There came a point in my life where I had to make a choice that was going to determine the rest of my life. 

It was literally sink or swim. Life or death.

I had come up in the world of science and medicine. A lifelong student, I followed the threads of my education and work down to the Amazon in search of cures for the diseases that plague most modern cultures. Instead of finding “cures,” I found a deeper meaning, and a deeper path. I was initiated by the great Shamans of the Andes and began to see the world through a whole different lens.

Then came the crucial turning point in my life. I wasn’t feeling well, and I went to the doctor, only to be told I should get in line for a liver transplant and possibly heart surgery. On top of that, my brain was full of holes. It was all because of parasites I had picked up in my many travels. 

You might be able to imagine what it was like to receive this diagnosis. I was scared and deeply shaken. 

Yet it was this moment that presented me with the most beautiful possibility I’ve ever had.

Hummingbird Medicine

The Shamans draw upon the medicine of four archetypal power animals to understand the different levels of seeing reality.

The Hummingbird sits in the North. It represents the courage needed to take the great journey – whatever that may be.

With their tiny little bodies, hummingbirds shouldn’t even be able to fly, much less embark on the massive migration they make each year from Canada to Mexico. In so many ways, they don’t make sense! And yet they can hover in midair, pivot, dance, and exhibit unbeatable stamina. 

The hummingbird is the symbol of that part in each of us that can take a giant leap of faith into the unknown even while our rational mind might provide every excuse under the sun why we can’t do it. 

“I’m too old. I’m not strong enough. I’m too poor. I don’t have time. I don’t know what I want. I’m afraid of rejection. I’ve never been outside my comfort zone.”

Hummingbird cries out, “Do it anyway!”

Back to my story...

So there I was at a crossroads. The medical model was going to have me in the hospital, getting tests and diagnoses and procedures. I could imagine the cascade of interventions and where that would lead. 

On the other hand, my shamanic knowledge and training suggested a different path altogether. The call was to get to the root of my “dis-ease,” which wasn’t medical at all. I had a chance to come into the correct relationship with myself, the world around me, and the cosmos. The shamans teach that when we do so, all illness disappears because we are in harmony with nature.

I faced so many unknowns. Was it unwise to ignore the advice of my doctors? Was I going to become sicker and lose my health altogether? Was it the right choice to travel to the Amazon and trust my shamanic lineage to heal me? There I was, in my forties – which, in our culture, is usually a time when people are fairly set in their routines and career path – about to truly get off the beaten path and venture into no man’s land.

I could go to the hospital, or I could get on a plane to see my shamanic mentors in the jungle.

I felt the flutter of the hummingbird wings in my soul and, despite all the voices of fear and doubt in my head, I chose to go with my gut instincts and seek the path of deeper healing.

In the Dark Night, You Choose Your Path of Light

Many people wish for transformation in their lives, yet it is remarkably hard to truly change. Very often, you don’t want to do it until you’re backed into a corner. 

We are collectively backed into a corner. If you look at the world right now and all we’ve been through in recent years, you can’t deny that things are falling apart and the need for change is dire. 

A global pandemic, multiple wars around the world, social, economic and political unrest, and a climate crisis. 

In such times of turmoil and uncertainty, the question is:

ARE YOU GOING TO LISTEN TO THE CALL TO WAKE UP?

I’ll tell you from experience, you’ll never feel ready to begin an initiation that will take to the core of your greatest wounds and transform them into gold.

Yet, you can dig deep, call on that Hummingbird medicine and find the courage to accept whatever crucible you’ve been given and use it to grow your wisdom, compassion and ability to help others. 

YOU CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE.

When you do, you will come into alignment with your soul, and life will arrange itself to lead you to the most beautiful outcome possible. 

YOU WILL BE LEAD TOWARDS YOUR GREATEST POTENTIAL.

Your journey is yours alone, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.

In The Great Shamanic Initiation I will share the wisdom I have gained from over 40 years of training and practice in the Shamanic lineage, as well as knowledge from my background as a scientist and neuro-biologist. You’ll gain tools, techniques and practices to enact transformation and healing at the deepest level of your being. From that place of clarity, you’ll know what steps you need to take next in your life. 

Join me for The Great Shamanic Initiation, three powerful evenings of awakening, healing, and co-creating your dream world with me. Unveil the secrets of shamanic wisdom and unlock your true potential.

Hope to see you there,