Meet Sarah Trapkus | Spiritual Guide + Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Trapkus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I love this question because what I have discovered goes against what I was conditioned to believe create success. We’ve learned how to attain success through the belief that we must work hard, sacrifice and stay focused on our goals. And this is true – and it works – but only when our work, priorities and goals are aligned to who we truly are and what we truly desire.

So many of us decide what we want based on what we’ve been conditioned to want; the house, the money, the family. But it’s never actually about these things – what we desire is always about who we become when we’re living in the experience of our desires. It’s the energy we embody and how this translates moment to moment in our lives.

Hard work, sacrifice and focus happens naturally – in other words you don’t have to “try” – when you’re aligned to what you truly desire and the path you’re choosing to get there feels like home. This doesn’t mean there isn’t discomfort. It’s just that the discomfort implies an opportunity to grow and, within this opportunity, undo more of the familiar, conditioned beliefs around who you think you’re “supposed” to be and how you’re life is “supposed” to look.

The habits that I feel helped me succeed are the ones that supported me in staying aware and present of my conditioning vs my true desires:

1. Sacred Rest. We all know that tuning out of work mode is important – and I’m all for this. Playing, relaxing, pursuing other interests outside of being an entrepreneur is very important. There is this really powerful place between being “on” and “off” however and I call this place Sacred Rest. It’s contemplative, reflective and integrative. Instead of just meditating for 20 minutes in the morning, Sacred Rest acts like a prolonged meditation where I move deeply into my body + subconscious and connect with the truth of who I am. It is in this space that deeper wisdom and insights comes through.

2. Visualization. More and more I realize that I am the creator of my reality and it is my #1 job to claim this through deciding what it is I am available for. Where Sacred rest opens me up to what is for me, visualization anchors this is. I never see my imagination as a distraction, but a powerful tool I can use to train my brain what to allow in as our reality. Visualization is the first part of this the other tools I will share next.

3. Journaling. I rarely just write to empty my mind and process a current or past experience, although doing this is very helpful + valid. When I put pen to paper I am often writing out my desired reality and getting more and more clear on the experience in a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual way.

4. Voicing. To take this deeper I speak about what it is I am desiring to live. I love this tool because of how it works: it anchos in the energy of my desires more fully because it creates a vulnerability with myself. And vulnerability is the gateway to intimacy + connection. When I am more deeply connected to myself I can be more deeply connected to others and this is the foundation of being magnetic.

5. All this inner work cumulates into an outward expression that is aligned to my highest frequency energy. This shows up as marketing, how I interact with my clients and audience, how I create content and offers, how I engage with colleagues and my community. And, of course, how I show up in the other areas of my life.

If being successful keeps me separate from my True Self than it isn’t success. None of this matters if I’m not actually experiencing aliveness, connection and freedom.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As I heal separation from myself, grow and evolve and become someone who embodies higher and higher frequencies of energy I understand more and more what it is to be Human. We are Spirit and we are Human. We are the greatest expression of duality. Knowing this, embodying this, living this and sharing this through my creative expression is my work.

I am here to help usher in the next evolution of the Human Spirit. I’m not here to talk about what you need to do – I want to inspire others and guide them into who they get to be, Truly, And this truth lies in our bodies, our hearts and in the connection we have to infinite wisdom and possibilities.

We have been drowning in toxic masculine culture and societies for generations and it has resulted in a complete disconnection from ourselves, each other and Earth. Our inherent knowing of Love and Connection has been lost. Collectively, we’ve forgotten what it means to actually be Alive as we continue to fall into linear timelines, predetermined paths and a way of being that thrives on this or that thinking.

We are so much more than this. I am proud that I get to share these truths and remind others of who they are and how this gets to be. I am honored that I get to help others do the powerful, healing work of coming back to their bodies and support them in releasing the “old way” of relating to the word; the neck up approach. We are on the precipice of a paradigm shift into a heart based intelligence and sacred way of living and relating. It’s disorienting and chaotic and I understand how to navigate this. It is my responsibility to lead here.

The path to this point in time in my work has been real. I embody my work. I do what I teach. I am an example of this. Therefore, my path has been it’s own entity, expression and experience. It’s life. I no longer try to control it. I simply (and this isn’t easy, of course) want to experience it. It is my goal to let life be lived through me and to stay open to what this looks like. Again, aligning to my true desires and embodying the frequency of them keeps me moving toward what is mine, and surrendering is necessary.

I suffered with anxiety since I can remember. Fear, shame, doubt were all very familiar and often paralyzing emotions that kept me small. And my desires were big. My imagination kept me linked to possibilities and I had to do the consistent, deep work of navigating through the pain so I could experience what was pulling me. The further on this path I went, the more I realized that this is my work. This is why I’m here.

I have been an entrepreneur since my early 20’s. I had a successful private massage practice for 10 years where I applied my Shamanic tools and learned about how energy moves and stores in the body. I discovered the power of communication during these sessions. which lead me to coaching.

I had a wedding planning and officiating business into my 30’s where I learned more about life transitions, the role of ceremony and community. This is where my skills of organization, communication and logistical prowess came into play, which was an incredible balance to the Spiritual side of this business.

In 2010 I became a Mom and in this decade had 3 children, which was a dream come true. I closed my businesses to become a SAHM and this was a powerful opportunity to do deep healing around my own childhood and understand relationships and emotions in a bigger way.

After 16 years in a relationship with the Father of my children, I left last year after realizing the growth I was being pulled into wasn’t going to be supported in this relationship. This was incredibly painful to navigate as I saw that I either had to abandon myself to stay in a relationship container that didn’t honor all of me or face the pain of leaving and “recreating” the divorce and neglect of my own childhood.

I learned so much about what it takes to have a healthy, supportive and dynamic relationship through NOT having this, as well as what children actually need; presence, love and honesty around what is being felt and experienced in the body. Today we are all thriving. I am more me than ever before and my children get to experience this. I am in a relationship with a Man who sees and honors all of me and values personal growth, trust and communication with me. Our Love is what I’ve always imagined experiencing and I wouldn’t have this if I wasn’t willing to do the deep work of being radically honest with myself + make aligned decisions.

All this influences my work; how I’m able to show up for my clients, the wisdom I can share, the truth I can see, the possibilities for them I feel in my body. This influences how I create content for greatest impact; my workshops courses and now a book I am writing. I am my brand. My story is very important. I get to take up more and more space. This is true for me – and it’s also true for You.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

I would make them a delicious cup of their favorite morning beverage and we would sit on my living room and watch the sunrise over the redwoods and watch the bay reflect the gorgeous colors as the city skyline emerged. Then we would walk right out my front door in the the magnificent Arcata Community Forest and take a long, magical hike through the redwoods.

Now that we’re feeling absolutely Alive – I would take them to one of my Best Friend’s restaurants – Cafe Phoenix in Arcata to say that the food, atmosphere and vibe here is good is a huge understatement. This place is an experience. We would enjoy some of the most creative, fresh, organic, love filled eats imaginable outside on the patio surrounded by the garden where some of the ingredients originated.

Then we would take a walk a few blocks into downtown and visit some of the locally owned shops on the plaza. We would probably stop at the coop to get some staples for a picnic dinner later on Moonstone Beach.

Because I value rest and integration we would probably go back to my beautiful home and chill out before heading back out. I value beauty and organization and my home os no exception. I LOVE being at home – it’s very relaxing and inspiring.

The beaches are only a 15 minute drive from my place so it’s easy to pack up a small cooler, picnic basket and blanket and enjoy a delicious meal while watching the sunset, listening to the waves and enjoying the community that gathers to relish in the aliveness available in these moments.

During our week we would visit the quaint and beautiful towns of OEureka, Fendale, Trinidad enjoying delicious meals, art and people. We would visit some of the rivers; the Mad, Eel, Trinity and, depending on the weather, paddleboard and swim. WE would adventure to Redwood State Parks where we would hike to old growth redwoods and relish in their immense size.

Most of all we would connect; get vulnerable and intimate through accessing the energy of this incredible space and sharing the experience of it, together. This reality is a portal to know ourselves and each other more completely. May these visits always be a deepening into the path of understanding and meeting our Human and our Spirit again and again.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It is so important to recognize and honor the people, communities and resources that have helped shape who we are and the opportunities that come to us.

First of all I want to acknowledge that I am a white cis-gendered female born into a middle class family in California in 1977. I was born into privilege. This has given me an incredible leg up in my success. There are many barriers I don’t have to navigate and opportunities that come to me because of this. I would say this is by far the most impactful aspect of my success.

Starting when I was 12 I was exposed to stories and teachings around Shamanism, Positive Visualization, Energy Healing and more. The work of Lynn V Andrews, Louise L Hay, Caroline Myss, Dan Millman, Shakti Gawain and Christine Northrup had a huge influence on how my perception of myself and the world was shaped.

I wasn’t raised with my Father and didn’t experience his love and support in childhood, which was a very painful experience, but through consistent effort to my healing I came to find the gifts he had for me. His unique perspective on life, his spiritual pursuits and creative endeavors had a strong influence on me. He was far from conventional and this supported me in creating a life that is unique to me. Through my healing of our relationship I have also been able to do this while prioritizing my most important relationships; my children. He passed away in 2021 and is now supporting me from the other side.

I moved to Humboldt County, California when I was 21. This place has helped shaped who I am as an adult. The community and deep friendships I have cultivated here are incredible. I realize that a lot of people lack intimacy and connection in their lives. Being witnessed is powerful and impossible without a strong community. The relationships I have chosen as an adult that have been a huge support in my success. Not to mention the unparalleled natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Having access to beautiful, natural spaces has been an incredible factor in staying connected to my True Self and remembering the connection I have with The Universe. This has been a massive influence on me and my success.

In 2010 I dove into Spirit Work with a local Shaman Michal Mugrage and became an initiated Shamanic Practitioner. I learned the skill of Journey Work and started on a path of bringing my gifts to others. Starting in 2018 I began to hire coaches, mentors and teachers to support my growth and evolution. I’ve studied mindset work through The Life Coach School with Brooke Castillo and this supported me in understanding how the brain and thought processes work and shape our reality in a much bigger way. I dove into subconscious transformation work with Laura Husson and opened up to the power of my intuition and embodied guidance, which I have learned is a necessary balance with thought-based practices. I have has the pleasure of working with Sandra Suarez Domingues as a Mentor and Teacher for the last 2 years. She has helped me come into deeper relationship with myself, my Spirituality and my gifts. The journey we’ve been on together has been amazing.

Website: www.sarahtrapkus.com

Instagram: @sarahtrapkus

Facebook: Sarah Trapkus – Life Coach