This is Fiction!
NOT
Often when I share stories about my life and experiences throughout my many trips around the sun; some wicked awesome, some wicked bad, I'm met with this look of pure bewilderment and very commonly, "What? no way!"
I nod my head and say
"I know, it's wild! and I PROMISE you...
This is NOT Fiction!"
Shani's alebrije (spirit animal) is the cheetah, a symbol of power, grace and divine guidance, but feels strong bonds to all wild spotted felines. The jaguar and Jaguar Medicine of Mesoamerican and Caribbean Indígenas— strategic, hardworking and aware. The leopard— courageous, determined and mindful.
Shani's Indígena name is I'x represented by the jaguar and femininity. She was born under the Mayab energy aq'ab'al, represented by the bat, symbolizing balance, duality, polarity and just like the strong and fierce felines who mythically live 9 lives, so has Shani.
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From a brush with death at age 13, a car accident surviver, to marriage to her teenage sweetheart for thirteen years, to restauranteur for nine years, turned single mother of two and adoptive mother of one, a total life shift, changing careers, finding love again, a life altering chronic disease, a heart-wrenching midterm pregnancy loss, a new marriage and two more babies— this chica has lived her 9 lives and is just getting started!
She lives in Caledonia, along the 6 Nations of the Grand River, with her husband P, their growing family and 2 dogs. Together they support budding families through Wild Birth and Daddy Doula/Partner Partera workshops, and Shani facilitates doula support with an extraordinary team of birthworkers through Jewel Child Doula Collective.