A gift by any other name…

More often than ever before, my clients are asking me to help them find their most fulfilling life work or endeavor. Over the years, we have gone through various approaches to this fundamental question about our lives.

In the deepest throws of the warrior masculine dominated world, the question wasn’t about the work that would be most enjoyable, but instead the work that would provide the most money, be the most secure, or simply what was most needed according to the authorities in charge around us. Then people began to ask what work they “should” be doing according to a spiritual authority, again with little regard for enjoyment of use of the gifts we were born with.  Things began to shift when we started asking about our “life purpose.”  This created an opening that allowed for the possibility that we ourselves may have chosen that purpose before we were born – that we came in with gifts that we intended to own and express in this lifetime. Have you been noticing this shift in your own life and those around you as well?

They want you to go for it now more than ever before

Through my client work, I have noticed this internal shift of perspective and priorities over the last 15 years or so, which corresponds to the re-awakening of consciousness spoken of by my teachers, known as the return of the Feminine. They spoke of this time we are in as a time to choose to follow the integrity of our own hearts, over the rationalizations of our minds. They say that “the mind is mad”, in that it can convince you of anything -- but the body, the heart, the gut, never lies. 

A great wave of evolution is helping to support our internal shifts, and to allow our gifts to take precedence. It seems that we can no longer suppress this ultimate purpose of life, which is to own and give our gifts passionately and courageously.

My wife, Gina, took me to see Malidoma Somé, a great African shaman, speak at a small gathering in Big Sur, and with his sweet and gentle smile he put it this way: “If you don’t give your gifts boldly, they will get pissed-off at you.” That powerful perspective inspired Gina to begin taking dance classes again, which has always been her deepest joy and very important to her health and well-being. And now SHE is teaching women’s dance classes, which has been a big and courageous shift for her, and one that her students are tremendously grateful for.

Your gift can come in any form

What do I mean by gifts? Sometimes our old masculine hierarchical way of thinking still gets in the way here. We may think that our gifts have to be some great and noble quality or endeavor worthy of elevating us to greater heights in the eyes of our peers, or spiritual authority. But, there really is no hierarchy of value in Creation. A mother knows this inherently regarding her children, where each and every one is unconditionally precious. Our gift may be to stir things up, or play the “devil’s advocate.” Our gift may be the way we nurture or sooth. Our gift may be to create music. Our gift may be to wash windows, shoe horses, be a great supporter, or be a leader. Our gift may be to sit quietly and observe or be observed. The forms by which our gifts can be expressed are truly infinite because this is the nature of Creation: the more diverse and the more complex, the more excuse for it to continue. Only the masculine rational mind tries to assign absolute scales of value -- the feminine body knows better. How your gift makes you FEEL is everything. What it makes others THINK about you, or you THINK about yourself is nothing. Can you feel what your gift may be? Do you know deep in your body what you enjoy doing most? Have you undervalued it, even if it has been obvious to you what it is?

Let your gift find you

I know that it has been a very long time, up to many thousands of years, that most of us and our ancestors have forgotten how to follow and trust our feelings over our frontal lobes. In fact, most were punished for doing this. So what seem like simple questions can be difficult to answer. We have basically been out of practice, out of touch with our Pink, with the Feminine. The secret of your gifts and a greater quality of life lie within the pink center of your heart and soul. The great news is that the world at large, indeed all of Creation, is again in full support of you finding your gift- even better, your gift finding you. 

One example that I think you will all appreciate is about a shaman brother named Christopher Amodeo. Chris has been a successful Rolfer for over twenty years. And like people in many fields, he has always been a shaman – that person in the village whose gifts can take the village beyond where it has been before. His Rolfing work certainly brought great improvement to the quality of life of his clients, and helped support his family financially. A few years ago, Chris began to be influenced by the wave and had a feeling that something was still missing.  What seemed incidental at the time, Chris bid on a guitar at a fundraiser for a sick child, and began to play and sing Beatles songs to his daughter and son. Then his wife, Justine, suggested he write a song to his son, Dante, for his 10^th birthday. The song turned out to be quite amazing.

When Chris and I met, through an invitation from Justine, there was an immediate connection, and they both graciously have hosted me at their home on my monthly visits to Orange County since then. When I first heard Chris play Dante’s birthday song, titled “Splittin’ the Atom,” I said something like "that will be the first song on your album". This was one of many clear visions that we shared. As we explored the shaman work together, it wasn’t long before Justine suggested that Chris would be going through the full shaman training. 

You can ask Chris, but I think he was feeling the accelerator being pushed to the floor. His gifts must have been getting really happy and excited. Sometimes it is even a little frightening --  you know that you are getting close to what you really want when the hair stands up on the back of your neck. This can be a good sign. Have you ever felt that fear when you thought of making a change?

The synchronicities and everything Chris needed to fully express his gift came to him very quickly in spite of all doubts and obstacles, and fourteen-plus brilliant songs later; he has just produced his first album. (Check it out here!) His songs are fun, deep, and inspiring, and I feel they even carry the energetic initiations related to our Q’ero teacher’s work, helping the great shift of humanity taking place now. In fact, Chris wrote the song “Amazon Dream” looking over the same Madre de Dios River that I spoke of in my previous blog. And you will not want to miss the song for his daughter Ruby titled, “Love Could Run the World”.

Chris’s gift has found him and he gives it boldly and courageously -- and it seems to give one hundred fold back to him. His veteran music industry partners and band members can’t believe he has only been at it for a couple of years – all of the normal assumptions have flown out of the window.

Do you have assumptions about what it will take, and how long, for your gift to find full expression?  Are you willing to change those assumptions, toss them, or simply let them fly away when they see you coming with your gift? I invite you to share your experiences of the journey to owning or re-owning gifts.