Martin engages in shamanic journeys that promote spiritual awakening. He also started a business and a coaching practice to help his clients live fulfilled, peaceful, and joyful lives.

In this episode, Martin shared how he overcame his greatest pain point, the suffering he had from depression, and how the shamanic journey works.

He talks about why his business is called Light Trails because after starting his trial on building his business, things got lighter for him. 

For Martin, the heaviness he felt for most of his life was the greatest teacher. Because yes, it is difficult to get out, but once you’ve done it, the learnings from it will be your strength.

The most important thing to break out of your depression is to keep moving. Martin journeyed a lot during his time of depression, which helped him keep moving and get closer to finding himself. 

Reading spiritual books and spiritual awareness also helped him get in touch with himself and connect with the outside world that couldn't pacify him.

Martin Theis discusses how Neale Donald Walsch's book "Conversations With God," which made him aware that there is a source of higher consciousness or God that we can connect to, changed his perspective. This guides him to know that he is not alone and God is there for him. 

Martin Theis's story is inspiring, spiritual, and calming. A story of someone who emerges from a difficult state and doesn’t stop pushing forward until he finds himself and builds a connection towards God and his creations.

Episode 228 of The Beyond Adversity Podcast is a must-listen for anyone who has difficulties in breaking out of their depression and finding their purpose in life, looking for a motivating story of a man who keeps moving forward and pierces through all of the adversities in life.

“The Beyond Adversity Podcast with Dr. Brad Miller is published weekly with the mission of helping people “Grow Through What They Go Through” as they navigate adversity and discover their promised life of peace, prosperity, and purpose. 

https://www.holytisch.co/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9D_fPAidhrEC8J6B6Ro2xA 

Linkedin: https://de.linkedin.com/in/martin-theis-3b178bb1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lighttrails_co/

Martin Theis is with us. And he has a website, “lighttrails.co”. And lots of good

information about how you can advance in your journey of life, what he calls

a shamanic journey. And we're going to talk to Martin here today.

Martin, welcome to the podcast.

Thank you, thank you for having me.

It is awesome to have you with us today. And everybody goes through

journeys in life, and some people get stuck when bad things happen to them.

And, they have to learn to navigate and maneuver through those. That's the

whole theme of this podcast helping people to navigate when bad things happen to

them. And I'd like just like to ask you one of the things that I've read some

information about you. You said something about pain and suffering when it comes

to people's lives, how that's a great teacher. And I've just got a feeling that you've

had some episodes in your life where you've been taught a lesson by some pain or

suffering in your life or some adverse life event, and you might if you share just

something out of your life that we may be in kind of a point of that helped lead you

to what you're up to these days.

Absolutely Thank you, thank you for the introduction. So what I think is probably

my greatest point of pain, pain point or suffering is you mentioned your five D’s

is depression. So I grew up and had challenges. Looking out for myself, I was always

trying to help others please others and make situations comfortable so that

they wouldn't escalate and that I wouldn't become the target of anger or any

kind of not being good enough. So the depression was That's why I called my

business light trails. Because when I started on that trail, things got lighter.

And that heaviness that I felt for most of my life was the greatest teacher in the

sense that I feel it is not necessary, but it is, on the other hand really difficult

to get out. So I think that that is my greatest strength in knowing how it feels to be

in such a place of not knowing why I'm here what is the reason for my existence,

and not having had a good relationship with a higher, higher entity or divine kind of

like guidance. So I wasn't I was raised as a cast Catholic, Christian, but I wasn't

connected to that faith, and on the way of that path that I started to walk through

shamanic journeys, I opened up to God, you know, and found kind of like the

connection in all of us and the brother, brother, ability connection between human

beings and also to animals and plants and the whole planet. So I feel that is

something that has been my struggle, and now that I feel I'm mostly out of it.

It's not always that it's always like life goes up and down.

Yeah. And that you say you came, you're in a state of depression, and I'm sure there

were life events that were a part of that process, of putting you in that state. And

then it seemed like you have taken some action to respond to that depression.

And one of those actions, you've taken his shamanic journeys. So tell us, what is

some of the actions you take to break out of the state of depression? If that

leads us to our conversation with Shamanic journeys? That's a great place to go.

Yeah, I would say I looked at the question, what actions should I take, and I think

the most important thing is to keep on keeping on, and that's what I think many,

many scientists say that when we're in a state of depression, we need to kinds of

exercise or keep moving, do certain things, not kind of hide and dig into the pit that

we feel and so keeping on with in the beginning, I journeyed a lot I went to other

places and state their work in foreign countries and thought to find happiness there

and it helped a little bit. So these journeys in the world helped me to get closer to

myself and find myself, and that's why I feel like to keep on doing what we're doing.

And on the other hand, spiritual books helped me a lot because I felt the pain that I

had inside the material world was not able to pacify I thought, as I said before, what

am I doing here? I might just be here to do a job or go to school and follow the herd

in a sense, but I never felt happy. So spiritual books and spiritual awareness helped

me a lot with meditation and the shamanic journeys like I said because it was the

first time that I got in touch with something spiritual that was helping me to find

myself and to connect with the outside, you know.

what sounds like you took at least two pathways here that I'm hearing you say two

action points, I would say. One of them was journeys themselves. And I've seen

you're talking about an actual physical journey going someplace, and,

you know, some, the process of taking a trip to a process of taking a

pilgrimage of sorts, if you will, is so important. And then you also did books and

such, read deep books about meditation and so on in spiritual life. And that's

awesome. So you're talking about studying and then taking actual physical action?

Yeah, and just right now I got a list from a good I'm gonna name the name

of this visited spiritual journey into Spain. It goes for some length 100 miles or so.

And it takes us several, several days to a week or two to traverse what we just

completed today in the US goes and posts about that how important that was to

him. And I've done some spiritual Premier. pilgrimages type things myself, or holy

land, for instance, I've been there and done that. And, but this is awesome here.

But I would like you to tell us a little bit more than about how you mentioned here,

Martin, about how getting kind of reconnected to some spiritual awakening here

was a part of this, that you grew up as a basically a non-involved Roman Catholic,

but then something clicked in here. And so let's talk a little bit about how if you

want to have completeness in life if you want to have fulfilment in life, if you want

to have what you call a spiritual awakening, that you have to make some sort

of a connection, or reconnection with something greater than yourself and tell

me how that manifested itself with you your spiritual, spiritual life.

Yeah, I think it is really hard to pinpoint, you know, because it's a gradual process,

in a sense, but I remember conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch was

a book that I listened to, and that I was fascinated by because my concept of

God was mostly determined by how I saw the Roman Catholic Church, and that

didn't fit together, you know. So that was where I, for the first time, realized

that there is something higher consciousness or God that is something we can

connect to. And by experiencing that connection more and more through, through

these outer journeys, and redefining myself and finding, finding certain parts of

myself that I kind of like had disconnected from. And that connection

with the higher self helped me to really to be brave to discover myself, if that

makes sense. Because I felt held or I felt I wasn't alone anymore.

Brad Miller: 00:08:17

And so that's I assumed in this sense of, you're no longer alone is a sense of

comfort or guidance of direction. Yeah. And when you go on these spiritual

journeys and physical journeys, it no longer becomes a lonely isolated energy

depleting experience and becomes more of a fulfilling experience. Is that a fair

thing to say when you make these transitions?

Yeah, I would say it's, it's the on I have worked as an okay, I have to do go a little

detour here, I worked as an au pair and the Washington DC area and on the

preparation meetings in Germany, the person who held it said that we get the

chance to redefine ourselves let let let those parts of us behind that we felt were

informed, or in serving us anymore and to find to define ourselves knew and I think

these outer journeys were always in connection with, with the inner dialogue that I

had a chance to redevelop or to redefine myself and to decide how would I like to

be what kind of person would I like to be because I felt, for the most part,

So overwritten by patterns and behaviours that I wasn't in charge of. And so

these decreased over time, and it helped me by these journeys, to learn something

new, bring it back to Germany and get back into a situation that was

difficult but having found a new tool, and then to slowly integrating

that tool until that pain was slowly disappearing.

That's awesome. It's part of your trading as an au pair had to do with his redefined

self and part of this opportunity that you have. And so let's talk about opportunities

and what people can do. And let's be a little bit more specific here I'd like to talk

about the transition people make Martin when from their old self, whatever that

is, to the new self often involves new habits, new disciplines, new practices, or ways

of doing life. And this is where I like to talk about what the word shamanic journey

means. So let's go there from it. What are some of the ways that you live now?

What are some of the ways what is the, you know, help define

for us shamanic journey, and then tell us about the disciplines or

habits that are part of this journey here?

So the shamanic journey itself is can be seen as a kind of meditation or a state

where we lie down and where images come up, where we can't start with an

intention, what it is, I want to look at, is there something I want to kind of like get,

get an insight on or work on. And so with that intention, we lie down and with the

help of a drum or rattle, depending on the discipline of the person who holds

facilitates the space, we journey into what is called non-ordinary reality, or

something similar to a dream state. And where the subconscious is able, to speak

with us. And, we work with these images, and we get insights and clarity. And so

this practice helped me to make important decisions and also to look at decisions

that I had made in the past and to re-evaluate it and to like I said, redefine who I

want to be and let go of the past and integrate the past and the sense. And I would

say because I have been doing this for 10 years, and I'm still deeply involved. It

helped me to empower, to be empowered and to empower myself. And that was

why this practice this habit helped me a lot to always have a place where I can look

at things from a different perspective from a different point of view. And

because it's an individual practice, we do it as a group, or do you have,

like a teacher or leader or class? Tell me kind of how what, how to work,

there's a part of a journey of some sort and actual journey.

Tell me about how it works sometimes.

Yeah, so when we say it is work, let's say it's a class or workshop where we get

together with eight or six to eight people. And then, there is a facilitator, who holds

the space who opens the space with a prayer. And then everybody shares

why they're here and what their intention is. And then, if it's a basic seminar, it

would be a journey, an inner journey to find a totem animal or to look at the tree of

abundance; how does my tree of abundance look like? What is my totem animal?

What kind of animal is it? What has it had to teach me? And what can I learn from it?

And so the facilitator would explain to the people that have never done this before

that this is how it goes. And then they would start to drum, and everybody would

lay down and do and be on their own separate journey. And after half an hour,

people would sit, sit in a circle and share their experiences. And because it's a

holistic space, it is often that something that someone else experienced is

something that applies to my life. And so there's great wisdom the in what other

people share in the circle. And I can learn from everything, not only my own journey

but from all the journeys of everyone who's involved.

You mentioned a term there that I find fascinating. I've heard that term before but I

really would like your take on it especially applicable to people in our, among our

listeners, our community, who may need something tangible to kind of connect up

with your mentioned totem animal, can you help define that for us on how this

the concept of the totem animal may be applicable, especially to people who are

kind of searching for something? You know, kind of the hang-on to here?

Yeah. So the totem animal is our potential showing up in animal form.

Like, let's say it is an animal that is if it is the totem animal that accompanies us our

whole life. There are animal guides that help us in certain periods of our lives. But

there's usually a kind of animal that is there that is accompanying us our whole

lives that will show us our potential. And to make it more applicable, let’s say, the

totem animal that I found when I started my shamanic journey experience was a

black leopard. And so, interacting with the leopard and asking the leopard

questions, would be one way how we can learn but on the other hand, we can look

at it as an animal out in the wild nature, how is it behaving? What is it? What is it

eating? How is it hunting? How will it sleep and regenerate what is necessary for it

to thrive? And what is dangerous to the animal? I can apply that to my life and

can say, Okay, well, the Panther or the leopard is an animal that is usually shy is

able to not be seen, if it doesn't want to be seen, that would be 1 trait, and it is a

very good hunter, but on the other hand, it gets often stolen by hyenas or other

animals. So if I look at what hyenas are in my life, who is stealing my food from me,

and how can I, how can I prepare myself for that, so that I get the nourishment

from what I hunted, you know, it is a little bit there is it's like dream work, we have

to do a little bit of translation, but that's what we learn in these.

It seems like you're looking kind of for attributes from the animals that you apply to

your life, or maybe you aspirational aspects of them, perhaps. And there's you

know, some metaphors, metaphorical imagery here, a little bit of fantasy that, but

you know, a lot of folks will somehow say something that they need some

connection to something that is tangible. You know, sometimes people talk about,

you know, I, in my life, I have a place, I have a big sycamore tree in the backyard of

my home. And that's a place where I go to kind of contemplate things, and to have

some meditation points or there's a, you know, lakes nearby and that type of thing I

go to when I drive someplace, just part of what we're talking about here having

something tangible object, your natural, the natural world that we can have some

just real connection with.

Yeah, I think so. Because over the years, my connection, as I mentioned, in the

beginning, my connection with nature and with, animals have steadily

become more intimate, and I care about it a lot, I care about it a lot more than I did

when I started. So it is tangible. But like I said, for me, it was always natural, this

kind of work. And that it felt to me like it gave me a clue about things I didn't

understand. And sure, it's been 10 years and certain things I see or take for

granted, which is difficult to understand, for people who hear about it for the first

time. But it felt to me if I have a question I can ask my spirit animal or my totem

animal. What would I should do, it's not that I'm taking away

my responsibility, it's just like I'm opening up to certain parts of

myself that I might not be seeing as, as my ego is working right now, you know, to

open up for that, for that higher self in that sense through that animal form.

So that there's a term here that may be complementary to what we're talking about

here, we've been talking about a journey and some sort of a connection to

animals or nature have to do with our inner life. And those are kind of active

and engaged. But I think there's another term here called a sanctuary, which is

finding a place to be alone, a place of peace. It's tentative about the concept of a

sanctuary for you. I know it's your alternate life between Germany and Hawaii and

seems like journey and Sanctuary are complementary terms for you. And

maybe you're going in the wrong direction here, but speak about that a

a little bit, if you will, about the new sense of sanctuary, and they

just create a place to be.

Yeah, and I mean, you're spot on because one of my purposes in life is

to create a sanctuary and it's the actual term that I use in Hawaii, where people can

come, and heal you know, just find that place of that you just described so

beautifully that place of connection where we can be where we don't where We can

let down our guards, and we can just heal in terms of what is it I need right now?

And how can I, how can I how can I use this place in order to find that I'm

looking for and the journey itself, like you, said as a way of going to that

sanctuary, but also the journey back, and the integration phase where it is like

for me, going to Hawaii is always like taking off a certain, like filters or taking off

something that is in front of my eyes, that is not allowing me to see clearly.

And when I'm there, it's also clear, and I go through painful situations and

Inner traumatic situations that are coming up from the past much easier,

much more easily. And but then when I go back into these old situations, it feels

like it's back on and I am struggling, but I've seen, you know, I have seen the

opportunity and the way I've seen through these new kinds of perspectives,

and I know at least how it feels like and then it gives me like an orientation point of,

of that feeling of feeling whole and feeling, feeling.

Kind of rejuvenated, renewed, refreshed.

Yeah

I think that's the purpose of Sanctuary, a place a sanctuary is a place is set apart

for renewal, where you for worship for re reconnecting. And then the journey is

the active engagement of that, in my estimation. And it seems like you've done

a lot of that for yourself. You've done a lot of self-work here, Martin,

contemplation and thinking, and you've processed this. But I feel like you are also

motivated by how you can offer the gifts that you've received during this

transformation you've received to other people. How so tell me a little bit about

how what you are working on and what you're about serving the needs of other

people who may be stuck in their own right, who may need to find out what

it means to have a sanctuary, we may need to find out what it means to take this

journey to understand what the totem animal is all about. What kind of things do

you offer? What kind of things you're about to be helpful? How do you help other

people? How do you serve others with love?

Yeah, that's a good question. So most of all, I feel like that having felt so lost,

and not knowing, like a kind of like being oblivious to that there is a way out,

you know, it just feeling that stuck and lost. It is the greatest motivation for me

because I know how painful it is. And that's why why I say that from suffering, to

grace or just from suffering to peace is a motivation for me, and I offer. The work

that I do is all the experience that I gained on these journeys, everything

that I learned all the missteps that I took, but also all the achievements and

all the successes, and I condensed it and I tried to condense it in 16 weeks in a

program, where I looked at what are the most important signposts that I came

across in the 10 years. And what is really, if we only meet each other for the 16

weeks, what can I bring to the table that people will be empowered and

have the tools to step more confident, but also loving and

compassionate towards others, you know, and that is.

So you have a course, and you also have a webinar, I know that you offer that

people can learn what you've learned, you can teach people, and you come from a

deep place of caring. So tell us a little bit about maybe a time, Martin, when a

person you've had either go through your course your webinar, maybe personal

coaching or encounters, when you've seen someone have some transition, some

change, you know, you went through all your own life-changing back and perhaps

you had some coach or guidance or mentor in your own life. Most of us do. And

then what are some people that you've encountered that, you know, hits, taking the

heart, you're teaching what you're about, and you've seen some transformation

and give us an example of that if you have one?

Yeah, absolutely. So the interesting part is that most people like you, mate, to me,

at least in this conversation. Don't know what a shamanic journey is or what I do

and so when they start working with me, they start working with me because it

resonates with me as a person, but not necessarily because I know what I'm

offering. But once we start out on these on the program, people are excited,

and they can't believe that it is helping them and it is changing their life and

that they feel empowered and that there is an increase of purpose, you know that

with every session we take, we dive deeper into the rabbit hole and they realise

that is working, I think that is the most common denominator I would say in

the program that the surprise and also the uplifting feeling of this is working, this is

helping me and I feel the gratitude I receive when we're done with

a session is my best indicator of if it's working or not, if it is something that is really

a value, and I feel there's so much gratitude and appreciation from the

people who work with me from my clients that I feel I'm doing the right thing,

and we're on the right track here.

So you've been affirmed by that. And then some of these folks who have shared

something with you? Did they have, you know, some traumatic circumstance in life

that was able to take a different track? You know, in life? Do we have any of

that type of situation that may be someone whose life is at a dead end? And maybe

there's if they have some tools to add more fulfillment? If they want that line?

Yes, and it depends on the people, right? So there is no guarantee that the program

or my work is helping, but when we're courageous enough to open up and

especially traumatic, traumatic events are difficult, you know, they're very painful,

we don't want to go back into that. And I cannot force anyone to return to a

traumatic situation that would not serve anyone. But every time people face these

difficult situations, face traumatic situations and integrate them and bring

that were speaking of soul parts, for example, in the teachings that I received, we

can go back and have the soul parts that are detached from us. However, they've

still connected but very far away. And when we go back into these traumatic

situations, we can integrate them. And that gives us more energy and gives us kind

of like that health in order to go on more of ourselves because we have that part of

us back, you know, and that is

well, lots of good things here, Martin. If folks want to find out more about you, if

they're interested in shamanic journeys or your sense of abundance, thinking and

the resources that you offer, or sanctuary or totem animals,

any of the concepts we talked about here today,

how can people find out more about you and what you offer?

Yeah, like you already mentioned, my website, lightrail.co is a good place to start. I

offer free webinars and can also find them on the website. It's where we look at

what the shamanic journey is a totem animal, and what the medicine wheel is

also an important aspect that we didn't cover today but just 3 Good

webinars to learn more in and to do to start the work you know, it is not a

regular webinar because I've been participating in many webinars where it's a really

fun tool, and you're just listening, but it's an interactive webinar where you can

already receive guidance and bring something into your life that is that has been

missing. So that is a great place to start.

Yeah. Awesome. So the website, his name is Martin Theis that's T H E I S and

his website lighttrails.co That's l i g h t t r a i l s.co. His name is Martin Theis, and he

Is involved with spiritual awakening through shamanic journeys. Martin, thank you,

for being our guest today on the beyond diversity podcast.