Unfortunately, unrecognized initiations occur in individuals and groups quite often. These are times when we move through life altering events that shake us to our core, without guidance of a medicine person or wise elder facilitating a conscious process, without knowledge of what is afoot, and without even a sense of preparation. It might be a near death experience through illness or accident, coming of age without stories of foretelling, becoming lost alone overnight in the woods, or even the untangling from a toxic relative or abusive spouse. If we are lucky, we at least have a quiet witness to the magnitude of a profound shift within us.

​Previously I wrote an article on the 3 Stages of an Initiatory Experience describing the phases as I know them to be. It paints a picture of a full and complete process from the initial stages of severance or removal from all that we know, into the discombobulating challenge of an intensity that brings us to the brink - be it facing fear, maxing out our physical strength and endurance, testing our faith, or near breaking of determination and will power - and into the final integration of the knowledge we gained from such challenge, where life is reassembled in a new, course corrected, improved, and harmonious way. Which is far from how light and easy that might sound.

The trouble comes when one begins this process, intentionally or not, and stalls or stops partway through. Usually when the going gets roughest, and most often when without recognition either from the initiate themselves or from a network or facilitator to help push through to completion. It feels like the bottom has dropped out from under our feet, circumstances become intolerable, but we don't make it to the other side with newfound resilience and instead stay in a painful place where the emotional wounds don't seem to heal, dysfunctional patterns continue,  and the shit just keeps getting kicked up without true resolution. We end up not knowing how to fully return from our challenge. We don't know how to process what we experienced or what to do with the thoughts that we walked away with. For some, it might even result in a chronic trauma response.

The sneakiest pitfall that I have seen many times over, is when the challenge itself runs its course, the initiate(s) complete their hardship in whatever form it took, the sigh of relief is breathed - and everything goes right back to the way it was when it all started. There is a false sense of completion. A lull into complacency just before the actual finish line. The wisdoms gained during the ultimate "moment of truth" is not applied to life After after all.
All becomes for nought.
There was no integration and we might not even know it.
The big game is talked, didactic pontification ensues, wounds are declared healed, and blindspots are cultivated and sidestepped.
Until the next initiatory experience brings another chance.

What I have had brewing on the back burner of my awareness, is no matter how easily or painfully we might be moving through these pandemic days, regardless of "enlightened" or conspiracy  concepts  as to the Whys of it all, despite any desire for or knowledge of potentially being in the midst of an initiatory experience - both individually and collectively - there is possibility of inadvertently missing those 3 key steps.
Severance. Threshold. Integration.

We have clearly said goodbye to life as we knew it. We appear to be at the threshold. How it looks and what we learn here is deeply personal and widely varied. If it is right, that these times are indeed following this ancient structure, integration will look differently for everyone. Some will actively work at it. Some will not even realize it. Let there be no sidestepping. Let us be guided by innate wisdom and latent medicines if not by Initiated knowledge keepers. Sometimes they seem far and few between. But at least if we get lost, we know these 3 steps.

Today's podcast guest, Juliette Woods, is an incredible mix of mystic, mother, spiritual guide, creative, and earth spiritualist. 

In our conversation we talk about...

• The concept of a 'slow-cooked' life and regenerative self care 
• Tending to ourselves by tuning into our innate capacities, seeking emancipation from the paradigm of overdoing
• The recognition that we are re-learning how to be in circle and the balance between patience, openness, compassion, boundaries, and...well, we'll figure it out eventually! 
• Considering what is means to 'hold space' or be 'sending' energy to someone #gettinspiritual #woohoo
• Recognizing the places we need to perhaps reclaim ourselves
• Cultural appropriation and a gentle invitation to be ever more vigilant with our language
• Making conscious transformations in your business - even when it's a bit challenging
• Being in service to LIFE through acts of connection and contemplation (and some good ole ironic humour) and Juliette's photo project and 'devotion of trash removal on the West Coast of Canada', Lost & Found. Please Claim.

We cover a lot of ground in this long-form conversation that feels like a lengthy stroll down the beach on a drizzly day...picking up wise little stones...giving the selkies a wave hello and wink or two...remembering the seal skin tucked away in our own closets.

To support this podcast :
You can engage in reciprocity with this show by supporting me - Amber Samaya - on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ambersamaya

One aspect that I have noticed is that when we do not fully immerse ourselves in the season at hand, we can begin to fall out of alignment, or out of step, with the natural cycle of energy present all around us. This will contribute to S.A.D., lead to frustrations, longing, and have us either scrambling or working against the natural flow of life. Returning to synchronicity and reverence is perhaps easier than one might think! June's Return to Reverence column in the PRL magazine offers up some simple practices that can be incorporated into even the busiest day seamlessly ...

Sacred living is more than a practice. More than something one "does". Definitely more than attending interesting workshops or a periodic ceremony. In this time and place, where our urbanized and generally spiritually neglected lifestyle creates a sense of disconnect, and "nature deficit" has become a condition - the draw to a deeper life is strong - yet sometimes we fall into thinking our spirituality is something "to do" instead of a way of living.   Around the world entire cultures, ways of being, and daily ordinary life tasks were intrinsically infused with our relationship to Spirit. There was no separation between collecting a hen's eggs and our prayers, no distinction between grinding corn and divination, dreams were important, living by the phases of moon and sun was normal, souls were tended to after trauma, blessings were sewn into clothes and always offerings to ancestors and nature deities were a first thought - not something to "remember to do" but naturally arising from day-to-day activities. Living life as a million little ceremonies and with a sensitivity to unseen aspects. 
​If you would like more on what I mean by that, here is an article I wrote for elephant journal on 10 ways to turn ordinary moments into sacred ones.
​Early in one's practice yes, these may feel as things "to do", but for those of us who feel deepening into sacred living is more like remembering wisdoms we didn't know we had forgotten, or see it as a path of clarity through the distractions of our day - we can come to a place of constant spiritual awareness and dialogue while we move through the mundane. But lets be clear - we aren't at the whim of guides, following hunches without linear consideration, not half checked-out in the land of non-ordinary reality, and certainly not being drawn off into journeys or possession by spirit all willy-nilly. More simply, when one is noticing omens, listening for insights, and allowing spirit to give us nudges throughout our day, we must also be fiercely present, grounded, and firmly anchored in our human plane. This is where discipline and discernment play an integral piece.

​It is also where a human teacher can be a wealth of support.  Spirit has sooo much wisdom to share - but spirit also doesn't live as a modern day human. Some of our guides may have lived in times where cursing and warfare were normal parts of community living and advise us accordingly. Spirit also may give us intense lessons without certain sanity saving tips and supports. And to be honest - not all spiritual entities have our best interests at heart. Having an integral human teacher to notice your blindspots, alert you to potential hazards, and bring you wisdom on ethical working, healthy technique, energetic management while navigating current day-to-day living, and importantly - to support healing during challenging times. It's one thing to grow through a spiritual crisis - it's a whole other ball game to go through it alone. It is often said we are "Spiritual beings living a Human experience", so while some folks struggle to bring a spiritual side into their lives, others struggle to keep humanity in balance.
Does anyone come to mind when you think of someone living more in the aethers than seems to serve them well? Perhaps you know of one who struggles with being a creature incarnated here on earth. Or someone who appears to crash through life, burning up friendships, or always choosing complicated circumstances saying, "Spirit told me to" ?
​A friend maybe? A 'healer' in town? You?

Sacred living is both spiritual practice and ordinary life walking side by side every step of the way. It's living fully, with a rich knowing of self. Diving into the deepest, hardest personal work to better revel in the beauty of the world. It's aligning our hearts with our actions - bringing internal healing out into the mundane world. Consulting spirit during hard decisions and using our intellect to implement a plan. It's going to a job every day and finding ways to be a harmonizing agent in the world - no matter what we are doing. Knowing what is our sh*t is and what has been projected onto us or what we are picking up on from another. It's feeling when things are out of balance between the mundane world and the spiritual realm, and having the wisdom to look within and to our guides before acting. It's buying less packaging not to be "environmental" but because we actually treasure our relationship with mother earth. It's thanking the land for its blessings and allowing safe passage before a road trip. Listening to the nudge to take the next bus but being wise enough to discern if it is a passing whim or actual guidance. It's a strong relationship with spirit while having both feet firmly on the ground. Doing our work, bringing balance and holding the light while we go about our ordinary lives. Walking the walk and knowing our practice is something to live - not do. This is sacred living. 

If these words tug on your heart strings, if you hear the call but can't see the first step, my suggestion is to find your clan, connect with a mentor, keep company that raises you up and "speaks your language". You are more than welcome to  visit www.ReturnToReverence.ca for inspiration and if you would like to join us, please do. The world needs wise hearts, compassionate intellects, and sensitive warriors as change makers. I truly believe by repairing our relationship to the natural world and tending to our own well-being and soul restoration, we are having a huge overall impact. In my opinion, tending to our personal healing is just what needs doing when we feel helpless in the face of atrocities. Plus... it's science! We have all sorts of scientific demonstrations - everything from University experiments linking the electric impulses in DNA samples with the owner's emotional states over distance to Dr. Emoto's work with emotional imprinting on water's molecular structure. From Sandra Ingerman's Transfiguration healing work measured with GVD cameras (I was a lucky participant in some of this!) to the popular Rice Experiment (Here is my home study with photos)

I am reminded of Spider wisdom - if you witness a spider building a web, often the first step is putting their support lines firmly in place. Then they begin in the center, tending to the small things. The work then grows out from there into something bigger and far reaching. It's balanced and beautiful. Sometimes it shines in the light, and other times hidden from view. We can do the same with our spiritual and ordinary lives. 
Blessings.
*links and certain terminology in this article were updated in 2020