We recently connected with R.G. Shore and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, R.G. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

The Defining Moment is an-going process, less like a lake, and more like a river. When you tap into that creative flow within you, you realize that all moments are really connected, and not separate from each other. But for the sake of this interview, I think it’s important to point the reader to where it all began.

The best beginnings can always be found at the end of something you’ve outgrown. My defining moment was the end of my life as I knew it — which led to a great unveiling into who I am now.

Trauma can creep up on us like a burglar in the kitchen. As a person of color, my trauma was largely formed through racism, sometimes blatant, sometimes discreet. Racialized trauma, as well as spiritual, emotional and childhood trauma, is held in the body. Often, I point out to my clients — where else could it be, except in our very own bodies?

When we aren’t aware of the trauma within us, it only burgeons, and then when the Universe thinks we’re ready to confront and address the deep wounds within us, the Universe always leads us right into the very place we’ve been avoiding — our own selves.

And so, with a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies, a masters degree in Education, tons of other ego-centric accolades tied around my waist, the Universe led me right into the Healing — but I took the long route – right into Prison.

I was incarcerated for nearly 3 years, surrounded by white supremacists, neo-nazis, and very dangerous people. As a person of color, it wasn’t ideal, but I knew I needed to Heal. The defining moment was when I decided, despite my surroundings, that I needed to go inward and heal — and so I did. (which is what my Masterclass is all about: Healing Trauma through Visual Meditation). My book, The Ocean Inside Me: A Spiritual Memoir on Healing Racial Trauma, is all about this exact defining moment. It’s available March 1, 2024.

R.G., love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

After getting out of prison, I knew that I wanted to create a safe space for people to address their own wounds, and their own traumas. I became a certified paralegal, a certified spiritual counselor, reiki master and energy healer. Then, after a few years, I decided I needed to tell my story — So I wrote a book. (The Ocean Inside Me).

I founded a nonprofit called Northwest Wisdom, where we help guide people into addressing their traumas in a spiritual way. From visual meditation, spiritual counseling, 1-on-1 yoga, reiki sessions, and energy healing sessions – we help people go inward and attune the inner wounds. It’s a gradual process. Unlike the movies, or what you may see on your Instagram Feed, it’s not something that happens overnight. Addressing our wounds, spiritually ,emotionally, and sometimes even physically, takes time, patience, vulnerability, and gentleness.

We help people of color address racial trauma. We help people who have been hurt in their spiritual practices, or religious practices address religious and spiritual trauma. We help people discover that they have the power to heal already. Everything you need, is within your own body. It’s important to have a safe space and some gentle guidance in order to do this in a healthy way – and we provide that space. I am an expert in guiding people, and teaching them practical techniques for healing through their own visual meditation practices.

I am currently taking clients for spiritual counseling.
I just finished a Masterclass on Healing Trauma through Visual Meditation, and that should be available in the first week of January, 2024.
My book, The Ocean Inside Me: A Spiritual Memoir on Healing Racial Trauma, will be available March 1, 2024.

Northwest Wisdom is all about inclusivity. Come as you are. Allow yourself to be open to the possibility that the Universe is for you. It’s really true! We are inviting everyone to come and learn about the healing process.
Just as the trauma is real, so is the spiritual healing.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

You have to unlearn the Ego, which is tough, especially in a world that tells you the true way up is up — because it’s not. The truest way up is actually — in. You have to go in first, know yourself, choose yourself, empower yourself, discover yourself. Yes, all this has to happen before you can move outward and really help others heal. As I often say, hurt people — hurt people, and if you haven’t done the real healing, even if you have the greatest intention, you’ll probably still end up hurting people in the process.

The lesson is to unlearn — which means you have to let go of the idea that you have it right! And then, you have to let go of the idea that you have to get it right at all. The only way to truly succeed is to let go of the idea that success is the most important thing. It’s like grasping a butterfly. If you hold onto the butterfly, is it yours? Only when you let go of the butterfly do you give her the space to decide to come back to when she is ready — and she will. Our dreams and our goals are like this too. Be willing to not grasp so hard.

When I was in prison, all I wanted was to heal, to address my own deep wounds, and to also be safe in the process. But I had to let go of the outcome. I had to let go of the end goal and just trust the journey itself. When I surrended to what was, and stopped pushing for what wasn’t, well — that’s when the real healing began.

I encourage you to stop pushing for what isn’t working, surrender, pause, notice, and then allow what is… then things will unfold!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Be yourself. Stop trying to sell yourself. Stop trying to market your spirit, and just be who you are. The right people will come, when you are ready for them to come. Yes, products are important, of course! But do you know what’s more important than products??? PEOPLE!

When you meet people where they are, and you come as you are, they see that you actually have something genuine to offer them. Stop pushing the river, as I often say to my clients. Just flow with it. More often than not, it’s not the product that needs working, it’s yourself.

If you are struggling in your own business, I can help you redefine and rediscover yourself in a way that helps open up doors that might not be open for your currently. Again, just reach out. I’m only a click away.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.northwestwisdom.org
• Instagram: Follow @northwest_wisdom
• Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/healing-trauma-through-visual-meditation/?couponCode=HEALING2024, https://www.udemy.com/course/healing-trauma-through-visual-meditation/?referralCode=6E03F0357DEB92E59573
• Other: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the-ocean-inside-me-a-spiritual-memoir-on-healing-racial-trauma-r-g-shore#preview Also, sign up for Masterclass on Udemy. (Just type in Healing Trauma through Visual Meditation by R.G. Shore)

Image Credits
Visual Designs by R.G. Shore, Photography by Jessie Shore