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Leah Russell3 min

Making Changes

May 18, 2022

by Clare McCauley My heart faintly whispers to pick up the pen again. The world outside got so busy, calls to distant places had me following the paths of others, when subtle moments of saying yes felt easy instead of what was right for me. I grew distant, the aligned path a fading memory. I convinced myself I’d be back in my sacred place again, sat beneath a tree, not just any tree though, it would always be one that had called to me. Be that hawthorn in the spring or a yew during the autumn. I remember the last time I was in that place, sat beneath a willow, her fresh emerald leaves shimmering in the wind reminded me of the way that I and my long wavy hair used to move, so free and so wild. But I cut my hair short to keep things under control, adding more structure and order, much like the layers of conditioning placed upon me. I would briefly see glimpses of joy and peace from time to time, in sharing smiles with a stranger or at the sight of the setting sun, but that was all that they were, glimpses. Quickly returning to the downward gaze and trudging through a path of heavy must-dos, in what I now know as parts of my soul fleeing my being as a result of my experience. As I sit now, sacred cacao in hand, I listen to my heart’s call to write again. I wonder do we choose to make a change or is it made for us? From the moment I chose to say yes to this journey of empowerment, the universe opened up its arms, or perhaps I opened myself to it, for it to flow through me. I wonder then, beyond our ability to manifest all that we desire, how much is predetermined? Whatever the answer to that may be, I surrender fully. I had felt the weight of responsibility around service and saving others for a very long time. This continued into my shamanic healing work and into nearly every part of my life, until I began to heal this story I held and began to see that is up to me, that I am responsible for my inner world. Only then, can I truly hold space for others without attachment. Standing in my own power fully, I began to remember it’s as simple as listening to all that my heart wishes to share and all that spirit wishes for me to hear. When we listen to our hearts, or simply yet powerfully intend to, opportunities align for us and all that’s meant for us finds its way to us. In order for us to be able to show up for whatever it is that we are here to do, in the many facets of our lives, we know how important it is to look after ourselves first. But this is easier said than done right? How can we put this into practice? How can we remember to come back to realising how important we truly are? Here are a couple of tools that I use in my practice, and I share with clients to incorporate into theirs;

Having a daily ritual of empowerment, whether that be affirmations, dancing or standing strong beneath the sun, remembering that we are light.

Having a daily ritual of not only expressing or thinking of all we are grateful for, but tuning into love, the frequency that we are all made up of, and truly feeling it.

Bringing intention into everything that we do. Allowing ourselves to see that everything is sacred and in communication with one another. A powerful intention you may like to use is to live from the heart, to listen to the heart or you may resonate with the intention of breathing out of the mind and into the heart space.

Working with the shadow, if we can with the help of others, to understand what lies beneath what we think is influencing our actions, projections and thoughts.

Practising removal of any heavy energy within our field, whether that be brushing off heavy energy, shaking, or the ritual of khuya limpia, which involves massage strokes around the body with stones or even using eggs.

About the author: Clare McCauley is a writer, shamanic healer and meditation teacher. She lives and works in Suffolk, offering ceremonies and retreats all over East Anglia sharing her love for the land, laughter and love (and a bit of alliteration). To find out more about her online work and events check out claremccauley.com