HeatherAsh Amara is dedicated to inspiring depth, creativity, and joy by sharing the most potent tools from a variety of world traditions. Raised in Southeast Asia, HeatherAsh has traveled the world from childhood and is continually inspired by the diversity and beauty of human expression and experience. She brings this openhearted, inclusive worldview to her writings and teachings. She is the author of the bestselling Warrior Goddess Training series, The Seven Secrets to Happy and Healthy Relationships with don Miguel Ruiz, and The Warrior Heart Practice. She lives in Santa Fe and travels and teaches internationally.
In the beginning of this episode, HeatherAsh talks about her experience of apprenticing with spiritual teacher Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements. She calls this apprenticeship “wonderful, difficult, challenging, completely dismantling and stepping into love.” She talks about being eternally grateful for this immense opportunity and challenge to slow down and go deeper within.
Later, while traveling to a temple in Egypt, Miguel ended the apprenticeship and told her: “go make the teaching your own.” At this point, she listened deeply to the needs of her community and ultimately launched a Toltec church. She says that she made the teachings her own through this relationship with the community and all of life.
Growing up in Southeast Asia, HeatherAsh was introduced to the teachings of Buddhism early on. She sees similarities to the wisdom of the Toltec, which means “Artist of the Spirit.” She says that the Toltec teachings are an awareness practice. They allow you to witness yourself and your inner world. They also are very practical tools to help reclaim your authentic self as well as navigate your energy body. In the Ruiz tradition of the Toltec, she also says that the unconditional love for the human is an integral part of the medicine.
HeatherAsh explains why most of us are playing too small. One way we do this is by devaluing ourselves and our self-worth. But another way is to think that we are better and more important than others. She talks about harnessing the power of vulnerability, humility and being close to the earth. Again, this is what it means to be in relationship with life.
HeatherAsh walks us through her powerful Warrior Heart Practice. She says that there are four chambers of the heart: Feeling, Story, Truth and Intent. Each chamber has a question to be asked. The Feeling Chamber question is simply: what am I feeling now? The Story Chamber asks the question: what am I thinking and telling myself? The Truth Chamber asks this question: what is true? The Intent Chamber question is this: what do I want in this situation for myself?
After taking this inner journey through the chambers of the heart, the fifth step is to go back through the chambers, untangling the story while holding on to truth and intent. It’s as if you see the story with new eyes!
HeatherAsh talks about her daily practice of showing up each day with Presence and Gratitude. She says these practices never stop and are lifelong.
In the end, Heather Ash offers this advice to her younger self: keep listening to what’s true for you and let others stand in what’s true for them.
You can learn more about HeatherAsh Amara and her amazing work right here: https://warriorgoddess.com/
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