 erry
Starnes, began his career journey in 1977 when,
after earning a M.Ed. in School Psychology, he became
a counselor working primarily with young adult male schizophrenics
and young people at serious risk for self-injury and
elopement. Under the direction and on-going training
of psychiatrists and psychologists, he witnessed the
effects of both the standard behavioral and medical models
of treatment, as well as the new models of holistic medicine
then emerging. After a few years, he recognized that
something significant was missing from traditional therapeutic
modalities.
The thirty years since then have been something of a
quest, as he has explored ways to manifest his conviction
that there was, in fact, a mode of healing that could
address the needs of Western society on a level that
was accessible to everyone. Trusting his intuition to
guide him; he found himself following a serpentine route
that lead him through many teachings and traditions.
Along the way he began to sense that however different
they might seem, they shared a common organic connection
or grounding.
In 1996, Gerry put his growing experience and knowledge
into a new approach: developing Internal Dialog using
journal writing as a vehicle. The Conversations
Within Workshop (www.journal-writing.com)
presented this approach to a world-wide audience. He
also augmented and supported this material by creating
and presenting Journal workshops.
Over the next few years, he developed a series of workshops
called Being Limitless, which
further explored the energetic nature of “BE-ing,” and
was based on previous work with such varied influences
as Francisco Cole, Barbara Joy, Barbara Brennan, aikido
(he holds a black belt in shin shin toitsu aikido)
and other energetic healing modalities.
From 1999 through 2002, Gerry studied and practiced
what is often referred to as shamanic channeling. During
that period, he produced a number of far-reaching session
transcripts, several of which are included in the Archives
section of this website.
In 2000, he completed TranceDance facilitator training
under Wilbert Alix, then Director of The Natale Institute
in America, and found a dramatically deeper connection
with contemporary shamanism, as well as a vehicle for
work that matched his own values. He is now among the
most active TranceDance facilitators in the world.
He founded the first shamanic
journey circle in Austin in 2003, which has now
grown to more than four circles per month. During that
time, he also began to offer individual sessions based
on his experience with both traditional and alternative
healing modalities.
In 2005, Gerry co-founded and became the Executive Director
of the Ravens
Grove Foundation for Healing. This not for profit
organization focuses on the application of complementary
techniques to the issue of trauma and post traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). A most important focus is on
the effects of trauma on soldiers returning from war.
Gerry currently offers classes, workshops and retreats
statewide based on contemporary shamanic and traditional
personal development practices. He is also a founding
member of the Society
for Shamanic Practitioners.
And the journey continues…
More information on:
| classes | workshops | individual
sessions |
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Core
Principles
These basic tenets comprise the Bones and Spirit underlying all his healing
and teaching in classes and workshops.
Respect for all beings
From the shamanic perspective, everything living deserves to be honored
and respected ... and everything is alive! Not only are those
beings that we have agreed to be "alive," all things have spirit and
so are also living: elements, stones, places, concepts, memories, dreams
... everything.
Humans do not have a "special" place in the cycle of life. There is
no room for superiority, slavery and wanton destruction ... no room
for dominance of any over the rest. Teacher and student are the same;
healer and afflicted are the same ... and everything is equal to the "least" among
us. We are all students and all need to be healed.
Within that understanding lies real Humility, and Humility is the
doorway to true Power.
Integrity and authenticity in all actions
We are here ... now, and our time is very limited. It makes no sense
to live and act without being Authentic, without being as fully who
we are as we can possibly be. A rich, full and happy life must come
from an understanding of one's Self and one's place in the world, and
that understanding has to be expressed from the core desire to be as
fully Alive as one can be. To live less fully is to live "half a life."
Living in Integrity requires fully unified actions that emerge from
an established value system. Without a system of values and core beliefs,
the actions of any individual cannot be truly consistent, either for
good or ill.
To live a life in such a way that all actions have integrity and are
total expressions of one's authentic Self requires a total engagement
of that individual from moment to moment. It is from that stance – from
that way of being in the world – that Power is derived.
Individuals have their own sources of wisdom
and healing
We arrive on this planet fully equipped to live in integrity, authenticity,
in Power and with Spirit. We were not short-changed by the Creator. Rather
we were blessed with an amazing array of capabilities, most of which
we have either never learned to use fully or have forgotten.
From this understanding, the Facilitator Teacher knows that all that
can be done is to get out of the way and guide the client or student
to find the source for themselves. Until that connection is made, no
one can be free ... including the Teacher.
Healing is teaching; teaching is healing
Actions that create healing – mental, physical, spiritual and emotional
healing – derive from examining one's life and re-creating that
life to be more in harmony with one's path and Spirit. In that sense,
we learn our illnesses and diseases, and we unlearn them to become whole
again. Through seeking such health, we learn and by learning we heal
ourselves.
The teacher/healer who thinks otherwise is doing more harm than good.
The purpose of shamanic healing is to bring students or clients back
to themselves, and to assist them to live more harmoniously with their
path and Spirit.
More Information
Gerry Starnes, M.Ed.
Phone: 512-586-2736
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