility to tend the sacred within ourselves, and also be responsible for our connections to the greater web of life. Living a Shamanic life is about living in right relationship with the world around you. It’s not about how many connections or relationships you have, but the depth of them.

If you’ve got a busy life that is very full, it holds a lot of meaning that you spend about 5-10 minutes praying in the same spot daily. This is how we stay connected, empowered, and apart of the greater universe. Power objects make it a lot easier, but with this, it is a responsibility to take care of them.

Funny story, I’ve got a badger power animal, and he helps me with specific tasks in Non-Ordinary Reality. I’ve been told in a journey about 2-3 years ago that I needed to find a power object for him. Lo-and behold – My housemate got him at a store, and I did a simple “awakening” Ceremony just by playing around with him, chewing on his figurine paws, and other things. The power object also found me. It was simple, easy, and didn’t take a lot of time to imbue this figurine with power. But I put a lot of feeling into it. Now that this figurine is a power object, it sometimes ends up disappearing and I don’t know where it goes. When I hear a scream or shout from either my son or my housemate, I know that the badger has been found. It has a mind of its own, and sometimes the losing and finding of the power object is something that is able to help me find a deeper meaning or message without traveling into Non-Ordinary Reality because the energy of badger is within that power object.

If you’re really intrigued by this topic and you would like more support, there is this wonderful guide by Evelyn Rysdyk called, “A Spirit Walkers Guide to Shamanic Tools: How to Make and Use Drums, Masks, Rattles, and Other Sacred Implements “. You can purchase the book here.

Have fun with this. It’s a lot easier then you think 🙂