Dismissing the perspective and worldview of others, not respecting and acknowledging differences has and always will lead to division, conflict, domination, exploitation, abuse. Only when we embrace the reality that we have different stories and experiences and are willing to respect and honour each other nevertheless, we will stop recreating trauma and abusing each “other”. In order to do this, we need to make a conscious effort to develop empathy and the ability to feel.

As a first step, observe yourself while deeply listening and taking in “opposing” or triggering views: are there any emotions (e.g. frustration, anger or fear) coming up within you? Take note of them, but don’t allow yourself to slip into your own emotional flow, as its current will carry you away from the other person/group/topic – and you will miss the chance of deep understanding, learning and togetherness.
Try and stay focused on the emotions expressed by the other person/group/topic. Try to feel them.
Don’t reply or react instantly! Stay with the other person/group/topic, until you feel where they are coming from. You don’t have to agree or disagree. This is not about wrong and right, good and bad. It is about developing and growing your empathetic capacity.

If you are reading something, take the great opportunity for a “buffered” and safe learning process, as you don't have a direct "other" near you. Allow yourself to pause when you feel triggered. Observe what comes up for you – usually anger, frustration, fear – and take a moment to look deeper into these emotions. What makes you angry? What are you afraid of?
If you can, write things down – wildly and uncensored! You can also speak it aloud and record it. Just get things off your chest. However, refrain from writing it directly to the “other” person/group! Just write it down for yourself – until you feel you have “unloaded” it all. The outcome and insights you can gain through this process might  surprise you – try it!
In a second step, read the triggering words again. This time, your only goal and focus is to tune in and feel and understand the “other” perspective. Catch yourself whenever you start to slip into your own emotional flow, and bring your attention and awareness back to the “other” person/group/topic – until you can “walk in their shoes” or at least see where they are coming from.
 
Labels such as racism, sexism and many other –isms are consequences of deep intergenerational and personal trauma. May humans develop the ability of all-true-ism, embracing and feeling the essential truth and value of all life expressions.

​Anxiety (and various corresponding symptoms) is a more and more common emotional and mental state that has severe consequences on our wellbeing and overall balance and “functioning”. I would like to briefly touch on a few issues, especially in regards to the rise of anxiety in young people and in the collective field.

When does anxiety occur?
Anxiety is a state of mind as a result of constant fear of negative outcomes or consequences. When people are experiencing continuous stress and pressure, they feel overwhelmed and anxious. Our physical and mental “systems” are not able to cope with stress on an ongoing basis.
By default, humans are sensitized to negative (= potentially threatening/harmful/dangerous) information. It is hardwired in our systems to guarantee our survival: Our ancestors needed to know about an approaching fire, in order to look for safer grounds. Our sensory perception evolved to detect dramatic and horrific events that might affect our safety and health. Knowing about dangers and conflicts was and still is a protective mechanism. The media consciously and unconsciously feed on this mechanism: sensational “news” attract and engage a far larger audience – circulation figures show that conflict and drama sell way better than happily-ever-after-stories.
Social media and other apps have inbuilt algorithms to feed users more of what they “like”. This means that those who want to be “well-informed” and “safe” will get more stories triggering fear and a state of alertness in their “news feed”. As they are seemingly interested in “negative news”, drama, conflict, conspiracy, etc, the system reinforces a one-sided perspective by giving them more of it. This consequently distorts people’s perception of what is really going on.
In addition to this the sheer amount of – sometimes conflicting – information often leads to a “system overload”, caused by confusion and frustration. People in modern societies do not only learn about the fire in their neighbourhood or country, but about all the fires around the world! On top of that, many “fires” are so complex and huge that there is no easy solution – they have been smouldering for a long time and some grew into raging blazes that are not easily extinguished. This stimulates a constant feeling of being surrounded by potential dangers and threats and, as a result, an almost constant state of alertness that overwhelms our nervous system. A lot of people feel exhausted and helpless, not knowing how to react and deal with the issues.
The constant presence and awareness of potential dangers and threats, not only in our vicinity, but also on a global level, the complexity of finding appropriate ways to (re-) act and coming up with solutions to restore balance and the corresponding feelings of overwhelm and confusion lead to stress and anxiety in the collective field. Young ones often are the most vulnerable as they are looking for guidance and need reassurance outside of themselves to grow into healthy and balanced adults.

How to deal with anxiety
Here are two main points that I found helpful when working with myself and others:

• No matter if you are dealing with anxiety within yourself or within others: transparency and open communication are key when dealing with anxiety. Acknowledge the “elephant in the room” and address the looming ghost, make it visible! By doing so, the atmosphere (internally and externally) already becomes less scary and threatening.
  

I often get asked by parents and teachers how to do this, especially when dealing with young ones. Many have learnt not to show any vulnerability (e.g. acknowledging to not knowing the answers or showing their own anxiety/doubts/fears is often considered a taboo). They are afraid to scare their children/students even more by showing their own insecurities. This means they “hold back”, suppress, deny and/or present themselves overly confident (“don’t worry” – “we have it under control” – “everything is/will be fine”) to protect themselves and the young ones in their care. However, this approach does not work very well.
There is a difference between a stroll in the park and a hike in the mountains. Be honest! Do not tell yourself and others you are going for an easy walk, if you know deep down that the climb up the mountain might be challenging and long. A lot of young ones instinctively and intuitively sense that the issues we are facing collectively are huge and complex. Telling them that there is an “easy fix” most likely won’t convince and calm them. On the contrary: they often lose trust and feel even more confused, unsafe and lost. Create hope, encourage, but do mention and acknowledge the unknown and tricky parts, if you feel any! There is, of course, a measured and (age-) appropriate way to do this. I recommend to be aware of and look at your own emotional and mental energies in this context before you address young ones in a matter-of-fact, caring and purposeful way.

• Stay in the present moment (presencing). Anxiety often arises when our mind projects images based on negative experiences (our own or other’s) in the past into the future, thus recreating and maintaining constant stress reactions within ourselves. Observe your self, the situation, the circumstances right NOW. How does your immediate environment look like right now? Acknowledge that you cannot solve all the problems of the world – at least not by worrying – and focus on what you can do, right now, in areas that you actually can influence (your Self, your family, your workplace, your community). This is empowering and strengthening, especially for young ones, who otherwise tend to absorb the collective “fear and worry vibes” that surround them 24/7 and react with anxiety, withdrawal, denial, distractive and compensating habits/addictions, aggression, depression, eating disorders, self-harming, suicide – the list goes on...

If you live a privileged life, use your freedom(s) to make simple changes and take actions that have a positive impact on your immediate community and thus on future generations. Look around in your vicinity and find out how you can get involved in concrete practical ways (see some ideas below). Focus on what you resonate with, things that uplift your spirits – increase hope instead of fear.
If you live in difficult circumstances and suffer from restrictions, if you feel your energy is drained and you do not have the capacity or ability to actively do something, reach out and ask for support and help. Regeneration, restoration, recovery are primary topics in current times to sustain life on this planet. Being you, finding balance and overall wellbeing is your valuable contribution on this journey! There are more and more people “out there” who feel desperate, lost, alone and forgotten by social networks, but also more and more people who are willing to connect and assist – those two currents just need to meet to form a flowing river…

10 simple steps
for young (and old) ones with anxiety
Taking action and doing things that make you feel empowered and connected to natural vital energies are great remedies for anxiety and support you to overcome feelings of stress and helplessness.
 
1 Plant a tree
Learn about the roles of trees on this planet, why they are so important, how they regulate water absorption and provide clean air, etc. Trees can teach us how to establish and maintain vital networks, integrating and sustaining diversity on all levels. They survive many generations and are key players in promoting vitality and a life-sustaining energy flow.
You can plant trees on private properties, as part of communal or regional planting and restoration projects, on school grounds, public areas – there are many more options and I am sure you will find your ways.
 
2 Clean & protect waterways
Learn about water cycles, what it takes to keep rivers/lakes/oceans clean, look at water sources in your vicinity and assess their vitality/health, etc. Spending time near or in natural water sources has a deeply balancing and healing effect and restores the natural flow of life energies.
 
3 Establish a garden
No matter where you live, you can always establish a garden: on the veranda or inside in pots, at home or at school, on a rooftop or in the basement (micro greens) – the possibilities are endless. There are school and community gardens, gardens in public reserves and parks… Growing a garden is empowering and establishes a close link to and understanding of natural cycles and “things that nurture us”. Dig holes to compost food scraps directly in garden beds (or pots/planter boxes) or wherever you need it and learn about growing cycles, food cycles, etc. This is another empowering and way to directly connect us with key factors and drivers of evolution, with a natural power to grow, regenerate, change, transform.
 
4 Learn about herbal medicine
“We are what we eat”
“He kai te rongoā, he rongoā te kai”
(Māori: food is medicine, medicine is food)
Learn to make tinctures, balms, oils, pesto, medicinal tea blends, herbal steam baths, etc. Boost your immune system with natural homemade remedies and learn what your ancestors used to heal and balance themselves. It is empowering to know basic tools to gain and sustain good health. Young ones love it, and it gives them (and you) practical hands-on knowledge in how to balance, nurture and vitalize your body-mind-soul.
 
5 Spend a lot of time in nature
Immerse yourself in nature, observe and learn about natural cycles (e.g. tidal cycles, seasonal cycles, moon cycles…). As said before, nature recalibrates your body-mind-soul complex: it calms and balances your nervous system, boosts your immune system and reconnects you with vital energies. Time in nature, amongst trees, near or in natural water sources, is very efficient to de-stress and unwind, allowing us to align ourselves to the steady reassuring rhythm of Mother Earth. Meanwhile, there are more and more studies showing the positive effect of “nature experiences” on mental and physical health – confirming what our ancestors knew already for a long time.
 
6 Connect with other animals
Most humans are not only social animals, we are also closely connected to other living beings and their systems – no matter if we are aware of it or not. Connecting with other life forms who have kept their natural balance, e.g. wild animals such as birds, or pets (if they have not lost their natural ways through domestication and captivity), gives a sense of response-ability and focus. In order to experience a deep resonance and connection with other species, you need to slow down, open and calm your senses. This happens naturally and brings us into the present moment. The experience of deep connection between two different species allows humans to let go of anxiety and feelings of overwhelm.
Animals in the wild depend on their ability to calm their nervous systems, e.g. after an attack or fright, in order to be able to function properly. Especially flight animals who are used to be close to humans such as horses or sheep can teach us a lot and help us to deal with anxiety and other issues.
 
7 Cultivate playfulness, fun, laughter
When we play, have fun, laugh, we cannot be anxious at the same time! Being silly, dancing, going wild, joking around… all these things are contraindications of states of anxiety. Often, adults do not allow themselves to go there to retain control and to “keep it together”. Deliberately hold a safe space where playfulness, fun and laughter are stimulated and can be expressed freely.
 
8 Move your body
Anxiety is often described as feeling stuck in a “dark hole”. Movement requires of us to focus on the NOW – otherwise we might tumble. When we move our body in a playful and fun way, our nervous system calms down and stress (anxiety) is released.

Song, music and dance form the healing triangle used in all cultures around the world and by our ancestors to find balance and realign ourselves with life-sustaining rhythms. Here a simple activity: choose fun and uplifting music (African music seems to work well for most people – maybe because we all descended from African ancestors); dance different animals (e.g. elephant, snake, rabbit…); dance the elements (wind/air, water, fire, earth). If possible, dance/move outside, barefoot on the earth. From my experience, children of all ages love this and are able to release tension and stress.
 
9 Drumming
Drumming is another archetypal activity, combining essential factors into a powerful equation: 
action/movement + rhythm + earth connection (grounding) = stability, focus, awareness of self/other
The steadiness and continuity of the rhythm provide a supportive and reliable structure and trigger a deep inner knowing and memories of cohesion and coherence – thus counteracting anxiety and stress.
 
10 Visualisation
Visualisation is used since ancient times to focus and guide mental activity, set clear intentions and to avoid distraction. There are guided imageries and mindfulness exercises that you can follow. You can also make up your own journeys. Visualising comes natural to young ones who are used to role-play, day-dream, create their own stories. Visualisation techniques not only help to calm the nervous system, but can also support us to keep ourselves focused and motivated and to overcome feelings of despair and overwhelm.
 
There are, of course, countless other things you can do – follow your intuition and your “fun receptors” to show you the way. Young ones are usually pretty good at this.
If you are looking for more ideas and concrete examples, you will find some inspiration in my books Dance into an Inner Light (Active Meditations and Guided Imageries for children) and Power Tools for Power Kids (over 350 pages of exercises, techniques, activities, recipes, art projects to maintain a healthy balance and to navigate challenges in life, for various age groups).

This is a little video I made for some friends and colleagues who work in refugee camps, in war zones, in hospitals around the world. If you like, make yourself comfortable and allow yourself to be calmed by the ocean waves, listen beyond the words and your inner wisdom and knowing will be reflected back at you and (re-) activated ;)

For those who cannot access youtube at the moment for whatever reason, here some notes that I wrote before a Zoom gathering a couple of days ago, illustrating similar thoughts in a different way:
​It is time to re-MIND ourselves and remember our intimate connection to the cycles of our mother, the earth. When we are born we know and feel the intimate link and flow of life energies between us and our mother.
We live and breathe in cycles.
Birth – death – birth…
Life’s nature, OUR nature is cyclical.
As children we know this. It makes sense deep within. It gives us a sense of belonging. I work a lot with children: young ones and within adults. Growing up in Western cultures and societies, children often lose their close connection and innate knowing. About 100 or 200 years ago we more or less successfully tried to create an illusion that we are not dependent on earth cycles and natural laws. That we can control or at least influence them.
​As a child I knew that strawberries only grew in June in our garden, and I was eagerly awaiting “strawberry season”. There was a blueberry month, a mushroom month, an asparagus month… Spring was the time to prepare the garden and plant according to the 100-year-farmers calendar and the moon calendar, summer was berry-time (yay!), autumn was preserving time and mushroom time and juice-making time and grape-picking time, winter was story-time. My mum would sit down for once and knit and tell stories, even my dad found a bit of time to read stories to us. Today I consider myself fortunate that I grew up aligned to these cycles.
Our ancestors knew about natural cycles and their deep interdependence and interconnectedness. Nowadays I meet many people who have forgotten about natural cycles or are not aware how much they influence us and how much life depends on them. Our vitality, our creativity, our fertility, our wellbeing on all levels (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) depends on them. Our ancestors honoured and followed the cycles closely – they knew about the interconnectedness of all life and had ceremonies and rituals to acknowledge this connection.
Growing up in urban settings and in cultures that no longer integrate cycles as an essential part of life has led to a loss of old folk lore. Young ones no longer nurture their innate knowing about cycles. And older ones notice and suffer from the consequences of not living according to natural cycles. Our modern Western (colonised and christianised) culture no longer shares the stories of natural lore and the interconnectedness of all life. It is time to revive our indigenousness, feeling the deep connection to the place we come from, the place we live in... and out of that naturally comes the caring for the place we come from and the place we live in – feeling the togetherness of the world wide web of life, not on screens, but within our hearts and with all our senses.

It is time that we share the stories of our ancestors with our young ones, teach them about vital cycles and life-supportive ways of living aligned with all life forms on this planet and beyond.
It is time that we teach, once again, (young) women about their moon cycles linking their whole being, their fertility, their vitality, their power to create to the moon.
It is time that we teach (young) men to trust their intuition and the guidance of their heart when cultivating the land and relating to each other and other beings.

Inspiration for a regular practise
On Earth day – every day – we can remind ourselves and remember and reactivate what we know deep inside and what is our natural state of being. Go outside, if you can, immerse yourself in nature. If you can’t, sit on your veranda or open the window wide. Feel the sun or rain on your skin. Listen to the birds or to the wind whispering in the trees. If you are outside, lie in the grass and feel the earth… feel her heartbeat…

The birds are the messengers of these times and great teachers. Invite them into your space and let them know that you are open to listen. Let go of expectations… and simply be and allow things to happen… open yourself to whatever will be…

Trees are also powerful teachers and able to assist us to re-establish the connection to natural life cycles. Sit with a tree… open to his/her messages… in whatever form they will show up…
If you don’t have any trees growing nearby, visit them in your imagination… Feel the bark touching your back… feel the flow of their life juices underneath… hear the sound of the wind in the leaves… watch the mesmerising light spectacle when the sun shines through the leaves, painting quivering patterns onto the ground… Allow yourself to sink into tree-time… becoming slower and slower… until you feel the stillness of the forest flowing through you… until you feel the connectedness of all the trees in the forest in your body… feel how you are the forest…

Water harmonises opposites and overcomes duality.
Water holds mountains together and moves mountains. 

​Water dances with the elements.
​Wild and agitated at the surface and calm in the depths of its being.

Water is the life blood of our planet.

​Water is sacred.

Water is nurturing and brings life.

Observing the state of water in all its forms and shapes – rivers, lakes, oceans, glaciers, rain, snow, hail, ice… – gives us insights about the health and balance of life on this planet.

Since I am a little child I have always been a water aficionado. Water is my element. I love being in, on and near it. I always get messages and guidance from the water and have lived near a river, lake or ocean all my life. In recent years I get more and more urgent messages from the water – and they often make me sad. When sitting with the old stony ones this year, I was shocked how far the dis-ease of water has come – even in remote high-alpine places. The very core of our existence, the life-giving blood that flows through the veins of the Earth body, is seriously affected by human actions and activities. We need to reconnect to old knowledge and take the messages serious, taking action, and return to acknowledging the wisdom of the water.
Hydrologists and geologists, mountain guides, farmers – there are many voices raising concern. We already experience some severe consequences of our ignorance. Glaciers are melting. Rivers and streams are drying out. Pure water is polluted in many ways. Trees and other plant & animal life forms are struggling or dying. “Does it really matter? There will always be new life, new inventions”, somebody said the other day in a personal conversation. I wonder: will there be life without the nurturing element of water? Or will life be drained out, drying out - literally? My personal answer to this is clear as pure water.
​
As the glaciers melt, the mountains start to crumble (they have been held together by permafrost for thousands of years). Plant and animal species are going extinct as they cannot adapt and adjust to changing life conditions fast enough…

​A lot people I talk to are feeling helpless and desperate. Distraction, numbing through substance abuse or down play and denial are common coping mechanisms to deal with those feelings. Depression, activism are other ways. 
 
We can all do our little bit – many drops make an ocean.
 

• Check the waterways in your vicinity. Rally a few friends and family members and do a river/beach/lake clean-up. Pick up any rubbish as you go, wherever you go. I always have a bag with me when I am out and about. 
• Check your daily activities and habits: consider if they are con-serving life or not. Do I really need to drive the car today? Do I need to go on that ski trip? Do I need to eat meat or can I add more vegetarian/vegan dishes to my diet? Do I need to plan my holidays flying to a destination or can I travel by bus/train/bike/horse/foot? Do I need to buy the cucumber wrapped in plastic or can I buy something else that is not wrapped/packaged in plastic? Asking ourselves these and other questions helps to create awareness, enabling us to make conscious decisions and often to find alternatives or at least reduce non-sustainable behaviours and activities.
• Follow your HEART:

Honour and respect water
Develop a feeling for the sacredness of water.
 
Enjoy water
Play with/in/around water.
 
Acknowledge the nurturing and life-giving aspects of water. Become aware of the “water cycle”: ocean, evaporation, clouds, rain, source/river/lake/ocean, evaporation, clouds, rain, source/river/lake/ocean…

Respect water
Bring your attention to the needs of the waterways in your region: what is needed to keep the water clear and pure? Listen to natural water sources, sit with the river, the lake, the ocean and tune into their messages!
 
Tune into water
Feel it – under the shower, when you open a tap, when you drink it. Become aware of when you use water and how. Take time to feel grateful for water and what it brings to you.
 
Natural consequences of following the HEART are:

• conscious consumption of water
• conservation of water
• stopping activities, behaviour and decisions that affect the quality and free flow of pure clean water
• being aware of the importance of water as the essence of life expressed in so many ways 

Let's acknowledge once again the Sacredness of Water!

I have written about this extensively - yet, I still see so many people in my life and immediate surroundings who are not seen and acknowledged for who they are. Instead they are labeled and the gifts they bring to their communities (common-unity) are dismissed. This triggers deep memories in my body-mind-soul, and often stirs up a deep sadness because of this waste of precious potential and resources. Such a cause of unnecessary suffering and pain.

People who are sensitive to energies, to spirit world, used to be honoured and highly esteemed for their abilities. (They still are in some indigenous cultures.) They often were seen as the “gatekeepers” or “world bridgers” who could navigate through spirit world and access important knowledge and guidance. The information they shared was valued by the rest of the community and often served as a foundation for chiefs and political leaders in their decision-making. These people were identified already at a young age and either “left alone” (= not bullied or singled out by the rest of the community) or put under the tutorship of an experienced elder resp. a group of elders.
 
In our modern societies, mental health issues are “on the rise” and more and more people are labeled dysfunctional! Autism, ADHD, Bipolar, Asperger’s, hallucination, hypersensitivity… these are all symptoms of special abilities. Instead of recognising these behaviours as indicators of a heightened sensitivity, people are made believe that there is “something wrong” with them. They are put into mental health care, medicated and generally “shut down” and marginalised. 

​As a child I have been seeing and hearing “things” – and assumed everyone would perceive the world like I do. I soon realized that people in my surroundings either dismissed or ridicule my perceptions. As a consequence I learned how to “hold back” and not share my perspectives and feelings. This also created a deep rift inside of me: on one hand I knew with certainty that what I perceived was real, on the other hand it was clearly not accepted and acknowledged in mainstream society around me. This drove me to the brink of madness many times, as well as to being suicidal (= rather wanting to leave the physical plane than staying on and not being able to share “the full story”). When I look at some of the young (and old) people in my community, I see people who don’t need to be segregated and definitely not be drugged and treated as pathological. There is nothing wrong with them! They are simply highly sensitive to energies and able to perceive different realities.
In my view, mainstream education, health and other social systems have become too standardized. Everyone who doesn’t fit into the narrow framework is left out – or worse. Thus, we miss out on essential treasures: we don’t take time to listen to the wisdom of our elders, our young ones, the ones with special abilities. Instead we try and press everybody into rigid standards – creating more and more exhaustion and overwhelm and “dysfunctions”.
 
Sitting and listening to the stories of the “outcasts”, valuing EVERY member of our community and respect the input and gifts each and everyone brings, is a prerequisite for a functioning and balanced society. Oracles, hermits, shamans, druids, witches, sorcerers, artists, all the weird and wonderful are contributing important aspects to the bigger whole. As said before: they are the gatekeepers and bridgers to other realities. They bring balance and vision and can help the “workers” and the rest of their communities to put things into perspective. In troubled times we need them desperately to look beyond the veil. 

Here is a great video clip that illustrates some of the issues mentioned above - and an example of a natural indigenous approach to deal with it...

​Since I can remember, I always loved the darkness of the night. The dark enwrapped me like a velvety cloak. I felt safe and comfortable. As a child I sat in the dark in our garden, between the trees, watching the shadows dance in the moonlight. Sometimes scary monsters appeared – but I could watch them from the safety of the dark… They would growl at me and scare me – until they eventually became familiar and were no longer frightening. As a teenager I went for long walks in the dark forests next to our house. My mum tried to convince me that it was a dangerous place to be, but I couldn’t relate. In the light of the city where everybody could see me, I felt so much more exposed and unsafe than in the dark embrace of the woods. Who would see me here? Who could find me, if I ran away and hid behind the trees? I knew the dark forests so well and was sure that I was well protected in my hiding spots.
I never felt the need to take a torch or any form of light. I see like a cat in the dark – and my feet and other senses guide my way. I don’t like it when people take a light source at night. It blocks my ability to “see in the dark”. 

As a young child I was often ask why I am not afraid of the dark. I was! I used to have very terrifying encounters. However, I always felt safer at night than during the day. Most people have an innate fear of the dark that stems from a time when the night was the time when predators were hunting threatening their lives. During the night our “connection channels” to spirit world (the realities beyond the material world) are opening, and we can get a glimpse of “the whole bigger picture of life”. Most humans slow down at night, and there is less distraction through busy activities. Embracing the treasures of the darkness, letting the shadows arise and dancing with them, opening up to spirit world and receiving insights and guidance all are an integral and essential part of my life. For me, a lot of strength and resilience come out of the dark.
 
Darkness and light are intimately linked and belong together.
It is interesting to me that there are so many “light workers” and very few “shadow or darkness workers” in our modern societies. A lot of people shy away from darkness, and the power of darkness often seems to go unrecognized.
​
Dark deep waters, the blackness of the night hold treasures for me that I deeply cherish. During the night I get my deepest insights. The essence of most of my books is written in the early hours before sunrise. The darkness of the night holds magic for me. My perception, my senses work differently. Everything slows down – and is heightened and accelerated at the same time. Darkness brings a clarity that I rarely find in the light of the day. There is a deep sense of peace and stillness and calm arising out of the darkness. 

​As a baby we are born out of the darkness of the womb into the light. The womb is the seat of our intuition and the link to other life forms. Each night we have the opportunity to go back into the womb of the night, growing, evolving and dreaming, before we are born into the light of the day.
Shadows are visible during the day – at night my shadow being is dissolving into the darkness. I melt into the darkness – and am reborn with every new day into the light. 

​Spiritual practices are becoming more and more “in” and respected: Yoga and mindfulness are no longer considered some weird airy-fairy practices, but have been accepted into the mainstream. After a very long period of time (in human terms, at least) of suppressing spirituality or trying to press it into rigid religious boxes, spiritual energies seem to find their way back into (Western) human consciousness.
 
The word spirit derives from the Latin word spiritus = breath or breathing. Spirit (or spiritual energy) is the breath that animates everything alive. Indigenous cultures always accepted the fact that spiritual energies are the driving force behind all life and acknowledge and honour the spirit in all life forms.
In this sense, everyone is spiritual. Everything we create, everything we are inspired to do (Lat. inspirare = breathing life into something/someone), holds spiritual energies. If we are aware of it or not, our lives are based on spiritual energies. Spiritual energies are the blue print of everything that exists, of everything that has been, is and will be created or brought into life. Mainstream Western culture often ignores this simple fact – and pays a high price for disconnecting from vital energies. We can see the consequences all around: wars, exploitation, abuse, extinction, disorientation, mental, emotional and physical imbalances and dis-eases. It plays out in all areas of modern life: health and social welfare, education, economy, “environment”… 

If we want to restore the balance, we need to reconnect with our innate knowing that everything is in-spired = breathed into life by spiritual energies. Indigenous cultures can lead the way. In a business context this means: We need to be aware of the spirit that flows within all things and take it into consideration to create sustainable outcomes. This influences the whole structure and ways of doing business. Workplace culture, product or service design, resource management, investment policies, marketing strategies – everything we do has an impact on the flow of spiritual energies. This flow can be blocked or enhanced by our actions. To become aware of spiritual energies as the life-giving force that connects all life and creation is essential to keep us (and our businesses) alive. Spiritual business is not a “new trend” – it is a necessity.

There are many ways to go to the top of a mountain. You could take a helicopter or a cable car (if there is one). Or you can climb it. 

On my life's journey I met a lot of shamans, healers, wise humans who taught me about the use of plant and animal medicines to heal and expand consciousness. I have a huge respect and love for all life forms, and in indigenous settings I saw the same respect and care when doing ceremony with various medicines. These medicines are powerful. And when used in the right context and with awareness and a close connection to spirit world, they can bring balance.

I see more and more people using these medicines in Western cultures. Often they "borrow" ceremonies and rituals from indigenous cultures that aren't theirs. This means they do not fully understand their depth and essence. More so: they lack the profound spiritual awareness and direct connection to spirit world that is required to navigate the medicines and to acknowledge their spirit with the due respect. They might have good intentions, but aren't aware of the consequences of the "consumer mindset" of their culture. They feel entitled to use the medicines, longing for balance and spiritual connection. The medicines give them an insight into the essence of life. The experience can be so profound that they become addicted to the feeling (not to the substance itself) - and want more. This often takes away the gifts of true (self-) discovery without substance (ab-) use: the intimate connection with spirit that arises from deep within, practical experience that comes from self-connection, confidence in oneself and grounding.

Before using plant or animal medicine, you might want to ask yourself:
Have I made a conscious connection and build a relationship with the animal or plant? Do I know the plant/animal well? Have I sat with them? Have I asked them for their permission? 
Or do I just "consume", "use", "take" for my own personal benefit?
Is there another way, or do I need to take the medicine?
To restore the balance within yourself, the answers to these questions are essential.

Indigenous people use and have used plant and animal medicines in their environment since ancient times. They cultivated their relationship with the medicine plants and animals and treated them with respect. People who grew up in Western societies often lack the deep connection and awareness that is needed to treat the plant and animal spirits with respect and in a sustainable way. Some animal and plant species are at the brink of extinction, because people in the West use them for "healing". The Bufo alvarius, for instance, is a threatened species since its venom became a trendy psychoactive drug. 

A butterfly needs to free itself from its cocoon - it cannot survive if cut out of its cocoon.
If you take a helicopter to climb a mountain, you might be able to enjoy the view; however, nothing will give you the same feeling as standing on top of a mountain after you climbed it yourself.

When we run...
... we don't notice the small things.
... we are too fast to become aware of signs and indicators that show us "other ways".
... we have to pay attention to our own steps and are focussed on the path in front of us - and only when we tumble, we might slow down.
... we don't see what's around us, past us, left and right of us.
... we need to sustain ourselves to keep up the fast pace and don't have much capacity to look out or after others.
... we miss the small tracks on the of the road and are more likely to follow the "beaten track" as it is easier to see and we are more familiar with it.

Slowing down is one of the first lessons I learned to incorporate when sharing with other humans, for example, in a workshop or at a conference. I learned it from non-human teachers. Sitting with birds, trees, dogs, horses, rivers, lakes, the ocean...
Swimming with dolphins, whales, sea lions...
Listening to the winds, the waters, the fire, the sound of fellow earthlings...

I noticed that many people find it not easy to slow down. Yet it is a prerequisite to receive, to regenerate, to replenish. Many of us are eager to learn, eager to spend our time "efficiently and productively" - and in order to feel that way, we need to do something... we need to keep our body and mind busy.
Mindfulness, Yoga in all its various forms, TM, shamanic journeying... there are more and more people busying themselves to learn and teach those "modalities". 
Yet... I rarely see what my teachers gave me: the opportunity to slow down, completely, to become still, completely, to overcome my desire, my need to do - and to drop into beingness, completely. And out of that beingness comes the gift of intuitive knowing, the gift of feeling, the gift of alignment with life-giving energies...

It was a "hard" path for me - as I was running so fast. My teachers refused to teach me in the way I wanted and expected to be taught! They sent me home, in the forest, in the garden, on the water... I felt offended, hurt, maybe I wasn't worthy enough to be taught? And it took me a while to accept their gifts as my mind told me I was just wasting my time, and theirs... and "getting nowhere". I thought I wasn't very efficient and productive on my "spiritual path". 
Until I gave in, allowed myself to slow down, to sit, to breathe, to observe, to feel, to become aware... For years... decades... I am still journeying, at a much slower pace... 

In these times, when we transition into the next cycle towards balance, merging doing (male energy) with being (female energy), we need to be aware that our female pole (being) isn't equally developed as our male pole (doing) due to patriarchal structures. The "rise of the feminine" implicates that we re-member and re-integrate female qualities. We all know... but like with everything: at a beginner's stage it is wise to slow down, to allow the seed to be held and nurtured - until it arises from the soil, as a natural consequence...

Yesterday I spoke with my 92-year old mum: "The birds are gone!", she opened the conversation.
​She lives on the Northern Hemisphere and winter is coming. Since I can remember November has always been the month when we would prepare "winter food" for the bird people. Winters can be harsh and long in Europe, so we would make balls out of animal fat and roll them in seeds to support the bird kin during wintertime. I remember watching the birds from our living room when they would come to our "birds feeding houses" - it was always a busy coming and going and I would spent hours to observe their interactions with each other. They taught me lot...

When visiting my mum in late spring, I had already noticed that the wonderful dawn chorus was very quiet. 

I come from a forest tradition and have always been very connected to the Tree and Bird people. They were amongst my earliest and most influential teachers. 
Trees are fulfilling an essential role on this planet: they are merging male (sky/cosmos) and female (earth) energies in their trunk to create (vital) life energy.
When they are cut down without an honouring and acknowledgement of this sacred gift or role they hold (e.g. in pioneering times or modern forestry), the act of life-giving creation and vitality is blocked resp. literally cut off.

Humans have the potential to become “walking trees”. The womb space (or belly space in men) is the centre of connection to life-giving energies and the place of merging female & male energies (as in the trunk of a tree). Sitting with an old tree will support you to become aware of this vital center within you and help you to activate the alchemical process of generating life-giving energies.
The bird people also play an important role: they are the messengers of light (sunrise, morning chorus) and bring in sky energies to lead the way forward and give guidance and vision.

Connecting to bird and tree people at this moment in time is essential to ease the journey and to restore balance. 

"The birds are gone."
I see them retreat, waiting at the "sidelines" for us to reconnect, for us to acknowledge them (as well as so many other life forms!) - and they will step right in and guide you, every time you open up and allow yourself to listen.

(c) Elena Oleniuc