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By Tamara Thebert, MA, CHT, and Loraine Van Tuyl, PhD, CHT
The Foundation of the
Sacred Stream’s Applied Shamanism Training Program has produced a
dedicated group of practitioners who are interested in using their skills
to assist others. They are trained in shamanic methods of healing which
include processes of clearing space and addressing anomalies that
people experience in their homes or place of work. The graduates of the
program decided to form the Space Clearing Society to provide practical
assistance to impractical situations. As one member of the Space
Clearing Society has said, “ It is so rewarding to be able to apply
everything I have learned to real-life situations and with real-life
benefits.”
As the familiar sound of the drumbeat
and smell of sage signaled the call to circle, approximately twenty
shamanic practitioners gathered to set intentions with the management
and owner of a local healing space. After a brief discussion about the
process, each of us spoke of our intention to be of service, some
adding specific ways (s)he would embody this service.
The shamanic practitioners consisted of people from every walk of life
– teachers, social workers, psychotherapists, computer programmers,
acupuncturists, engineers, to name a few, all coming together for the
shared cause of seeking to be of service in a way that has nearly been
lost to contemporary society. The practitioners were informed of
the many anomalies (lights flickering, products mysteriously being
turned around, visions, shadows, whistling, electronics malfunctioning)
observed and experienced by management, healing arts practitioners, and
clients alike. The owner had clearly put a lot of energy into the
business, and felt like he was swimming upstream. He shared that he had
gotten sick more often than usual over the past months and was asking
for help with the energies that were impacting his intention to offer
healing.
The vibrant space had undergone an extreme makeover, transformed by
stunning modern décor. However, similar to many places in the
Bay Area, the land had a history of conquest, exploitation, and
displacement of the indigenous Ohlone communities who had resided there
for thousands of years prior to the colonist’s arrival. The area had
also served as a military post. Whether this was cognitively and/or
energetically known, it informed our experience as we assessed what was
needed to clear the space.
There was a deep sense that we were participating with the energies for
healing the greater good rather than attempting to simply cast these
energies out. A continuous stream of information and sensations dialed
in as we roamed through these spaces. We checked out areas where
activity had been detected and it became clear that there was activity
everywhere. The energies floating around had levels of consciousness
that ranged from light and evolved to very dark and distraught.
After assessing the space, we gathered in a circle to designate roles:
Isa would manage the space by making sure everyone had what they
needed, some would remain in the circle to drum and ground the energy,
some would smudge the space with sage (an ancient practice associated
with space clearing), and others would move through the space doing
whatever was necessary. We again called power and began.
About half an hour later, the entire circle reconvened and shared
experiences, creating a clear gestalt that was informed by everyone’s
unique perspective and expertise. Despite the different areas of focus
and intervention, the group offered very consistent feedback in terms
of the problems, the root cause, and what needed to be done. There was
a shared sense of restless energies, some victims of the many waves of
trauma and destruction that had occurred or originated at this site.
There were many lessons and wisdom imparted from the work and contact
with these energies. There was a sense shared by many in the
group that the approach to healing in the current building needed to be
reframed. In part, much of the paranormal activity was to draw
attention to the energies stuck in this space, and also to illuminate
the discrepancies currently existing in the presentation of
healing. In short, the intention was not to sabotage the
business, but to get someone’s attention.
Several practitioners mirrored similar messages regarding the need to
set deeper intentions about what it means to heal and to acknowledge
and have reverence for those who had suffered and died there. This
could be done if the staff each embarked on a personal journey of
deeper healing, and regarded the anomalies in their space as an
invitation to elevate their level of service, integrity, and/or
consciousness.
Since the clearing, the staff at the spa have reported a shift in the
energy. One staff member described the feeling at the spa after
the space clearing as being, “ . . . a lot lighter . . .
different. There had been a shift.” Another practitioner at
the spa stated, "My experience was not immediate, but more gradual.
Things seem to go more smoothly. We are suddenly celebrating little
victories. Functionality is improved. People are more willing to do
what needs to be done. The relationship between the clients and the
therapists is growing – it is deepening/less superficial. People are
getting more connected and more of a sense of satisfaction from working
with people."
The Space Clearing Society of the Foundation of the Sacred Stream
offers clearings on the first Sunday evening of the month and is
comprised of shamanic practitioners trained through the Foundation.
Donations are welcome and appreciated for this service and go towards
the scholarship fund to create opportunities for those who cannot
afford training. For more information, or to schedule a space clearing,
please contact Simone at simone@sacredstream.org or visit the website at www.sacredstream.org.
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