Photo by Dana Nollsch, www.PhotoZen.us

Photo by Dana Nollsch, www.PhotoZen.us

Five years ago Sunday, June 1, I posted the very first Sage Spirit blog post announcing the birth of this beloved endeavor of my soul and spirit, Sage Spirit Coaching & Reiki. I have been blessed beyond measure by the support of family, friends, clients, students, teachers and coaches through the years. My spiritual growth has been exponential, and I have been witness to the phenomenal growth of many others. I am in awe and InJoy as I ponder this remarkable path.

Community is a huge theme for me, as I’ve shared before. I regard you all as part of a spiritual community as we create an energetic hub for support, blessings, encouragement, love and wisdom in the broader world. Thank you, All, for sharing all of that with me and for shining your own light. You are such amazing Beloveds to me, now and always. Without you, I wouldn’t have the amazing sense of community that I have. I wouldn’t have the sense of love and faith that I do on behalf of humanity. I wouldn’t have the joy of knowing you, which would be a huge sacrifice.

What has been coming up for me around community is a sense of evolution in that too. Often, relationships seem to be karmic in nature, where we travel with our soul families and show up for one another in supportive or problematic ways. The latter happens to be very supportive of our soul-growth, if we are willing to embrace the lessons. I sense new kinds of relationship coming into our community, not karmic or “past-life” related, but where we are free to dance and create beyond any kinds of patterns which may have existed in the past. In these, we are free of drama triangles with their victim, perpetrator, and savior roles. I truly celebrate all the ways we show up in relationship, but these new kinds feel wildly refreshing when I witness them in the space.

Abundance and prosperity: these are themes that arise so often in conversation, especially for those with a vision that would radically change their lives if they acted on them. Especially when starting a business, the monkey mind scarcity demon pretty much always shows itself with cautionary tales of woe and lack, encouraging us to turn back. If you want to know all about your monkey mind scarcity demon, just think about leaving your steady paycheck for a moment. Ha!

I had the amazing fortune to come across Maria Nemeth’s The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial and Personal Fulfillment just before I left my university position. Engaging with the content in this book helped me to clean up some of my limiting beliefs around business and financial success and empowered me to move forward. I found, however, that the work was on-going for me. Later I found Nemeth’s Mastering Life’s Energies: Simple Steps to a Luminous Life at Work and Play. Here’s one of the best take-aways from Nemeth’s work that I love to share during training events, as it relates to creation and manifestation in general and applies to everyone.

When we have a great inspiration to create anything meaningful, we carry the inspiration in our upper chakras (our bodies’ energy centers) for a while. The inspiration enters our crown (crown chakra). We may think about our idea (third-eye chakra), talk about it (throat chakra), and examine whether our heart could be fully into it (heart chakra). All of these steps feel light, lite and freeing, and completely doable. We tend to be full of energy and wildly optimistic in these stages.

However, we are merely dancing in the imaginary realms where there’s no weight and no consequences to what we’re imagining. Then we bring the inspiration down to the lower chakras, our survival centers, where we actually have to Do Something in order to create something tangible. Well, now, that’s a great way to poke the monkey mind scarcity demon awake!

Suddenly we wonder if we’ll be able to feed ourselves if we follow through, or perhaps we’ll become bag-people on the street! Our very survival is on the line, right? Nemeth calls this “trouble at the border.” Passage over the border is inevitable and unavoidable if we’re to create anything of significance. The choice to proceed will awaken the monster within that would prefer we avoid change at all costs. At times like these, it’s really best to have the help of a great coach, an honest and supportive friend, and others who may serve as empowering, helpful champions for us.

When we are supported in practical ways, through our community, in a free-flowing exchange of give-and-take-energy, then we are more empowered to joyfully serve as entrepreneurial, spiritual, philanthropic angels as we dance in these earthsuits.

And so it’s been for me. I’ve enjoyed so much support through the years with great coaches and more. Each year of Sage Spirit has shown expansion, but last year and then this one too have offered very significant jumps. I am grateful to my first coach, Marti Benjamin, my current coach, Laura Plato, and to the many other coaches, shamans, and teachers who have come in between.

I think a huge part of success too is the willingness to invest in ourselves and our dreams. This doesn’t mean reckless credit card behaviors, but a willingness to embrace empowered changes, to show up in new and exciting ways, and to cultivate passion and adventure with ease and grace. For me it helps to be in balance and harmony with the Universe, allowing for a natural flow of energy exchange that honors everyone. In our shamanic tradition, we call this balance ayni, and it is the source of all health, vibrancy and prosperity. For me, part of the path of ayni has been acknowledging my worthiness to receive in return for what I offer, as my philanthropic heart has guided my path of service for so long. I no longer feel I have to over-compensate for my perceived shortcomings. I love to bestow blessings, and I now know how to love receiving them.

Where do you find support for your daily living?

Where do you find support for your spiritual pursuits?

Where do you need additional support? Where might you find that?

What would be possible if you felt you were wildly supported by the Universe?

Because you are, you know. Beautiful. Worthy. Amazing. May your blessings flow to you with ease and grace, in abundance, and with love. Always.