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CULTIVATING AROUSAL Photos: Courtesy of The Four Winds Society T he shamans of the Andes know and serve a sacred dream, one that guides planets across the heavens and our hu- man destiny here on Earth. The sacred dream is a map to the future, but has no paths you can follow and no trails other than the ones you blaze yourself. It is ephemeral, changing ev- ery instant, surprising you at every turn, as in a dream. Men and women who serve and protect this sacred dream are known as luminous warriors. They have no enemies in this world or the next. Their resources are vast. The sacred dream reveals the implicate order of the universe. It is evident in the seasons, in how the bees pollinate the fl ow- ers, and in how all living beings are connected and related to each other. With this wisdom, the ancient shamans of Peru bred and crossbred their corn to produce more than 400 varieties of maize; they gazed at the night sky and forecast eclipses de- cades into the future. Meaning and purpose arose naturally in their hearts because they understood they were part of a plan much greater than they. When we become aware of the sacred dream, we recognize that the universe is not made of dead rocks hurling through space, of lifeless energy, or of the dark matter of science. In- stead, we understand that the cosmos is pulsing and conscious, longing to create beauty, birthing blue-green planets, spiral galaxies, and more than 20,000 species of butterfl y on our earth. Each one of us is given a fragment of the sacred dream to hold and express in our own way. When we forget that we car- ry an essential and necessary part of the sacred dream, our lives begin to spiral into disarray, our personal dreams become nightmares, and our lives descend into chaos. Many people have replaced the sacred dream with a dream of fame and fortune, power, and Facebook likes. Meanwhile we are facing global crises — from climate change to species ex- tinction to war, famine, and disease — all of which are calling us to dream a new dream for ourselves and the world. The sacred dream is calling us. Practices are available to show you how to wake up from the slumber you are living in and dream with your eyes open so that all the possibilities of the future are open to you. You fi nd your sacred dream by transforming three common dreams many of us are convinced are true and cannot seem to wake up from. They are the dream of security, the dream of per- manence, and the dream of love that is unconditional. When you transform these dreams — when you accept that life is ever changing, that your mortality is a given, and that no one can liberate you from a life of fear and insecurity except you — the chaos in your life turns to order, and beauty prevails. When you fi nd your sacred dream, the creative power of the universe, known by the shamans as the Primordial Light, be- comes available to you to create beauty in the world, and to heal yourself and others. You become a luminous warrior. You live fearlessly, know the answer to "Who am I?" and know the ways beyond death into infi nity. Like the shamans of the Andes — the Laika — you are a lu- minous warrior. You dare to speak the inconvenient truths, up- hold universal values that honor all life, and perform daily acts of courage. These practices will help you to forge a sacred dream for yourself. They will help you craft a destiny infused with courage and driven by vision. These practices of the luminous warrior are essential in a time when dreaming happens only when we sleep, where cowardice is honorable, where hindsight seems wise, and where spiritual- ity is spineless. They will help you bring light and peace to your world, and to fi nd your part in the greater sacred dream of humanity. This adaptation is from Alberto Villoldo's latest book, The Heart of the Shaman: Stories & Practices of the Luminous Warrior, published by Hay House (July 2018). In the book, you will learn more about these sacred practices and how to live your great- est destiny. Visit www.theheartoftheshaman.com. 16 wholelifetimes.com CULTIVATING AROUSAL THE HEART OF A SHAMAN By Alberto Villoldo yoga & spirit An Introduction