“Take yourself back to a safe place,
a sweet space
a time of innocence and tenderness.
Take yourself back to the days of an easy ride,
some good vibes;
your memories of comfort and freedom.
Take yourself back to the stronghold of a stiff mold.
When you stood up for differences
and you won.
Take yourself back to the sunny days,
the sweet haze
of that one summer when everything just fell into place.
Remember these times.
Wrap yourself in their feelings.
Remind yourself that life is nothing more than a series of these moments.
A blanket, woven,
each stitch a marker of time.
Wrap yourself up in this memory of your life and let yourself be comforted by the 'rights' of your past.
Know more wait ahead in your future.
You are an expert weaver.
You can't mess this up—trust me.
We see what you are creating
and it takes our breath away.”
-Jamie Homeister
Channel from the Grandmothers Circle
The following is an excerpt of a spirit channel from a collective group of indigenous helping spirits I work work I’ve come to lovingly know and call ‘the Grandmothers Circle”—
“Liberation and libation often go hand-in-hand. True freedom always comes at a cost, even if it's not readily visible. Right now, the entire world is shaking free its shackles, putting stress on its chains like never before. Even the Great Mother herself has shifted on her axis deciding where and how she will seek her liberation from our doing.
The more we work on ourselves, the less we weigh. If you've ever freed yourself from a considerable burden you'll understand what we mean. It's felt within the first step after saying 'no' to what feels wrong, and 'yes' to what feels right. We move with a feeling of buoyancy, a weightless suspension, unrestricted by the acknowledgment of the truth within ourselves.
If only you could see yourself as I do! If only you could see the colors of your spirit in these moments! You look like rainbows of light, reviving the world with color everywhere you go.
We are all free souls, bound only by our choosing.
Break a cycle.
Break the chains.
Stop it in its place, if only for a moment, and remember what it is like to feel the power of liberation from yourself. Remember what it is like to refract the light and not just stand in the reflection of others. Wherever you move, choice moves with you.”
-Jamie Homeister
The most difficult part of navigating through human nature is that we live with no promises, not even the assurance of time. The gift of life can quickly ebb way to the continuing challenges that arise and can feel especially caustic with those who already struggle with identity and purpose.
Choices made are what is. It does us no good to ruminate on the past or wish these moments away. For in all the positive and negative that we manifest in our lives, the only true power we hold is the power that exists at this moment. How will you choose to harness it? Through the wistful tears of what could have been, or by listening for our whispers to inspire discovery of what can be?
Sometimes the only thing that holds us back is our unwillingness to acknowledge that we choose to live our unhealed wounds over and over again. When a no should have been a yes, a walk was meant to be ran, or our silence broken with strength.
Every day is a new opportunity for redemption, earned not only through bravery in action and thoughtful reaction but by taking advantage of these vintage-inspired circumstances that arise to help us set our records straight.
We can find ourselves spinning out of control on emotions running wild, Still your heart, body, and mind, even if it's just for a moment. As the hamster wheel stops, the wind breaks and the light can shine bright enough to allow your helpers to find their way in. We're quick to forget that the light isn't brought in from the outside, but rather, we light the outside world from within.
Jamie Homeister
While stepping into the ocean with my teenage son in tow, we skimmed the water's surface and scanned its floor for signs of life. Save for a few silvery fish that nipped at our heels like hungry little puppies, the only contrast upon the white sand was a few scattered seashells in the shape of tiny sugar cones.
Very carefully we would pick up each, trying to catch a glimpse of life inside. Finally, we were rewarded with a pair of eyes staring back in wonder of the strangeness before them.
"It must be so easy being a crab," my son said. "You could just hang out in your house all day, come out to eat and go right back in."
I watched him turn the shell over with the tips of his fingers, caught in a rare moment marveling over a creature so small. Normally stoic and hard-faced, this young bear of a boy never looked so vulnerable. I felt privileged to witness him, just as he did the crab.
The teenage years are by far the most complex we ever have to emotionally and physiologically live through. Not surprisingly, many of us continue to cycle through these same trials in adulthood. We have carried these lessons upon our backs long beyond their service date, reliving them over and over again because we just can't seem to get the experience to fit right. I can think of no better animal medicine that identifies the teenage spirit than that of the Hermit crab.
Each will hide away as if they're demanding solitude but in truth, they are desperate for companionship, community, and social order. Both are dependent on their environments.
Hermit crabs cannot make their own shells so they're constantly taking residence in what's scattered around them, adjusting their home to a place that fits them best in that moment. They will change shells numerous times, often trying on one just to return back to another. No quality is more associated with teens than their quest for free-expression of trial and error quite like this same manner. As a teen, it is essential to experience a wide variety of social offerings to learn a moral compass and how they contribute to the world.
Making the connection between Hermit crab medicine and the teenage spirit served as a powerful reminder about adaptability. Both crab and teen slough and re-slough their sense of self. They're in constant movement, shedding ideas and behaviors while adjusting to the circumstances around them, teaching adaptability and resourcefulness.
Defense mode looks different to everyone, but in general, we react with fight or flight. If you find yourself in situations where you're experiencing either, stop to ask yourself what is really going on here and what's really being asked of you. Some helpful questions to get you started might be:
Am I able to let go of the stresses of everyday living and be fully present in this moment?
Am I too busy being caught up in my responsibility, such as a parenting or leadership role, and watching to correct rather than to witness the joy?
Have I outgrown my placement: my home, work, social group or even view of Self? What needs to be shed? What would I benefit from letting go of?
Where is my community? Am I allowing others to lead the way? Am I embracing the calling to be a leader? Who do I want to lead or to follow? Why?
Finally, am I being resourceful? Is my waste being managed? Am I using what's around me appropriately? Who is benefiting from what I offer, and is it equal?
By keeping these questions close to mind we can utilize the gift of the crab essence and really shift out of energy that's keeping our resources and ourselves restrained. May this awareness help you find freedom.
'Learning Adaptability in Community' / Jamie Homeister