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About Laova
Bonjour, I’m Laova, a little Québécoise witch living somewhere amidst the meadows and forests of Canada. You could say the very elements conspired to bring me into this world... my parents' love story wove me into existence during a thunderstorm, and when I first opened my eyes, a full moon was there to greet me in the night sky. Pretty magical beginning, right?
You know, it's funny how life echoes our beginnings. Just like that storm and moonlight that marked my arrival, my path has been this beautiful dance between shadows and light, between the wounds that shaped me and the healing that transformed me. And somewhere along the way, I became this curious explorer of soul mysteries and a wanderer of the invisible realms.
Inner healing has been my heart's calling for over fifteen years now, and about a decade ago, I started venturing into the spirit world. Then 2019 came around, my husband and I created the Spirit World Center. That's where I began teaching others how to heal through spirit flight journeys, with our spiritual allies walking beside us. Since then, oh my goodness, I've had the privilege of walking alongside the most incredible souls from every corner of the world! There's this indescribable magic in watching someone's eyes light up when they discover their gifts, or seeing that moment when an old wound finally begins to heal, or witnessing someone step into their power for the first time. Everyone's path looks different, but those moments of people reconnecting with their true selves? Pure magic. every. single. time.
If you're wondering what this journey might look like, I'd love for you to peek at our testimonials. You'll find these beautiful stories from people who've opened their hearts to this work and experienced the kind of shifts that still leave me in awe. Their stories remind me daily that healing isn't just about fixing what's broken, it's also about remembering remembering who we've always been. :-)
And you know what the Spirits always whisper? Magic isn't just in the big moments... it's in every little moments of your everyday life.
With love and enchantment,
Laova
When we open our heart to the Spirits,
they open worlds to us.
My Shamanic Path
My story into shamanic practice began almost ten years ago, and I should mention right away : I'm a shamanic practitioner, not a shaman. It all started unfolding when my meditation practice began opening doors I never expected. The deeper I went, the more I found myself meeting spirits of all kinds. Naturally, I wanted to understand what was happening and learn how to protect myself from energies I wasn't ready for.
Life has a way of bringing us exactly what we need, and that summer, I found myself sitting with an Elder Shaman in Ottawa. I'll never forget how she looked at me and said I was "overdue" to work with the spirits! It was like someone finally put words to what my soul already knew.
That meeting sparked a beautiful journey into the ancient art of shamanic journeying and core shamanism (what some call cross-cultural shamanism). While I learned so much from the teachings of Michael Harner and Sandra Ingerman, my practice really began to bloom as I listened to my guides and dove deep into exploring inner healing, soul alchemy, and the mysteries of creative power and intuition.
Then 2019 came around, and something magical happened. My husband Eric Lingen and I created The Spirit World Center (which has since evolved into The Lingen Institute of Expanding Consciousness). It's been such a gift, watching our students connect with their spirit guides, step back into their power, and find healing through shamanic journeying and meditation. Teaching these ancient practices in a way that speaks to modern souls has become one of the most beautiful parts of my path.
We also started a podcast that same year! It began as The Spirit World Center Podcast and has now blossomed into Consciousness Now! It's this wonderful space where we explore the spiritual world and consciousness through all these different lenses. We love answering our students' questions from the forum and sitting down with other practitioners to hear their stories and wisdom. It's always evolving, just like we are.
As 2024 began drawing to a close, I felt called to pour my energy into creating the WitchFlight app. At the same time, Eric, who's really become the face of our center, had this inspiring vision for something new. That vision gave birth to The Lingen Institute. Like the spirits have always taught us : when we open ourselves to new possibilities, magic finds fresh ways to flow through our lives!
My Art Career
You know how some passions are just woven into your soul from the start? Art has been that for me. It all began with my mom... I would watch her in wonder as she drew horses, unicorns, and hearts for me. Then, I would try my best to copy them with my tiny hands. As we say in Quebec, I was just "Haute comme trois pomme" (three apples tall) when I first fell in love with creating!
That spark never dimmed. Through my teenage years, I dove into art books, teaching myself everything I could. Eventually, that passion carried me to university, where I earned my certificate in visual arts. But I wanted more... so I jumped at the chance to join a program helping emerging artists turn their dreams into full-time careers. This is when I stepped fully into my life as a visual artist, creating pieces that capture the wisdom of the Spirits and their healing magic. Along the way, I even got certified as a creativity coach. I started doing workshops where I mixed shamanism and my coaching knowledge to help other artists break free from creative blocks and rediscover their natural flow.
My involvement in the art community has been rich and varied. I served on the council organizing Corrid'art Aylmer and Recycl'art Gatineau, and was an active member of Le Centre d'Art Contemporain de L'Outaouais (CACO). Among the collaborative exhibitions I participated in, FemmExpo holds a special place in my heart for its celebration of women artists. One of my proudest moments was placing third among forty artists in Vice Numérique, an exhibition for emerging artists. My work led to a television appearance discussing emerging artists and mentorship. Throughout this time, I was fortunate to be mentored by Jo Migno, a wonderfully eccentric artist and fellow witch, who helped me step into my power and opened many doors in the art world. Before meeting Eric and moving to Ontario, I experienced the unique joy of being the one of first residents in a newly built artist commune in Gatineau.
My journey as an artist, teacher and creativity coach has led me to facilitate intuitive art workshops for children in schools, art centers, and galleries, as well as guide painting sessions for women living with chronic pain. Each experience has deepened my belief in art's profound power to heal and transform lives.
