Annc: And now Rob on the Road - exploring Northern California.

Rob: On Rob at Home, manifesting health and wellness and the human spirit- that is the topic today.

My guest is Shamanic practitioner Jana Din in Sacramento, who works with aligning the mind, body, spirit, and soul.

What that means on Rob at Home.

Hi there.

I'm Rob Stewart.

It is great to see you and Jana Din, welcome to the program.

I'm so glad you're here.

Jana: It's my privilege, Rob.

Thank you so much for having me.

Rob: You are working side by side, uh, and helping physicians internationally, uh, particularly in the Northern California area where you began working alongside UC Davis physician, Dr. David Steinhorn.

Jana: He's primarily working with pediatric families, and palliative and hospice care.

And when he's assessing their needs, then if he finds that they need additional care in the spiritual aspect of helping them to understand, perhaps, the meaning of why they are going through such difficult, challenging illnesses or accidents, and often terminal diseases, then he brings someone like me in to provide that additional support.

That's... that's where I start to bring healing to people's hearts.

Rob: How- Can you... can you give me an example of how you have done this, and a result?

Jana: Well, I'll share with you the very first patient and family that Dr. Steinhorn had me work with, and that was eight years ago.

Rob: You're very first.

Wow.

That's... that's great.

That's great.

Jana: And... and so, I want you to visualize, imagine a parent who has given birth to a very healthy baby, and then nine months later, due to a very grave car accident, now that baby is found to be brain injured and, actually, brain dead.

This is what they asked me.

They said, "Can you help our baby to survive this brain injury?"

Rob: Mm.

Okay.

Jana: And so, I said, "That's not for me to promise you, or to tell you that," but I said, "I will go in and see how I can help in any way possible."

Rob: Wow.

That's a daunting task.

Jana: So, I walked into this infant's hospital room, with all of the relatives holding vigil, with the parents, Doctor Steinhorn.

There was a nurse.

I asked them both, the parents- I said, "Would you be willing for me to facilitate you to connect with your baby heart-to-heart?"

And she said, "Well, I'm a very skeptical person.

I'm not sure whether I believe that that's possible."

I said, "I'm not asking you to believe anything.

I'm just asking you if you'd be willing to connect with your baby on that heart-to-heart level."

And so, then, they agreed.

So, I walked in.

Dr. Steinhorn was sitting on a chair at the foot of the bed.

She was sitting on top of the foot of the bed and the father was standing on one side of the bed and I was standing on the other.

And so, I knew that I had no intention or agenda, other than to assist these parents in connecting with their child heart-to-heart.

But by this time, I had at least 15 years of experience being an intermediary, a conduit, a connector for people and their loved one to communicate on a heart-to-heart level.

So, I had to step aside my ego, any desires that I might've had, as a mother, to help ease and comfort these parents.

That had to all step aside, and I had to be that intermediary for them and their baby, heart-to-heart.

Rob: Wow.

Jana: And so, I allowed the words to come through me, but they weren't coming from my mind or my intellect.

I could not have thought of these words in that moment.

It really naturally and effortlessly flowed out of me.

And so, the words that came out for the father were, "What do you need to know right now?

What do you need to ask?"

And so, he said, "We need to know if you can survive this brain injury.

We love you so much.

We want to see you live your life out.

We have so many hopes and dreams for you."

And then, the next words that flowed out of me were, "You need to not feel guilt, or second-guess what happened that day when the car accident created that terrible brain injury."

And then, the next words that flowed out of me were, "I cannot leave in peace unless you've released me in peace.

Can you do that?"

And he fell silent.

And then, I turned towards the mother and this is what flowed out of me for her.

"You've been the most loving mother any child could ever have asked for.

You've loved me more than life itself.

You would gladly have given your life for mine, but I can't leave in peace unless you've released me in peace.

Can you do that?"

And she was silent, also.

And then, I knew that what I had come, in that moment, to do for these parents was finished.

So, I walked out with Dr. Steinhorn and we stood just outside the door, and both parents just started hugging and kissing their baby.

Rob: Ohhh.

Jana: And then, moments, literally moments later, they walked out, and the first words the mother said were, "We've made up our minds.

We're ready to remove life support."

Rob: Hmm.

Wow.

And you went in that room with zero agenda of convincing anyone to do anything, correct?

Jana: Absolutely.

I mean, who was I to try to convince them?

The doctors were trying everything to get them to move along, because it was in the best interest of the baby.

There... there was absolutely zero possibility that that baby was going to survive.

Rob: What if you would have heard something different from the baby?

Jana: Then I would have moved in that direction.

Rob: Mmhmm.

So, there you go.

I mean, you followed what you heard, what you felt, and that was after your 15 years of... of deep training with your calling... Jana: Yes.

Rob: ...and- you say.

And Shamanic, uh, healing.

Oh, and that's the difference between healing and curing... Jana: Yes.

Rob: ...because you may not be able to cure the child, but you helped heal the experience.

Correct?

Jana: Yes, because the parents later said that they felt that they had done everything in their power, because, really, that's what family members and parents over and over need to know, is that they've tried everything, that they haven't given up on behalf of their loved one, or their child.

And so, the mother said that she had, in her heart, known that she had tried everything.

And I think that the healing that occurred was knowing that this was not only her best... her best effort, but that her child also had his own destiny- Rob: And purpose.

Jana: I was- You took the word out of my mouth.

His own purpose, a higher purpose, if you want to call it that, but definitely had a purpose.

And that's healing.

Rob: Wow!

And do you know what else- we talked about this- is the love you saw.

Those parents able to give that child from- It was almost moving from mourning and panic into overwhelming love.

Jana: When they were able to express their love out loud to their child, they were in that pure moment of healing.

Because every person, every parent in a situation like that- Yes, that love is there, and when it can be expressed in... in the purity of that expression, and then when it can feel like there's understanding for the purpose and meaning for that horrendous situation, that's what gives people hope.

That's what gives- like, a candlelight in the darkest of rooms illuminating, just giving hope when there is a hopeless situation, or where there's no hope to be found.

Rob: Wow.

I can only- I...

I can't imagine how that left you, um, knowing that- You say you... you stepped aside and allowed that to come through you, as a Shamanic practitioner, an ally with this doctor, who had gone to every means to save this baby.

Um, and I just can't even imagine how you felt.

How did you feel?

Jana: I just felt that it was a complete privilege and honor.

The love that I felt for this baby, for his parents, for everyone involved to bring forward, really, a gift- that healing is possible, even when curing is not.

Rob: Wow.

That is so strong.

Say it again.

Jana: That healing is possible even when a cure is not.

Rob: And that healing was what you saw happening in the hearts.

It went from a panic to pouring of love all over the still child.

Jana: Yes.

Rob: Jana, you know, with everything going on in the world today, it has been, and who knows how long will be- um, that's in a lot of people's hands to make that decision- but it has been a very tough few years with... with loss.

Um, and you... you talked about the beauty there.

I'm wondering how we can take that and help apply that to people who are suffering today from, you know, so much loss with, uh, with COVID, with new variants, um, loss of family members and loved ones, parents, spouses, children, friends.

What can you do?

Jana: Well, thank you for asking that question, because even in the last weekend, I was a part of creating the celebration of life for a fellow teacher, a colleague, a friend of mine that I taught with for many years at the high school, who died of COVID.

Rob: Oh, Jana, I'm so sorry.

Jana: Thank you.

And... and so, yes, it hits home for all of us in... in some way, during these times, whether we know someone personally, or whether it touches someone else in our circle.

And you and I talked about that we could see that there are many fractures and divisions right now in our nation, in our world.

And so, perhaps, if people could shift from that "me" orientation, that "me-ness," and shift over to a "we-ness..." Rob: It almost sounded like "mean-ness."

Jana: Yes.

Rob: But you say, "me," M-E, "me-ness."

Jana: "Me-ness."

Rob: Into "we-ness."

Jana: Yes.

And, really, it starts with loving and accepting ourselves, and then amping up, or ramping up that love of self and acceptance of self and sharing that as if it is a light, a brilliant light coming out of a lighthouse, helping others that may be out at sea, lost and in the darkness and not knowing their way.

Rob: And that's everywhere.

I walk out of this, uh, home and I...

I look, and you see it everywhere.

Jana: Yeah.

People who have lost their way.

And so, we can be those points of light, illuminating this darkness.

And then if- we can really join with others who all are knowing this about themselves, that they are also to bring more light and love and compassion into the world.

So, just like many lights illuminate a room, rather than just one single light.

Because, sometimes, people feel overwhelmed.

Don't they?

And they ask themselves, "Well, how can I make a difference amidst all of what's going on in this world?"

But if we all join together, collectively, everyone point of light, we increase the light for those whose lights, maybe, have dimmed.

Rob: And one person can bring- When you have one small candle in a dark room, you cannot extinguish that light.

Jana: You cannot.

And so, if everyone can turn on their own lights to the full power, who are capable- Rob: We-ness.

We-ness.

Jana: Yeah.

In "we-ness," and looking out for others, and just shine their lights.

And... and those that feel like they have their lights at a dim level, they can still be part of that collective and, altogether, we bring more light into such times.

Rob: You know, um, the fracture you talk about in the... in the world- Um, I was just watching a news story, uh, this morning where the person- One side was saying, I'm- we're talk... talking about COVID now- I'm not gonna get- One person said, "I'm not going to get the vaccine."

And then, the next person says, "I am going to get the vaccine, um, for other people, not just for myself."

And I see that "I," and "We," in that moment, um, and I wonder what you feel about that, as a Shamanic practitioner, the deeper meaning to the "I am going to do this," or "I'm going to not do this."

Jana: Well, as a Shamanic practitioner, it's always been my training, my understanding, my experience, and my intention to be of service on behalf of others.

And so, what does that mean right now in our nation and our world, to be of service on behalf of others?

Rob: And to everybody watching.

Jana: Right.

It really means to heal oneself, mind, body, spirit, and soul, to become aware of what needs to be healed for oneself.

So then, you can be a role model for others.

It means admitting that, perhaps, there are parts of oneself that need healing, and that one can shift, along a continuum, towards healing.

And then, it... it boils down to this, that when the power of love overcomes the love of power, may your- Rob: Wow.

Say that again.

Jana: When the power of love overcomes the love of power...

Rob: Wow.

Just let that sit for a minute.

That is really good.

Jana: ...then there may be true peace in the world.

I mean, that was loosely quoted from Jimmy Hendrix.

And I have subscribed to that for a very long time now, because that makes so much more sense to me, because that's each of our personal responsibility.

Rob: Yeah.

It's very... it's very similar to- and this- I know this had to come from a quote somewhere, but it's about doing what, in our soul, we know is right.

What we know is right, versus "who" is right.

It's "what" is right that we have to focus on.

Jana: What is right and what is healing for oneself, one's loved ones, as well as everyone else, and mother nature.

Rob: And we're in a position, now, where it is, um, if it wasn't before, abundantly clear that our, um, actions or inactions directly impact everything, whether you believe it or not.

Jana: Literally everything right now.

We're seeing that on a daily basis, aren't we?

Rob: We are, and we're seeing loss as well.

Um, and I also do want to say that there's still light and there's still hope, um, because if you're watching this, you still have a chance to, in... in this world, make a difference somehow.

What would you say, Jana, to someone about manifesting change?

And I don't mean just like New Year's resolution type change.

I mean fundamental, "in my soul" change, and daily being empowered and re-invigorated to do that.

Not even daily, but sometimes, hourly, or minute by minute.

Jana: That we each dig down deep into our heart and our soul and, perhaps, we set the intention that we be agents of love, hope, compassion, and healing for others.

Love, compassion, hope, and healing for others.

And when we have a decision to make, a choice to take, or a behavior to make, that we ask ourselves, "Is this contributing to the love, hope, healing, and compassion on behalf of others?

Or is it detracting from that?"

Rob: And you can ask that, you say, in... in our every day, in our every thought, in our every preparation.

Excuse me.

You can ask that in all that you do.

Jana: Yes.

Literally can ask that with everything that we do.

Because it's then that we're living more intentionally, Rob.

We're just really focusing in with more laser sharp attention, intention.

Rob: The more people do that, the more collective the light grows.

Jana: Yes, to illuminate these times where there seems to be an absence of light and there seems to be an absence of unity.

Rob: What is the question again- just to drive it home one more time- that we should be asking ourselves, you say, about when it comes to change?

Say that one more time.

What is the- it we can do every thought, every action, when it comes to affecting ourselves and others?

Jana: We can ask ourselves, "Is this thought that I have, is this action that I'm taking, is this decision that I'm making, is this behavior that I'm taking contributing to the light, the love, the hope, and the compassion and healing of our world?"

Rob: That is beautiful.

And I do want to say that I know change is scary, and I know that it is easy- it feels easy to stay inside of a comfort zone, and that doing these intentions may be uncomfortable, but I have found in my own work, and in interviewing people all across the state, that everything came for someone when they stepped outside of that comfort zone, or perhaps that "discomfort zone."

And by asking that question, what you just said, is a good way to step into, you say, a new you.

Jana: A new you.

Rob: A better you.

Jana: Yes.

And a collective, more healed family, neighborhood, city, state, nation, world, planet.

Rob: And I'm so grateful for you.

You talk about being a point of light, and I so see that in you.

You are a light source.

Jana: Thank you.

I receive that from your heart to mine, and much, much love, hope, and healing to you.

Thank you so much.

Rob: Jana Din- wow- in Sacramento, Shamanic practitioner, and a phenomenal human being.

I'm so glad you've been with us, here, on Rob at Home.

And we will leave you with this.

We'll wave goodbye, and we will see you next week, right here, on Rob at Home.

Thank you, Jana.

Jana: Thank you.

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