Raven Medicine Download

On Winter Solstice 2008, 

I engaged in a 10 day Death Lodge process 

in Death Valley, CA. Little did I know, 

this ceremony was initiating my decent

 into the underworld of soul, 

an 8 year journey that would take me 

deep into my shadow wounds, 

and into the core of my being, 

renaming me in this process. 

Death Valley, CA 

During my Vision Quest in Death Valley, I was visited by Raven Man, 

an entity that entered my consciousness during medicine journey 

He cawed as he flew circles above me: 

“That which you want, you are not ready for. 
You are not vibrating at the frequency that will attract the energy you want. 
You are not ready.” 

“What do you mean I’m not ready? I’m spiritual. I teach workshops. Of course I’m ready.” But I knew Raven Man was right. I knew what my inner landscape was like. I knew the words I called myself, how I limited possibilities in my thoughts & inner dialogue, and how I was shut down by defense mechanisms against fuller living. I was not vibrating at the frequency of that which I wanted... and so my relationship with Raven Man began.

I took this medicine download and worked it rather diligently into my life. Over the course of a year, I worked it down into my Brow Chakra, witnessing patterns of thinking and imagining restrictive to my expansiveness. I channeled the medicine down into my Throat Chakra and worked the medicine into my inner dialogue, shifting the resonant vibration of my inner landscape. 

When I brought the medicine down into my Heart Chakra, I was again visited by Raven Man, this time in the form of a lucid dream. In the dream, I was walking along a strip mall. I looked to my left inside a shop, and through the plate glass window, saw Raven Man. This time he was not in the form of a bird, but in the form of a man. Our eyes locked. The power of the moment, and the gravity of our connection spooked me so much, I ran along the black asphalt of the parking lot and jumped into a frozen lake. Piercing the layer of thin ice, I plunged into the ice cold water, numbing myself. Raven Man came out of the store, pulled me from the frozen lake and cradled me in his arms, tending me back to warmth and life. I open my eyes. He walked away. I was still not ready. 

Oh my goodness! I’m still not ready! I've been working this medicine for 2 years! Are you serious! Committed to the process, I worked this energy down into my Solar Chakra, doing the work of aligning my actions and intentions with the power of my highest frequencies. In this process I found myself deep in conversation with Raven Man, his message was clear: “You are not going to meet me in San Diego. You need to move to the ecology of my species.” It was this message that planted the seed for my move from San Diego to Colorado. 

When I moved to Denver, I was instantly immersed in community that showed me a whole new definition of the masculine. I found myself surrounded by men, yummy juicy men, that were loving fathers, attentive lovers and joyful friends. These men owned their masculine energy and honored the feminine in sacred ways. This was a huge paradigm shift for me. This was not the model of masculine I grew up with. This new interaction with the masculine brought Raven Man energy down into my Sacral Chakra.  Dancing weekly in the sacred space of Rhythm Sanctuary enabled me to bring this medicine down into personal, embodied being...feeling it and being moved by it. 

Then winter came, my first one in Denver. I got consumed with living in snow and basement clearing that I forgot all about Raven Man. That is, until I bumped into a man soul that brought this energy back into my life full force. This interaction reignited Raven Man energy in my life, this time in flesh and blood right in front of me. I did not run into the frozen lake to numb myself, but rather stood my ground and claimed Raven Man energy in manifest Root Chakra form.   

This 3 year adventure of bringing the Divine Masculine down my Chakras in the form of Raven Man transformed me deeply. I came to see that I was Raven all along. Raven was not separate from me. It had been me all along, fathering myself through this transformation, mentoring my evolution. In this revelation, I merged with Raven and claimed it as my new name.   

Death Valley, CA. Image by Raven Shree 

Raven Man Introduction: Image by Raven Shree 

Eat. Pray. Love.

SoulCollage created by Raven Shree

The book “Eat. Pray. Love.” by Elizabeth Gilbert has had a powerful influence in my life. The
first time I read the book, I was inspired by the writing and the adventurous nature of the main character (Elizabeth). The second time I read the book, I was inspired to “get out of my marriage” to San Diego and move to Colorado. My third time interacting with this story line was through the movie starring Julia Roberts...and yet again, I was moved into deeper levels of self-awareness and the plot line of my own life. 

During the “Eat” portion of this adventure, the main character spends 4 months in Italy, with the sole intention of indulging in the pleasurable act of eating. During this time she is also separating herself from the pain of her past relationships, getting used to being alone, and also learning the sensual language of the new place she is living in. 

Having been in Denver for 8 months, I feel as if this is the stage I am moving through myself. Denver definitely has a new language of living, and it is quite sensual and pleasure based. As I explore this language, I am coming to deeper awareness around the theme of over-indulgence and how it influences various aspects of my life.   

In the second phase of this adventure, Elizabeth goes to India for 4 months to Pray. After months of indulgence in Italy, she finds it challenging to sit in silence and simply be with herself. I feel deep in my bones that I’m ready to move into my India stage. As I take steps towards creating this transition, I too am finding it difficult to sit in silence and be with myself. I’m easily distracted, I have a ton of excuses, and my mind is constantly on the go.   

One of the main turning points in India for Elizabeth is around the theme of forgiveness. As she deepens her daily practice of sitting with herself without all the distractions, she finds herself moving into deep stages of forgiveness, both for herself and others. This takes her into the peace she was searching for, and serves as a bridge for her transition her into the Bali stage of her adventure, where she ultimately finds love and happiness. 

As I deepen my daily practice, and sit in what bubbles up for me, without the over-indulgence of addictions and habits that numb me, I too will be able to open up to deeper levels of forgiveness, for others and myself. This is needed for me to move into my Bali stage, where I hope to enter into sacred union with other. Ultimately wanting a relationship that integrates the pleasures of Italy with the divinity of India into a merged union of Bali love and happiness. 

Thank you Elizabeth for having the courage to take this journey and for the inspiration to share your tale with others. Your book has inspired many people, myself included. I send blessings to everyone that you too can create sacred ways in your life to integrate pleasure, peace, and love in a way that enhances your life and all of those you come into contact with.  Lets keep inspiring one another. Nameste my friends.