Shaman's Blog

Earth Day 2012 and Seed Bombs

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Earth Day 2012 is almost here. While we feel everyday is Earth Day, I like to look at it as Mother Earth's birthday. Hey, we all have a birthday. It's a great reason to celebrate and have fun.

Last year's Earth Day post gave you some ideas for things to do to connect with Mother Earth and her inhabitants. This year, we're celebrating with "Seed Bombs"... consider them party favors from Mother Earth's birthday party.

Seed bombing is a subset of the Guerrilla Gardening movement, which has been described as “Gardening public space with or without permission.” People reclaim vacant land to grow flowers, plants, or veggie gardens in spaces as small as an abandoned planter and as large as an empty city block. There’s also a book on the subject! I see seed bombing more as letting my "Inner Faerie" loose.

The basic concept of seed bomb is making mud pies into hard-packed balls consisting mainly of compost, clay, and seeds, which can then be tossed into a vacant lot or planted in a sad, empty piece of dirt as you wander by with an eye towards making mischief (and we LOVE to make mischief). And after you bomb, there will grow a wild and happy explosion of wildflowers, herbs, or veggies– whatever kind of seeds you put into your compost balls.

This is a great activity to do with the kids (and yes, kids of ALL ages). Seed bombs can also be given as gifts in party favor bags for those who wouldn't stoop to making mud pies, but might still have a mischievous heart and want to toss a few seed bombs.

Seed Bomb Recipe -

5 parts dry red terra cotta clay powder - You can get it from a pottery supply store, and its important to make sure it's the dry powder, not the wet kind. You can use other kinds of clay powder, but the red contains minerals the seeds can use to grow.

3 parts dry compost - It adds a lot of nutrients to the ground wherever these seeds fall. You can also add coco fiber, which is a great sustainable resource, and another great soil amendment. Try a mixture of both.

1 part wildflower seeds or other seeds - Preferably perenials, so they come back year after year. Use seeds that are for your region, especially local wild flower seeds. We don't want to introduce stray plants in your area.

1-2 parts water - You add the water last and just a little at a time, after everything is mixed together, and you want it to be just wet enough to stick together. If it gets too muddy, the balls will have trouble drying out.

Now put on some really fun music and PLAY! Get your hands in there and mix away. Close your eyes and experience the feel of the clay and the compost between your fingers. Connect with Mother Earth through the dirt and clay. Let the energy fill you. Take time during your play to give thanks to Mother Earth and ask what you can do or change during the upcoming year to help restore Her.

Once you're done playing in the dirt, you will make one to two inch size balls out of the mixture. You can get creative and mold the bombs in silicone ice cube trays or roll them out and use cookie cutters. I've even seen some who have made pellets out of the seed bombs by packing them in 1/2" pvc couplings, then pushing them out to dry. Keep that child playing!

Now for the more serious part. Make each seed bomb into a prayer. Cup each ball in your hand and focus on a loving/healing thought for Mother Earth and her inhabitants. Feel the energy of that thought fill each seed ball. When you're feel it is full, set the ball aside to dry. Reiki practitioners, use your Reiki and infuse each seed ball with loving/healing energy.

Let them dry for 24-48 hours. You can either store them or start tossing them right away. Be sure to toss them when there has been or will be rain. If it's too dry they won't sprout, but the birds may enjoy them.

Here's a great video on making seed bomb (or seed balls as they call them).

So now to finish celebrating Earth Day and Mother Earth go for a walk and throw them wherever you want to see beautiful flowers growing! Continue to carry your seed bombs and spread love, light and flowers where ever you go.

Have you ever seed bombed? Does the idea appeal to your mischievous or rebel nature? Go forth and enjoy!

Until next time - Happy Seed Bombing ☺

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related)
Debbie & Gary

Manifesting Our Dream...

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 04:17:00 +0000

Okay, we can’t wait any longer to tell the world our big news…. Shamanic Connection will have a new home in the next couple of weeks! We will close before the end of the month on a lovely piece of property just north of Grants Pass (about ½ hour from Medford). We are completely thrilled and more than ready to move. So, you can see why we've been busier than usual. And we may be out of the office from time to time as we move. Please leave a message so we can get back to you.

Many of you in our shamanic family know that this is the culmination of a dream that we have had for many years. Back around ’92 in several of her journeys, Debbie was given the vision of building a retreat where people could come and spend time on the land, reconnecting with themselves and with Spirit (hence our tag line… Reconnect with Yourself, Spirit and Mother Earth Through Ancient Shamanic Practices) and learn about walking the shamanic path. We were living in Oregon at the time, but our ranch property wouldn’t sustain the retreat (we had NO water – had to haul water for household use). So, we carried this vision with us to Michigan and Arizona and then back to Oregon. So, now, 20 years later, and back in Oregon, we (with your help) have manifested our dream. This is the Law of Attraction at work!

A few months ago, we did a new moon ceremony to begin manifesting our land. We were pretty specific about what we wanted and the area we hoped to settle in. We laid out everything, wrote it down and gave it to Spirit. Then, we began the process of finding a real estate agent and looking at properties, all the time holding our vision in place. We asked that the property present itself and any blocks in the process be cleared.

Spirit had this property just waiting for us. Gary actually found it on an internet search. It never did come up in the properties for sale sent to us by our real estate agent. It had been on the market for 518 days with no offers. Talk about waiting for us to arrive! We immediately fell in love with the land. We both looked at each other as we got out of the car and knowing it was “home”.

We tried to keep any fears of not finding the right place or funding issues (it's not easy when you are self-employed) at bay. The purchase process has been a little drawn out as we both were out of town for 10 days in the middle of our inspection period. We had set minimum requirements for things such as well production and internet availability. All the tests exceeded our standards. The sellers have been exceptional and financing was a breeze, as financing goes. It’s amazing how smooth things go with Spirit assisting and we just went with the flow.

One of the places that people tend to "fail" with the Law of Attraction is focus. We attract what we focus on, and that's not necessarily what we verbalize as our goal. It's the "pink elephant" thing. If I ask you NOT to think about the pink elephant in the room, what do you think about? Yup, the pink elephant. So, if you are wanting to manifest a job because you don't have one, and you SAY you want a job, but all you think about is NOT having a job because you're broke or bored, guess what you get... Right, NO job. It's not easy to hold that kind of focus and think only about the positive, especially when what's happening in front of us is making us think about what we DON'T want. It's definitely an exercise in changing our thinking. I would imagine that we would have manifested a place sooner if we'd have stayed 100% on track, but there is a timing factor in here too. But, if we hold on to our dream and give it as much detail and positive attention, we CAN manifest it.

So, here's our dream that manifested.

The house was built in 1978 and sits on almost 7 acres of forest land. Not only are we outside the city limits, but we are off a private road with a very long driveway that keeps us completely secluded. All our neighbors are far away and they can’t subdivide their land, so one can build anywhere near our place. The house has 4 bedrooms and a family room, so we have plenty of place for our offices. It needs a little updating. It’s in great shape, but definitely dated for the 70’s with dark wood paneling in a lot of the house. But, that’s what we wanted… something to play with. We have a huge shop that will someday be playshop space and guest room. There is lots of room for a sweat lodge, medicine wheel and maybe a tee pee. So many ideas….

Here is the link to our photo album with the pictures if you’d like to “visit us”. https://picasaweb.google.com/shamanicconnection/PineDell?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPGR6rLk9NzeWQ&feat=directlink

To all of you who listened to us tell about our vision, held space for our dream, said many prayers and blessings, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It is your love and support that gave us the strength and courage to follow our dream. We hope we can help you follow yours. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Mitakuye Oyasin. We ARE all related.

Our next blog may be a little delayed due to the move, but until next time... from our new location...

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),
Debbie & Gary

St. Patrick's Day - Both Sides of the Coin

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 18:39:00 +0000

It's St. Patrick's Day and it's definitely Irish Pride Day here in the US today. And we are certainly proud Irish (you don't see the other ethnic groups celebrating their heritage with such a hullabaloo.)

We pagans or non-Christians are well aware of the struggles between those who follow a Christian path and those of us who follow the “old religions”. So, here’s both sides of the coin with St. Patrick.

To make a long story short, Patrick, a Catholic Bishop, was sent to Ireland to help convert the people to Christianity. He was a devote man who held a firm belief in HIS God and HIS church. This man was passionate about what he was doing as his life’s work. There are many different stories about the works of Patrick during his life, and stories of the miracles he performed (for more, check the internet). After his death he was given the status of saint-hood.

Now, one of the rumors is St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland and this is where the issue with the pagan community comes up. Legend has it that St. Patrick stood on a hilltop and waved his staff to herd all the snakes into the sea, expelling them from the Emerald Isle forever. And low and behold, there hasn’t been a snake seen in Ireland since 461 AD (expect for the odd household pet and zoo creature).

Okay, this is a fun legend, so what’s the deal? Now realize, there is no record, fossil or otherwise, that snakes have lived in Ireland since the last ice age ended over 10,000 years ago. But, in religious lore the snake (or serpent) represented evil, godlessness and the devil's will (e.g., offering the apple to Adam). So from a Christian point of view, Patrick driving the "snakes" out of Ireland is driving away evil. Good job.

Now, on the other side of the coin…

To the pagans, the serpent or snake is a symbol of wisdom, strength, fertility and transformation. Because the Christians viewed the old ways as evil and Patrick was sent to drive out the old ways, the Pagans view the serpents Patrick eradicated as a metaphor for the early Pagan faiths of Ireland…THEIR religion. In fact, he did such a good job of it that he began the conversion of the entire country to the new religious beliefs, thus paving the way for the elimination of the old religions for many hundreds of years. Not so good.

Of course, there is always more to the stories that we will never know. The written stories that have been passed down were written by the Christian monks and we know everyone writes down what they see through their own filters. The Druids didn’t keep written histories. Their stories were passed down through the Bards from generation to generation, and we’ve all played that game where we see how a story changes after a couple of tellings.

So, today when everyone’s Irish for the day, raise a pint and celebrate. Whether you raise the pint to being Irish, to St. Patrick, to wake your ancestors, or just raise a pint, you now know… “The rest of the story.”

Here's a wonderful sounding desert to enjoy with your corned beef tonight...Guinness and Baileys Irish cupcakes

Enjoy and until next time...
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),
Debbie

Rules For Being Human

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:09:00 +0000

I have been working on digitizing our years of client files. It's been a slow process that began before we moved to Oregon a couple years ago. I only got 1 file cabinet done, so we had to move the other. As I have been doing the scanning, I ran across these "Rules For Being Human" from the book "If Life is a Game, These are the Rules" by Cherie Carter-Scott, that we sent out to some of our clients.

Gary and I are off galavanting, facilitating a 6 day retreat. Enjoy these and we'll have more fun stuff when we get back.

Until Next Time -

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related)
Debbie

The Rules for being Human

When you were born, you didn't come with an owner's manual; these guidelines make life work better.

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's the only thing you are sure to keep for the rest of your life.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called "Life on Planet Earth". Every person or incident is the Universal Teacher.
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of experimentation. "Failures" are as much a part of the process as "success."
4. A lesson is repeated until learned. It is presented to you in various forms until you learn it -- then you can go on to the next lesson.
5. If you don't learn easy lessons, they get harder. External problems are a precise reflection of your internal state. When you clear inner obstructions, your outside world changes. Pain is how the universe gets your attention.
6. You will know you've learned a lesson when your actions change. Wisdom is practice. A little of something is better than a lot of nothing.
7. "There" is no better than "here". When your "there" becomes a "here" you will simply obtain another "there" that again looks better than "here."
8. Others are only mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another unless it reflects something you love or hate in yourself.
9. Your life is up to you. Life provides the canvas; you do the painting. Take charge of your life -- or someone else will.
10. You always get what you want. Your subconscious rightfully determines what energies, experiences, and people you attract -- therefore, the only foolproof way to know what you want is to see what you have. There are no victims, only students.
11. There is no right or wrong, but there are consequences. Moralizing doesn't help. Judgments only hold the patterns in place. Just do your best.
12. Your answers lie inside you. Children need guidance from others; as we mature, we trust our hearts, where the Laws of Spirit are written. You know more than you have heard or read or been told. All you need to do is to look, listen, and trust.
13. You will forget all this.
14. You can remember any time you wish.

Totem Spirit Stones

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:21:00 +0000

Totem Spirit Stones are now available at Shaman's Marketplace. These Totem Spirit Stones are created by carving totem animals into polished tumbled gemstones to unite the healing property of the stone with the attributes of the totem animal.

These carved stones are great for inviting the specific attributes of the totem animal into your meditation or daily routine. Carry the stone in your right pocket or hold in your right hand during meditation. They are also a good to place on your desk, altar or meditation table to honor your totem animals or animal spirit guides.

In the Native American culture; as well as, the metaphysical community, each spirit stone animal totem represents a different meaning. See the stones and their some meanings below (click image to enlarge).

For more info on the meanings of Animal Spirit Guides/Animal Totems see these books:

Order your Totem Spirit Stones today!

Until Next Time --
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),
Debbie

Drum Chakra Balancing

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:58:00 +0000

Woo Hoo... our first video blog!

After literally hours of playing with audio and video equipment we have our first video blog.

Here we explain how to use a frame style hand drum to balance your chakras.

The vibrations of the drum are excellent for moving energy and bringing balance to your energy system.

So, if you have a hand drum available and a partner to help you drum, join in and learn how to balance your chakras.

Until Next Time -- and I guarantee it won't be a video :-)

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),
Gary & Debbie

The Hollow Bone Teaching

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:55:00 +0000

I'm reposting this wonderful blog from a friend, Michael Drake. We met Michael many years ago at a shamanic drumming workshop. He has some interesting books and CDs on his website - shamanicdrumming.com. He also has a wonderful blog that I highly recommend subscribing to (http://shamanicdrumming.blogspot.com).

Many of you have heard Gary and I talk about being the "Hollow Bone". Here is some info on how you too can become that "Hollow Bone" for Spirit.

Shamanic Drumming: The Hollow Bone Teaching

Frank Fools Crow was a revered Lakota Holy Man who taught that you must become like a "hollow bone" to be a great healer. He believed that to become a conduit for the source of all creation fulfills the destiny of the human spirit: to sustain the order of existence. According to Fools Crow, "We are called to become hollow bones for our people, and anyone else we can help. We are not supposed to seek power for our personal use and honor. What we bones really become is the pipeline that connects Wakan Tanka, the helpers and the community together." In his becoming a hollow bone, Fools Crow believed that he went through four stages:

1. First, he called in Wakan Tanka (Great Mystery) to rid himself of anything that would impede him in any way, such as doubt, questions or reluctance.

2. Then he recognized himself as a clean tube, ready to be filled with hope, possibilities, and anxious to be filled with power.

3. He experienced the power as it comes surging into him.

4. Finally, giving the power away to others, knowing that as he is emptied out, the Higher Powers will keep filling him with even greater power to be given away.

Becoming a Hollow Bone

Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply seven times. Let your abdomen rise and fall as you breathe. Inhale for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and then exhale for a count of four. Focus on the breath as it enters the nose and fills your lungs, and then gently exhale any tension you might feel, clearing the energy channels of your body. Release all of your worldly concerns, doubts, and fears, allowing them to drift off on the air of the wind, on the breath of life. Feel yourself relaxing with each breath.

When you are fully relaxed, ask the "Higher Powers" to remove any blockages that prevent you from functioning as a hollow bone. Repeat the affirmation, "I choose to be a clean, hollow bone." Visualize yourself as a hollow bone or tube that is all shiny on the inside and empty. The cleaner the bone, the more energy you can channel through it, and the faster it will flow.

Now begin drumming a steady tempo of about 3 beats per second and imagine the power of spirit flowing through you. You may feel it, see it, sense it, or simply imagine it. As you focus on it, it will occur, for all energy follows thought. If your mind wanders, bring the focus of your attention back to the beat of the drum. Drumming opens portals to the spirit world, draws spirit in, and opens you up to receive it.

Posted by Rhythm Keeper

Until Next time...
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related)
Debbie & Gary

Preparing for the new year

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:27:00 +0000

I have a daily meditation book called The Celtic Spirit - Daily Meditations for the Turning Year by Caitlin Matthews. I would highly recommend this book for some daily readings and good food for thought from a Celtic perspective. It cycles through the Celtic Year beginning on November 1 through Samhain on October 31.

The reading for today was quite fitting to what I might suggest, so instead of recreating the wheel, here is today's reading:

~30 DECEMBER ~
Gathering in the Year
It is at the years end that the fisherman tells of his fishing. -Scots Gaelic proverb

The end of the calendar year is the time when we traditionally look forward and make good resolutions for the coming year. But before can do that, we need also to make a summation of the past achievements and mistakes so that we have a sense of the years shape. It may be helpful to wind the year backward, retracing our steps from November back to January. As we go backward, month by month, we can consider the, following questions: What was the major theme of this month? Which events made the greatest impression on my life? What did I achieve? What mistakes do I regret? The point is not to indulge in blame and guilt but to neutrally survey our findings.

Now look back over the year as a whole and make a summation of its overall pattern and effect upon you. What has this year meant in real terms to you? How has it changed the world? Which new figures and influences have come into your life?

Now for the third part of this review. Looking at the year just past, move forward from January to December, asking these questions about each month: What seeds were sown in this month that affect me now? What wisdom have I learned? Which patterns and connections are poised to continue unfolding in the year ahead? Which obstructing or unhelpful aspects of my own behavior need to change? Having made our review, we can now consider the year ahead and lay down pathways of resolution and intention that will help guide our steps.

Make your review of the year as suggested above.

Have a safe and happy new year.

Until Next time...
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related)
Debbie & Gary

A Shaman's Yule Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:15:00 +0000

Grab your egg nog and cookies, snuggle up in a blanket and get ready for story time...

A Shaman’s Yule Journey
By Debbie Gent
With a little help from Clement Clarke Moore and The Night Before Christmas

Debbie, Gary & Mother

T’was Yule Eve and in circle we sat.
Everyone positioned on their journey mat.

Gary and I were perched at the drum,
Echoing the rhythm of Mother Earth’s hum.

The World Tree before us, we followed the threads
As altered states visions danced through our heads.

I had just settled down to let myself go,
When way out ahead I saw a red glow.

Then the sound of bells rang and made such a sound,
I focused my “vision” to see what was around.

Siberian Shaman

When what to my altered state eyes did appear,
But a little old man and his crew of reindeer.

Closer and closer and closer he came,
And when he got nearer he called out my name.

“Debbie, come on and join in the fun.
Come join my travels to see the birth of the sun.”

I was astonished, there was no doubt,
But my guides pushed me forward, no chickening out.

In the chariot of gold I came and sat,
Next to this spirit so happy and fat.

Questions were running so fast through my head,
“The birth of the sun, is that what you said?”

“The Goddess is ready, the Sun to bring forth”
He called to his reindeer to head east by north.

There in the east was a crowd up ahead
He grabbed my hand, through the crowd he lead.

Before me sat the Goddess, her belly so large
She was ready to push and asked me to take charge.

Without a thought I took her hand
And the song of “push” rang through the land.

“Push Goddess, Push Mother” the encouragement rang
As the voice of her people around her sang.

And with one last push the Sun was born,
With His light, the world to adorn.

Angelic voices announced the birth of the Sun.
I moved slowly back, my job being done.

And as I moved slowly from sight,
The Goddess smiled at me this night.

To the chariot I returned,
As tonight there was still more to be learned.


Shaman Flight by Amanda Clark

Up to Spirit we quickly flew

To finish our work without further ado.

We gathered gifts of love and prophecy
To carry back to our community.

Our chariot full, we headed back
To distribute the gifts from within our pack.

Mother Drum played the call back sound
And I started down the World Tree to return to the ground.

With our job done, we said our good nights
And my guide and his reindeer quickly took flight.

And I heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight…
Merry Yule to all and Welcome the Light!

Image Acknowledgements:

Siberian Shaman Image Courtesy of www.miraclesandinspiration.com
original artist unknown

Millenial Gaia Image Courtesy of www.whitemagic.com.au

Shaman Flight with permission- by Amanda Clark
http://earthangelsart.blogspot.com and
http://www.earthangelsart.com

Winter Solstice Sunrise Photo Courtesy of
Shiningwaters at www.photobucket.com

Happy Holidays to all our friends. Be safe and may the peace and joy of the season remain with you through out the year.

Until Next time...

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related)
Debbie & Gary

The Void and the Empty Chalice

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:23:00 +0000

Winter has joined us here in Oregon and nightly covering us with her blanket of deep white frost. If there was any moisture in the air, we’d certainly have snow. Since the beginning of Samhain (right after Halloween), I have been slowly moving deeper into my personal cave, covering up with warm blankets preparing to hibernate for winter. For me it’s just instinctive… weather turns cold… hibernate! Give me a snuggly blanket, a book and a pair of knitting needles and I’m one happy bear!

As Yule approached quite a few years back, a teacher of mine, Patricia Ballentine (www.TheCreativeFlame.com), explained this to me with the idea of the Empty Cup or Challice.

“Long ago and far away in the land of my Scottish ancestors this time of the year was recognized as the end of Smahian (SOW-en) and the beginning of Yule. It was the season when we had completed our harvest, drawn our animals in from summer pastures, stocked our pantries, piled the wood, and we snuggled in for the winter. Our time was purposefully spent pausing from so much ‘in the world DOing’ and focused more on BEing connected to those in our homes and ourselves.

In the lives of those of us today who still embrace a relationship in a spiritual sense to the seasons of the year and the ‘old traditions’ this is the time of the void (the empty chalice)…the very holy pause from which new life will be birthed from the divine spark of inspiration when Spring draws near. It’s not a time for DOing things and going places, but a time for BEing with our selves, nurturing our integrated aspects of body, mind and spirit and WAITING with a deep sense of trust for what will surely come in due time.”

Yup, I’m convinced, hibernating is hard wired in our DNA! Hibernating is entering the void…But how many of us avoid this yearly draw into the void, into the depths of ourselves and the Great Mystery and spiral into the frenzy that has become the “Holiday Season”? Not only is all the DOing activity exhausting, but we are going against our true nature! It’s like paddling upstream! No wonder we get so exhausted this time of year!

What keeps us from stepping into the void, into the emptiness? Is it fear? Or guilt? Or…? Fear is a pretty big deterrent for most of us humans. But what is it we fear in the void? If you’re reading this, you’re grown up and most likely not afraid of the dark (and who says the void is dark?). Oh yes, there it is…I see it…it’s the fear of CHANGE. Change requires letting go of what we’ve always known and done to allow in something new. It’s unknown and uncomfortable! But with like anything, the more time we spend being “uncomfortable” the more “comfortable” it gets. We learn to trust ourselves and Spirit to unfold a new reality for us. We learn to welcome the gifts and new opportunities that the void brings to us. It is only in emptiness of the void can meaning, intuitive guidance and our truth arise.

Certainly our modern work ethic doesn’t recognize, let alone honor, the idea of rest. We are taught to feel guilt or shame if we are not DOing. BEing, is slacking, lazy and unproductive. Boy do they have it wrong! If we don’t have a place to BE, we can’t dream and grow and invent. These seeds of creation all begin in darkness, in the womb, taking in the energy that they need to grow. The void is that place of silence, calm and rest that we need to grow.

We want to invite you to begin making an annual pilgrimage to the void beginning this winter. You may not want to stay long at first, but it’s okay to take baby steps. Journey to the open doorway of the void if that’s where you need to start. Ask your Animal Guide or other Spiritual Guides to accompany you. Explore that place of potential, the place with no expectations.

If you are working with your Aspects, check and see if you have an aspect that is driving your DOing. Do you have an “Energizer Bunny”, or the “Over Achiever” somewhere? If so, move them to your heart center and let your other Aspects teach them the ropes and how to play well with your group. Then, take your journey into the void.

What seeds are being charged for you? Experience the peace of reconnecting to the Great Mystery, of simply BEing. Allow yourself to be that empty chalice that is simply waiting to become filled with your dreams...The dreams that are ready to burst forth with life as spring approaches. For now, let your cup remain empty and ready to receive them. And don’t forget to return each winter when you hear the void’s call.

So, as we prepare the altar for our Yule celebrations, my chalice remains empty, upside down, with a candle to represent the spark of inspiration that will come through the void. May your chalice also be empty and at rest this Yule.

See you in the void!

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related)
Debbie & Gary

PS- If you're looking for a special celebration for the Winter Solstice (Yule) check out last December's post.

Thanksgiving Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:35:00 +0000

As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches and we begin to prepare for our holiday meal, no matter how big or small, we sometimes get lost in the preparation and forget that this is a day of gratitude.

I've been reading a lot of grumbling on some blogs and Facebook about not celebrating Thanksgiving because of the poor treatment of our Native American ancestors ... But, no matter how it started out centuries ago, Thanksgiving is a day that has been set aside to offer thanks and gratitude to Spirit for all that has been provided to us. So, forget about the Pilgrim stories and focus on the present. Remember, we live in the now.

I know it's been a tough few years for many of us and some days it's a struggle to find something to be grateful for. I always think of a friend who when she was going through a really though time, the only thing she could find to be grateful for that day was the garbage man who picked up the trash. There is always so little kernel to be found each day. So, for at least this day, we invite you to search your heart and find at least one thing to be grateful for. Hmm... maybe we should have a Thanksgiving more often... without the turkey and stuffing of course :-)

So, as we prepare and sit down to eat our holiday meal, no matter whether we are enjoying our own company or the company of friends and/or family, we're offering a few non-traditional blessings for your meal.

My standard, short, sweet and to the point daily blessing -
"We thank the spirits that gave their lives that we may eat and thrive - Aho"

A Thanksgiving Blessing from a Druidic feed this morning -
"Bless the Earth for delivering this food
Bless the Sun for nourishing its growth
Bless the Rain for assuring its survival.

Thanks to the hands that helped raise this food
Thanks to the backs that helped harvest it
Thanks to the hearts that helped prepare this fare.

Let it nourish our minds, bodies and spirits
Let it nurture our thoughts, deeds and creativity
Let it hearten our wisdom, kindness and love.

May our friends, families and loved ones be healthy
May those that are not present and missed be well
May the future be prosperous and happy."

The Blessing of the Stranger -
This blessing is handed down through a friend and it always touches my heart.

Since ancient times it has been a tradition to welcome the Stranger who approached our threshold or crossed our path. The Stranger was seen as the potential bringer of a great gift or lesson…and we recognized that we could well be such to them. Fear was not the foundation of the meeting…rather Love. Perhaps we had completed the harvest and the Stranger was a bard or great storyteller who would provide countless hours of enjoyment for our family as we sat gathered round the fire on cold winter nights. Perhaps they were simply without a meal for the evening and we could add a bowl of soup for them at our own table. And, perhaps we were the Stranger at the door of another seeking a warm hearth and open heart.

Countless Strangers impact our lives every single day…let us pause for a moment and offer to them…our blessings:

"The Blessing of the Stranger:

For all of the hands
That tilled the soil
And planted the seeds
And harvested the crops
And cared for the livestock…
For all of these hands, Strangers to us
We give thanks and we offer blessings.

For all of the hands
That packaged the products
And prepared the livestock
And brought all to market
And stocked the shelves…
For all of these hands, Strangers to us
We give thanks and we offer blessings.

For all of the hands
That are gathered ‘round this table or
That reach out to us from the distance…
Many Strangers once, but friends and family now…
For all of these hands…
We give thanks and we offer blessings.

May we use this food and the energy of
Love and grace
To nourish ourselves and each other
In Body, Mind and Spirit…

Blessed Be and Amen"

If you have a traditional non-traditional blessing, email it to me and I'll post it for others to share, or use to create their own blessing.

We wish you peace and joy on this Thanksgiving Day. Every day, we are blessed and thankful to count you among our friends.

Until next time -

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),
Debbie & Gary

Honoring Our Ancestors

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Samhain (sah-win or sow-een) is the fourth and final fire festival (or cross-quarter holiday) in the Celtic Wheel of the Year. The veil between the worlds grows thin, as the portal opens into the Celtic New Year, and we begin our decent into the dreamtime. It is a time of releasing the old, planting seeds for the coming year, deep visioning, receiving transmissions of wisdom, and communing with ancestors, faeries, and the spirit world. We are reminded of the importance of the season of bone that follows the harvest and precludes the spring – a time of silence, of resting, of the death of all that is completed, and the incubation of that which is to come.

This is also a time for remembering all our ancestors and loved ones who have passed into the world beyond. Many traditions honor their ancestors at this time. For the Celts, the celebration is Samhian, in the Hispanic traditions it is known as Dia de los Muertos or “Day of the Dead”. The Christian Church incorporated these festivals into a festival known as “All Souls Day”.

In the homes of our Celtic ancestors, storytelling abounded during the long, dark, winter nights; many of these tales were ghost stories about the Otherworld. At Samhain, the gates to the Otherworld stood wide open, allowing the spirits of the ancestors and the Sidhe to walk among the living. Only those in disguise would venture out on this night to confuse the Sidhe, the Faerie kind and the feared, though revered ancestors; a custom which has been passed down to us as Mischief Night, Halloween and 'trick or treat'.

Respect for the ancestors is still practiced at Samhain in the Celtic world, when the doors between the worlds are open. This is an excellent time to re-connect with our ancestors.

You may consider having a Samhain celebration for your ancestors. Have a meal with their favorite food and beverages. Be sure to set a place at the table for the ancestors. (Don’t dispose of the food at the end of the meal, but offer it to the nature spirits and animals.) Sing, dance and drum for them. And don’t forget to tell stories about your ancestors and highlight their conquests and achievements. Or simply take some time to get to know your ancestors through a shamanic journey, meditation or other form of trance travel and celebrate with them in the Otherworld.

Here are some suggested journeys from a playshop I recently facilitated at the local Druid Grove’s Samhain celebration. Remember, you should travel with the blessings and the protection and guidance of your spirit guide or totem animal.

Just a note, ancestors may include those of our bloodlines, those of the land where we live, and those of our spiritual kin in a broader sense. Remember, our soul has had many paths and bloodlines along its path.

1st journey – Visit the ancestral grove where ancestors meet in the Otherworld. Ask to be met by one of your ancestors who you knew in this lifetime. This ancestor will be your guide for these journeys. Your clan will be celebrating Samhain – help rekindle bon fires that have been let go dark in preparation for this celebration. Join in fun – sing, dance and enjoy the food and ale. Have your ancestor guide take you around and introduce you to other ancestors in the grove. Talk to anyone you wish… ask about information on family history or bloodlines. Hear the stories the elders have to tell. Their stories were meant for both pleasure and instruction. They tell us of the Otherworld, this world, our culture and about ourselves. Enjoy the celebration.

2nd journey – Return to the grove and ask your ancestor guide to take you to the ancestor or group of ancestors who you need to meet most at this time. Ask what words of wisdom they have to offer you. If you need advice in some area or some problem in your life, ask and they will be happy to share their insight and experience. Remember, they are repositories for ancient wisdom and they can be consulted about matters to do with you as an individual, with the land, with families and issues of Spirit. Be sure to thank your ancestor for their words of wisdom. If it feels appropriate, offer a healing to this ancestor before returning to your current reality.

Honoring the ancestors is also very important, and can be done in a number of ways. Simply thinking of your own family can be important. You can also make a small ancestral shrine, including a photo of your own ancestors, or use a picture of a site which has strong ancestral associations. The shrine can contain other objects which strike you as particularly symbolic: a flat stone on which you can write messages to the ancestors, a basket of stones or shells taken from many different places. An offering dish of honey, sweet-cake or beer can be placed there also (but make sure you replenish it regularly!)

At your ancestral shrine, make offerings, have conversations, tell jokes (the ancestors like news, gossip and humor) and ask advice. The important thing is to establish a feeling of friendship and rapport across the divide of time and place, not only at Samhain, but throughout the year.

Quiet Before the Storm?

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:30:00 +0000

Recently we were talking with a friend who is also shamanic practitioner, just catching up and staying in touch. Our discussion turned to how we were all doing in our practices, and strangely, we discovered that the month of September for us, her and others that we know, it has been 'quiet'. Even though there is daily life activity, the pervading energy feels like a 'waiting'. A waiting for what? It is almost like the collective whole is holding it's breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop, the door to open, the planets to align?

To me, this waiting energy feels more connected with the collective fear of what is coming. There have been years of opinions published and discussion on the year 2012 in every media available and has created this waiting fear or anticipation through the collective. This in effect has every individual holding their breath on some level. Unknown fear is stopping movement in the person’s life.

That very old saying of 'we have nothing to fear except fear its self' is very correct in this case. We really don't know what may or may not happen next year. We won't know until whatever it is shows up on our individual doorstep. Then and only then can we, as individuals or a collective, respond or react to what is presented.

So, for me, I am not holding my breath (or energy) and will play with whatever is presented....only when it is presented. I hope others can approach our changing times with the same ease, because we can only hold our breath for so long.

Until Next Time:

Mitakuye Oyasin ( A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),
Gary

10 Billion Beats - Drumming with global intention

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:58:00 +0000

Sorry I'm so late getting this out. Have had computer "gremlins". I think they are all pretty well under control now. As long as they don't multiply I may be okay.

We have always participated in this event as a drum circle, but this year will just be going it "a deux". Join the energy and spend a hour drumming. For more information: http://www.10billionbeats.com/ and http://www.10billionbeats.spruz.com/events.htm to see if there is a group drumming in your area.

We hope to see you at that etheric drum circle!

Until next time -

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),
Debbie & Gary

10 Billion Beats
If you don't know what you can't do, maybe you can do anything!

“Are you crazy enough to change the world?” began the first newsletter for 10 Billion Beats in 2009. Since then thousands of people have participated. You are the stars on this map. Crazy!

It’s easy to leave big changes up to “spiritual masters” or “super beings” with powers greater than our own. They have changed the world. Then there are ordinary humans; King, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Mandela, who so completely committed their selves to right human relations that extraordinary acts followed. They too changed the world. That may be asked of us should we face extraordinary times.

Change that which your eyes perceive and behold a different world. Change the words you speak and hear more truth around you. Change the intentions of your heart, and change the world.

If big changes happen to come in the next months as many have predicted, I am very grateful to be part of this group. Carry the positive intent within your heart, listen for the truth around you, and watch for a path of service to those in need.

If nothing happens as predicted, I remain grateful that as we walk the next miles in the same pair of shoes we do so together. With each footstep I will imprint my blessing upon our planet and my fellow beings knowing that I have never walked alone. It’s simply time to be the change we’ve been waiting for.

Just a few hours now until we send our wave of rhythm around the planet infusing the beat with our positive intent. Please post your local event on our social network site at http://www.10billionbeats.spruz.com/events.htm. You will have to register on that site (if you haven’t already) to be able to enter your data.

Goodwill ON Livingkind

Remember:
4 beats per second (or as close as you can come to it) for at least one hour.
Send the intention out to everything on the tone of your drum.
Keep the buzz going. There is still time to tell the world.
Photos and videos after the fact are very welcome.

Thanks,

Carlisle, Geralyn and Brent.

*************** http://www.10billionbeats.com/

PeaceWeek 2011 - A Free Global Telesummit for Building a Culture of Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:34:00 +0000

Today we're forwarding some wonderful information for upcoming events, so there will be 2 posts today.

PeaceWeek 2011

A Free Global Telesummit for Building a Culture of Peace

September 15 - September 21, 2011

Wednesday, September 21st, 5:00pm to 6:00pm PDT

Prayers From The Grandmothers,

PeaceWeek Closing Ceremony

with Grandmothers Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance and Mona Pollaca

PeaceWeek 2011 - A Free Global Telesummit

Dear Friend,

I'm writing to invite you to celebrate peace with a truly amazing line-up of inspiring leaders and peacebuilders such as Grandmother Beatrice Long- Visitor Holy Dance, Grandmother Mona Polacca, , Alice Walker, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Arun Gandhi, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Daniel Goleman, Jane Velez-Mitchell and many more.

It's all part of PeaceWeek 2011, a global telesummit featuring dozens of inspiring peacebuilders -- and it's all for free!

This extraordinary event, coming up September 15-21, is the largest virtual peace summit ever created - last year more than 20,000 people registered from 152 countries. This year's leaders will offer profound insights for you to create peace in your life, your family, your community and our world. You'll also gain access to the full library of recordings from last year's summit.

When you sign up, you'll hear about groundbreaking global work from Israel and India to China and many places in between.

Join me and thousands of others from around the world - all of whom deeply care about the future of our planet and the potential for humanity to make a profound shift from a culture of violence to a culture of peace.

I look forward to seeing you at PeaceWeek. And please do share this invitation with friends and colleagues - all are warmly welcome

to participate!

In Peace,
Center for Sacred Studies

P.S. PeaceWeek gives you personal access to manyinspiring leaders:

Alice Walker, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Arun Gandhi, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Daniel Goleman, Jane Velez-Mitchell, James O'Dea, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Avon Mattison, Kimmie Weeks, Grandmother Mona Polacca, Grandmother Beatrice Long- Visitor Holy Dance, David Korten, Aqeela Sherrills, Dot Maver, Stephen Dinan, Derrick Ashonoran Pandey, Chip Hauss, Hiu Ng, Miki Kashtan, Rev. Bob Chase,g, Steve Killelea, Sister Jenna, Dena Merriam, Rob Fersh, Rita Marie Johnson, Paul Chappell, Brother Anilananda, Kevin Quigley, Devaa Haley Mitchell, Andy Barker, Jenn Lim, Captain Richard O'Neill, Michael Furdyk, PoNurah Amat'ullah, Rabbi Justus Baird, Mary Stata, Sahar Nafal Kordahi, Tzvia Shelef, Orland Bishop, Guy Burgess, Heidi Burgess, Dr. Rick Levy, Julia Bacha, Nick Stuart, David Nicol, Belvie Rooks, Matthew Albracht, Emily Hine, Philip Hellmich.

Series Co-Sponsors:
The Shift Network, The Peace Alliance, Pathways to Peace, Culture of Peace Initiative, Summer of Peace 2012, PeaceDay.TV, TakingItGlobal, The Hendricks Institute, Council for the Parliament of World Religions, Humanity's Team, Alliance for Peacebuilding, Peace X Peace,International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, Times Foundation/The Times Group, Student Peace Alliance, National Peace Academy, The Shift Movie, University of Colorado's Conflict Information Consortium, International Cities of Peace, One the Event, Global Peace Initiative of Women, Intersections, Brahma Kumaris, United Religions Initiative, Praxis Peace Institute, YES!, Just Vision, We, the World, Compassionate Action Network, Rasur Foundation, World Peace Prayer Society, Peace on Earth Film Festival, BayNVC, Center for Sacred Studies.

To see the full email Click here.

Lughnasadh - First Harvest

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Wow, can’t believe it’s August 1 already. This year is flying by. Fall will be here sooner than we think.

August first is the beginning of Lughnasadh (or Lammas). This is the celebration of the first harvest. Depending on your traditions, Lughnasadh is celebrated from August 1 – August 15.

The name of this festival is Irish Gaelic for "Commemoration of Lugh". Lugh is associated with the power of sun and light, and so fires were burned in honor of him on this day. In addition to his associations with light, Lugh is a God of Skill and Craft, a master of all human skills.

Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals, Lughnasadh, Mabon and Samhain. The Earth offers up her first fruits to us ... a blessing from the Mother and the product of our own hands. It is a time to celebrate the fruitfulness of Mother Earth and enjoy the fruits of our labors.

The celebration of Lughnasadh included the ritual first cutting grain and making it into bread for the harvest feast. Fruits and vegetables were ripe and ready preserving. It was a time to celebrate and enjoy the fullness of the Earth while beginning to make provision for the cold months ahead. The people lit fires, sang and held uproarious sporting contests and races.

So, I invite you to join in the harvest celebrations. If you have your own garden, revel in the bounty that Mother Earth has provided and feast. No garden, find a you-pick and pick something decadent, like raspberries, and enjoy. Or offer up some time to a gleaning group to help with their harvests.

Take a hike in nature and the “difficult” trail. Or do something that would push your boundaries. Challenge yourself in the nature of the God, Lugh.

Or spend some quite time in the shade of a welcoming tree and take a shamanic journey. Have a meeting with your Guides and reflect on the inner meanings of your personal harvest of the seeds that you have sown in the spring. Which things or projects are ripe and waiting for us to harvest them? What needs more time to ripen? What new projects would you like to start? And, what (if anything) do you need to do to prepare for completing your harvest?

It is also a time to reflect on the many talents we have. Like Lugh, we are multi-talented. Unlike him, many of us are not so confident about these talents. So this is also a time to ask yourself: “What are my talents and skills? How do I express my creativity? How do I use my abilities to craft my world ... to add beauty .... color ... richness? Our skills may include woodworking, designing, creating, sewing and needlecraft, art, music, dance, sports or communication, organizing, healing, parenting, problem solving etc. Whatever our talents or abilities, this is a time to recognize them and honor them, and to share our recognition of the talents and abilities of others around us. If you have had an interest or urge to develop a particular skill or creative outlet, now might be the time to make commitment to yourself to pursue your interest. By offering our skills back to the Universe we enrich both ourselves and our world.

And of course Lughnasadh is a very good time to express gratitude to the Goddess, God and the Earth Spirits for their blessings and gifts.

Blessed Lughnasadh. Enjoy your harvest!

Until Next Time:

Mitakuye Oyasin ( A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),

Debbie

Aspects of the Self – Who’s Driving Your Bus Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:29:00 +0000

How many times have we done something totally marvelous, or dumb, rude, mean or off the wall and then looked back and said “Did I REALLY do that? It’s not like me to behave or do…” We treat these actions like someone else is responsible for them, and to be truthful, there is, but that “someone else” a part of you, a personality aspects or archetype. But in these cases, just one aspect is acting (or acting out) in a manor that is not representative of you as a whole.

Through our work assisting others with shamanic journeys and retrieving soul pieces, we have found a group of aspects or archetypes each person carries that have been ignored, stuffed or abandoned along the way. And like a child that is being ignored, they tend to struggle for control so that they can be seen or heard. This is sometimes not in our best interest.

Picture this situation… You’re in a meeting with your boss reviewing a report that you have prepared. The boss is asking questions, courteously, but asking questions about your train of though or information source. How are you responding or reacting?

That’s really going to depend on “who’s driving the bus”. If you are coming from a position of balance, your place of center and empowerment, you will respond courteously and logically to his or her questions.

But… if your Emotional Self is in charge, you could react with anger or feel tears welling in your eyes. Your Critic could kick in and you then begin the old self-talk patterns of “not being good enough”, “can’t do anything right”.

Or maybe your Ego may take over with the “Who does he/she think he is? Who is he/she to question my work?”

Oh, and what about the Shadow? I can picture papers flying around the room as well as some unpleasant words as you stomp out the door. The outcome of that meeting totally depends on “who’s driving your bus today”.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have all your aspects working together in a cohesive group, so you can respond to life from a position of balance and empowerment?

These aspects are similar to Jung’s archetypes. Psychologist Carl Jung described several archetypes based in repeating patterns of thought and action that re-appear time and again across people, countries and continents. Jung believed that we each have all four main forms of archetypes within us, the Shadow, the Anima, the Animus, and the Self. Jung also considered other archetypes, including family archetypes such as father, mother, child and story archetypes like the hero, the witch, the magician, the wise old man and the earth mother.

Medical intuitive and author, Carolyn Myss, identified over 70 common archetypes in her book, Sacred Contracts. She believes we were encoded prior to birth with 12 of these archetypes to fulfill contracts for experiences in this lifetime.

As we work with clients we are finding that there are about 12 or 13 aspects that each of us has hidden somewhere in our energy body. They have been hidden, abandoned or simply ignored. They include the Divine Masculine, Divine Feminine, Mental Self, Wounded Child, The Ego, The Shadow, and The Critic. Each person may have other personalized aspects hidden away as well. By retrieving and integrating these aspects, we become more balanced and whole.

We like to look at this group of aspects as a corporate board of directors working together for the good of the company (the Conscious Self). They are brought together as a cohesive group with the Heart Self operating as Chairman of the Board. But, in this board, each Aspect has a voice in how the “company” is run, with the Heart making the best choices for the conscious Self. Everyone is heard and no one is acting independently or “going rogue”. Now you begin to respond to life from a place of balance and empowerment.

Sound good? Are you ready to retrieve your Aspects and build your board of directors? We offer this work as part of our Five Day Shamanic Intensive Retreat, as weekend playshops or you can join us for our upcoming webinar “Aspects of Self” beginning in September. Just click on the links to find out more about the playshops and webinar.

So, back to our original question… “Who’s driving your bus today?”

Earth Day 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:39:00 +0000

It's funny how we need to pick a day to celebrate the earth... particularly when our ancestors celebrated and honored "The Mother" every moment. They literally "worshiped the ground they walked on".

But let's thank Senator Gaylord Nelson, for beginning the celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd back in 1970. The government set aside another day for us to honor our "Mother". This was, according to Senator Nelson, a way to "put the environment into the political 'limelight' once and for all" (his words). Now, Earth Day, is celebrated in most countries of the world.

As we humans have "evolved", we've completely lost our connection to the planet we live on and the world that we live in. We "think" we're individuals or separate beings.

It's a ridiculous thought when you break it down. Just like our bodies have different cells, fluids and functions... We have a similar relationship with the earth. We are a part of a whole. The slugs, the dirt, the whales, the rivers all are essential cogs, just like red blood cells, neurons and fat cells are a necessary part of your body. If all your red blood cells were to suddenly disappear, you would have a big problem. So what if the all the bees disappeared from the earth?

As shaman, or those who walk a nature based path, we understand that everything has life force or energy and everything is a part of the web of life. As the Lakota say "Mitakuye Oyasin - All My Relations". This prayer is a reminder that we are all connected, all part of that web, each strand connected to the other, forming the whole. You have often heard us refer to the "Standing Ones", "Stone People", "Four-Footed", "Winged Ones", "Plant Divas" etc. They all have life force or energy and offer us support and wisdom.

Many of the "Two-footeds" on this plant simply take the natural world for granted. It simply is and is there for their use and/or abuse. They have the idea that the "Two-footeds" are superior. What a wonderful mind game we have created for ourselves! It's like a video game where on the computer we have "mastered" all. But, Gaia is telling us otherwise, and unlike our video game world, there are no do overs.

But, before I give you some ideas to help you reconnect into the web of life and celebrate Earth Day, let's talk about permission and gifting. Have you ever asked the grass for permission to walk on it or a flower to pick it? Most likely you just assumed that all grass is for walking and flowers are yours for the taking (unless they are the neighbors). Remember that everything has life force or energy. The grass may not feel like being walked on today or that tree may not want to be hugged today. If we honor nature, we must ask permission of the nature spirits and not just blunder in and use or take what is around us.

Next, in the world of the “Two-footeds”, when someone offers us a gift, kindness or piece of wisdom, we have been taught to say "thank you". When someone in the natural world offers a gift or wisdom, we should also say "thank you". Many folks who walk a nature centered path carry with them something to give back to Nature, whether its tobacco, corn meal, stones or herbs. (We have bags of gifting herbs available at Shaman's Marketplace.)

• If on your walk you find a stone, plant or feather that is calling you and you accept the gift, it is only appropriate to place an offering where you have taken the gift.

• One should always make an offering and ask permission before harvesting from any plant or tree.

• If you find a tall shady tree or a sunny rock to sit with and hear its wisdom, make and offering and ask permission to sit. Then leave an offering for the wisdom when your visit is complete.

• Ask permission to enter a sacred space just like you would knock on someone's door before you enter their home. Be sure to leave a “hostess gift”.

Nature has much to teach us if we approach her with honor and respect. Gifting is our way of saying "thank you".

So, on Earth Day (and every day), here are some things you can do to reconnect.

• Take your shoes off and walk around outside. It's simple and you can do it right now. Your flesh to soil connection will ground you to the earth and re-balance your electrical channels.

• Smell the plants. Go into a park or the woods and just pick (with permission) a few plants and smell them. See which ones smell amazing and which ones smell not as good to you. Your connection to instinct will be revived just slightly.

• Hug a tree. Throw your arm around it and press your heart up to it and feel its life force with your heart. Let your heart beat sync with the tree. Now, let your "roots" flow from your feet, deep into Mother Earth. Then, let your "branches" reach from the top of your head up into Father Sky and reach for the sun. Feel that energy and share in the tree's wisdom.

• Have a conversation with a "Stone Person". Find a rock outside to sit on/with and open your energy body and your mind. Ask what wisdom or message this Stone Person has to share with you. If you don't have a rock outside to sit on, hold a stone in your hand and converse with it. These Stone People have been around for a very long time and contain much knowledge that they are willing to share.

• Look into an animal's eyes. If you have a pet or if you don't... Find an animal, maybe at a pasture or at the animal shelter and look into its eyes. You'll see a wisdom no human would ever be able to rationalize (And that doesn't ever need to be humanized).

• Sit on Mother Earth and drum. Feel her heart beat and drum to that rhythm. (This works indoors too if your weather isn’t up for outdoor activities.)

• Lay face down with your heart and your ear on Mother Earth and hear her song. Allow that song to move into you and become part of you. (This works indoors too if your weather isn’t up for outdoor activities.)

• Make Earth Day a "Gifting Day" - use the idea of gifting to the Nature Spirits with tobacco, corn meal, stones or herbs. Walk around and give these gifts to everything in nature to simply say "thanks".

Just these simple things can help reawaken your awareness and consciousness. That is powerful enough to help make Earth Day celebrations every day celebrations. (And who doesn't like to celebrate?)

Please be sure to forward this blog along to those who could use a "reconnect."

Until next time -

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),
Debbie

Helping Our Animal Companions

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Okay, I admit, I'm not the best at blogging. To be perfectly honest, I've had a horrible case of "blog block". (Hmm... this must be the tech update of writer's block.) Gary hasn't been much help either as far as suggestions so I get 100% responsibility for the blog (or lack there of). And, like I've mentioned before on this blog, you don't really want to hear the ramblings in my head... But, if you have something shamanically related you'd like to know or hear about, please pop me an email. I'm open to suggestions. I'm actually writing down a list of ideas when I get them, if I can remember them by the time I get to the computer :-) So, we should be on top of things for a while.

I just completed our spring newsletter so if you want to follow up on the newsy stuff, here's the link. I'm going to repeat the article on Helping Our Animal Companions here.

Also, we're stepping into more current technology and doing our first webinar in May with The Healing Ways of the Shaman -- Shamanism and Soul Recovery. This is an introductory webinar that explains shamanism, soul recovery and the shamanic journey process. It is open to everyone. So, if you, your family or friends would like to be introduced to shamanism, this is a great way for them to find out more. There will be no charge for this webinar, but we always appreciate offerings. I will send out the email link a few days before the webinar. If all goes well, we will be offering more by webinars in the future. For more on the other activities we have on the schedule or a list of playshops we offer, check out our calendar.

If you haven't checked out our online store -- Shaman's Marketplace, now is a good time. Since you've been so patient with my blog block, I'm offering our blog readers the same special as our clients and regular customers. Spring Special and receive a FREE bag of gifting herbs with orders over $20 (playshops not included). Special ends 5/30/11. Enter the code SPRING in the discount/coupon box and we will include your herbs with your order.We've added a couple new items and there are some new, hand made smudging bowls in the works from a friend in Phoenix who throws pottery. And, I have some new Shaman's Potions™ in the planning phases. So look for them with our next newsletter.

Okay, now that apologies are made and amends offered, here's some info about soul retrieval and our animal friends.

Helping Our Animal Companions

Many of us have at least one fuzzy, furry, feathered, leathered or finned companion that share our home and heart space. They are our friend, confidant, support, healer and even our "kids" and "significant other". They are simply a part of our family. And, like any other family member, they pick up on our life's situations and can become stressed and strained and acquire physical and/or emotional issues, just like any other member living in a group situation. Things like illness, divorce, death and financial stress affect our animal companions just like they would our children or partners.

Animals also have a soul path of their own they must traverse. Like us, they have specific lessons that their soul must learn in this lifetime. And, like us, some of their paths are not easy. They experience trauma that cause their soul to fracture or split.
So, when we're asked about doing soul recovery for animals the answer is a resounding "yes". We do a soul recovery just like we would do for you. We contact their guides for permission and return what soul pieces are appropriate. Then if required, we are guided through an extraction to clean up their energy system. The only difference is that they don't have to do "the homework". The soul pieces automatically integrate. They don't play the mind games with themselves or have the resistance we do as humans.

It has been our experience that in general, dogs tend to take on the physical or emotional issues of "their people". We have a client with a long term illness that creates a lot of toxicity. Her dog that she had for many years was depressed and had no energy. During his journey, we found him lying next to her in bed and he had merged his energy with hers. He told me that it was "his duty" to take on her illness. We explained that this was not helping her and was even causing more stress because she worried about her beloved friend. He then agreed to separate and we returned this soul piece to him. During extraction we also found energetic cords that he was using to absorb her energy. These were cut and he continued to improve. Releasing him from absorbing all the toxic energies had no effect on our client.

Recently, I was asked to assist another dog who was blind and had developed a cough. Sometimes he would begin to cough so hard he would not be able to breathe. They had visited many a vet, traditional and holistic, and the dog was on medications and an inhaler. In our extraction, we found little green gremlins in his lungs, producing a gas and tickling his bronchial tubes, that was causing him to cough. There really wasn't much change after the journey. After talking further with his people, we found out that this was happening if they were not paying as much attention to him as he felt they should, such as if he didn't get fed when he wanted, and other times he felt ignored. Much like a two year old throwing a temper tantrum. We returned to journey space and my guides gave him a very stern talking to and that he was to "quit pulling their chain". They were going out of their way to accommodate his blindness and that his family was being made aware of his manipulations and they would not work any more. It took a while for the situation to improve because it had become a learned behavior that needed to be modified, but he did improve slowly and there was less attention getting behavior.

One of my favorite "miracle" cases comes from our own household. Back in 2002 our cat, Pharaoh, decided to have an altercation with a car. When I picked him up from the hospital at the Humane Society where he was taken, they weren't expecting him to live. Around his eye was pretty cut up, but there didn't appear to be any broken bones. My vet sent me to a specialist for head trauma. The prognosis wasn't good, but he stayed in ICU. Gary was out of town and I called and his guides began the process of taking care of Pharaoh's injuries. We would get call after call from the vet, telling us that he had fluid in his lungs or that he wasn't recovering. And journey after journey, and extraction after extraction, we would get the "It seems that he's now doing fine" call. After a week, he was allowed to come home. The vet was still shaking his head wondering how this guy survived and was walking. The after effects were minimal and he lived a long and happy life.

Miracles can happen thanks to Spirit and the willing spirit of the animal. Another was 12 year old mare who was having liver and kidney issues and was not eating. She was lying down and would not get up to move. Not eating she had no energy. She was also having some foot issues. Her extraction included removing a coating that was preventing her from eliminating toxins from her system and cleaning her whole digestive system which had hardened. We were then directed to a soul piece that was stuck. Her feet were literally stuck almost like they were glued to the ground and she couldn't move. She wanted to "go home" but wasn't sure of the direction. For her this meant her spirit home. We released her and once she was again able to move, her guides asked her to decide if she wanted to return home to Spirit or to her people in this worldly plane. She decided to stay. When my client returned home from work that evening, before she even called in for the report, she found the horse standing at the food trough eating. She continued to eat and regained her strength. She languished and revived over a nine month period as her soul completed its journey and chose to return Home.

Sometimes though, the healing comes in the form of helping the animal's spirit to leave. Another one of my horses was a rescue with a facial deformity. This was causing problems with his breathing and causing seizures. When we approached the horse for soul recovery he ran. He was confused and said that he didn't want healing. We asked if we could make him comfortable and were allowed to do some extraction work to ease the seizures. We cleaned and reconnected broken energy pathways as we were allowed. Within a few weeks we were informed that the horse had made his transition. The path that he chose for healing was to return to Spirit.

I could go on and on with the many cases we've worked with over the years, from physical issues and illnesses, to "acting out" or other behavioral upsets, to helping someone's companion to complete their earth walk and return to the Mother. From the dog and cat, to the lizard and rat and every pet in between, a soul recovery can help your companion to be at his or her best.

Until next time –

Mitakuye Oyasin ( A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),
Debbie

Announcing our Grand Expansion Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:09:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce our Grand Expansion Sale.

You have been asking us "Where can I get....?" So, now you can one stop shop for your shaman's tools and toys and get 10% off to boot!

Check out our sale flyer at this link -

http://www.icontact-archive.com/QkQ6e9vuzWA4voj_26OSuiVqY4nais_S?w=2&sms_ss=blogger&at_xt=4d34a089826bb829%2C0

Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),

Debbie

Winter Solstice Celebrations

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:25:00 +0000

For many years, since our children moved through the Santa Claus phase, we have gathered with family and friends to celebrate the Winter Solstice or Yule. Like our ancestors of old, following the rhythms of Mother Earth’s cycles, we gather to celebrate the end of the darkness and the return of the light.

Our ancestors lived in harmony with Mother Earth, Father Sun and Grandmother Moon, recognizing their cycles and living their lives within these rhythms, and celebrating the turning of the year and its cycles. The year's shortest day and longest night, the Winter Solstice, is still celebrated in many traditions around the globe, celebrating the triumph of light over darkness… the return of the Sun.

In the land of our Celtic ancestors, this was the time between Samhain (Halloween) and Yule, the time when we had completed the harvest, the animals were brought in from the summer pasture, our pantries were full, the wood was piled and we had hunkered down for the winter. This is the time when the earth went dormant once more, sleeping until Spring returned. Our ancestors knew that despite the darkness of this night, soon the light would return to the earth, bringing with it life. On this night, the Winter Solstice, they welcomed back the Sun, the ultimate giver of light with giant bonfires on the hilltops. The people sought to keep the darkness at bay with these fires and with the next new dawn, they were again shown that the Sun had triumphed over darkness and was born anew. Some would drum throughout the night, lending their energy to mid-wife the Sun’s birth. The time of growing light had come, and spring would soon be here. However cold and dark the days remained, a glimmer of hope had arrived. Feasting, storytelling and dancing abounded. (Check out this story for the young and young at heart-- http://community-2.webtv.net/stormlght/APaganYuleTale/)

Many Native American traditions also honor the winter solstice. The Hopi festival of Soyal honors the Spider Woman and the Hawk Maiden, and celebrates the sun's victory over winter's darkness.

While some of our ancestors celebrated this special time with feasts, for others it was a time of dreaming. Rather than staying up all night to celebrate the dawn, some turned in early, to sleep and to dream. As Mother Night reigned supreme, they walked between the worlds of light and darkness, gathering great meaning from what The Great Mystery illuminated for them. At first light, they would gather and relate what visions they saw on this special night.
Our personal celebration over the years has been a ceremony lighting the Yule candle to welcome the return of the Sun and asking that the seeds of our wishes and dreams be planted so that they may take root in the spring. Our candle is lit on the longest night and remains lit until the next day when the Sun has again returned and Darkness begins to wane. Then in typical pagan tradition, we feast and share gifts. Like so many traditions, this has shifted and changed over the years and this year will again transform as it is just Gary and I sharing our Yule celebration together this year. We will be able to share part of our celebration with our children thanks to technology and Skype.

We invite you to join us for this time of celebration. No matter what your cultural or religious beliefs, you can begin your own Winter Solstice traditions. There are so many ways to celebrate and different forms of ceremonies that I suggest you search to web to find a beginning for a ceremony or ritual that you can create for you alone, or to share with friends and family. Here are a few ideas to get you started on short notice.

Many of us have at least heard of the Yule Log. Decorate a good-sized log (traditionally oak, also traditionally not purchased but found) with a few sprigs of evergreen tied in ribbon (probably red) and place it in your fireplace. For a ritual touch, write wishes for the new year on slips of paper and tuck them under the ribbon. The full tradition requires that the log be lit on Yule (winter solstice or Christmas Eve, or both! your choice) along with a piece of the previous year's Yule log, then extinguished before burning out fully, to save a portion to light with the following year's log, hence completing the cycle of the year.

For those without fireplaces or for a different take on the tradition, you can create a candle version by taking a smallish log, sawing a flattened side as the base, then drilling holes fat enough to hold candles for a tabletop decoration.

If you’re not up to the Yule Log, use a Yule Candle. A Yule Candle is simply a large red or white candle set among seasonal greenery. Anoint the candle with seasonal oils or herbs, focusing your intentions for the new year into the candle as you anoint it. Light the candle at dark on the longest night and allow it to burn through the following morning. (Be sure you have something under it to catch the wax as it burns. I have ruined a heritage table cloth that way.) Wishes can also be written on paper and lit from the candle, then placed in a burning bowl, to release your prayers to the spirit realm.

Another simple tradition is a meditation in the dark, then lighting candles and turning on the lights to symbolize the return of the Sun. Here is a simple meditation courtesy of Zaratyst to help you focus your intention.

The old solar year has run its course and completed its cycle. So to have some of our habits or traits completed their cycles and outlived their usefulness.

This is a time for shedding that which is no longer needed.

Take a few moments now to consider which things you would leave behind as you go into the coming year. (pause)

As the old year dies away so to will these old ways will fade into memory.

In the beginning we came from the darkness of the womb. There we were created, nourished and prepared for our birth into the light. Within us, we still carry that fertile darkness. there we hold the seeds of hopes and dreams to come. There we nourish are hopes for love, joy and peace for all. We shield these tender roots until they are strong enough to come forth and flourish in the light. Spend a little time now tending these creations to come. Name them, nurture them for they will grow with you and bloom in the coming year. (pause)

As the sun strengthens above, so will our new ways grow.

Another way to plant the seeds for the new year is be creating prayer bundles. Cut small pieces of cloth (usually red) and fill them with tobacco or other herbs as an offering to the spirits. As you fill each bundle, focus your intention on what you need to acknowledge or honor from the dark of your soul that could only have been brought forth in the darkness. Acknowledge them and thank them for their presence and the gifts they have brought into your life. Tie each bundle with a string. Now, repeat the process focusing your intention on what seeds you wish to plant for the next year, your wishes and desire. When you have completed your bundles, take them to the fire with your love and intention for celebrating what is in the dark now, and what is planted for times to come. The fire will take your prayers to spirit.

Yule is a celebration of light, so simply lighting a fire and sitting either by your self or with others to enjoy the dance of the Fire Spirits is a celebration. Share the wassail or egg nog and a cookie or two. Pick up a drum and make some joyous music to help mid-wife the Sun’s birth. Remember, as Gary and I both say, “However you choose to do it is right for you. There is no right or wrong way.” So, go forth and celebrate the Longest Night and Return of the Light.

And don’t forget the Elementals… share some of those wassail and cookies with the Nature Spirits outdoors!

Wishing you a blessed Yule. Having you in our lives is what keeps the Light shining in our hearts. We hope the seeds you plant at Yule grow fields of blessings in the year to come.

Mitakuye Oyasin ( A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),
Gary & Debbie Gent

The Shaman, The Spirit Healer & the Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Talk about coincidences (and yes, I know there really aren't any)...On Friday, I was forwarded the video links and this announcement from Global Spirit and asked if I would post it. Then last night we happened to be in Grants Pass and had the honor of attending a screening of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers' movie "For the Next 7 Generations" (more on this next blog). Flordemayo, who is one of the speakers in this event is one of the 13 Grandmothers.

Syncronicity at play!

Hopefully you'll get the opportunity to tune in.

Until next time---

Mitakuye Oyasin (A
Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),

Debbie

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Global Spirit on Link TV Premieres New Show and Live Video Chat

The Shaman, The Spirit Healer & The Earth

Conversation with Flordemayo, a Mayan Spirit Healer and Angaangaq,an Eskimo-Kalaalit Shaman from Greenland

SAN FRANCISCO,CA – November 2, 2010 -- Global Spirit, a unique “internal travel series,” launches a new show and live video chat on Sunday, Nov. 14th at 6pm PST/ 9pm EST.

Join host Phil Cousineau as he engages in conversation and practice with Flordemayo, a Mayan spirit healer and one of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers and Angaangaq, an Eskimo-Kalaalit Shaman from Greenland. Meeting for the first time, these two indigenous guests share their ancient wisdom and knowledge about the human relationship to nature,as well as the profound sacredness of all life—including sacred healing practices from the world of spirits, animals and plants.

Join us for the premiere of -- The Shaman, The Spirit Healer & the EarthLive Video Chat to Directly Follow Première

Flordemayo,
a Mayan Spirit Healer and Angaangaq, an Eskimo-Kalaalit Shaman from Greenland

If you could talk directly to these great traditional healers, what wouldyou ask?

What should our true relationship to nature be?

How does healing occur within the world of spirits, animals and plants?

What is the land saying about our current climate conditions? What does she (the earth) need from us?

Please watch the shows online and participate in the live chat by adding your insight, experiences or asking a question at: www.linktv.org/globalspirit?

Details:

· The Shaman, The Spirit Healer & The Earth streaming online and on Satellite at 6pm PST/9pm EST at: www.linktv.org/globalspirit

· Live video chat with Angaangaq from Germany at 6:55-7:15 pm PST

· Live video chat with Flordemayo from New Mexico 7:15-7:35 pm PST
Check out these video clips:

About Global Spirit
Global Spirit is a unique “internal travel series,” bringing to light the various practices – spiritual,mental and physical – that help us define who we are as human beings and explore how this affects our relationships to our families, our communities, ourselves and the world at large. Global Spirit examines the relationships between mind and spirit, science and metaphysics, and mental and physical well-being as approached by the world’s ancient wisdom traditions and modern science. Through this series, we aim to foster a global spirit of acceptance and mutual understanding and encourage viewer’s “internal journey” towards personal and social transformation. http://www.globalspirit.tv/

Bios:

Flordemayo is a curandera espirtu, or traditional healer, who was born in Nicaragua and has Mayan ancestors. Flordemayo is a member of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers and co-founder of the Institute of Natural and Traditional Knowledge. She received the Martin de La Cruz Award for Alternative Healer, given by the International Congress of Traditional Medicine.

“Uncle” Angaangaq is an Eskimo-Kalaalit shaman, healer, and carrier of the Qilaut drum. He travels world-wide sharing teachings that are deeply rooted in the oral healing traditions of his people. He has also been a speaker at many international conferences on climate change, environmental and indigenous issues.

Phil Cousineau, the series host, is a writer, teacher, editor, independent scholar, travel leader, and storyteller. He lectures frequently on a wide range of topics—from mythology,film, and writing, to beauty, travel, sports, and creativity. He has more than 25 non-fiction books and 15 scriptwriting credits to his name.

Stephen Olsson, the series creator, is a filmmaker, television producer and spiritual seeker whose work has been screened in festivals and broadcast on national television networks throughout the world. He has won numerous national and international awards including the National Emmy Award for Outstanding Director, the Du-Pont Columbia Award for Excellence in broadcast journalism and the George Foster Peabody Award.

Link TV is available as basic service on DIRECTV channel 375 and DISH Network channel 9410, and on more than 50 urban cable systems, reaching a total of more than 47 million U.S. homes. For complete background information, program schedule and Internet streaming of Link TV’s original programs, music videos, documentary clips and artist interviews, visit www.linktv.org.

Lions and Tigers and Bears – Oh My ... Animal Guides

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:59:00 +0000

Okay, so I'm behind AGAIN... Can I say I've been busy harvesting and preserving the fruits of the summer's labor? Someone at the farmer's market yesterday was buying zucchini... I've been trying to GIVE them away! (Hey... maybe zucchini should be our Fall Harvest Give Away!) I have also been working on developing and acquiring some new product for our website at www.shamansmarketplace.com.

And, besides, you don't want to just hear me ramble. I'm sure you all have someone in your life who can fill that role if you need it. I'm not a rambler. Gary and I can ride in the car together for hours and hardley say a word. Just knowing we're together and sharing the time together is heavenly.

Those of you who have worked with Gary and I over the years have heard us constantly referring to “we” when talking about your journeys. It sounds like we’re pregnant or have a mouse in our pocket, right? Well, we’re definitely NOT pregnant, but could possibly have that mouse in our pocket. An animal guide mouse that is.

As shaman, we have a lot of help in the other world. We have helpers, guides and teachers that come in all shapes and forms—human, animal, spirit, energy and some that are indescribable. Some of these guides will be with us as our soul progresses, some are here for this earth walk, and others come and go as they are needed. We have some that help us specifically with shamanic journeys and others who assist us in our personal lives.

Sometimes during journeys we are instructed to retrieve a spirit guide for the individual we are journeying for and some of you have asked to have your guide brought in to help you. Although these guides generally appear in animal form, they may sometimes come in the form of angels, elementals, mythical beings, and faeries.

All societies believe animals have played and do play a special role in our spiritual and physical lives. From the Far East, to Native Americans, a sacred Cow from Hinduism and the Dove of Peace that plays a key role as a guide in Christian literature. People throughout the world believe animals are our spiritual teachers and guides.

When we bring an animal guide back for you as part of a journey, it’s not just a guide that we found hanging around with nothing to do and brought him/her home like a lost puppy. This guide has been waiting for you. We had ‘imaginary friends’ as children who were pretty amazing. We talked and played with them until the age that society told us that it was time to ‘grow up’. It was then that our friend and guide went away. Gary likes to say it’s like they’ve been waiting at the Starbucks in the Meadow all this time for you to come back. This guide has come back to teach you more about the intimate details of your personality, character traits and your spirit and spiritual gifts. It helps guide you along your spiritual path, offers answers to questions, and can even protect you on the spiritual as well as the physical plane. Guides are even helpful with the mundane, every day activities such as finding a parking place in a crowded parking lot, escorting your bags through airline chaos, getting you to the gas station ‘on fumes’ and protecting your gardens from interlopers.

Animal guides are usually a reflection of your deepest self and represent qualities which you need in this world, but which are hidden or to balance more outward characteristics. Just because you really like a certain animal, such as a lion, doesn’t necessarily mean that it will is you guide. Your guide chooses you. Sometimes people seem to be disappointed when they find that their guide isn’t that powerful lion, but is a small animal like a mouse. We tend to think that a mouse is not very powerful - that it is meek and afraid. We forget that spirits are not limited to physical reality and that size is irrelevant. Your guide may be a tiny mouse, like the one in our pockets, but in times of need this mouse can and will “grow” to fit the occasion. There is nothing weak or meek about a 50-foot tall mouse! I personally know a faerie that can be pretty big and scary!

Okay, you have a mouse in your pocket too. It’s been hanging out at Starbucks in the Meadow and you had no clue, so now what? The first thing we tell people when they get their guides is to ask this guide to protect you from ‘this moment forward in this and all lifetimes’. One of the major roles of the guides is to protect you, so why do you need to ask them to do it? Well, before a guide can come back, it has to agree to only do what you ask it to do. In other words, it can’t do anything on its own accord. This keeps you from acquiring some unwanted karma since you are responsible for all action the guide takes. So, you want to ask him/her to protect you, and doing it in one big general statement keeps you from forgetting and getting stuck in a not so nice situation. (Ask us how we know…)

With protection in place, it’s time to get down to developing a relationship with your guide. Like any relationship this takes communication, time and patience. Talk to your guide regularly, even if you don’t hear any replies. Eventually you will begin to understand your guide’s language. Now you may not hear it like you’re talking to Joe next door, but you may possibly ‘hear voices in your head’. (Do not rush to your nearest mental institution and have yourself committed, call us first. It’s probably just your friendly guide saying hello.) Most likely you will begin to sense the responses or see them by being shown something in nature. Sometimes your guides will speak to you during Dreamtime. Just remember, it takes time and patience.

Treat your guide like your best friend. Talk to him/her often and about anything and everything. We differ here than a lot of people who help others work with their guides. Some tend place the guides on a pedestal above us and put us in a position of subservience. We treat our guides with honor and respect, just like we would our best friend or partner. We also play and joke with them, but heed their wisdom, and love and honor them deeply. Remember to play with your guide. They aren’t all about work and wisdom. All work and no play makes for a pretty irritable guide.

Next, learn about the characteristics of your guide. Understanding the physical and behavioral characteristics of your guide can point out strengths or weaknesses in you on your physical, emotional or spiritual levels. The more you study and learn about your guide the easier it will be to call on its energy whenever you need it. There are many books and websites that talk about the physical and spiritual characteristics of animals and plants. One of our favorites happens to be Animal Speak—The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small by Ted Andrews.

The last thing to remember is to ask your guide things. He/She has a vast amount wisdom and knowledge to draw on. You may not always like your guide’s answers, but it’s always good advice whether you choose to follow it or not. Remember, you still have free will and your guide will be around to help you out of a mess if he/she needs to. Ask your guide to assist you with projects or to find those parking spots. You have to ask. Remember they guide has agreed to not take any action on its own. So, put him/her to work.

(Don’t know your guide? It can be retrieved for you though a journey, or Debbie is recording a guided meditation for retrieving your guide that will be available through our website at www.shamansmarketplace.com around October 15.)

We have our Fall Harvest Give Away going on now for a the guided journey CD - "Meeting Your Animal Spirit Guide" mentioned above. You can enter through the drawing tab on our Facebook page. In fact, if you send me an e-mail when you become a new fan, I'll even put an extra entry in the basket for you. How about that...an extra opportunity just for joining us on Facebook!
Here’s wishing you and your guide many pleasant journeys.

Until next time –

Mitakuye Oyasin ( A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),

Debbie

Book Review - Awakening to the Spirit World - The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:42:00 +0000

Not long before our move, we were asked by the wonderful folks at Sounds True to review Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman’s new book, AWAKENING TO THE SPIRIT WORLD:The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation. Ingerman and Wesselman have are joined by Tom Cowan, Carol Proudfoot-Edgar, Jose Luis Stevens, and Alberto Villoldo in this book. I’m always interested in hearing what other practitioners have to say about shamanic practice.

The book arrived just in time to find its way into a packing box headed for Oregon. Once the book found its way out of the packing paper, I began reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have read several books recently purporting to be introductory books on shamanism that left me wondering who their audience was. They were dry, clinical and confusing. Awakening to the Spirit World is an enjoyable and easy read. It’s a great book for those new to the shamanic path, but it is not a “how to book”.

Reading the first three chapters, “What Is Shamanism?”, “The Shamanic Journey” and “Reconnecting with Nature”, I had to pinch myself because the information sounded like Gary and I talking about shamanism. Chapter 1 starts out saying “Shamanism is the most ancient spiritual practice known to humankind. As a method, it is a form of meditation combined with a focused intention. As a spiritual practice, shamanism can become a way of life that may utterly transform the one who practices it.” Gary and I have always explained shamanism as “not just a series of practices, but a way of life, living in connection with Spirit”.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the section on the shaman’s toolbox – gratitude, seeing and blessing. Here is the excerpt from AWAKENING TO THE SPIRIT WORLD: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation by Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman Published by Sounds True (Reprinted with Permission)

"Three Tools of the Shaman"
by Sandra Ingerman and Hank Wesselman

~ Gratitude ~

The first shamanic tool in your toolbox is gratitude, an attitude and an orientation designed to open the heart. Gratitude is a high-level amplitude that is designed to open portals, windows, and doorways into the spirit world.

Shamanically speaking, in everyday reality (what a shaman considers a consensus dream), Spirit is not apparent to the naked eye. In fact this ordinary world of stone, flesh, and fiber is often quite depressing because it involves frustration, pain, and frightening circumstances and events. The pleasures are more often than not offset by the everyday survival and the constant mind chatter that is enough to drive even the most stable person crazy.

Yet a shaman knows that just behind the movie set that makes up the world, Spirit lies camouflaged, bursting with light and freedom, waiting to be recognized and resourced. Spirit has cleverly arranged portals in strategic places that if opened, lead directly past the everyday outer world into the power of the inner reality where all answers lie and where all problems are revealed to be the illusions that they are.

These portals are literally everywhere, but there are primary ones that are so close to us that they are practically impossible to miss. The one most accessible is the heart, which lies smack in the middle of your chest just below your chin, and it is so accessible that you can easily reach your heart with your hands. When you speak it vibrates, and when you breathe it is massaged all around. It is hard to comprehend how you would miss it, yet we do ignore it every day unless we should have the misfortune of a heart attack.

Shamans "see" through their hearts. Shamanic tribes like the Maori of New Zealand believe that the physical world we experience is actually a projection coming from each individual heart. The Mayans and the Q'ero tribe in the Peruvian Andes have their own versions of this basic understanding. Their shamans know that self-importance, created by the ego, is dedicated to keeping the powerful heart portal closed off enough to prevent Spirit from shining through.

The ego accomplishes this by shutting down the heart to the point where the portal remains closed to the spirit world. The portals pop open only when a certain amplitude is reached, so keeping it below a certain level prevents opening. What keeps amplitude low are all the familiar maladies: fear, hostility, self-importance, depression, self-doubt, cynicism, and frustration. Because of these, most people's hearts are shut down most of the time, which feels bad in the chest and cuts off the main avenue of escape from pain and suffering -- an open heart.

Gratitude counters these ploys by the parasitical false personality and raises the amplitude high enough to begin the heart-opening process.

~ Seeing ~

The second great shamanic tool in your toolbox is seeing. For a shaman, "to see" is to cut through the veils of ignorance, the false appearance of the world, in order to see clearly into the true nature of Spirit as it manifests through all of reality. In other traditions, it is known as forgiveness or compassion. Seeing is the post powerful method of releasing blame, guilt, and shame.

Seeing ends the war within us just as it resolves conflicts with externals and paves the way for our cooperation and extension. The false personality tries to convince you that forgiving or having compassion is a weakness, that you are setting yourself up to be taken advantage of again. It also tries to get you to believe that you and the others have no value and therefore deserve ill treatment or self-loathing. Seeing makes these terrible perceptions impossible. Seeing the truth provides relief from the terrible stress or guilt, and this results in shifting our energy in a way that allows us to open the heart and other portals to the world of spirit.

When shamans speak of "seeing," they are actually talking about clearing away the projections and distorted thoughts of the conscious mind onto the world at large and all its forms.

Shamans and visionaries know that these projections are blinding and the source of endless misunderstandings and assumptions based on fear of the unknown.

Seeing means that we are perceiving the truth, and therefore there is no room for hostility, blame, fear, or set decrees. How does this take place? When we really see in the shamanic or visionary way, we know that we are Spirit and that we have simply become confused and are lost in appearances for awhile. The false personality is only a delusional construct created by the egoic self; in dealing with the world, it tends to create lies in which we and others take refuge.

Shamans say that when people learn to see they are able to access almost limitless power because they realize they are intimately connected to the vast web of life. For the shaman, seeing into the true nature of reality and the self is a great power; it is a required skill for self-realization and ultimately enlightenment.

~ Blessing ~

Now we come to the third great power tool in that shamanic toolbox that everyone has from birth -- the ability to bless.

In general, people do not know their function as human beings, and it never occurs to them that their job is actually to bless the world. Many people have been taught to bless their food; they consider a blessing to be a few words mumbled over a meal that lacks heart and meaning. This is hardly what shamans mean by blessing.

Blessing is the act of recognizing that Spirit is coming through what we are witnessing or experiencing. It is recognizing and acknowledging the grand flow of Beingness that is present as what we eat or what we see as the landscape, through our bodies, through each moment of now and gives it indescribable vitality and life force. Yet the physical plane appears to most as a camouflage universe where Spirit does not appear to exist.

Shamanically speaking, many of us respond to the physical world by assuming a deep hypnosis, a deep sleep where we no longer recognize that Spirit is present. Not only do we go to sleep, but large parts of the world may temporarily go to sleep as well. So it is our job to wake up and to awaken all that is around us. This act of waking up could be called "blessing the world."

Many of us have been taught to believe that only people who have gone to seminary or special training programs to become ministers, rabbis, priests, imams, or shamans have the right to bless. We invite the ordained individuals to come before us and bless ceremonies, fields, businesses, projects, meetings, and banquets, and we bow our heads while they talk to Spirit for us.

This is not a bad practice, but it is extraordinarily limiting. Many of those we invite to do the blessing for us are the most asleep of all, revealing that no one can do the work of blessing for us. Each human comes with that capacity, with that ability, and with the responsibility to bless.

So what happens when we bless, and how do we go about blessing in an effective way?

To bless means that you become conscious that you are alive and that Spirit is flowing through you. This realization allows you to see that Spirit is flowing all around and that what is coming through you is coming through everything and that it is all the same. When you see or feel this you merely say something like, "I am Spirit. Let us awake. Let us awake Spirit in everything I see."

While saying this you can look around and bless with your hands and arms outstretched, waking everything up to the incredible power of Spirit that flows through everything with great passion and peace. In response, everything receives a boost, everything celebrates, everything is grateful, and everything forgives its slumber. There are few practices as powerful as this awakening. If you want to add a little something else to your blessing, you may bestow upon everything that you are experiencing or witnessing the gift of well-being from the bottom of your heart.

You might say, "I give you great happiness and love. May all who come here or pass this way be blessed with joy, abundance, and wellness." What you give is what you get, so make sure you give the best you can imagine.

Blessing is incomprehensibly powerful and is perhaps the greatest tool of all because it is the pathway back to Spirit. Yet it is hard to bless if you have no gratitude and you have not seen the need to forgive. These three tools work together as a powerhouse trio. They are all important characteristics of the physical universe: Truth, Love, and Energy -- or Yachay, Munay, and Llankay, the three Andean shamanic principles of living. Each tool works with all three components. Gratitude recognizes truth, transmits love, and enhances energy. Seeing tells the truth, radiates love, and release phenomenal energy.

Always remember that you have shamanic tools resting in your toolbox. They require deliberate use to become effective. These three tools, when used regularly, are all that is needed to become liberated and self-realized and to gain mastery over life. Why wait?

~ Exercise: For Blessing ~

First thing in the morning, go outside and practice blessing the sky, the Earth, the trees, or whatever elements are most visible. Then go on to bless your family, your colleagues, your students, your teachers, and all of their communities as well. Bless all their relations and on and on until everything and everyone has been included. Bless Spirit and don't forget to bless yourself. Now experience how you feel. Do you feel more expansive, more powerful, more happy, more on the right path? This is the true shamanic way -- and the way of the visionary.

The information in the book was clear and gives the reader a deeper understanding of the shamanic way of life with exercises that invite the reader to join in and experience shamanism. As an added bonus there is a shamanic drumming CD included.

Even after almost twenty years of walking the shamanic path, I found myself drawn into the chapters on dreams, creative art and working with sound and light. I was also drawn deep into the chapters on death and dying. Reading one night, I even had a soul piece return that was holding me back from fully embracing my role as a “death walker”. Although I have done a good piece of psycho pomp work, I knew there was a block holding me back and my reading that evening awoke the soul piece that needed returning. What an unexpected outcome!

I would definitely recommend this book for you if you are interested in shamanism and how to apply in your daily life. It’s a great introductory book, and as you can see, it can be of benefit to a more experienced practitioner.

Until next time – Happy Reading

Mitakuye Oyasin ( A Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related),

Debbie

Greeting from our new Oregon location!

noreply@blogger.com (Shamanic Connection) — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:50:00 +0000

WE HAVE ARRIVED IN OREGON!!!

May 1 was moving day. We picked up this 26' Uhaul truck and a trailer for Gary's motorcycle mistress and began packing. Our daughter, Kimberly, arrived early along with Gary's sister, Eileen along with her "Dollie. Then our shamanic family, Keith, Jennifer and Deb showed up. Kimberly called some of her big buff guy friends to help us coercer the hot tub into the Uhaul, and then we really got down to it. Lots of others showed up during the day to lend a hand and say goodbye.

For a while it looked like things were going okay and we'd have plenty of room, until we started packing in the furniture. Now mind you, we don't have much as we live pretty simply, but next thing we knew the truck was full and there were still pieces of furniture and boxes on the lawn! We had even gone to Ikea and bought new desks to assemble and left them in the boxes so they wouldn't take up so much room. We loaded up my truck like the Beverly Hillbillies and donated the brand new cat pole and storage cabinet to Kimberly and her cat as well as leaving some additional things behind for Brian, our son, to move into his apartment. Plus our tenants got to keep our lawn mover (which probably wouldn't have worked here, we're on 1.5 acres and it was electric!) By the time we were done, we were too pooped to pop. We headed to the hotel for a shower and then Kimberly's for our last family dinner for a while. After that, we had to go back and collect our cats who were enjoying the yard one last time and stuffed them in their crates to head north.

Sunday morning bright and early, we hopped in the trucks and headed northwest. We were a good 22 hours on the road over 2 days. We arrived in Medford early Monday evening, got a good meal and a good night's sleep before we began the unpacking process. Gary had the forethought to hire a couple of young men here to help us unload. That was the best investment we made! They had the truck all unloaded, including the hot tub, in about 2 hours! Mother Nature even cooperated with us and gave us lovely days for both packing and unpacking.

We are currently renting a house in Central Point, which is just a few miles north of Medford. We are renting about 1.5 acre of a larger parcel. Our new home is a large double wide mobile home, with plenty of room for our offices. We have a big barn/shop and a greenhouse in the back, and lots of garden space. Debbie is really looking forward playing in the garden once we get settled. There was even a pad right by the back door waiting for our hot tub!

We now have our offices unpacked, computers hooked up, and internet and phones connected. So, we are back in business again after a short break (notice we didn't say "vacation"). For Gary it's business as usual. For Debbie, she is now moving into a full time shamanic practice as well as maintaining our websites (and developing a new one - not quite ready yet).

The only thing that has changed for us is our physical address. All our contact information stays the same. Yes, even our phone numbers, thanks to Vonage. So, no need to change how you contact us. We kept it easy for you (and us... now we don't have to remember new numbers when we have "senior moments").

So, keep in touch. We will begin regluar posts again.
Thanks to all who sent their thoughts, prayers and hard working hands to support our move. This is the first step toward building our retreat.

Mitakuye Oyasin, (a Lakota prayer as a reminder that we are all related)

Gary & Debbie