1,000 Awakenings #8 with Sheila Howe

I’m so delighted for you to get to know my friend, Sheila Howe. Sheila has been one of my beloved internet friends since we met in an online class in December 2012. Do you have any of those virtual friends? They are really the best. You learn all their deep dark sorrows and their joys then three years later you realize they also have a dog. What?!

We all need people like Sheila in our corner. Those that can offer grounded support and perspective, speak to the challenges of life, and crack us up with their “one of a kind” sense of humor.

I trust that after reading Sheila’s interview you’ll hear a little more your story in hers.

What does it mean to you to live an awakened life?

To me, living an awakened life means living with greater awareness. It’s having a greater awareness of myself and my perceptions and a connection to something bigger than me.

What put you on the path of awakening?

***laughs****. Sigh. Where do I even begin? My divorce. Raising three small children as a single mama. Going back to college and noticing people around me. Having an autoimmune disease took me to a whole other level though. When you are forced to slow down, you have the most amazing opportunity to notice things in a new way.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone about deepening their connection to themselves and their spirituality?

It’s not going to be easy. There will be shadows and darkness and hard things. It doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong. It means you are being honest with yourself and that darkness can hold your greatest treasures.

If you could wave a magic wand and everyone on planet earth would wake up with one quality or ability, what would that be?

I’d want everyone on the planet to be more empathetic.

What’s the biggest difference in yourself from your pre-awakened state and your current awakened state?

The biggest difference now is that I’m softer. I’m less of a perfectionist and gentler with others and myself.

What would constitute a perfect day to you? Can you describe it for us?

A perfect day would for me would be rising early and doing yoga, meditation or chanting. Inevitably there would be hot tea and my journal. I love long walks in the woods and helping clients find their way. In a perfect day, I’d also carve out time to create a doll (like the one below) for someone embarking on their own journey. I’d spend time with my family, curl up with a soft blanket and a good book. I love the simple things in life.

Do you have a favorite book you can recommend to readers?

Outrageous Openness by Tosha Silver or anything by Iyanla Vanzant .

What’s the best way for folks to connect with you?

You can learn more about what I do on my website, connect on Facebook here and on Instagram. You can view my handmade dolls here on Etsy. They are magic and they’re currently on sale!

Tell us a little about yourself

I am the owner of The Willow’s Raven. I am a guide for Spirit Travellers trying to make their way through change. I live in Ontario, Canada with my darling husband and am the proud mama of 3 and proud Nana of 1.