The Way of the Seer

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Tuesday, 16 May 2023

Written by Alberto Villoldo PhD

This week we will explore the four practices of the Way of the Seer: The Practice of Beginner’s Mind, The Practice of Living Consequently, The Practice of Transparency, and the Practice of Integrity. Take some time to think deeply about each practice and how it might change your life.

Beginners Mind. Practicing beginner’s mind requires us to let go of our preconceived notions. As Jesus said, “Except ye . . . become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” In other words, our lives become much simpler when we aren’t weighted down by the baggage of our stories and expectations The Laika say that this is when we are able to walk in the snow without leaving tracks. We stop being jaded, and instead open ourselves up to the opportunities presented to us. Innocence and spontaneity infuse our lives again, and we lose the attitude of “been there, done that.” We become childlike, experiencing things as if for the first time. Zen practitioners strive to achieve what’s known as “empty mind.” When we practice beginner’s mind, we don’t forget about our years of experience – we simply don’t confuse what we learned yesterday with what we’re discovering today.

Living Consequently. The Practice of Living Consequently is to recognize the impact each action you take has on future generations. Earthkeepers understand that even thoughts have an impact on tomorrow, so they’re mindful of every image and feeling they experience. When you practice living consequently, you’re fully conscious of the impact of each thought, intention, and action you have, and you take care to make them positive and healing instead of selfish and destructive. You recognize when you’re acting out of fear, and you deliberately choose to act out of love instead. You take full responsibility for all your actions, and the universe notices this, making your good, as well as your bad, karma immediate.

Transparency. You practice transparency when you stop hiding the parts of yourself that make you uncomfortable. It means that we allow others to see us and that we have nothing to hide. After all, it’s what we’re tiring to conceal that’s actually the most visible to other people. But we hide more than our insecurities. Oftentimes we hide our beauty and power as well because we’re uncomfortable with them or fear the consequences of letting our light shine. Hiding our true selves attract to us those who embody that which we keep secret. It externalizes our healing process, entangling us in another person’s drama and leaving us more vulnerable and fragile than we were before.

Integrity. The practice of integrity is being true to your word and recognizing its power to create reality. For the Laika, there is nothing more important than being true to one’s word, so they’re very careful about what they say to themselves and others. What you repeat to yourself is equally powerful, such as I’m a loser, I’m not as smart as so-and-so, or I’ll never find love, so you must be careful. Your word is a vow that you make. And the more you live a spiritual life, the more power your word carries and the less leeway you have to fudge. Living true to our word builds a spiritual power that’s essential if you’re to dream into being a better world. Without this power, your dreams never acquire form and always end up collapsing just as they’re about to bear fruit.

What have you learned about the Way of the Seer?

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Alberto Villoldo PhD is a medical anthropologist who has spent the last 30 years investigating the healing practices of the shamans of the Amazon and the Andes. He is the founder and director of the Four Winds Society, and author of Shaman, Healer, Sage, Mending the Past and Healing the Future with Soul Retrieval, The Four Insights and Yoga, Power and Spirit. Alberto is founder of the world-renowned Four Winds Society and of the Light Body School. In his teachings and writings, he shares the experience of infinity and its ability to heal and transform us, to free us from the temporal chains that keep us fettered to illness, old age and disease.