Takara Shelor
On a Wing and a Prayer – Following Faith, Intuition, & Trust
Every now and then a person needs to go on pilgrimage. Mine tend to be some sort of car excursion. But that certainly isn’t the only pilgrimage possible. Of course when you start out on a journey, you don’t necessarily know that you are going on a pilgrimage. If you are headed for some sacred […]
How to Manifest Your Desires, Letting Go of “How”
When learning how to manifest your desires, NEVER get hung up on how the goal arrives, what it looks like in the end, the “how” of the way it should come into fruition.
I have the perfect example to share.
I’ve been wanting to take another cross country trip so I can stop in Austin and see one of my dearest friends. She lived in Santa Fe when I lived there. Even though I’ve been back to Santa Fe several times since moving to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, since she no longer lives there, we haven’t managed to see one another in about 5 years.
But the truth is, I don’t really care about the trip. What I’ve said out loud a few times (over the past several months with great clarity) is “I simply must see Maya.”
Her life is so busy that we rarely even get to talk by phone. We text sometimes and once every 3 or 4 months we share a precious hour-long phone call. But because of how her life tends to be vs how I make my hours and can easily carve out time for friends, I was operating under the assumption that if I wanted to see her, then I had to be the one to figure out a way to make it happen – meaning how to get me to where she is.
She texted me the other day and said her son is working in upstate NY as a camp counselor and she was picking him up in August. She wanted to stop by for a day or two on the way back to Austin. Gotta love it!
Then, she sent another message yesterday that plans had changed. Her son wants to stay for a few days longer with friends he’s made who live up there. But the friends have no place to store his luggage. He can only stay if he doesn’t have his luggage. She volunteered to pick up his luggage and then come to see me for several days while he hangs out with his new friends. Then, he can get on a bus or train and meet her at my house. Love it even more!
So, from the comfort of my own home, the people I’ve wanted to see for ages are showing up at my front door. First, my friend David (someone else I’ve been saying I wanted to see) called one day last week and showed up the same day (he’s a Canadian who grew up in London, has a lovely British accent, and spends most of his time globe trotting). And now Maya is coming …
Instead of focusing on the trip I thought was required to make it happen, I was focused on what really mattered to me … to see my friend. The Universe rearranged itself and voila things are popping into my reality that I desire.
Instead of focusing on business schemes and the “how to’s” of everything, which of course I obviously have to also focus on to some extent, I spend more time focused on raising my vibration, expanding my consciousness and awareness, and embody what I call the Noble C’s (calm, clear, confident, and Divinely connected).
When learning how to manifest your desires focus on the “right” things and the things you desire seem to magically fall into place. Working on yourself isn’t always easy, but boy is it worth it!
Have a magnificent day,
Travel & Experience Places & People Unlike Yourself to Appreciate Cultural Diversity
Every time you go somewhere new, you become a new person … with a new perspective, new experiences, and new insights. The more you travel and experience new things, the easier it becomes to appreciate cultural diversity, and to transform your life.
Tears started streaming down my face as I read the article and watched the video mentioned below about cultural diversity in the classroom.
Experiencing and appreciating cultural diversity is one of many reasons I love to travel. This is why I love moving to different locations, meeting new people and surrounding myself, enveloping myself, in the different energies of ethnicity, of belief, of tradition and history, of the colors and texture of diversity, in order to understand the beautiful tapestry of humanity and truly KNOW and become ONE with it.
Enjoying the Company of Others
As a young child, my father sometimes traveled with business, and on occasion, my mom and I would come along. We once spent a week in Birmingham, Alabama and every day when the housekeepers (all African American women) were finished cleaning the rooms, they sat in a circle of chairs at the end of our hall, told stories, and laughed. I begged my mom to let me join them. They said they didn’t mind. Every day I sat with them and listened to their stories and laughed too. I have no idea what they thought of the skinny little blonde girl from Texas.
As we studied history in school and I read about the atrocities inflicted on the Native Americans, the African Americans, the Chinese and so many of the other cultures by the white people, I would weep, not being able to understand how anyone could mistreat another.
A White Chic (chick) Living in a Non-White World
It was so odd at first to be living as a minority, a white woman in a sea of beautiful brown skin, dark eyes and hair, of the Native American, Spanish, and Mexican cultures of New Mexico. At 5’4″, I was actually rather tall for a female. It was there that I was so blessed …
Bula – Hello From Fiji
It’s noon on Saturday here in Fiji in the South Pacific. Wow – a great and adventurous trip so far!
We drove to D.C. on Monday. Did some last minute packing and shopping, had a fabulous Ethiopian meal.
Our flight headed out on Tuesday at 4:30 from Dulles. A 5-hour ride to L.A. We got to see the new Karate Kid movie. It was truly great. If you haven’t seen it, I think you will like it.
In L.A. we had a 5-hour layover. When I went to the counter to get our boarding passes to Fiji, I was told that without a return ticket or a ticket to somewhere else, they could not let us on the plane. Yikes! I had a picture of the boat we were boarding in Fiji as well as a letter from the captain, but that wasn’t good enough. After all the money I’d been spending on preparing for the trip, I didn’t have enough in any one account to purchase two full fares from Fiji to Syndey. So I had to call my mom in the middle of the night. It was around 11 East Coast time already. I said, what a horrible daughter I am. Wake your mom up in the middle of the night to ask for money. What great parents though, they bought the ticket and we were able to get our boarding passes. The ticket to Sydney is refundable.
The waiting area for the flight we were taking on Air Pacific had enough chairs to hold about 20 people. We couldn’t figure out how a really tiny plane was going to fly 10 hours without refueling. Turns out it’s just a small waiting area. They stuck us on buses and transported us to a big jumbo jet.
The flight was the worst I’ve ever taken. The plane was nice enough, but neither Jess nor I could sleep. By the time we took off it was already 2:30 a.m. East Coast time. Once on the plane, I had eye shades, ear plugs, neck pillows. We added the small pillow and blanket the airline provides. We should have been golden and gone right to sleep. But neither of us could. We never did sleep.
Finally, we arrived in Fiji where our sweet Fijian taxi guy picked us up at 5:30 a.m. and drove us to the Marina. What a gorgeous drive.
We boarded the Furthur and began the adventure here.
It’s taken a few days to catch up on sleep. But by now, we are good to go.
This morning I woke up at 5:30 a.m., got up before anyone else and headed to the top deck. I wrote for awhile on my new book, then photographed the sunrise over one of the Fiji islands. We are anchored off shore near a gorgeous marina where we had dinner yesterday.
During low tide, an island pops out of the sea. We took the dingy over and snorkeled this morning around the coral reefs. What cool fish. It was Jess’ first snorkel experience. He loved it.
Later he got to kayak for the first time.
Gotta go. The internet connection is very slow. So, no pictures or anything, even though I’ve already taken a couple hundred.
Hello to all our friends everywhere.
Until next time,
Takara and Jess
Choosing the Best Place to Relocate for the Spiritually-Minded
We were in the middle of a huge discussion about choosing the best place to relocate in one of the groups I lead on Facebook. Moving is something many light workers are called to do on occasion. With that in mind, I thought I would share some of the thoughts here that I have been sharing there. Just some things for you to contemplate if moving is on the horizon. This particular discussion began with the person wanting to live near the beach and to see dolphins often …
When it comes to moving, I strongly encourage you to Read more
Getting to Know Your Spiritual Gifts and Talents
We all have a unique gift, skill, or talent that we are here to express. Some even have spiritual gifts that they are to use to help others. The expression of these gifts and talents often bring joy, peace, healing, or understanding to the individual, and in some cases, other people.
For some, a spiritual gift might be songs that they hear in their head, or symbols or images they see in their mind’s eye. A clairaudient person might hear songs or words. A clairvoyant person might imagine a picture and draw or paint it. I have many friends who “receive” words and symbols.
I am deeply blessed to know … Read more
Photo Shoot with Andi & Jonathan Goldman in Virginia Beach
Andi Goldman, Jonathan Goldman, and I had so much fun doing this photo shoot for my Essence of Sound oils that are infused with his sacred music.
We used to see one another in Denver quite often … since I lived in Santa Fe and they lived in Boulder. It was a great meeting place. For the last several years we’ve been hanging out in Yogaville and the lovely grounds there. This is the first time we got to see one another at the beach. It was so wonderful having dinner together with an ocean view. So much fun!
Right after I began making them, Jonathan and I did a photo shoot holding the oils many years ago. I decided it was time to get some updated images.
Andi is holding Tantra of Sound (the frequencies are based on a book she co-authored with Jonathan). Jonathan is holding the Chakra Kit that I developed from his Chakra Chants music as well as crystals, colors, and aromatherapy unique to each chakra.
You can also see that Andi is wearing one of my Dancing Dolphin Design jade bracelets. I hadn’t realized she had it on when we were doing the photo shoot. It was fun to see it afterwards.
All the images were taken on the grounds at A.R.E., Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment. The bamboo forest made a great backdrop.
To find out more about the Essence of Sound, visit the Dancing Dolphin Store at this link.
Press Release Faerie and Earth Festival, Asheville, NC
For Immediate Release
THE OCEAN IS COMING TO ASHEVILLE
ASHEVILLE, NC, May 15, 2016 Bestselling authors, Cyndie Lepori and D. Takara Shelor, bring mermaids, dolphins, and other elements of the sea to the Faerie and Earth Festival May 21st and 22nd.
The two ladies met a couple of years ago through a book collaboration led by Takara. The book, Dolphins & Whales Forever, became a #1 bestseller on Amazon.
They have much in common. They are both authors, jewelry designers, artists, and have both lived on a boat. Cyndie lived on her own sailboat for 5 years in the Gulf and the Bahamas. Takara liked on a yacht in Fiji and the South Pacific for awhile.
That is such a far cry from where they each began. Cyndie was once a nurse in Mississippi. Takara was an engineer and manager in the pharmaceutical industry in Pennsylvania. But they each felt “the call” of the ocean, dolphins, and whales. Takara moved to the San Juan Islands to be near orcas and later San Diego to be near dolphins. Cyndie went to Gulf Shores, AL and then to Florida to be near dolphins and live on the water.
At the ocean and mermaid-themed booth, you will find books, jewelry, art, pendulums, Dancing Dolphin oils & mists, Mardella Fine Art, t-shirts, note cards, magnets and more. Just look for the canopy with scales and the whale tail.
For more information about Cyndie, visit www.dolphinhugs4u2.net.
For more information about Takara, visit www.magnificentu.com or www.magnificentu.com/Store.
For more information about Takara, visit www.magnificentu.com or www.magnificentu.com/Store.
For more information about the Faerie and Earth Festival, visit http://enchantedwalkabouts.
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My Love for Native American Culture
I am so truly blessed to have friends from many Native American and other indigenous “nations.” I’ve had the great good fortune of having some extraordinary experiences that many would consider shamanic or related to Native American culture, earth-based spirituality or indigenous in nature.
My intrigue began as a small child living in Texas. We often played cowboys and indians and I always insisted on being an indian (the term Native American was not yet part of my awareness at the time). I could close my eyes and literally feel the buckskin dress against my skin, the moccasins on my feet, the feathers in my hair, the pottery bowl in my hand. At the time I thought I was just making it up. Later, as I was being taken through the forest near Sedona, AZ by a professional guide, when I looked down, for a brief moment, instead of my hiking shorts and boots, I saw the buckskin dress and moccasins.
Sitting on the ground right in front of the dancer at Chaco Canyon on Summer Solstice, I could feel that they were literally “waking up” the earth with their dance. No one had danced there in 500 years – according to what they said that day.
I had a powerful vision while sitting in my sacred circle all day high up in the Sangre de Cristos after a sweat lodge early in the morning poured by a native man from back east somewhere. It was all part of Stuart Wilde’s 8-day Warriors in the Mist program.
Over the years I have participated in drum circles, medicine wheels, shamanic journeys, sweat lodges, riding horses bareback and blindfolded, walking barefoot on the earth, having numerous encounters with animals in the wild, sitting for hours by a stream being “downloaded” with information, soul retrieval, leaving gifts of blue corn meal or something else in nature in exchange for a shell, a feather, or a stone, having spontaneous past life memories flash through my mind as I traveled and hiked in locations all over the globe, listening for hours to storytellers sharing their own adventures or that of their people, and being a storyteller myself. Each of these moments was a powerful gift in my life, not just for the experience and insight it brought me, but because of the other people who were part of it with me.
EnJOY this fabulous collection of images of Native Americans:
http://mashable.com/2015/11/25/edward-curtis-native-americans/
I share many life adventures in my upcoming Memoir.
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