INTERVIEW WITH NATASHA SALTZER.What led you to become a Shamanic Energy field healer? My healing and psychic gifts were inherited from my Dad, so yo

INTERVIEW WITH NATASHA SALTZER.

What led you to become a Shamanic Energy field healer?

My healing and psychic gifts were inherited from my Dad, so you could say I didn't have much choice in the matter :-) I was basically called to be a healer from a young age. My Dad did not use his gift that much, only when there was real need in the family due to ill-health with a family member, as he had made the decision not to go public with his natural healing ability. Even though I only witnessed glimpses of his true healing potential, he was still a big influence on me.

Through out my life I have had quite a few mystical experiences, I knew that I was part of something that I could not quite explain. It was an experience of doing some healing along side my Dad, for my Grandad on a life support machine, (he had lung problems) that really opened my eyes. We both channeled healing energy into him and the computer of the life support machine responding to the healing, by showing the lung capacity increasing, it was unbelievable! This was the first time I had physical evidence, that there was actually something happening during healing a session, that proved to me that it as more than just the placebo effect, when people started to recover. My Grandad was off the life support machine and sitting up having a cup of tea the next morning. Seeing as he had clinically died for a few seconds the day before, this was quite amazing to witness. I knew then that I had to develop my skills further and learn to how to use my healing gift with greater understanding.

A wonderful visitation from an angel, inspired and directed me to train as a Energy Field healer with Sue Zange, (this is a story I will share some other time) A few years later I began my training as a Shamanic healer with Chris Luttichau.

My life as a healer did not come into full fruition until after I was struck down with severe ME/Chronic fatigue Syndrome also known as Myalgic encephalomyelitis, in early 2008. As I journeyed back to health, from being bed-bound for 18 months, barely able to walk, it was very much like a shedding of all parts of me that did not fully resonant with my true life purpose. My illness symbolically ripped me apart and I was slowly put back together again over a five year period and somehow in the healing process I found peace with who I was and my gifts and healing/teaching path.

What led you to lead your own Shamanic Life- arts workshops?

They say that you can tell what your ideal vocation in life is, by looking at the activities you were most drawn to naturally do as a child. I adored being outdoors, for me it was a constant source of wonder, adventure and magic. I realise now that I could sense the spirit in all living things and my bond with the natural world was profound.

You could say I was a little strange, but I had no one to tell me any different! Rather than watch TV, I often preferred mud fights, trying to catch fish with my bare hands, river swings and lying down under an old broken window, watching snails crawl over the glass. Let me speak more about the snails - I could lay there in deep fascination for a long time, watching a snail move its slug like body above the glass, carrying it's little home on its back, just millimetres above my face. I was enthralled by the workings of the natural world.

We lived in a old water mill that was half derelict, a real adventure playground. I was home taught along with my two sisters for quite a few years (my three brothers came later) - so the forests, rivers, rocks and plants became my natural teachers......my classroom was for a large part of the day, the great outdoors. Eventually my parents sent me to a 'proper' school because we were getting the 'wild' eyes and they though it best to try and integrate us into society whilst we were still tame-able. (Not sure how much of a success that was!)

It is no surprise my nick name growing up was 'Mowgli' from the Jungle book, with my dodgy, short, home haircut, brown skin and running around bare-foot with just a pair of red pants on! (If your child bares a natural resemblance to 'Mowgli' why, why, why give them red pants?!)

I never lost the influence of those precious young years though and my love for nature eventually led me to an earth-based spirituality Shamanism. The free-spirit energy of my childhood also helped my love for expressive, creative and artistic activities which stayed with me all through my life, studies and career. My educational back ground in the arts stems from First Class honours degree in Visual and Performance art - UK, to Level 1 Tamalpa Life arts process - California, USA. I have performed theatre, dance, performance art and as a singer-songwriter with the band The Myst.

I have studied with some amazing teachers over the years both creatively and spiritually , but I have to say that my first and most powerful teacher still is Mother Earth.

What is Shamanism?

My attraction to shamanism was that it appeared to offer a umbrella of understanding, for what I naturally experienced as a child. As a child, I lived in a shamanic world, that for me, was not confined by language or the modern desire to put things in logical boxes. My connection to nature and spirit simply was. Therefore the beauty of Shamanism for me, is it represents the relationship between humans and nature/spirit in its most natural form.
Shamanism is a spiritual practice and there is evidence that it goes back in our human history, over 40,000 years. (My instincts tell me it goes back quite a bit further.) There is something about this I like, for something to have survived for so long, there has to be some merit to it?

So in a nutshell what is shamanism? Shamanism is the most ancient form of spiritual practice known to humans, it is the ability to gain wisdom, healing, guidance from communion with both the physical and spirit world, that ideally promotes health and well-being for one self or others. There are many forms this communion can take place, from shamanic journeying, dreams, plant medicine work, ritual and meditation etc. With shamanism it is believed that illness and disharmony can come about due to loss of personal power or soul loss and that healing happens when the power and soul is fully returned.

The shamanic way of life is something our ancestors in ancient, more tribal times, embraced and they lived in greater harmony with all of life. My adult life has been a search for this feeling of harmony/balance and how this can be achieved in modern times.

A Shaman is one who walks with balance between two worlds; ordinary reality and non-ordinary reality, earth and heaven, the seen and the unseen, the natural and the super-natural.

What is Shamanic Life-arts?

I have followed two main paths in my life, the spiritual, healing path and the creative, expressive path, often at times these two paths have naturally crossed. When that happened I experienced an extra depth and intensity to that life experience. I seemed to feel at my most alive. I am greatly intrigued by this meeting place between creative and spiritual forces, which I call the 'Life Spark' There is something profoundly magical about it and a place of great potential for transformation and healing.

For example, when I create and express from the place of the soul, or in collaboration with spirit, I seem to evoke a power that is pure and transcendental. By opening up to the energy of my 'Life Spark', I invite truth to be fully present and this brings about greater clarity to who I am and illusions can begin to fall away.

Shamanic Life-arts is an investigation into these two worlds the Spiritual and Creative. Participants are encouraged to connect with their soul and inner artist and through different activities, that are a part of a creative/spiritual process, the participant has the potential for personal growth and healing from the direct relationship with their own 'Life Spark'.

What sort of activities do your workshops involve?

Most of my workshops are practical based as apposed to intellectual, as I find this is a fantastic way to learn...to learn through experience. You may work solo, duets in groups both indoors and outdoors.
Intuitive creativity exercises, please note there is no right or wrong way to express or create in any of the exercises... be it...drawing, writing, movement or sound. This is just you giving a voice to your inner world, your body, your soul, your spirit guides etc, so that you can gain intuitive insights, knowledge and wisdom to help you on your life path/personal journey.

*Ritual and ceremony, as it brings about high focus and heightened perceptions. I love ceremonies!

*Shamanic journeying, you will learn how valuable a tool this can be for personal support. You will learn to move from ordinary to non-ordinary reality at will, into the vast transpersonal realms of freedom, awareness, healing and creativity. Here you can make friends with compassionate non-physical energies - 'spirits' in the non-ordinary realities. They can help you with their wisdom, power, inspiration and knowledge to help you.

*You will also be taught powerful transformative energy techniques and practical ways of deepening your connection to your soul.

Each workshop has a theme and the whole workshop process will be a transformative journey connected to that theme, combining spiritual and creative processes and practical exercises with the aim to bring you the relevant healing/guidance you most need at that time.

What makes your workshops unique?

My work is grounded in strong traditions and I have undergone extensive training in the arts and healing for nearly 20 years, but I am also passionate about bringing in and channeling new methods and techniques for personal growth and transformation.

I am excited about bringing in new and pioneering ideas/processes that can help us in this time of human awakening and to also help reawaken and channel the 'old ways' of ancestors that has got lost down the blood lines, due to past oppression in our human history. (Especially in the UK, so much of our own native, spiritual heritage has been completely wiped out.) I am trying to make myself a hollow bone for the ancestors to share their knowledge with me, if they so choose, so that it can be alive in present time once again.

Fundamentally what I am sharing is what has been taught to me, by my spirit guides and my own soul work. The essence of my work is to empower participants that they too have access to their own teachings/guidance directly through connection to source/spirit/higher self and they can ask for help, healing and answers for themselves.

So in my workshops, it is very much a melting pot of the old and new....although you will be taught traditional shamanic techniques and some recognised creative/personal development techniques, much of my workshop material is channelled or devised by myself, so it is not available anywhere else.

I'm a complete novice, can I still attend?

Yes, if you feel drawn to my work, please feel free to attend, no matter what level you consider yourself at. I believe in the law of attraction, that like attracts like, so if you feel called to sign up, then it hopefully signifies my way of working will be compatible with you. There are still places on my next two day workshopSPIRAL DOORWAY Shamanic Life-arts workshop. June 1st - 2nd 2013, in Northamptonshire, an hour from London on the train.

As well as running workshops under your own 'Little River' website, you also teach on Wellness retreats with Escape Retreats?

I am so thrilled to be teaching Shamanic Life-arts on Escape Retreat Wellness retreats. The combination of spirituality and creativity mixed with the power of yoga and nutrition is a fantastic mix. It is such an honour to working along side Health & Nutrition expert Sara Bayley and Yoga teacher Sushi Mahto. I'm really looking forward to our next retreat coming up: VITAL WOMAN SUMMER RETREAT. in a beautiful old mill in Normandy, France July 26th-30th. www.escaperetreat.org

You are founder of Little River Healing space, what other services do you offer? Do you have any other future plans?

I do healing sessions for people and homes/offices., spiritual guidance readings, body mapping readings and remote distant healing. www.littleriver.eu

I love making Inspirational videos, you may like to watch one about how to bring more self-nourishment into your life.....click.... 'THE 10 FEATHERS OF HAPPINESS'

I am in the process of writing a book about my journey recovering from ME/CFS and the spiritual journey I went on and the insights I received. It is called 'The way of the Wildflower'. Feel free to sign up for my NEWSLETTER to keep up to date with my projects and news.

You can email me at info@littleriver.eu.

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Love and blessings.

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