Okay, so although some folks have said that I can come across as a bit of an enigma, I consider myself to be an open book. It is not that I share indiscriminately, but if someone asks me something I am honest in my response. Thus, an open book. Having said that, I was inspired by a post that a friend shared that involved revealing 10 things about her. So, Ashley, this one is inspired by you and here we go. But before we do, I have to say that it has been extremely difficult to choose just 10, and often I have thought, “Oh, everyone knows that about me.” But another friend assured me that they don’t, so here we go:
- I was raised in a mystical family with both witchcraft and shamanism on both sides of it that goes back generations. As a result, I have been well trained in those aspects of life. Simple rituals to uplift the energy vibration of the home to banishing unwanted energies from one’s life are a part of that. It plays a part in everything that I do for a living as a professional shaman.
- Dogs are my favorite animal in our world. There was a time when, due to a trauma experienced when I was around 3, I was terrified of dogs. But my father, in his infinite wisdom, was not about to allow any kid of his to be afraid of dogs, so he bought a chihuahua on one of his road trips and brought it home. It took me a few days to warm up to this tiny creature. It was so small that its head would outweigh its body, so much so that when he would try to eat he would fall head-first into his food bowl. Over time I got used to him and with just a little bit of encouragement on “dog language” I found that he and I could communicate quite well. We became the best of friends and many a night was spent sleeping with him under the covers snuggled up against me. Ever since then, dogs have been my go-to when it comes to pets (or, as I like to call them, “Four legged furry members of the family”). Although my father and I did not have a great relationship overall, this one he got right.
- My parents, 2 of my sisters, one of my 3 wives, a mother-in-law, a few close friends…all dead. I have become quite well acquainted with death. This means that I have learned to grieve differently than most. I don’t go into the dramatic sobs and wailing that many do. Although that may be the process for some, for me it feels like it simply disrupts the energy even more. I tend to grieve privately. I hate it when my face leaks in public, so funerals are always a bit of a challenge. Having said that, I have learned coping mechanisms for when I attend funerals. That way I am able to keep my composure.
- I talk to the dead…at least to the dead who are somehow connected to me. This is part of why my grieving does not look the same as what some would expect. I have a solid sense of the fact that our physical bodies are merely temples in which our souls dwell and through which our spirits express themselves. So talking to those on the other side of the Veil is easy for me. I don’t have to sift through the cultural and social “norms” that prevent that depth of connection. I do NOT consider myself to be a medium. I am actually a large. Besides, I don’t talk to just any rando ghost or spirit. I will communicate with those I have known. Anyone else can find someone else through which to communicate with the living.
- I play the piano and the guitar, percussion instruments, drums, the Indian flute and, on top of that, I sing. I have more of a voice for Jazz, but I like to sing pretty much anything other than Country, Country Rock, Metal, or Opera. I am a member of the Trodka Trio that is made up by my partner, Rod, our friend, Kat, and myself. We are getting ready for a comeback performance hopefully this fall after a long sebatical due to the pandemic.
- I am a mixture of races. To look at me most people just see “white dude” but my ancestors consisted of a number of other things as well, including but not limited to Asian, Egyptian, Lebanese, South African and so on. Mix that with the Irish, English and Hungarian and you truly have a Heinz 57 blend!
- I feel moonlight the way many feel sunlight when it rests on my body. Except instead of warm tingles, they are cool tingles. Even in a dead sleep, I can feel when the moon casts its light upon my body. And it is glorious!
- Crystal and Tibetan singing bowls are two of my favorite instruments, both of which I use when I am doing energy work, as well as a Shruti Box. That is like a mini harmonium.
- I really enjoy Middle Eastern Music and Zen Music. I will often play those types of things while driving because (9a:) I really dislike other wreckless drivers out there, and the more often I have to go driving somewhere (which is something that I used to really enjoy) the more often I will encounter totally self-entitled idiots behind the wheel. So Zen Music and Middle Eastern Music keep me calm. That way I will be less likely to utilize that baseball bat that I carry in the trunk. (wink).
- I completely appreciate courtesy and respect. I find that the louder a person “speaks their truth” the more wrong they usually are. Interrupting others when they are speaking is a classic example of this. But so is yelling at the top of your lungs “in the name of Jeeeeezuz” etc. I mean…how ignorant!
So there you have it. You may not have known these things about me, and, depending upon how close we are, you might have. After all, I do have several circles of trust, and the closer one gets to the inner circle, the better they will know me. But I guess that point would be number 11.