A Guide for Exploring the Death and Decay Stages

On this day, when the veil between the seen and the unseen worlds is so very thin, I invite you to pause and to reflect on what has come before you. To remember the people whose biology created yours, to trace your ancestral lineage and the accompanying stories, and to recognize the history of the land you call home.

Each one of the above activities is an invitation to acknowledge the Death and Decay stages of the Life Cycle: a cycle which reflects the natural stages of growth. Because many of us, myself included, grew up in a culture which avoids death and minimizes decay, recognizing and honoring the Death and Decay stages can feel uncomfortable, if not scary. If you feel this way, then please be gentle with yourself. Consider sticking your proverbial toe in the water opposed to diving into the deep end of the pool.

If you are ready and willing to explore the stages of death and decay, then I offer some ways to engage in this work as well as some resources to support the work. (I also?welcome any ideas or resources you have.)

Wishing everyone much peace and restoration.

Love, Kim

A Guide for Exploring the Death and Decay Stages

• Create an altar to honor your ancestors.?Find pictures or tokens that represent the people from whom you descended and/or the people to whom you feel a kinship. If you have a painful family history, then you may want to find a way to acknowledge the pain without acknowledging a specific person. I think it is important to recognize that we come from people who were both light and dark. When we allow ourselves to acknowledge both familial joy and sorrow, then we give ourselves permission to do the same with our own personal experiences. This practice also helps us understand that some of what we are carrying did not originate with us. What generational patterns do you notice?
• Make a compost list.?What are habits, relationships, or thoughts that prevent growth? Are there things you do, people with whom you engage, or assumptions you make which keep you stuck? One question that helps me identify stuckness is to ask:?If there were no uncomfortable consequences, then what would I like to be gone from my life??Sometimes the answer is very simple and other times I feel overwhelmed by my response. Remind yourself that this question is not a commitment to take action but rather an inquiry to get clarity.?
• Design and implement a land healing ritual.?One Instagram account I love to follow is?Raquel Vasquez Gilliland. In addition to being a Shakti community member, Raquel is a talented author whose social media posts often address the importance of acknowledging the impact of colonialism on the land and on people. Raquel most recently wrote a series of posts which are entitled: “On Feeling Helpless About the World.” In these posts, Raquel invites us to reconnect with and to offer healing to the land as a way to acknowledge and to attend to the impact of colonialism. Other resources which may aid your understanding of and help you design a ritual are: The Garden Awakening by Mary Reynolds, World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Healing Magic by Robin Rose Bennett, the Good Dirt podcast, and the Upstream podcast
• Write your story.?In one sitting or over multiple sessions, write your origin story. Consider answering the following questions: From whom did I come? What are the family stories that we publicly share as well as the stories that are whispered behind closed doors? Where did I grow up? What was the environment in which I was raised like? What was happening in the culture, at large, during my childhood? What did I believe about the world as I entered adulthood? What beliefs were challenged, and perhaps changed, after I left my childhood home? How would I currently describe myself and the life I have created? What are my present-day goals and why?

If there is someone whom you trust to read your story, then ask them to give you feedback. Do they recognize you in this story? Do they feel like you left anything out? Whether or not you solicit feedback, I encourage you (or your trusted friend) to notice if there is any confirmation bias in your story. Confirmation bias is when we interpret evidence to fit an existing belief. To quote mythologist Martin Shaw: “Bad storytellers make spells. Good storytellers break them.” If you want to heal, then you may need to break any spells which limit you.?

Kim Bushore-Maki?is a soul-driven entrepreneur who understands the undeniable urge to create a business and a life filled with meaning and purpose. Her vision of opening a center where people could heal and grow led her to open?Shakti in the Mountains?in Johnson City, Tennessee: a place where the creative, feminine energy is nurtured and valued.

Kim is a licensed professional counselor and a yoga teacher. She completed the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy program as well as the Shake Your Soul Yoga Dance program. Kim is very interested in somatic expressive therapy, archetypal psychology, gardening, herbalism, astrology, wisdom traditions, and regenerative economics.?

Kim continues to build and to support inclusive, vibrant communities. She spends most of her time mentoring leaders, guiding healing programs, and providing mental health counseling.?

---

Stay Connected

Sign up here?to receive updates on community events, workshops, and more.

---

Support The Shakti Stewardship Program

A 16-week leadership training which emphasizes interconnectedness, equipping participants to become self- and community-leaders guided by intention, inclusion, respect, and kindness.

Learn More and Donate

---

#shaktiinthemountains?#shaktistewards?#schoolofthelostarts?#johnsoncitytn?#downtownjc?#downtownjctn