Episode 028: Mirrors of Our Reality
With R.G. Shore
On the spiritual journey, we need to learn to cultivate a space within ourselves by recognizing that we are but mirrors of our reality.
In this episode I speak with Reiki Master, Certified Spiritual Director, and Founder of the nonprofit Northwest Wisdom, R. G. Shore about integrating our life experience in order to stand in higher spiritual truth. We speak about his experience of incarceration and how it has informed his spiritual development. We also explore the themes of identity, the root of all suffering, and balancing "religion and spirituality" on the journey to discovering more of what we truly are.
Connect with my guest, R. G. Shore
Website: www.northwestwisdom.org
IG: https://www.instagram.com/northwest_wisdom/
--
If you're ready to know the 3 Keys to Living Your Soul's Purpose, check out my free video resource here.
Episode Transcript:
R. G. Shore: We are mirrors of our own reality, right? And so what's reflected from something else is a reflection of ourselves and where we're at. So if we're not hearing something, it's because our personal soul and our personal journey isn't yet ready to receive that thing.
Cameron: welcome to the Path and Purpose Podcast, where your journey of self-discovery meets with a collective awakening of humanity. I'm your host, Dr. Cameron Martin. In this exciting time of expansion and growth, we are witnessing a profound shift in consciousness. As spiritually awakening individuals, we are called to embrace our inner wisdom intuition and the deeper knowing that we're meant for more.
As an eternal student of the universe and a spiritual leader, I have dedicated my life to supporting your journey of transformation. Through this podcast, we embark on a shared exploration [00:01:00] where you can find inspiration, insights, and guidance from the stories of others who are walking similar paths, to see your truth reflected in their experiences, and to ignite the confidence to believe in the bigger purpose that awaits you.
This podcast is here to provide inspiration, insights, and guidance so that the path to living your soul's purpose becomes less of a mystery and more of a discovery.
Join me for this episode of the podcast where we will explore the many paths to living our soul's purpose.
Track 1: On today's episode, I'm here with R. G. Shore, who is a Reiki master, certified spiritual director, and the founder of a non profit called Northwest Wisdom, where he teaches people the tools and techniques to go deeper and heal the spiritual wounds of the mind. They have, he has a passion for working with marginalized communities, including people of [00:02:00] color, people who have been incarcerated or people dealing with religious trauma.
He wrote an Amazon bestseller called the ocean inside me about his experiences in meditation and spirituality while incarcerated. I'm super excited to have this conversation with him today. So welcome.
R: Oh, thank you. I'm so excited and feel honored and privileged to be a part of your podcast and a part of this journey and yeah, I'm just very grateful for you and what you're doing in your, in your sphere.
Track 1: Thank you. Actually, I do want to start this episode with a slight backtrack. So we talked a few moments before this and, uh, At first, I'm going to call you out here. Archie didn't send me a bio. So I was like, uh, how do you want me to introduce you? And the conversation was basically like, however you want to, because what did you say?
I don't want to say your words.
R: I'm just a person, I just said I'm a person and it's so funny that we are so obsessed with labels and [00:03:00] part of what incarceration does to you is remind you all those labels are stupid. They don't mean much, you know, it's like, uh, it's, it's funny. I always thought like, it would be really funny to patent like a dating app where you just are, it's, you're dating people based upon like the shit you've done.
just put it all out there, you know, like, well, I'm an alcoholic and, you know, and so I just thought that would always, I always had the idea of like, that would be a cool
Cameron: it was funny when you started the conversation of, um, I wanted to create a dating app. My next thought was based on your aura. That's not at all what you said, but yeah, it's the same. Uh, Yeah, we were talking about the interesting culture, uh, in America, right, where we're always answering question, but somebody wants to meet you.
Right. It's like, what do you do? And the truth is, I think the question is more interesting. Who do you be or how are you being in this moment? So I guess I'll just ask you that. How are you being right
now?
R: Oh, I'm good. I'm, I'm like, [00:04:00] I have a really good cup of coffee. And, um, I just put my, our, our golden doodle. Her name is Phoebe. I put her out to play. So she's out in the yard. Uh, I'm feeling good. I'm feeling rested. Um, Yeah, I'm feeling very like I'm hearing all these different from different modalities, different signs of, well, a, it's March 21st.
So it's the day after spring and, uh, the first day of spring and the equinox. So there's just so many beautiful, different sort of messages, all kind of coming together. And that message is, Hey, like things are happening and things are shifting and, you know, prepare yourself and set good intentions for those things.
Those things and, uh, like the space is ready for you. Are you ready for this
space? Yeah,
Track 1: So much resonance there. So I've shared this with my community, but, um, the Equinox, spring Equinox is actually new year's. It's the new year in astrology, so that's when Aries season begins. And it [00:05:00] makes a ton of sense, by the way, that there's this birthing energy and newness energy around spring, when things are coming up out of the sky at the be Or, the sky.
That's weird. Coming out of the ground, um, at the beginning of this season, right? It's like, we celebrate January 1st. Like what the heck is that? That's the dead of the winter energetics. It's, it's cold and it's dark. I mean, we're not even talking about anything of, you know, Birthing energy. So yeah, this period is definitely like that.
So, well, maybe we'll get to it in this conversation, this whole idea of birthing and creation, but let's take us back first to sort of the beginning of your spiritual
awakening.
R: yeah, that's well, geez. Um, I mean, maybe lifetimes ago, maybe not even in this lifetime. Who knows? I, I laugh at that because, uh, you know, I was born in a Christian family. Well, I was raised in a Christian family. Um, I'm adopted. [00:06:00] So I was born in India, Calcutta in an orphanage. adopted to a white family. And when you're adopted to a white family, you're adopted into the white culture and you're adopted, you're adopted the culture you're a part of.
And so for me, it was Oregon and, you know, as a baby person of color learning, well, I guess I'm supposed to be white like everybody else. Right. And so that's, that's the kind of the journey of Self worth and rejection and abandonment and all the kind of wounds that are revealed over, you know, 35 years of living 36 years of living.
Um, so as far as the awakening goes, my personal belief is that often our ego kind of runs things. until we get put in a place where our ego can't run things. Um, I think I, the, the line I wrote in my book is, you know, uh, often we don't face, we aren't willing to face our shadow [00:07:00] until we no longer have access to the sun.
Um, and, And, and I think a part of that reality is our ego likes to be in charge and our ego likes to be comfortable and our ego likes to not be challenged, uh, with comfort. And so the universe is doing is presenting us opportunities whenever you're ready with those challenges. And so, while there are many marker points in my life, definitely incarceration was the, the great falling upward, as I like to call it, um, sort of fall into it.
Um, And only when you fall into it, do you surrender to it. Um, and there's this, the term I use in my first chapter of the book is Wu Wei, which is you're not pushing against and you're not pushing for it's, it's, um, non action. So it's like, Allowing, uh, or non doing. So you're not, again, you're not pushing for something.
You're just flowing with the river. And often with that flowing, you start to [00:08:00] see things as they are. Uh, and that revealing is, Oh, here's what's happening. Here's what this flow is. I can either resist it or I can just allow and accept it. So,
Track 1: So, okay. Tell me then the incarceration was kind of a big moment. And then how did this, I'm presuming, give you space to then do some spiritual digging? What was that? What was
that like?
R: you know, I think suffering comes from lack of control and wanting control. Um, and I think that. When we start to let go of that push for control, uh, Incarceration, like sort of any other traumatic event, is an event where you realize all of a sudden you no longer have any control. Uh, and what's interesting about our system particularly is that it's a system that really gives you no say and it tries to [00:09:00] take away your humanness.
And that's one of the biggest issues, I think, with it is it dehumanizes you. It tells you you're no longer a person. You're a number, you're a number, you're like cattle, you know, you're, you're just, uh, people. You're a cog in a machine. And so, the surrender, I've got a cat coming here, the surrender is, um, realizing I can't go anywhere, I can't change this, I can't, I am, it's way beyond me.
Um, in the criminal system, they call it just us, not justice. Right. So it's, it's a just us system. It's just for the marginalized. It's just for, for people who, um, don't have, you know, the, the power to, um, change their circumstances. Um, as a person of color, I was incarcerated in almost all white prison. Um, and so for me, it was being surrounded by white [00:10:00] supremacists and neo Nazis and men who were not the safest to be around.
So it was like, how do I create this space of healing when I'm constantly surrounded by it. Um, the analogy I give, and hopefully it's not too crude of an analogy, but it's like, uh, someone trying to get sober at Oktoberfest is kind of what it was like, was how do I, how do I, how do I begin to address my own wounds that I need to address and my own trauma when the trauma is coming in twice as fast?
And so, because you can't go anywhere, You can only go inward. And that's what I learned. I can't go anywhere, so I have to go inward. So I created a space within myself through meditation and through, uh, radio prison headphones, basically. And through the, the white noise was sort of the conduit. And I created a realm through visualization where I could create the safe space to address the wounds and address the things that I needed to.
Track 1: Now, had you [00:11:00] been spiritually inclined prior to this? Did you have a lot of spiritual tools, we'll say, or did this just, this is my circumstance? I'm going to find the creator within myself, essentially.
R: I think it's a bit of both. I mean, so I did. I studied religions in college. My, I have a religious studies major background. I taught high school religions for a while. Um, I was always spiritually inclined. I was always, um, someone who said, I'm going to seek, even if it takes me to a lonelier place. Um, and I found that more often people would rather be right than seek truth.
And I found that I would rather. Seek truth and be right and that's a hard and lonely place to be in Because it's a continually challenging place. It's I'm gonna go where others may have not gone I want to go there because I want to find the healing So that I can address my own wounds and [00:12:00] then help others heal as well And so I think it was always there, but I think the universe always kind of gives us only what we're ready for And so if I look back at my life, I'm like, oh I thought this was it And then this thing happens.
Oh, I thought this was it. And then this thing happens. And so it's really interesting to look back and sort of say the universe was always there. And in each moment in real time, I thought I was being given the ultimate lesson until the next thing happened. So, um, I think the incarceration was the real death, for sure.
Um, and I think there are a lot of little deaths along the way, but I think, yeah, looking back, the incarceration center, it was kind of like, all right, we're gonna birth you into something new, but in order to birth you into something new, you have to be willing to let the whole thing go.
Track 1: And I'm assuming the whole [00:13:00] thing, Go, part of that is maybe your religious understandings. I was gonna ask you, are you religious leaning? Are there particular teachings? Probably, I'm making an assumption that if you've taught world religions, you probably understand about a lot of them, and you maybe don't attach yourself to one, but I don't know.
Um, you can tell me that, but I'm curious if there are teachings or leanings or some religious influences that are stronger for you, and are they still today, or was that part of what you had to
let go of?
R: What a great question, man, you are, you're a professional. Um, I, uh, that's a great question. I, um, I would like to lean back on to what the Dalai Lama said, which is, you know, no tree is bad. And the idea is you find a tree, and you, you, you root yourself deep enough in [00:14:00] that tree, and you begin to see that the roots of that tree touch the roots of all of the trees. And so, so what I've learned is that, Truth or light or divinity, whatever word you want to creator, uh, divine feminine, whatever you want to call it.
When you begin to learn to see the patterns underneath the thing, that's what you're really looking for. And I think people tend to, uh, get tied up in religion when they are. attached to, um, the tapestry and not the fabric or the thread underneath the tapestry, right? Or in other words, people get so attached to the finger pointing to the moon and not the moon itself.
Um, and so I think it's really important to sort of say, like anything else, it's a tool. Right. And if the tool ends up getting in the way of the thing you're looking for, then you have to let go of the tool. But if the tool is there and it actually helps you discover what love is and discover what love is in other people and in [00:15:00] yourself and in this earth and in the universe, then great.
Use it. I found for a lot of people, religion is starting to get in the way because it is led by very egocentric, usually egocentric men. Um, and. And I think that people are starting to wake up a little bit about like, well, is this thing serving? Me anymore and not just little me is this thing serving the collective And a lot of people that I have conversations with is oh, man I don't know if this thing is right anymore or if it ever was um, and there are a lot of people who are sort of saying yeah, like I have a lot of religious trauma and Pardon my french, but it fucked me up, you know, and so it's like how do I sit with this thing?
Um, But also as a spiritual teacher, I can hold the both and. I can look at something and say, this thing, though really shitty, also holds a lot of beauty [00:16:00] too. Um, and so it's, it's about, again, not being in a this or that camp, but a both and camp, which can be really, really difficult to do. Um, and so, and, and religion in itself, the word religion comes from the word religio.
Which means like ligament to bind together. So in its original intention, it was to bring Everyone together and we can clearly see
Track 1: When it also binds.
R: Biden, yeah. But it's, it's, it's, it's no longer, it, it hasn't done that for a long time in my opinion. And so, I don't lean towards any one religion, but my goal is to see the energy of the divine underneath the thing, and then let go of anything else that is maybe just ego based.
Um, And, and when I'm talking with people, you know, sometimes I talk with people who identify as Christian and I allow that to be okay, right? Because that person needs to be seen and felt and heard and validated. And it's not my goal to say that's wrong. [00:17:00] It's my goal to say, I see you and I hear you and I validate you.
So my goal is to always meet a person where they're at, whether they bring religion into it or not.
Track 1: love this part of the conversation. I haven't really had a deep conversation on the podcast with anybody about religion, especially not somebody who has studied and even taught world religion. So I'm going to play here for a little bit if that's okay. So I,
R: That's
Track 1: so I grew up very religious, uh, devout Catholic, but not my family.
I was not necessarily, um, like raised in that way. My mom took me to church and stuff, but more or less I dragged her. And I became a member of the choir when I was really young. And then I was a religious education teacher. When I became a teenager, I ended up being a choir director. For four years, I was a paid cantor at multiple churches.
Um, I thought that, [00:18:00] in fact, I even taught the, the, the confirmation class. Uh, so like, I was like, I think 20 or even younger than that. Like these kids are being confirmed at 16 or 17 and I was like leading that. So it was really interesting. And I had, a lot of my life was really about the church. And I thought around age 20, 21, 22, that I would be a priest.
However, I knew that, um, there was always an element of hiding and not being fully authentically me from the church because I understood my identity as a gay man. I knew that within myself and I knew that who I was being or who I was presenting in the church was not that authentically, like I could not share those pieces of me.
I could be up at the front of the church and leading in worship. People could be moved emotionally or whatnot. Um, but, you know, don't have a boyfriend, don't get married, because that's not happening for you, kind of thing. Which is part of the, [00:19:00] the beliefs I was caring even about, maybe I should just be a priest.
Now, what's interesting about religious systems is that you are, inside of religion, is a set of beliefs. That I think, as you accurately point, uh, mentioned. I think The reason why our world's religions exist, and so many of them have existed for so long, is because they point to Truth, right, with a capital T.
But none of them have Truth, because frankly, the human mind can't really comprehend it. And, accurately said, most of these churches, or religions, even, not, not the physical church, but the religious groups, Um, or belief systems, uh, they're led by humans, but specifically men. And throughout all of human history, these religions are also been connected to economics, political, they're all connected.
So there's that piece. Um, but again, the whole like pointing toward something that we can't [00:20:00] fully understand. So for me now, my understanding of, I mean, I am a spiritual coach, my understanding of rules. Well, my own existence in the universe is way different than it was, you know, when I was praying to Jesus, you know, on the cross right there.
Um, and I understand myself fundamentally as a consciousness, but I could call myself a soul came into a body in this lifetime to have experiences, but I'm billions of years old. If you can even. Mentioned that or point to that. Um, and you know, this idea of like this, you're a human who sins, you're going to go to hell and heaven.
Like, I honestly don't believe any of that anymore. And I also, I've taught this, um, a lot about the person of Christ and how I understand the Christ energy really. And, um, What he was really here to do, this [00:21:00] man that we call Jesus, uh, Nazareth, right? And what he was actually teaching is pretty much what a lot of new age things for people or teachers are teaching now today, which is look within yourself.
Stop listening to the religious leader who thinks they know more than you. Stop listening to the political leader who's just trying to rob you. Stop listening to this. Look within yourself and recognize, as Jesus said it, that the kingdom of God, right? Or, um, another way that you hear this today, the fifth dimension, new earth, You know, enlightenment, these are all things inside of you.
But what I found to be really interesting in my journey. So I left the church in 2018, but what I found to be interesting in my own spiritual awakening, my evolution was just this notion that humans, if they are drawn to a religion and not all are, and I would argue that in the future, we're going to see less and less of this for the same reasons that you just described, but.
Um, I heard this. I don't remember who shared this [00:22:00] idea with me, but it resonated deeply that people, when they're drawn to a particular religion, Their soul is looking for a particular experience, just like, I mean, I'm an astrologer, so I believe that you, a soul, comes into a body, you pick your life, you pick where, you pick to whom, you pick these sort of circumstances, and the where is very often going to be influenced by religion, right?
But anyway, if you, as a soul, are attracted to God Christianity, for example, for me, it was Catholicism. And it is the lessons of the being of Christ, of Jesus, and that energy that has something to teach you. So with Jesus, it's really unconditional love and forgiveness, right? These are his lessons primarily.
There are others, of course, but You know, the Buddha has different lessons for different people and similar, all still pointing to the moon, as you said, right. Different aspects of truth. But I found that to be very interesting. And so when I [00:23:00] recognized for myself that, huh, 'cause I have a lot of anger by the way, about the church and control all of this.
And I still actually have not fully processed that completely. But, um. When I recognized like, Oh, there was a reason I was attracted to this belief system, frankly, because that's what people call it. And these practices and these rituals and things, because these were the lessons that really resonated with me and my soul.
Now, I also have had many past lifetime experiences as a Catholic priest. I've seen these visions. Many of the lessons I'm learning in this lifetime are actually about balancing karma from those lifetimes. And the vows that I took of poverty, chastity, obedience, and these sorts of things. It's like, it's so ingrained in me.
energetically. And it's interesting that we're talking right now because this time of year always is very special for me. Uh, because I feel [00:24:00] drawn back to the church again, because we're about to next week is Holy Week in the, um, Christian religions. But in Catholicism, this begins on Palm Sunday, which is the remembrance of Jesus returning from the to finish his final ministry in.
Jerusalem, and then by Thursday, you'll be celebrating, or we'll be celebrating the Last Supper, or his, uh, his celebration as a Jewish practitioner of, uh, or one of the Jewish faith, his celebration of Passover. Um, and then his eventual death on, you know, good Friday and then Easter Sunday and that whole story.
But this time of year, I'm always brought back again to this like deep introspection moment. And I always want to go back to the Catholic church for Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday. When I recognize now that it's something within myself, that's being like triggered, remembered something about him, his journey, his teachings, those [00:25:00] final.
Um, sort of moments and what he was teaching to his disciples and what that represented that it's been so resonant for me. So I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with this now, because this conversation, I went in a couple of different places, but the understanding that I think. Um, even as we grow spiritually, as we grow and understand ourselves, um, recognizing that whatever our belief systems, whatever our religious upbringings may have been, we're all teaching us and pointing to certain things.
And um, like I said, for me, even though I would not call myself a Catholic anymore, I do not identify that way. Um, there are still these strings or threads, maybe as you were saying, within my being that. Um, I was just very deep in that way. I'd also say a side note here. My friends would, are going to laugh at this, but I also feel extremely connected to, and it's just like, it's almost ignorant to say this.
Cause [00:26:00] I know it's not one culture, but like Indian culture. Um, I know there are many cultures in that, in that country, but my time in India was so much like, Oh my gosh, I am a light skinned man, but I'm not. Inside, it felt a little different when I was there. And I am attracted to Hinduism in many ways for many reasons, um, which is wildly different than what the beliefs of Catholicism are.
But the point is they all point or they similarly point to universal truths in the way that we understand them.
R: Yeah, lots to unpack there, my friend. Um,
I you know, I'll first start off by saying that, like, I, I got to, um, in my early 20s, uh, I got to work with, I was mentored by, um, a Catholic priest named Father Richard Rohr, and he, um, he wrote a book called The Universal Christ and Falling [00:27:00] Upward. He's, he's pretty well known in that sphere.
Um, and, You know, one of the conversations I had with him in my early 20s was this idea of, I'm not so sure that Jesus and the Christ are the same, same thing. Um, and that was, that was hard because that sounds pretty, you know,
Track 1: Blasphemous, for sure.
R: blasphemous,
right?
Track 1: can't happen to save you, you're supposed to
R: And what I was getting at was, I just kept thinking, the Christ is an energy, the Christ is a beingness, and I imagine that Jesus the man woke up to this energy. And he called this energy Christ, but Christ is just another term for Messiah, right? Like it's, it's, it's the Greek term for the, I think, um, I would say, well, so I don't remember it goes way back, but I think, uh, it's either Aramaic or, but the Messiah, [00:28:00] um, and, and Christ are the same thing.
Right. And so,
um, Yeah, well, messenger is angel. Um, so, but like Christ is the idea is the coming one. So, and, and one of the, some of the language used in the gospels is that like, we are all little Christs, right? And some of the language Jesus actually says is, you know, whatever is in me is also in you, um, and that's kind of lost over time.
And I think when people aren't really yet ready to accept their own divinity, they again, Someone else on a pedestal, like Jesus, and they, they worship what they can't accept within themselves, um, and I think that's what happens over time, is the church can't accept, people of the church can't accept, wait, I'm worthy, and I'm good enough, and I am divine too, which seems to be much more of Jesus message straight from the Gospels, including the Gnostic Gospels, which don't get included, but are very, very beautiful. Specifically the Gospel of Thomas, [00:29:00] but, but one of the things that I came to understand in my own journey is that the Christ as an energy is an inclusive energy found everywhere. And so, you know, you can call it Christ, you can call it the universal principle, you can call it life force, you know, some people call it Chi, right, or like in Reiki, the key.
is just the energy underneath all things. And I think that's really what Jesus was probably pointing to is he's like, Hey, I am not, you're not, it's I am. And so are you. And so are the mountains. And so are the trees. And so it's the, it's all, it's all gravy, baby is the, is the term
Track 1: Yeah, I I I exist as an expression of Infinite Creator.
Yeah.
R: I like to say that the universe wanted to know what it was like to be an RG. So, here I am, and my goal is to wake up and remember, Oh, I'm just part of this larger thing called the universe. [00:30:00] Um, one of my favorite Catholic mystics, Thomas Merton, Uh, I mean, he's got millions and millions of books and phrases and stuff, but one of my favorite lines of his is, People's ideas about God tell us more about them than they do about God.
And, and so, when I'm talking with people, and they seem to have a very structured view of God, God or theology or whatever. I'm I just sit back and I remember this is a reflection of where this person is at in their current life and what they're dealing with. This doesn't mean that it's true. It doesn't mean that it's for everybody, but it's just a reflection of what they've gone through in their life and where they're at at the time that they're at.
Um, and so that teaches me not to only have compassion for people, but it, teaches me to remind them also have compassion for yourself. And so I would say the same thing to you in looking at your Catholic journey and is have compassion for yourself. And I imagine that there are moments that you can look back, even at such [00:31:00] a pretty shitty and corrupt industry, like the Catholic church, there are moments where you're really held in a divine energy that can still be like, honored, right?
It's not all bad. Um, and so I think that there are moments where you can look back and be like, well, actually I did have this relationship with this person and they were really honoring of my sexuality, even amidst whatever it may be. They're, they're probably little moments.
Track 1: For sure. And I mean, what we're all talking about here is we're trying to make the ineffable understandable, right? So you can't understand God. Really in its fullness because we are, uh, we are, but a fragment of that at the moment expressed,
R: And, and, and God, and I don't use the term God anymore because I think it's super loaded. I'd use the term universe. Um, and I like to say that I'm a co creator with this whole thing because, you know, I'm just a part of the reality is, is, is when I zoom out and look at this thing, this universal [00:32:00] principle, this thing, I say it's, it's all leading to, it's all good.
And, and when We zoom out of our own small little lives and see that, you know, this thing goes way beyond this current life and way past in the back, this current life as well. It's, it somehow gives me, actually, it gives me pause to remember it's all good. All of it. And, and it's all leading to just a beautiful, Like celebration of we're all included in this thing.
And I think hopefully the quicker we can get to that transformation, moving from a us versus them mentality to a, it's all, all of it. We're all a part of each other. Um, and when we, when we see it from that lens, we see that all the tools. Can help lead us, right? So whether that's astrology or, you know, for some people, the Bible and, you know, the crayon, like [00:33:00] whatever tools that we have, again, as long as it's leading us to a place of inclusivity and love and a, and a bigger understanding of the universe and a more accepting understanding of the universe, then it's a good tool to use.
And as soon as it. shifts and makes us have this us versus them mentality, then it's maybe time to let go of that tool.
Track 1: yeah. When it limits you. Totally. I would love to actually illustrate this. And I, I want to point to maybe one thing that you were saying too, is about this coming togetherness that you're speaking of this unity, which is happening on this planet, but it really begins with integrating ourselves, right?
Integrating these parts of us within ourselves. Um, and as we do that, find peace, find acceptance, find love, but that we can do that with others. I had, um, I'd like to share. So two weekends ago, I was moving through a lot of anger. That's what was coming up in my body. Physically, anger. Kind of rage, actually.[00:34:00]
And I won't share too much of the details, but I will say that, um, a couple of things came up. One of them was definitely ancestral. And so it was like a pattern from my family that I was moving through. And then another piece was actually around anger around the church, the Catholic church, and. The Divine Feminine.
That's kind of another piece, but for me, I felt like I had to go back to Mass this week, and I'm like, what the heck? I haven't been to a Catholic church. Actually, I did go about a year ago. There's a beautiful church here in, um, in Santa Monica called St. Monica's Community. It's a Catholic parish, and they're beautiful.
I have a beautiful music ministry. I will not go to a church that doesn't have good music. I will walk out. Because I can't get in the space of like sacred, uh, you know, surrender or whatever. So, anyway. I went to this mass and I'm like, I don't really know why I'm going, but I'm going to go anyway. And this relates to the idea of an awakening.
But basically I was late. So I was one of those [00:35:00] Catholics that showed up 10 minutes late. I missed the first reading, whatever. Obviously it wasn't for me. The second one, um, was talking about being a light in the world.
Um, it was from Ephesians, actually. So everything exposed by light becomes visible. And this whole idea of like being a light in the world. Okay, got that. Then the gospel reading came and I was like, Oh, this is why I was here. So actually the gospel was, um, John. And, uh, there was, the story was basically about Jesus healing a blind man who was blind his whole life.
He put, you know, mud on his eyes and then told him go over there and clean your eyes out and you'll be able to see and that's exactly what happened. And so he's telling, this man is account, uh, retelling the account, um, to the Pharisees who are, you know, high priest asking him, what happened to you? How can you see?
Right? And he tells them, yeah, Jesus came and put this on my eyes and now I can see. And they're like, well, [00:36:00] what about this Jesus guy? And tell us more about him. And wait, he did this on the Sabbath and they were so concerned because these were Jewish, um, high priests. They were so concerned that Jesus was doing work on the Sabbath, but they got really angry about it and they asked the guy again, wait, tell us.
Obviously the Bible doesn't speak like I do, but this is my story. Yeah. Anyway, wait, tell us about this Jesus guy again. He goes, I just told you, I don't have anything else to tell you. He did this and that's it. And it was really interesting because the idea that like the Pharisees couldn't even see that a miracle had happened because they were so wrapped up in something else.
Some other consciousness that they didn't even recognize that this man who was never able to see now could. But I thought there was a line, this is actually John. Chapter 9, verse 38. I would never do this. I've never done this in my life. I do not read the Bible, but I wrote this down. I went to church. I went to church with a journal in hand, which, like, if any of you are Catholic listening, Cooper did not do this, but I did anyway.
And this is [00:37:00] what, um, this is what it was said. And it's so, so this is John chapter 9, 38. If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you are saying, we see, so your sin remains. And of course, I'm sure you understand the etymology of the word sin, but really it's like a, uh, a misalignment, right? A wrongdoing, uh, it, people think that you're going to go to hell, it's this horrible, terrible thing, but in reality, it's just not being
aligned with your higher self.
R: like, I think the word is like, hamartia, like hamartia, like, which is like, you missed the
Track 1: Yeah, you missed the
mark.
R: shooting an arrow and then it like, doesn't hit the bullseye, it hits off to the
Track 1: Yeah. So you missed it, right? So, but if you were blind, you'd have no sin. So no, you wouldn't have missed the mark. Right. But now that you're saying we see your sin remains. And in many ways this like blew open things for me in terms of a spiritual awakening when you're not conscious When you're blind, when you cannot see, when you're not conscious of a thing, a pattern, a belief [00:38:00] system, a limiting belief, you know, any of these things inside of you, then you have no, there's nothing wrong.
You don't even know, but when you know, when you can see now, your sin is present. Now you can see that, Oh shoot, I created this. whatever, this limitation in my life, this belief. And I thought it was such a beautiful, um, description of really what a spiritual awakening is and what it's like. And yet I'm sure I've heard that gospel reading many times in my life and it never heard it like that, you know, so it was like brought a different consciousness and awareness to, um, to kind of what you were talking about, the tool, right?
If the tool serves you great, use it. If it doesn't let it go and who knows, maybe it'll serve you again later. But, um, This idea of awakening to new aspects of ourselves. I guess I'm curious how you relate to
that
R: Yeah, that's a, that's a good point. It's really good. I think, you know, with that particular story, hearing you [00:39:00] say, talk about it. One thing that's interesting is that, you know, Jesus is putting mud on someone's eye first, right? Which doesn't sound very Jewish to me. It sounds very, like, shamanic. very much of the shaman and, again, you are using the
earth.
Track 1: Yeah.
R: As a tool to help heal. So like that to me sort of says Jesus is transcending religion right there, right? He's sort of like, Hey, whatever we have to use, let's use it. Um, the other aspect that is interesting to me is that this is all a story about a blind man coming to see and he's going to people who are still blind.
Right? So there's a physicality there of, well, now a guy can physically see, and he's talking with people who spiritually can't. Can't see. Um, and so there's an interesting connection of in that culture. My understanding is everything was sort of verbatim, right? Like if you had an arm missing, it's because your parents did something wrong in their [00:40:00] lifetime and now you have an arm missing.
So it was very, just like. Uh, you know, uh, uh, quid pro quo kind of thing. And so, um, there's all that happening. Um, as far as the, the spiritual awakening, again, I think that, um, I think that the universe is so layered that it able, it comes to us in the way that we need it when we need it, even if we've heard it before, right?
So it's, that's, what's so interesting about the universe is that we can say, I've read this. Before I've read this book or I've read this chapter, I've spoken with this person or this person gave me, you know, the words I'd heard before a long time ago in a coffee shop in 2014. And they're saying something to me.
That's just striking a chord. So again, I think. We are mirrors of our own reality, right? And so we can only, what's reflected from [00:41:00] something else is a reflection of ourselves and where we're at. So if we're not hearing something, it's because our personal soul and our personal journey isn't yet ready to receive that thing.
Um, and so I think, you know, there's a lot of curiosity as to why you're maybe Wanting to go back to mass to experience some of these things. And I think what happens in a lot of deconstruction or a lot of people who are facing religious trauma is there's so much anger, right? There's so much anger and it's a pendulum all the way to the other side.
And that's okay. That's healthy and that's encouraged. And then over time, as we grow and we learn to sit With the energy and the emotions underneath the anger where there's hurt and abandonment and rejection and these other real wounds we then become to a place we say well now I'm ready to return and Experience it and and that's where the healing takes place and [00:42:00] and why I think that message is so important is that as long as As long as there is an us first them mentality, there isn't true transformation and true healing.
When I was incarcerated, I was hurt a lot by, uh, white supremacists and neo Nazis and men who do not like people of color. Um, and what ended up happening, and this is in my book, is I ended up studying the law. And I became, essentially, the, the, the lawyer, or the law like legal beagle, they call it, for the prison.
And I ended up advocating for a lot of these men who needed my legal help. And so it was a very interesting position to be in, to be like, oh, I'm legally advocating for the men who are oppressing me. And What I learned in that, in that moment, in those moments is that it, it's, it's not romanticized. It was tough.
It was really, really tough. [00:43:00] But I learned that only true transformation and healing happens when we sit down with our oppressors and we begin to see the commonalities and we begin to see that, Oh, this, this person is a person too with wounds and, and things that they have to address in their own life.
And so again, I, I see that parallel from my experience. like learning to try to see the brownness in the white supremacists around me. I see that in you returning to the root of some of the roots of your pain, uh, with Catholicism and saying, I'm now ready to hold the both and with this thing, um, and experience it.
Sort of at a, at a new level.
Track 1: Oh my God. What a beautiful reflection. Thank you, brother. I don't know why I was going out that share, but yeah. And just how beautiful. And for people listening to obviously hoping there is resonance, of course, but whatever that is in your life, right. The [00:44:00] recognition of. At some point when you're ready to see or to hear, right.
Or to integrate that you can. Hmm.
R: and we see so much divisiveness in our country specifically, and I won't name anything politically for the sake of whatever, but there's a lot of divisiveness. And my hope is that the true spiritual awakening is not a, Hey, we win. Yay. But, uh, Nobody wins until everybody is included and everyone is invited at the table.
And that's a really, really tough position to come to, especially when you don't agree fundamentally with the people that should also be at the table.
Track 1: Wow. Well, I want to ask you, do you think you're living your purpose?
R: Gettin there. You know, yeah, [00:45:00] I, I'm a human like everybody else, so there's some, so, so, you know. Full circle back to the equinox. There's a lot of me that's like, I'm ready. I'm ready for this shift I felt ready and there's an impatience in me that says be present be present to where you're at. It's okay This chapter is okay whilst being like, oh god, I'm ready.
I'm ready for this this this shift to happen so I'm trying to remain present and trying to remain present to that purpose of Of of doing what I can to help others heal. And while also knowing that the universe is shifting as it shifts. And she likes to shift a lot slower than I would like sometimes.
Track 1: me too.
Um,
R: Yeah,
Track 1: yeah, I mean, I think you're, you're doing your thing right here on the show. So, um, what do you think it means to live with purpose?
R: I, my, I think that's going to be the answer is going [00:46:00] to be different for everybody else. But one of the biggest lessons for me personally in this life is accepting who I am for who I am. Uh, so that's, that's my challenge, um, is self worth and rejection wounds and abandonment wounds that go back to adoption and maybe before.
And so for me living with purpose looks like learning more and more every day to accept who I am. And that acceptance isn't based upon my achievements or accomplishments or whether I do something well or not, but that I'm already included as I am. And that's The best I can do in achieving that living with purpose is just reminding myself of that sort of constantly.
Track 1: RG, thank you so much for this time today. This conversation was amazing. I feel seen and I feel just that like, this is really a wonderful experience. So I'm sure our listeners will love it as well. So thank being here.
R: And I want to do like a shameless, [00:47:00] a pretty shameful plug, but that's okay. This is my book, The Ocean Inside Me. Um, it is available kind of everywhere. And it is my story of spiritual awakening and incarcerated. So if you're at all interested, greatly appreciate the support.
Track 1: it's a beautiful text. So if you'd like to check out the book or learn more about RG's work, you can check out more information in the show notes. Thanks so much.
R: Thank you.
Along my own spiritual journey and from my experience supporting people in living their soul's purpose, I've discovered that living in alignment with our purpose comes down to three things. And unfortunately, most people unknowingly ignore these three things that will actually help them live in alignment. These three things form my Soul's Purpose Framework.
If you're ready to learn how these things can support you in your spiritual journey. Check out my video resource, "The 3 Keys to Your Soul's Purpose".
In it, I share my framework for helping you [00:48:00] identify what's the next best step. On your journey to living your purpose. You can find this free video resource on my website at yourpathandpurpose.com and I left a link to it in the show notes. A special thanks to this week's guest for sharing their journey with us. And I want to thank you for listening to today's episode. My name is Dr. Cameron Martin, and it has been my honor to serve you on your journey of self-discovery. See you next time.