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I think @Leo Gura may find empowerment in viewing human sexuality only/mostly through that survival lens. It's certainly the lens he focuses on the most. And what he says is somewhat true from that perspective. But the over-use of that lens is itself distortional and reductive. I was really obsessed with this lens too, back when I was 20. I had recognized a repression of my feminine sexual/animal core. And I became obsessed with sexuality from the paradigm. And it's very intoxicating in a way. Now, the animalistic perspective is a perspective where men have an inherent advantage over women. So, I can see why over-focusing on the animal nature can be comforting from the male perspective and a bit anxiety provoking form the female perspective. There was a lot of anxiety woven into my focus towards that perspective back then... but it was also worth it to dive so deep. It just felt like my sexuality was ouroboros eating his own tail. It seemed to self-cannibalize... and it was every bit erotic and frustrating. And it makes sense because to be female from the animal and spiritual perspective is to yield for life to be. It's a complete reversal of everything else that relates to survival and life. Female sexual arousal is like a planet in retrograde. Now much later, I developed that ability to have integration between the animalistic perspective and the higher consciousness perspective and saw how those things intermingle so intimately from the lowest most animalistic behaviors to the highest most exalted form where God makes love to reality. Now, it could be Leo's intention to get people in touch with their animal nature in order to have such a transformation. But I don't really think it comes through in a helpful way. There's a lot more to untangle once you find it. And I think there is a strong chance that I could have become attached to the pleasure and comfort of that perspective if I were a man. I think I would have dug a couple layers deep into human sexuality, found something empowering and exciting, and stayed there. I was always lamenting that that was not possible. I didn't have that chance to find something that was both empowering and exciting until digging layers and layers deep. But I can also recognize from my present state of mind, after having dug through this so much that the animalistic perspective alone will never be satisfying from the female perspective. You really need to integrate the animalistic perspective with the perspective of the heart to really make a woman feel satisfied... and ideally the heart coupled with spirituality.

The pandemic made me return to my home country and move back in with my parents which was very painful and confusing but finally provide me with the opportunity to reconnect to my family and finally face BS and take my meditation to the next level. It was the most profound transformation in my life so far.

Transformation, healing and change of priorities. I benefited from this happening and even though i lost some things like a comfortable job it was worth it. If not for corona my health would go downhill but now it's not. Of course it's something awful and almost everyone wishes that this whole thing never happened but i actually wished that something like this would happen to take a fucking break. There is always something good hidden in something bad.

Work with a therapist, if your financial situation allows. But not just any therapist; most of them are useless and don't have any working techniques. Weirdly, techniques that work are not that popular. And stuff that's popular doesn't work. Below are some modalities that do work for releasing trauma, better than psychedelics or breathwork. RPT (reference point therapy or rapid personal transformation) Systemic / family constellations WHH (Whole hearted healing) Shamanic soul retrieval

I don't discard anything, but holding on to any concept of "knowing" is a huge hindrance towards realization of that which lies beyond all concepts. Hope is also a major hindrance. Hope is trecherous. As long as you are holding on to hope, you are holding on to a false idol, because all idols are false. You first need to let go of all hope before you can gain your true self. That's why the night is always darkest before the dawn. It has to be; such is the nature of true transformation. That which is false needs to go up in flames for that which is true to emerge. Sorry to be such a downer, but it is what it is.

My guess is that it's just part of the experience and it does serve a purpose. Not everyone survives this hell, but those who does will never be the same. Its like a super big purification and transformation. If you love your ego then you have to play otherwise you die and your name would be wiped out from this dream.

@Nahm Thank you very much for the long comment, I am already feeling optimistic. I started reading your story but will finish by tommorow. Very interesting and I can very much relate to your transformation but I have a long way ahead of me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Personally I'd encourage them to understand that they don't need to avoid suffering. That they grow stronger when they are in pain. There is an analogy of a butterfly. During the transformation of the Caterpillar to the butterfly, the butterfly struggles to push itself out of the cocoon, developing strength in doing so. If you, being the kind hearted person you are, seen the butterfly struggling, and helped it out of its cocoon, you would actually be doing incredible damage to it. See the strength that it is required to summon, in order to push itself out of the tight spot...is the strength with which it survives after it leaps into the wild. Similarly, I think we are cutting our children out of their cocoons far too much these days. I'm not saying to be heavy handed, but wisdom is as important as love. And wisdom tells me, the harder that child is trained at a young age, the more robust it will be as an adult❤️

After having several peak experiences, I tried to meditate, contemplate and observe under weed. And that day I've had 5 major peak experiences (overwhelmingly intense, lasting several seconds and then closing up), several minor, and the ability to enter plateau experience (prolonged and at generally less intense connection to Being/Reality) at will. The level of consciousness outside of peak experiences was at times so high that it has brought me to tears in awe of experiencing reality, and just simply being. I'm still going through this transformation, but the main point is that I'm pretty sure that weed can act as a push that makes it easier to tune into connection with Being, provided you've already had some peak experiences. This is analogous to how having experience of 5-MeO (a peak experience) can alter your future experiences of regular psychedelics (with weed being a possibility).

@blackchair yeah bro as if it was like a button, i'm finding authenticity every day, striving towards it i guess but it's not like anone night transformation to be 100% authentic, in fact i thibk in society it's impossible

Like every breakthrough a human has is spliced into ten second clip and does this for every psychedelic breakthrough people have from movies, their phones, etc to show the power and love and transformation of these substances. I am never the same after my 4g break into the god head and final death. Complete fucking liberation and I’ve never been happier. To out smart ego, death! if you have one you’d like to send: PM me please. https://open.spotify.com/track/5jmYu7XY4zd3mJfizA8t1K?si=_fhgBTrER26oKSnd_mLzJg

Yes, seeing what you really are, in all the endless ways, can be scary. You do have to wade through loneliness, grief, confusion, and immense loss. You have to see and love the parts of yourself that frighten and disgust you the most. You have to be willing to die into the fires of awakening, with no hope of recovery. You have to let go of getting a fix from that guy, or that show, or that cookie, or that meditation technique. The part of you that can get a fix will be no more, and when you try to get off on whatever it is, it won’t work. It’s scary and you lose a lot, but once you stop hitting snooze and wake up to the next transformation, none of that will matter. You will be operating from a whole new perspective. Born again, so to speak. Until you reach the next plateau and do it all again. The good news is, your relationship with this process will change as you do. It won’t always be such a big drama to awaken. You won’t hit snooze so many times, and eventually not at all.

In one post Leo said something like ' spirituality requires a peaceful stable society'. When another commenter questioned the existence of such a thing, he said' you are living in one'. I would say the facts are against him on both counts. as to living in one, America is still, as Martin King said ' the greatest purveyor of violence on earth'. We live on stolen land and still refuse to honor our treaties with the indigenous people who lived here for thousands of years. Our wars and use of fossil fuels has destabilized the planet and caused massive destruction. So far chanting and kundalini experiences and prayers have not stopped the wars, or the building of nuclear weapons, or global warming, and has not housed the millions of refugees, despite many assurances that all of that would naturally happen as rich people got enlightened. As to the requirement for stable societies. I beg to differ. The teachings of Jesus emerged under the cruelty of Roman occupation, Black Elk, Chief Seattle, Handsome Lake and Wovoka spoke great wisdom and showed courage and spiritual depth after and during the destruction of their culture, The Tibetan Buddhists were murdered and tortured in large number and driven from their monasteries only to move to Nepal, continue their devotion, rebuild and reach an ever larger audience. The center is not the inner transformation of the individual. There is no center. We really are all part of the same whole. And that whole is looking for us in a million practical and wonderfully impractical ways. Loving communication within that whole is the life force that gives it a meaningful totality of being. But when an individual fills his house with carbon monoxide, and there is no escape for the gas, that individual will die. So it is with our planetary home. If we do to evolve the wherewithal to turn off the gas, and open the plant windows to let it back into mother earths carbon storage system, and if we do not do that soon, the wholeness and beauty will face feedback loop of destruction.

What is the ego? First we must understand it on the level of generation. Then we must understand it on the level of integration Further we must understand it on the level of recycling. And through the interaction of these dynamics we need to understand it on the level of transformation. So that can be remembered via the following acronym, of course, GIRT. Rhymes with dirt, if you remember Joe Dirt, you'll remember Girt. I'll elaborate on these mechanisms in the future, and yes, this is simultaneously how we grow, heal and shift the ego in various ways relative to where awareness wishes to take it.

Oracle Deck 7 1. Abundance. Count your blessings. 2. Acceptance. The cycle of life. 3. Awareness. Look beyond what you see. 4. Balance. Light and dark. 5. Bravery. Explore your inner wild places. 6. Bright future. The darkest hour is just before the dawn. 7. Connection. We are all connected. 8. Courage. Courage in the face of conflict. 9. Dance. Let your body move. 10. Direction. Where are you heading. 11. Dreaming. Be aware of your dreams. 12. Forgiveness. Compassion and kindness. 13. Free spirit. Be your own person. 14. Happiness. Joy of life. 15. Imagination. Let your dreams take flight. 16. In nature. Connect with nature. 17. Insight. Be open to enchantment. 18. Inspiration. Begin now. 19. Intention. Spinning faith. 20. Intuition. Inner wisdom. 21. Letting go. Emotional release. 22. Life purpose. Manifest your dream. 23. Moon lore. Ebb and flow. 24. New Beginnings. Take a fresh look at life. 25. Opportunity. Expand your horizon. 26. Passion. Burning with life's passion. 27. Patience. Through the darkness to the light. 28. Rhythm. Tune into the natural rhythm of life. 29. Self exploration. Fairy tales and myths. 30. Self love. Love yourself. 31. Serenity. Be Calm. 32. Spiritual insight. Sacredness 33. Strength. Know your strength. 34. Transformation. Be open to change. 35. Trust. All is as it should be. 36. Your path. Have courage to follow your own path.

Oracle Deck 4 This 42 card deck is divided into 3 suits - Action, Meaning and Message. Action cards tell you what you need to DO about your situation. Think of them as the Universe giving you practical advice on how you should act in order to manifest the best outcome. Meaning cards explain what your situation MEANS. Think of them as your subconscious mind or intuition telling your conscious mind the hidden truth. Message cards is what the Universe wants you to KNOW. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do anything about it, it is just messages related to your situation for you to be aware of. After receiving and understanding the message, you can make up your own meaning or action inspired by it. Sun cards are action cards. Moon cards are meaning cards Star cards are message cards 1 action card 2 breathe sun card 3 create. Nurture your creative energy. Star card 4 dream. Star card 5 Energy... Star card. 6 Flow.. Star card. 7 Forgiveness set yourself free. 8 Gratitude.. Star card. 9 Hard work... Sun card. 10 Let go.. Relax and release. Sun card. 11 Listen... Sun card.. 12 Patience... Sun card. 13 Rest..... Sun card. 14 Set intentions.... 15 Speak up.. Express yourself.. 16 Trust.... Faith in the power of the universe. 17 Change. New season of life.. Moon card 18 Fire. Transformation, rebirth and renewal. Moon card 19 Freedom.... Moon card 20 Growth... Overcome limitations. Moon card. 21 Guidance. You're Divinely guided. Moon card. 22 Happy endings. End of a chapter. Moon card. 23 healing. Allow light to enter your wounds. Moon card.. 24 joy. Your inner child is here to play.. Moon card. 25. Lesson. Wisdom through mistakes. 26 Love.... Moon card. 27 Manifestation... Moon card 28.. Mystery. Secrets and hidden meanings. Moon card. 29 Nature. Moon card. 30 A new beginning. Have the courage to open a new door. 31 Peace.... Moon card.. 32 Stillness. Moon card. 33 Caution... Star card. 34 Don't stop. Miracles are around the corner. Star card. 35 Head... Evaluation... Star card. 36 Heart card... Star card. 37 The moon.. Subconscious mind.. Feminine. Intuition.. Star card. 38 Remember who you are.. Return to the roots. Star card. 39 The star.... Blessings, inspiration, time to shine .... Star card... 40 The sun....... Conscious mind, masculine life force. Star card. 41 You are safe.... The universe has your back. Star card. 42 Your wish is coming true.. Celebrate your success.. Star card.

Oracle Deck 4 This 42 card deck is divided into 3 suits - Action, Meaning and Message. Action cards tell you what you need to DO about your situation. Think of them as the Universe giving you practical advice on how you should act in order to manifest the best outcome. Meaning cards explain what your situation MEANS. Think of them as your subconscious mind or intuition telling your conscious mind the hidden truth. Message cards is what the Universe wants you to KNOW. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do anything about it, it is just messages related to your situation for you to be aware of. After receiving and understanding the message, you can make up your own meaning or action inspired by it. Sun cards are action cards. Moon cards are meaning cards Star cards are message cards 1 action card 2 breathe sun card 3 create. Nurture your creative energy. Star card 4 dream. Star card 5 Energy... Star card. 6 Flow.. Star card. 7 Forgiveness set yourself free. 8 Gratitude.. Star card. 9 Hard work... Sun card. 10 Let go.. Relax and release. Sun card. 11 Listen... Sun card.. 12 Patience... Sun card. 13 Rest..... Sun card. 14 Set intentions.... 15 Speak up.. Express yourself.. 16 Trust.... Faith in the power of the universe. 17 Change. New season of life.. Moon card 18 Fire. Transformation, rebirth and renewal. Moon card 19 Freedom.... Moon card 20 Growth... Overcome limitations. Moon card. 21 Guidance. You're Divinely guided. Moon card. 22 Happy endings. End of a chapter. Moon card. 23 healing. Allow light to enter your wounds. Moon card.. 24 joy. Your inner child is here to play.. Moon card. 25. Lesson. Wisdom through mistakes. 26 Love.... Moon card. 27 Manifestation... Moon card 28.. Mystery. Secrets and hidden meanings. Moon card. 29 Nature. Moon card. 30 A new beginning. Have the courage to open a new door. 31 Peace.... Moon card.. 32 Stillness. Moon card. 33 Caution... Star card. 34 Don't stop. Miracles are around the corner. Star card. 35 Head... Evaluation... Star card. 36 Heart card... Star card. 37 The moon.. Subconscious mind.. Feminine. Intuition.. Star card. 38 Remember who you are.. Return to the roots. Star card. 39 The star.... Blessings, inspiration, time to shine .... Star card... 40 The sun....... Conscious mind, masculine life force. Star card. 41 You are safe.... The universe has your back. Star card. 42 Your wish is coming true.. Celebrate your success.. Star card.

Oracle Deck 2 1. Earth Star Chakra. Initiation 2. Root Chakra. Ground and center 3. Sacral chakra. Core of creation 4. Solar plexus chakra. Radiant illumination 5. Heart Chakra. Back to love. 6. High Heart Chakra. Ecstatic bliss 7. Throat chakra. Express your truth 8. Third Eye chakra - pineal perspective 9. Crown chakra. The unlimited self 10. Soul star chakra. Emerging with the divine. 11. Aether. The seamless unspeakable. 12. Water. The overflow 13. Air. Paradigm shift. 14. Earth. Nurture. nature. 15. Solaris sublime. 16. Loving compassion 17. Awakened Awareness 18. Alignment 19. Balanced forces 20. Beyond the mind 21. Communication co-creation 22. Crystal keys 23. Endless Opportunities 24. Evolution 25. Freedom 26. Full Spectrum 27. Furred and feathered friends. 28. Gracious Receptivity 29. Harmonic flight 30. Healing 31. Home 32. Internal Explorer 33. Journey to Wholeness 34. Life force Energy 35. Lumin Essence. 36. Manifestia. 37. Mount Shasta 38. New Blueprints. 39. Our Ancient future 40. Radical Expansion 41. Realm Bridger 42. Reclaim your energy 43. She of the lotus 44. Shine your light 45. Starseed elemental 46. Star seer 47. Stepping through 48. Surrender 49. The infinite 50. The portal keeper 51. The sound of the universe. 52. The violent flame 53. Transformation 54. Trust your innocence 55. Unique gifts 56. Vulnerability.

36 card deck 1. Abundance. Count your blessings. 2. Acceptance. The cycle of life. 3. Awareness. Look beyond what you see. 4. Balance. Light and dark. 5. Bravery. Explore your inner wild places. 6. Bright future. The darkest hour is just before the dawn. 7. Connection. We are all connected. 8. Courage. Courage in the face of conflict. 9. Dance. Let your body move. 10. Direction. Where are you heading. 11. Dreaming. Be aware of your dreams. 12. Forgiveness. Compassion and kindness. 13. Free spirit. Be your own person. 14. Happiness. Joy of life. 15. Imagination. Let your dreams take flight. 16. In nature. Connect with nature. 17. Insight. Be open to enchantment. 18. Inspiration. Begin now. 19. Intention. Spinning faith. 20. Intuition. Inner wisdom. 21. Letting go. Emotional release. 22. Life purpose. Manifest your dream. 23. Moon lore. Ebb and flow. 24. New Beginnings. Take a fresh look at life. 25. Opportunity. Expand your horizon. 26. Passion. Burning with life's passion. 27. Patience. Through the darkness to the light. 28. Rhythm. Tune into the natural rhythm of life. 29. Self exploration. Fairy tales and myths. 30. Self love. Love yourself. 31. Serenity. Be Calm. 32. Spiritual insight. Sacredness 33. Strength. Know your strength. 34. Transformation. Be open to change. 35. Trust. All is as it should be. 36. Your path. Have courage to follow your own path.

Firstly, you can't do shit to change someone. So even if your conclusion is going to be "my partner should have a purpose" (as defined by you), that just means you have to break up with him. The way you describe your interactions, there is no way you can talk him into it. Could he talk you into slowing down with your self-actualization, and chilling more? If he felt like you should read less books and play more playstation with him, would you adapt to his wishes? Probably not. So it's not fair to expect him to change. When I started eating healthy, I started thinking that people around me should be eating healthy. When I started a business, I started thinking my peers are stupid for working a 9-5. When I started planning my days working towards my goals, I started judging other people for not having goals. And so on. This is a trap. It actually comes from the shadow that you create when you try to change yourself. Until I'm done with that part of my transformation, I am still fighting myself sometimes. I still have impulses to "chill" and "waste time" and I suppress and judge those impulses. As long as I have to do that, I will also do it to others. Only when I feel fully secure and trust myself to eat healthy, without having to whip myself at all, can I relent, and with that, also the harsh judgment of others will relent. So be aware of this effect. If you think it's something like that, it's only in the mind, and I would try to let it go. Because it's about you, not about him. If you are truly not meant to be together anymore, the way you know is not by a mental reasoning like this. You would feel that you are not attracted to him anymore. So let go of these thoughts, and trust your heart, to tell you whenever it might really be time to move on. Until then, indeed these thoughts are a distraction. If you continue focusing on your own development, and you show the fruits of it by transforming into a different person, with new qualities like improved understanding and empathy, there's a good chance that you may inspire him to catch up with you. You can inspire people to want to reach your level, by becoming a great person. Through your actions, not your words. If you read complicated topics and try to talk about them to him, you're just paying lipservice to self-development. It will likely make him feel like you're bullying him, and making him feel stupid, by forcing topics onto him that he doesn't care about and then judging him for it. This is just an ego game. If you on the other hand actually integrate what you learn, you won't need to talk about it: he will see the transformation in you. Continue your own work, show him who you've become, and watch what happens Maybe you'll drift apart, maybe he'll catch up!

PART 3) EXPERIMENT UPDATE: Next morning Yes I can create this state whenever I want now, as soon as I wake, within moments. There is one most important rule. The acceptance of truth and through the execution of that rule what are some of its implications: - Accept literally everything within every fibre of my being and utilise that as an energy source to explode my state. This doesn't need to be before I hop out of bed. It all starts with consciousness, so you begin with consciousness and you perform this act as consciousness, and after consciousness has absorbed and transformed enough of its subsidiary and primary energetic material, getting out of bed, for me in less than 30 to 60 seconds after the absorption and transformation process, happens not just automatically, but inspirationally, powerfully, like thunder and lighting on a sunny day. Cool shit right. Done. Feeling great and I haven't even had my coffee yet.

@Shunyata I think the greatest danger with shadow work is splitting yourself up into good and bad parts, things to be nurtured and eliminated. There are things that need correction and transformation for sure, but that needs to be done in a loving way. It is almost always possible to rehabilitate things that are unhealthy or have started generating bad impulses in yourself, transformation is a better way than trying to eliminate things. But you will want to stay alert with how your inner self is presenting things to you. Not everybody’s inner models will work in the same way as others.

Of course, and it can be a helpful one for sure! It can become an obstacle though when it sprouts thoughts like you used in your first post: "shadow elimination" "getting out of a state" "reaching adulthood" That's what I was pointing at, the thought of trying to to get rid of something and reaching some new state. It's really good that you want to work on yourself, that is the fuel. Now maybe your strategy needs work. Let me give you an example: I had energetic knots in my head for a long time, kind of felt like a headache. Most of the times I wasn't sure which of these two things it really was, but it was painful. I always subconsciously wanted it to go away, and after years I found out that that is why it never went away and came back stronger. In a book I read recently, the author says to visualize knots in your body as flowers to blossom, to open up like a clenched fist. This is transformation. This is love. The other way would be rejection which is lack of love. Maybe you see what I mean. It sounds like a word game, but it is not. For me, it changed everything. You're on the right path, don't worry ??

Whenever one fights or opposes something, it only makes what one is fighting more powerful. In the Fourth Way it’s stated as - To oppose second force increases second force.iME, this is what Red Hawk was getting at, in the quote I put up above. As humans, we have the tendency to either dismiss, explain away, or make excuses for our discontinuity of consciousness. It might be called a change of moods or perhaps the activation of a sub personality, the result of temporary stress, etc.,, Terence McKenna pretty much dismissed the contemporary diagnoses of schizophrenia. In a roundabout way, his view aligns with a core element of the Gurdjieff Teaching. Earlier in this journal I metaphorically labeled myself as a ship of fools. This metaphor I borrowed from Robert Deropp, a biochemist of the early 20th century and student of Ouspensky. He authored a book about the path to higher consciousness and enlightenment called The Master Game which became a classic in the early 1970’s. The Fourth Way teaches that we’re more fractured psychologically than the majority of contemporary psychologists and academia will allow. Transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart coined the phrase “cultural consensus trance” . A beautiful description of the result of the fracturedness prevalent in modern humans which creates the collective ego This element of fracturedness is susinctly delineated in an article written by Ralph Losey called The Problem of the Subtle Sybil effect. http://www.lawsofwisdom.com/course-overview/opening-statement/the-problem-of-the-subtle-sybil-effect/ It’s very difficult to change our habits but it is possible to transform our habits of mechanical behavior over time. It’s why in the Work, it is advised to not try and change ourselves but to just objectively observe. This observation will allow Conscience to awaken through remorse. Remorse of Conscience will make transformation of our mechanical behaviors much more possible than the route of self criticism, blame and guilt. It makes our transformation of lower self and lower chakra energies a conscious endeavor by way of awakened conscience. Awakened conscience is the same in everyone unlike acquired conscience which changes over time and from culture to culture. Awakened conscience is called by some, the intelligence of the universe. Jesus Christ and the Buddha taught non-violence and forgiveness through letting go and not judging or keeping accounts. The path of awakened conscience. By awakening, we leap out of our graves, as Ocke deBoer humorously puts it. Awakened people are not over burdened with false seriousness, they’re light hearted.

Seeker (Wanderer, Vagabond, Nomad) This archetype refers to one who searches on a path that may begin with earthly curiosity but has at its core the search for God and/or enlightenment. Unlike the Mystic, which has the Divine as its sole focus, the Seeker is in search of wisdom and truth wherever it is to be found. The shadow side of the archetype is the “lost soul,” someone on an aimless journey without direction, ungrounded, disconnected from goals and others. The shadow emerges when seekers become infatuated with the trappings of a certain practice or guru–what Chögyam Trungpa so aptly called “spiritual materialism”–but never actually change their underlying egocentricity. Servant (Indentured Servant) We all serve someone or something. Because the spiritual path is essentially one of service to others, anyone can relate to this archetype. The Servant engages aspects of our psyche that call us to make ourselves available to others for the benefit and enhancement of their lives. This task can only be done in a healthy manner if the Servant is able to simultaneously be of service to the self. Without the strength to maintain your own well-being, the Servant becomes consumed by the needs of those around you and loses all focus of the value of your own life. From a mundane perspective, the Servant is associated with money because servants are hired help. This aspect is witnessed within the psyche of the Indentured Servant, a person who sees himself bound by conditions of service that are not of his choosing or preference because of an inability to “buy his freedom,” or symbolically coming into your own power. Therefore, the core challenge with this particular archetype is making choices that serve your highest potential. If this describes a substantial personal issue for you, then consider this archetype as a possibility for your own chart. Shape-shifter (Spell-caster–see also Trickster) This archetype has long been known to shamans of the American Indian and other native traditions for having the ability to change appearances for a variety of reasons. The Shape-shifter can navigate through different levels of consciousness, dream and waking states and the astral plane. Somewhat related to the Trickster, it is more flexible and less tied to a specific goal. The shadow aspect emphasizes instability, fickleness, and lack of conviction, as can be seen in any number of modern day politicians who reinvent themselves to appeal to the latest popular trends. Slave The Slave archetype represents a complete absence of the power of choice and self-authority. Yet it is precisely the absence of will power that gives the Slave its potential for personal transformation. The ultimate spiritual task is to surrender one’s will to the Divine–in effect, to become a Divine Slave. The goal in many monastic practices is to release one’s individual power of choice and become subject to the will of a spiritual mentor, trusting that individual to have your best interests at heart. This act of releasing your will to a higher authority is also witnessed within organizational hierarchies, such as in the military and corporations. One becomes a Slave to the system. For tens of millions of African Americans, the Slave archetype carries a historical freight that is impossible to overlook. If Slavery is part of your genetic history, you need to take a close look at the possible presence of the Slave archetype in your intimate family. Others who may dismiss this archetype as having no role in their life may discover that it is more prevalent than most people imagine, because of its many different expressions. We don’t think of a soldier armed with weapons as a Slave, yet following orders unconditionally is an aspect of the Slave–especially when these orders personally violate your integrity. The Puppet, for instance, may be manipulated by others. Regardless of how this archetype manifests, however, its core learning is to understand the paradoxical truth that you are only truly free when you have surrendered all power of choice to the Divine.