Tomorrow I’m going to participate in a native sweat lodge up on Crystal Mountain, here in Nelson B.C. The first thing we do in the lodge is ‘gather our allies.’ This is an ancient tradition with aboriginal people all over the world. They perceive the world to be a living web of sacred energy, full of allies. I have had experiences on shamanic journeys and in meditation where I felt very strongly the presence of these amazing beings.

What is an ally? An ally is a being whose nature calls forth the deepest and truest part of your being. An ally supports you, cares for you, loves you and teaches you.

There are many different kinds and levels of allies. On the deepest level, our true nature, our unconditioned being, is our most powerful ally. An animal or plant can be an ally, or a tree. A place can be an ally-a cave, or a meadow. The mountain Arunachala in southern India was the sage Ramama Maharshi’s ally. He received incredible strength and inspiration from his beloved mountain. A book can be an ally, a rock, or a poem. A friend, a child, a teacher can be an ally. The most important thing is to recognize them, call on them, and be grateful. No one on earth is without allies. Allies can appear from nowhere, at a moment’s notice.

A few years ago I was passing through a period of great loss in my life. I was overwhelmed with grief. At a meditation retreat I discovered a group of pine trees that invited me to lie down underneath them and weep. As I wept I could feel them holding me and receiving all my sorrow. We live in a miraculous world.

What are the most powerful allies in your life right now? How could you discover some new ones, or recognize the ones that are already here?

One thing that usually works for me when I am exploring something like this is to sit down with a friend and talk about it. Ask them if they’ve ever found an ally. Maybe their word for it is different, but if you speak about it, they’ll know what you mean.

Let me know what happens