You've Already Arrived

"The eight patients we brought down to the Amazon were extremely sick, but on a soul level, the core problems they were working to resolve were nothing different from those we all experience in our own lives: attachment to our story, detachment to our true selves, stagnation due to stale patterns of thought that aren't serving us, fear of what others might think, fear of who we truly are inside, aversion to being vulnerable, lack of trust in ourselves and others, and ultimately, fear of the impermanence of it all - that is, fear of death.
The good news is that these seemingly toxic orientations toward our reality are 100 percent human. The tough news is that they must be acknowledged, understood, and dissolved in order for us to be healthy and benefit from the underlying wisdom they hold.
We can go to the ends of the earth to work on these things, but unless we as individuals are willing to show up right now and make the choice to be good to ourselves and do what we know is in alignment with our highest ideals, there isn't a shaman in the world who can save us."

"...cultivate patience. Slow down and relax into the experience you're currently having. The medicine will find you when it's ready."


"Stepping into the path itself is your solace. If you are on it, you've already arrived."


"This entire framework is centered on the shamanic principle that everything is medicine. It doesn't matter how painful, terrifying, or unpleasant the experience is - the master has learned how to transform these externalities into wisdom and fuel for greater spaciousness and compassion."


"- Dad, what is God?
- God is the big bright light that we all came from and that we're all going to.
- Like the moon?
- Kind of, but different. God is the light that we all have inside us that makes us who we are.
- You mean like love?
- Yes! God is love.
Hes stares into my eyes for a good minute saying nothing, transmitting something I'll never be able to categorize or give name to.
His eyes widen and he lets out a giggle that quickly morphs into a yawn.
- Good night, Dad. I'm going to leave my light on, ok?"

Be Your Truth

"Remember who you are doing this work for and why. You're willing to do whatever it takes to evolve and become the clear and loving person you were born into this world to be. This is why you are on this path - to dissolve the illusion, mend the wounds, and be your truth. Don't ever forget that.
When the fear comes, remember that you chose this. You are brave - that is your gift - but so is introspection, which is a cousin of self-doubt. Only you can choose which of these gifts you want to feed and when."


"The world is full of unknowns, but the one thing you can determine amid it all is how you are going to relate to yourself.
Never forget that you are your own strongest ally."

Surrender it the Only Way Forward

"Death is a change, a process that is necessary to life. Those who live in the Western world have demonised it out of fear and ignorance. They believe there is something to be afraid of after death. But what is it? What is God? He is life itself. So they stay away from death, and by doing so they also stay away from life."

"One thing we are guaranteed in this life is that there will be an end to our physical incarnation. Surrender is the only way forward. Surrender to the impermanence of this body, the impermanence of this emotion we are feeling right now, and the impermanence of any challenge we will ever face."

in The Sacred Science: An Ancient Healing Path for the Modern World by Nick Polizzi

The Only Possession

"You will see many things tonight, some pleasant and some not so pleasant. My advice to you is to assume a comfortable position, focus on your breathing, and try to be still.
Proceed through the next eight hours with an open heart, an open mind, like a child does, with no attachment whatsoever to what you witness, good or bad. You will most likely feel some disturbing emotions, visions, and thoughts; don't push them away. Let them pass by, simply observing without connecting any meaning.
You also may experience some beautiful sensations and imagery. The same principle applies to these. Do not reach for them or attach any significance. Simply notice. Envision yourself as a young child, sitting on the bank of a river, watching as leaves, branches, flowers, insects, and maybe some fish float and swim past you. The child simply watches, without injecting any ego or inner assessment into these passer-by.

Stay present with all that you experience. Focus on your breathing in times of difficulty, and try not to resist or cling to what you are about to see. You are everything. You are nothing. In this way, you can fully experience Grandma and go deeper with her."

(...)

"Put the strongest man or woman out in the cold for a few moments, and they become overwhelmed with an urge to tense up, as though that will somehow keep the cold out. But if you can do the unthinkable and let the sensation flow into and through you - observing it without emotion or fear, letting it pass - your reality is transformed."

As he speaks, the bitting cold that is assaulting me from every angle begins to transform into something different.
Information.
A natural self-scanning mechanism begins, showing me where I'm blocked, where I need to let go.

"Your body knows what it needs to maintain equilibrium. Don't let your mind get in the way."

(...)

Just keep focusing on your breath. The breath is the only possession that we need in life.


The Sacred Science: an Ancient Healing Path for the Modern World by Nick Polizzi