Inspiring Conversations with Toby Gant of Shekhinah Holistic Coaching and Retreats

Today we’d like to introduce you to Toby Gant.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Church, Gurus, Meditation and Inner Knowing

I love my work and life as an intuitive soul coach and creator of retreats. My intuition, one of the most vital aspects of my work, is something I discovered in a most unusual way in my early twenties. I grew up in a very religious family, attending our local Southern Baptist church every Sunday and Wednesday from 8 days old onward. I even attended a Southern Baptist college and grad school. Church was always a vital part of my childhood and early adulthood. During this time I observed that one can be religious without being spiritual. I later learned that one can be spiritual without being religious. I think I’ve been both at various times throughout my life.

While working on my undergraduate degree I became acquainted with what some might term “charismatic Christians.” Coming from a very traditional Baptist background these “charismatic” people seemed a bit unorthodox to me, with their dancing, enthusiastic worship, prophesying, etc. I began to attend a variety of charismatic churches and this led to a huge epiphany: we don’t need to rely on intermediaries to access what some call God and what others call higher consciousness. By simply calming our normal mind chatter we can access answers, guidance, discernment and great wisdom. I somehow stumbled into this awareness and ability to cultivate it and began teaching it as a youth ministry volunteer and mentor.

Over the years, I’ve let go of religion, not because I think it is all bad or judge those who are religious. On the contrary…I’ve been fortunate to know many religious people who have a sincere spiritual connection. At this point in my life I find spiritual connection in the wind gently whispering through the trees, the giggles of my little nieces, hawks circling in the sky, ferns growing in my meditation garden and the roar of the ocean waves. I feel a sense of higher purpose when I am assisting others in finding their own meaning in life, their own authentic identity and helping them develop their own discernment and intuition.

After many years in churches and yoga spaces alike I feel that we are at the end of “The Age of the Guru.” In other words, no spiritual teacher belongs on a pedestal. I have witnessed pastors creating cult-like followings. I have witnessed yoga teachers cultivate cult-like followings. I have also observed the old adage “the bigger they are the harder they fall” fulfilled many times over in both groups.

The teacher and the wisdom we seek is meant to be found within. Can spiritual teachers serve as guides and tools along the way? Absolutely! Yet, no spiritual teacher belongs on a pedestal and I believe the best ones walk alongside us equally on the the path to simply point out bits of wisdom and opportunities for growth. Yet, the greatest spiritual wisdom and knowledge comes from our own personal experience of stillness and engaging the inner journey.

By trial and error, as well as inner soul searching, I’ve found that I love sharing this knowledge through creating retreats and serving as a personal soul coach. Destination retreats give us enough of a break from our day-to-day rush that we can more easily access inner stillness and wisdom. I also like to select places on our amazing planet where one might say that “the veil is thinner.” In other words, places like Sedona, Hawaii’s Big Island, Mt. Shasta, etc. where the unseen barriers between 3D reality and what lies beyond are more permeable. It brings me so much joy to simply hold space for people to feel and experience that which is so much bigger than the human mind, emotions and body. Some call this “The Great Mystery.” Others call it God. Some would simply view it as the “higher self.” It matters not what we call it. To experience it is life-changing.

As for my work as a personal soul coach I simply hold space, guide easily accessible meditations and ask simple questions to point people inward, to the place of stillness deep within. I have met so many people who tell me “I can’t meditate.” I love it when I hear this because I know that they simply have a misconception of what meditation is. For some, it is sitting in a cave alone in stillness for hours on end. Yet, for most of us, it is the fleeting moment of absolute presence, when we aren’t worried about what’s next on the to-do list or that irrational fear of impending doom. Even if these glimpses of acute presence are short-lived I see them as true moments of meditation. I’ve yet to meet anyone who cannot have their own experience of inner quiet and higher consciousness while I simply help them calm the mind chatter.

I am not a guru, nor do I think anyone should be seeking a guru. The true guru is found within. It took me a long time to accept this concept because I unsuccessfully sought a guru for many years. I remember hearing the phrase “The answers are found within” over and over again for about a year during moments of stillness. I needed that message repeated many times in order to get it because I can be quite stubborn!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would say the biggest challenge along the way has been self-acceptance. Since childhood I have frequently felt the sting of rejection from the world around me. In retrospect I now see that most of this perceived rejection was simply a mirror for my own lack self-love and self-acceptance. Does rejection still come up? Sometimes but it no longer has the debilitating sting it once did.

I’ve also experienced intense challenge making peace with being a rather non-religious (yet spiritual) being within my religious family. I spent years angrily judging my mom because I felt judged by her. One day, I felt the presence of my deceased grandfather….my mom’s dad. I don’t call myself a medium but he told me to get a pen and paper and write down what he had to say. He gave me 4 pages of great, even hilarious wisdom. He told me I was being a hypocrite for judging my mom for judging me and that if I wanted peace in the family I needed to “knock it off.” I heeded his advice. I don’t need my family members or anyone else to change or conform to my way of thinking. In fact, diversity of thought makes the world WAY more interesting. I simply find the common ground and relate on all the things we can relate about.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Shekhinah Holistic Coaching and Retreats?
My passion is soul coaching. I am not a guru….I don’t think we need gurus. I am simply a guide who likes take people on meditative journeys within and ask questions along the way. I do this through retreats, online workshops and one-on-one customized coaching. I have found that ALL of us can find glimpses of stillness and in the stillness discern the best path forward. Bring me those already spiritual and those who say “I can’t meditate!” We’ve got an exciting path to walk together!

I offer weekly live (and recorded) online meditation and personal growth workshops through my offering called Soulspansion. I also provide one-off “Life Path Sessions” where one can trial out what I bring to the table and get intuitive insights. I also offer ongoing coaching for those who like a little more personalized support along the way. Finally, I offer destination and occasionally local retreats.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I am exceptionally grateful to my parents. My mom instilled in me a great love for literature, creative pursuits, food and even writing. My dad always gave me love and acceptance, no matter how eccentric I probably seemed to him as a child. I am also so grateful for the spiritual foundation they provided me. I may practice my spirituality differently than they do yet all the scriptures and concepts I learned as a child still bring immense value to my life and my teaching.

Pricing:

• Life Path Session (1.5 hour intuitive guidance session- $179
• Ongoing Soul Coaching – Starting at $149 per month
• Soulspansion – Online Spiritual Growth Community starting at $44.44 per month
• Destination Retreats (New year Hawaii retreat upcoming) starting at $2299

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shekholistic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shekholistic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shekhinahholistic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shekhinahholistic9356
• Other: https://www.shekholistic.com/life-path-session