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Sheri’s Article! | Our Upcoming Trips at a Glance
Dear Friends,
WHAT’S NEW? The Spring Equinox!
I’ve always felt that Spring was simply delicious – when I was young I was sure that the trees were specifically blooming in celebration of my birthday (April 1st). It was quite a number of years before I realized spring came regardless of my presence on earth! Seriously.
At the equinox, the time of daylight is equal to darkness with the balance tipping towards light, growth, creation and beauty. It’s a time when our inner reflection time is over and we look to manifest all we have been dreaming of in the darkness.
Many spiritual traditions have holidays around the equinox: Passover in Judaism, Easter in Christianity, Nowruz or the Persian New Year (also celebrated by Zoroastrians and those of the Bahá’í Faith), and Sham El Nessim in ancient Egypt.
Regardless of what your tradition is – it’s wonderful to celebrate spring and all the possibilities of our lives coming to fruition! May you have a sweet and delightful Equinox!
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HOT NEWS! We have some new trips that I just posted that I am very excited about!
- Ayahuasca & Ayni in the Andes with Dennis McKenna: Peru – June 2-9
- Awaken in the Andes with Carol Cumes: Peru – August 19-27th
- Journey to Machu Picchu – Authentic Spiritual & Cultural Wonders: Peru – Sept 13–24
- Spiritual Empowerment! Female Entrepreneur Summit: Bali – Sept 21-Oct 1st
- The Awakening! a Women’s Intuition, Yoga & Life Mastery Retreat: Sedona – Sept 29-Oct 4th
- Sacred Relationships & Sexuality – Tantra for Couples: Machu Picchu & Peru – Oct 26-Nov 5
**Just to let you know – Dennis McKenna is one of THE preeminent experts on Ayahuasca and if you have been considering ceremony with this sacred herb – Dennis is the person to experience this with.
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Blessings and love, 
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Need a special trip for you or your family? Let Ales in Custom Travel design something for you!
EVENTS, FREE VIDEO-CLASSES & NEW PROGRAMS!
Shamanic Healing Techniques in the Heart of the Mayan Lands: Chichen Itza
May 17-22, 2012
REGISTER NOW!
Join author and Shaman Ernesto Ortiz for this powerful retreat to Chichen Itza, Mexico! The Shamanic Journey is an ancient but eternally relevant way to contact the timeless reality that exists parallel to and just out of sight of the world we so mistakenly call “reality.”
It is in our everyday “reality” that we experience the reflection of who we believe we are, of our deepest beliefs, our “dream” – but it is in the non-manifest world of the spirit that the hidden causal interactions are formed. Hidden that is, until we begin to open the doors and “see” with expanded vision, with the eyes of a Shaman.
Through Shamanism we can tap into a vast fund of ancient timeless knowledge which can be utilized anywhere, under any conditions. We can heal the effects of past traumas, and practice living in an inner state of balance and harmony while dealing with the challenges and vicissitudes of life. You’ll learn: Soul Retrieval & Power Animal Retrieval techniques, medicine bundle & medicine wheel teachings, and so much more! Optional Ayahuasca Plant Medicine Ceremony. We’ll be staying at the Hotel Oka’an Retreat Center located in the jungle of Chichen Itza near the pyramids nestled in the midst of the mystical energy that supports transformation and initiation.
The 2012 trip cost is: $1855.00 USD per person double occupancy, including ALL meals.
Details for Chichen Itza here.
SHERI’S ARTICLE
A New Twist on an Old “Easter Fast”
Many of us are familiar with the Easter tradition of the Lent fast. In my particular spiritual tradition (Toltec) however, we have used this beautiful holiday and its mythology to create a powerful warriors challenge for ourselves. I encourage and invite all of you to participate.
During the 40 days proceeding Easter we engage in a “fast,” one that takes place on four levels. You can engage in the fast on any or all levels as you wish, according to what you feel you are able do. In other words, engage at a level that you feel you are capable of completing – this is not about creating a situation for you to use to judge and beat yourself up. Regardless of what level you participate in, our intent is to use the fast to develop and strengthen our will, focus and discipline.
During these 40 days we move inside of ourselves and practice deep self-awareness – what we call going into the “desert.” This is our opportunity to see what habit-behaviors are no longer working for us and investigate the beliefs behind them. We are always being tempted to stray from being who we truly are in life, and during this fast we observe these temptations and exercise our will to shift them.
The first level of the fast is physical. It involves not eating something you want to stop eating (not necessarily just for the 40 days) or it could be beginning a program at the gym (ending an unhealthy habit of sitting around or losing weight) or even stopping a physical habit (like drinking, smoking, gambling, etc).
The second level of the fast is mental. Watching our thoughts and making a conscious choice to listen to not them and not believe them is key. Our internal dialogue goes constantly – 24/7, and we often have very little awareness as to what that voice is saying or what action it is compelling us to take. We think that the voice is us, rather than having the deep realization that it is simply a reflection of the totality of our programming.
The third level of the fast is emotional. Having the awareness that we are choosing our emotional reactions rather than believing they are something that just “occurs” is very powerful. Emotional reactions are called that because they are normally reactions – in other words we are not conscious of why we are having them – we just are. As spiritual warriors we know this is not truth, we are reacting to the subconscious internal dialogue we are hearing in our heads, not what is happening outside of us.
To be able to have an emotional reaction we must perceive something first. Then we must interpret what we are seeing according to what we believe. It is our beliefs that we are reacting to rather than the perceptions themselves. Making the commitment to change our emotional diet from drama, anger, frustration, righteous indignation and anxiety to peace, centeredness and unconditional love is a powerful exercise.
The fourth and final level of the fast is spiritual. At this level we fast from everything that is not the absolute expression of unconditional love and light. It is a discipline to stay in the place of heart and to use the mind as a tool, not as something that we put on auto-pilot to run our lives. Making the commitment to love everyone, regardless of their behavior and to keep our heart open even in the face of adversity is quite an accomplishment.
I invite you to come into the desert with me and transcend your ego-mind and express the Christ-consciousness that you are. May you have a wonderful peace-filled Easter and Passover holiday (or whatever you may celebrate)!
Blessings & love, Sheri
Thanks to John Kroll for the picture of the dove, and thanks to for the picture of the hands.
OUR MENU OF UPCOMING FABULOUS ADVENTURES!
~APRIL TRAVELS~ |
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Goddess Healing Spiritual Retreat |
~MAY SOJOURNS~ |
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Shamanic Healing Techniques in the Heart of the Mayan Lands |
~JUNE JAUNTS~ |
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Ayahuasca & Ayni in the Andes |
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Soul*Full Women’s Photography Retreat |
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The Dalai Lama & Tibetan Buddhism in Exile |
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A Women’s Sacred Journey to Avalon |
~JULY JOURNEYS~ |
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Sisterhood, Sand & Sun! |
~AUGUST ADVENTURES~ |
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Akashic Records Intensive – Opening the Secrets of the Stones |
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Awaken in the Andes |
~SEPTEMBER SOJOURNS~ |
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Journey to Machu Picchu – Authentic Spiritual & Cultural Wonders |
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Reconnecting to Truth through Horse Wisdom |
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Spiritual Empowerment! Female Entrepreneur Summit |
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The Awakening! a Women’s Intuition, Yoga & Life Mastery Retreat |
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Inspire Your Creative Soul! (Painting Retreat) |
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Want to see our whole line-up for the upcoming year?
Visit our Trips at a Glance page.
