January 1, 2019

Happy New Year! A new year is upon us and I am wishing you all healing, transformation, health and love.

I only recently returned from a trip to Peru and wanted to share the adventure with you and invite you to return with me in June of 2019.

New Heights in the New Year?

My interest in Peru began in 1987, when my former boyfriend Curt asked me to return to Peru with him, thinking that I would appreciate the hiking, the altitude and the spiritual adventures. Both Curt and I were going through divorces and I thought that my leaving would make things worse with my ex. I was 40 years old at the time, and though I knew that Peru — and Curt — a successful contractor with a 200-acre ranch had much to offer, I didn’t go.

Yoga nidra (Sanskrit: योग निद्रा) or yogic sleep)

Now, more than thirty years later, I have finally made the trip to Peru and found it to be all that Curt described and more. My client of more than five years, Jennifer, who has a special place in my heart, moved there in 2018 to pursue her healing. She has landed in a beautiful spot in the Sacred Valley of Peru, managing a healing center called Nidra Wasi in the town of Pisac.

Getting the Shamanic Green Light

Recently another client of mine, Myrna, called me to discuss complex issues related to shamanism conveying that she wanted to go to Peru. When I called Jennifer to discuss this she said, “why don’t you come?”

I knew right then it was a definite green light.  Like Charlie Thom, a Native American spiritual teacher used to say, “when you get a green light, you need to go full speed ahead.” One of my shamanistic teachings for Myrna has been about going fast when you get the green light. I knew that I didn’t have another 30 years to wait for another invitation to Peru. Within two days, by 11-11, I had my ticket.

The day after Thanksgiving 2018, Myrna committed to also go. I indicated that we would be going with the flow of spirit, which definitely happened the whole trip from the moment we met in San Francisco Airport on 12-3 for our flight that departed at 12:31 a.m. When I booked the flights, I was so driven I didn’t really notice the crazy times.  We arrived into Cusco airport early because we had been ushered to our plane in Lima, not knowing that our scheduled flight had been canceled. Thus we arrived earlier then expected, and the taxi Jennifer had arranged for us wasn’t there.  We were both so tired we were just anxious to get there and so we found a driver to take us to Nidra Wasi, about an hour outside of Cusco. The driver wanted quite a bit of money but Myrna negotiated a smaller amount. He got lost, not knowing where we were going, and he needed to ask kids in the road for directions.

One of the shamanistic signposts for me is getting lost; I know that if this happens that we are in for a great deal of transformation. This first happened to me in 1988 while heading to my first sweat lodge, we got lost on dirt roads for five hours and now I know that this is a sign that our lives will change forever. Though our guide got lost and annoyed us by trying to change the fare, I still found him to be funny though I spoke no Spanish and he spoke no English. Yet somehow we made it to Nidra Wasi where were met by Jennifer and another spiritual traveler and teacher, Leanne Edwards. Jennifer was surprised to see us there an hour earlier than planned and to learn that we had managed to arrange our own taxi.

This was the start. Jennifer mentioned that the next day we would be meeting with a Peruvian Inca Healer Wilma, which we did. She did a despacho ceremony and coca leaf readings that knocked our socks off. Turns out the coca leaves are good for fighting fatigue and altitude sickness, used in ceremony for prayers and for intuitive readings!  Wilma invited Myrna to her home for a private healing session, which was a real honor and even included a healing with a guinea pig! Just before our meeting with Wilma, a butterfly landed on Myrna’s heart chakra and stayed there a good long while, opening and closing its wings. What a great sign for transformation and heart healing! I stayed on at Nidra Wasi to participate in a new moon sweat lodge with Jennifer and 20 people from around the world, including a woman from Los Angeles named Bobby. Bobby was striking out on her own and Jennifer knows that I lead vision quests in Mount Shasta and that I could provide her with guidance. The sweat was great preparation for Bobby before her vision quest too.

The next day Myrna and I met with our guide Manual at 9 am for a three-day adventure.  The first stop was Moray, the Temple of Mother Earth.  We went with a profound Peruvian medicine teacher who led another powerful despacho in the ruins that we buried in Mother Earth. We then went on to Ollantaytambo to a wonderful hotel where we processed our day together, resting and preparing for our next day. We woke up early the next morning to head out with Manuel, our guide who shared an amazing teaching with us that I will share at the end of this blog. So that day we explored the ruins of Ollantaytambo, all the while Manual was telling us to be present, walk slowly, take it all in, but that was a challenge as sometimes we were over taken by the reality of our adventure! Later that afternoon we took a train to Machu Picchu; we were grateful we had been in the Sacred Valley getting used to the altitude before heading to the somewhat lower elevation! In the Sacred Valley we were advised to chew on coca leaves and drink coca tea to help us adjust to the altitude.

Manual arrived at 6 am to take us up the mountain to Machu Picchu ruins. We had awakened at 4, and then had a good breakfast for our trip (and the real coffee of Peru to start our day).

We arrived at Machu Picchu and walked for five hours listening to Manual tell us stories; he gave wonderful teachings. Then he would be very quiet, wanting us to understand and not talk the experience to death. We went back by train, then taxi, and had a driver drop us off at Nidri Wasi later that night.

We had Monday to digest our journey, and I knew that Bobby was back from her quest…we gathered together to share our stories. On Tuesday, Daya the general manager at Nidra Wasi  and another profound teacher, took the four of us, myself, Myrna, Jennifer and Bobby on another ceremonial adventure. We decided that each of us would represent one direction on the Medicine Wheel to add ceremony to our adventure.

It started with a walk along train tracks that seemed to go on forever! Then we proceeded to climb up the rocks to three altars in caves. We said powerful prayers for our families and the Earth and the world prayers as we went. I also take my clients with me in my prayers. At the last altar, my prayers were about our current political challenges.

Myrna and I then left the next day, still very much in process with our healing and adventure… we were busy bees the whole time and we are grateful to Jennifer for pointing us towards great healers and activities. I can’t stress enough how blessed we all were! We plan to return in the spring and I invite you to join us in a spiritual adventure of a lifetime. Contact me through my website to learn more.

As I said, what made this so meaningful and powerful for me, was watching Manuel and the depth of feeling and love as he said each phase. It took me having him repeat it a few times until I got the sequence.

As you begin to use the sequence, it may change for you because you are you.

With love and blessings that take you to new heights in 2019,

Linda

So we are moving into Kurston, making Oct. the letting go or releasing of all that we need to as the leaves fall from the trees. Charlie Thom Red Hawk, one of my teachers from the Mount Shasta region, would say how powerful October is for that reason, not waiting until the New Year to start the process of releasing the old and starting the new. Fall is a great time to begin this process:  beginning the New Now and moving through what doesn’t work, what we want to create, then leaving the rest up to spirit.

Just this past week I received two offers – on the very same day — to go to Atlanta and Illinois to do some healing work with groups. All I know is to say yes to the future with gratitude, with no need to figure out the how for now. It seems that Spirit is guiding me towards new growth, even as I remember the old. I’ll be heading out towards new speaking engagements in October, first up is a return to the New Renaissance Bookshop in Portland on October 6 and then to the Conscious Living Fair in Ashland, Oregon on October 27. I hope to see you at either or both events, and in the meantime, I’d like to offer you a free coaching session with me to see if I can be of support to you in these chaotic times!

I do want to talk about the strange energy that has been upon us this year, really chaotic crazy unbelievable scenario odd to say the least. If you have followed astrology, then you may know that we are experiencing energies none of us have ever felt before the 1930s. So our journey has been more inward, figuring what in the heck is my next move: do I quit my job, go on a trip, get a new relationship or release the people in our life who are no longer supporting my growth? Plus we are really beginning to see the obvious negativity that exists in our world today, and we are experiencing the limitations placed on us based on social programming and expectations. My coaching aims to liberate you from what is holding you back, to recognize that we are all doing the best we can, to let go of suffering and to even have fun and enjoy life! I will coach you to be clear of addictions, to be clear and present, to feel deeply and to rise into the new energies that are pouring into the planet, NOW!

One of my long-term clients has moved from Mount Shasta to the Sacred Valley of Peru. We conference together almost weekly, sharing from two of the planet’s major power centers. She shared recently one of her experiences around an initiation into the Munay-Ki, where a Shaman used his mesa, filled with power rocks, to tap her on the head. We laughed together as she conveyed how she had to call on her ancestors to get through the rock pounding. This reminded me of the many shamanic practices that I have studied over the years, and inspired me to go to one of my favorite power spots to collect rocks and later bay leaves from a nature trail where I take my clients for walks. I’ll be bringing these tools with me to my talks in Oregon, and I can offer you healing in nature, fire ceremonies, vision quests and many other initiations to support you on your healing journey.

I want to offer my coaching for the next six-months as we go through this radical energy shift and questions about the directions in which we are headed. I can offer a free session with you to determine if we want to work together and if you feel a good connection with me. We can establish a regular coaching session of 50 minutes 2-3 times a month with texting support in between our sessions, which can be done over the phone or through videoconference. I can also establish a weekly 30-40 minute call with you if there are some urgent issues that you need to address more immediately. For many of my long-term clients, once we break through some old barriers and complete on goals, then we Keep It Moving by establishing new goals. Now is the perfect time to harvest your life in 2018, release the old, and begin to create new goals. Let me know when we can have our first free session.

With Autumn Blessings,

Linda M. Held

I have an amazing opportunity for you to join me for a “Moving Through It” Quest in Mount Shasta, California on July 27-30, 2018.

This is for people who are interested in creating what you want by using my technology, coaching, and guidance for “Moving Through It.”

Moving Through It! means working through whatever is bothering you or holding you back.

Rather than numbing it through alcohol, shopping, TV or whatever else limits you, I will coach you to directly manifest your dreams through exercise, meditation, journaling, and gratitude work.  This is a spiritual retreat in a beautiful, natural setting that brings you closer to nature and to your own heart.  I will support you in going on a Quest for yourself and your life. I have conducted this Quest since 1991, leading dozens of people on a journey of self discovery and breakthrough. 

For those of you who have attended or supported on a previous Quest, you know what an amazing experience it is being out in the Mt. Shasta area, feeling safe and taken care of and having that powerful nature supporting you. You are out in nature, feeling the power of Mount Shasta’s energy, a life changing experience!

Some of the things that might we might address on the Moving Through It! Quest include:

• Identifying Your Blocks or Limitations
• Gaining Clarity about your Career or Life Purpose
• Healing Relationships
• Finding Inner Peace
• Connecting Deeply with Nature
• Facing Your Fears
• Beginning or Deepening your Meditation and Journaling Practices

Here are some of the logistics for the Moving Through It! Quest:

• We will gather in Mount Shasta on the first day, July 27, 2018 (I will disclose the location to you when you register). This is also a solar eclipse day, with powerful energies to kick us off on our inner work. 
• Then I will lead a sweat lodge, weather permitting, to clear out your energy and mind and open you up to new insights.
• After the lodge, you will select your campsite.  
• You then go out to your place in nature to camp for 4 days / 3 nights on your Quest.
• You will have a supporter (me) who checks on you to make sure you are safe while you are out on your Quest.
• Back in camp, where we will stay nearby, the team supporters will continue to pray for you.
• Monday morning (July 30) your Supporter will bring you back to Sweat Lodge and in silence we will have ceremony welcoming you back, plus share ceremonial food, and we will conduct a ceremony.
• After we are complete I suggest or demand anyone from out of town stay here locally in Mt. Shasta, as you are probably in an altered state, without realizing it. It is really about safety.

I have 4-5 spots available for this amazing life adventure. If you are interested please contact me and I will send you an application.  

Even before the Quest begins,  many issues may come up for you. We will have six meetings leading up to the Quest to provide you with support and coaching. 

By gathering together on the conference calls, you will be prepared by the time you arrive on July 27^th for the adventure. You will arrive with 707 prayer ties that you have created to pray for your Quest, your life, your family and for the Earth.

Then once the Quest is complete,  we will have three more sessions  to integrate what came up for you before and during your Quest and to help you Move Through It with my coaching. This is really a powerful ceremony for your life. I hope that you will join me for this great adventure. I look forward to supporting you on your journey, your Quest, and in Moving Through It on whatever is holding you back! 

With blessings,

Linda M Held

530-926-1427

530-859-1192

[email protected]