Looking Inward ~ A Journey With Plant Medicine
After a morning swim
Last spring, with a nudge from our daughter, I followed the urge to be in nature and venture within. I had let myself get deeply wrapped up in an identity based mostly on social constructs and expectations. As Ruiz discusses in The Fifth Agreement, my “domestication” caused me to turn away from inherent wisdom.
I had internalized external expectations so thoroughly, I didn’t notice I wasn’t connected to my true being.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the expansion of human consciousness, so I set out on an adventure, not knowing what power it would ignite within me.
The two-week experience at Rythmia was life-altering. I vowed to take the feeling of deep connection and oneness with divine presence back to my daily life, and I did…for a while. But as often happens with any such aspiration, it faded somewhat as I got re-caught up in the minutiae of the modern world.
This month, I returned to Ecuador, this time with my family. We ventured to a 13-day plant medicine retreat called Feather Crown. We slept in open-air bamboo huts with mosquito netting and participated in making the medicine. With a small group, we ate mostly plant-based meals to prepare our bodies. I began each morning with a swim in the sacred river just steps away. In the evening, we surrendered to the ayahuasca ceremonies with our master shaman, Sina, a beautiful, humble soul who supports the spiritual awakening and growth of humanity.
Sina,
Shipibo Elder
There is a psychedelic aspect to the experience, and now after participating in 12 ayahuasca ceremonies, I know the mind-altering aspects are secondary. The same chance to look inward and connect is available through plant medicine as well as breathwork, yoga and meditation.
It is an opportunity to unlearn, to strip away, to let go of my addiction to knowing things, to stop straining to figure out why things happen. There is freedom in returning to our real purpose:
Show up, be as present as you can in each moment, and open yourself to the unknown in front of you.
Little did we realize how soon the universe would put us to the test. Craig and I are unexpectedly still in Ecuador under quarantine for eight days. We’re practicing being in the moment and rediscovering the joy of being in such close quarters together day after day.
It takes trust, willingness and intention to receive day-to-day life as a gift. It also requires a great deal of surrender.
Last year, I hesitated to share my experiences through this channel; I was concerned about what people in the professional realm would think. This year, everything looks simpler, and life is occurring with ease and even grace on the inside, regardless of external conditions.
I’m finally discovering the value of letting go of what people think of me. It’s become clear that I’m not for everyone. And thank goodness; what a relief. There’s great freedom in this. I love who I am. What a joy it is to share her with you!
What’s your journey? I’d love to hear the challenges and the discoveries you are currently facing.
With great love,
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References and Further Reading
The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tole
The Fifth Agreement by Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz
Video: The Reality of Truth
Fundamental #12: BE ACCOUNTABLE
Act like you are an owner in the company. Ownership accountability means holding yourself to account, holding others to account, and the willingness to be held to account.
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