Between Two Gateways | Smai Tawi & Soul Remembrance

𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀
𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘪 𝘛𝘢𝘸𝘪 𝘐𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘤𝘢

By Heather Regal Salmon
Co-Founder, Black Swan Temple 

Published: July 2026

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲.
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀.
𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀... 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀.

After nearly three weeks in Jamaica, I find myself carrying with me not simply a certification...
...𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

What we experienced was far more than a 200-hour yoga teacher training compressed into thirteen immersive days. It was an initiation into 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶—the ancient Kemetic path of spiritual awakening through the integration of body, mind, heart, and soul.

At the heart of this practice is 𝗧𝗷𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘂—"𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴." It is a sacred ritual of embodiment, inviting us not simply to learn spiritual principles, but to live them through breath, movement, meditation, devotion, and daily practice.

Our initiation was intentionally timed to begin on the 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, when the Sun reaches its greatest light.

Then, in beautiful divine timing, it concluded as the 𝗦𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 opened—a celestial threshold many honor as a time of illumination and soul remembrance.
Looking back, it feels like such a profound invitation.

We began beneath the year's greatest light...
...and somewhere between those two celestial thresholds, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱.
𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆, 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻.

I couldn't have imagined a more meaningful way to welcome another cycle around the Sun than immersed in an ancient lineage, surrounded by devoted practitioners, extraordinary teachers, and the breathtaking beauty of Jamaica.

Looking back, it feels as though this solar return wasn't simply marking another year of life...
𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

Returning to Jamaica carried another layer of meaning.

Although I have been blessed to visit this beautiful island numerous times throughout my life, this was the first time I spent nearly three weeks immersed in 𝗦𝘁. 𝗔𝗻𝗻'𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵—the parish where my paternal grandmother was born, though I never had the opportunity to know her.

𝗦𝘁. 𝗔𝗻𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹𝘀—𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝗯 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗲.

There was something deeply moving about living on the land where part of my family story began.
In many ways, it felt as though I wasn't simply returning to Jamaica...
...𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.

There were other moments I may never fully explain.

During our practice, I was stung by wasps—twice—both on my left side, traditionally associated with the feminine. Rather than feeling random, the experience became part of the initiation itself, drawing me into deeper reflection on Aset (Isis), nature, resilience, and the quiet ways the sacred often speaks.

I am deeply grateful to our teacher, 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗵 𝗔𝗮𝗸𝗵𝘂, whose mastery, discipline, unwavering presence, and profound devotion guided us through every step of this initiation. More than teaching a practice, he embodied the teachings, offering a living example of what it means to walk this path with integrity, humility, and commitment.

After 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆-𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 of offering in-person Smai Tawi teacher trainings, this was his final live immersion—a milestone that made the experience all the more meaningful. To receive these teachings directly from someone who has dedicated so much of his life to preserving and sharing this sacred lineage was a tremendous gift and an honor I will always carry with me.

I am equally grateful to 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶 𝗠𝗮'𝗮𝘁, whose extraordinary raw cuisine nourished us each day with remarkable creativity and love. As the founder of Atlanta's celebrated 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶'𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗳é, she shared not only her culinary artistry, but her heart. I've enjoyed raw food for many years, and I can honestly say she is one of the most creative raw food chefs I've ever met. Every meal felt like a work of art—vibrant, deeply nourishing, and prepared with such intention.

And I am especially grateful to have shared this journey with Donny.

For thirteen days, we rose before dawn, practiced together from sunrise until late into the evening, challenged one another, encouraged one another, and remembered—together.

As I continue integrating these teachings here in 𝗣𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗮, before returning home to Maui next week, I find myself reflecting on what this initiation has truly given me.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵.
𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁.

It affirmed something I have carried in my heart for many years...
𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲...
𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿...
𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮'𝗮𝘁—𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵, 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆, 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽—𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝘆...
and that the spiritual journey is not about becoming someone else,
𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴... 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴... 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻.

Rather than leading me in a new direction, 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗶 gave me a lineage, a language, and a deeper embodied understanding of a path I have been walking for much of my life.

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵...
...𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴.

With love,
𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 💜

𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤: 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙖'𝙖𝙩, 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝, 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙮, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥.