HOW A WHITE WOMAN BECAME A SHAMAN NATURALLY
Wed February 3, 2010, 7:20 am

People ask me how I received my name. StraightArrow. Directly from Spirit I tell them. I saw the letters spelled out and a symbol appeared. It sounded native to me and I asked a Shaman I was working with about its origin. He answered me with a question-have you ever heard that name before? I realized I never had. 

It’s your name, he said. I realized that this name spoke of my soul purpose-to bring truth and healing directly, clearly and with joy. I have to add the joy because that is my way. I looked up straightarrow in the dictionary and it spoke of a conservative person. This sounded full of stiffness and rules. This is definitely not me.

No matter how deep I go, or how much truth is revealed, there is always a giggle and deep love. I teach students that if you ever work with a spiritual teacher and they are serious and full of themselves, and worst of all - say they are done with their personal healing work-run.

Spirituality is all about living pure love and the innocence of a child, with pure perception, truth and experience. Life is a journey of healing and becoming more love and more you as a person and as a soul here on earth. This is true enlightenment here on earth.

 This ongoing growth never ends-thank goodness or what would we do here? As a teacher, I am constantly a student learning each moment from each person and experience.

My medicine name is Heyoka Greywolf. Also given by spirit when I was first initiated as a Medicine Woman. Heyoka is powerful medicine. Some native peoples have been wary of me because of this. Heyoka is coyote medicine with transformation, adversity and joy-you never know what to expect.

My life has been this constant unexpected journey to places and things. Unexpected is also the way spirit works through me. Working directly with what people need is what will occur-no matter what I or we plan. Greywolf is the teacher. I teach from the heart- not the way toastmasters teaches.

I went to toastmasters for a bit. The room was filled with pharmaceutical drug reps and here I was teaching people how to heal naturally and Be Their Own Medicine. Not a good fit. There is no selling of truth-either it is or it is not. Living in alignment with your nature heals. I love teaching people how to do and be it!

Back to the beginning.

At the age of forty I was a top Realtor in NJ and also studied healing and spirituality, reading three books a week. I lived integrity and service and enjoyed helping people help themselves to make the best choices and guide them along the way.

My broker came in one morning and said he met a Shaman at breakfast who he had opened a shop in a local town. A Shaman in a diner…in New Jersey? My curiosity drove me to finish all I had to do for my clients and then go to that shop. I was not totally familiar with all of the native items, but I loved the handcrafted jewelry.

My native heritage so far had been to be told by my mother regularly as a challenging child with her own mind-that she was going to send me back to the Indians,. She also told me to walk a mile in another’s moccasins before judging them.  In history we had studied about the Delaware and Lenape tribes locally and other stories of Indians across the land. I did not really know what a Shaman was in the deepest sense.

So I went to the shop and waited until he was free to speak to me. He came over to me with his soft doe eyes and held my hands. Surprisingly not creepy, I felt the deep love and honor he shared.

Eagle Bear was the one who told me that I was a Shaman and mentored me through spirit led explorations and discoveries for many years. I did not believe him. Instead I was awakened by spirit over and over again.

Guidance that I took for granted since a child became something I paid attention to and cherished. He taught me ceremonies and so much more. When he died he passed on half of his lineage to me by transmission and words.

My journey took me to explore and be initiated by spirit in many lineages from around the world both shamanic and spiritual traditions. I was guided to Masters in body and out. I began to teach and initiate people as if I had always done it. I also began being aware of the profound healing that came through me.

I do not perform native ceremonies from any tradition, even through I was initiated and taught with approval. I honor the rainbow of all as one and allow that to lead ceremonies and sessions.

When I work with people we sit together and move through whatever they need to learn or heal in ways that yOU can receive it. I look like your sister or mother or aunt. No need for outward trappings or tools and yet sometimes we use them. Change occurs in a conversation sitting on chairs or on the telephone.

Fast forward to now. I am here to be a rainbow bridge for people who are waking up from business, healthcare and all areas of life, into awareness of who they are and their place in this world and their purpose. Mentoring advanced and new students and apprenticing them into themselves as leaders and teachers and healers is also my joy and privilege.

There is much more that will come later.

May we all hold our mother the earth and all of our relations-animals, trees, rocks, people and all of life - in the heavens and on earth sacred in love and healing. “And now our minds are one”. Mohawk Blessing

Be The Medicine, Living the Power of You!

Janet StraightArrow

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

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