An invitation from Michael Stone and HeatherAsh Amara, hosts of the Shamanism Summit

Imagine sitting under your favorite tree (or by the ocean or near a river), feeling a cool breeze and a sense of peace as you listen with your full being to a great-grandmother elder holding your hands and sharing her nourishing wisdom. 

Imagine being sparked into inspiration by the fiery words, songs, and poems of two Indigenous youth, traveling on a sacred inner journey of healing, and being guided to reconnect with your ancestor’s resiliency and power.

Imagine receiving just the medicine you need to help you come into balance again.

While we may not be able to freely travel and gather in these times, we can make our home a sacred space and open the door to the guidance we need to free our minds and navigate forward to a new, more sacred, and sustainable future. 

That’s why we’re so excited about this year's Shamanism Summit, taking place July 7-10. We’ve expanded the scope and context of our offerings to include an incredibly rich and diverse mix of Indigenous elders, modern mystics, and wisdom keepers who have a deep connection to the earth, the ancestors, and the mystery.

We are deeply honored and humbled to bring you the wisdom of our ancestors and an invitation into a new future — informed, but not bound by the past. 

Come sit by our metaphoric healing fire and be warmed and made whole by 28 potent voices sharing how to bring ancient practices and direct experience into your everyday world. 

Join our circle of elders: Yeye Luisah Teish, Great-grandmother Mary Lyons, Dr. Alberto Villoldo, Sandra Ingerman, Michael Mead, Kahontakwas Diane Longboat, Matthew Fox, Grandmother Flordemayo, Thomas Huebl, and Andrew Harvey  — along with some powerful “newer” voices: Banafsheh Sayyad, Lyla June Johnston, Tanaya Winder, Ash Johns, Langston Kahn, Dr. Marie Mbouni, and more!

You can register for the free 4-day summit here.

With infinite love and gratitude for your participation in this evolutionary journey towards wholeness,

Michael and HeatherAsh
 

EDITOR’S NOTE: “The Master Key” by Robert Peng, a featured speaker in The Shift Network’s 2019 Qigong Global Summit, is one of the most profoundly important books I’ve ever read. I can say that it’s life-changing with complete confidence, because it changed my life before I even finished reading it. I was so impressed with this book that we are serializing the section called “One Hundred Days of Darkness and Light” in future issues of Catalyst. You can read the seventeenth installment (as well as the previous ones) here.
— Phil Bolsta
 

The uplifting stories in this issue’s “The Nicest Thing” section come from two speakers in the Shamanism Summit: Spiritual life coach Ash Johns and author and healer Dr. Marie Mbouni.

Finally, we’d love to hear your answer to the question, What is the greatest gift you’ve received from your experience with shamanism? To share your thoughts in our Facebook Page community, click here.
 

Have intention, sacred will travel.
— S. Kelley Harrell
Life Betwixt: Essays on Allies in the Everyday and Shamanism Among

Michael Stone: Greetings, this is Michael Stone. And I have been for the past six years the host of the Shamanism Summit. And I am very excited this year to not only have expanded the scope of the summit to include many other people that you would normally not think of in the shamanic realm, but I've brought my favorite warrior goddess, HeatherAsh Amara, to be my co-host this year. And I just want you to take in her beauty and her brilliance. And this is HeatherAsh Amara.

HeatherAsh Amara: Thanks so much, Michael. It's such an honor to get to co-host the 2020 Shamanism Summit with you, and to bring in all these incredible voices to help us navigate this time. Our theme for this year is invoking our elders, mystics, and ancient wisdom keepers in challenging times. And as we navigate so much of the upset and hurt that's coming through, as we navigate both the pandemic and really honor Black Lives Matter at this time, we need our elders.

To watch this 3-minute video and read the rest of the text, click here.

Four insightful videos by Robin DiAngelo, the author of White Fragility

-- Debunking the Most Common Myths White People Tell About Race (3 minutes)

-- Why “I’m Not Racist” Is Only Half the Story (6 minutes)

-- Dr. Robin DiAngelo Wants White People to Stop Saying They’re Not Racist (The Tonight Show) (6 minutes)

-- Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo (20 minutes)

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man

In this popular video series, former NFL player and sports analyst Emmanuel Acho sits down to have an “uncomfortable conversation” with white America, in order to educate and inform about systemic racism, social injustice, rioting, and the hurt that African Americans are feeling today.

Episode 1: Emmanuel alone
Episode 2: Emmanuel with actor Matthew McConaughey
Episode 3: Emmanuel with Magnolia co-founders Chip and Joanna Gaines and their kids

Cracking the Codes: Joy DeGruy on "A Trip to the Grocery Store"

In this video story from Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity, a film from World Trust, author and educator Joy DeGruy shares how her sister-in-law uses her white privilege to stand up to systemic inequity. It’s a powerful reminder that every white person can use their privilege to stand up for people of color in difficult situations. To watch this 4-minute video, click here.

To hear The X Factor winner Leona Lewis explain how much it would have helped if white people had spoken up when a shopkeeper racially profiled her and her father, click here. To read CNN’s article on how white people can be anti-racist allies, click here.

Pastor John Bradshaw Shares the Story of Black Wall Street
Broadcast of the TV show, It Is Written

In 1921, more than 300 people were massacred, thousands were left homeless, and an entire town was destroyed when people turned on their fellow citizens — in the United States of America. Which raises an important question: What kind of person would do that? The answer is surprising. Join Pastor John Bradshaw on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as we look at the challenge faced by every person: the sinful heart. To watch this 28-minute video, click here.

Domination and the Murder of George Floyd
By Steven Newcomb

Photograph by Nathaniel St. Clair

We hosted 30 speakers earlier this month in the free Transforming Racism Facebook Live Series. Click here to view the names of all 30 Transforming Racism speakers and their presentations.

You can watch all 30 sessions here: 

Elaine Whitefeather / Kaira Jewel Lingo / Spring Washam / Don Samuels / Grandmother Flordemayo / Shariff Abdullah / Rabbi Michael Lerner / Luisah Teish / Victor Lewis / Pastor Joy Johnson / Steven Newcomb & Shawna Bluestar Newcomb / Bernadette Pleasant / Dereca Blackmon / Arisika Razak / Grandmother Mona Polacca / J. Manuel Herrera / Dr. Micah Johnson / Gemma Benton / Michelle Johnson / Brandon Jones / Tamara Smiley Hamilton / Davey D Cook / Sister Jenna / Milton Reynolds / Lynice Pinkard / Quentin & Amanda / Lawrence Ellis / Roxy Manning / Piper Dellums / Louis Gossett Jr. & Sister Jenna

You can also watch these 20 archived interviews from our African American Wisdom Summit, and the 23 archived interviews in the Healing Cultural Wounds section of our World Peace Library. 

You’ll find more resources and information here and in the “Racial Justice and Healing” section in future issues of Catalyst.

This Pandemic. It’s Systemic.
How our Connected Crises are Creating a Mass Movement for Social Healing and Collective Liberation
By Joshua Gorman

We thought we were living in the middle of one crisis; then it became two, then three, and it spiraled on. From Covid-19 to massive job losses and economic uncertainty, to nationwide and global Black Lives Matter protests sparked by police violence and racial injustice, we are experiencing a crisis of the whole system. Our structures are failing or broken; for many they’ve been designed that way from the beginning. We are tired of suffering, of living without dignity, freedom, and breath. We know that life is sacred and we all belong. We’re at a tipping point. The old is dying, the new is being born, and in this moment, we are winning. To read more, click here.

The Coronavirus Intervention: Will it Work?
By Anodea Judith

The coronavirus can be seen as Nature’s intervention. Like someone entering a recovery program at a treatment center, where they can’t access their substance for a given period of time, Mother Nature has sent us all to our rooms to sober up. She’s grounded us from flying, driving, going to meetings, hairdressers, gyms, restaurants, bars or cruises, until further notice. She’s taken away anything that’s not utterly necessary to show us what is necessary. To read more, click here.

Science, Compassion, and the Wee Virus
By James O’Dea

Viruses are small, really tiny — measured in nanometers — which allows them to penetrate cells. They propagate with speed like stealthy Ninjas flying through the air and gliding over surfaces where they wait until they can attack any passing organism. To read more, click here.

A Touch of Grace
By Carlyn Montes De Oca

In humans, a lack of touch over time can lead to depression, stress, and even aggression. We need physical touch to develop greater trust between us, stronger immunity in ourselves, and enhanced wellbeing. Even though some areas in the country are now lifting COVID-19 restrictions, the experts still warn about decreasing our social distancing with others too quickly. Again, like so many other areas in our life, this is where our animal companions can come to our rescue.

To read more, click here.

The Master Key
By Robert Peng, a featured speaker in The Shift Network’s 2019 Qigong Global Summit

It's 1972 in the industrial city of Xiangtan, China. A frail child with a heart condition sneaks into a hotel boiler room and befriends the elderly yet vibrant attendant, who eventually reveals his true identity as a revered Qigong master. He heals the boy and, for the next 13 years, secretly teaches him the keys to unlocking the spiritual and healing dimensions of the Life Force.

It sounds like a modern-day fable, but the story is true. And with The Master Key, that grateful student, Robert Peng, invites all of us to enter the next chapter of this empowering path. Here, Master Peng brings together the unique insights of his teacher with the moving account of his own journey.

Click here to read the seventeenth installment (as well as all the previous installments) of this profoundly moving book.

In this special video series, prominent authors, speakers, thought leaders, and others answer the question, “What is the nicest thing a non-family member has ever done for you?”
 

Ash Johns’ Story
Spiritual life coach, conscious business strategist, and a featured speaker in the Shamanism Summit

EXCERPT: And through by having this white woman be an ally in that moment, I could feel the spirit of what was going on within me and in the interaction just completely came and was like, "No, you're not crazy, this is actually happening. This person just treated you differently and then turned to me as if it was going to be okay in front of me." 

To watch the video and read the transcript of Ash’s 7-minute story about the power of validation, click here.

 

Dr. Marie Mbouni’s Story
Author and healer, and a featured speaker in the Shamanism Summit

EXCERPT: A couple of months later, I traveled to Costa Rica to visit friends. When I got to those friends' house, I just felt inspired to share what was happening to me every time I was going into meditation. I described the house, it was a house with, like I said, a rooftop with grass on the rooftop with birds, and there was a pool, an infinity pool, and below the pool, there was a rainforest, and in the distance, the ocean and the mountains. When I finished describing the place, they started laughing. They said, "I know exactly where that house is."

To watch the video and read the transcript of Marie’s 6-minute story of a life-altering gift, click here.

“Somatic Body Wisdom to Address Anxiety, Overwhelm & Reactivated Trauma” Facebook Live Q&A with Suzanne Scurlock
Would you like to master simple exercises to quickly access your body’s key wisdom areas for greater calm, clarity, and confidence? Conscious Awareness instructor Suzanne Scurlock will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Wednesday, July 1, at Noon Pacific to share how you can navigate — and even thrive in — challenging times. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

“Celtic Virtues to Cultivate Lasting Peace Within” Facebook Live Q&A with Jane Burns
Would you like to step back in time and invoke the wisdom of heroes, gods, goddesses, wise old trees, and more? Shamanic teacher Jane Burns will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Wednesday, July 1, at 3:00pm Pacific to share how you can move forward in your life with gratitude, acceptance, compassion, and humility. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

“Mind Medicine to Ignite Your Highest Potential ” Facebook Live Q&A with Dr. Darren Weissman
Would you like to take a courageous dive into your subconscious mind to discover what motivates your thoughts and actions? Chiropractic holistic physician Dr. Darren Weissman will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Thursday, July 9, at Noon Pacific to share how you can transform your self-limiting beliefs and start walking the path to your highest potential. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

“The Flute as Sound Medicine” Facebook Live Q&A with Christine Stevens
Would you like to feel the healing effects of playing the flute — and the warm connection of a virtual community? Drummer and music therapist Christine Stevens will be leading a special Facebook Live Q&A call on Thursday, July 9, at 2:00pm Pacific to share how you can expand your awareness, open your heart, and create a new song for your life. Click here to get a Facebook Messenger reminder when the event goes live.

Your Voice:

We want to know: What is the greatest gift you’ve received from your experience with shamanism? To share your thoughts in our Facebook Page community, click here.

A New Way Forward: Choosing to Live an Awakened Life
A free virtual event / June 30 at 2:00pm Pacific

Our current global challenges are radically changing how we view and move through the world. Fortunately, calamitous times also offer us a fresh opportunity to respond differently to our circumstances in order to shift toward a grounded, more awakened way of being. Join bestselling author and Shift fauclty Mark Matousek for a free virtual event that explores the importance of spiritual resilience and insight in the face of uncertainty. He’ll discuss the key principles for thriving in difficult times and paving a new way forward. Click here for more information and to register.

Three Learning Groups from Sacred Discourse
An intentional, heart-centered framework for having relational and connected conversations between individuals, within groups, and across society

Healing Racism Starts Within
A 6-week series of open-ended conversations among white people who are looking for a place to begin their exploration and learning about racism. Each week will have a theme and a prompt to guide your reflection before the conversation circle, and the discourse in the circle will allow for each person to share what's in their heart.

Unwinding Internalized Racism

A 6-week series for white people who are already on their anti-racism learning journey and wish to go deeper, from an embodied perspective — and to take concrete action to dismantle systemic racism based on white supremacy.

Allies in Practice

A community of practice for white people who are ready to engage in peer learning over an extended period of time — including a learning platform to allow for engagement with other participants.

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing
By Dr. Joy DeGruy

In the 16th century, the beginning of African enslavement in the Americas until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment and emancipation in 1865, Africans were hunted like animals, captured, sold, tortured, and raped. They experienced the worst kind of physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual abuse. What do repeated traumas, endured generation after generation by a people produce? What impact have these ordeals had on African Americans today?

Dr. Joy DeGruy, answers these questions and more. With over thirty years of practical experience as a professional in the mental health field, Dr. DeGruy encourages African Americans to view their attitudes, assumptions, and behaviors through the lens of history and so gain a greater understanding of how centuries of slavery and oppression have impacted people of African descent in America. To order your copy, click here.

Aphrodite’s Day
Women’s Half-Day Home Retreat
By Anna Dorian, a featured speaker in the Shamanism Summit

We return to ancient women’s traditions in our modern times, finding strength, support, and sisterhood. The goddess Aphrodite, bringer of love and beauty, graciously extends her hand to us… what an honor, and a joy! She invites women into a unique guided half-day of retreat, to replenish ourselves and embody women’s mysteries. In the sacred temples of our homes, we’ll purify ourselves, quest, and reflect… as women have done since antiquity.

Click here for more information.

Click here to access a 6-page PDF that leads you through the at-home experience, with linked videos.

For several years, The Shift Network has hosted Indigenous leaders from around the world and invited them to share their sacred knowledge, rituals, and practices to guide us in a way of living that is sustainable, healthy, and just. We’re thus delighted that the Global Indigenous Wisdom Library makes this “virtual council” of leaders and their wisdom available for everyone, everywhere for free. The Global Indigenous Wisdom Library is a collection of audio and video interviews featuring Indigenous leaders from around the world sharing prayers, sacred songs, prophecies, spiritual teachings, and pathways to healing, as well as concrete examples for birthing a new era — one in which all members of the human family are treated with respect, understanding, compassion, and justice. This sacred wisdom is important medicine for us all.

The production of The Global Indigenous Wisdom Library is a gift from The Shift Network, designed to inspire, inform, and involve you by highlighting the voices and important messages of Indigenous leaders from around the world. We want to give a heartfelt thanks to Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr. (“Brother Phil”) for his partnership in helping create this Indigenous Wisdom collection. And we thank all the speakers who have contributed to this body of knowledge. To discover more, click here.

World Peace Library. Designed for the layperson and professional peacebuilder alike, the World Peace Library has over 425 audio and video interviews with some of the most remarkable, inspiring peacebuilders in the world available to you at NO COST. You’ll find hundreds of hours of inspirational, peacebuilding, compassion-spreading talks and trainings at your fingertips with this FREE global resource. There’s no way you can’t come away from the World Peace Library deeply inspired, transformed — and part of the solution. Click here to find out how to take peace to the next level — and help co-create a global culture of peace that leaves a legacy of good for our children, our children’s children and all of humanity and life on earth.

Book by Stephen Dinan: Sacred America, Sacred World. Infused with visionary power, Sacred America, Sacred World is a manifesto for our country’s evolution that is both political and deeply spiritual. It offers profound hope that America can grow beyond our current challenges and manifest our noblest destiny, which the book shows is rooted in sacred principles that transcend left or right political views. To order your copy, click here.

If you would like to submit something to Catalyst, please see the submission guidelines: click here.