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New Age Thought and Shamanic Transformation
- Michael Peter Langevin
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In today’s episode of “Healing From Within” your host Sheryl Glick author of The Living Spirit a story of spiritual awakening, spiritual communication, healing energies, miracles and soul awareness is delighted to welcome Michael Peter Langevin author of Secrets of the Ancient Incas and other books who is a visionary, entrepreneur who befriends shamans magicians holy men and gifted psychics and with his wife Sofia Karen Axelsson operates their own Public Relations company.
As listeners of “Healing From Within” are well aware Sheryl and her guests explore the “Seen” and “Unseen” world of energy, life and experiences in the hopes of discovering more about our human and divine destiny and enhancing our spiritual awareness in order to create or manifest our best lives improving the world through a greater outpouring of compassion hope love faith and trust in a larger Universal plan.
In today’s episode of “Healing from Within” we will explore the transformation of consciousness, spiritual awakening and observe the next step in evolution. An essential aspect of this awakening consists in transcending our ego-based state of consciousness. This is a prerequisite, not only for personal happiness, but also for the ending of violent conflict endemic on our planet.
When asked by Sheryl to think back to his childhood and remember a person place or event where you or those around you became aware of certain spiritual gifts or interests Michael tells us, “When I grew up, no one taught me that I could control how I think. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have control of my thoughts all the time, and it is not always easy to do. However, I have seen, without a doubt, that when I do control how I think, and what I focus on, things change. Things really do get better. But, if I focus on not having enough – not enough money, time, energy, health, love, or something else – there seems to become less of it. There are ways to begin controlling what we focus on. I use a very simple one. When I find myself focusing on not having enough, I paint a big red “X” over that thought in my imagination. Then I ask myself how would I like things to be instead. And I imagine in detail, a picture of what my life would be like if I had what I wanted. I fill that imaginary picture in with as much detail as I can.“
We can all get depressed, overwhelmed, angry, resentful – you name it. But if we work on becoming more mindful about how we think and what we focus on, we can, with small changes in how we think, make major changes in the quality of our lives. I urge everyone to play with these ways of thinking differently.
Michael shares with us how his interest guided him to write his books Secret of Ancient Incas or the Secrets of Amazon Shamans and how he became interested in shamanic work and study. Michael Peter Langevin has been on the shamanic path since 1973, and traveled extensively in Latin America. Over the years he has met and studied with many shamans in the Amazon River Basin and the Andean Mountain region. In this down-to-earth book he intersperses his own and his family’s journeys through the many countries surrounding the Amazon River Basin, inviting the reader to feel part of adventurous meetings with shamans, whose knowledge and wisdom stretches the mind to what is possible. Meetings that are often humorously conveyed, but there are also serious encounters when the peaceful life of remote villages clashes with modern life. Michael tells what it is like to see life from the eyes of someone else in a healing ceremony; about a Calling the Dead Ritual where he could actually see their spirits with his physical eyes; what it is like to experience the intensity of Ayahuasca ritual, and having your life revisited; but also about the strain of traveling with your children being far away from so-called civilization when they fall ill. The story of this book moves between Michael's shamanic initiations, and his joys and challenges of traveling as a family, coming together in the fearful situation of his sick children, which turns into a miraculous healing. This book is an exciting inroad to the mysteries of the Amazon shaman way, based on real life meetings and experiences.
The Amazon shamans and healers hold libraries of knowledge that has been built through thousands of years of experimentation. Michael has an uncanny ability to translate the mysterious knowledge of Amazon shamanism into magical everyday practice, that is understandable and approachable. Throughout the book we are presented with basic Amazon shaman principles, procedures and rituals, adapted to work in any setting. These principles, procedures and rituals can be used to enhance the richness of life, to heal and even to question basic assumptions on how the world is connected and what is possible. In the words of Michael, “An invisible web of life connects everything in existence. Westerners often lose sight of this, but in the Amazon it's easy to remember, because it's presence is so visceral. Amazon shamans know that while reason is a useful tool, intuition and magic surpass it in most every way.”
Michael shares his definition of shamanism and that of others how does it relate to healing on a physical and spiritual level?
“Honoring the world of form and spirit; surrendering to endless death and rebirth; this is the source of all healing — the shaman’s power.”
— Theodore Tsaousidis
Shamanism organically arose all over the world, all throughout history, as a response to the needs of people. Shamanism is an ancient collection of traditions based on the act of voluntarily accessing and connecting to non-ordinary states — or spirit realms — for wisdom and healing. The word “shaman” comes from the Siberian Tungus tribe, and it directly means “spiritual healer,” or, more cleverly, “one who sees in the dark.” Generally, there is one shaman per community. These shamans access the spirit realm for the purpose of individual and communal growth and healing — they do this by restoring and removing energetic pathways, recovering soul parts, and communicating with non-physical helpers to discover the spiritual aspects of illness and find answers to life’s seemingly impossible questions. This reality-penetrating ability marks them as the world’s very first doctors, storytellers, mystics, and even psychotherapists. Shamanism comes with a great responsibility. Alongside simply accessing these worlds, they must possess the ability to transform what they have learned and experienced into concrete change in the physical world.
Sheryl believes we are all having many coincidental or mystical experiences that may help shape our understanding of this and other dimensions and to begin to know Spiritual Healers Shamans Teachers Psychics who offer us ways to increase an awareness of life, death, Universal Energy, and a really truthful view of what life is really about?
Sheryl writes in her book The Living Spirit, “Spirit allows us to face challenging situations that our energy (emotions and thoughts) bring into our lives and help us to see that we are on the right or wrong track. Therefore, we are co-creating our life by observing what is happening and how to make the best of any situation. Through our faith and the surrender of some of our personal needs, we allow the universe and a higher source to help us find new ways to search and remember our already preconceived destiny and life plan. Spirit gives us all the time in the world in this life and other lives and beyond to find our greatest means for developing levels of infinite love and healing as evolving compassionate expressions of the divine.”
Animals also play their part in human awakening and higher consciousness. Animals play an essential part in the grand plan of life. Yet too often, we think of animals simply as things to serve us when in fact, they have souls and are on an evolutionary path just as we are. Animals look up to humanity for love and inspiration. We in the human kingdom have a sacred duty to help them in their spiritual development. Evolution unfolds at every stage of life—mineral, vegetable, animal as well as human. Just as the angels and archangels help us in our evolution, humans are meant to help the animal souls.
Of course, animals learn from each other. Just like humans, as animals interact with other animals, they build life experience. At the same time, domestication is a key way we can contribute in helping the animals, as they are ready for that domestication. When you take in an animal as a pet, it’s not just for your pleasure. You are giving that animal an opportunity to develop spiritually. Animals are like spiritual sponges. They absorb and are uplifted by the love you give them.
As a shamanist I ask animals, birds, fish, and other moving creatures to help me live more respectfully of their lives and the life of the earth itself. I have met some of these fellow creatures in my dreams, visions, and daily life, and we have become friends.
Michael tells us about places he has travelled that have expanded his views and increase within a greater joy in living on this beautiful planet.
In these very challenging and troubling times our nation is enduring those of us who are aware of our true nature as spiritual beings having a physical life might share their talents and gifts with those who are less aware. Let’s take a look at holiday time and how to approach the challenges.
Michael wrote, “But, because days are becoming shorter here in the North, and because expectations for holidays are high, many people fight with depression, anxiety, aloneness and disappointment. The first thing to remember is that many people share these challenges this time of year. The next is to give yourself permission to feel some sadness and all the related emotions, but not to get lost in them or wallow in them. In our society many people use some form of opiates, or anti-depressants when feeling low. Sometimes this may be necessary over a period of time when the deep hole of depression, or the crushing immobility of anxiety, keep us from functioning at all. But, I feel that we are usually better off without them, and that they are definitely not the solution for a bout with general holiday blues. If we lower our expectations of the season, and raise our acceptance of whatever happens, we can do better.
This is a season of unique beauty. There is a deep history of people coming together to celebrate the return of more sunlight. The year I was far away from everyone I knew, I walked down the nearby Downtown. I was an observer as you can only be if you are new to a place, and have no specific role in it yet. I observed people shopping, laughing, fretting, scurrying. I saw the beauty of the snow and the cold and the decorations everywhere. Most of all I observed it as just life and just another season.
The holidays have the potential to be miserable, or to be joyous. The only thing that can make a difference is our attitudes, our expectations, and our acceptance. The good news is that this is something we have influence over. This season is a time of giving and loving and that applies to ourselves as well. Let’s teach ourselves as you would a child you love and are responsible for. Set some standards, expect the best, applaud every victory and be loving and forgiving all the way. Then you will also have the energy to give others what they need – to be truly generous, as we should be during the time of the holidays.”
Michael tells us about several of the wonderful authors he represents. Linnea Star author of Crystal Images Given from the Other Side shares her amazing spiritual gifts in her writings and her workshops. Crystals have been used within the metaphysical realm for centuries. Crystals have the ability to create harmony and renew your intrinsic energy, within you, as well as in your environment. Also, certain types of crystals promote healing, ease anxiety and can assist with deep meditation Crystal ball gazing has been a method of divination from ancient Egyptian times. Linnea’s association with crystals has been ongoing for quite some time. When she works with them as a medium, she often see images that form within the transparent orb itself. But the most fascinating thing is, that I’m not the only one who can see these images. Often, people I work with, and do readings for, can see them as well. She shares a few examples of this, as she finds it is so precious, and meaningful, for the people who experience this phenomenon.
A few years ago, Ms. Star had a client hold the crystal ball for a moment. After she held the crystal for a bit, I asked her to take a cell phone photo of it. The images that I had seen in the crystal were captured within the photo. My client could see these images as well. We call this Mystical Crystals. When a crystal ball is held by someone and then photographed, everyone receives different images within the orb. The process of holding the crystal allows the person’s own energy to coordinate with the Soul Spirit energy that is trying to connect from the other side. Therefore, each person who uses this technique receives images unique for them. That is, what a spirit on the other side wants to reveal to them. This unusual form of divination is quite visual. In this case, the phrase “Seeing is believing,” is truly fitting.
There are client instances where various spirit messages can readily be seen by all in attendance. At a recent private event, a young lady wanted to reach a beloved grandfather who, sadly, had died last summer. Through me, he gave much information that she could confirm to be true, but that I could not possibly have known, or guessed. When she held the crystal orb, I asked her to focus on her memories of him. She used her cell phone to take a photo of the orb, and then we looked at it together. There was writing inside the orb, in big letters. They read: PAPA. As it turned out, that was what she had called him.
Linnea Star is a Psychic Medium who does Past. Present. Future. Linnea has displayed metaphysical understanding of the Universe since childhood. Her website is www.LinneaStar.com. LangevinAxelsson Marketing represents Linnea.
Michael shares his perspective on the values that shamanic healers hold and how that might benefit all of society. Every shaman is trained in three things: specific shamanic practices, the mythic lore of the tribe, and the requirements expected of the personal helping spirits one meets in the course of this training. Of these three areas, the one Michael found most elusive in his early years of shamanic training was the mythic lore of the tribe, for the simple reason that I didn’t know who my tribe was.
In some sense I come from many tribes. In some sense I have no tribe. I have family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, colleagues, but no tribe. My ancestral lineage is Irish, Scots, English, and German, but being American for several generations, my family has no clear tribal lore. I did not want to be a “tribeless shaman” with spirits and practices but no lore. Even if I was destined to live a contemporary, wandering, tribeless, American life, I wanted lore. The harder I tried to be a shaman without the lore of my tribe, the harder it seemed to put soul into my shamanic practice. And this is what shamanism is all about: soul. Fortunately the core shamanic practices that are nearly universal and effective in almost all times and places can awaken the primal soul, the tribal mind, or what we might call indigenous consciousness. And that’s a start. For where you find soul, mind, and consciousness, you find lore.
Just as there are core shamanic practices, there are core shamanic values and attitudes, and these values and attitudes make up the shamanist faith of every tribe. Including my tribe. All my tribes. The shamanist faith is what fostered the folk practices of healing, divination, and celebration that became shamanism. It is possibly the most ancient faith in human history. Although more primal than Christianity, it can be found here and there in Christianity because it inspired some Christian beliefs and practices. In many instances, it became interwoven with early Christianity and survived the development of Roman Catholicism and modern Protestantism. The shamanist faith peeks out at us from folklore, fairytales, old healing and divination techniques, and the seasonal folk celebrations and village rituals that are still conducted and in some cases being revived in European nations.
The core shamanist faith can be described as: animistic; earth- centered; seasonally vibrant; rooted in the elements of fire, water, air, and soil; regionally and locally structured; and ancestrally supported and fulfilled.
In summarizing today’s episode from “Healing From Within”, we have looked within our hearts and souls aided by the ancient shamanistic practices and cultures who remind us that the connection between the unseen and seen worlds, or spirit and physical reality, always allow us to respect, honor and cherish life, no matter the challenge. We find ways to understand our emotional states of depression, loneliness, sadness, limitations from our childhood and soar above any event or personal misbelieve to find the truth of life. Michael has studied magic, shamanistic practices and principles, meditation, psychic and spiritual gifts that enable us to create lives of meaning and well being by blending the energies of heaven and earth.
Michael wrote “I was not long ago in Latin America for six months. I usually am leary of Shamans in tourist areas especially a place as popular as Cusco, Peru. In Cusco, however I became friends with Roberto. He is a native Quechuan who grew up in a village high in the Andes Mountains…After what seemed like a days’ hiking Roberto and I arrived at a Waqa or Huaca. We came to the first ruins. They were still fairly intact ruins and no one was there at that time. We stopped and Roberto lead another in depth ritual and poured us each another glass. Then he told us of different Inca wisdoms. After this he sent us each off. This time to revisit our lives and forgive and give gratitude to ourselves and everyone we felt we had wronged or who had wronged us. Next we came to this sacred large rock that has been carved and shaped into sacred forms. It was almost overgrown but had paths and shelves and carvings all over. There were now beautiful clouds in the sky and hawks flew overhead and it seemed there were butterflies and humming birds everywhere. Roberto said we had to celebrate and move to the next level our rebirths.”
Michael and I would have you observe the beauty in nature, engage in meditation travel and learn about practices that help you to relax and know yourself in the most profound way, both physically and spiritually, so you may one day, as Michael did, journey into the world of the past and know that the values and beauty in life can be brought into the present moment, through reflection, gratitude and trust in the universal plan.
