Flip-Thinking

It seems like we have gotten used to the fact that most of the news we see, hear or read is negative - that only the things that go wrong in the world are important enough to be mentioned… This also carries an aspect of comfort with it, as often the things that go wrong in the world are way bigger than our personal lives. It is almost an invitation to vent our frustrations about it, and point to the “culprit”. It is not our fault, so let’s not look at our own lives - or even at how we as a person can become part of a solution.

Bit by bite have created a more negative way of thinking, a more negative manner of (in)action for ourselves. We have put our focus on all the things that cannot happen. On the things we cannot do. On the things we are not allowed to do. On the things that are wrong, and on and on…

And then the Corona virus came about.

Pretty quickly “social distancing” and “shelter in place” became the rule. And with it came a lot of things that were no longer allowed. Like sporting events, festivals, even our holidays are either not happening or discouraged. Just like - at this time in the Netherlands - going to a restaurant, or having a drink in your favorite coffee shop.

It is a chorus of all the things we are not allowed to do anymore, rather than the solution-oriented “wash your hands often”.

Yet as we keep placing this situation in a negative context, we do run the risk of feeling blocked within our own energy - limited by our own thinking. That means this a great time to start pondering the “Dutch art of Flip-Thinking”:

“Omdenken” - The Dutch Art of Flip-Thinking, is transforming problems into opportunities. With this way of thinking you look at reality the way it is, and you focus on what you can do with it. You use the problem’s energy to create something new.

This may mean that you purposefully start looking at the positive sides of the situation we are living in at the moment. For instance, no traffic jams on our way to work, as most of us are working from home. Or undertaking more activities with our families. Or the fact that we may be in touch with others more often - albeit digitally - just to check in on how they are holding up. Or because we finally are giving ourselves permission to do something creative…

In other words, being determined to find those aspects of the situation that we feel have a positive effect on our own lives. Taking stock of our lives in order to see what is truly important to us. And perhaps to discover that we may have been doing things along the way that are not really enhancing our lives in any way, shape, or form.

Looking at our own, personal lives in this manner, we may find ourselves making those decisions we have been pushing off for a while now. And having made those decisions, we may even find that they will have a positive effect on our lives… Independent from the situation instigated by the Corona virus.

“Flip-Thinking” is a way in which we can take back the direction over our lives. Not because we are not following the rules, but rather by having respect for ourselves and others.

By trusting the fact that we can create a most wonderful life for ourselves - and will do exactly that!

Creating Newness

When the situation changes — and especially when that change has a semi-permanent character — we change as well. And the change that we are going through is more than just adapting to the changing circumstances, it is a change that often involves the essence of our Selves.

Change is never an easy process. And we, being human, often resist it.

But now we find ourselves in a situation where we need to change. Our — personal — survival may depend on it! So suddenly we tale a step back. Literally, as is required by the ‘social distancing’ advisories. Yet in doing so, we also take a step back from our day-to-day lives. Suddenly we find ourselves working from home — or not at all, as our jobs may require to close a contact to be “safe” for us. 

And as we see the changes unfold, it gives us pause to see ourselves.

To truly observe how we are handling the new situation. To acknowledge the things we find difficult, but also to recognize the things that we like. About ourselves as well as about the new situation. And yes, there are bound to be things that are better — even though the situation that brought that about is, depending on how closely you are confronted with its consequences, pretty horrible.

As the days add up to weeks, our focus tends to shift from the immediate changes around us to the changes within ourselves. Bit by bit we find ourselves confronted with the essence of ourselves, with our beliefs, our priorities, and not in the least our personal physical, mental and emotional health. While it is not an easy process, it does present us with a lot of clarity about the things that are truly important to us and the things we were caught up in “because it is part of life”… 

And bit by bit, our true identity starts to show itself.

With ever day we have the opportunity to become the person we are meant to be. We may find ourselves more helpful to our neighbors. We may find that we take the time to call friends and family and take the time to listen to their experiences. We may even discover within ourselves what our greatest strengths turn out to be. And once we have recognized those, we can take steps to put our personal strengths — that what we have to offer to the world — to good use.

In doing so, we create a newness within ourselves that we are likely to hold on to when the situation around us — eventually — will lose its urgency. A new understanding of our identity, a new comprehension of the person we are meant to be. And an enhanced awareness of how valuable life is. How worthy we are.

This personal newness then, will create a newness in our direct environments, our neighborhoods, yes, even our societies…

It takes a challenging situation on a global scale to bring us to a point where we start creating newness in our lives. A situation that — no matter how great its consequences to the world as we knew it — gives us an opportunity to make it a turning point. To re-create ourselves and the world around us anew.

Let’s take that opportunity!

What is this situation trying to tell me?

Through a personal message on Facebook last week, I received the following request:

“Now that you have ‘liked’ my picture, you are obligated to post an old picture of yourself accompanied by the mention of the year it was taken. Just because then we are not continuously talking about that f***ing virus…”

The message gave me pause to think about what it said.  

On one hand I feel it is a very good idea to get involved with something different than the Corona virus and its effects. On the other hand I do realize that this whole situation is giving me the opportunity to actually see what it is telling me on a personal level. In other words, I find myself looking for a productive message this situation is giving me. And I have been doing this every day, just as I do a healing meditation every day for the world — for all that are affected by this situation in any way, shape or form.

I find it is a path that I am walking step by step.

Pretty soon it became clear to me that this is a very confrontational path. And while my life has not changed much with the “shelter in place” ordinance — I always work at home, and I often am alone — I find that in this situation I cannot walk away from what my inner self is whispering anymore.

It means that I find myself being brutally honest as I observe who I am, where I am standing, and what my needs and desires, what my wishes and my expectations truly are. And also looking at my work, what I have to offer, and how I can create opportunities to meet the right people…

The first thing that happened was that I felt a sense of empowerment and discernment, which in turn caused me to consciously step back from other people’s expectations, and gave me a fresh look at the obligations I have taken on.

The next thing was kind of like a spring cleaning, and then started doing those things I had wanted to do for a while, yet never got around to actually doing them as they didn’t seem that urgent at the time…

The result was a giant sense of relief! It gave me an enormous sense of space and energy — greater than I would ever have imagined! And this enables me to make those difficult decisions. To be discerning. To be very clear about my priorities. It means I am taking the initiative and find myself making plans again.

And it makes me increasingly aware that we all create our own personal world through the decisions we make…

If I then look at the current pandemic, at the Corona virus and its possible effects, it is abundantly clear — especially when they hit you on a personal level as far as health is concerned — that they are horrible! Especially for the elderly and the most vulnerable people in our society.

The way it seems at this point is that young people — children — can be infected by the Corona virus, yet most of them hardly feel sick when they have Covid-19. So what do they have that us adults have lost along the way? Is it their open-mindedness? Their sense of trust? Their attitude that approaches every day as a new adventure?

So here is my picture, 1964.

And no, nobody is obligated in any way, shape or form to post anything when you like this. Yet if you are up for a  challenge, observe what this situation has to tell you on a personal level…

#MysticAnneClaire

Inner Guidance Signals Change

When Inner Guidance Signals, Change Is Needed On Your Path...

Somewhere between memories and recognition is a path. This path usually has many twists and turns, and every time you think you have figured out where it is leading you, it throws you for a loop by uncovering new landscapes, new people to meet, and new potentials to explore.

We all have our own, very personal, memories. And which part of those we recognize in our day to day lives is different for each of us. We may have memories of the times when we grew up, yet also memories of ancient, long forgotten times when we were walking a similar path perhaps. Living similar values, even when our lives then were vastly different than our current experience ~ there may be that memory that says: “I have done this before”.

These moments, where we have this sense of “having done this before”, often point to talents or abilities we have yet to use in our lives. Things that we are strangely familiar with, even though we haven’t had an interest in exploring them before.

When we start recognizing those memories, suddenly we may become aware of any number of questions may float to the surface of our consciousness: “Do I want to explore these memories at all? And if so, do I want to incorporate whatever I find in my day-to-day life, as I am living it today? Do I want to reinstate the things I may have learned long ago in precisely the same manner as I sensed in that memory? Or will I try and bring all that I have learned before, forward into this point in time? Finding new ways to explore this new-found interest.”

There are no wrong answers. 

We all choose our own personal paths. As we bring our dreams into reality, we all design our own unique paths in such a way that it will  lead us to a point of fulfillment.

As we choose the direction we want to take in life, making decisions that we feel are the best in any particular situation we encounter, we create a life for ourselves that will give us what we wish to gain from it. In other words, we will make decisions based on our overall priorities. Based on what is most important to us, at that moment.

Yet as life goes on, our priorities change.

Where we may have thought at one point in time, that a certain lifestyle was absolutely necessary in order to live a successful life, there might be a time when we find that success to us is not measured in the way we thought it was.

It is at those moments in life that the memories of long forgotten times can come to us, unbidden. Perhaps in dreams, or in meditations. Or just a thought coming to mind, out of nowhere.

When they do, they are always signaling that it is time to change direction. Time to re-evaluate our priorities. To have a close and honest look at what is truly important to us.

And while we may find ourselves making a 180 degree turn, more likely we will adapt our lives to a point where we find time to explore new talents and abilities. Independent of whether our particular interest coincides with the memories we received.

Bit by bit we may find that between those memories and the recognition of what they have to tell us is a path that we, up to that point, never knew existed. A path that we may find is vastly more rewarding than we ever thought it could be.

Step by step this path can bring us ever closer to our authentic selves, bringing happiness and fulfillment into our lives. And above all, a sense of belonging.

Shamanism

The other day I received an email that expressed some very definite opinions about shamanism. It stated that if one is not born in a culture that seems to be disappearing, taking its shamanic heritage with it ~ one has no right to talk about shamanism, to write about shamanism or to teach shamanic techniques to others that are interested in those techniques.

Somewhat to my surprise the email highlighted one area with a strong shamanic tradition, implying that this is the only area ‘true’ shamanism still exists.

While everybody has the right to their opinion, I guess what it boils down to is how shamanism is defined. And when different ways in which shamanism is practiced are compared, there are a couple of things that seem to be of equal importance to all of them: the strong bond with, and respect for nature, the travels through ‘different worlds’, and the path that connects those ‘worlds’ with our personal life path.

How these are expressed depends on the area where the shaman lives, the function of the shaman within his or her community, and the culture that is prevalent in this area; in this community.

In some areas, or cultures, there is still a shamanic tradition that is very much alive. In other areas, like in our western societies, the old shamanic traditions have given way to a more ‘scientific’ approach to life.

Yet there is an ever greater yearning to reconnect with shamanism ~ with nature.

The more clear it becomes that our environment is changing, and that those changes are taking effect more rapidly than we would hope they would ~ the more people are paying attention to their ‘carbon foot print’, to the effect they have on their environment and on nature. For some this means that recycling becomes part of life, while others may look more in the direction of shamanism. 

Even though at first the established shamanic traditions will gain interest, eventually this interest will almost certainly result in a new and different expression of shamanism. Due to the area and cultural dependence of shamanic expression, it is most likely that the shamanic expression that will emerge will be a merger of both the rediscovery of our shamanic roots ~ going back to shamanism as it was practiced in our area at one time ~ and the application of the core values of shamanism in a manner that  fits our way of living; our culture as it exists now.

This doesn’t mean that this new expression of shamanism is worth more or worth less than the age old shamanic traditions are; only that shamanic practices evolve into a new day and age...

#thereturnoftheshaman

The Shamanic Path

I consider myself to be on a shamanic path; experiencing a strong bond with nature, and a realization of equality with all of Creation. Not the type of equality that each individual (Human, animal, plant or mineral) is the same, but more that each in their uniqueness has a specific role in the whole and as such are of equal value to nature, the earth and the universe.

In this respect shamanism to me at least, means to live life in a way that has a strong bond with nature. To respect others, but also to respect animals, plants and trees, and even rocks and stones for the unique energies that they have, and the unique parts they fulfill in the whole.

This ‘whole’ then, is the ‘whole’ that I can experience: my more or less immediate environment. Even though I know and sense that the ‘whole’ encompasses the earth and even the universe, it is in my immediate environment that I can touch nature’s wholeness. In my direct environment I can influence nature and be influenced by it.

According to this definition of shamanism, topics that are often linked to shamanism like healing or conversing with the Ancestors can be part of a shamanic experience, but don’t have to be...

And the same is true for drumming, chanting, dancing, and the use of drugs that facilitate entering a different realm of consciousness.

Although I like drumming, chanting and dancing as part of a shamanic experience ~ living in a Western society, in a row house with thin walls puts certain limits on the use of those techniques.

I find that the use of drugs, something that was (and is) an accepted method to travel from one layer of consciousness to another; is something that can easily be replaced by meditative techniques...

With every small adaptation to the way in which shamanism was understood, a distance is created between the shamanism of ancient times, and the shamanic path of today. This means that a ‘new’ shamanism is emerging ~ a shamanism that can be applied in this day and age, in our Western culture. A shamanic path that can be traveled even if you have a job, a family, or if you are living on the fifth floor of an apartment building.

Making changes like this is not new to shamanism. These very changes account for the differences between shamanism that can be found in Africa, Siberia, Mongolia, South and Middle America and the practices of the Native Americans.

The underlying energy that makes the shamanic path so powerful, independent from the area it is practiced in, is the strong bond with nature. The respect for nature and humanity alike.

And this is definitely something that is needed in this day and age.

#thereturnoftheshaman

My Path

Somewhere between memories and recognition is a path. This path usually has many twists and turns, and every time you think you have figured out where it is leading you, it throws you for a loop by uncovering new landscapes, new people to meet, and new potentials to explore.

We all have our own, very personal, memories. And which part of those we recognize in our day to day lives is different for each of us. We may have memories of the times when we grew up, yet also memories of ancient, long forgotten times when we were walking a similar path perhaps. Living similar values, even when our lives were vastly different than our current experience ~ there may be that memory that says: “I have done this before”.

The recognition of those memories brings up this one big question: And now what?

Do I want to explore these memories, and if so, do I want to incorporate whatever I find in my day-to-day life as I am living it today? Do I want to reinstate the things I may have learned long ago in precisely the same way as I worked with them the way I remember? Or will I endeavor in bringing all that I have learned forward into this point in time?

There are no wrong answers. 

We all choose our own personal paths; we all design our own path leading to the fulfillment of our potential, as we bring our dreams into reality.

For me, the path between my memories and the recognition of those memories has firm roots in shamanism. And I discovered that as I truly listened to those most ancient memories, I recognized more and more their value to this point in time…

For me, for others, and perhaps even for the world.

So I started to write down what I remembered. And I found that as I sat down, the words flowed easily. Conversations, lessons, and poems ~ all with one common thread: the shamanic memories throughout time that I recognized bit by bit, word by word.

I found it gave my personal path through life more direction. I found that the ancient ways to find guidance, still are very valid today.

I found that my innermost desire was to share this path with the world…

So here it is: “The Return of the Shaman”

Available through www.mysticanneclaire.com