Dear Friends,
What a gorgeous time it is here in Oregon. The ample rain has made it exceptionally green and yet things are blooming way earlier than usual—early enough to be of some concern. For example, my garlic bulbs are fully formed and even separating, a full seven weeks before our usual harvest time. Curiouser and curiouser…and yet when I go outside and smell the roses, along with the irises and a potpourri of plant fragrances, and hear the beautiful song of the black capped grosbeak, I can only smile and give thanks for the good fortune to live in paradise!

The elf in the garden is Meg

Meanwhile, a friend pointed out the other day how the broad leafed maples in our yard are making more seed this year than usual, maybe the most since I moved here 35 years ago.

That got Mark and I to thinking: Climate change has been a logical explanation for a lot of weird things, but this year is way beyond what we've experienced so far. Plants flower and go to seed so fast that some will get a double harvest. Add to that observation the knowledge that some plants' best year is the one before they die— as though they are trying to ensure their contribution to the gene pool before they kick the bucket—and I start to wonder if we are facing a massive die off. Also, every Autumn, when the nights get long and cold, the mice migrate into a warm shelter. Not this time—they are moving in now. 180º (or 6 months) off cycle. I try to never underestimate the intelligence of the plant kingdom or the animals in the wild, and therefore I can't help but wonder—and maybe worry a bit—about what is coming our way.

Will the event be weather related? Or maybe the Earth itself will rock an roll; or the north and south poles will swap; or maybe something unimaginable will happen, something that has never happened before. For whatever reason, the plants and animals are acting differently than usual. I hope we, the people, can survive it and learn.

Here are some "wierdnesses" currently happening on our planet:

1. Zika virus: for the first time ever a mosquito born pathagen has proven to cause birth defects in humans.
2. The number of active volcanos and earthquakes has accelerated. Hopefully they will calm down.
3. Wildfires: The season in California has been extended to include the entire year, a first in all of history. This year spring arrived in Northern Alberta, Canada, with a massive wildfire. May Day saw the evacuation of Fort McMurray, a major city relatively near the Arctic Circle. (here's a bit of irony—this spreading wildfire has had a major impact on Canada's export of oil from the tar sands of that area, and oil is a main contributor of CO² in the atmosphere.)
4. Worst ever draught in Ethiopia. EVER!

Rather than leaving you feeling helpless and hopeless in this dark scenario, I'm going to suggest three ways to get involved and make a difference:

1. Education: Many books used in schools throughout our nation have been influenced by nay-sayers and big oil. Find out what's in the science books used in your area, and if the problem of Climate Change is understated or denied, get involved.
2. Find or write a pamphlet that makes the appropriate argument. Or better yet, find an existing science book that can be the replacement book in your district. Practice your meditations and teach them to others. They can be visualizations of a healthy climate, for example, or a prayer asking for help. Some of these empowerments can be found archived on my website and in my books.
3. Join our next free Planetary Healing Call to Action, Thursday, June 9, 6pm Pacific time. This ceremony is a gift I offer to unite like-minded people who wish to combine energies for the betterment of the world we live in for ourselves, for all others, and for the generations to come. For more information and to hear past calls, visit planetaryhealingbook.com Register for the call to action here…

art by Martina Hoffmann

Women's Visionary Congress

June 17-19, IONS, the Institute of Noetic Sciences in Petaluma, CA

This is one of my favorite gatherings, and I am delighted to present there again this year. This conference is open to all genders, and includes many presenters that I think are heroes of the consciousness movement— the warriors that put their life on the line to research the medical uses of entheogens and other mind expanding sacraments and the elders who bring their stories and wisdom to help guide us through these perilous times. (Please read the mission statement on their website to understand why this gathering is so important.) The theme this year is persistence, and I will be presenting on Sunday morning at 11:45. During the demonstrations of Alchemical Healing the entire audience will be given an opportunity to access the energy that supports the healing form I created, and will learn by assisting me in the demonstrations. (If you are in need of healing, please speak to me at the conference before my presentation.)

Please check out their website at www.visionarycongress.com for complete details.

In keeping with the theme of “persistence,” I feel very strongly that if we persist in reaching for our highest potential, we can regain our inherent abilities to heal ourselves and one another, and ultimately our precious planet. As I approach my 73rd birthday, I am learning to appreciate my elderhood, and the changes that come with it. As I slow down and one-by-one let go of the many responsibilities I have created for myself in my busy, have-to-get-it-done life, the things that are most important to me are becoming more and more apparent.

Egypt

While Egypt, and taking tours there has been my primary source of income as well as joy and learning, is close to the top of my list, I feel secure that the legacy of Shamanic Journeys, Ltd. and the Egypt tours that we are still producing are secure in the capable hands of Indigo Rønlov. There are two planned for this fall and another in March of 2017 (with more in the works). Of course we are watching closely the course of events in Egypt and throughout the world as well as listening closely to our guidance regarding safety issues, and plan to continue as long as we deem it safe. Fortunately we have our private dahabeya (Egyptian yacht in the style of the ancient royal boats that sailed the Nile during the time of the pharaohs) and other measures in place to ensure the safety of our groups, in as much as anyone can in this crazy world. We have chosen not to be ruled by fear, especially since Indigo just returned from another amazing pilgrimage, during which they were met with love and gratitude with every encounter. Normandi and Nicki in Egypt

Please go to shamanicjourneys.com/egypt to get details for the next three tours.

Egyptian Mysteries Workshop & Retreat

If you still want to go to Egypt with me, let me suggest the next best thing: the Egyptian Mysteries Retreat that Normandi and I have been hosting annually for the last two decades. This one in August is in two parts, the first a workshop near Portland and five days here at my temple/center/home in Eugene. Both primarily focus on material from our most recent book, The Union of Isis and Thoth, Magic and Initiatory Practices of Ancient Egypt, and include a deeper explanation and additional practices that originate from our growing body of knowledge and our relationships with the neteru of Egypt.

Info and Registration

Altared Space at the Oregon Country Fair is evolving, as it should, and my personal responsibilities have placed me in more of an emeritus role. This year I will be helping with the Main Stage opening ceremony on Friday and presenting with Bruce Lipton, PhD on Friday afternoon. Bruce and I will also be teaching together in “The Grand Convergence—Science meets Shamanism” sponsored by East West Bookshop in Seattle, the following weekend, July 15 and 16 (EastWest Bookshop divides these presentations into 3 separate events in their calendar).

Bruce Lipton and Nicki speak at Oregon Country Fair

And Finally, as I wait for the final edits this fall for my next book, Sekhmet—Transformation in the Belly of the Goddess, it occurs to me that with regards to my work, what remains consistent and is woven throughout my entire life, is the fundamental basis of my life's work, Alchemical Healing. It seems to be what I'm devoting myself to this year. Alchemical Healing is a wide-ranging, comprehensive and inclusive healing form that is as fulfilling for me as it is effective for those who practice and receive it, and for the moment, it is what I think is important for me to be sharing.

So whether it is during my Planetary Healing Call to Action, my presentations at the Womens Visionary Congress, sharing the OCF stage in Oregon or the Grand Convergence in Seattle with Bruce Lipton, in my annual Personal and Planetary Alchemical Healing Intensive retreat in Eugene August 1-8 in Eugene, or in my private sessions and Oracle readings, and in the Egyptian Mystery School teachings, there is always the core principles of Alchemical Healing at play.

I just completed two teleseminars on Alchemical Healing, Levels I and II in eight sessions, and am still (as always) amazed at the efficacy, speed, and power of Alchemical Healing. Most importantly, it is self-initiating, so you can learn it by following the directions in the books. The trilogy includes Power Animal Meditations, Alchemical Healing and Planetary Healing. For the time being, I will still teach it whenever possible. It's my first and in some ways my most important gift to share. I hope you can join me at one of my events this year.

With prayers for the healing of our precious planet, blessings and love,
Nicki Scully