Dirt Time for the Soul
Within just a few days after this New Moon a bunch of courageous Amazonian Arts sisters will come together to sit in sacred ceremony. The ceremony ground is nestled within the most stunning natural environment amongst ancient giant Grass Trees, beautiful Banksias, scented Tea Trees and an mighty gnarly Gum Tree, that feels like the guardian of this hollowed ground. The ceremony will call us to descend into the dark womb of Mother Earth to die a little death and be reborn a truer version of ourselves.
What is it that will die in this process?
Since incarnating into our human existence in our mother’s womb, we start a process of armouring ourselves with stories and believes, that in our egoic mind start replacing the essence of who we truly are. Each story or belief that our ego holds about ourselves has become a reality that can hold us back from feeling truly alive, knowing that there must be more to life, than surviving in the rat race. And even more so it can prevent us from stepping into soul-aligned service. The process of dis-identification from these stories are the deaths we are seeking. Becoming aware of them, calling them and embracing the wounds that allowed them into being. This is, like with all things soul-related, a non-linear process, a fostering of presence for what IS and not what we think it might be.
When we become hollow bones there is no limit to what the Higher Power can do in and through us in spiritual things – Frank Fools Crow
The expression of ‘hollowing the bone’, which stems from the Lakota spiritual tradition, could be likened to shadow-work or seen as part of the shadow-work. It could perhaps be seen as an expansion of this work in giving it a purpose that is linked to service for the greater good – making space within for spirit to work through us or to be receptive to the voice of our souls essence that is in service to spirit.
Dirt-Time for the Soul
In the rewilding community there is a term called Dirt-time, which I love. It describes the ongoing practice and honing of skills, such as primitive fire or other ancestral wilderness skills or so-called soft-skills, such as doing sit-spots or fox-walking that foster the silence of the mind and allow presence, awareness and connection to develop and expand. It is a life-long practice that is ever deepening.
For me shadow-work and sacred ceremony that calls forth and allow the connection to our true self is like dirt-time for the soul. Something that needs on-going devoted practice of awareness, compassionate inquiry and loving surrender. It is an ongoing commitment to becoming the best version I can be in soul service to humanity and all our relations... I know it sounds BIG, it feels BIG, it also feels right... the more I deepen this commitment, the more my life aligns with my soul-song and I become part of the flow – receptive, alive and in love with life itself.
Collective Call to Process
In the Amazonian Arts we are slowly heading towards the end of a second turning through the Archetypes. Some of us from the first turning chose to stay on as Apprentices to deepen their experience with Archetypes and develop, experience and practice aspects of supporting and holding space.
In early March, the Amazonian Arts Apprentices, together with the Leadership group were invited to enter a shadow-work process as part of this deepening. This started as a one-day workshop followed by another day of looking at our Dark Moon Lilith aspects and how to harness the strength of the Warrioress-Archetype of this placement as an ally for our inner shadow-work.
Choice of Surrender and the gift of Presence
A drum journey during this workshop called me back into my childhood and one of the roots of my story of non-belonging and feeling unwanted.
Over the years, I had many descents into the rabbit hole of drowning in the story. I do believe Great Spirit does support us on our journey to soul-aligned living and service. And it provides us with situations where a particular patterns play out once more and we have the opportunity to dis-engage with our story and engage with what IS in a different more wholesome way. These changes can be gradual and slight or sometimes more pronounced.
And just a couple of weeks after the workshop I was presented with my perfect situation. And this time I recognised the pattern, that was unfolding, and even though I still reacted with these same feelings of non-belonging and unwantedness, I could stay present with those feelings without looking for validations of how the people around me excluded me, because of my story of not fitting in or not being good enough etc. I felt able to stay present and engaged with what I was doing and the needs of people around me.
Coming back to my heart space with compassion was key for me in that. Of allowing myself to feel this, knowing the deep wound that underlies these feelings rather than blaming anyone around me in the present. That was an incredibly profound experience. And resulting from that I took time to care for this wounded part and hold her in her grief, when time permitted, and with doing so I could feel my capacity to be present for others increase and experience another level of feeling more whole and alive
Full Circle
This upcoming ceremony will be an honouring of our inner work we committed together in March and will be a doorway to embody the medicine we have been working with during this time. A completion of a cycle within this never-ending path of our human experience on the path of remembering of why we are here for. A remembering that we are all part of a greater unfolding and our soul has song that wants to be sung.
Gratitude and Love
I can’t express how much gratitude and love I feel for all the people, nature, spirit and really all my relations that are part of this human journey. I bow to great spirit for having found my soul tribe and all the opportunities of networking, of growing, of holding space for other souls to find their unique medicine, of celebrating life and connection.
Fierce Love,
EveOak
Medicine Woman Clan Mother & Amazonian Arts Apprentice