Meet Hester Van Hooven Ward | Mind/Body/Spirit Empowerment Coach, Shamanic Reiki Master and Ceremonial Facilitator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hester Van Hooven Ward and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hester, how do you think about risk?
Risk (1) Any chance of loss, (2) Uncertainty.. A certain degree of risk is woven into every aspect of our existence. If we lend our awareness to nature for a moment, we begin to recognize risk as inherent in the growth and success of all beings in the animal kingdom. Take the birds leaving the nest scenario, as it applies to all creatures no matter how big or small, ferocious or vulnerable, there is a great degree of risk when the baby ventures out of the nest for the first time, and from that day forward, there will always be risk when they are moving through the great unknown world. There simply is no other way to succeed in life. There is no option to stay in their comfort zone, or to protect themselves from risk. Imagine for a moment if we lived in a world where avoiding risk was not an option. Imagine what life might be like for us if we HAD to do the thing, try the idea, test out the vision. Imagine the expansiveness, the freedom, imagine all the more artists and way showers, and leaders and inventors we might have. To me, risk is the only way to access happiness and fulfillment. The only alternative to risk is existing in a ‘what-if’ space, or an ‘I wish I could” place, or even an “if only” state of being. Those places are holding tanks for our dreams and our life-force energy. We trick ourselves into thinking we are keeping ourselves safe when, in reality, we are snuffing out our natural instinct to take risks on ourselves as an inherent way of existence. It is in our DNA to take risks.

Taking a risk on myself to follow my heart has been the only path for me. I have followed my heart to California, I followed my heart to travel to Africa with no plans to return, to volunteer at a shelter for survivors of sexual abuse. I followed my heart to move to the high desert, I followed my heart to facilitate sacred ceremonies and guide retreats, and I continue to follow my heart on the healing path. I followed my heart in having my daughter even though I am not with her father and that was a risk worth taking, because now I have a beautiful daughter and I am more embodied than I have ever been. I also took a risk on my first podcast, I started talking about my experiences with star beings and other dimensional beings, and I immediately started gaining a lot of traction and people were so grateful I was coming forward about my experiences. I then decided to rebrand my podcast and focus specifically on the subject of cosmic disclosure and support around paradigm shifting and deepening into the divine feminine, and that has all taken a great deal of risk. I was called crazy by quite a few people and it wasn’t easy. It has never been “easy”. Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I was a taking less risks. I don’t know, what would be the point of it really. Isn’t that why we are here? To live? To explore? To consistently uplevel? To go ‘all – in’? The key for me now though, is as I get older, and I’ve walked on this path of self discovery and heart knowing of what best serves me, I am cultivating a greater level of discernment with where I am willing to place my energy and time. A refined approach to risk taking let’s call it. Because everything I do is a result of the level of love I put into myself, my lifestyle and choices, relationships and focus, reflect that. My ability to help others is in direct correlation to my own practices and self-love and life force flow. It’s is a daily devotion, and I’ve had to ‘risk’ a lot to go ‘all in’ on me. I surrendered so much of people, places, and things to walk in the life that I knew I truly came here to embody. It’s scary, it’s hard at times but we know there is no other way. Plus, we know there is no feeling quite like witnessing our own RISE. Witnessing us waking up one day living our truth. Hearing our ancestors and angels cheering for us. Feeling the ecstasy of living in the flow. It’s the best. Because of all of these things that I can feel in every fiber of my being, I’ll continue to take the ‘risks’ to live in my shine. Also, we begin to recognize that there is a benevolent force supporting us in giving us exactly what we need. When we start to live in this awareness, the risks just don’t seem quite as risky anymore.:)

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m different because I’m me! That’s what sets me apart from everyone else, my unique energy signature, my unique life experience, my unique combination of teachings and lineages. However, the secret is, when we get down to the truth of it all, all of us healers and leaders and way showers, we are all doing the same thing, connecting ourselves to source energy and getting out of our way to allow it to flow directly out. We each have our own vibrational field, and different people will be naturally drawn to what they most resonate with on an energetic level. Everyone has people they feel most safe and trusting with, based off of their own life experiences. They have different lineages and instruments and sounds and ways of being worked with that they are naturally drawn to, again based off of their energy signature, their life experience, and their ancestral lineage. What people have said that they enjoy about my work, is that illicit a deep surrender so that they may receive whatever gifts their soul is calling in, more fully. People are drawn to me because I am joyful and inviting while maintaining a strong healing prayer. I also invite in deep connection and healing within the Divine Feminine.

I love that I am equipped with many teachings and practices so that I am able to better serve the people. Whether they come to me for support in getting more empowered and back into their bodies for weight loss and strength building, or whether they come to me for healing through Shamanic Reiki, or whether they come to me to facilitate a Sacred Cacao Ceremony or healing sister circle, I have much in my tool box to bring forward. I love helping people make great changes in their lives and guiding them to existing in great freedom and heart aligned spaciousness and peace.

I am very excited about my new podcast, Cosmic Nectar, your Divine drip for cosmic connection, divine feminine activation, and paradigm shifting. I am also about to enter an intensive to become certified to offer Subconscious Freedom coaching. I see this work as a clean an accessible way to change lives and alter subconscious programming to work for us rather than agains us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well you asked the gal who enjoys the slower, more sacred and healing way of life so I’ll give you a yummy slice from that kind of High Desert Pie 🙂

Meals: Yucca Tree Eatery is the only all-organic cafe and it’s owned by some awesome people, one of whom also is co-owner of Cedar and Sage Yoga Studio. Get the Sabrina Smoothie, Veggie Scramble Burrito, and butter coffee (Ghee, coffee, maple syrup). Must go to the Saturday Farmers Market in downtown Joshua Tree for a smorgous board of produce (we have all the people selling the yummiest offerings there) and we will prepare instagram worthy fresh lunches together. I like Sam’s Indian food for a comfort food dinner one evening. It is also a great idea to go to Juice it Up for a fresh juice, The Dez also offers nice lunch and breakfast offerings. Also HAVE to go to LUNA Bakery for a legendary sourdough croissant and vegan sandwich. I would suggest a big bowl of authentic Italian spaghetti at Spaghetti Western for dinner (and live music) and if we need another nice little dinner, I would suggest Yucca Sushi. It’s a serious sushi place with nice ambiance and I live their veggie rolls and vegan Ramen while my bestie will definitely enjoy some buttery Albacore.

Healing Shops : Rainbow Stew for a healing session from Michelle, a new oracle deck and book on anything spiritual, some crystals and jewlery, a blessing feather fan, a new piece of art and a cedar bundle to bless the airbnb 🙂 , Milk thistle for a tarot read, a personalized tea blend and healing flower essence drops for my bestie to take home with her, Desert apothacary for Rose Vetiver spray and a tincture of plant remedy drops. On her way out of town, I would recommend she stop at Roots and Stars Conjure Boutique to see the world renowned mirror art and get a reading from Chakra Kahn in her New Orleans inspired tarot room. And of course, my bestie would need some beautiful goddess desert clothes to play in, so we would visit The End for all of our Goddess vintage needs. Another stop for clothes would be Time Echo Vintage and the Joshua Tree Trading Post for more locally crafted clothes, jewelry and goods.

Experiences: We would visit the Highway Sanctuary for some exceptional bottle art and high desert beauty, the Integratron to walk the grounds and enjoy some time in the hammock on the way to Giant Rock. At Giant Rock we will offer a crystal and prayers to the sacred land and then traverse up the crystal hill directly behind the rock for a sunset meditation and Cacao Ceremony. We will visit Cedar and Sage yoga Studio for some hot flow yoga and Kundalini yoga. Once our life force is coursing through our bodies we will go out to BLM land one evening or out the back porch of our Airbnb and intiate our own CE5 experience, calling in the extra terrestrial beings through meditation led by Dr. Steven Greer. We will get a few UFO captures on our iPhone and my bestie can show the folks back home. One day we will take a day trip to Azure Spa in Desert Hot Springs to soak our bodies in natural springs and receive a restorative healing massage.. We will also book a sound bath through Method’s and Rituals as well as the most popular facial in the High Desert. Finally, we will take a mindful walk around the Joshua Tree Retreat Center and enjoy the peace and exceptional architecture as well as the Portals that are interactive sacred geometry sculptures designed and built by Harlan Emil.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The wisdom keepers, the way showers, the revolutionaries, the rainbow sheep of the family, the ones who risk it all to live their truth, the ones who “do not go gentle into that good night.”

I would like to thank All My Relations as my greatest teachers and guides. I would like to mention the 13 Original Clan Mothers, a book of ancient teachings brought forward by Jamie Sams. I would like to mention the 13 Moon Mystery School, a lineage of goddess archetypal remembrance and embodiment brought through by Ariel Spilsbury, of which I walk in devotion. Sarah Zula and the teachings of decoding Subconscious Freedom. The teachings of Shamanic Reiki. The All Shift Happily Now movement. I would like to thank my guide, Valerie Eagle Heart and all of the rites and practices and prayer at Rainbows End, brought forward for the people. I would like to thank my daughter, Opal, as my greatest teacher.

Website: https://www.hestervanhoovenward.com

Instagram: @hester_van_hooven_ward, @spiritmedicinereiki, @cosmicnectarpodcast

Facebook: @hestervanhoovenward

Youtube: @hestervanhoovenward

Image Credits
Victoria Posh