The Reluctant Shaman

My Shaman Priestess had me do this exercise and it has had a profound impact on me and I would like to share. I drew 3 cards (past, present, future) I used the words on the cards as well as the images to write a story titled "Once upon a time, there was A Reluctant Shaman". Each card is one paragraph. These were the only instructions. 

This story came out of me in one breath and I didn't know what I had wrote at the end. 

These were my cards.

Oppression

Ecstasy

Regenerator

Once upon a time there was a reluctant shaman.

She had glimpses of her gifts and she worked most of her life to find these gifts and love them. But she was always looking through a fence or astro-planeing through a brick wall. Never directly in front of it. Through her own oppression she began to have a skewed view of her path. Always helping someone else realize their dreams but never her own. 

Then this reluctant shaman realized the garden she is in. And although she loves it and knows it so well, she has outgrown it. She has been given new seeds and is starting a new garden. A fresh, clean, beautiful one. She brings all of her new animal friends to experience her new garden. Her serpent, jaguar, hummingbird and eagle. She is in complete ecstasy. Her gifts are growing and soon she will know her own dreams. 

This reluctant shaman will become everything she has ever wanted to be. She finds she had more compassion she could ever dream of. She will help so many people. She will be a beautiful generous, ethereal being. Her garden will be rich and lush and her animals will be wise and giving. Her gifts will surpass anything she thought possible. She will be the regenerator of gentle souls.

I had to read this story out loud, then I had to change it to first person... and read it out loud again.

Once upon a time, I was a reluctant shaman.

I had glimpses of my gifts and I worked most of my life to find these gifts and love them. But I was always looking through a fence or astro-planeing through a brick wall. Never looking directly in front of it. Through my own oppression I began to have a skewed view of my path. Always helping someone else realize their dreams but never my own.

Then, I realized the garden I am in. And although I love it and know it so well, I have outgrown it. I have been given new seeds and am starting a new garden. A fresh, clean, beautiful one. I bring all of my new animal friends to experience my new garden. My serpent, jaguar, humming bird, and eagle. I am in complete ecstasy. My gifts are growing and soon I will know my own dreams. 

I will become everything I have ever wanted to be. I find I had more compassion I could ever dream of. I will help so many people. I will be a beautiful, generous, ethereal being. My garden will be rich and lush and my animals will be wise and giving. My gifts will surpass anything I thought possible. I will be the regenerator of gentle souls. 

I was like 'Whoa!' How can the same story mean so many new and different things then it did 5 minutes ago? I am in love with what I see for myself in this field.