My Shadow

I was in a workshop this weekend, furthering my shamanic craniosacral training.  In a session, I got to meet my shadow side.  Not nice.  But the survivor, the part of me that knows what needs to be done and does it.  The part of me that knows how to go after those negative entities and energies that feed off the innocent.  This is my great protector and the part of me that protects everyone I love, from family, friends animals, clients and anyone seeking help. The part that is not afraid to be real. My gifts and talents are a combination of all of who I am, and if I am to truly rise to my full potential and become the Healer I know I am, I need to acknowledge both the dark and light within me.   

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)

I feel I am in a place of transformation.  As Fall gets colder and feels more like Winter, I feel like I want to hibernate.  This is the time to harness my energy.  Be clear on how I want to invest it.  The Universe is taking care of me on my journey, and I must remember to surrender my fears and need to be in control.  The fear and need for control, comes from my thinking that I am lacking in some way or that I have to handle it all alone.  But that is not so.  I have support.  Not just the support of my amazing family and friends, but also the support of my guides and teachers.

Giraffe is the animal that comes to my aide during times like these. The giraffe teaches us to have foresight. To look beyond what is going on in our immediate surroundings. Sometimes I can get stuck in the minutiae of my day to day life, and while it is important to be present and in the moment, when I am stuck in a fear place, my thinking becomes distorted. So, when I feel frozen, or overwhelmed the giraffe reminds me to look to the horizon to ground myself and get my bearings. While I may not be able to predict the future, I can look to the future and set my intention on how I would like things to be. This way I can base my decisions on what my intentions are, and for how I see my life when I am living my purpose. 

When I practice working with the medicine of the giraffe, I feel a space being created within my energy body where I can Breathe easier and see things clearer. This is a way for me to step out of my fear, feel connected to Spirit That Moves Through All Things and, in fact, enables me to be more present in the moment in a healthy way. I guess it brings me back to my center.  My serenity is very precious to me, and I am grateful to the teachings of the Giraffe for helping to guide me back to my serenity.

With light and love

Natalie Kasdan, LMT

Thanksgiving is a time when we are reminded to be grateful.

When our lives feel challenging and we think there is nothing to be grateful for, that is the time when we need gratitude the most. Gratitude shifts our focus from what we don't have or what we have lost, to all the little and big things we do have in our lives.  I am not talking about just saying "thank you". Gratitude is a feeling. It is a state of being that connects us to our hearts and the Divine Spirit. When we feel that connection, we know we are not alone and that feeling of emptiness, lack, or jealousy and bitterness starts to Get lifted, thereby enabling us to shift our focus.

Gratitude is important, for the energy we put out, is the energy we are calling in.  If we want our lives to be full, abundant and joyful, then that is the energy we need to project.

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." - Thornton Wilder

Today marks the two year anniversary of my last chemo treatment, and I can truly say I am so deeply grateful to be done,  and to be here today.   I am also incredibly grateful to all the amazing people who walked through the fire with me all those months.  Thank you from my heart to yours...



With light and love

Natalie Kasdan, LMT

Your circumstances do not define who you are. 

I have listened to many people talk about what is going on in their lives tonight and listened to how damaged they feel and how they don't recognize themselves. I remember hearing once on the radio, I think by Mastin Kipp that "your circumstances do not define you".  This is so true and such a helpful statement. Especially when things may not be going the way we would like them to.

When we are having financial challenges or find ourselves in the wrong job or marriage.  When we have forgotten who we really are and have shifted our gaze outside of ourselves, it becomes very easy to define ourselves by our circumstance. But our circumstances are just that. They are our lessons, not who we are. How we face our challenges will show us where the lesson is.  When our self worth is low, we may sink into a depression or become frozen and feel shamed. When our ego is in the way we may become adversarial and look for cause and blame outside of ourselves.

We can keep our focus within and reconnect with our spirit, and take simple small steps to reawaken our soul to its journey and purpose or just reawaken ourselves to what nourishes us.  What makes us feel connected. A walk in nature perhaps, or connecting with animals. Maybe even just sitting in meditation or going for a run. Whatever it is for us that makes us feel alive, and connected to the divine source, that is the first step to reawakening our spirit.  We want to wake ourselves up so we can remember, who we are and what our purpose is.

Remember, our circumstances are what is outside of ourselves, and changing them will only happen when we journey within.  That is the first step....Shift our focus.


With Light and Love
Blessed be

This is an excerpt from Catherine ponder's book "The Dynamic Laws of Healing"

It really resonated with me. I hope it resonates with you. Blessed be.

"Your words are constantly doing one of two things: building up or tearing down; healing or destroying. Every word you speak goes forth from your mouth charged with atomic energies. Good words are alive with life, health and vitality. The universal life current within you is subject to your words. Your every word is recorded in your body, so that your words become your flesh. You literally "eat your words." Every thought has a power peculiar to itself. Every word, when spoken, vibrates throughout your whole body and moves every cell and atom of your being."

"What if the question is not why am I so infrequently the person I really want to be, but why do I so infrequently want to be the person I really am? "

Oriah Mountain Dreamer

I have always loved this quote.  I came by it again just the other day.  It is a good question to reflect upon.  Spiral deeper through the layers of your feelings.  So as you ask yourself this question, you may get an answer right away...go deeper, beneath that answer, and then deeper again, until you feel it in your core.

For Oriah, she expresses that as she moved through the layers of this question, the answer for her was that she feared that she was not enough just the way she is.  

That answer resonated with me.  

I find myself always striving to be more.  More Spiritual, more patient, better mother, daughter, wife, healer etc...  When I am always looking at how I want to be, then I am being pulled away from being fully present with who I really am.  

The practice for me is to be really present with myself.  When I am tired...to be tired.  When I am angry...to be angry.  When I am happy...to be happy.  Feel everything.  Be present.  Be enough.

I find that when I am present with myself, I have more energy and move through the world more freely.  It takes a lot of energy to always be looking at how I want to be rather than Just BE.  

Just  a little something to think about.

My first Day!

As a private person it is very challenging for me to Blog and let everyone into my thoughts and life.  But here goes.  I believe in order to be trusted, you have to learn to trust.  

I was listening to Bishop T.D. Jakes last night on the Oprah channel on XM radio while driving home.   He really is an amazing speaker, very passionate and motivating.  I heard him talk about this speaker metaphor and it really spoke to me.  I am always working towards living my life's purpose and reaching my full potential.  I attached the Youtube clip I felt inspired by.  Check it out.