We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. J Star Hawk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. J, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
One of my favorite affirmations is, “Its not about me – I just need to be me.” One of the disconnects that I find in our society and especially in owning one’s own business is the separation of the person and their self-image. A lot of times the person that is ‘presented’ to the public is vastly different from the actual person and who they are in their daily life. We see this critique in the current generation of social media where what one portrays on Instagram can be vastly different and disconnected from who that person actually is. “It’s not about me – I just need to be me.” reminds me to stay true to myself & purpose as I continue to show up in the world. As a practitioner of Holistic Medicine I’m doing my best to be a conscious business owner and a big part of this is to be radically honest with myself by not pretending to be someone I am not. Just being me – being authentic makes me the author and authority of the reality I get to experience and expands the kinds of interactions I get to create with others and just as importantly, the kinds of interactions I choose not to have. In just being me – I get to convey my real self and what I value in life and this gives others the permission and freedom to do the same.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Acupuncture, Holistic Medicine and Shamanism are healing art forms based on the worldview that the multiplicity of life stems from a oneness of Being. The universe, self and health, mind and body all interweave back into this worldview. Knowing how to co-create a sacred and healing space is the ultimate art form. Using my intuition and my senses of observation, listening, touch and mental curiosity I create a picture of what is happening in the life and health of my patient. My care is heart-centered and grounded because I know a meaningful life is not just about me but the uplifting of my brothers and sisters on this planet. What I’m most excited about is the growing movement of enthusiasm around psychedelic assisted therapy and it’s ability to help humanity begin to heal from all the mental and emotional pain that has been carried on both the individual and collective level. From and holistic and energetic level this pain is the root of all disease both within the body as well as the collective body politic.

I arrived at where I am today one step at a time. In 2020, I decided to dedicate myself to growing my own business as a healing arts practitioner. There is the saying, “Your business is a reflection of you.” A lot of the external success first came from a learning experience of internal growth which meant overcoming a lot of the limiting beliefs that I held around money and success and self-worth. Lessons that I am still learning from to this day. Whether something is easy or hard is kind of a simplification of the journey from the bottom of the mountain to the top of it and then at the top seeing another mountaintop to climb. When it comes to manifesting what you want I like to remind my students, “50% is your effort and intention and the other 50% is opening yourself up to receiving the ease, grace and support of the universe.”

“Be kind, gentle and compassionate towards yourself.” Instead of thinking, “I’ve so much further to go.” think, “I’ve come so far from where I began.” Really paying attention to the inner dialogue I’m having with myself has been one of the biggest lessons and takeaways as I’ve taken up the responsibility of being a business owner. Reflecting upon all the things I have accomplished and all the things I’m naturally good at doing can help to inspire me to check off my To-Do list or as I like to call it now – my Ta-Dah list. It helps me to view day to day tasks to be done like a puzzle game or when it is just plain hard to do, reminding myself that this is part of the greater vision I have for my life and my family. It’s OK if I can’t show up 100% of the time all the time. It’s really OK and it’s often a reminder that it is time to take care of myself.

What I want the world to know about me is that I am a reflection. I have mapped out my own healing journey to help others find their own way back to themselves. You are the medicine. All healing comes from bringing your consciousness back into your body and mind. This is my message and story:

Any healing modality you do, if it draws your consciousness, your spirit, back into your body, into your skin, into your organs, into your bones, into all 100 trillion cells, into the strands of your DNA, it is creating a transformative healing experience. There is the potential for a quantum shift, a quantum energetic shift in the body. Once the body is imprinted with a higher frequency and vibration from the consciousness that comes in to it, then the physical body will start dancing and harmonizing and realigning around that vibration and frequency that you’ve now downloaded into your cells and into the very energetic structure of your DNA.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would ground in and refresh ourselves at Sunset Cliffs beach. Surf. Take a yoga class at Trilogy Sanctuary and then eat at their organic vegan rooftop cafe. Checkout a microbrewery – I recently really enjoyed Harlan’s Brewery in Bay Park. Go to Church of Music which is a EDM church my friend Alina created. Hit up the OB Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays, dance it out at the Drum Circle and do some Acroyoga at the greens. Get some yummy cacao at Mayamoon Cafe. Go to Mission Trails or Tecolote Canyon for a walk in Nature. Hit up Winstons in Ob for some psychedelic rock music. Get Dim Sum at Imperial Mandarin off Convoy street. Possibly take them on a Hot spring adventure!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I would say God. I know this is a touchy subject. To be clear I don’t mean God in any religious sense but as the unconditional energy of Love and Life. I believe that the source of this entire Universe comes from a consciousness and will to love and that we are the manifestations of this Universe becoming aware and being able to experience Itself. I’m giving a Shoutout to the Universe and God for conspiring on my behalf to bring my dreams into reality. I’d also like to give a Shoutout to Tom Brown Jr.’s Tracker School for helping me to rediscover my natural and wild self and a deep love and reverence for nature and all of mother earth.

Website: Acushaman.com

Instagram: @Acushaman

Facebook: @earthlifespirit

Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/acushaman-san-diego

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