I mostly consider myself an “inner granola”. You know, I am spiritual and a hippie on the inside, but on the outside, I look pretty normal. I wear makeup, I curl my hair, and I don’t wear socks and Birkenstocks or dreadlocks in my hair. I do love my crystals and essential oils, and I also love the gold sparkly shoes I got at the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.
I consider myself, and probably the majority of people reading this and my clients as a bridge. A bridge of the woo woo, spiritual and granola into the mainstream. Not too far out there that I don’t make sense to either side, but a lovely blend of spiritual (who we really are) and practical and living in the real world.
I find as I have awoken spiritually over the past 15 years, and have seen with many of my clients, it can sometimes feel uncomfortable to stretch and to be authentic with those in our lives that don’t yet understand the new way we see the world.
When I had my spiritual awakening in 2004, I was living in the suburbs as a semi stay at home mom, with a husband, a mommy group, and two kids. I shopped at Costco and Target, and talked about normal boring suburban things.
As I started to explore spiritual texts, going to therapy, practicing and instructing yoga, and realizing that I am a divine piece of the Universe here to co-create my reality, I became super bored with talking about normal boring suburban things. I wanted to talk about manifesting, and the Universe, and energy and spirituality.
the thing that I have noticed in my awakening process and have witnessed in clients as well. It’s really really really REALLY exciting!!! I mean super life-changing amazing exciting! I wanted to shout it from the rooftops and tell everyone I knew “Fear is an illusion!” “Only love is real!” “Everything is made of energy!” “We are all connected!” “There are no problems, everything is here to help us grow!” “We create our own reality!” and on and on and on.
The buzz of energy and life-changing shifts in perception that occurred for me were so exciting that I felt that I just had to share with everyone I knew! I have seen my clients have this drive as well. It’s like I can’t keep this a secret, I feel so great and I want everyone I know to feel this good too!
I learned through experience that not everyone is ready or interested in learning or growing in the same way. I know, right? How could they not understand that life is magical? Why do they not want to see this amazing secret with me? While this was coming from a loving place, as I have evolved through my codependence I have realized that evolution is not a race. That love is: Letting Others Voluntarily Evolve. That it’s ok if they aren’t interested and don’t want to know.
In my newbie awakening suburban mom life, the friends I had at the time were not very interested in this spiritual talk. They would humor me, and listen, but couldn’t engage with me in the way I wanted anymore. I started pulling away from them some, with the understanding that I would soon find my new tribe. People that were excited to talk about the things I was really interested in, and that could help me continue to expand and grow.
Navigating the process of living a normal, suburban life, with simultaneously awakening spiritually is something that I both have personal knowledge of and have helped many others work through as well.
We don’t have to go live in a monastery or on a mountain top somewhere chanting all day to feel happy and connected. We are needed here. In the real world, at the PTA, in the corporate workplace, and in the mommy groups. We are needed to speak our truth, in the way those around us can hear, in order to continue to assist in the great awakening that is happening on the planet.
While I will always love Costco and Target, and a lot of things about the suburbs actually, I am not satisfied with not being authentic.
Next week I will break down some ways to navigate the process of moving through an awakening while living in the real world.
Shana Olmstead, Intuitive Consultant
I see my life purpose as helping people to awaken to the truth of their divine nature, the powerful spiritual beings that they are. I have assisted hundreds of clients in my therapy practice to wake up to the understanding that we are all made of source energy, and are here to increase our consciousness and joy to help the evolution everyone on the planet. I am so excited and inspired to continue helping people through their own awakening! Contact me to schedule an appointment in person in Kirkland, Washington or for a phone or video consultation wherever you are located.
Read more about Spiritual Counseling with Shana Olmstead.
