Scully Nicki - Shamanic Breathwork

This book is dedicated to the shaman within us all... and to Casey, who embodies the spirit of the Aquarian shaman.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I n some ways it would be so much easier to simply say thank you to all those who have supported me and my journey of birthing this book into being. I do not want to leave anyone out in these acknowledgments, since there have been many along the way whose incredible spirits have touched my spirit with their own.

I will make a humble attempt to express my gratitude to some of you by name and to others in a more general way, but know that I am deeply grateful to all those who have crossed my path in a shamanic way, the light, the dark, no difference; and that this book is born, at least in part, because of the shared space, time, energy, and experiences between us.

I want to begin my acknowledgments by expressing my deepest gratitude to Jacquelyn Small, my incredible breathwork, psycho-spiritual mentor and friend of many years at Eupsychia Institute: You pointed the way back home, Jacquie Sue. Gratitude to the peace elders who have gone before us and whose lives have been dedicated models for how to live in dignity and trust on this blessed planet. Thank you, Grandmother Twylah Nitsch, Mammy and Pappy Jones, Grandma and Grandpa Finley. Thank you to Daniel Giamario, Eric Botner, Jeremiah Abrams, Nita Gage, Lisa Gordon, Janet Cooper, Anyaa McAndrew, Eric Gonzales, the Good Luck Soul Group, and the Wood Acre Spirit House for being important influences in the birthing of Venus Rising Institute for Shamanic Healing Arts in the beginning years.

Thank you, Nita and Mary Lou Masko, for revisioning the Twelve Steps for Shamanic Transformation and supporting the birth of Isis Cove. Thank you to the Portland Love Dogs and Jeff Berger for being the inspiration for the original SHIP program, and to all those intrepid shamanic souls who have passed through the Shamanic Breathwork portals of healing and training with Venus Rising.

Thank you, Barb Westover, for inspiring the birth of Shamanic Breathwork Reiki with your healing touch. Thank you to the Wild Wolf Womens breathwork group in Kentucky, and the Wild Women and Road Kill Group in Fairfax, California, for breathing into wholeness. More recently, my deepest gratitude goes to my incredible soul family, friends, and Venus Rising staff members who live in the magical Blue Mountains of western North Carolina at the Isis Cove Community and Retreat Center. Thank you, Ruby Falconer, Kathy Morrison, Windraven, Sarah Jane, and Judy Red Hawk for your heartfelt work and service to Venus Rising, and for loving me. Deep gratitude to our Venus Rising development team members, including Bonnie Rubenstein, Megan Beachler, and Peter Weiler.

Thanks to Paula Bravehart, Gary Stamper, Dennis and Judith Corvin-Blackburn, Thea Stacey, Chuck Willhide, Steve Irestone, Maria and Bunny, Bob Masach, Karen Smith, and Ryan Brooks for being wonderful community members. Thank you to the Aquarian Wise Wolf Womens Council founding members: Amai Myrna, Clarice Munchus, Judith Corvin-Blackburn, Reverend Charla Jo Hermann, Anyaa McAndrew, Bonnie Rubenstein, and Shari Starrfire Lowe. Thank you to my Blue Star Sisters for your never-ending love and support for me, each other, and the blue star energies, and many thanks to Sun Lion, Paul Henderson, and Thad Hollis.

Thank you, Laura Prana Wolf, for your amazing spirit and support as my personal assistant and PR manager. Thank you, Tirrell Magnuson, for being my special medicine woman and helping to amp up my energy level to meet all that is required of me during these high energy times. Thanks to all my favorite massage and body workers: Windraven, Sarah Jane, Barb Westover, Melanie Leithauser, and Andrea Ford, for the extra loving touch. Kelly Timco, thank you for assisting Brad and keeping his office on track.

Thanks to Lesley Fouche for introducing me to the exciting networking world of Facebook and creating the virtual shamanic community. Thank you, Judy Red Hawk, for the Shamanic Shakti Art Process. Thank you to all those ordained with the Shamanic Ministers Global Network, especially those who are becoming our first outreach congregations around the country: Deb Irestone, Sophia Savory, Barb Westover, Wendyne Limber, and Jeri Birdsall. Molly Roberts, thank you and Bruce for keeping the faith. Thank you to the board for the new Venus Rising University, especially Marla Frantum. Sara and Terry Curran, thank you for your support on many levels and for being covisionaries in the future development of Dove Mountain.

Thank you to all the Soul Recovery Group and your valuable contributions to the chapter on soul recovery, and to Pat Cummins for your wonderful eye and gifted photography throughout this book.

Thanks to my wonderful familyto Mom and Dad Finley for seeing me; and to my son, Casey Piscitelli, for being such a huge support in the original first edits and for honest feedback. Thank you to my husband, Brad, for seeing me through three books in four years and for your endless support in every area of our life togetheryou are the absolute best; and to my beautiful grandchildrenAidan, Cian, and Anthonyfor being motivating forces in my life to bring the healing gift of Shamanic Breathwork to the world.

Nicki Scully, thank you for being a powerful catalyst in my life and for writing the foreword to this book. I am grateful for all I have learned from you and our cocreations with other projects.

Thank you to all the highly skilled and wonderful staff at Inner Traditions Bear & Company, especially Jon Graham for your encouragement early on by saying this book has feet and most especially to the best editor in the whole world, Anne Dillon, for your tireless, patient faith in me and constant excitement and support for the birth of this Shamanic Breathwork manuscript.

IN LOVING SERVICE TO THE ONE SOURCE,
LINDA STAR WOLF

Hieroglyphic Stairway

its 3:23 in the morning
and Im awake
because my great-great-grandchildren
wont let me sleep
my great-great-grandchildren
ask me in dreams
what did you do while the planet was plundered?
what did you do when the earth was unraveling?

surely you did something
when the seasons started failing

as the mammals, reptiles, birds were all dying

did you fill the streets with protest
when democracy was stolen?

what did you do
once
you
knew?

Im riding home on the Colma train
Ive got the voice of the Milky Way in my dreams

I have teams of scientists
feeding me data daily
and pleading I immediately
turn it into poetry

I want just this consciousness reached
by people in range of secret frequencies
contained in my speech

I am the desirous earth
equidistant to the underworld
and the flesh of the stars

I am everything already lost

the moment the universe turns transparent
and all the light shoots through the cosmos

I use words to instigate silence

Im a hieroglyphic stairway
in a buried Mayan city
suddenly exposed by a hurricane

a satellite circling earth
finding dinosaur bones
in the Gobi desert
I am telescopes that see back in time