Swan Whispers | Free Spirit Volume 2020 Issue 1

Spirit is always assisting us, whether we “believe” in Spirit or not. For example, a neighbor of mine was once struggling with a deep, prolonged depression. Conventional therapy and medications were not helping him−̶ he just kept sinking into a darker and darker abyss.

One day I visited his home. Though I’d been there many times before, I suddenly “noticed” an extensive collection of Swan objects throughout his living room̶̶̶−̶ in cabinets, on tables, walls, & shelves… sculptures, ceramic figures, paintings of swans… swans were literally everywhere I looked! For some reason, on this particular day, Spirit focused my attention on all these swan symbols, giving me a powerful clue “where to begin” to help my friend heal.

When I remarked about all these beautiful swans, he rushed to show me his wedding album. There were two elegant swans on top of his wedding cake! Now all we had to do was connect the “sacred dots.” What was Swan trying to tell us?

From an ancient shamanic perspective, Swan’s “medicine teaching” is GRACE. I knew something about my friend’s illicit drug addiction long ago as a young man. His eyes filled with shameful tears even today when he once more reiterated “all the pain and suffering he’d caused his wife and parents” during those many wasted years of drug abuse.

My friend is one of the most sensitive, kind and thoughtful human beings I’ve ever known. Yet today it became crystal clear that even after 30 years of sobriety, he had still not forgiven himself for his youthful indiscretions, he had still not learned to give himself grace.

The swans were whispering the perpetual source of this man’s deep soul wound— a haunting belief that “no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to make up for all the anguish I’ve caused the people I love. I will never be worthy.” He kept telling himself this spirit-breaking story over and over again, year after painful year, resulting in a self-punishing chronic depression, sometimes so severe that he seriously contemplated ending his precious life.

A few days later, my friend dropped by for another visit. While we chatted, I felt the urge to have him draw an “Angel Card.” From a set of 72 tiny cards, turned upside down and thoroughly mixed by his own hands, he of course drew the card of “Grace.”

I rest my case that “divining tools” of any kind, reverently and respectfully used for a sincere healing purpose, will generously yield the sacred clarity, guidance, and confirmation that one is, indeed, on the proper healing path.

I employ a spontaneous, eclectic mix of meditation, prayer, poetry, intuition, divining tools, dreams, gut hunches, synchronicities, storytelling, humor, numerology, ceremony, modern insights and ancient teachings−̶ whatever it takes to help people find the missing pieces of their personal puzzle, anything that assists them in reclaiming their unique “Original Medicine” beauty and wholeness. Why? Because Joyful Wholeness is the birthright of every being of every form!

We were all born BEAUTIFUL. We have all been WOUNDED. Whenever we do something that hurts ourselves or others, we are living from our Wound. When we do something that heals ourselves or others, we are living from our Beauty.

If our life is filled with fear and frustration, we are living predominantly from our Wound. When our life is filled with love and peace, we are living predominantly from our Beauty. It’s really as simple as that. To arrive at a Life of Love & Peace, we must choose The Healing Path.

Guiding others toward authentic, sustainable joy and wholeness is my Life Work. I answer only to The One who long ago handed me this Sacred Assignment and continually inspires my quest to help others heal and reclaim their “Original Medicine” Beauty. I pray someday everyone will choose a Life of Love and Peace..