I have been very touched by the responses to my
first few posts. Thank you so much for
taking the time to let me know what you got from them. The responses seemed to sort themselves into
two groups of distinctive characteristics.
One
group, writing about the blessings, was appreciative of such a positive insight
and open sharing. Some said that they,
too, had gone into that deep darkness and come to a deeper appreciation at the
end of the experience. For them it was
nice to see someome put it “out there,” as not everyone will speak about it. To these people I want to say ‘thank you so
much’ because it was not easy to do. The
writing of it is so personal, and yet I feel it is time to give voice to those
common human experiences that our culture does not acknowledge.
Another
group, mostly writing about the Chakras (but a few about the spiritual insight
from the blessings, too), felt my presentation made these matters sound so
easy, though they may actually be too complicated to ever understand. To these people I want to say ‘I know what
you mean.’ And the answer to the problem
is that one needs a teacher in these cases.
All
these matters that have more to do with energy than material substance are
difficult to understand with words alone.
It is like trying to describe the taste of an apple. You can say it is sweet, but many other
things that are sweet taste nothing like an apple. Then, of course, there are apples that are
more or less sweet, or even tart or sour, that still taste like apples. How can you explain this to someone who has
never had an apple?! Well, you have to
make sure there is an apple available, show them where and how to bite into it,
watch to make sure it all goes well, bear witness to their experience, and be
able to taste what they taste as they taste it for the first time. This is called teaching by transmission. It is the art
of teaching, over and above the skill
of teaching.
The
learning that has been most valuable to me has been taught in the age-old ‘oral
transmission’ tradition (no textbooks or written materials) by teachers who had
mastered the art of transmission. This
does not mean that I do not value other learning. I absolutely value what I have gotten from
reading and studying, both by schooling and on my own. However, in the case of those things that
cannot be seen or touched but must be felt with the heart and soul, that
knowledge only springs to life in the presence of someone who knows how to
create the atmosphere for it to become your own awareness. That is why I say you need a teacher. I have been lucky enough to have had such
teachers. And I have been lucky enough
to have been taught to be such a
teacher (tho’ I do give out written
materials). So, if any of the courses
and workshops that I offer are of interest to you, but you are afraid that they
are beyond your grasp, I say give it a
try. You might be surprised! Here are some of the testimonials from people
who have been in my classes:
I attended a class on Power Animals taught by Lindy
Ferrigno. The class was not only
informative on the informational level but on the experiential level as
well. It offered me a direct experience
of my personal relationship to my power animals. Lindy is a skilled Shaman who guided me on a
deep journey with patience and skill so that I could have the direct experience
of being with my animals. She created
and sustained a very safe relaxed atmosphere, allowing me to receive the
information that I needed to continue on my healing journey. Lindy's deep visceral experience of the
shamanic world and her connection to it allows for a rich and deep experience
in any class she may teach. I highly
recommend her as a teacher.
Anna KD Blum, PMH, CS, BC
Dear Lindy,
I thought you might be interested in my response to the Chakra
Workshop. I came home afterward feeling
contentedly sleepy and very much in my body.
I went to bed early and slept like a baby, unusual for me in both
cases. The next morning I awoke expecting
my standard stiffness. But there was
none. No aches or pains either. Very strange indeed. "Stranger" things were yet to come. I sat down and journaled for the first time
within memory, although there was a time I did that every morning of my
life. The journal pages helped me focus
the work we did on Saturday. If I were
to chose one thing that resonated most deeply from all the wonderful things in
that oh-so-rich workshop, it would be this idea: Spirit does not have a body, but we do and it
is time for all of us to step up and take part in the work of Spirit. We are the hands, the feet, the body of
Spirit and one of the reasons to stay alive long into old age is to further
that work. Following is one of the notes
from my journal: “I want to take those things that have worked for me in the
past and bring them to my life now so the flow that is me continues and I don't
feel chopped up into 'chapters.' The
growing older will not seem an aberration, a 'wrench' from who I was, but a way
of opening, of accepting my 'leaky margins' and my eventual dissolving into the
whole of being. The aspect of the day
that spoke to me most was the idea of the partnership of Spirit and this
body. How they - we - need each other,
how we must rely on each other to accomplish what we came here for."
There were many other things I said in those pages, many
important realizations, but that was the essence, that is the reason (for me,
at least) to set my chakras spinning.
And speaking of spinning, after I wrote, I went downstairs,
turned on music, and spontaneously began to dance. I danced and danced until I began to cry for
joy and shout "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Yes. Thank you so much,
dear Lindy, for all I learned in those precious days.
Tinka
Catherine Finn
I have experienced first hand, Lindy's wonderful ability
to teach. She shares her vast knowledge on many topics by
condensing the material and making the information understandable to
the layperson. Her seminars are concise and offer both skilled
practitioners of other modalities, and those just curious, a window
into the seemingly endless mastery of her studies.
JoAnn M. Christy, C.M.T.
