The Little Selves Seen

Today I was sharing with a group the value of employing power animals to help us in our daily lives. I have a great egret that I call in to help me manage my energetic boundaries in a group setting. I see her fly in and then dance, wings flowing, around me to help me stay clean and clear about what is mine and what is that of the people I'm negotiating with. I have a red fox that helps me look for something, or someone, I've misplaced. When I see him run out after the prize I trust that what I am missing will come back to me, and it does.

I love these spirits and have an intensely intimate bond with them. I cannot imagine my life without them. At the same time, I understand that my attachment to them is the same as my attachment to my role as a wife, animal mother, herbalist, shaman; the same as to my attachment to my ego. I love who I am in the world and I trust that it is not me.

I am the witness. As Ken Wilber says in the introduction to Caroline Myss's Entering the Castle, "we have at least two selves, or two sorts of selves - there is the self that can be seen and known, and the self that cannot be seen or known. There is the unknown seer, and there are all the little selves seen. " This unknown seer is considered our "true self" and is referred to in many meditative practices as the "witness".

How can I view my power animals and my roles as "little selves seen" and hold the truth of the witness that is me? Do I hold one over the other?

The one that judges the little selves as less than the true self is just another little self. When we judge our power animals as mere projections we are not speaking from our true self. When we dismiss our role as a woman we are not acting from our true self. This is one little self judging another. In our polarized world we fragment into these multiplicities to have the experience that is human. These selves are what make our lives so unbelievably rich. Their judgements create our experience.

All the while, our true essence remains intact watching, accepting and learning from all the little selves do. Our true essence does not know how to judge, only watch. We have access to all the forgiveness and love that is the witness at any given time. Whenever a little self feels defeated she can release the shame to the witness and be overcome with an overwhelming sense of relief. Whenever I am asking a power animal for help, I am stepping outside of my role as a wife, employee, boss, etc. and becoming the faith that is the witness.

This goes against many teachings that encourage people to release their ego for the sake of the true self. What I've found is that we all are a work in progress and to expect any one of us to be free of ego is asking a lot. It is a tough road to follow and not fit for everyone. I am here to suggest another path. Instead of struggling through all the doubt and self-judgement that comes with severing oneself from the ego, I have chosen to instead honor the value of the little selves seen. The more I love them, talk with them, and share them with the witness, the more I find they align with my true nature. In the end, that is the ultimate goal, unity with all that is, was, and ever will be.

Quote from Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul by Caroline Myss

I'm Ready and the Story Always Has Been...

I've had a manuscript in hand for some time now and, as I have the courage, am submitting it to different publishers. I have worked over all the materials I need to submit including the manuscript, the synopsis, the market analysis, etc. a couple of times and just finished another go around. It's now time to start putting the work out there in whatever form I can. I'm ready and the story always has been...

SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK
A first-hand account of magic in detail, Gracious Wild: A Spiritual Journey with Hawks is the story of a young, Western woman’s path out of the mundane world of scientific research and into the vast shamanic realms of the imagination. Her guides on this quest are a series of wild and captive hawks in the flesh. For those of you wondering what birds of prey have to say to us, this is a powerful window into their world. For those of you wondering if you have what it takes to practice shamanism, this is a strong case in your favor.

So often we in modern-day society are told that shamanic initiation and training takes place by connecting with Earth-based cultures such as those found in Mongolia, Tibet or Peru, but what if you could follow this path here at home without having to gain acceptance into a foreign culture?

We expect intense initiation rites like near-death experiences, starvation or prolonged isolation to be part of the shamanic path, but what if you had access to all the guidance needed without such extremes? AND what if you could get started in your twenties or thirties rather than waiting until later in life?

Through the eyes of the woman in Gracious Wild you can see how absolutely accessible this powerful healing technique is to all of us. It begins with spending time living and working in nature.

We first find the young woman alone on a foggy, windswept island in the Pacific. She nearly succumbs to her innermost fears be it for a handful of northern harrier hawks that fly across the open ocean to take up residence with her. While watching the raptors raise their families the woman begins to find and cultivate her own gift for finding grace in the everyday.

She takes her visions back to the mainland and soon finds herself in the company of a special harrier hawk trained to work with people. While developing a relationship with Thalia, the young woman learns how to contact the spirit world regularly. The synchronicities between her shamanic journey work and her training with Thalia reveal the interplay between shadow and light that allows both of their spirits to move into their true expression.

Soon Graccia, a red-tailed hawk, enters the scene and charms the leading lady from the start with her endless curiosity and carefree spirit. The woman teaches the red-tail how to work from the glove and Graccia, using love as the catalyst, shows the woman how to share the extraordinary. Together, they are able to forage friendships and open their hearts. Graccia’s presence is absolutely life-changing. The messages she brings are worth sharing.

Gracious Wild teaches by example. It is one of those true healing stories that takes you out of the rational “how to” trap of the mind and into an instinctual experience that pervades all layers of being: body, mind, heart and soul. In reading this story you will discover a new perspective on an old way, allowing you to dream your own path to enlightenment.

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Let me know what you think by posting a comment. Know an agent or publisher that might be someone good for me to meet? Please send them my way!