| I was introduced to alternative healing in a | | | | various books. They addressed a wide range of |
| very alternative way. I had a vision. In my | | | | spiritual matters, many from nontraditional |
| vision an old Indian woman approached me. | | | | perspectives. I do not remember the specific |
| When I asked who she was, she replied: | | | | titles of the books, but I do remember |
| | | | feeling an uncontrollable urge to ask the |
| I am you, I am your mother, I am your sister, | | | | sales woman if she knew anything about |
| I am your grandmother, I am the Earth. | | | | visions. She did not, but offered me the name |
| | | | of a woman who might help. I remember the |
| She had gray hair pulled back tightly in a | | | | excitement-the bolt of energy-that ran |
| bun, and her skin was wrinkled and weathered | | | | through me as she handed me a business card |
| by life. She was wrapped in a wool blanket | | | | with the woman's name and phone number |
| and smoking a pipe. She asked if I wanted to | | | | written on the back. I called immediately |
| join in the sisterhood, but warned me that my | | | | when I returned to Portland. |
| life would be forever changed. I was | | | | |
| doubtful, but kept hearing the word "trust" | | | | The woman referred to herself as a channel, |
| in the background. I nodded my head and spoke | | | | and claimed that she connected with the |
| the word yes. | | | | client's guardian spirits, or angels, for |
| | | | guidance. She told me over the phone that she |
| When we finished smoking the pipe, she spoke | | | | felt my own guardian spirits could help me |
| again. "Your guidance will be provided. Your | | | | understand my vision. I caught my breath. The |
| medicine that you carry is North, Wisdom, | | | | whole concept of guardian spirits was |
| Healing, and Love. Begin at this time to | | | | completely foreign to me. I had been to |
| start reading and learn to understand the | | | | psychics in the past, but I had never |
| Ways." | | | | experienced anyone who claimed to channel. I |
| | | | had little idea what the word channel meant |
| Looking back on this experience, I see the | | | | or what I had gotten myself into. Yet still I |
| meaning of the vision with clarity and | | | | was curious and felt innately that this was |
| understand fully the intent of the | | | | the right choice. I drove to her house. |
| visitation, but at the time I was left | | | | |
| perplexed and wondering. I had had no | | | | From that point on everything changed. Due to |
| exposure to any indigenous teachings. I did | | | | this shift in my awareness and my willingness |
| not know what sisterhood meant. I did not | | | | to open to new possibilities, I became |
| know anything about the pipe ceremony; I did | | | | exposed to the people, training, and concepts |
| not even know that it was traditional for | | | | that completely remolded my life and my |
| Indians to smoke pipes. I had no idea what | | | | profession. Each shift has been a step along |
| the word "medicine" meant except as some | | | | the divine path of my development and my |
| combination of chemical elements to take when | | | | understanding of how we all can heal. |
| you are sick. I was engulfed in the mystery | | | | |
| of the vision, but confused as to its | | | | Since the original vision, I have had |
| meaning. Why had I had a vision? What did it | | | | numerous additional spiritual experiences. I |
| mean? What, if anything, was I supposed to do | | | | began to reorder my life, renew my thinking, |
| with these strange images that had invaded my | | | | and interlace my knowledge of psychology with |
| consciousness? | | | | elements of spirituality and actual teachings |
| | | | from the spiritual realm. As I integrated |
| Even to start reading about the Ways | | | | these experiences into my own consciousness, |
| presented a mystery. What were the Ways? | | | | I became acutely aware that my experiences |
| Where would I find readings that would teach | | | | were not only for me but were also to be used |
| me the Ways? I was involved in psychology in | | | | as teachings for others. The teachings and |
| a very traditional way; I knew no other way. | | | | experiences hold universal messages, or basic |
| I was active at the time in the Methodist | | | | truths, that need to be shared. |
| Church. In fact, I was considering studying | | | | |
| for a doctorate in theology and perhaps | | | | As I observe clients moving through their |
| pursuing a ministry. This vision was not at | | | | personal journeys from head to heart, two |
| all a part of my existing reality system; it | | | | main themes emerge again and again-the need |
| left me completely baffled. However, my love | | | | for self-awareness and the need for |
| for God was so great that I honored the | | | | redefining self. The first is a need for |
| experience. I reminded myself of the many | | | | awareness of their own intrinsic worth. |
| stories in the Bible where visions had | | | | Spirit is continually providing evidence that |
| occurred with wondrous messages accompanying | | | | God not only loves, but also values each |
| them. I believed that this vision had come to | | | | being beyond all imagination. In the process |
| me for a purpose I did not yet understand; | | | | of becoming yourself, you become open to this |
| however, for me to fully honor this spiritual | | | | reality. The second need is for redefining |
| visit, I needed to seek greater | | | | self in terms of this unconditional love. It |
| understanding. Thus began my voyage of | | | | is often difficult for the mind to grasp the |
| discovery. It would prove to alter my very | | | | meaning of a love with no conditions, but the |
| existence, and it is a voyage I continue to | | | | heart is capable. Unconditional love is not |
| this day. The wonder of it has proven to be | | | | based on what you do, how hard you try, |
| in the journey itself, not in any final | | | | whether you are successful, or even if you |
| destination. | | | | are a "good" person. There is nothing you |
| | | | could do to not be loved. In the journey from |
| I committed to joining the sisterhood, | | | | the head to the heart, one comes to |
| whatever that was. I had made a contract with | | | | understand this type of love and apply it to |
| the vision, and I would keep my commitment. I | | | | self. When you truly understand the |
| just had no idea what to do or where to | | | | unconditional love from God, you move closer |
| start. I felt that I needed guidance, but | | | | to being able to love yourself |
| there was no one in my network of friends | | | | unconditionally. Your complete |
| with that kind of knowledge, and only one | | | | self-acceptance replaces prior doubts, |
| with whom I was comfortable even mentioning | | | | disappointments, and regrets. All of life's |
| the experience. It took one year before I | | | | "should have," "would have," and "could have" |
| found anyone who could help me understand | | | | feelings dissipate in a newfound awareness of |
| what it meant. | | | | one's own immense worth in the eyes of God. |
| | | | Through my own experiences-my own |
| I had moved with my family from Dallas to | | | | head-to-heart journey-I have found that |
| Portland. This move created whole-sale | | | | healing and the restoration of one's |
| changes in my life: a new job, new community, | | | | wholeness can be complete. Answers to the |
| new church, and new friends. I did not know | | | | questions of life's mysteries-what is life |
| at the time, but I understand now, that this | | | | all about, why do people become so wounded, |
| move was part of a major shift that would | | | | how do people heal, why does it take so long |
| lead to a reordering of my life. | | | | for some to heal, why aren't people happy, |
| | | | and why do so many people stay entrenched in |
| Shortly after the move, I was at the Oregon | | | | the past instead of alive in the present |
| coast with my husband, who was attending a | | | | moment-all can be answered. The beauty of the |
| convention. He burst into our hotel room | | | | answers is that they bring wholeness, |
| saying, "Jan, come down to the vendor | | | | understanding, happiness, and new beginnings |
| displays with me and meet this person who has | | | | for the people who employ them. What I have |
| a booth with some very unusual books. I think | | | | learned on this divine path is that life is |
| you will be intrigued." | | | | to be enjoyed, and being whole feels |
| | | | wonderful! |
| I followed him down and browsed through the | | | | |