Turtle Whispers

Honoring my helping spirits by helping others

Dear Reader,

Make yourself a cup of tea - this is a long one, and I apologize for my absence.

I can’t believe weeks have flown by since I took this photo. I came home excited to write about what happened, but then life got in the way of my storytelling. Kapha Season/Spring/Taurus Season seemed to have hijacked my energy, and I’ve been feeling lethargic and unmoored - stuck in that place where you want to be creating but something seems to have put the brakes on.

You would think by now I would remember that I need to surrender and feel it, sit with it, before I can move on. At 71, I finally realize, again, it’s all part of the plan. Part of the process. Ugh. It’s not a pleasant feeling.

But I’m slowly experiencing that creative spark again, so here I am.

On the morning of April 30th, I hopped on my bike and headed across the road to spend time at the Wildlife Sanctuary. I was thrilled that there were no cars at the entrance because this is somewhere I like to spend time alone. Make that everywhere in Nature. Solitude is golden. And the black flies had not yet arrived. (They have since…:()

I walked onto the viewing station and looked across the water towards my little house on the hill. I will never not be amazed at how I manifested living here.

“I want to walk out my door into the woods, and I want to see mountains.”

If you had told me back in the day that I would live in the New England countryside, cradled in mountains and trees, I’d have laughed out loud.

If you had told me that a Chipmunk named Chip would be helping heal my nervous system (I startle easily), I’d have laughed out loud.

If you’d told me that I would be filled with glee and wonder, not fear, when a Bear, or a Bobcat, or a gigantic Moose showed up in my front yard, I’d have laughed out loud.

If you’d told me that I could walk alone in the woods, feeling completely at peace in my solitude, rather than in fear of the wild animals living there, I’d have laughed out loud.

Fear and anxiety had always been my bedfellows.

@golden_frog_inn on Instagram

But, I digress. On that morning, when I walked into the Sanctuary, I suddenly felt a burning desire to connect with my very first helping spirit: Turtle. I had only seen a Turtle once in the past, almost five years.

I leaned over the railing and telepathically whispered, “Turtle - are you there? Please come and say hello.”

I am not a liar. Within moments, the stunningly beautiful Turtle in the photo above popped up, directly beneath where I stood. I was so startled and elated, if anyone had been watching me from a distance, they might have seen sparkles of light shooting out of me.

I frantically went for my phone (don’t chastise me) because Turtle was too magnificent to go undocumented. By the time I turned my phone on, she had disappeared.

And so, I asked again (this time out loud): “Turtle! Please come back!”

And there she was again.

She just floated there for a few minutes, letting me do the photo shoot before she started swimming against the current. This time, I videotaped her. All of a sudden, there were two Turtles going around and around. Were they playing? Was it a mating ritual? I’ll never know. They eventually went their separate ways.

Sometimes when I’m telling a story and still forming it in my mind, I have so many synchronicities that I get overwhelmed. It takes me a long time to write, and holy moly, the synchronicities were flying fast and furiously.

I happened upon an old notebook from June of 2010 when I serendipitously experienced my first shamanic journey to the Lower World.

I had just spent a week in a workshop at the Omega Institute in Upstate NY, attempting to unblock my creativity. I used to go there a few times a year to get out of the city. The workshop ended, but I didn’t want to leave. And so I went to the office and asked at the front desk if there were any open workshops over the weekend.

All of a sudden, I heard a friendly booming voice say, “You should take the shamanic journeying workshop!” I turned around to see who had spoken to me.

He introduced himself as Hank Wesselman, teacher of the workshop. He had such a fun, kind demeanor that I thought, “What the heck.” I hadn’t learned about shamanic journeying yet, and it seemed perfectly timed.

Looking back, I realize how incredibly blessed I was to have learned how to journey from Hank himself.

In the workshop:

We talked about animal totems. Animal spirits. Power animals. And then we prepared to meet up with ours on a journey to the lower world.

This was a new world to me.

I found myself in a predicament, though, when claustrophobia reared its ugly head (more past life stuff??), and I could not imagine myself traveling through an opening in the earth and into the lower world.

Even as a child, caves and tunnels and tight spaces were panic-inducing.

But, I took a deep breath, and on round two, somehow, I was able to project myself down through the earth with zero expectations of what animal spirit might greet me.

Lo and behold, it was my beloved Turtle.

I returned from that journey with the biggest smile on my face.

The day after my Turtle sighting, I returned to the same spot and again called to her. “Turtle! Are you there?” And again, she appeared! What were the chances?

Ted Andrews, in “Animal Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small,” says:

A great deal of mythology exists in regard to the turtle. In the Far East, the shell was a symbol of heaven, and the square underside was a symbol of earth. The turtle was an animal whose magic could help you unite heaven and earth within your own life.

The turtle is a shore creature, using the land and the water. All shore areas are associated with doorways to the Faerie Realm. The turtle is sometimes known as the keeper to the doors. Turtles thus were often seen as signs of fairy contact and the promise of fairy rewards.

Turtle totems hold the. mystery of awakening the senses—on both physical and spiritual levels. Turtle stimulates hearing and clairaudience. It can help with vision and clairvoyance. It heightens the sense of smell and higher discrimination.

The very next night, I woke from a vivid dream, so clear I could remember it and write it down.

My helping spirits, Turtle, Bear, Wolf, Lioness, and Pigeon, were gathered together, with Turtle as their spokesperson/animal. She said they all wondered why I hadn’t painted them on my shamanic drum. They were a little put out by that.

When I came out of the dream, I felt remorseful. I’ve meant to do this for years and kept pushing it aside. As soon as I get the proper paint, I will honor their wishes. I promise, Turtle!

On May 12th, returning from an errand, I was about to pass the entrance to the Wildlife Sanctuary where Turtle had appeared. I was going to stop and pay another visit, but two cars were at the entrance. Oh no! People! And so I continued down the road to my house. But first, I decided to stop and visit the Pond. I covered myself as best I could because the black flies had arrived.

I approached my favorite sit-spot and sat down.

And there, sunning herself on one of the rocks, was…Turtle!

Coincidence? I think not! We sat together without saying a word until she silently slid into Gone-Away Pond.

It was Turtle who told me to start telling my own stories.

It is Turtle who guides me in and out of my shell.

It is Turtle who always pays me a visit when I journey to the Lower World.

In Shamanism, it’s not one Turtle who comes to visit but rather the Spirit of Turtle.

I have received so much from my first helping spirit, who I know has been with me since childhood.

And it is Turtle whom I’ve been turning to for help lately. She has earned Wallpaper status on my phone. :)

I’ve been floundering a bit lately with so many ideas and plans vying for my attention. My book, my art, this newsletter, and possibly returning to offering sessions as a healing guide.

Should I come back out of my shell, Turtle?

I like the term healing guide rather than healer. Ultimately, it’s not the “healer” that does the “healing.” It’s the “healee” who, if in a receptive mode, self-heals. Or, perhaps it’s more symbiotic. I have been on both ends of the healer/healee spectrum over the past twenty years.

In case you don’t know my history, an almost eight-year period of chronic pain in my late forties and a good chunk of my fifties led me down the path of healing holistically and doing deep inner work. Like most people who survive and thrive through a healing crisis, I wouldn’t trade those hard years for anything.

My astrologer and wise guide, Lynnette Duncan, recently pointed out the areas in my chart that indicate placements of someone who can travel into those deep, sometimes dark places to heal herself and help others do the same.

But, as she also mentioned, there are conflicting placements that strive too much for perfectionism and want to hold me back from doing the work that could help others during these times when so much is shifting and changing seemingly at the speed of light.

I have done this work before, Lynnette always reminds me. Time to come out of my shell, I guess. 🐢

And so, I have quietly returned to offering distance energy healing sessions and shamanic journeying.

I am not a shaman. In today’s world of social media profiles with the word “shaman” in their bio, there’s a lot of misunderstanding around the word and the practice.

Here are a few excerpts from the book “Awakening to the Spirit World: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation” by Sandra Ingerman & Hank Wesselman. I highly recommend buying it if this is something that calls to you. My own worn copy is practically all underlined.

Shamanism is the most ancient spiritual practice known to humankind and is the “ancestor” of all our modern religions. As a method, it is a form of meditation combined with a focused intention to accomplish various things.

As a spiritual practice, shamanism can become a way of life that may utterly transform the one who practices it.

…a shaman is often defined as an intermediary between the human and the spirit worlds. In shamanic cultures, the word “shaman” has come to mean “the one who sees in the dark” or “the one who knows.”

Differences Between Practicing Shamanism and Becoming a Shaman

All authentic visionaries agree that it is destiny that calls one to be a shaman; shamanism is a calling. This is not a profession that one seeks out.

Bringing simple shamanic practices into your life is not to be confused with being called to be a shaman.

By comparison, today we see a wide range of people integrating shamanic practices into their lives. More and more people of today’s world are beginning to realize that the path of direct revelation brings us into relationship with the worlds of things hidden, through which we may learn that everything that exists is alive and has a spirit (and a voice), and that there is a field of energy that connects us to all of life. This awareness of interconnection is shared by tribal shamans at one end of the human continuum and by quantum physicists and Zen Buddhists, at the other.

Many have observed that we are actually spiritual beings inhabiting a body. When we engage with the compassionate spirits directly, everything—both healing and the assistance we need in life—becomes available to us. Dealing with these transpersonal others is not about worship. It is about relationship.

—Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman

Two of the most important words in this quote block are “direct revelation.” The simplest explanation of this concept is that each of us has our own connection directly with Spirit and does not need an intermediary, as in many religions.

We do not need to visit a shaman to use shamanic practices to access other realms.

I have taken many courses in traditional shamanism and Celtic shamanism to learn how to establish a relationship with my helping spirits. I was also trained to travel into the Otherworld on behalf of a client.

I’ve been journeying for almost 15 years. I have also had many sessions with shamanic practitioners that were life-changing. I wrote about one in my first post on Substack called “You’re Like the Quaking Poplar.”

In addition to traveling to meet with animal spirits, we can also travel to meet plant spirits, rock spirits, the elements, our ancestors, angels, ascended masters, healers, and so on.

There are infinite possibilities for using shamanic practices. It is not a parlor game, however. It is a reverent and ancient practice that can expand our consciousness and guide us towards healing and living a more fulfilled life.

Nature is our guide.

The first time I traveled out of the country was on a whim in 2011, after my acupuncturist said, “Barbara! You have a sun in Sagittarius, and you’re not traveling? You’re not living your destiny!” Two weeks later, I kid you not, I found myself on a plane to Guatemala with a small group of people and our yoga teacher.

During that trip, our guide, Pablo, asked us if we would like to meet with the local shaman, Juan.

Pablo translated for Juan, who said I would be helping others delay their death through healing with Nature.

Yet another experience I have tucked away for years.

I’m also offering sessions guiding clients to help shift health issues, be they mental, physical, or spiritual - because they’re all connected - by teaching very basic and digestible Ayurvedic wisdom and other modalities I have personally benefited from.

I’m grateful that most of my education over the past twenty years has come from studying in person with incredible teachers. There have also been countless online programs in this new virtual world in which we find ourselves. And, of course, books galore.

If you want to work with me one-on-one, message me through the Substack app or website or email me directly at barbarasinclair11@protonmail.com, and I will send you more details.

I am taking this very slowly and will see how it evolves. If you are considering a session, I highly suggest you read some of my posts, especially the ones on healing and my About Page, to get a feel for who I am.

And now, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and sharing a Love Note recently written by someone with whom I’ve been doing sessions. The reason Amanda has had such a positive experience is, in my opinion, because she is so open to receiving and doing the work. So, while she is singing my praises, I sing them right back to her.

To say Barbara has changed my life is an understatement. She is the rare individual who possesses both profound spiritual healing gifts and humility. If I’ve ever known a person who is the embodiment of a magical fairy, it’s her. She shares her wisdom and healing so beautifully and without pretense.

I’ve had the deep privilege of knowing and working with Barbara for a few years and it has helped me reach deeper parts of myself and to heal on a level I didn’t know was possible. Barbara helps you remember. Her energy healing work cannot be overstated. I wasn’t sure how a virtual session with her working remotely and giving a follow up message would be, but I’ve felt significant shifts every time. She has extensive training and has done this work herself. I will continue to work with Barbara as long as she is willing to do this work. She is peacefully and quietly working to shift the frequency of this Earth home we all share. To work with her is a gift.

The shifts she has helped me make have rippled out into my family and community. If you’re considering an energy healing session, I can wholeheartedly recommend Barbara Sinclair.

Amanda

Amanda is a phenomenal poet/writer on Substack. You can read some of her writing here. Mother of four children, I am in awe of her.

That’s it! Thank you for your precious time reading or listening. If you’ve made it to the end of this post, you’re truly a rock star. :)

Much Love,
Barbara

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And for laughs (funny, not funny!)

Spring in New Hampshire (Creator Unknown)