Sifting for Gold: How to Find Valuable Resources in a Conscious Community
Originally posted on November 30th. 2023 on medium.com/@shamandao
I once met a tech bro (his words, not mine) in downtown Austin one sunny afternoon as I sipped on my eight-dollar oat latte. He asked me what I did as the person I was with had an expensive camera with an extended lens attached to his hand.
“I’m updating my website pictures,” I responded.
“For? What kind of business?” he inquired.
“I’m a shaman.”
“Psychedelics?’ he asked as his eyes lit up.
“I’m known as the modern-day exorcist. I bridge the gap between psychology and purgatory,” I said.
Atthis point, Tech-bro’s eyes almost jumped out of his head as I smiled. He began to align my story with how he was engaged to a spiritual healer from New York. A woman who grew up in a cult and now has a psychedelics organization. “She’s super connected to the conscious community in Austin and I can introduce you to people here,” he offered.
I looked at this gleamy-eyed soul and declined his offer. Nothing bad nor good, just indifferent. For the last eight years, I’ve watched the Los Angeles spiritual scene form and expand in the brightest and darkest of ways. For the past two, I have observed Austin city limits expand into the suburbs, as well as the expansion of its’ conscious communities.
Los Angeles had opportunists from the shadows crawl out to capitalize on the healing waves like any good opportunists would.
In Thailand, there’s a saying. Same, same, but different. Translation; it’s the same thing but with some differences.
The Austin conscious community is the same, same, but different. Which reinforces the importance of discernment and self-reflection when seeking guidance and support in one’s personal growth and healing journey.
Searching for gold standards, people, or healers within a conscious community involves a set of steps similar to sifting for gold in a river or stream. There are undoubtedly valuable resources to be found, but it requires discernment and self-reflection to separate the treasure from the dirt. There’s definitely gold here and everywhere, but one must sift through the dirt to find some buried treasure.
According to the world’s incredible virtual assistant, ChatGPT, here are some steps you can follow to find valuable resources within a conscious community:
Research the community: The first step is to research the community you are interested in. This may involve attending community events, joining online forums or groups, or talking to community members to learn about the community’s values, beliefs, and practices.
Identify your needs: Determine what you are looking for in a gold standard, person, or healer. Consider your personal values, beliefs, and needs to identify the qualities and expertise that are most important to you.
Seek recommendations: Ask for recommendations from other community members who share similar values and needs. Seek referrals from trusted sources who have had positive experiences with the individual or organization you are interested in.
Conduct interviews: Once you have identified potential gold standards, people, or healers, schedule an interview or consultation to learn more about their experience, qualifications, and approach. Use this opportunity to ask questions and gain a better understanding of their philosophy, methods, and results.
Evaluate their credentials: Check the individual or organization’s credentials and experience to ensure they are qualified and reputable. Look for certifications, licenses, or memberships in professional organizations that verify their expertise.
Assess their fit: Consider the individual or organization’s fit with your personal values, beliefs, and needs. Evaluate their communication style, personality, and approach to determine whether they are a good match for you.
Build a relationship: Once you have identified a gold standard, person, or healer who meets your criteria, take the time to build a relationship. Attend their events or sessions, follow their advice, and communicate regularly to foster a strong connection.
Overall, finding gold standards, people, or healers within a conscious community requires careful research, evaluation, and relationship-building. Take the time to identify your needs and seek recommendations from trusted sources to find the resources that are most valuable and relevant to you. Get clear on your intention. If you are seeking clarity for an intention, request it from your higher power and wait until you receive a sign, lead, and nudge.
Your job is to follow through on said signs, leads, and nudges. If you need another sign to double-check the first then request another sign, lead, nudge, and wait for it as you continue to move through this journey we call life.
When Tech-bro asked me what I thought about Austin’s conscious community, I called the it a dumpster fire, which is defined by Urban Dictionary as:
1. A complete disaster.
2. Something very difficult that nobody wants to deal with.
Tech-bro agreed. But I also added that I did not dismiss the community as a whole, which is easy to do when there have and still are predators sexually harassing vulnerable individuals. Not to mention actual deaths that have taken place in Austin from so-called shamans.
Yet, as long as one takes the time to sift through the different offerings and individuals in this community, you can find valuable gems within.
Even in dumpster fires, real gold does not burn or change color under the pressure. It will melt to become moldable and can be shaped into a glorious masterpiece. It’s the ultimate shapeshifter. That’s the beauty of gold and gold standards.
Transmutation is the name of the game and to play the game of life, one must make the unconscious conscious. Transmute that sh*t.