Spiritual Place
On an evening in 1993, Sharon Freewoman (her professional name) and a partner decided to open a spiritual store and call it ‘The Rainbow Bridge.’ At the same time, her husband, photographer David Freeman, was standing on a bridge in front of a waterfall in Yosemite, taking pictures of a full moon rainbow. Such a synchronicity proved it was meant to be.
Since then, the North Lake community has had a magical resource at its fingertips. The Rainbow Bridge was originally located upstairs, in what is now Truckee’s For Goodness Sake. During its 18 years in business, the store changed location several times, to and within Tahoe City, and in 2007, Freewoman opened a second store in the Village at Squaw Valley. Freewoman said going to work in Squaw was like ‘driving into the arms of the Mother.’ She loved being in the welcoming energy of the mountains and called that location ‘the pinnacle of the stores.’ However, when the lease came up this year, Freewoman didn’t push negotiations.
‘Squaw was gracious. I have nothing but good things to say about Squaw Valley. It is just time to move on to the next adventure,’ Freewoman said.
On Easter Sunday, the Rainbow Bridge closed its doors while Freewoman opened another door to a new freedom.
Following some time spent traveling and enjoying family, Freewoman will open a mini version of the Rainbow Bridge in her Glenshire home’s solarium. She is also excited about her Green Healing Room, where she will provide the spiritual services the community has enjoyed for years: intuitive spiritual counseling, past-life therapy, chakra clearing and balancing, and energy healing work using Reiki, crystals, and other modalities. She will also teach classes on crystals, energy healing, shamanism, herbalism, aromatherapy, Reiki, tarot reading, and more.
Freewoman, a High Priestess of the old ways and Reiki master, is an excellent teacher and guide for us. She has extensive and diverse knowledge of, and experience with, many paths. She’s been aware of her spiritual gifts since she was a child when she had visions and was psychically aware and sensitive.
‘In those days if you mentioned things that were happening in non-ordinary realms, you would most likely be shipped off to the funny farm,’ said Freewoman.
Mainstream thought didn’t stop her from continuously living and studying a wide variety of spiritual philosophies. She read the great spiritual books of the world cover to cover: the Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, and Book of Mormon, to mention a few.
‘I would devour them, especially as a teen looking for spiritual truth and the feeling of oneness and peace that the divine can bring,’ Freewoman said.
She studied and practiced the teachings of each of the Christian denominations, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American philosophies, and shamanism, exploring the many paths to find her truth.
‘If you are open, all paths are available and the universe will show you your path,’ Freewoman said. ‘In my opinion, it’s okay to take other paths. The right path is the one that feels right and true. If you feel disingenuous about your path because someone told you that you have to follow it, if you don’t feel love and divine connection, you’re on the wrong path. You have to feel it in your heart.’
It is important that we learn to live from our hearts, and Freewoman, a trusted spiritual leader in our community, is listening to hers.
‘Everybody should know that it’s time to let go of the things that no longer serve, to embrace that which is to come, the new us,’ said Freewoman.
We are in exciting times. The world is going through a big transformation, — ‘the Shift’ in consciousness. We are at the end of an age and are transitioning into a new one. Systems that are unsustainable are crumbling. Politics, education, finance, religion, and family systems are in flux. The changing times are uncomfortable because we don’t know where we are going. But we can change the vibration of fear and dire eschatological predictions by taking action towards love.
Freewoman suggests waking every morning with gratitude that your eyes opened and that it is a beautiful day, no matter what.
‘Instead of thinking about your to-dos, be thankful, even in rough times, even for the nasty things. Be thankful for all you’re learning that will make you a better person on the planet and all that will help you to make a difference. When you’re grateful, it opens your heart right up. You can see a way through without fear and embrace it with love and compassion for yourself and others,’ Freewoman said.
She continued: ‘Love is what it is all about — showing love to one another. Jesus had two commandments: Love God with all of your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. If we practiced that, we would have heaven on earth. We have to have a counter-revolution of love.’
For more information or to make an appointment with Sharon Freewoman, contact her at dancetherainbow@gmail.com, (530) 582-5258, therainbowbridge.com.
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