Many of us in the collective have had our realities shifted like a Tower card in the ancient Tarot this past year of 2020. As I write this in early 2021, just after the Lunar New Year and on the Uranus Squaring Saturn window of energies, I feel we all collectively felt a positive shift would have magically happened with the turn of the New Year. ( Traditional or Lunar). For many, I am sure this is true, however for most we find ourselves in the 2020 energy of the Tower. Now Tower cards in tarot can portend some sudden change or event and are often dreaded when received. The burning building with two figures leaping from the top can be very disconcerting. We must remember though that a tower moment or cycle can be a welcome wake up call to what is not working in life: relationships, jobs, health, home location, finances etc. Some of us “over acheivers” have taken on all of these this past year. Noone though has been left untouched by the powerful light frequencies of energy pourning onto the planet at this time of planetary ascension and transformation. Now is the time to stand firm, grounded and go within to acess what is working and what areas of life need a touch up or a complete overhaul. The soul is the most precious prize in all the multiverses. It is sought after and fought over more than gold, silver , diamonds and even graphene. Nurture it, water it, care for it, love it and take all the time you need to polish it from within. There is no rush. You will never be late or miss the boat. You are on your own divine timeline. Love and blessings!
LA Voyager Magazine Article →
Why Retreats are good for the Soul!
Why Retreats are good for the Soul!
I was having breakfast last week at the trendy new “ish” Ace Hotel, in Downtown Los Angeles, with a lovely woman, who was planning her 50th milestone birthday retreat. She had been referred to me by another retreat client that had spent a week with me in Maui for a yoga retreat I had hosted some time ago, for a group of very busy executives.
Our conversation turned to planning her special time away from the busy-ness of her day–to-day life, and we discussed what she could “expect” on her journey to Sedona’s red rocks and vortex energy centers. In our early discussions, she had wanted a group retreat experience with some of her closest friends and family joining her. Gradually, as we talked, her focus shifted and she decided it was best to simply go alone, with herself, and with me as her guide, to the most special places Sedona has to offer -a lone vision quest.
We spoke about some of the things that were driving her need to step away from her routine for a few days, and hopefully to come back with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity. Having hosted and attended retreats with hundreds of guests/attendees myself, I knew all too well that the pivotal decision to step off the wheel of life actually begins the true process of finding your place on your wheel of life. We planned to participate in a Native American shaman-led medicine wheel ceremony while in Sedona, so the metaphor on the wheel of life did not go unnoticed by me.
According to the Four Winds Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to cultivating conscious community by offering indigenous perspectives, values and ceremonies, the Vision Quest “is a rite of passage in many Native American cultures. It is one of the most universal and ancient means to find spiritual guidance and purpose in ones life. A vision quest offers clarity into the next phase of life.” Traditional vision quests involve days of fasting in nature within a sacred altar, after extensive preparation, to be able to receive the messages from Great Spirit that await them. It is a challenge of faith, physicality and focus. It is a powerful time to align with the Great Mystery of life.
Before someone is ready to take on a truly authentic Vision Quest, a gentle introduction into the indigenous ways, ceremonies, culture and stories is suggested.
The “urban vision quest” we had planned took into account that this woman, seeking a mid-life rite of passage, had never experienced any of the traditional ceremonies, or had never been exposed to the intensity of a vortex area like Sedona’s. The experience would be no less powerful and life altering. The alignment of our energetic connection began immediately after she said “yes” to the experience.
I recall a moment when she came into my mind’s awareness, and in that exact instant, my phone rang and she was on the other end of the line. At our Ace hotel meeting, I presented her with an offering of four specifically selected crystals I had wrapped for her, along with a fresh stick of Palo Santo, that comes from a mystical tree that grows on the coast of South America and is related to frankincense, myrrh and copal. In Spanish, the name literally means “Holy Wood”. Its properties for cleansing and healing are similar to that of sage. I told her that, as a beginning to her journey, to take the next few weeks to begin to listen, cleanse and begin to journal any insights about this stage of her life, and the messages from Great Spirit.
It is said that there is a Universal law of attraction at work here; that in order to manifest the experience we are choosing, we must first release it or “give it away”
before it will appear in our physical reality. That night, after leaving the Ace hotel, one couple arrived with a beautifully wrapped box with purple and green ribbon tied around a fresh stick of Palo Santo. I opened the box to find the four crystals I had given my new friend at breakfast had returned to me that same night…an example of that Universal law at work? Indeed!
We all need to take time to step away from our daily routine, a routine that is increasingly becoming more and more accelerated as technology takes over.
The natural environment provides much needed food for the soul, solitude for inner reflection and insight and time for self care. It’s an investment in the “bank account” of life and the dividends it pays are through the roof!
Lori Tierney is a free-lance writer and author of the book “Cougar Yoga”. She founded the Red Road Retreat company in 2006 and organizes individual and group retreat experiences. (redroadretreats.com ) ( LoriTierney.org)
Republished with permission from DTLA Life Magazine
Santosha
Spiritual seekers of elusive exhalted states of bliss and enlightenment often miss the true jewel in an embodiment: Santosha. Santosha literally means “contentment, satisfaction” and is included as one of the Niyamas by yogic sage Patanjali. It is a prerequisite to experiencing peace. TKV Desikachar, a yoga Master, describes the meaning of Santosha as accepting what happens, whatever life offers you and learning from it. It is self acceptance, exactly as we are in our given reality. Contemporary society is a constant reflection of an advertising cultures vision of beauty and physical perfection that is a false program that follws us everywhere. How does one find this “illusive” state of Santosha in a world presenting the opposite. A world that falsly grades us on what trappings we have aquired, how thin or muscular we are, how many zeros are in our bank account, the color of our latest Tesla, branded clothing, lack of wrinkles, zip code and genius children. Obne of these alone is enough to cause a state of feeling less than, let alone combining them all on a daily assualt to our senses via social media, film, print, digital platforms and static billboards.
Santosha is not seekable, with diligence and practice santosha finds you.
Ascension
Ascension is LOVE. Love is Enough. ( Please refer to the book by this title) For most people this explaination isn’t enough! They want ratios, sacred geometry, merkebah construction, a pill, a road map, a grade , $200.00 after passing ascension GO!
Ascension is both personal and planetary and we are “knee deep” into it as of this writing circa 2019. The end of ages is upon us. The Kali Yuga to the Golden age as described by numerous sages and fortellers of these times across many platforms from the Bagavah Gita, the Mahabarrata, Keys of Enoch, Pistis Sophia et al.
On the plenatery side, Gaia, our “hostess with the mostess” has decided to ascend out of the third density reality of our incarnation. Simply put, she is arising her own vibrational frequency and thus those walking upon her have a choice: to arise their own I AM frequency while in physical form, to maintain compatability with her, continue a 3D experience upon another galactically arranged host planet, leave the physical body and ascend in spirit form or arrange for a transport ship to beam you up.
Ascension on the personal side is a deeply rewarding, profoundly rich experience not for those with a lack of dedication, determination and courage. Or it isn’t. For most it is a lifetime practice and therefore one that is aided by the experiences and findings of others. A tool kit if you will. How to acheive a balanced experience when bombarded with the daily cacophany of life. Where does one turn for help, for answers? Yes, the first and last rule of the answers are “within” holds true. Most of us need help finding our way to even go within for five minutes a day let alone over years. The good news is, we have been left some keys by sages of old that can help as a blueprint for maintaining balance and frequency harmony on this ascension path. OMMMM!