Why You Feel Spiritually Disconnected (And How to Reclaim It)
Dr. Tom Garcia, a shaman and spiritual guide, says most of us quietly handed our inner authority to someone else (a religion, a leader, other people's expectations) and mistook that for connection. His work is calling it back.
▶ Watch the full episode with Dr. Tom Garcia for deeper context on how to approach these questionsWho Holds Your Authority
Think about your sense of meaning, your inner compass. Circle each one below that you've been letting hold that authority for you instead of holding it yourself. Which one surprised you to circle?
What Actually Happened
Tom keeps the event separate from who you are. Thinking only of the plain facts (not what it meant about you yet), what's one thing that happened, or kept happening, that made it feel safer to let someone else steer your life?
What You Made Up About You
Tom's real question to clients is: what did you make up about yourself out of what happened? Putting the fact on the left and the story on the right, what did you quietly decide was true about you out of the event above (that you're not enough, not wanted, not capable)?
Grounded On Your Own
Tom went to the woods alone for his own direct experience, no middleman. Think of a moment you felt genuinely grounded and clear without needing anyone's approval. What was happening then, and what does it show you that you don't actually need permission for?
Make a Circle, Put a Fire
Tom says you build that direct connection by showing up alone, daily, and his simplest version is 'make a circle and put a fire in it,' even one candle on a desk. What's one small daily practice you'll actually keep, and how could it steady the rest of your day?