ONE SPIRIT COMMUNITY

By Amoraea Dreamseed & Kerrie Dancing Butterfly

We stand here now, with the freedom to explore the expansive territory of our infinite potential.  As time unfolds, we are much closer to realizing that we are the Designers of the Map, that Time’s great spiral destiny is unraveling through humanity’s devotion to Illumination.  It is becoming lucidly clear that illuminating the Self is ‘Prime Directive’ and interwoven with illuminating the Planet.  Our personal evolution is not only inseparable, but absolutely critical, to the Earth’s awakening.

To cast no shadow is to become your own Light Source — radiant, emanating Ambassador of the Great Central Sun — no longer living off the light of others or hiding within the dark folds of the ego’s secret delusions and agendas.  The Earth speaks her intelligent request: “Clear your fields, align your intent and raise your vibration, so that our work together is impeccable and sent forth for the highest good of us all.”

As we wake up to our soul’s inherent design as Earth Steward / Light keeper / Healer, some of us are left bewildered at how we can possibly live up to the potential of this insistent message we hear from within.  The seed of our Ultimate Embodiment has just begun to sprout through the layers of soil that have been gestating us.  At times, it feels a daunting task to climb the spiral ladder of consciousness, outgrow limiting patterns, egoic comforts, fears, and self-doubt, to become a Divine Human, and to do it quick enough to ’save the planet’ from the ‘deluge of darkness’.  Breathe deep and exhale here.  Rest assured, the seed of your soul has a perfect timing mechanism of awakening, as does every other soul, along with the planet and communal consciousness. We are all perfectly interweaving, attracting the right inner and outer experiences to spark the continuum of our healing and awakening.  Strengthening, honoring, and blissfully surrendering to our unique inherent gifts is all that is needed.  To succeed collectively, we must offer unconditional support for each other’s individual choices during this process.

For many of us, 2008 challenged the stability of our identity by unraveling our subconscious imprints and areas of our personality that are outdated for these accelerated times.  We brought these to the surface by manifesting situations that would test the infrastructure of our being.  We are in the dynamic recalibration that comes during times of crisis, and like a centrifuge, that which is not sound and integral to our Divine Axis must spin off. In 2009 this process continues, but also sees the blossoming of our infinite potential flowering open, as the sheaths of the bud yield to the explosive desires of our innermost being to receive the Light.

Amoraea Dreamseed is a visionary artist, sound healer and Light worker ~ for more on information visit www.synergenesiscode.com

Kerrie Dancing Butterfly is a Shamaness of Transformational Empowerment ~ for more information visit www.JourneysfortheSoul.com

Join both Kerrie and Amoraea at http://www.onespiritweekend.com in Sedona Oct 2-5, 2009

By Samantha Sweetwater

Creation Dances. The universe dances. When existence was born out of the great, undifferentiated field of the One, the dance was born. Since the beginning of time and the beginning of existence, being has been dancing with essence. Our souls are dancing the space where our spirit and our bodies meet.

The dance is the great unifier. Dance invites us into union with the masculine and feminine, seen and unseen, being and doing, spiritual and physical aspects of ourselves. Gently, fiercely moving us in the tides of our own bodies and emotions, it brings us right to the center of soul. To dance is to celebrate being human – being a spirit in the body living on this miraculous planet called Gaia.

Dancing Freedom is my spiritual practice. It is not a religion. It has no dogmas, no boundaries. It welcomes all bodies, all gestures, all gods. It invites diversity, and through embrace of the wild multiplicity of expression, teaches the truths of Unity. Dancing is spiritual because it is a way of joy. Joy means saying a divine yes to life – to the movement that IS life – all of IT – and, to our divine creatorship. When we move and just keep moving, we become one with all parts of ourselves and with the great cosmic dance.

I believe the dance can set us free. Freedom means that we are at home in our bodies and in our spirits. It means that we have fluidity between our inner connectivity and outer expressivity. When these two parts of ourselves are in dynamic flow, we live with soul. WE dance in the fire of love that is at the center of hearts. Freedom means embracing that fire – being ok with the full spectrum of our experience, at home in all of our stuff AND in our exaltation. I call this divine OK-ness. It is a place where there is no separation between the sacred and the mundane – a place where we KNOW that THIS is the true essence of sacredness. When we live here, we are free. Incredible magic happens. The world opens before us as a place of wonder, color, authenticity and beauty. Our instinctive, intuitive and worldly aspects reconnect. We stop going through the motions of life, and instead really feel the vibrancy and joy of existence pulsing through us.

No true freedom can emerge from resistance. What we resist persists. We are learning how to really love what is, how to embrace. The path of liberation asks us to surrender everything while we simultaneously hold the mother wisdom of creating safe space. What does this look like in the dance? It looks like working within a clear container of practice where we can really let go to explore. It means developing the clarity of our own sense of yes and no. It means exploring how our physical and emotional experiences are holographic reflections of all dimensions of our experience. Our skin is a sacred boundary. Our hearts have boundaries and borders that can be contained, entered, held, opened, surrendered, tuned. It is through naked dialogue with the bounded aspect of experience that we come to the blissful experience of boundlessness. It is through the existence of a contained self and a distinct other that we give and receive. When the flow is open in both directions, we can open to the infinity loop of creation.  Now, we are one with the universe dancing.  Now, we are Dancing Freedom.

Samantha Sweetwater, founder of Dancing Freedom, soul coach and priestess, empowers embodied leaders in seminars and trainings internationally.  Learn more: http://www.dancingfreedom.com or http://samanthasweetwater.wordpress.com.  Samantha is a movement facilitator at One Spirit Weekend.

By Morgan Langan

Many People are experiencing some form of increased “pressure” these days; in the form of financial struggles, relationship challenges or health issues. Any form comprises only a small percentage of “all that is” about your life. It is helpful to live life from the perspective that you are one part of a collective. We do not want things to remain the same! Thus we must be better prepared to adapt to even greater changes. We are evolving as a species, one individual at a time! New discoveries are proving scientifically what the great sages and saints of our history have been saying for thousands of years: We Are ONE!

In our human form we tend to focus on what we can see. It seems as if we are separate from each other. Yet many of us have had momentary glimpses of another reality in which we are all interconnected through One Spirit. It cloaks us in abundance, beauty and divine love. This view of life feels more real to us. It also feels good because it evokes love, compassion and awe. Studies have shown that the greater our feeling of connectedness, the less stressed we are. Positive emotions help us meet life’s challenges with grace. They account for the increased health and vitality among elderly people who have pets, or a circle of good friends, and are the reason that happily married couples live longer than singles. Yet because our interconnection defies our senses, positive emotional experiences are short-lived for most of us. They are unpredictable and wiped out in an instant when an event passes by that is not to our liking.

Just as our sense of connection evokes positive emotions our, sense of separation brings negative ones. They bump us out of our present moment of awareness, which is the only place that Oneness can be found. The more separate we feel the more depressed, angry and stressed we become. We feel as if we are in competition for limited resources. We know that stress taxes the immune system, making us prone to cancer, heart attacks and other life threatening illnesses. In short, we die sooner.

As adults, our natural tendency leans closer to negative emotional experiences than to our positive ones. Even when we know that we are Spirit at our very core, we function in a constant state of forgetfulness, thinking that our physical form is all there is. This is why we need a daily practice… to remember. In this remembering we can hold the Oneness, even though unseen, in a balance with the visible world.

It stands to reason that the more that we can stabilize positive emotions, the healthier, happier and more compassionate we will be. We will live longer and become better leaders. But how can we evoke and stabilize these emotions?

Scientists have been studying the biology of stress for years. We know that it triggers the Fight or Flight Response; regulated through the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hormone adrenaline.

What most of us don’t know is that our body also responds when we reach out to connect to others and to the natural world. In addition to the biology of stress there is the biology of love and compassion, and it also under the control of the ANS.

Research at the Institute of Heart Math has shown that we can bring on the Compassion Response by simply slowing our breathing. It is strengthened even further if we consciously generate feelings of love and appreciation, and imagine breathing directly through the heart area. We can strengthen this response many-fold by being in the presence of others who are stepping into their full potential SELF. By expressing from the Compassion Response, our hearts and minds synchronize as SELF.

It is in this experience that we become entrained in One Spirit and cloaked in the abundance, beauty and divine love of our inter-connection. This is the magic and the grace of One Spirit Weekend. We hope you join us to learn to embody your role as an awakening leader during this shift.

Learn more by attending One Spirit Weekend!

By Chutisa and Steven Bowman

Consciousness is the ability to be present in your life in every moment, without judgment of you or anyone else. It is the ability to receive everything, reject nothing, and create everything you desire in life – greater than what you currently have, and more than what you can imagine.

Consciousness is correlated to the intensity of one’s connection with oneself, with one’s acceptance of unlimited talents and abilities and the resulting expansion of one’s ability to be in communion with al things.

Being Conscious!

Being conscious is an experience of expanding our awareness beyond its present limits. It is a state of flexible awareness, with no fixed points of view.  The basic function of each being is expanding and contracting. Expanded beings are lightness, infiniteness and indefinable; contracted beings are solid mass, density and limitation.  A completely expanded being is what we call a conscious being.

When we are completely expanded, we have a feeling of total awareness, of being one with life; that place where we have a stillness, a sense of total peace and tranquility, in which we have no capacity to judge. Living in that reality means that we allow all of life to come to us with ease, joy and glory. Being conscious is the very process of expansion; it has nothing to do with new age concepts, the latest fads, or any “should” or “shouldn’t” beliefs.

Consciousness is our intrinsic faculty and inner resource; however, for most people it has been concealed and undeveloped. The majority of people are so disconnected from their own states of consciousness that they are not aware that it is possible to actually experience this state. For most people, everyday living is a struggle. However, we all have an inner urge toward living more naturally with ease, which is free of disharmony, trauma and drama. Yet within us also resides a strong attachment to anti-conscious habits from our past programming. This attachment to anti-conscious habits causes us to be quite disconnected from our own infinite possibilities. We have been impacted with so many external thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, energies, limitations and negativity that we are not able to perceive, know, believe and receive that we are that infinite possibility. We are not aware that it is possible to actually experience this state. Unconsciously, most people do not even realize that the state of pure consciousness is the true essence of their Beingness. A downbeat self depiction often obstructs the joyous exuberant expression and abundance of life that is the true essence of their Beingness (pure consciousness).

Ultimately, consciousness is a way of connecting what is happening at the present moment with the infinite possibilities. Conscious leaders constantly experience the abundance of life itself and the privilege of life itself because they are able to perceive, know, be and receive that wherever they are, just by the power of energy that is their true being, anything is possible. And this is a most glorious and magnificent place to be.

Excerpt from ‘Conscious Leadership – The Key to Unlocking Success’ by Chutisa and Steven Bowman who are key facilitators at One Spirit Weekend

By Yachay Azzaraya

I am sure you have heard the phrase “just take a deep breath and calm down.” This common technique of breathing to calm one’s self is more powerful and significant than one might think.

Fully imagine yourself in each of the following situations. With each one, enact your experience with a focus on how you would be breathing.

1) You are sitting in rush hour traffic, inching along.

2) You are giving birth to a newborn child.

3) You are riding a rollercoaster.

4) You are running a marathon.

5) You are gazing into your beloved’s loving eyes.

This exercise highlights the amazing way in which our breath is intimately connected to how we experience reality. The way we breathe creates the way we feel. The science of breath is known as pranayama in yoga, and is a powerful way to gain mastery of one’s emotions and life. Simple breathing exercises, with practice, can give us the ability to stay calm in tense situations, to experience greater peace of mind, and more joy in day-to-day life! More intensive breath practices can really open up the energy channels in the body, and the resulting bliss is well worth the dedication. I have never experienced such deep shifts from any other practice.

Pranayama has healed my physical body deeply. But more pronounced, perhaps, is the psychological transformation. The energy potential that is opened with the breath produces fundamental shifts in the way I see and experience the world. I experience regular shifts in my lenses of perception, constantly seeing things more positively and optimistically. It’s as if the power of prana is empowering me to live life more fully and vibrantly. Discover this ancient science for yourself, I guarantee it will make you feel amazing!

For a great introduction, I recommend Science of Breath by Swami Rama, and for advanced practices, Path of Fire and Light Vol. 1, both available from www.himalayaninstitute.com

By Kerrie Dancing Butterfly

My shadow is my friend. When my shadow appears, so does the opportunity to look inward and discover what illusions, delusions, addictions, attachments and projections are still present within me. When my shadow presents itself, during what seems like the most inopportune moments, it shows me where to shine the light.

• When I find myself preoccupied with time and life’s daily “To Do” list—my shadow presents itself.
• When I haven’t made my physical, emotional or spiritual needs a priority, and I feel out of balance—my shadow presents itself.
• When I project permanence to things that are ever-evolving like relationships, finances or fragile life itself—my shadow presents itself.
• When I attach a greater value to success or material items over a person’s feelings—my shadow presents itself.
• When l look at a situation with fearful eyes instead of seeing the situation resolved with my loving faith—my shadow presents itself.
• When I judge or criticize the choices of another—my shadow presents itself.

It is during these times I realize that I have allowed myself to become disconnected from what really matters.  I am separate from my true self, my self-love, my love for others and the Divine Source.

My shadow and I are now face to face.  There is no denying its presence.  In order to get my attention my shadow whispers or sometimes shouts for the light to shine in upon the darkness that resides within. The shadow pleads for change by expressing itself through the emotions.  When my shadow is present, I may act irritable, impatient, intolerant, angry, anxious, jealous, fearful, lonely, hungry, confused or sad.  My shadow is emotional and wants my attention.

It is here in this intimate space with my friend the shadow that I am exposed and vulnerable. I am in no danger, just more susceptible than ever to seeing the truth. Instead of looking in the mirror I sometimes turn away and search for someone or something to fill the void.  In our world today, there are many places to hide from the truth—in a wine bottle, in a pint of ice cream, in other people’s problems, in pointing the blame elsewhere or in another person’s arms.  These choices may only temporarily ease the pain. In the long run these choices exacerbate the feelings of disconnection from true self because they are self-sabotaging in nature.

Nothing can dim my own light quicker than my own darkness.

Luckily, my friend the shadow is here to help me. When I make the conscious choice to look inward and see the truth, I discover my shadow’s emotions are calling attention to a situation that is keeping my true light from shining bright. Once, I step back, take a deep breath and witness the situation, the emotional drama begins to dissolve, clearing the way for the truth to be exposed. In this calmer space, it is usually quite apparent where the real problem is and how to address it.  Somewhere I am not being truly loving of myself or others. Somewhere I am projecting or blaming or attaching to a situation. Somewhere I have lost faith in myself or someone else.  Somewhere I have lost site of those precious things in life that really matter. By remedying the situation, my friend the shadow has helped me to reconnect with my true self and reignite my inner light.

The real opportunity presents itself when I allow my shadow’s subtle or overt clues from my emotional body to be heard.  The rewards for listening, as well as acting, on the insights gleaned from this process are profound!  It is I who am the keeper of my internal light. When I truly want to shine, no person or situation can dim my light.  We are all meant to shine, each in our own uniquely resilient light.

I used to be embarrassed by my shadow. Now, I am grateful to have such a close friend that knows me more intimately than anyone else. With gratitude, I receive the teachings my shadow offers me. It is with great humility and respect for my shadow that I have come to truly love myself as a whole beautiful being.

“So, my friend, my shadow, I see you, I honor you and I respect you.  I am here to listen and learn about my true self through our dance together. I choose to find balance in my life, love myself and others unconditionally and follow my path in faith guided by Divine Light.  I trust that when I stray, you will show up to help me find the way.”

What is the nature of your relationship with your shadow?

Kerrie Dancing Butterfly is a modern-day Shamaness who skillfully integrates the fields of self-empowerment, Shamanic teachings, emotional release, spiritual studies, meditation techniques and energy healing.  She is sought after for her Transformational Empowerment Shamanic Healing Sessions, Personal Coaching, Inspirational Workshops and Sacred Ceremonies. Through her rich and diverse background, she combines the teachings of the masters with life experience and a personal touch to gently facilitate profound personal transformation and awakening. To learn more about Kerrie visit http://www.JourneysfortheSoul.com and http://www.OneSpiritWeekend.com.

By Kerrie Dancing Butterfly

Here are some of my favorite inspirational quotes from David Wolfe’s Best-selling Book, The Sunfood Diet Success System.

“If you are not working to achieve your own goals, you are always working to achieve another’s goals. What you may want to ask yourself is: Are these my goals? And, Are they worthwhile goals?”

“By fulfilling our natural diet of raw food plant, and by allowing only positive thoughts to govern our minds, only glorious vibrations will emanate from us and all earthly conditions will begin to sway positively in our direction.”

“Strong faith creates a positive attitude. Success seems to be connected with attitude.  If your attitude is strong, powerful, attractive, and graceful, you can achieve any success you desire!”

“The greatest seed of all–your limitless potential—is with you at all times.”

“Negative thoughts alone can create havoc throughout the entire nervous system.  However, strong, pure, and happy thoughts build fortitude and beauty.”

“Set goals that challenge your brain to think in new directions.”

“Use the trial and success method: Learn from your past mistakes and adjust your behavior accordingly to achieve your goals—treat your past as a school, a vast resource to learn from to better yourself.”

“Faith is the ability to have trust in powers greater than yourself, to confidently stride into the unknown and to believe in your own abilities—no matter what.”

“Improve your food choices and you dramatically improve the foundation upon which your body is built.”

By Kerrie Dancing Butterfly

Just wanted to tickle you to today and invite you to join me in bringing back into sacred balance the blend of stillness and movement in your life. Why is it so difficult to strike a balance between stillness and movement?  As humans we fall into habits so easily. What is your pattern or tendency?  I’ve outlined here 4 categories with examples in each one, so that you can visit where you are imbalanced and join me engaging some of these less-visited practices to bring balance, harmony and energy back into your life.

In which of these four do you tend to spend most of your time and which do you neglect?

Busy body & busy mind: physical tasks, competitive sports, running errands

Busy body & still mind: yoga (when staying present), some sports like jogging, dance

Still body & busy mind: office & computer work, writing, art, reading, journaling, games

Still body & still mind: meditation, baths, watching the sunset, stargazing, massage, napping

All of these in different forms are valuable to experience in balance.  I am sure you have others to add to each category.  Since I have recently been experiencing lots of computer work, yesterday, I brought in more meditation, napping, stargazing and massage.  By the end of the day I felt so relaxed, nourished and recharged.  Today, I added movement with stretching, dance and yoga.  My energy is revitalized and my mind is clear!  Balance feels great.  Check this out this exercise and see where you can bring more balance to your life.

By Yachay Azzaraya

Shilajit is one of the oldest and most powerful superfoods that will help strengthen and energize you.  In order to lead effectively and efficiently you will need nourishment that supports you in the execution of your dreams and daily life.  Here is an interesting story I would love to share with you about Shilajit.

70 million years ago the majestic Himalayas began forming when tectonic activity pushed the island of India into Asia. Ancient jungle and the sea floor between the two land masses became compressed into the mountain range. Within the mountain for millions of years, this organic material has reverted back to its pure mineral state. Shilajit is exuded from fissures between 9,000 ft to 13,000 ft as a black gooey substance. It contains over 85 organic minerals, including high amounts of fulvic acid, which our bodies need for optimal functioning. Yogis have been preparing it for oral consumption for thousands of years. It is considered a true panacea in Ayurveda. It is a wonderful adaptogen, strengthening our body’s response to stress. From experience, this is actually a food, since most of our produce, including organic, contains between 3-7 minerals.

The organic compounds in Shilajit nourish our cells deeply, providing the conductivity necessary for life. It rebuilds and fortifies stressed nerves, and increases immune system growth.  Shilajit detoxifies the brain and all major organs, especially the kidneys and liver. It increases physical power (jing). It increases endurance excellently. I have a friend who paddles his surf board to Catalina Island, a distance of almost 30 miles, and he drinks Shilajit in water the whole way. Its fulvic acid is literally the most powerful electrolyte on the planet! The more you take, the better you will feel. I take it daily and am astounded at how much energy it gives me to take on the day! Shilajit – truly ancient superfood.  Superfoods support super results.

Yachay Azzaraya is a specialist in superfood solutions and detoxifying living environments. For more information visit http://www.JourneysfortheSoul.com.

By Morgan Langan

Everyone we know is experiencing some form of increased “pressure” during these transforming times. These pressures may appear in the form of financial struggles, relationship challenges or health issues. It is helpful to understand both scientifically and spiritually speaking, that any particular form comprises only a small percentage of “all that is” about your life. It is equally helpful to live life from the perspective that you are part of a collective. One of the many, calling forth the changes we are experiencing. We do not want things to remain the same! Thus we must be better prepared to adapt to the even greater changes we know are coming. When one understands that “I am creating my reality,” this knowing becomes the impetus to evolve both as an individual and as a species. This is Biology 101: adapting to change is the same as being prepared to evolve. We are evolving as a species one individual at a time! New discoveries in Biology are actually proving scientifically what the great sages and saints of our history have been saying: We Are ONE!

In this human form, we tend to focus on what we can see. It sure seems as if we are separate from each other and our environment. Yet many of us have had momentary glimpses of another reality; one in which we are all interconnected through the One Spirit that animates all life and cloaks us in abundance, beauty and divine love. This view of life feels more real to us. As leaders, this is the view we need to focus upon while incorporating the physical sights we sense with our eyes. This “Shift of Perspective” is the key to developing a new vision. Thousands of years of biological development has entrained us to concentrate on our physical senses. The Biological study of Epigenetics is providing proof that the physical senses are just a part of who we are. The evolutionary leap we are about to make, first as leaders and ultimately as a species; requires disciplined practice. We have been preparing for this leap our entire life time and perhaps beyond. Before making the leap, we will need to let go of the limiting beliefs which have been the focus of our physical senses. Let us extend a hand of support for our fellow leaders, in order to make the leap more graceful! We can no longer do it alone, once we truly integrate the concept that there is no such thing as Alone!