living + healing arts

Harmonizing

eric — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:42:49 +0000

One morning recently I boarded the subway train. As the doors closed and we began moving out of the station, a woman was seated nearby appearing to be fighting with someone across from her and screaming out loud to them. Then it was clear she was fighting with something in her head. Just as I wondered what was going on with her she looked me in the eye and went even wilder. Perhaps she was fighting with all of us on the train. The atmosphere on the train was becoming more nervous as it was going to be a long ride over the Manhattan Bridge to the next station stop. I shifted my eyes away from her. I stood there asking for peace in this awkward situation. Then the invisible work began. I felt my request for peace extend as a request for grace to be given to her and the rest of the passengers on the train. To my intellectual surprise this actually brought calm and peace to the whole train, including the fighting woman, for a few moments. A little outburst would surface, and again my focus was to dissipate anxiety and ask that Earth Mother hold us, this woman especially, and clear the train of this shrieking anxiety. Again more calm for a longer time. Finally, I arrived at my station stop and left the train, hoping the spirits would continue focusing on carrying each soul to their day’s destination peacefully.

I left this experience with a new understanding and clear vision. For us to dedicate more of our time to work with Earth Mother. To call on her, to harmonize our divine connection to her, to increase healing for ourselves and the land of New York. More and more I’m experiencing many similar subtle forms of healing work we each do as our life takes us through different locations everyday. It is giving service to community – whether in the form of shamanism, energy medicine or more ordinary acts of service and gratitude.

This is a tiny example of a bigger practice that has been in focus for me lately. One of these practices is a form of walking meditation. As I walk I ask for help to clear physical spaces, our bodies, and our thoughts. I envision an alignment with Earth Mother, asking her to absorb and transform these turbulent energies so we may walk with more grace, but also so we may be more aware in order to lift some of the burden Earth Mother absorbs.

I also see this takes form in practices of gratitude and prayer. One of the translated precepts of Reiki, as I was taught them, was to “appreciate everything, and show gratitude”. In this practice I notice the many ways our body and spirit receives empowerment and nourishment from Earth Mother. From food, water and from the land we walk on.

Spring Voltage

eric — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:38:43 +0000

Spring is here and it’s a great time to check in on what you have been envisioning. What’s here now, what’s on the horizon, and what’s between here and there? Consider the potential energy a seed embodies to push through its shell and defy the boundaries that no longer serve it’s winter state underground.

If your dream is a big vision, you may feel the space between here and there is daunting. You can take each step though with an eye on your vision and feel empowered by the charge of potential energy. The difference between your present state or situation and your vision (to use an example from electricity) is Voltage.

Focused thought on your vision also powerfully directs energy (the ‘prana’ in yogic forms, the ‘qi’ in Chinese systems). Energy builds until it is sufficient to empower your ability to manifest vision into form.

Potential energy is like lightning building up in a cloud until it has enough charge to reach out and connect to the oppositely charged ground. It’s polarity reaches a point that it must connect to ground, it has no choice.

So dream big and watch the sun and rain of Spring give your seeds no choice but to grow.

Caution: Change Ahead

eric — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:28:38 +0000

2009 is already off to a bold start, and everywhere I look and listen the talk is “change” and about the work that goes along with such changes we seek. One aspect of this moment I am most conscious of is that in the northern hemisphere we are still in Winter, continuing to look inward and clarify our next steps. It is easy to run too quickly in fresh frenzied excitement and burnout before our environment is ready to support our blossoming seeds and profound potential.

Part of my practice is to create sacred space and open channel for you to affirm these energetic reorganization processes.

Come journey within and uncover your next step in gentle transition.

Allow your body’s energy to realign and support your process.

How It Looks From Here

eric — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:12:23 +0000

Something unique about my experience of nature years ago when I was living in Austin, Texas breathed into me a deep peace and inspired love. The environment was beautifully woven nature with urban life and a scent in the air that told me everything was alive.

First Music, then the Theatre grabbed my desires and funnelled me through a discipline of black coffee, long hours, cigarettes, paying dues, telling stories and living gypsy lives rolling up miles. Ahh, the business of show! The path from those wake-up calls in nature to thriving in the urban center of New York has been a bumpy journey of evolving twists and turns.

I’m grateful for the infinite spirit in New York, her buildings and all her creatures are the energy of New York. Ride the subway and you’ll see, smell, hear, and or touch radiant diversity expressed in each face. Sometimes it looks to me like every hindu deity is represented in one train car.

From theatre arts, to shamanic arts. It’s all related I’ve come to find out. Slowly some of the pieces feel like they’re coming together, organizing into the next expression.

Emotion that rides in on the waves of sunlight. Walking uphill for clearer air is not always easy. Half of the journey is becoming able to smile at the end of the hardest trials.

Stepping up to the opportunities to learn healing practices, reiki, qigong, shamanism, time spent chanting to Shiva, listening to beautiful music, being pointed to ho’oponopono (hawaiian shamanism – forgiveness), doing inner work. It saved me from certain death.

Striving to embrace all of what is happening in our unique time, in order to be of the most creative help right now, including being connected with other gay souls, who enjoy emphasizing the role that nature is served by gays. As we heal, our community heals, and we align ourselves with the planet, alignment with the Divine.

My intention is to focus on being a good gardener of life, and grinning at the weeds that pop up now and then. Ready to welcome these initiations.

Connecting Shamanism with Hinduism for me is the moment I’m intentionally living. Experiential Spirituality. Amazing how much life opened up when we tried a ‘media blackout’, focused on love and beauty, creativity, and scouted out the truth for ourselves.

Joseph Campbell wrote:

A bit of advice
Given to a young Native American
At the time of his initiation:

“As you go the way of life,
You will see a chasm.

Jump!
It is not as wide as you think.”

Palm Up

eric — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 18:10:12 +0000