Shakti Sutriasa
How to Know What Archetype You Embody

Recently, we explored the big idea in which I asked you what myth are you living. If you’re still ruminating on this, here’s another tool that might help you drill into it: archetypes.

The concept of archetype is something Carl Jung spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and is so rich! Caroline Myss has built on Jung’s work and expounded on how we can access and utilize archetypal energy to better understand ourselves and the world.

How to Know What Archetype You Embody
Shakti Sutriasa
What Myth Are You Living?

A powerful way to help understand where you are on your life path, is to recognize what story or stories are playing out in your life. This is a question/idea that comes from Carl Jung. He famously said:

I was driven to ask myself in all seriousness: “What is the myth you are living?”

I found no answer to this question, and had to admit that I was not living with a myth, or even in a myth, but rather in an uncertain cloud
of theoretical possibilities which I was beginning to regard with increasing distrust.

What Myth Are You Living?
Shakti Sutriasa
Step Confidently into 2025

Happy New Year!

Are you ready for 2025?

It still feels pretty new, which is why it’s helpful to employ some anchoring exercises to support you as you get clear about how you want this year to be for you. 

I always start my year by choosing a word or phrase, something to focus on, dive into, and act as a theme or inquiry for the upcoming 365 days.

Some of the ones I’ve chosen in past years include: receive, relax, joy, shine, communion… you get the idea. Once you hit on your word (or phrase), the invitation is to spend the next 12 months deepening into how you can experience it in your life.

Step Confidently into 2025
Shakti Sutriasa
Stay Present Amidst Uncertainty: My Fave Tool

I love sharing spiritual tools with you with this blog.

Sometimes it's a poem, mantra, prayer, breath exercise, or affirmation. But each technique is one I’ve tried and tested over the decades and is now part of my box of go-tos. The ones I rely on when I need additional support, assistance or help reconnecting to the truth of myself, which is love.

Today I felt called to share one that I return to again and again. It's a breath I was taught by my guru over twenty years ago called the Chittakash, which is the heart space over the head.

Stay Present Amidst Uncertainty: My Fave Tool
Shakti Sutriasa
Listen More Deeply & Compassionately - 3 ...

The other day I saw this quote by Stephen Covey:

“The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.”

I’ve always considered myself a good listener, how about you?

I enjoy paying attention to what others say, but it’s definitely a different kind of listening when we truly want to understand what someone else is saying!

And despite thinking I was good at this particular skill, I got a whole new perspective a few years ago when I received training from a facilitator who was part of the Compassionate Listening Project

Listen More Deeply & Compassionately - 3 Steps

soul purpose coaching

Set Yourself Free: 2 Great Tools To Forgive

Set Yourself Free: 2 Great Tools To Forgive

There are a lot of misconceptions about forgiveness.

People often think if they forgive, then it excuses behavior or absolves someone. But that isn’t true. Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting

When I hold on to resentment, anger or a grievance, who is suffering? I am. Because I feel it. Maybe the person with whom I have a conflict isn’t even aware of how I feel. Perhaps s/he doesn’t even know they’ve slighted me.

Forgiveness is an act of generosity. You are willing to let go of a wrong, release a past hurt, release an unmet expectation.

Holding on to a grievance keeps us stuck in the past and feeling like a victim. Instead, if we come from a place of love, forgiveness can set us free, allows us to live in the present and opens us up to joy.

10 Reasons To Meditate

10 Reasons To Meditate

In 1997, I officially began a meditation practice.

At the time, I was receiving acupuncture for a physical condition and my practitioner and I soon became friends, sharing interests in film, politics and spirituality.

One day when speaking about a recent visit from the Dalai Lama, my acupuncturist friend looked at me and said, “you really need to meditate.”

I knew her words were meant as encouragement, but I was scared and quickly made an excuse. “I don’t have time.” I had a 3 year-old, a full time job and a long commute...

She ignored my excuses. “You have to make time.”

3 Ways Spiritual Work Helps with Life & Death

3 Ways Spiritual Work Helps with Life & Death

Last weekend I attended a memorial service for a woman I’d known for fifteen years. It’s a story you’ve all heard before. She was fine, couldn’t get rid of a cough, went to the doctor and received a stage IV cancer diagnosis.

As I sat in the crowd, surrounded by people who loved her, I was reminded of a memorial service I attended twenty years ago, when I had just begun my spiritual practice.

My brother’s best friend had hung himself. It was a tragedy and everyone was shocked. I happened to be in New York and was able to attend the service.

As I walked uptown to the venue, I was nervous. I’d known this young man well and was both shocked and saddened by the loss. What could I say to his family? Truth is, we’re all uncomfortable with death. We avoid thinking about it, looking at it, talking about it.

Then I heard my meditation teacher’s words echo as my feet hit the pavement. “We do spiritual work to deal with death.”

5 Reasons Traveling Feeds Your Soul

5 Reasons Traveling Feeds Your Soul

I have to confess, I’m a nomad at heart.

Sometimes I even fantasize about wandering the globe, staying in Tahiti a month, off to New Zealand for half the year then slowly hopping my way around the world.

But life has a way of rooting us to a spot. Maybe it’s a family obligation – taking care of an ailing parent or raising children. It could be a job, familiarity or convenience.

Whatever the reason you have for staying in a place, make sure to schedule time away to explore a new city or to simply relax. We all need it – our bodies, minds, and psyches.

Self Love or Shame?

Self Love or Shame?

I’m a big fan of Brené Brown because she’s willing to research topics that no one wants to talk about, like shame. One of my favorite books of hers is Daring Greatly.

In it, Brown says that shame needs three things to grow: silence, secrecy and judgment.

We all have shame, those places inside where we feel bad about ourselves, unworthy, embarrassed, ashamed.

Why Changing You Changes the World

Why Changing You Changes the World

Have you ever felt like you were on a mission to save the world? A super hero or advocate fighting to rescue the planet from total destruction?

That was me. And my mission was to save earth singlehandedly, or at least that’s what I envisioned as a naïve 21 year-old. I saw myself equipped with a massive vacuum able to suck up all the excess carbon out of the air, replant trees on clear cut mountainsides, recycle all plastics, metals. You get the idea.

But then life took me to Asia.

Writing Your Life Into Existence

Writing Your Life Into Existence

Since I was a girl, I’ve always loved stories.

In fact, reading was my big escape. Many afternoons after school, I’d hang out in my room and devour books, from Judy Bloom to Nancy Drew to Madeleine L’engle. Even now – one of my favorite past times is to curl up with a good novel.

I’m the kind of person who resonates with stories, they speak to me, teach lessons, convey truths. Maybe it’s the artist in me, the one who sees the world through symbols and metaphors. Imagery speaks louder to me than text.

Before I Die, I want to...

Before I Die, I want to...

Is there anything you want to do before you die?

I found myself face to face with this question recently as I watched a TED video of the artist Candy Chang. She shared about creating an interactive chalkboard mural in New Orleans entitled; “Before I Die, I want to…”

The wall invited people to write what they want to do before they die.

3 Simple Tools for Creating A Future YOU Want

3 Simple Tools for Creating A Future YOU Want

Do you want to keep living the life you’ve always led or are you ready to shift into a new way and a new life?

Choosing to live your life’s purpose, requires you to undo much of what you’ve been taught. After all, you want to create a future different from the past.

So how do you do that?

Being 100% Responsible

Being 100% Responsible

When I was a girl, I couldn’t wait to grow up. At ten, I fantasized about having my own apartment in New York City and running a chic restaurant.

I yearned to be an adult because I wanted to be in charge. I hated feeling like I had no control over my life – of where I lived, went to school, what I ate.

All too quickly, my wish was granted and I was a young, clueless adult overwhelmed by the world. It was easy to feel oppressed. I couldn’t get a good job because the market was tight and there was too much competition. Poor me, no one could see the value that I offered.

I fell into feeling like a victim.

It's Time to Shine Your Light

It's Time to Shine Your Light

When I taught high school in the 1990s, I had a student who, instead of saying “goodbye” when she left a person or situation would exclaim, “shine on.”

Every time I heard her say that, to me or to others, I smiled. What a great statement, and a wonderful reminder- shine on. The implication being that we are here on earth, to shine our unique and sacred light.

Are you shining your light?

Your Life Is A Creative Venture

Your Life Is A Creative Venture

Lately I’ve been doing inventory.

I’ve been reflecting on my life and examining it by asking this question: Did I make a significant decision according to a set of rules, some kind of pre-ordained/ family inspired plan or because it was truly and deeply something that I wanted to do for my own self growth?

Take a moment to look back at your life and ask yourself the same question.

Turns out that we make a lot of decisions based on: pleasing others, fulfilling expectations, because it’s the right thing to do or is what we’re “supposed” to do.

Ouch.