Shauna's story is a powerful story of resilience and healing.
Q 1: Please tell us about yourself. What is your connection to alternative ways of knowing?
My connection, which really is my calling to alternative ways of knowing, began in childhood with the advent of my father’s influence and my mother’s psychotic behavior. Being sexually molested as a baby, ages 18 months to 5 years of age and my parent’s divorce; created a split being of myself; which has taken many years to reconcile.
I am a teenage mother and my quest for healing and connection did not begin until my early 30’s upon getting clean and sober; which requires a relationship with a God as YOU understand it. I studied shamanism, tarot, astrological cycles, Reiki, Ascension practices, Myth/Symbols and Art; all with the intention of understanding occult practices; which have fascinated me forever.
Also, I am a dreamer and gather a lot of my psychic information during dreamtime. I have always been able to see the energy of people and read a situation. It has taken a long time to believe what I saw and felt; to be able to see and feel for others and use this in my practice; helping them to create a life beyond their wildest dreams; like mine.
Q2: Tell us briefly how you found your Lost Art.
I found my “Lost Art” 25 years ago, when I had a tarot reading from a sister of a woman I worked with. In the reading, she kept saying how alone I was and seem to be upset about it. I thought to myself, why is she getting so upset and why did she become relieved when she saw me meeting someone. This impression stayed with me and I decided to start making myself reach out to people more. It took about six weeks, at an AA dance for New Year’s that I met two women who were to become my friends over the next 20 years.
I began to get regular readings and from there; began to study the Tarot with this woman. Tarot changed my life. From there, a few years later, I started receiving Reiki and in that process, I was called and gifted my first attunement into the world of Reiki. Today, 21 years later I am a practicing 5th level Transformational Reiki Master and Tarot Reader.
During those years, I also completed an MFA in Photography, at Columbia College, Chicago, 2000.
Q3: How have you integrated your innate talent and your Lost Art practice into your life? What challenges did you face in this integrative process?
Three years ago, I said to myself, how could I create something, with today’s technology, that would be affordable and people; who LOVED readings, could get readings on a regular basis without becoming addicted to the reader for information?
With Shauna of the Star, I have been able to marry all my talents together AND challenge myself on a weekly basis, to create something new and original each week. Because I have been in practice for over 20 years with all three of my talents; Tarot, Reiki and Photography; separately, bringing all three of these processes together has evolved, synergistically and continues to do so, each week, in a way that continues to surprise and delight me.
Challenges have been technical and internal. With technology I have found, with patience, perserverance and persistence an answer becomes readily available, sometimes even with too many options. The internal challenge of knowing what I am doing with Shauna of the Star, is giving value, healing and guidance to others in a way that is Divine, through this particular medium of the Internet and Video; is a challenge that takes time, again with patience, perservearance and persistence. Many times I want to give up because I just don’t know how to reach the people who would love this Art Form.
Q4: What does your Lost Art practice look like on a daily basis?
I live and work in a 6,000 sq ft industrial building on the west side of Chicago. My practice looks like a kaleidoscope. There are “my pieces of being” in a container and every day looks vibrant and different. I have the pieces I work with and while the day is moving I have a rhythm that I understand and stay organized with. I turn and look here and there is something to do, and then I turn to another place, for another task. What I like to accomplish sometime in the day is:
A meditation and prayer. Right now I am in day 723 of a 1000 day meditation for Creativity/Money and Miracles.
A 30 minute walk
Contact with my artwork, whether it is a video or photograph series. This is any two dimensional work or Video for Shauna of the Star.
It is a very organized, chaotic world; my studio and home.
Q5: What important lesson would you share with an earlier version of yourself, or to somebody who is just now exploring what a mystical path might mean to them?
A mystical path is a calling that you must answer. The sooner you follow it, the sooner your life will change and become one of magic and dreams answered. It takes a deep commitment, discipline and an understanding of who you are, so prepare to be with yourself and ride the waves of your emotions, instead of trying to fix yourself another way.
You may have to live outside of what is “normal” and this can feel isolating. Seek out others who are kindred spirits and go on as many adventures as possible to get back any of your self you may have lost in childhood.
Q6: If there was only one thing a person could find the energy and resources to make a priority, what should it be?
Good question! Usually it is the one thing a person has been putting off OR is the last thing on the list OR if they were to die and would regret not doing it. For me, it really has been creating a loving relationship with myself, and then following the guidance on how to accomplish this self-love by any means necessary. This practice has been the foundation of my life; Self-love first, then loving others.
Q7: What is your favorite inspirational quote?
“There is always another way!” (also, “The less stress the better”…) said by me, to me!
Shauna Angel Blue is an Artist, Transformational Reiki Master Healer/Teacher and Psychic, based in Chicago, NYC and Paris. She is the creator of Shauna of the Star. Week by week, this tarot video series blends all her talents and gives you connection to the unseen daily world allowing for the highest possible good to manifest in your life. She is also the creator of the upcoming online course, The Four Seasons School of Love, for people who want to have a full relationship with all aspect of love; self love, sexual love, relationship love and divine love.
Reach out to her at www.shaunaofthestar.com or email
goodfortune@shaunaofthestar.com
