“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you” Change is coming, and if you’re not ready, it will carry you wherever it feels because the force and the great awakening is inevitable. For … Continue reading
To Forgive
Category Archives: Listening to your intuition
Finding Your Inner Zen
photo ~ Leigha Hodnet
Eat ~ Pray ~ Swim
Earlier this week when I got out of bed and checked my phone, there were nearly 25 messages glaring back at me. Before my morning coffee I began to scroll and read the frantic texts. So much drama of a big fire that had broken out earlier that morning.
Wow, here we go again, I thought.
Moments later, as I sipped my coffee I stared at my computer trying to get a read on what was going on. There were so many dramatic images of the fires with the LA Times talking about 80 mile per hour hurricane winds for the next few days. All this first thing in the morning started to unnerve me. Looking up, I heard the trees rustling in such a way that I realized that one tiny ember from the fire could be quite problematic. I live in the Santa Monica mountains and there were two fires not too far from me.
“Damn, this is getting intense,” I said to myself.
What a coincidence, earlier in the week, I had booked a room in desert hot springs, so I proceeded to pack for my two day adventure. I thought, maybe it’s best to be safe and grab some stuff just in case I can’t get back in. After all, the year before when we were evacuated we couldn’t get back into the canyon for a week.
It was stressful as I rushed around with the sheriff’s department calling on the phone to tell us to start evacuating. One group text was discussing where the fires were and which roads were open and which ones were closed. When someone said, ‘zero containment of the Getty Fire’ my nerves were completely on edge.
Just about then my mind flickered back to a conversation I had with a friend over a year ago, that lost her home due to a fire. I remembered asking if she grabbed all her personal documents when she was being evacuated. “No,” she said. “But why not?” I asked. “I didn’t think my house was going to burn down,” she said, in a solemn tone.
Moments later I was packing my car with valuables documents, clothes but the most important possession of them all, was my precious dog, Violet. It’s interesting when faced with evacuation how much stuff you have that is not relevant at all.
As I drove down the canyon my stomach was in knots and I realized I was hungry, so I stopped in the local café to order some toast and juice. The mountain community where I live always rallies together in times of stress, so I talked to the locals about which road was best to take out to avoid the extreme traffic.
Once back on the road, I drove, until finally I made it out of the canyon. I tried to relax by using my breath to move through my anxiety, but I found it almost impossible to calm my mind. The what-if this, or what if that happens consumed my thoughts all morning long. I realized it was hard to find that inner Zen when you’re swimming in a pool of stress. With so much fear in the air grounding yourself seems light years away. And as an empath, I found it impossible to find my own center.
While I’m driving on the freeway the only thing I had was this breathing technique, so I used all of my concentration to pull my mind back in. With complete focus, I pulled my thoughts, feelings and emotions back to the moment. As I did this, I felt my muscles begin to relax as my mind came back to my body. All of the sudden, a peace washed over me as this presence filled my entire being.
Then I had a realization, geez, this would actually be perfect content to write about in my blog. I mean, after all, isn’t it in these challenging times when people need support to navigate their uncertainty.
Thankfully, I arrived at the hot springs unscathed, and immediately submerged myself in the warm waters of the pool. As I let my body sink into this surrender, I was filled with a profound gratitude. The only real peace it seems comes when you are able to tap into the Inner Zen that lies within.
“Each session with Shari has shifted my life. Some more than others but always in some way I come out feeling weightless, recharged, and in love with the world. Suddenly I can see with total clarity the gifts and possibilities of my own life. No two sessions have ever been the same because Shari meets you where you are, and works to free you from your burdens and blocks. Best of all, if you study with her for as long as I have, she gives you the skills and insight to do this work on your own. Her healing is always with me, and I carry it as a ray of clean white light I can visit anytime deep in my spirit. She will change your life, if you’re ready to work alongside her.” ~ Margaret Wappler
Staying Centered
~ Create time to connect to your spirit ~
While I was having lunch with friends the other day someone asked, if I thought things were getting worse on the planet.
I paused briefly before I answered. “It’s clearly more hectic with all the inflated egos, and I think everyone is starting to feel the anger that is rising to the surface.”
Some people say that the planet is going through a cleanse. While that may be true, it’s not just any cleanse were talking about here.
Each day I grow more concerned for the animals, the oceans and all of nature. As people are piled on top of each other in over-crowded cities, the rural areas are being destroyed. And if you’re paying attention there always seems to be some drama unfolding on the news. I believe the ongoing media frenzy is used as a way to distract us from what’s really going on underneath. However, I stay away from posting my opinions about conspiracies and political issues because when you say something about that, you can make yourself a target for the countless trolls that are just waiting to pounce.
What I will say here, it is extremely important to stay grounded so you don’t get knocked off your beam. But how can you stay physically, mentally and spiritually well in such challenging times as these?
Usually, when someone comes to see me for counsel or a healing it is because they are out of alignment. Many times these individuals have become so distracted with everything that they want to accomplish in their lives that they have lost their spiritual connection.
In some of my other blogs, I’ve mentioned how important it is to keep our frequency high. The most important way that I stay grounded is to connect with Mother Earth. Meditation is also key and just by doing deep breathing it can allow the equilibrium to balance itself out. Remaining humble is crucial so we don’t get snagged by our egos which can take us places we don’t need to go.
When we think of spirituality we can often think of white robes, candles and hushed voices, however, it can be even more simpler than that. For me, it’s about being whole. A huge challenge these days in a world that is constantly trying to fragment and distract us.
So, in this day and age it’s even more important to be mindful and have clear intentions of what your priorities are. It’s good to be asking ourselves questions like, how can I keep my mind and body in optimum health? How can I create a lifestyle that isn’t driven by fear, greed or lack? How can I stay balanced when chaos seems to be going on all around me?
I strongly believe the answer is to connect deeply to our soul that resides within. So, if we can take a moment each day to go beyond the mind and listen to our inner voice, that is the place where our true center resides.
Reversing the Aging Process
Last December a very close friend of mine died of cancer right after his 31st birthday. To watch his rapid decline was a sobering experience to say the least. The few conversations I had with him while he was in the hospital were simple, yet profound. He had always been the type of guy who loved to be close to nature. He loved surfing, hiking and spent much of his time taking beautiful photographs outdoors. In my last conversation with him, he said, “All I want to do is come home and watch the sunset.”
It was strange how I never grieved after he passed. It was almost like his spirit was telling me not be sad and go out to enjoy that sunset he missed. Not long after that, I went for a long walk and I left my phone behind so I wouldn’t be disturbed. While walking in silence, I heard a clear voice say, ‘live your life.’ I remember my teacher, Papa Joe, used to say that all the time to me.
As I reflected on my current mindset, I could see how I had been letting the overall negativity in the world get in. I knew I was capable of much, much more. I started to ask myself questions, how can I show up for my life more joyfully? As soon as I asked the question I could feel my heart opening. In order to find joy I would need to honor my life force. That’s when I made a choice to commit, by becoming the best version of myself that I could be!
I followed up by making an appointment with an acupuncturist. I listened to lectures on health and spiritual wellness. I watched countless videos by The Medical Medium, by Dr Eric Berg, By Subah Jain, Eckhart Tolle and many more. I was well aware of much of this information already, but the difference came from integrating it into my life. As I started to implement this new life style I started seeing radical results. I felt so much lighter and happier. I lost weight. My skin began to glow. Wrinkles smoothed out. My eyes were brighter. My energy level was through the roof. I slept well. My hormones leveled out. A fibroid I had shrunk completely.
I started to pay close attention to what was giving me energy or what was depleting it, and I would like to share some of that with you:
1.) Change your mindset. Old beliefs are like little monsters that keep you stuck in negative patterns.
2.) Finding a purpose is one of the greatest gifts in life. A purpose will align you with higher frequency.
3.) Although many resentments may feel justified, we need to get rid of them. Holding negative thoughts inside about people, places, or things will only create a vortex that will drain your vital energy. Often when clients get off my healing table they look like they they’ve just come back from a two-month holiday in the Caribbean because they’ve let their resentments go.
4.) I have always been mindful about my diet, but often used foods for comfort. Recently, I changed my diet from mainly proteins to eating plenty of vegetables. I start every morning with a vegetable and fruit smoothie. I don’t eat processed food. I removed all sugar, dairy, breads, eggs and pork. I look for foods that will alkaline my body and kill off any cancer cells and disease. Weight loss has not only become easier for me, its incredibly fun. While it may seem challenging at first, eventually your palette will change. You will actually crave food that is filled with more life force.
5.) Sleep is vital for cell regeneration, so if you’re not sleeping well it needs to be addressed. Do you have stressors that are disrupting your sleep? Have you had your hormones checked for any imbalances? Are you eating the right foods?
6.) Exercise helps renew cells while bringing oxygen to your blood. It is important to increase your heart rate in order to clear stagnation in your body. While doing exercise remember to listen to the body and not overdue it. Also hydrate and drink plenty of water.
7.) Sunlight is one of the best medicines for your body and the best times to absorb the sun is early in the morning or just before sunset. Taking in this natural source of light restores and gives the cells the vitality it needs.
8.) Being in nature helps to not only boost your cells, but increases collagen in the skin. Breathe in the air when you’re in nature because within it lies the fountain of youth
9.) Meditation. In such a hectic world it is critical that we find time for silence. Calming your mind through breathing and quiet frees you from the grips of a busy mind. It doesn’t matter what your spiritual beliefs are, only that you bring your awareness into the now.
10.) Stop doing so much. Do you really need to burn your candle at both ends? Slow down and smell the roses. How many times I hear people say “ I’m too busy”. For your life, health, well being. You see maybe we don’t have to do this only when we are sick and then fighting to live. Maybe we can do this because life is precious and we deserve to be the best.
11.) Gratitude is extremely important because it lifts the vibration in our bodies. As it was told to me by my teacher. Every morning and each night say, THANK YOU FOR MY LIFE.
I’m sure many of you are well aware of these things already, but hopefully this will serve as a friendly reminder so you can see the years of built up toxicity melting away from your entire being.
….
“There are many trends to health and healing, and many people claim they can help you . I’ve been led down some pretty dark paths. But no matter how much time or money I had spent on a health issue’s before working with Shari, I never saw much change or result. Maybe one new thing, like a diet change or new supplement. Only to find the symptom to disappear for a moment, but it always came back. I couldn’t keep up! The endless chase of the newest research or test left me drained, and sometimes worse off than before. So when I came to Shari I was riddled with health problems. I thought Shari would just be another one of “those people” (even though the story of how I came to know of Shari is epic unto itself). I was wrong. SHARI IS THE REAL DEAL.”
~Nicole Mcbride~
Let Go
With the new age philosophy it can often be about how to attain happiness or manifest something outside of yourself. I have found that only by deep listening can I cultivate my true inner voice. The soul’s voice.
As I stared at the sand moving through my fingers I saw the connection of letting go of all space and time. It is only there that one can enter into their own sacred dominion.
Surrendering deep into that sacred space in-between thoughts is where you find the answers.
So dive deep and enter the portal within and you will find it is truly coming back home.
Strange Days Indeed
“All you really need to do is accept this moment fully. You are then at ease in the here and now with yourself.”~ Eckart Tolle
A good friend of mine contacted me asking, “Is the energy on the planet really weird right now?”I paused for a moment before answering her. “The energy is weird all the time these days,” I replied.
It seems I’m being asked questions like this more and more these days. It’s pretty obvious to me that we are living through some incredibly strange times.There is definitely something going on.
Thinking back when I was a teenager I became intrigued with the prophecies written in the Book of Revelations. As I read the unfolding events, beginning with war, famine, earthquakes, floods, disease and all kinds of erratic behavior I felt a fire and an urgency coming from somewhere deep inside of me. The prophecies somehow resonated and it felt like my soul was remembering something but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Although I didn’t know how at the time, I knew that the days predicted in Revelations would somehow be my future. And as I look around at what’s going on in the world today I believe I was more on point than I could have ever imagined.
As we move towards an uncertain future I feel it’s imperative that we find a way to come back to our center. I don’t mean next month or when you go on a vacation or sometime in the future, I mean right now.
I can still hear the words of my teacher, Papa Joe, when he told me, “It is time for these destructive energies that have been creating havoc and controlling us for ages to leave the planet but they don’t want to go and will use every trick in the book to stay in control.”
Hearing this years ago hasn’t made my life any easier but what I was taught was that when I get quiet and find that place of neutrality in me, I can feel a sense of ease and comfort. I realize there is no person or place out there that can give me the security or peace of mind that I can only find from deep within. When I am connected to my power and stay present, through conscious breath, I have a much better chance at maintaining balance and equilibrium in my life.
We always need to be careful of who, what and where your mind engages and have discernment in who you let into your energy field. Pay attention to your body and if you feel uneasy, listen to that. This is not a time to go back to sleep.
“Some people think Shari’s work is magic. It’s not magic, actually. She literally goes in and cleans out energies that are getting in the way of one’s true path. Working with her has helped me become more grounded and true to myself.” ~ Joanne Kim
Everyone Needs a Reset
I’m a bit of a neat freak. I can’t help it. I must confess I am so sensitive to energy that I insist on having a clean home. That’s why it was completely out of character for me to hire Maria, a cleaning lady to come over. But I’m so glad that I did. Let me be the first to say there is nothing like having someone move furniture and get behind all those little nooks and crannies that are hard to reach. When everything was said and done and put back in its place, I can’t even begin to explain the difference in my mood. I felt so much lighter with a deep sense of contentment within. As far as I’m concerned it was money well spent.
It got me thinking, ‘Wow, this is kind of what I do when I work on someone.’ I start by moving through the layers of stuff that has settled in a person’s mind, body or spirit. Afterward the client tells me they feel amazing yet, they find it hard to explain why.
When people ask me what I do, I tell them I start by moving the energy upwards through the different points in their feet. This energy moves through accumulated ‘stuff’ known as blockages that can be stored or held inside the body. It can be fear, repressed emotions, entities or negative energies that need to be cleared out.
For some reason, I am able to see these energies that many people are unaware that they have. Over time, they have become so accustomed to living with it they don’t even realize they have collected numerous energies in their daily lives.
When I think about it it’s a bit like Maria coming to my home with a new and different perspective. She may see a little dust pile that I haven’t been paying attention to or perhaps she moves things around just enough that gives me a new and refreshing point of view.
I have been doing energy healing on clients for years and as I sit here in my clean home I’m so inspired to write this story. I have come to the conclusion that everything needs to be reset so we can have a new point of view. We do it with our cars, computers or by taking vacations. So, I feel it’s important to get help from others in order to clear what we don’t see and what no longer serves us.
“Shari…. Topanga’s best kept secret” ~ Jaclyn AWAVEAWAKE
The Highest Form of Self Care
“
Many years ago I felt lost, ungrounded, and full of fear. I went to my teacher Papa Joe and asked him for help. He sat me down with a big grin on his face and said “the wind is trying to speak to you”. I was a bit surprised by his response. I tried but couldn’t hear the wind talking to me. He repeated himself, “the wind has a message for you”. Frustrated, I still couldn’t hear a thing. He said “stop trying and just do it”. I took a long deep breath and got myself as present as I possibly could. I started to sense the leaves on the trees and the rustling sound they made. Not thinking about the wind but feeling it and becoming one with it all around me. Then suddenly, as if a doorway opened, I began to hear but the voice was deep within myself. It was so simple.
“Quieting yourself is the problem and silence is the solution,” Papa said, beaming with pride for my discovery.
This experience changed my life forever. From then on I practiced what I had learned from my wise teacher.
I equated this listening with being the highest form of self care. When we are silent we can detach from all the cords that keep us in disharmony. So we can connect to the truth inside us instead of looking outside for answers and validation.
What could be better then being at home with ourselves?
“In a world, a city, a town, where people claim to be ‘a healer’ no one is more true, more studied, more genuine and powerful than this woman. From a sprained ankle to a heartbreak to a child suffering from ADD her hands on healing and intuitive capabilities will blow you away. You walk in one person and leave another, filled with peace, clarity and a real sense of renewal” ~Dina
Going Within
“In this critical time return to a spiritual way of life, that is the way you will make it through” ~ Chief Arvol Looking Horse
I read this quote by Chief Arvol and thought to myself “yes, this is the way”. The words hit me profoundly. Some people may be feeling the chaos happening on the planet right now. I know I am. Disease, war, drastic weather changes, and extreme financial insecurity is scary and driving people into more fear.
In my last blog, I talked about slaying your dragons. Fear is one of those dragons. So how does one deal with fear especially in these times of enormous turmoil? Where is safe? What is the truth? What is gonna happen to us or the planet in ten, twenty, thirty years from now? Think about it; we all know the shit is hitting the fan!
Going within is the only way we will know peace. Do you know what this means? Pulling your attention from the outside world and paying attention to your inner world. Your soul, spirit, intuition, and integrity. Your place of knowing. This is what was meant by a spiritual way of life.
When people come to me for spiritual advice or healing, the question is always the same. “How do I listen to my intuition”? The truth is we all know how to listen to our intuition, but just get a little sidetracked from our intuitive voice. The ego’s voice is much louder and has hooks to it. The constant programming being fed to us on a daily basis makes the ego very active. It says we need more, more, more! Come on, how ridiculous is this world of consumerism we live in? How far from nature do we need to go?
So what is being said here might seem like a “nice concept” for a few of those spiritual types out there, but we all need to begin to do this. We need to start making time each day for silence and going within. Taking time in nature, yoga, meditating , and walking. Anything that helps you get PRESENT. That means getting out of your constant mind chatter. Let’s all wake up out of our mind-controlled comas and be here now. So, how do we do this? The answer is you must learn to breathe. When we breathe consciously, it pulls our awareness away from the mind’s control. You do not need to be a master yogi to do this. Even if it’s five minutes a day, you are “doing it”. So just begin to DO IT!
Do I sound bossy or like I am on a soap box? If I do, it’s because this works. There is a war going on and it is inside of us. Never mind changing the world out there. Change yourself first, then you will have something to say. It’s time to slay those dragons. Breathe through those fears and stop letting them control you. Take back your focus and stand present in yourself now.
The indigenous people have the wisdom. What they have been telling us for years is very important now. Start your own personal path. Enter the place within yourself. All this takes is the choice to do so.
For information on my next workshop please go to my group sessions page
dreamcatchershari 