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January 23 through January 29, 2023

With all the upheaval of last week’s planetary shifts, this week starts out on a calmer note under the Pisces Moon. We’ll embrace a harmonious and free-flowing vibration until Wednesday when the Aries Moon spurs us back into action. Dancing through this creative sign until Friday, this is a great time for brainstorming, putting new ideas into action (or at least down on paper!), and negotiation. Venus will move into Pisces on Thursday, turning our focus to magic, fantasy, and all things metaphysical. Our intuitions will be on high alert, and following those random hunches could pay off handsomely over the next four weeks! The weekend unfolds under a Taurus Moon, where we can choose to tackle the clutter surrounding us or simply drop on the couch and catch up on all those shows we’ve recorded or have been meaning to stream. Or perhaps a mixture of both. Either way, the weekend is for regrouping, restoring, and relaxing!

Soul Walk: A Simple Exercise for Soul Integration, by Daniel Moler

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

The soul has many parts. With my work in shamanic practices, I have been astounded at the repeating presence of the number three. Various aspects of the number three will crop up in many ways on the shamanic path. For instance, there are three worlds in the shamanic universe: the upper, middle, and lower worlds. The shamanic healing process unfolds in three phases: the cleansing, the alignment, and the raising. Likewise, the psyche itself is comprised of three elements.

This segmentation of the self is not just reserved for shamanic traditions. In Qabalah, the self is reduced to three expressions of being known as Nephesch (the primal subconscious), Ruach (the base personality), and Neschamah (the higher self). Similarly, Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory divided the psyche into the Id (base, primitive instincts/subconscious self), Ego (reality-based personality/conscious self), and the Super Ego (the moral conscience/ideal self).

In my book, The Shamanic Soul: A Guidebook for Self-Exploration, Healing, and Mysticism, I discuss the three aspects of the self as taught to me from my training in Peruvian curanderismo. They each are rooted in the concept of sombra, translated in Spanish as "shadow" or "shade," which is a projection or image of oneself cast upon the world. The sombra is the way the soul is expressed in reality. The three aspects of sombra are known as the:

• Sombra Ganadera: Known as "the rancher" shade, but also referred to as "the contrary" (contrario), this sombra typically corresponds to the lower self, the subconscious state of mind where base instincts and repressed memories reside. Therefore, this aspect of the soul is primarily concerned with the past. If not properly controlled or corralled (hence, "the rancher") this sombra will resurface and sabotage one's life in often unintentional ways.
• Sombra Primera: The "prime" shade is the primary personality, conscious and aware of the world around us, the aspect of our soul concerned with relationships and day-to-day living. This part of the soul is more concerned with the present.
• Sombra Criandera: The "wet nurse" or "nursemaid" shade is the aspect of the soul that nurtures the self upon one's path, encouraging them toward evolution. Other traditions call this the higher self, that which is concerned with transcendent reality.

Often life will bring upon a set of challenges that will fracture these aspects of the soul. The natural way of life is for these parts to work together in unison. If they do not, they will work against each other and individuals will wade through life confused, disgruntled, and even engage in self-sabotage. One can be easily ruled by emotions or ego, and disharmony of the sombras will reflect a disharmony of the soul.

Although my book The Shamanic Soul is comprised of many spiritual healing practices, most of them are centered upon the mesa, a shamanic altar used for shamanic training and practice. However, one does not have to have a mesa to engage in shamanic healing. In fact, you have everything you need already! Your mind, body, and soul are built to heal themselves. Just as a physical wound will heal in the right conditions, all you need to do is nurture your healing capacities and provide the time/space for your soul to do its job. If my own soul feels fragmented, disjointed, or not quite in alignment, if the three sombras don't seem to be working in alignment, this is the simple ritual I follow for true soul integration.

The Soul Walk Ritual
Carve out some time for yourself. A true healing ceremony cannot be done while working or in a space where you can be distracted with other tasks. You need to allot some time specifically for your soul care, just as you would for any other event. I would suggest at least a good 3 to 4 hours, but if you cannot do anymore than that, then at minimum schedule an hour.

Find a space where you can go for a walk out in a natural setting, specifically where you will not be interreacting with other people. It is good to have some isolation from others, so you are not distracted from your healing process. There are plenty of State and National Parks you can look up, even close to the city, with walking trails that will provide an appropriate amount of isolation from the populace. You will want a space where the only connection is between you and the natural world, ideally a space to which you are connected.

You may want to take a backpack to carry a water bottle, sunscreen, or insect repellent, if that is conducive to your needs. Dress appropriate for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Leave your phone behind. If you need to let someone know where you are, in case of an emergency, do so. However, you do not want another opportunity for distraction to arise.

When you arrive at your space, state your intention to the land that you intend to heal yourself and ask for permission and assistance. The lands listens, and the land will answer.

Ganadero Walk
First is the walk with the sombra ganadero, the aspect of the soul typically concerned with the past or subconscious state. For this you will want to begin your walk by locating a stone. If you are in an area where no stone can be found, you can choose a stick or some other natural object. However, a stone is ideal for this exercise, specifically a dark, dense one.

Place the stone in your right hand and begin your hike. The first third of your walk will focus on brining up your issue at hand. Are you having issues with a spouse? Do you feel alone, confused? Is work stressing you out? How does your issue reflect back upon you and your personality? How does it make you feel? Why do you think it makes you feel that way? Was there an event in your past that causes you to react in the way that you do, that causes you to feel or think these thoughts?

Don't judge any of these notions. And please don't try to solve the problem at hand. Just bring up these feelings, thoughts, and emotions, and witness them, without judgement. Whatever they are, just observe as you walk.

Using the power of your imagination, fueled by the physical power of your walking, intend for any thoughts, feelings, or memories that make you uncomfortable to flow from your body, down your right arm, and into the stone in your right hand. Intend for the stone to act as a magnet, attracting any density these feelings bring up to be absorbed into the stone itself, leaving your body and mind. Everything in the natural world is conscious and can utilized as a tool to assist us in our own healing. Stone are wonderful ancestors who are great at absorbing these sorts of dense energies from the sombra ganadera. It is okay, they will not affect the stone, because we will soon disburse these energies where they need to go.

When you feel that the first third of your walk is complete, that you have appropriately distributed the negativity of these feelings and emotions into the stone, find a place to bury the stone in the ground. It doesn't have to be deep. Even with your own hands or a stick you can remove enough soil to bury the stone and long as it is beneath ground-level. When you do, thank the stone for its assistance and intend for the energies you have distributed into the stone to back into the earth. Mother Earth knows what to do with these energies, as she will transmute them into something good, composting them from dense negativity into nutritive life.

Primera Walk
Next, is the walk with the sombra primera. Since this is the aspect of the soul mostly concerned with the present, you will take the next third of your walk being completely open and mindful of the present moment. Do your best to clear your mind. Pace your breathing with your walking. If any thoughts try to crop up in your mind, use the exhale of your breath to breathe them away. Focus only on the natural world around you. The shuffle of your feet on the ground. The brush of grass against your legs. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of trees. The chirps of any nearby birds. The movement of the clouds. Let the natural world be your only stimulus.

This aspect of the walk is a palate cleanser, from being in denser energies to now realigning oneself to the presence of your own soul as an integrated whole. This walk can be the best form of meditation. Your soul is meant to be operating in unison. You are multifaceted, but also whole, and the sombra primera reminds us of that. Let the natural world speak to you and reconnect you with the holism of soul integration.

Criandera Walk
The "nursemaid" aspect of soul looks toward the future. This sombra will caretake the necessary aspects of oneself to encourage evolution. In the shamanic path, this is often done by giving back to Mother Earth in some way, in thanksgiving for the support she has provided us. In my tradition this giving back is what we call a pago ("payment") in sacred reciprocity of the work complete.

For the final third of your walk, scan the landscape for any flowers or plants that catch your eye. A common form of pago is to pluck these flowers or plants and arrange them in a mandala-like design on the earth, providing an artful gift of beauty to the Mother. You can be as creative and detailed as you want with it, as long as you are working from the heart as a payment back to the medicine you have received in your integration ritual. If you are in a landscape where there not many flowers, you can create a design using stones, such as medicine wheel. If no natural materials are available, you can provide a gift yourself by either singing a song or plucking a piece of your hair to leave on the land.

Sacred reciprocity is an artform itself. There are not specific rules, but it must be done with earnest gratitude. It is about establishing a connection with the natural world, a rapport in which you and earth commune as one soul to another. This aspect of the sombra can be a great boon in overall soul integration, uplifting one's spirit and charging the physical body with positive energy to move forward in one's endeavors.

Summary
When done with focus and intention, the Soul Walk Ritual can mend fractured thoughts and emotions. It can bring clarity to one's soul walk in life, so that when you feel uncertain about a situation, you can provide a space for yourself where harmony can take place. Integration is about taking the unconnected pieces of the soul and connecting them so they can work together, not against each other. Take the time and space for yourself—you deserve it!

To explore more shamanic exercises, you can check out my book The Shamanic Soul.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2022. All rights reserved.

My hands are often noticeably hot. You can actually feel the heat radiating from them. This happens probably more than twice a day (I only notice it if it's really strong). Is this possibly a spiritual thing? It seems to have only started in the past few years. The heat can be felt by anyone, and is not related to my body temperature. The rest of my body (including the tops of my hands) can be cool or warm, but the palms of my hands will be very, very hot, actually radiating heat to the point that if I put my hands an inch or so above someone else's, they can they feel it. Is there a spiritual connection here? Thanks!

Tamica (Virgo)

Dreamchaser:

Tamica, I am constantly reminded via this column that we humans are often completely blind when it comes to our own lives. I wonder what you might say if a friend asked you this question about HER hands. I think you would say, "GIRL, you are a healer!"

There is SUCH a spiritual aspect to hot hands. Every healer I know has very warm hands. When they want to use them to heal, their hands become even hotter. To test this theory, the next time something hurts on you, put your hands on that part of your body and concentrate on fixing it. You will feel your hands start to heat up, and I bet the pain is reduced.

You said it only started in the last few years, and I know that you hit some evolutionary level (spiritually speaking) at that time. It naturally happens to women somewhere in our thirties. We can ignore it or deny it, but it is still there. It is an awakening of sorts. At that time, our gifts will really start to show themselves, if we have not seen them clearly already. That is basically what happened to you a few years back, Tamica. You had an "awakening."

I suggest you read books on the practice of Reiki. Start to research all types of healing. Learn all you can about your "newfound" gift. There is a reason why we receive our gifts, and why they start to manifest. You need to find out why you have "hot hands." I used to a date a man that had "hot hands." He rarely used them. When I had an ache or a pain, I would ask him to heal me, and he would put his hands on me. Unless he was asked, however, he would never use the gift. I was on the receiving end of his power, and I know how much he had. I always thought it was a shame that he did not become more familiar with this gift of his. I think we all should be exploring ways to put our gifts to use.

At the risk of sounding very "New Age," we are entering into new spiritual dimensions, which is influencing human behavior. In the future, I fully expect to see a shift AWAY from modern medicine as we know it, back to the "old ways." You will fall into that category and become a "doctor" of sorts, but you have to accept the job. Do the research. Learn what you have to learn.

I wish you even MORE power from within.

*****

Astrea:

The uses of magic differ with each individual person. Heat has always meant Healing to me. I think you're lucky to be able to feel it come from your Spirit through your hands, and you will, too. Harness this power for good, and you'll live in a better world.

Your Guides are showing you that you need to be healing people, both physically and spiritually. These Guides are giving you Signs that you have an especially strong gift in that area. Unfortunately, your Guides aren't showing you what TECHNIQUE you should be using to make this work for you and others in the most efficient way. Guides are like that, often giving us half (or less) of the information we actually need as piddly human beings so that we end up having to figure things out for ourselves. (GROAN!)

There is no Shortcut Method To Enlightened Use of Healing Power, Virgo, so you're out of luck, there. Good thing you Virgos are so PATIENT. 🙂

You will find a way to use your powerful healing talent for The Light. This doesn't mean you have to rush out and become a Medical Doctor; there are several other legitimate avenues you can explore to learn how to use your gift. To control ANY gift takes lots of practice. First you have to pay attention to all aspects of the signs you're being shown.

Pay closer attention to details such as when, where, how, with whom, and WHY this happens to you the way that it does. Get a little memo book that will fit in your pocket or purse, and write those questions with a space between them on each page of the book. Every time this heat manifests, answer those questions and go to the next page. Keep enough ahead in the question pages so that you don't have to fill in the questions on the spot, and can just write down the answers quickly. Keep this notebook for a month, preferably from one Full Moon to the next Full Moon. Don't go back over what you have written for an additional month, but meditate and pray for enlightenment during the next 28 days.

On the following night of the WANING FULL MOON, read over the month you kept your records. ALL will be revealed to you in that reading, and you'll know where your Healing Path lies. You can then choose from the forms available to you to study, find a mentor, or develop skills to use this for yourself in your own way. Start with the next full Moon to begin to process your miraculous gift.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.