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From Carol Tedesco and Friends
Freely I offer my love to thee
Opening to the Divine in me
Ancient knowledge sung with glee
At last, at last, I am free
I found these words this weekend in a notebook of mine. I have no recollection of when I wrote them or why I wrote them. But they seemed like a good starting point for this week’s message. Lately I have felt great flow in my life. Opportunities have been arriving unexpectedly and with regular frequency. This weekend the opportunity was presented to experience a traditional Native American Sweat Lodge. I have always wanted to participate in a Sweat Lodge, and know people who offer this experience, but up until now had never done one.
The Sweat Lodge is a purification ceremony and being that this all happened last minute, I had no time to think about it. I just showed up and was open to whatever the experience had to offer. I have always felt a kinship with the Native American culture and know that I have been a Native American in other lifetimes. So any apprehensions that did arise were easily set aside simply by telling myself, "Carol, you have done this many times before." I tapped into the ancient knowledge within my soul that has had every experience that has ever existed.
The experience was wonderful, and I felt so peaceful and serene after. In releasing all fears, doubts, and judgements, I felt free. At some level every soul on Earth seeks freedom from all that binds them to the false reality that humans so often get bogged down in. A self created reality based in fear, lack and limitation, doubt, shame, guilt, and all the other non-life-affirming aspects of our humanness. Participating in this Sweat Lodge, I realized that the freedom I felt does not have to be momentary. I can choose to know and express that freedom in every moment. The only thing that prevents us from being free, is our perceived separation from the Divine, or in Native American terms, Great Mystery.
Great Mystery resides around and within us on our Earth walk. In connecting to Mother Earth and Grandfather Sky in every moment we can fly like the Eagles, a symbol of freedom in our country. Think about how an Eagle soars through the sky with little effort, floating and flowing with the wind. And how Eagle sees all and can take in the landscape and perceive all from a heavenward vantagepoint. We too are connected to heaven and earth. And like Eagle, we too, can soar freely and connect to Ancient Wisdom. Struggle is an option in life. When in the Sweat Lodge, like in life, if you begin to struggle and let fear in you can lose your connection to the earth and are no longer grounded. It is when we lose our grounding that we experience pain. This happened to me at the very end of the sweat. Unexpectedly, the entire bucket of water was thrown on the stones and the heat was so intense I thought my flesh was going to burn. Our leader quickly reminded me, to not panic and breathe into it. To not lose my connection the Mother Earth and Grandfather Sky. I re-connected as he told me and was able to tolerate the increased heat. It was only when I lost my connection and begin to struggle, did I feel the pain. This happened in only a few brief moments (though it felt like and eternity), and the door was opened bringing in cold air from the outside again. Wolf, the leader of this lodge later told me that it is during those unexpected moments in our life that staying connected is most important. A lesson I will never forget!
For every person, this experience is different. For me it affirmed my ability to connect with Great Mystery and to allow the presence and power to work through me. I know that that power and presence is available to me at all times and that freedom is mine right now!
May you feel the power and presence of Great Mystery working through your life and know the freedom that this connection brings.
Much love,
Carol
Written by Carol Tedesco ©2008
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Stephanie Lyon
In addition to treating some of the more traditional complaints that lead patients to acupuncture, Stephanie utilizes Esoteric Acupuncture, which is a system for balancing the chakras, accessing Ancient wisdom, and elevating personal conscious awareness for optimal healing.
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