Wisewoman WisdomWalk™

III. Self-Empowerment and Letting Go

Direction: West
Element: Water
Body point: Solar Plexus
Medicine Wheel Color: Black
Note: E
Sense: Sight
Meaning: Introspection, Self examination, Reflection
Power Animals: Bear, Dolphin
Gift: Find your unique gift, the work that gives you pleasure and makes you feel fulfilled
Sacrament: Confirmation
Sepirot: Hod and Nezah
Tarot: The Hierophant, The Hermit

The Spiritual Challenge of "Honor Oneself"

Experiencing the energies and influences of the third chakra involves examining our self-esteem and self-respect. Do you really appreciate yourself? Do you continually need the approval of others to know your own worth? Are you fully functioning as an individual or do you find life not meaningful when you are not in partnership with another?

These are the challenges of the third chakra, a zone where our power as an individual wakes up and needs to walk on its own two legs, connecting its masculine and feminine aspects into a completely unified persona. This time of independance and self-awareness is sometimes perceived as narcissistic and self-serving, but it is a necessary phase of self-development. Sometimes this growth period calls forth serious conflicts between the tribe and the individual, between the father or mother and their developing needs to sustain and nurture the newly emerging Self—to honor their uniqueness and gifts. Balance can be hard or impossible to maintain. This is a critical stage of personal and spiritual development.

Our entire society is moving through this energy, a coming of age socially and spiritually! Feudal and tribal behaviors and attitudes are shifting to accomodate a new dimension in persona, a new respect for the individual, and with this we see many marriages and long-term relationships also redefining themselves or splitting apart from the strain of growth and uncontrollable inner urges to assert independence and to know oneself more deeply. With this coming of age arrives a new found sense of purpose, integrity and value as a human being—as well as an acknowledgement of new spiritual strength and connection to the Divine. Where self grows and enlarges and becomes unified and integrous, so does spirit.

Exploring and Experiencing Self-Esteem and Personal Power

Day 3

Morning session:
In this Initiation, we will be creating a self-portrait and also painting several mandalas. Then we will have a guided meditation focused on the fear of abandonment and survival. We will be using a special listing process to assess our needs and desires, and asking the Universe to support our intentions.

Afternoon session:
We will use the Medicine Cards to define a seven directions portrait of our life's journey—towards the Creator, the center, the Inner Self—by connecting to the seven sacred totems that have guided and supported us all along our path! We will be defining a special strength or ability, and then making a Medicine Shield to use during our evening ritual of Confirmation.

Receiving the Blessing of Knowing Who We Are

Evening session:
This session culminates in a sacred ritual of Confirmation as we acknowledge that we have the choice to move forward with our lives in alignment with our inner needs and desires. Our Medicine Shields will announce our unique and essential contribution to the group and to humanity, and re-focus our purpose in life.

Thoughts about Three (3)

Positive Effects

Peaceful, calm but colorful emotions.

Negative Effects

Overattached love, overemotional.