In the realm of holistic healing and spiritual exploration, the convergence of diverse belief systems often leads to groundbreaking and transformative approaches. In this Mystic Mag‘s intriguing journey of spiritual fusion, we find ourselves in the company of two remarkable individuals, Sally Denny, a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), and Steve Bull, a visionary with qualifications in both Social Work (MSW) and Divinity (M.Div.). These two unconventional healers are the driving forces behind “Transforming Lives,” a remarkable venture where Christian beliefs and shamanic practices harmoniously unite to create a potent blend of spiritual healing. The tale of how these seemingly disparate paths have converged into a singular, powerful force is one that captivates the curious mind and invites us to explore the fascinating intersection of faith and ancient wisdom.
Could you share the inspiration behind the creation of Transforming Lives and how your Christian beliefs and shamanic practices came together to form your unique approach to healing and education?
Sally: I believe that from our church background and our involvement in the Christian community, we observed that many individuals may have grown up in a specific church or faith tradition, but for various reasons feel disconnected from either the church or the belief system. As a result, they seek something different, something more profound, something that holds personal meaning for them, which they haven’t found within the confines of a traditional church setting. This essentially marked the beginning of our discussions regarding what we wanted to share with people.
Steve: Sally and I sometimes refer to traditional Christianity as a “box” that tends to trap people into a rigid, black and white, rationalistic way of thinking about faith. But Jesus was anything but traditional. His faith was powered by the Spirit, perceptive, intuitive, responsive, active, vibrant. Our goal began to focus on helping people move out of the “box” and into a more receptive, interactive, intuitive faith-perspective, directed and powered by the Spirit.
Transforming Lives combines Christian beliefs with shamanic practices. Can you elaborate on how these seemingly contrasting ideologies synergize to benefit late-adolescent and adult individuals seeking healing?
Steve: If you visit our website, you’ll find our book, ‘Jesus the Ultimate Shaman.’ In this book, we discuss the idea that shamanic practitioners believe in the existence of helping spirits. We make the case that the throne of God, the Creator, is surrounded by angelic beings, numbering in the millions. We also talk about the fact that we can connect with those angelic beings, get to know them, and benefit from their assistance. In essence, there are elements in the Bible that Christians typically don’t interpret with a shamanic perspective, but we do. For example, the ability of Jesus to heal remotely aligns with practices seen in shamanic traditions, and we apply this concept in our work. Jesus’ forty days and nights fast was, essentially, a vision quest. And when he calmed the stormy lake, he was speaking directly to negative elemental spirits.
Seeing the Bible through a shamanic perspective, we aim to help people recognize that there’s a strong connection between shamanic practices and the spirituality found in the Bible, because Jesus practiced many of these principles. As a result, the healing techniques employed in shamanism can certainly be adopted by Christians who heal and are seeking to be healed.
Many people might not be familiar with shamanic practices. How do you introduce and explain these practices to individuals who come to Transforming Lives seeking healing?
Sally: It kind of depends on where individuals are coming from, their backgrounds. I’ve known many people in the churches I’ve attended, and Steve has had similar experiences. They often consider shamanism as evil, and they categorically reject it. They may think that exploring shamanism will lead them away from God, which is a belief I find entirely untrue. So, the degree of openness of a person when we work with them plays a crucial role. It’s essential for them to realize that there might be more to life and spirituality than their current narrow perspective. Once that realization occurs, we can then employ suitable tools to help them become whole, heal from trauma, pain, and worries that might be distancing them from themselves and their spirituality.
Steve: We’ve worked hard to make sure our language regarding our shamanic practices is understandable. We avoid using “shamanic” buzzwords. For instance, instead of talking about shamanic healing, we mention energy healing and describe ourselves as conduits or hollow vessels. These concepts are drawn from shamanic practices, but we change the terms. We refrain from using the term ‘shaman’ or other red-flag words. Instead, we opt for language more familiar to Christian individuals, like speaking about angelic beings when we refer to our helping spirits. This approach ensures better and more open and accepting communication.
Furthermore, we emphasize that our power and authority come from Jesus. We firmly believe that Jesus embodies the spirit of the Christ of the Universe, the Christ Light. While we may not explicitly state this belief to everyone, we assert that everything we do is done in the name of Jesus. This assurance generally garners acceptance from those who may be hesitant.
Sally: In our work, it’s crucial to gauge where people are coming from. We encounter individuals of various faiths, from Buddhists to Jews, as well as those with no religious background. Additionally, some individuals hold rigid beliefs. We try to exercise wisdom in how we present our ideas and practices to cater to each person’s specific needs and faith perspectives.
What type of services do you offer?
Steve: I think our services are quite typical. I knew that you might ask about them, so a good place to find them is on our website (transforming-lives.us). We engage in a fair amount of extraction work, whether it involves removing negative energy, entities, or even demonic presences. Some individuals may not believe in the existence of demons, but we’ve encountered them and can attest to their reality. Our work also includes a significant focus on physical and emotional healing. For instance, we utilize techniques like soul retrieval to integrate individuals whose psyches have become fragmented, causing them to feel highly dysregulated. We also offer blessings to people. And at times, we’ve performed what’s known as psychopomp work. When individuals approach us with concerns about spirits in their homes or the need to close portals, we gladly assist by connecting with the spirits to guide them to their after-life destination and subsequently close that portal. These are some of the fundamental aspects of our work.
Sally: Ultimately, our approach revolves around discerning which characteristics are out of balance and determining the appropriate techniques to restore harmony and wholeness.
The late-adolescent and adult years are often marked by unique challenges and transitions. How does Transforming Lives tailor its approach to address the specific needs of this age group?
Steve: Sally and I have extensive experience in working with clients. I was a licensed mental health practitioner for 20 years. I have since retired, so now I primarily position myself as a life coach, spiritual director, or pastoral counselor, for which I don’t require a license. Sally, on the other hand, continues her bioenergetic and massage therapy practice.
Both of us have a background in interviewing and engaging in conversations with our clients. Before we delve into our sessions with our clients, we take the time to have an initial chat with them. During this conversation, we inquire about their background, life experiences, and the specific areas in which they seek assistance. Together with our clients, we map out how we can best help them.
I’m increasingly recognizing that my therapeutic background sometimes leads me to talk more than necessary. So I’ve shifted my focus to go more directly to what needs to be healed. What do our clients need healed? How can we assist them in achieving their healing goals? What type of healing are they seeking? So, we’re evolving towards placing a stronger emphasis on the healing process. Less talking, more action so to speak.
Sally: A significant part of your question revolves around how we determine the appropriate course of action for our clients. Our guidance primarily comes from a higher source. We’re led by the Spirit, the divine, and the mystery. We open ourselves to receive insights from the Spirit, which possesses all-encompassing knowledge. We seek wisdom specific to each person, as well as what might be suitable and acceptable to them. It’s important to remember that a client may express a desire for a particular healing modality, such as a soul retrieval due to childhood trauma, but they might not be emotionally ready for it. Therefore, we heavily rely on spiritual guidance to grant us wisdom and use our intuition to navigate the path we need to follow with each individual.
In some cases, with the client’s permission, we may undertake a journey, allowing us to explore the Void and ask the Great Spirit for a deeper understanding of what our clients truly need assistance with.
What challenges have you encountered in bridging the gap between these two belief systems, and how have you navigated them while maintaining the integrity of your mission?
Sally: Much of our work involves education. For instance, there was one client we worked with for quite some time, a woman who had experienced a fair amount of trauma in her life. In our practice, we incorporate the use of feathers, drums, rattles, stones, sound, etc. Part of our practice involves using feathers for cleansing. However, when we introduced the feathers to her, she became quite anxious and said, ‘Don’t touch me with that dead thing.’ This is just one example of the educational aspect of our work. We had to explain that there is energy connected to the feathers we use, and we don’t necessarily have to physically touch her. Energy can travel, so we can use the feathers around her body without touching her. After she became more comfortable, we were able to use sage, drumming, rattling and other shamanic techniques to speed up her recovery. To me, a significant part of our work centers around education, especially when we encounter preconceived notions that act as roadblocks.
As Energy Healers, how do you practice self-care and maintain your own well-being?
Steve: Well, we recently had a client who presented us with a somewhat complex and confusing situation. First and foremost, we engaged with each other in a discussion to address this. We realized that we were in the midst of something challenging. So as a team, we talked about the importance of setting boundaries. Sometimes, we’ve utilized various practices such as using mapacho or sage to clear any negative energies that have come to us. I have a daily practice where I begin my mornings by surrounding myself with a ‘Dome of Light and Goodness’ and ask that anything not belonging to me or us be removed. Additionally, we always create a sacred space before meeting with people, which helps protect us.
Sally: Another personal practice of mine is connecting with nature. Each morning, as the season changes and it’s still somewhat dark, I step out into the backyard with our dog. I place my feet on the earth, on the grass, and watch the sunrise, welcoming the new day. This helps me focus on positivity and what truly matters. Given the chaos in the world, it’s particularly essential for sensitive individuals like myself to reconnect with creation in the morning.
We also practice fasting from time to time, taking a few days to pray and connect heaven and earth through our being. These are just some of the individual practices we’ve developed.
Steve: Moreover, we lean on each other for support quite a bit. We discuss dreams and various issues every morning over coffee. While solving the world’s problems may be an impossible task, it’s wonderful to be a team and work together. We also develop interests outside of energy healing like gardening, baking, playing music, and getting outdoors.
In my previous work as a psychotherapist, I often operated alone. My clinical supervisor was 3.5 hours away. I didn’t have anyone to download with on a regular basis. When Sally and I joined forces, it was such a blessing for me. At last I had someone with whom to interact. We decided to take classes together, to participate in extensive training programs, and continuously expand our knowledge through reading and seeking guidance from mentors. It’s so great to be able to share all these experiences with a close, personal friend, like your teammate (who happens to be your spouse!).
Sally: Having mentors has been incredibly valuable in our journey, and we believe it’s essential for everyone to find a way to reach beyond themselves and be guided forward.
Sally and Steve: We are thankful for the opportunity to talk with Katarina, share our journey, excited about what Mystic Magazine has to offer people, and extend our blessing to all who read this interview.
