In January 2014, after several meetings and negotiations regarding how to bring forward a collaboration of minds and hearts about the deeply intimate subject of returning to our our authentic selves, a blog called Shift to Center was created. It was meant to be a place where both co-founders and readers would find a place to reflect, share and grow. The word ‘Shift’ was meant to acknowledge the urgency needed for the wholeness and healing of our world.
Things don’t always work out the way we plan. The name, Return to Center, came forward in a dream. One of those dreams where the message is clear and after much training of the ego, one where you do it now and allow clarity to come in the process of doing. A return to our core, authentic way of being is a process that must unfold in its own time and it’s different for each one of us. There are no shortcuts. There is an initial awareness that seeps in or that startles you, then an acknowledgement that changing is your own responsibility, then an unwinding of all the entanglements and stories you told yourself up to that moment. Some can shed beliefs or habits that no longer serve them like a snake sheds its skin. Some have to peel them away like layers of an onion. Either way, it’s an ongoing process. Even the snake sheds its skin two to four times per year. Then there is the becoming. Each action has intention. Wandering back into old habits occurs. Reawakening. Rinse. Repeat.
Although I set upon a shamanic healing path in 2004, it took a long time for me to unwind the identities that kept me from embracing my true nature. We make decisions based on what we know at a point in our lives, usually based on beliefs that inform us, our lineages, our religions, our cultures. At some point, we awaken to the possibility that there is another, bigger and bolder, story to be told. When we find the story that rings true in our hearts, our guts and our minds -a congruent truth- it feels like home. That is how we begin to return to our center. Sometimes the pull is too strong and we take a wrong turn. It’s okay, make a u-turn. Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes.
I’m grateful for all experiences leading up to now. In the unwinding and side trails, I’ve come to judge less and hold a lot more compassion for myself and others. I’m still working on patience, but a good sense of humor helps.
I invite you to come here often and in a good way to share your thoughts, dreams and questions. We are all in this together.
Return to Center 