Restoring Relationship to Spirit

I think we are all in agreement 2020 has produced some of the most intense moments of many of our lifetimes. Aside from some personal breakdowns over my 47 years, I cannot say I have ever experienced the disruptive influences of such epic proportions.

So I studied. Beginning in March, I took in and soaked up everything I could astrologically out of these times. I learned that we are on the cusp of moving from 200 years of being in the Earth Element Kingdom to the next 200 years of being in the Air Element Kingdom. Despite this massive of a “coronation” I also discovered that throughout history, astrologers have been able to pinpoint important change agents throughout society such as pandemics, systemic collapse, massive natural disasters, major spiritual awakenings, erecting and collapsing of major civilizations as epic turning points in our society. It all made perfect sense, that we might be well within the range for an epoch in our civilization, at this time in history, a major turning point.

Though I have read over the years about this major turning point in our collective, I don’t think I was prepared to realize it would be through such majorly disruptive means. The curse of the eternal optimist. Though, when I studied and looked back over the past 500 years, it was obvious the most impactful times and advancements in society came out of a deep need for something massive to change, and often it was unwelcome, and forced upon us. It was also often born out of massive inequities such as economic disparities, violence against the oppressed, the profound ignorance of the imbalances in the pockets and corners of society deeply ignored or neglected.

So one evening I accidentally happened upon a facebook live video where a shamanic practitioner was doing a ritualistic ceremony for healing. I was at first curious, then completely absorbed. By watching the man in the video, I was experiencing physical things in my body. I was astounded and surprised, as I had never felt an interest in shamanic practices. So I continued for months this in depth study of Shamanism and I discovered something startling: throughout the 20 years on this spiritual journey, I had yet to truly offer and give back to spirit what gifts and blessings I had received over the entire course of my life. I was taught to pray as a child, but nothing could have prepared me for the heart opening, penetrating, mind blowing impact of thanking the four directions, and also tending to and blessing my ancestors. I realized that at my core, I had neglected to restore the reciprocal link between giving that happens in invisible, intangible ways between this world and the other worlds.

So I dug in with zest! And created an ancestors table, and began praying daily (this one still makes my family giggle, as I have never truly incorporated a regular practice such as this in my life). Up to this point, my practices were mainly about how spirit could give to ME, not how I could give back to spirit. This realization stunned and baffled me. I finally got the divide and the disconnect I had been living within. What a major epiphany. Out of restoring this reciprocal link, I have felt the connection to all things and my place in them so deeply it has made me weep. I have Jaime Meyer to thank for introducing me to this work and his teachings.

What are we doing in our own lives, and in society to restore this reciprocal link? I am going to be completely transparent here: I don’t know the answer to that. It likely rests within both spiritual work, and practical work such as restoring a planet who’s resources we have all but exhausted. I am unsure. And I’m ok saying that I do not know.

I am also not telling you what to do here, there is no formulaic or prescriptive action. I just wonder if we can all sit with this question together and see what comes: What is needed to restore your (our) right relationship with spirit? I can guarantee it doesn’t reside merely within the realm of animism and spiritualism, though those are the worlds I also work within, and how I utilize my gifts as a seer and teacher. We can not longer move forward as a society expecting to receive without giving something in return. Energetically this world is suffering, the evidence is everywhere.

Moving from the Earth Kingdom (materialism, industry, technological advances, the age of the individual, the rise of capitalistic structures, rigidity in religious dogma, patriarchal norms), which subsequently was designed to keep the advantaged IN and the disadvantaged OUT - to the Air Kingdom (connection, collaboration, community, networking, communications, learning, innovation, healing, liberation, equity, unity, and spirituality) means we are moving from a time when our main goals as a consciousness were about erecting structures to support our ambitions and achievements as individuals, and defining who gets to be IN that realm, and excluding who didn’t neatly fit (hello BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and consistently ignored, suppressed and oppressed communities), with the suburban fortresses to show for it, community zoning to keep us all separated, and neglectful of doing the real work that needed to be done to truly exact healing on society.

One of the ways I truly believe we will continue to heal is through restoring and coming into right relationship with spirit. To not do so is to tap the energetic realm and the forces of the universe like a drug addict continuously trying to “get” our next fix. This simply is not sustaining. It may feel good for awhile, but it simply cannot hold. We need to fill the spiritual coffers. We need to offer blessings and gifts in abundance, without expectation of something in return, but with the hope of a true, authentic circle being created. Determine how best to give back to and honor the natural world. It is deeply out of balance. We need to make it clear in no uncertain terms that we have been neglectful, and that we are ready to participate and do what is needed.

This spiritual awareness has hit me so hard, the AHA! moments continuously shaking my own foundation, and a desire to restore this relationship with spirit now becoming a priority. I am still a baby with this work - after 20+ years and I am humbled by the realization that I still have so much to learn. To be clear: we will not move into the AIR KINGDOM powerfully without tending to what has been forgotten, lost, and left untended between us and spirit.

Begin with a prayer.

Peace. Chanda