We recently connected with Natalie Rani Marie Zacharias and have shared our conversation below.

Natalie Rani Marie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

One of the most recent risks I’ve taken in my life has led me to where I am today and looking back, I don’t regret it at all. I was working at a company for 6 years after graduating from college with my Bachelor’s degree. I was making great money and if I wanted to I could have moved higher up in the company. However, during the last two years while I was working there I kept getting this overwhelming feeling that it was time to move on and pursue something else. I started researching what other career paths I would want to pursue and looking into getting my Master’s degree. It took some time for me to finally realize that I wanted to pursue my Master’s in psychology but at a school that also incorporated spirituality. It was such a strong knowing and in order to pursue this dream I had to quit my job, sell most of my things, and move across the country to go to school in San Francisco (one of the most expensive places to live). I remember one of my coworkers asking me if I was afraid. I vividly remember telling her the thought of living in regret for not taking this chance was more unbearable than actually taking the risk and see where the path leads me. Little did I know how drastically my life would change and the depth of healing I would experience! When I look back to the person who I was before I left for California, it’s hard to recognize her. It’s amazing how our intuition can give us that feeling of knowing and yet we still have a choice if we want to listen or not. I’m so grateful that I listened and took that risk. I encourage folks to always listen to their inner knowing and take action when they can, it’s so worth it!

Natalie Rani Marie, 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?

I started my Master’s in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies back 2015 and when I landed in San Francisco, CA after moving from New Jersey, While living there I was introduced to many healers, teachers, and leaders outside of the classroom who were integral to my spiritual journey. I joke around that during that time I was in two schools, the graduate school and Spirit School. One of these teachers is my good friend Liv Mokai Wheeler who is an initiated Kontomblé voice diviner. Liv and Kontomblé had a huge impact on the work I do today because they encouraged me to forge my own path once I completed my studies at CIIS. I was originally going to pursue a traditional path post graduation but with their support and guidance, I decided to create Tending Your Spirit and offer my services through that medium. I love supporting clients utilizing my therapeutic skills through the 1-on-1 transformational sessions, the grief clearing ceremonies and other group ceremonies and programs I run. I also became a certified practitioner of The Emotion Code® which is an energy healing modality that helps us tap into our subconscious and clear “trapped emotions” which are stagnant energy in our bodies. It’s so amazing to see the results that people have after our sessions together. I’ve learned over the years that part of my purpose here in this lifetime is to restore harmony on Earth. There are many ways for this to be accomplished and a big part of my work with clients is in pursuit of this goal. My work is very diverse. Over the years I have also learned many rituals and ceremonies that are in support of one’s spiritual growth and the healing of our ancestors. I offer Stone Divinations and Ancestor Support Rituals as part of my spiritual offerings to clients. I love being in ceremony with others and I feel the importance of returning to a life filled with ritual and in connection with the earth is so important for our collective healing. Recently my aunt passed away and a few days later I was in ceremony with a small group of women praying for the earth. After the ceremony completed I was talking with my mother about the ceremony and how we prayed for my aunt’s soul and all of a sudden a bird flew into the kitchen and was flying around. Before my aunt passed, she told us she would communicate with use through feathers and birds. Imagine our surprise when all of a sudden there is a bird flying in the space! I happened to still be in that post ritual space with my third eye open so it was easy for me to stay grounded and communicate with the bird and help it get to safety. My mother was in shock and couldn’t believe what was happening. After years of me doing this deep healing work, I delight in seeing the changes in my own family and their own healing and remembering. We all have that potential for deep growth and remembering within us, it’s our birthright! It’s my passion to help other people remember their divine beauty and power, to help them reclaim their sovereignty and return to living harmoniously with all of Life.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I feel that as a person holding space for healing, it is a priority for all facilitators to continue to prioritize their own healing. I am a human and I know in many spaces people have wanted to put me on a pedestal as some guru and I always remind folks to refrain from doing so. In fact, I think it’s important to acknowledge that sometimes I may say something that may impact someone in a negative way and it’s important to me for us to clear those ruptures. I have seen too many times the damage that can be done to an individual’s healing and/or a community’s healing, when the leader is unwilling to meet their shadow. I want to be clear in saying that I’m not encouraging facilitators to be the scapegoats for the participants unhealed wounds. What I do encourage is everyone taking responsibility for themselves and utilize curiosity to explore what comes up for them. Healing can be messy. It’s vital as a facilitator and leader to learn to be grounded in spaces when things get very uncomfortable. It’s also so important to continue to explore your own subconscious programming and unhealed wounds because they will show up in your work whether you realize it or not. Healing is a lifelong devotional practice, especially for those who feel called to hold space for others to heal. There is always so much more to discover about ourselves in this process.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There was a period of time during my journey when I felt like the floor beneath me gave way and I was free falling into an abyss. I was working with a group of people and there was a rupture in our business relationship awhile we were traveling out of the country and I found myself having to book a flight back home and recover from that rupture in both friendship and business. I was devastated and heartbroken because it was easy for me to see the misunderstanding but at the time, my associates were unwilling and unable to come to a healing resolution. When there is a break in a relationship, I believe we all have a role we played in what happened so by focusing on our part of the rupture and healing what comes up, we have an opportunity to truly heal the relationship. For about two months I devoted my time and effort to healing my side of that rupture. This was a combination or working with a specific energy healer to clear any karmic ties and I also worked with my mentor to explore any subconscious programs/stories/wounds that were involved in what needed up happening. I learned a lot about myself in that process. It was a powerful and deep lesson on boundaries for me to explore. It was fascinating to see how the deeper I went into my process, the more opportunities started coming my way. I could have easily wallowed in my sadness and not take any action and I would likely still be in that state. That’s why I say healing can be messy. It’s also so important to always explore the role you play in whatever is happening in your life. Sometimes we are our own obstacles and we don’t even know it! Months after the rupture occurred, I ended up having the opportunity to deeply healing that relationship and it was even stronger than before. That whole experience taught me so much about conflict, resiliency, the potential for healing, and the importance of staying devoted to your calling. In fact, I also birthed a whole training called Navigating Conflict that was inspired by all the many lessons I learned from not only this experience but many others in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tendingyourspirit.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendingyourspirit/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvuUQa4DhyAad9t04ri1z3w?view_as=subscriber