TAPPING INTO YOUR PERSONAL POWER

Shamans, ceremonies, rituals, etc. are currently all the rage in the “alternative” space. While for many of us this is quite new territory to get our heads around, and one that we might not even want to look at, it's worth keeping an open mind as to what we might learn from alternative ways of looking at life rather than always following the Western idea of convention. My journey with Ayurveda (and the time it took me to get my head around the idea of health as the delicate balance of mind, body AND spirit) is a case in point!

I met Shaman Durek a few years ago when a friend bought me a session with him for my birthday. I remember being super busy, so it was a real effort to traipse across London and frankly I wasn't in the mood. That 3 o'clock session on an average afternoon, without the aid of any potions or paraphernalia, was a profound experience! Over the last few years, Durek, a literal larger than life character, has become a friend, and one who has helped me become much more comfortable with my spiritual health — connecting with my inner wisdom, my higher self, embracing my female intuition. Unlike other shamans we might be more familiar with who use plant medicines, Shaman Durek just goes straight to your heart, communing with your ancestors and spirit guides. It’s all slightly bonkers when you first witness but isn't that the case with a lot of things the first time you encounter something new to your frame of reference?

Durek’s book, Spirit Hacking - Shamanic Keys to Reclaim your Personal Power, Transform Yourself and Light up Your World, has just landed this week in the U.S. and UK. With chapters like “the feminine factor,” “take responsibility” and “connect some more,” you’re in for an in-your-face look at how you live your life, the role you play, and how to step into the unknown and dream greater, to achieve your full potential. During some moments of “wah” over the years I’ve reached out to Durek and he’s returned with some no-nonsense advice that has always been bang-on, much as I sometimes didn’t want to hear it! As I quoted on the back of his book, “Shaman Durek breaks barriers and helps you to connect to your deeper self. Spirit Hacking is one of his many tools for bringing spiritual wellness into your life. He empowers you to shine your brightest you.” This is spiritual stuff without the fluff. If you’re looking for some new tools to navigate the world we live in, want to tap into your spiritual self, are finding yourself bewildered at the idea of climate change, the future or even dealing with the Vata angst that autumn and the year coming to its end can bring, then pick up this book and dive in. It’s an easy, no-nonsense read that I think is invaluable and a key part of the continued evolution of the 360 approach to mind, body and spirit that is so necessary in these turbulent times of mass disconnection to our environment, community and ourselves.