4 Oct
Looking for ONE Good Man…
Blessed be this first RAIN of the season…my soul is soaking it up at heartily as the thirsty soil under my feet. After the last few weeks living in the fire, I feel like even my computer needs a good soakdown.
Since September 11th 2010, i have been witness to the crumbling of faulty foundations, the destructive whirlwind of angry egoes, blatant dishonesty and blame, and the subversive and underminingly illusory power of money.
I have to admit that even in my darkest moments i never imagined how intense this planetary transformation could be, nor what it would feel like to fully give in to the call to surrender.
It was little more than a month prior to that when I fully gave my life to spirit. Like many, I thought I was living for spirit before then, but was struggling to understand why certain things in my life, relationship, business, finances, were still not flowing. When I finally sat and took the time to look within, it was no surprise to see all the ways in which I had failed to truly trust, to truly give myself over, to follow my inner guidance, and all the ways I was continuing to hold myself back from that threshhold. So, in a brave and boldly mythical moment, I crossed that invisible threshhold and delivered my spirit into the hands of the divine plan that was awaiting me.
What I knew then, and continue to know now, is that in the end, it all works out perfectly.
But what is hard for my ego and my mind and my inner child to accept is all the things I need to let go of, all the things that need to be destroyed, all the overgrowth that needs to be trimmed back in order to make space for that new growth. And even harder to swallow is that it’s not in my control, that I can’t protect everyone from feeling what they need to feel for their own evolution, and that I can’t just fix it and make it all better.
I have reluctantly read the writing on the wall.
For those of you I haven’t seen in awhile, you may not know that Urban Remedy Community Acupuncture in Venice is soon closing it’s doors. As part of this process of letting go of things that no longer serve me, I have had to take a hard look at my partnerships and as much as I have loved and grown and served on Abbot Kinney I came to the realization that this relationship was keeping me from taking the next steps in my life and business. Even now I struggle to tell you because I want so much to be able to somehow make it all work out, look perfect, make sure you still like me…
But the reality is, it’s time to move on. I don’t exactly know what’s next, and until I cut this tie, I am not free to see… I know that the next step is just beyond this veil, and so with a deeper trust I write this now, and maybe it’s you out there who can see it fore me…this is a collective journey, after all, my years of holding space for the Community AVATAR have taught me that if nothing else. I do know that the legacy lives on, that we have touched thousands of lives, that some of the practitioners may continue to treat there within the new business that is taking over the space, and that I have given it my best and my all and my love for the time that I was there. And that I will always hold sweet Venice and the beatiful Urban Remedy Community in my heart. Oh, and that I, myself, am not GOING anywhere, really. My service continues, so please let me know how I can support you on this journey…keep your eyes peeled for the Ojai Medicine Wheel…
Incidentally, Ojai is delicious this time of year, and for those of you who have yet to come experience the paradise of this sacred valley, maybe you are the reason I am writing this now…
All this just to say that Fall is here, and to perhaps give you some hope, some perspective, some insight as to this turning of seasons, this acceleration of evolution, this fire of transformation…and also to invite those of you who are endowed in the masculine way to join us for the next fire…
This Saturday Evening Oct. 9th from 7pm to midnight, I will be hosting the monthly New Moon Men’s Council Fire: Reignite your Inner Flame. These fires are nothing less than miraculous, providing the perfect support for the inner journey and the modern lives we must balance as we walk this razor’s edge. I have been guided to begin an inquiry in the spirit of the great philosopher Diogenes who spent his life searching for an Honest Man…so we will be stepping into the sharp and uncompromising TRUTH this month, and holding each other to the gifts and consequences that our lack of honesty has created, and paving the way to becoming the voices of the Divine Masculine for our generation and beyond.
And I will be sharing what has kept me calm and centered in the Eye of the Storm during all this transition and disintegration.
And all you sisters out there who have been feeling left out of these men’s things, please know that I have not forgotten you, you are in my heart and in my master plan and soon we will be sitting around the fire together, too.
In response to repeated requests and messages from many that have been stopped from joining us for financial reasons, I have decided to offer the next few month’s fires at the reduced rate of $30. Normally this is a $100 event, so i cannot offer any further discounts, but have limited availablity for a work trade for anyone who still feels this price to be an obstacle. Please know that the value of this council will far outweigh and repay any financial investment you make. Overnight camping and accomodations are available on request.
And I repeat, in the end, my friends, no matter how hard we resist and fight, it all turns out perfectly. That, I can 100% moneyback guarantee.
I love you, and thank you for holding space for me and this and for your beautiful service in the world.
Shining that light right back at you,
eric
–
Eric Baumgartner L.Ac.
Urban Remedy Community Acupuncture
310.916.2232
eric@urbanremedy.org
8 Sep
How to get right with Me, Myself and I
Whenever I find myself in a moment of feeling like my world is shifting, changing, and even crumbling, it is easy to look around in search of who or what to blame, or to fall back on old ways of comforting and avoiding the pain of transition. As always, the suffering is optional, and the challenge is to find the lessons, the teachings, the treasures in these moments of being in the fire.
For me, the inner work is the focus, and in order to brave the stormy waters within to find the center of calm in the eye of the storm, I call upon the shamanic maps of the inner worlds that help me steer through the appearance of chaos in my outer world.
As I prepare for the Men’s Council Fire tomorrow night, I acknowledge the powerful truth of this this Equinox New Moon moment that is calling my inner masculine and feminine into perfect balance, the light and the dark are meeting as equals and we must decide where to focus our energy. All my stuff is up for review, and I am ready to bring it all to the fire for a new perspective. Brothers, if you haven’t registered yet, now is the time. If you need financial assistance, enter the coupon code Angel.
We gather tomorrow, Thurs. Sept 9th at 8 for a vegetarian dinner under the stars, and light the fire at 9. Camping and accomodations available on request.
I have been guided to share these insights to shed some light and help you see outside the box or beyond the horizon of what might be limiting your vision right now…
The Andean Shamanic traditions talk about three worlds that we live and operate within, and that we must come to master if we are to become ourselves masters…
In the world of the serpent there are many things to be afraid of. We are close to the earth, clear and objective, intimate with mother nature, but often this is an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place, a humbling and cold reality that we have learned to think is “beneath us.” This is the world of survival, the world of our physical body, and although there are healthy fears that keep us from putting ourselves in physical danger, there are also perceived dangers, things that hurt us in the past, but can no longer harm us, and fears that control our lives without our conscious mind even realizing it.
On a day to day basis, this is our survival mode. Most of us operate on this level much of the time, whether it’s meal to meal, paycheck to paycheck, or simply a constant string of reactions to our surroundings that keep us in our comfort zone or safety net. Many of us can see this, and see that it is not serving us, that we need to get out of our survival mode in order to live our higher destiny, but these patterns are so deeply rooted and programmed that noticing is not enough, neither is talking about it, screaming about it, or beating yourself up about it…
In the world of the puma we step into our emotions, the flow and flux of relationships, the dynamic dance of humanity that is our social and collective conscience. Here we tap into a different power center, the world of the soul, and often a sea of feelings and unspoken truths that have quieted our ROAR for a very long time. The fluid and ferocious nature of the puma is wild and untame, and quite frankly, socially unacceptable in most circles.
She is also regal and relaxed, the great hunter of ego, the bridge between the worlds… But in order to harness her strength and agility, we must come into the fullness of emotional authenticity, and up until very recently, and maybe still today, this has felt very unsafe. Herein lies the power that we are so afraid of showing, our insecurities about stepping into leadership, and just on the other side, the strength and beauty of the fearless king and queen of the jungle.
In the world of the condor, the eagle, we fly with spirit, we see as spirit sees. We take flight from the everyday here and there, back and forth, this or that, we can see the forest without getting lost in the trees, we can see the greater plan at work. On the other hand, many of us take flight from our lives, believing that checking out is easier than dealing with the world. Or perhaps we feel that we truly don’t belong in this mess, that our place is among the stars and so we detatch from our earthly existence and leave ourselves very ungrounded.
The gifts of the condor come when our earthly nest is well placed, our vantage point established, when we nourish our bodies and our spirits, and when we are grounded in the details enough so that we can truly allow our spirits to soar freely without the weight of unfinished business left behind.
I offer these perspectives today to bring light to where you might be in your world, and how you might be navigating. We exist in all three worlds, some of us retreating mostly into one or the other, and some of us moving fluidly between the three using the gifts and strengths of each to master and manifest the earthly paradise around us.
My personal work has taken me deep into the world of the serpent recently, to look again at my survival fears and strategies, and to humble me into a deeper relationship with the earth. And I have plunged into the jungle of emotions that I had been too busy to feel, with the mountain lion as my guide, now finding myself blazing the forgotten trails of emotional authenticity and doing my best to track the faces of the ego that are hiding in the shadows. Today I write to restore my higher vista, remembering that each of these worlds can be a heaven or a hell, and that the truth lies in the integration of these three guides and totems within and without.
If you find yourself navigating entirely in one mode, or avoiding one world, now is the time to take a deeper look. An imbalanced perspective can lead to an imbalance in your health, in your relationships, in your business, in your spiritual life. If something has been stuck and not shifting, more than likely it is rooted in our way of moving and relating to our world and to those around us.
I am moved today to offer a limited number of free consults to a select few who are seriously interested in coming into right relationship with their lives, their bodies, their emotions, their spirits. The private work I offer is guided by the celestial masters, and is focused on clearing the deep patterns of survival and the unexpressed emotions that are cluttering our closets. The results of integrating our worlds and learning to navigate in the place of power of serpent, puma, condor, is nothing short of miraculous. A block in one world creates a block in all worlds. And each of us is 100% responsible for blocking or freeing ourselves.
Everyone I’ve talked to recently who is serious about walking a path of truth, committed to awakening, and willing to do the inner work that goes along with it, is feeling the fires of transformation and the reckoning of coming into integrity with all our relations. I hope that these maps help you to navigate the stormy waters, and to find the stillness within. Please email me directly asap if you are interested in a consult, as I have very limited time and availability right now, but i am greatly looking forward to supporting you brave pilgrims on this journey.
With the Cool Clarity of the Serpent, the Roar of the Mountain Lion, the Vision of the Eagle, and a heart of gold…
Eric
–
Eric Baumgartner L.Ac.
Urban Remedy
310.916.2232
eric@urbanremedy.org
3 Sep
Things Fall Apart…
We are taking that turn towards fall.
There is a pronounced chill in the evening breeze, and the first leaves are beginning to drop decidedly to the ground.
This is the time of year we begin to reap what we have sown, and for some of us that may be a wealth of abundance and free time and harmony. For others of us, there is a reckoning happening, and nowhere to escape but to tear down the remains of last years garden, turn over the soil, and give thanks to God we live in California and we can plant a winter crop.
Either way, there are gems to be harvested. Seeds to be collected for next year. And a deep clearing and cleansing that comes with the completion of a cycle.
My world and work has been shifting quickly as i reckon with the choices I have made this year, the places i have grown, the things i have accomplished, and the things I have failed to cultivate. Looking reality in the face can be daunting, but at the same time, immensely liberating. Always there is a new and deeper opportunity for self love and compassion, not making excuses, but honoring where I am at right now in this moment.
So I invite you to acknowledge the season, the cycle, see things that were once green and fruitful that are now dying, no longer serving. Bravely step into the shifts, the changes, doing our best to keep the heart open to the gifts and the treasures that remain. This is the time to look around at what is true, and real, and timeless, and lean into those things for support when needed, meanwhile making preparations for this season of letting go.
Next week’s Men’s Council Fire will be focusing on this preparation for harvest. The harvest is twofold: gathering the gifts of our year’s work, and letting go of what has not come to fruition, clearing space for the next cycle of growth. It is both a celebration, and a time for grieving, honoring the passage of time and preparing for the fullness of this month’s Harvest Moon.
We will gathering Thursday night Sept. 9th in Ojai, and will begin with a vegetarian meal at 8pm and light the fire at 9.
Cost for the evening is $100. If it’s your first time, or if you are in need of financial assistance, I can offer a $50 scholarship (enter coupon code ANGEL).
Register Here.
Or, for those who are willing to commit to keeping the flame alive for 3 months, I can offer a 3 month package for $240.
Register for 3 months here.
Each month we gather in this sacred way to hold each other accountable to our spirit path, to our commitment to live in the highest way, and to continue to grow and challenge ourselves to be better, stronger, clearer, more enlightened men. There is a deep inner rhythm that begins to align our lives when we honor the new moon by creating intentions for the new cycle and taking the time to sit with the fire. The parts of us that are ready to be let go naturally burn, and the parts of us that are ready to rise from the ashes naturally emerge.
So I invite you, I call you out, and I invoke the changes and shifts that you are harvesting in your life. Bring them to the sacred fire, join us in celebration and in letting go. The brothers who have come over the last few years and in recent months consistently express deep gratitude for all the gifts that these fires provide, the clarity, the support, the shifts in relationship and business that follow, the reconnection to spirit and nature, the remembrance of why we are here and what our work as men in this time entails.
Thank you so much for your presence in my life, and for choosing to be a light in this world. May your harvest be bountiful, and as you let go of the branch may the breath of spirit carry you gently to a new place of rest.
In trust,
eric
–
Eric Baumgartner L.Ac.
Urban Remedy
310.916.2232
eric@urbanremedy.org
19 Aug
How to stay Cool in the Midsummer Heat.
Midsummer is officially here, and the amber golden heatwave of harvest is thick in the air, slowing my ambitions and asking me to be courageous in the face of this season’s fire.
Yesterday my girls and I spent the morning picking tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, gourds, greens, and flowers at our favorite CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) here in the Ojai valley. Farmer Johnny is set to harvest over 3 tons of tomatoes this year, and our experience of abundance seems to be just beginning.
Baking in the heat out in the open fields, and taking in the reality of what it really means to grow your own food, to work the earth, to turn over the soil and to be in service to the land, I found myself both daunted and empowered in the same moment.
It is HARD WORK. Tilling the soil, growing a garden. Abundance, it seems, is earned. I found myself asking these questions: What am I growing in your life? Am I prepared to work this hard to get 3 tons of whatever it is I have planted? Day in day out? It takes major commitment…consistency…passion…and a strong sense of purpose. I don’t know about you but if whatever I am doing feels out of integrity, it makes it that much harder to do the work.
Since our Men’s Council Fire last weekend I have been deep in the work of turning over the soil, bringing light into the places that have been dark, overgrown, or forgotten. We took a pilgrimage deep into the mountains to a goddess temple and made our offerings, our petitions, our prayers, and asked to be cleansed, renewed, reborn. So…my prayers have been heard, and are being answered…and so far, it looks like the garden after ripping out last season’s overgrowth. The mythic tale of Pandora’s box seems to be somewhat appropriate in this moment of seeming chaos before things settle and find their new place.
So my work is consistency, doing a little bit each day to forward my mission, my purpose, my garden, to care for my children and the seeds I have planted.
And the gift I would like to share with you is a simple practice that can keep you grounded in the face of the swirling winds of change that are the answers to your prayers.
When you ask for the fire to bring you what you want, sometimes it doesn’t look like what you think you want, it looks messy. Just know that the work is bringing about a clearing for you, there is light at the end of the tunnel…this is just the messy part.
So the medicine is to keep working with the elements. If you are in the fire, speak to the fire. Face the fire. Do not run from it. Sometimes the forest must burn before new seeds can germinate…and the really big forest fires come to areas that are LONG overdue for a “controlled burn.”
In Chinese medicine this season corresponds to the element Earth, so this is indeed the time to get close to nature, in whatever way suits you. September brings a return to routine, and a new beginning of sorts, so this is an opportune time to nourish your connection to the Earth and take a moment for whatever has been calling your heart or needing attention.
AND, what allows you to stay in the fire is the cooling waters of the Divine Mother Earth. I invite you to step into prayer, to give whatever is coming up to the Mother, sincerely, honestly, humbly, reverently, and with devotion, not asking to be rescued, but observing and seeing yourself clearly and asking for her help from a place of full ownership. This is not the time to fall back on our vices or our excuses. Seize this season’s golden moment.
Our next Men’s Council Fire will be on Thursday, September 9th. We start at 7:30 with a meal and light the fire at 9. Please save the date and I will be sending out registration links soon.
May your ripening be sweet, and may the fires of transformation bring light to the darkness.
Oh, and pay attention to your midsummer night’s dreams…
Peace,
Eric
1 Aug
Are you ready for the TRUTH?
(**To listen to a free audio download, click here.)
The veil is lifting…or is that the marine layer?
When you commit to being congruent with who you are, amazing paths open up, and with each moment, we have the choice to say yes…or no.
Those of you who joined us for the last Men’s Council Fire: Reigniting the Inner Flame ceremony here in Ojai know that as we lit that fire, I had said yes to an opportunity to go to Peru for a very special ceremony and a pilgrimage into the high mountains of the Andes. And I still had no clue HOW it was all going to work out. It was really not a very practical choice at all, on paper it was disaster waiting to happen, and my mind was telling me I had lost it. It also meant leaving my family at a very difficult time, and the overwhelming sense of guilt that comes with making a choice that seems to be selfish.
But my heart was screaming YES, and the certainty that comes with a call from Spirit took the reins. The Truth of what was holding me back was my fear of coming into integrity, into congruency. It meant having several very difficult conversations, standing up for myself, reclaiming my personal freedom, letting go of ways that were not serving me anymore, and putting my commitment to Spirit FIRST.
I share this with you because I know that there are other men out there that are just like me, having lost a connection to spirit, feeling swallowed by their life, family, work, creation, project. Despite their roots, they feel disconnected from nature and feel trapped in the city, financially or otherwise unable to make the leap of faith to feed their spirit.
And I can tell you without shadow of doubt that my journey has shifted me and my world enourmously, monumentally, and that the fire in my heart has been reignited in a powerful way. The intentions I placed into the fire last new moon have been the fuel for this transformation, and the knowing that my brothers are holding space and walking this good road beside me has allowed me to keep taking steps forward. Already my relationships are coming into balance, my business is taking a turn for the better, I am feeling renewed in my presence as a father, and the flow of inspiration and creativity is almost overwhelming.
So the essence of the lesson here, and of my invitation to join us for the next fire, is that we must come into congruency with what our hearts are asking of us. And in order to do that, we need support, we need to take the time to actually listen, and to practice speaking our truth in a safe and sacred space. As the power of the Divine Mother and the sacred feminine continues to work through us, and all around us, we must claim our place as men, warriors, knights, holding space for this shift and embodying the fires of transformation and the spirit of unconditional love.
This next fire will reconnect us to our inner flame, that spark of the divine that has been calling for our attention in subtle and not so subtle ways: health issues, relationship issues, business struggles, depression and anxiety…all symptoms of our subtle and not so subtle inconsistencies and gaps in integrity. We will be shifting our focus towards the preparation for harvest season, reaping the rewards and the opportunities that are ripe in the moment, calling us into alignment and trust.
I urge you to listen to your heart, to take this leap of faith with us, to step into the inner circle and see yourself reflected in the face of Grandfather Fire and in the brave brothers who are walking this path with you. You are not alone. The wolf packs are returning. So long we have chosen to walk in isolation, to suffer in silence, to compromise ourselves and our integrity in little ways, thinking that we’d rectify it later, tough it out, or deal when we have more money, more security, the right girl, the right job, the right time…But we can wait no more. The consequences are too great. We must rekindle the passion and truth and fire in our hearts.
Our aims are inherently practical in nature, we want to be better men, better fathers, better businessmen, better leaders, better husbands, better boyfriends, better lovers, better warriors… And yet the means to that end is to nourish our spirits, to get back into connection with nature, and to return to the circle of support that holds us accountable to our highest.
We will break bread from 7:30-8:45 and light the fire promptly at 9. Once lit, the fire has its own timing but you can expect to be done around midnight.
The cost for this life-changing evening, and for tapping into this infinite well of support, is only $100.
For anyone who is ready to commit to keeping this fire, stepping into the inner circle, and being held accountable over the next few months, I can honor your commitment by offering 3 months for $240 if you register by Thursday Aug. 5th. Dates for Sept thru Dec. are as follows, though i reserve the right to reschedule (with as much advance notice as possible. My fall calendar is still coming together!) If you can’t make all 3 in a row, you can make up 1 that you miss. Thurs, Sept. 9th, Sat. Oct. 9th, Sat. Nov 6th.
3 month Inner Circle Register HERE
And for anyone who is coming for the first time, or is genuinely experiencing financial hardship, I can extend a one time $50 scholarship coupon if you register by Thursday Aug. 5th. (Coupon code is FREEDOM.)
As a bonus and an incentive to stay connected, I will be sending out an audio recording of a teaching between fires for all those who attend. This is a way for us to continue the work in between ceremonies, and will help you to integrate what we learn and experience into your daily lives, workplace, relationships… The first one is attatched here to give you a taste, and shares some insights from my journey to Peru, and my experience of owning the commitments I placed in the fire last moon.
I look forward to seeing your light around the fire this weekend, and lay this offering on the altar of your heart…please take the time to listen and decide if it’s right for you at this time. And if not for you, maybe for a good brother you know…pass it on if it feels right.
And by way of a sneak preview, although I don’t know what this means yet, in the mountains I received very clear guidance that we will be dedicating this fire to one of the Archangels who is working very closely with us in this time of the Great Turning Over…the Archangel of Fire!
I honor you, I salute you, I send you my love and gratitude,
Eric
ps.
Bring a blanket or cushion to sit on, and an offering for the fire, Grandfather loves tobacco especially cigars, chocolate and raw cacao, copal and incense and anything else you are ready to transform back into light.
I invite you, I invoke you, I call to your highest divine masculine principle and pray to see you Saturday around the sacred fire.
Eric Baumgartner L.Ac.
eric@urbanremedy.org
5 Jul
Saying YES and surrendering seem to be one and the same…
I am writing from the epicenter of Urban Remedy here in Venice to share some amazing news and a moment of ecstatic celebration.
Exactly one year ago I moved to Ojai and surrendered to my vision of a greater life, greater possibility, and greater freedom.
One of our first forays into the Ojai community was the Fourth of July parade, and if you have ever been to a small town homegrown kinda celebration like this, where kids on bikes with streamers and grampas with Lion’s Club hats are meandering down the main drag, and folks set up chairs on the sidewalk to save their shady spot days beforehand, and the feeling of home is so thick you can smell it, you know exactly what we walked into.
So this year as the Fourth approaches, I have a whole new perspective on what it means for me, and a whole new reason to celebrate.
Because as I was reflecting today, I realized that it was not so long ago that I was fully entrenched in my life as an Angeleno urbanite, having forfeited my deep rooted connection to nature and my dreams of living in community for an elusive and all consuming promise of profit and possibility that comes with living in the city.
I remember being in my last quarter of my Master’s in Acupuncture, double class load, double clinic blocks, not sleeping at all with newborn twins and a 3 year old, trying to run a bodywork business, start a non-profit, and studying for the state board license exam. I was broke, feeling alone and overwhelmed, trapped by this dream come true, watching my relationship suffer, and unable to find my sense of purpose or joy in any of it, not sure how to survive without compromising my integrity…
So for a moment I compromised, thought, hey, everyone else seems to be content living this empty life, why can’t I? In that moment I was struck down, had a fall, and threw my neck out, bad…So now in addition to all I had to complete, I could barely move. I was the sole breadwinner for my new family, owner of a small business, and nightwatchman for teething twins and just standing up, much less holding my daughters or trying to play with my son, sent flaming needles screaming through my core. I felt powerless, defeated, and trapped in my own body and life…
Like a lightning bolt this injury sent me a message loud and clear that I could NOT compromise my integrity any longer, that I needed to reclaim my personal freedom, my sense of connection to spirit, and my divine purpose for being here in this time.
From that point on I re-dedicated myself to living on purpose, living for Spirit. I went on to fully utilize the medicine before me, then to lead a medical mission to Oaxaca, Mexico, pass the Board exam top of my class, graduate with honors, and then was hired to create the worlds first Full Spectrum Green Farmacy (a lifelong dream for this Herban Shaman) and then to open Urban Remedy Community Acupuncture on the hottest street in all of LA.
Less than 2 years later my bigger vision of living in community, living on the land, reconnecting with a natural lifestyle and having my Baum Tree Garden has come true…
I share this with you because I know that there are other men out there that are just like me, having lost a connection to spirit, feeling swallowed by their life, family, work, creation, project. Despite their roots, they feel disconnected from nature and feel trapped in the city, financially unable to make the leap of faith to feed their spirit.
My life and work are taking an unexpected turn toward the light, the fire, toward this fullness and freedom and saying Yes, surrendering to my gift which is to help my brothers to rediscover that sense of connection to spirit and nature, to reclaim your personal power so that you can shine your message and mission with full integrity in the world. So that you can reclaim your personal freedom now.
Yes, my friends, that’s right, it’s time again to light the FIRE. For nearly 4 years I held ceremonial space for a Men’s New Moon Circle in my backyard in LA, the ultimate paradox and testimony to the power of intention, and a brilliaint light in the darkness of the concrete jungle.
In the last several weeks I have repeatedly received reflections from men who were deeply impacted by their time around the fire there, imprinted with the deep sense of connection and community, and inspired to continue their good work in the city and beyond. With a renewed sense of Purpose, brothers have gone on to successfully build their business from a place of creativity, attract new relationships that honored who they were, lose the extra weight, get their health back on track, take epic and long overdue journeys around the world, pass major exams, and truly rediscover what it means to live in integrity.
In addition, I have been approached by dozens of other men recently who have never been to a fire, and yet somehow know that it’s exactly what they need in this time of great transition.
The New Moon is a time for going inward, honoring the stillness and the rhythm and the mystery of the feminine energy that is rising on the planet, and also a time for us as men to plant the seeds of our intentions for the next moon cycle, to rekindle that inner flame, knowing that the growth of the moon will feed our prayers and our visions and help to keep us on track for the next 28 days to bring our intentions to fruition.
Whenever I do this ritual, whatever I was previously confused about becomes clear, my resistance dissolves and I get out of my own way… I leave with a renewed sense of direction, inner strength, support, and peace that allows me to take the necessary steps I had either been avoiding out of fear or wasn’t taking because I was unsure which direction would best serve me. I always return to my business, my family, and my mission with renewed faith and courage, and most of all presence, and watch the cycle of growth begin again in each of these areas. Each new moon we return to report our successes to Grandfather Fire, and track our progress, hold each other accountable to the intentions we have created, and shift our perspectives on the perceived failures of the last cycle.
Join me next Friday, July 9th for my newly rebirthed Men’s New Moon Circle that I call: Men’s Council Fire: Reigniting the Inner Flame. We’ll gather around the same Medicine Wheel, now in my magical garden in Ojai, CA, where we will be lighting the ceremonial fire and renewing our commitment to carrying the flame. Discover how this ancient ritual for coming into balance with nature can help you renew your purpose, show up fully in your life, manifest your dreams, and reclaim your integrity and freedom.
Our evening begins at 7pm with a delicious vegetarian meal under the pine trees. Fire lights at 9pm and we’ll go until about midnight. The investment for Reigniting the Inner Flame– what some men have called a “life-changing experience” — is only $100. AND, as a gift for this new beginning, and in honor of your INDEPENDENCE Day, I am offering a $50 scholarship for those who RSVP by midnight on Thursday July 8th (Enter coupon code FREEDOM). Camping on the grounds is available for an additional $25. Just bring your sleeping bag and/or tent and enjoy an evening sleeping under the stars!
Click below to register.
Men’s Council Fire Register Now
Bring a blanket or cushion to sit on, and an offering for the fire, Grandfather loves tobacco especially cigars, chocolate and raw cacao, copal and incense and anything else you are ready to transform back into light.
I invite you, I invoke you, I call to your highest divine masculine principle and pray to see you next Friday around the sacred fire.
In Spirit, In Surrender,
Eric
Eric Baumgartner L.Ac.
Herban Shaman
P.S.
Don’t make the mistake that I did years ago and wait for the bigger message, the paralyzing lightning bolt that had me hit rock bottom.
If you feel like you have so much more to give but are unable to give it fully because you are so trapped in your own creation, TAKE ACTION NOW. The warrior acts swiftly and decisively, knowing that his heart is guiding him and that the truth that burns within cannot be contained but must be shared.
Join me next Friday in a circle of Luminous Knights standing arm to arm holding a sacred perimeter and watching the work of the divine feminine power that is emerging in the center of the circle. We must know who our brothers are in this time, we must know where our hearts reside, and we must come to speak our truth unapologetically.
Grab your seat now, click on the link below:
P.P.S.
In celebration of my one year anniversary I am gifting 5 lucky men a complimentary Reclaim Your Personal Freedom Now Strategy Session valued at $250.
If you’re ready to break free from whatever’s holding you back from living your truth…
If you’re ready to get connected with your mission and experience more personal freedom… click on the REPLY button now. Put FREEDOM SESSION in the subject line and I will contact you directly to set up a time for your complimentary strategy session.
Only 5 strategy sessions are available. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Deadline to claim your strategy session is midnight Monday. Click REPLY now to see if you’re one of the first 5!
Eric Baumgartner
Founder/Director of Urban Remedy
www.urbanremedy.org
o: 310-396-8928
c: 310-916-2232
17 Jun
The SIGNS are Everywhere…
Amazing news for all you warriors of light out there…
I am back in Venice after an extraordinary weekend at the Ojai Foundation in Council with some of the most inspiring and powerful voices in our community. We spent 4 days together in deep ceremony and sacred dialogue with community and nature, and stepped fully into co-visioning and dreaming the new world into being as we want to see it. Not to mention ecstatic dance, Divine Nourishment, and an Acupuncture Dream Journey under the guidance of the Golden Eagle…
My deepest gratitude to all those who joined us, and a special thanks to Project Butterfly and the Ojai Foundation for this new and timeless Alliance.
I am writing to let you know about a couple things coming up right away that i don’t want you to miss.
Firstly, we begin the second half of the Community Avatar Series TOMORROW NIGHT!! We will be taking the inner work we have all been doing in the last several weeks and setting it in MOTION in the world, learning to Walk in Beauty right here in the midst of the urban jungle. A new level of clarity and confidence is emerging, and the community is awakening to its collaborative potential. Anyone can join us for this 4 part series to activate that highest vision of who we are becoming, and begin to source from destiny rather than from the past.
And I am so honored to welcome Dr. Yvonne Farrell back to co-lead this amazing journey, so hold on to your hats and glasses folks…
If you feel like you have been living in survival mode, have been stuck in your own muck, or needing some renewed clarity about why you are here and how to unfold your master plan, this is the time to jump on board this Glory Train.
WALK IN BEAUTY: Community Avatar Part II- The 4 Rivers of Light
Thursday June 17th from 7:30-9 (also Thursdays July 1, 8, 22)
Cost for series of 4 workshops is $240.
Please RSVP to
eric@urbanremedy.org
And as a bonus and gift for this beautiful community of light, Urban Remedy will be hosting our seasonal Free Lecture with Juan Ruiz Naupari. We are so blessed to welcome these divinely inspired teachings, and I am so excited to be translating again as we will be learning about Essential Shamanism and how we can integrate our spirit path into everyday life. Please join us for this incredible opportunity to learn from the celestial masters.
Free Lecture on Essential Shamanism with Juan Ruiz Naupari:
Thursday June 24th at 7:30 (please arrive by 7:15)
please RSVP to ciela@goldeneaglecircleofla.com
Finally, as inspired by the group dream journey and all the powerful insights we received this weekend, I am offering group visioning sessions for anyone who wants to bring their team, community, circle or staff in for a guided healing, visioning and alignment session. Please inquire by email for times and rates.
Look forward to continuing this beautiful journey with you all…
Peace,
eric
14 Apr
Awakening the Tribal Spirit
It’s a glorious morning here in Ojai with snow on the mountaintops and the garden is singing thanks for these last few days of generous rain…
And it is only appropriate as we finished our 28 day Spring ceremony for Change last night and the skies opened up to water in all the seeds we have planted for this season of growth and expansion.
Check out this final video of sending up our prayers with the fire….
This year of the tiger is off to an impressive start, and i know come harvest time that we will be grateful for this work we have done.
Still, it has not been easy, and in fact, i have spent days in the depths of my inner work and felt the moments of despair that signal that it’s time to go deeper, to seek support, to get back to nature. My saving grace has been this medicine work, and my shovel and spade, and so i wanted to send out this reminder and offering for anyone out there who needs more support for your healing process in this time.
Starting this Thursday, we will be opening up the infinite potential that is programmed within our DNA and what the shamans call our light body. Over the next several weeks, we will move through the first four stages of clearing, activating, and illuminating this divine blueprint, and deepening our connection to our core purpose in this time of planetary transformation. This workshop will help you get back into your natural rhythm, help integrate your spirit path into your urban lifestyle, and facilitate your connections to your tribe, which is where the prophesies say our most powerful work must happen in this time.
Awakening the Tribal Spirit
Thursdays: April 15th, April 29th, May 27th and one Wednesday May 12th.
Cost is $240 or bring a friend and pay $200 each.
I am also available for private shamanic healing work at Urban Remedy Wed. thru Friday this week, and in Ojai by appointment. Community Hours this week are Thursday and Friday 10-1. To apply for a free consult please email me at eric@urbanremedy.org.
That’s it, for today…get out and enjoy this glorious morning. I’m headed up the canyon to see if i can find the source of the creek that feeds this end of the valley…back to the SOURCE!!
Love, and Blessings,
eric
ps. here’s the link to that video one more time…
