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100 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k m a y / j u n e 2 0 1 9 PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE How do you draw on these shamanic basics during a client session, especially in ways that aren't too esoteric? Following are a few tips that could boost your client's ability to connect with the inner workings of their own soul and enhance their healing interactions. Use the Word "Soul" It's OK to sprinkle the word soul into a conversation. Keep it simple. For instance, you can say, "What might your soul contribute to this conversation?" or "How would your soul want to handle this pain?" Employ Substitute Terms Other labels for soul include higher self, inner self, wise self, and inner wisdom. REFERENCE KARMA—SUBTLY Remember, karma constitutes issues requiring a deeper understanding and clearing to enable transformation. If appropriate, allow space for the client to reflect on their history. For instance, when massaging a particularly painful or stuck bodily area in a client, you can ask, "Do any emotions surface when I do this?" Or if performing an intake, you might query, "Is there an event that might relate to your symptoms?" If the client brings up a childhood issue, provide support and perhaps refer them to a professional therapist. No Guilt or Shame The idea of karma is often misapplied to deliver guilt or shame to the person who's hurting. In my profession as an energy healer, clients frequently ask me questions such as, "Was I abused as a child because I mistreated someone else in a past life?" or "Do I have to stay married to a mean alcoholic because I had a drinking problem earlier in my life?" We never ask for someone to wound us, nor do we deserve it. In fact, a person's body frequently won't clear the symptoms resulting from being harmed or oppressed until they are told it wasn't their fault. Love requires the release, not reinforcement, of shame. Reassure a client that no matter their "karma" or the unloving events that have affected them—or that they have committed—healing is their birthright. The lens of love should always be shaped by the light of forgiveness. Allow for Dharma Every soul carries spiritual wisdom that might need to be unlocked. Encourage the client to draw on their own inner sage. For instance, if they are focused on a site of pain, request that they connect with their soul or wise self to get a sense of how to best approach any related situations or causal issues. Reassure them of their intuitive perceptions and natural goodness and suggest that they trust these faculties. Ask Permission to Share If your shamanic abilities are really turned on and you believe you're receiving spiritual input for a client, gently probe for the client's willingness to hear your reflections. Always ask whether they would like you to share what you're intuitively hearing, seeing, or sensing regarding their deeper issues and knowledge. Above all, know that you can always connect with your own soul during a session. As presented in the beginning of this article, if you're operating as a healer, no matter your methodology, you are a working shaman. Enjoy the brilliance of your own deep heart, and illuminate, inspire, and intuit the truth. Who knows what help you might receive from each of the three worlds? Note 1. WebMD, "The Effects of Stress on Your Body," last reviewed December 10, 2017, accessed March 2019, www.webmd.com/ balance/stress-management/effects-of-stress-on-your-body. Cyndi Dale is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and intuitive consultant. Her popular books include The Subtle Body Coloring Book: Learn Energetic Anatomy (Sounds True, 2017), Subtle Energy Techniques (Llewellyn Publications, 2017), Llewellyn's Complete Book of Chakras (Llewellyn Publications, 2016), The Intuition Guidebook: How To Safely and Wisely Use Your Sixth Sense (Deeper Well Publishing, 2011), Energetic Boundaries: How to Stay Protected and Connected in Work, Love, and Life (Sounds True, 2011), The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy (Sounds True, 2009), and The Complete Book of Chakra Healing (Llewellyn Publications, 2009), as well as nearly 20 additional books. To learn more about Dale and her products, services, and classes, please visit www.cyndidale.com. ENERGY WORK Reassure a client that no matter their "karma" or the unloving events that have affected them—or that they have committed—healing is their birthright.