The Trickster lives in all cultures. It is sometimes called the Contrary, the Joker, the Fool, Heyoka, or Coyote. Same concept: This person does things a whole lot different than anybody else. Yes, sometimes wreaking havoc ? but the end result is always a lesson. Because this lives in all cultures, it also lives in each of us. It, too, is part of being human.

Who among us has not fulfilled that role for others at some time or another in their lives? In a world where we simply have been designed to have different perceptions of the same events, this is inevitable. What is bizarre behavior to others can easily be a routine part of another individual?s experience.

Think back to some of the most impactful lessons you?ve received. Have they all come from familiar places or spaces in your life, or have they come from far out in left field, grabbing you by the soft spot and spinning you into new territory?

Sometimes the Trickster has only one lesson: Don?t take yourself so damn seriously! Oddly enough, the most healing medicine of all, Laughter, is something that so often must be imposed on us. Is that the most ridiculous thing in the world? It?s worth a laugh?go on, give us a Yelp!

Some people, by nature, appear to take on the role of the Trickster. They seem to flow with a different current than the rest of us. Some are even aware of their purpose, and those are usually the ones that, no matter how twisted, exhibit a sense of having fun in the process. They enjoy being a FunHouse mirror that reflects anything BUT what the viewer wants to see.

Some of those who recognize their purpose also express it in the most annoying, rather than comical, ways. They?re the ones we want to haul off and smack right in the nose. Good Teachers, if you can loosen yourself up enough to see the value and stay out of jail in the process!

My Trickster can be your best friend. While I might want to strangle him, you will seek his embrace because the very same quality I detest is the one you adore. Go figure. In all cases, though, the Trickster calls upon us to look deeper than we?re usually willing to look on our own.

The effect of the Trickster is much the same as walking across a room, slipping on something and there you are; looking up at the world from a completely different perspective. The Trickster affects a shift where things unseen become seen, where a new angle on the view allows a clearer understanding of the event; once again, if, and only if you?ll take the time to see it.

If you?re here, you?re going to get tricked. It?s one of the Life-Force?s most potent tools. The power of the element of surprise resulting from suddenly being put off balance often forces you to adjust and come to stability through means of which you never had conceived. Once aware of how you can call on reserves you never knew you had, you become more capable of seeking out alternative solutions to whatever you face.

To be the Trickster all the time, however, is to limit your tool kit. When it?s a driven thing, like a stand-up comic who must always be on!, it becomes all about the comic, not the audience.

Developing the Trickster as a tool is all about developing sensitivity to the moments of your own experience. Turning the concept into a conscious act means identifying instances in your own life where you were turned upside down. Take a good look at your own comfort zone at the time, how it was challenged, and what your recovery looked or felt like.

The details of what happened in each incident are not as important as the overall flow of the experience. Ask yourself if your experience of the ?teacher?s? intent felt invasive, controlling, or benevolent. As important are the timing and rhythm of the interaction. To recognize when the ?lesson? popped up, how long it stayed active, how it affected you emotionally, and then how it moved you into the next moment are touchstones that you can refer back to for guidance.

To be a conscious Trickster is not about having a plan of action and a lesson to deliver. It is not about the particulars. It is all about recognizing the moment, being within it in relation to the others involved, and then allowing the lesson to come through you.

And why not? Why not allow this to be a part of your tool kit as a healer? You?re going to end up doing it anyway, so you may as well enjoy it! The most potent Tricksters pull the rug out from under you but catch you in a bucket of down-filled pillows. It can be as simple as incorporating a sense of irony or play into the work you do ? and sharing that part of yourself, for the good of all.