Do you believe it’s possible to dream a new world into being?

In fact, my teachers and guides tell me that THIS the purpose of this difficult time right now.

They share with me that NOW is the time to reconnect with right relationship. To live healthy lives, in harmony with the environment, and with each other.

Today, it’s obvious that we’re living out of balance. The choices made by our ancestors about lifestyle, economics, health, medicine and so many more aspects of life have consequences. And the debts that were created as a result of those actions are now coming due.

Pachamama can no longer support us as she has for past generations. 

Not only do we inherit the choices of past society, but on a personal level, we inherit the beliefs of our ancestors. This includes the beauty of of our family lineage, but also the generational trauma, the hurts, wounds and even the unspoken belief systems in our family of origin.

Today’s message isn’t to beleaguer the obvious fact that we’re living through difficult times right now. Instead it’s a message of hope. I believe that we have the choice and the power to dream a new world into being. 

That’s not to say that it will be easy. In fact, in most cases, it won’t. When we take a good look at the life we live, and decide what right relationship means to us personally, chances are we may need to make some modifications to our lifestyle. 

Many wise traditions talk about the effects of the choices we make today having a lifespan of 7 generations. In my practice of seeking to live in right relationship here is the ONE QUESTION I come back to time and time again. 

Does the choice or action I am making today support the 7th generation in the future? 

It’s that simple. With each choice you make, ask yourself that question. 

It applies to every choice you make each day — to the food you eat, to the love you make, to the goods you buy, to the waste you leave behind. Do your choices today support the 7th generation in the future?

You have the ability to be the change, the question is, will you make the effort?

Infinite ∞ Love, Lyn

P.S. This message has been inspired by my shamanic teachers and also my meditations with Pachamama. If you haven’t had the chance to watch the film KISS THE GROUND, I recommend it. It helps to put the choices we’re making into perspective. xoxo.

News Flash – there is a HUGE difference between accommodating someone to honor the relationship and being a persistent people pleaser. Do you know the difference?

Sometimes accommodating others is necessary to sustain a relationship that you value, even when you would rather not. This is part of the give and take of relationship, but, when pleasing others becomes a compulsive lifestyle, rather than a compromise, take warning from this red flag.

I know first hand, growing up in a dysfunctional family environment, I learned early on that pleasing others was a gateway drug to perceived love, acceptance and safety. It became easier to put others needs first, as it eliminated the conflict, the guilt, and the fear of not fitting in. I found that when I expressed myself, when I pushed back, tried to express boundaries and finally had the courage to say no, that’s when I was punished.

As I became an adult, the people pleaser in me persisted. I put in extra time at work, but still felt unseen. I became angry at my family for putting me in compromising situations when I was younger. I resented my husband because I felt unappreciated. Yet I continued to sacrifice myself instead of sacrificing the relationship. 

Does that sound familiar?

I felt trapped. Accommodating others became so ingrained in me that I lost touch with who I was and found myself in an abusive relationship not having the tools or the inner strength to face the overwhelming retaliation I faced every time I tried to exit. 

The underlying belief was that I wasn’t lovable, and I had to go through my own dark night to reacquaint myself with the parts of me that I had hidden. It was a process of relearning self-worth, and self esteem, and healing the shame I didn’t know I carried inside. But this journey of self-reclamation has been the most life affirming I’ve experienced. That’s why the work I do as part of Love Yourself Now is so important. 

Here are 8 questions to ask yourself regarding people pleasing:

1. Do you apologize when you don’t have to?
2. Do you resent others for not reciprocating?
3. Do you always give more than you take?
4. Do you forgive those who hurt you for fear of losing the relationship?
5. Do you put more importance on other’s feelings than your own?
6. Do you compare yourself to others?
7. Do conflicts make you anxious whereby you avoid confrontation?
8. Do you find it hard to set boundaries with some people?

Listen, there’s nothing wrong with being nice, but the first priority is to offer that kindness to yourself. 

I hope these questions challenge your thinking, and if they feel true to you, that they help you shift your behaviors into greater self-awareness. Having healthy self-esteem is a key element towards your mental wellness, and gives you confidence to move out of the people pleasing obstacles and into a future of understanding your innate worth. 

I’ll be honest, ditching the people pleasing has been scary. But, learning that not everyone has to like me has been one of the most liberating gifts yet. This sense of it’s okay to be me, unapologetically, has freed me in more ways than I could have imagined.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself playing the people pleaser, or are you soild in your self-esteem? 

Know that I’m here to listen if you ever want to share, and that I always love reading your comments.

Cacao medicine is a path to your heart. The wise elders tell us that whenever the balance between humans and nature become threatened, cacao spirit comes from the rainforest to open our heart and establish harmony again. 

Unlike many plants used in shamanic journeying, cacao won’t skyrocket you out of your body or create hallucinogenic experiences. It will awaken you, enliven you, and guide you deeper into the emotional and energetic center of your being.

Since ancient times cacao has been used ceremonially to connect with the infinite presence of love. Cacao increases blood flow to the brain and releases feel-good endorphins and bliss chemicals into the body.

Mama Cacao is a Master Plant Teacher. She is gentle and nurturing, yet very powerful. When we use sacred cacao we are invited to dance with acceptance, and to promote a deep love for ourselves and for others.

I call upon Mama Cacao to assist me in the mentoring I do with clients as part of my Love Yourself Now practice. Unconditional love, especially self-love, is at the heart of my work, and I support my clients to create deeper connections to their radical self-worth and confidence.

And… I am blessed to live on and steward 16 acres of tropical farmland where I cultivate a sustainable and diverse cacao forest. From the fruit of these harvests I hand craft the 100% pure cacao that I use in ceremony.

Cacao is a delicate, sensitive plant and growing her is no simple task.

She requires high rainfall and humid temperatures, and needs lots of love and care to harvest the high vibe fruit that are used to create ceremonial cacao.

During, and even after a cacao ceremony you may experience any of the following:

• A heart opening journey
  Cacao can open the heart and allow you to connect with yourself and others in a deeper, more loving way.
• Connect to your highest self, your truth and your power
  Cacao enables you to connect with your inner wisdom, allowing for more profound meditation. It provides an ability to travel into your inner landscape to find your own intuitive knowing.
• Release blocks, limiting beliefs and outdated patterns
  Cacao brings an awareness of things that have been keeping you from living the life you love and gives you the strength to let them go. 
• More energy and mental clarity
  Cacao gives you an energy boost which can help you find mental clarity and balance. You can be reminded of your talents, skills, creative ability and life purpose.
• Open to greater creativity
  Cacao can create a bridge to inspiration, creativity and new ideas. You’ll find new meaning and purpose begin to flow with ease. 

You’re invited to celebrate yourself with this sacred shamanic journey and to open your heart to your radical self love and well-being. We join together in sacred circle every month to work with Mama Cacao.

Come hang out in the bliss and feel the cacao vibes from my chocolate farm in Panama. You’ll find all the details at lynbishop.com/cacaoceremony. See you in Ceremony!

Infinite ∞ Love,

If you’ve been reading me for a while now, you know that I’ve been on a multi-year journey using Cacao as Medicine. 

In my daily meditation this past weekend, I found myself looking back at how my connection with cacao has impacted my life in steady, subtle ways. In my personal experience, working with cacao is not a one and done kind of interaction, rather, it’s a slow and deep awakening to what’s been hidden, dormant, and unseen within me. 

This weekend I was gifted the vision of how my heart has re-awakened, specifically, to a life long passion for creativity, experimentation, and exploration. What I mean is that through the medicine of cacao, I’ve been returning to a life of creative investigation that had felt dormant for several years. 

After leaving my life as a professional artist in Silicon Valley, I moved to Central America and lost touch with that part of me that is an art maker. Sure, I was still creating through building, constructing and planting, but that was a different path to what I had known as an “artist”.

Since I had that first initiation where Cacao Spirit came to me in my dreams and then by connecting with her energy every month through sacred practice, I’m finding my passion for creating is returning organically and intuitively in ways that I’m only now understanding.

As I look back at the timeline of this reconnection with my innate inner artist, it’s clear that it has been fueled by Mama Cacao and her connection to my heart, mind and spirit. It’s as if a lever has been turned, and the (cacao) juice of inspiration is flowing again. 

So, what is it about cacao that’s causing this to happen and why might you consider attending Cacao Ceremony? 

1. Heart Opening
   One of the active ingredients in cacao is theobromine. It’s been proven to widen the blood vessels and stimulate the heart. Because of this, cacao opens the heart chakra, the emotional center of the body. 
   
2. Mind Enhancing
   Cacao has shown to increase overall brain health, focus, and concentration. The flavonoids contained in cacao boost memory, increase attention span, and heighten problem-solving skills.
   
3. Bliss Connection
   Cacao contains anandamide, its name comes from ananda which is the Sanskrit word for bliss. Anandamide is a neurotransmitter that binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body, stimulating a sense of happiness and mental wellness.

Within the context of ceremony, cacao medicine allows us to see from a different perspective. It can show the limiting beliefs, past traumas, or outdated habits that no longer are needed to live the life most desired. Cacao enables the connection with inner wisdom, and, at least for me, has become the bridge to inspiration, creativity and new ideas.

Sometimes a cacao ceremony can lead to profound changes in the way you live your life. You may become aware of things that have been keeping you from living the life you love and receive strength in letting some things go. Cacao helps you tune into your positive side, and allows you to connect with yourself and others in a deeper, more loving way.

If you haven’t experienced a ceremony with me yet, I invite you to join us in sacred circle as we drink cacao and journey into the shamanic realm of your inner knowing. You can find all the details at lynbishop.com/cacaoceremony.

I’m curious if you’ve had any experiences with cacao? I love finding your comments below, so if you feel like sharing how cacao has touched you, I’d love to hear. 

Infinite Love,
Lyn