Intuitively, we know that something has to change about the way we traverse this world as humans. The surge of media is overwhelming and inundating with so many forms of technology. Between the pandemic, protests, and long-held scandals coming to the surface it is no wonder we might feel like we've been tossed overboard, treading water in choppy seas.
There is a Hawaiian teaching that I learned, which depicts the process of getting out of those turbulent waters and back to our heart center. Its called, "Getting back in our Canoe." In Chinese Medicine, a similar viewpoint to healing is known as the 'Great Return.' These ancient teachings offer the symbolism to finding our spiritual center. Even when we are in an emotional storm.
There is a way to get through these transformative times
while also discovering what our best self feels like.
Our best self means to be centered, in the canoe,
ready for what is around the next bend.
The ultimate career, relationship, security, or happiness will not keep us in our canoe. Getting our health or athletic body back won't do it either. We often seek outside ourselves to reach some apex, achievement, or identity. We were taught to be good productive citizens, weren't we? Should this be how we live to be healthy, happy, and thriving? Symptoms of this humanitarian imbalance are popping up all over the planet. Perhaps it is time to turn to ancient teachings to help us find our way again.
The Great Return is the Taoist concept of returning to our natural rhythm and harmony. When we find that perfect frequency to live within ourselves, change brings clarity, paddling life's currents becomes easier, and healing happens. If we had put a hidden agenda on the outcome then we can guarantee there is going to be some kind of let down. As an example, if we are seeking spiritual enlightenment for the sake of creating and manifesting a beautiful life, then we have put a condition upon our actions. We are saying to the Universe, God, Gaia, "If I do this thing, you will give me that (a better life)." We say this unconsciously. We say it in hopes of no more hurt, heartache, judgment, pain, or suffering.
We are here to experience ALL of the senses that this amazing body takes in each and every day. The good ones are what we seek because they feel better. But the bad experiences are what shape, create, strengthen, and truly change us.
We can't stop change from happening. That is the only constant in life - change. So, its about learning to traverse the change as a badass paddler, forging ahead with tools to navigate from our most authentic self. We are the only ones that will find the Great Return, back to our center, back to the path of the heart, back to the canoe. The challenges of our world are here to help us prepare, hone, and learn a new way to show up on the planet. We have no other choice but to sink or swim. Or shall I say, paddle?
A long journey lies ahead of us full of change, transparency,
courage, resiliency, patience, and surrender of the new world reality.
This reality is going to keep changing. We are going to keep getting knocked out of our canoes.
That is the nature of being alive and being human.
This human experience will be full of murky water, swift currents, rogue waves, and storms. How we navigate these waters is what matters. In other words, the circumstance is not the problem, but rather how we approach the circumstance. What we can do, is learn to navigate the ship of our soul like a true oars person. We cannot prevent unexpected life turbulence, but we can become better prepared. I believe soul preparation is what is necessary to ride these global waves of change.
When we are in our canoe we feel a strength within us that says, "Bring it on! I'm ready to paddle whatever conditions may lie ahead." When we fall out of the canoe, we are in a panic, stressed, angry, bitter, jealous, resentful, depressed, helpless. The journey to health, healing, enlightenment, and feeling solid within ourselves is learning to get back into our canoe each time we get knocked out. We will have to learn this over and over again, throughout our life. Mastery happens when we have discovered our own unique path to finding our center and it becomes a life practice. Then we have found the canoe of our great return.
Sahara is an intuitive healer, medically trained, integrating spiritual healing with Eastern and Western Medicine. She works with patients virtually worldwide and in Maui, Hawaii. Trained in Traditional Five Element Acupuncture, Naturopathic Medicine, Herbs, and Shamanic Spiritual Healing, Sahara has spent her lifetime learning skills to be a true medicine woman.
To schedule a session or to learn more visit www.SaharaSun.co/healing