We ask and we get more than we desire...

Sometimes we get more than we desire. Sometimes our desires are not what we really need. Yesterday I saw a horse skin shamans drum for sale. This drum has been made with the with the most care and  respect for the horse that provided the skin. This drum spoke to me deeply. I wanted it so bad but could not afford it. The seller suggested I ask horse spirit for abundance to help me buy this drum. So off on a a wee journey I went. My spirit guides introduced me to a new guide. A 3 headed horse. Didn't that fellow show me an amazing ride and time. He has now joined the band of spirit guides I love and call friends.

The seller of the drum has just contacted me to say the drum has been sold. I know that this drum has gone to the right person at the right time. I also know that Spirit has rewarded me way more than I could ever have imagined with my new spirit guide.

Game Changer?

This article was taken from http://shamanscircle.com/archives/2271

 The word from a friend in the UK is that the entrenched wet weather pattern finally shifted to the longed for and prayed for drier, sunny weather conditions – and just in time. People are elated and hopeful that the opening Olympic Games ceremonies and the next few weeks of games in London will carry on without the constant need for umbrellas.

Meanwhile on this side of the ocean the Midwest continues to profoundly suffer from extreme heat and drought – with no hoped for, longed for, and prayed for game-changer in the offing. Last night and today, however, there is a strong front of extra-large Thunderbeings stomping around and handing out deluges here and there.

To borrow from the wisdom of people in another part of the world, the Australian Aborigines, original humans of their realm, with a residency of at least 40,000 years – and who are no strangers to drought conditions:

These are a people who have deeply rooted spiritual relationships with their homeland, and an understanding of its workings that challenge our consensual view of the world. Much like the traditional peoples of the Americas, Europe, Siberia, Asia, Africa…  These indigenous Australians recognize the existence of the “subtle worlds” (see David Spangler’s book The Subtle Worlds, www.lorian.org) and the non-human beings that essentially share the planet with us – many of whom are responsible for the co-creation of the Earth and its continued viability.

One of the primary spiritual beings is the Rainbow Serpent – a powerful serpentine spirit and cultural creator deity of the sacred Dreamtime and who, along with his “lesser regional manifestations” is in charge of the balance of water and weather for the country. For thousands of years this great being has been an integral part of Australian rain-making rites.

Interestingly, Rainbow Serpents appear in the cosmologies of original peoples of the Southeast and Southwest regions of our country as well.

In China, where the serpentine spirit shows up as Dragon, there are Water Dragons who are associated with waters and weathers.  And both the Water Dragons and Rainbow Serpents are capable of unleashing storms, droughts, and general havoc when “interfered” with or crossed. (info from essay, Rain Magic by Alanna Moore, 2004 – see www.geomantica.com)

Can we suppose this means that when we humans mistreat the land –  and waters of the land – we provoke the ire of those Nature spirits who also live there? Traditional knowledge warns us that all of these beings require proper and caring treatment of those realms where we all live. In other words we humans and our wants are but a part of the whole story.

There’s a worthy baseball metaphor out there reminding us that “Nature bats last.”

Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr writes in a paper entitled “Dadirri” that,

“Many Australians understand that Aboriginal people have a special respect for Nature. The identity we have with the land is sacred and unique… All persons matter. All of us belong…

What I want to talk about is another special quality of my people. I believe it is the most important.  It is our most unique gift. It is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to our fellow Australians. In our language this quality is called Dadirri.

It is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for.  It is something like what you call ‘contemplation.’

… A big part of dadirri is listening… The contemplative way of dadirri spreads over our whole life. It renews us and brings us peace. It makes us feel whole again…

In our Aboriginal way, we learn to listen from our earliest days. We could not live good and useful lives unless we listened. This was the normal way for us to learn – not by asking questions. We learnt by watching and listening, waiting and then acting. Our people have passed on this way of listening for over 40,000 years…

Quiet listening and stillness – dadirri – renews us and makes us whole.  There is no need to reflect too much and to do a lot of thinking. It is just being aware…

Our Aboriginal culture has taught us to be still and to wait. We do not try to hurry things up. We let them follow their natural course – like the seasons. We watch the moon in each of its phases.

We wait for the rain to fill our rivers and water the thirsty earth…”

What would happen, could happen – to us, to our lives and doings in the world, to our realms – if we practiced this ancient wisdom?

____________________________

Perhaps the real game-changer that we seek in our struggles with drought is already here – and staring us in the face – the drought itself.

What is this Game-Changer-Drought calling for? The Dust Bowl era was unforgettable in its severity and transformation of lands and people’s lives – displacing and impoverishing many families as well as stripping vast areas in the Great Plains of their formerly rich soils. The dust storms of that time were legendary.

We did learn from this horrific experience. We learned to not take the bounty of the land and the weather for granted, we learned more about wasteful farming practices – but did we remember what we learned?

Perhaps like the Aboriginal way of contemplation we can quiet ourselves – as best we can – putting our concerns, worries, even issues of financial survival aside – at least momentarily – and wait, get quiet, listen to whatever there is to hear, to understand about this time. (Even the act of writing this brings up the urge to squirm with fearful thoughts…!)

(Gratitude to Kim and Shaun Leyland, Foundation for Shamanic Studies Faculty in Australia for sharing their research)

________________________

Keeping Quiet (Pablo Neruda)

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth

Let’s not speak in any language.

Let’s stop for a second

and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment, without rush, without engines;

we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.

Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm the whales.

and the man gathering salt would look at his hurt hands.

Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, with fire,

victories with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their brothers and sisters in the shade,

doing nothing.

What I want should not be confused with total inactivity:

Life is what it is about.

If we were not so single minded about keeping our lives moving,

and for once could do nothing,

Perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves

and of threatening ourselves with death.

Perhaps the earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead in winter,

and later proves to be alive.

Now I’ll count up to twelve

and you keep quite

and I’ll go.

Friendly Winds at your Back!

Plant Spirit Medicine...

Plant Spirit Medicine is a practice that begins with ritual, cleansing and prayer. It then shifts to a Shamanic Journey into non-ordinary reality seeking the Spirit of a particular plant.

Before embarking upon the Shamanic Journey, always in a natural setting, considerable time is spent building intimacy with a particular plant using a process of careful observation, of human awareness and of asking questions.

The plant is looked at closely. Where does it choose to grow? What is the neighborhood like? Is it alone or with family? Who are its friends? How does it come out of the earth? Does it look tall? Is it bushy? What is the shape of the leaf? How does it reflect the light? Where do the shadows fall? What else is there to notice about the plant?
Listening is very important. What kind of sounds do the branches and leaves make? Do the flowers sing? Is there a hum? Does the wind orchestrate the plant's vibrations? What can be heard when walking by? While sitting down to listen closely? Being still and paying attention are most helpful.

The sense of smell taps deeply into humankind's ancestral wisdom. Does the plant have a scent? Is it musky, dark, nocturnal? An essence of sweetness and light? Fragrance that comes in waves? Steady and smooth? Does the smell bring up a memory?

How does the plant taste? Is it juicy? Is it dry? Is it sour or sweet, bitter or salty? Does it have a pungent flavor? What happens to the tongue and the throat? Is it easy to swallow? Is it best not to?

What happens when the plant is touched? How does the plant respond? What physical sensations does it transmit? How does the plant feel between the hands? Against the face? By the lips? Under the feet? Next to the heart? Is it hot and warm or cold and cool? What direction does its energy come from? Is it East or West? North or South? Does the plant connect most with the sky or the earth? The moon or the sun? Does it feel soothing to touch? Does it repel?

Following this careful preparation the Shamanic Journey to Plant Spirit begins. The intention is set. "I want to meet with the Spirit of ... " "What is her gift?"

The journey is carefully attended, all details are recalled and documented. The knowledge disclosed by the Plant Spirit is greeted with respect and kept in strict confidence. It is to be used only for the highest good.

The information gained from the Shamanic Journey and the Plant Spirit found on that journey can be invoked again and again. Plant Spirits can be asked to give exactly what is needed.

Taken from http://www.lunafina.com/psm.html

~*~*~ Made to Heal ~*~*~

My spiritual roaming is leading me into making things that bring healing. Firstly I have an intrest in the ways of the Medicine Wheel. So what better way to get to know the healing power of this very old symbol than to make my own.

Made from Willow. :) Feathers are from Pee Wee, Rosella and maybe Kookaburra.

The Medicine Wheel I made for the door to my Healing Room. This has the 4 elements represented. Black Obsidian arrow head for North (Earth). White feather for East (Wind), South is Sage (Fire) and West is a shell (Water). Quartz in the Centre. Wheel is made from Morning Glory weed. I think this is a great way to recycle this weed that is killing our native bush off.

Made from Morning Glory weed, twine and some drift wood I found at Minni Waters. Feathers are Pee Wee and Bush Turkey. All found on the ground around where I live.

As Above so Below Medicine Wheel, The symbol engraved in the middle is one I use when doing Energy Healing. Wheel made from Willow. Wood with symbol is drift wood I found on the beach at Diggers Camp. North NSW Australia.

Cho Ku Rei Medicine Wheel. Art work by Jan Jury my partner. 4 crystals for the four directions. The wheel is made from Morning Glory weed thats has twisted around itself. The energy from this one as I was making it was very strong.

I have been making my own Pendulums for awhile now. I use them to remove bad energy and replace with good energy during a healing session. You can also use them to find things you may have lost.

I have found with Shamanic Journeying that I have 3 Spirit Guide helpers. An Owl, a Tree and a Red Wolf. Of late the Red Wolf has been crossing realms and appearing around our home. The Tree has been a great healer to me in my journeys. The Owl is the Spiritual Guide in my life. The Tree my Healer and the Red Wolf my Warrior and Protector. So to honour them I did the folowing rock paintings.

Till next Roaming Love and Light to you all.

Worker with Spirits....

Tibetan Singing Bowl CD is playing in the background. The vibration from this is bringing my energy into synch with it. I am flat on my back on a massage table at a Reiki share. My Reiki Teacher/Master and a Level 1 Reiki pupil are doing Reiki on me.

I use some Breathing relaxation to take me further down the path of relaxation. Breath in, hold count to 4. Breath out , hold, count to 4. I use this anywhere when I want to relax. I find it works very well.

As I go deeper into myself I start to Journey. Journey like I have never done before. I can “ride the drum” as it said about Journeying when there is a drum beat taking you there. Of late I have found that I can do this with some Breath work.

Here I am standing in the middle of an immense forest. Tall, straight trees crowd me in. They tower over me. I find I am naked and I am dancing. All of a sudden there is a Shaman's drum in my hand and I am beating it with a drum stick. I am dancing around in circles to the beat of this drum. Next to me appear shapes. Shapes that look like people. They seem to be dressed in Shaman's robes. I have no idea how many are dancing with me. The trees too have started to dance with me.

I see myself from slightly above. I too am now cloaked in a Shaman's robe. It is made out of long strips of tree bark. Upon my head is a hat made from living tree branches. I am stilling dancing to the drum. Spinning and spinning.

Then bang. I am walking down a tunnel. A tunnel of fire. I feel no heat. No fear. Just amazement as the tongues of flame wrap themselves around me. Now I feel something. Something so wonderful. Something so joyous. I feel love. Unconditional love coming from the flames.

Wham, I am transported up into the air. The fiery tunnel is no more. I am floating in the bluest of skies. I feel as if I do not weigh anything. An enormous cloud appears. Formed in the cloud is a face of a very wise old man. A happy face it is too. The cloud wraps itself around me. Again I feel loved.

I am plummeting downwards. Yet there is no wind roar. No sound at all. As I am falling I start to realise that these could be the four elements. Air, fire, earth and water.

I land in the ground. My body has embedded itself into the moist earth. I see myself from above and I am melding into the ground. To the point that it is hard to see my features. This time I can feel the earth against my skin. I feel that love again.

Water. I am now underwater. Crystal clear water. In the reality that you are reading this from, I am not a very good swimmer. Yet I have no fear of drowning. Again all I feel is love.

Back in the forest. So many smiling happy faces greet me. The party has been going on still while I have been away. All the Shamans and trees are so happy to see me back. Out of the crowd my Owl Animal Guide steps into view. We greet each other. I ask where has he been. Over the last few healing treatments I have given to my clients, he has not been present. He laughs and says he has always been with me. I have just not seen him. He tells me that I have a new name now. A Spiritual name. One that I am not to tell anyone. One that is only used when I Journey. He also tells me I have been initiated into the ways of the spirits. I have become one with them.

A big cheer goes up from those who are gathered in the forest. The overwhelming feeling of love that is given off to me is breathtaking to say the least.

The chiming of Tibetan bells calls me back. I slide back to the realm of me laying on the massage table. My time on the table has come to an end.

Up from the table I see the smiling faces of all who have been doing Reiki and those that have received this healing energy. Yet I still feel so present with all back in that forest. A feeling of exhilaration sweeps over me. My life purpose has been confirmed to me.

I ask my Reiki Teacher/Master if she saw anything. She smiles and says yes she did. So I explain what has happened. It turns out just as I entered the forest she was putting Reiki energy into my heart and third eye chakras. She was so drawn to connect my heart and third eye/mind as she felt they were not connected at this point in time. I explained to her that I had been doing a lot of work on myself to allow me to let go old belief patterns that seem to be holding me back. At times strangling me. Her fingers hovering over my third felt like they were being pulled in by a magnet. At the same time the word Shaman came into her mind. She was being told that this is what I am.

I know that in some circles it is not recommended that we boast about being a Shaman. That we never call ourselves a Shaman. Yet I can not deny what has happened to me and what my Teacher/ Master thought I was.

The above happened to me on Saturday 7/5/2011.

Pecking Order.

In the background Uluru looms over us. This sacred ancient rock stands out in all of its glorious redness. It is night. My owl animal guide has bought myself and my client here for healing. I have been giving this client Reiki treatments for some time now. This treatment I have added Shamanic Journeying. I know the Reiki is doing its work but let’s see what the spirit guides can do too.

She has been coming to me for treatment for a swollen uterus and fibrous growths in her uterus. Her doctor had told her she needs to have her uterus removed. She did not want this to happen and had asked if Reiki could help. I could not make any guarantees as to the outcome. So she had nothing to lose.

My owl has my client grasped in his claws. She is being held every so gently in those powerful claws. She is sound asleep. I am holding onto the end of one wing. We glide through the night sky. The vista that is before me is breath taking. I love the other worlds. Ahead I see the giant red rock looming out of the red soil. We are going to one of the most sacred places. Uluru. We dive earthwards. A small camp like fire is burning away as we touchdown. Standing in the light of the fire is an old man, he is waiting for us. His white beard and full head of hair stand out in stark contrast to the night sky. This is my tree spirit guide in human form. He takes my client from my owl guide and lays her on the ground next to the small fire. He starts to dance around her chanting.

Out of the gloom several Emus approach. They bend down and start to peck at my client’s abdomen. There is nothing on her for them to peck at. That when I realise they are healing her. In flies a crow. He has a small shaman drum with him and starts to beat the drum. The Old Man and the Emus are now dancing around the sleeping form of my client to the beat of the drum. The rhythm of their dance and the crows drumming has me joining in the dance. I am overcome with a feeling of elation. The red dirt beneath our feet feels ever so warm.

The Old Man calls a halt to the dance. He says we are finished and to leave now. I bow in thanks to him, the Emus and the Crow. My owl gathers up the still sleeping client. Off into the air we fly. All too soon we are back at the entrance to this otherworld. My client is awake now. We both thank my Owl and travel back up via my tree entry point.

I have spent about ½ hour doing Reiki on her abdomen while journeying. I finish off the Reiki treatment and explain what has just happened. We are both amazed by the whole event. I love journeying. You never know what is going to happen, where you will go or who you will meet. Yet all if this is done for our higher good.

Several months later my client gets the all clear from her doctor that the Uterus has gone back to its normal size. The fibrous growths are less. No operation is needed.

This was the first time I have mixed Reiki with Shamanic Journeying. It sure wont the be last. The thing that stands out from this for me was the fact that during the journey I did not do any healing. It was all done by the spirits.

Thank you to Ian Coate for allowing me to use his image in this blog past. To see more of his wonderful art work please see http://www.iancoate.com/index.html

Tree Spirit Prayer by Hanoochi...

"Great Spirit, Mountain Ancestors, All My Relations, Blessings be here today as I come before you Honored One.
You have seen many sunrises and sunsets upon your branches,Your sacred roots have been quenched by life giving rains.
Honored Tree Spirit, I give thanks to you,
...for the singing birds that you shelter
...for the music you sing in the breeze
...for listening to the voices of the creatures
...for echoing the ancestors strength
Respected One, I ask your permission and humbly request your presence for my guided purpose as Great Spirit directs.
All things belong to you, Creator, all things are sacred.
So this day I honor you Tree Spirit and humbly Thank You."

Mitakuye Oyasin

I'm thankin in the rain....

Gene Kelly sang "I'm singin in the rain...." as he danced with joy in a down pour in the movie "Singin in the rain". If you believe as I do that everything on this planet is related then we should give thanks to the weather beings for the rain. We should be singing "Thankin in the Rain". We should show them the respect they deserve for the life giving water they give us. I know at present parts of down under here are under water. People have lost everything they own. Yet I can't but thank the weather for what it gives to us.

Today as we took the dogs on their morning walk we watched the dark rain heavy clouds roll towards us. Then came the rain. As the cold rain water washed over me I gave thanks to the rain for washing me. For washing my aura. Straight away I felt energy surging throughout my whole body. Felt it go out to the edge of my aura then out in every direction away from me. Felt my aura being cleansed. A great feeling of elation sweep over me for giving thanks to the spirit of rain for what it had just done for me.

We so need to be in tune with all that is around us. All that cares for us. We need to be more thankful.

Spirit of the Plants....

From another planet? They live we us all the time.....

Tibouchina spirit.

Everything has a spirit. I mean everything. We humans do, animals do, the wind does, the air does, the water does and so too plants. I have had a thing for trees for as long as I can remember.

I hate it when they are chopped down. So much so that I can feel their pain. The next road over from where we live is being widened. We live in an area with many trees. To widen this road they had to cut down so many trees. The day after the trees got the chop we drove past and I could feel the fear coming from the remaining trees. They did not know if they would be next.

This got me thinking more deeply about the spirit world of trees and plants. I read a great book on this by Pam Montgomery, "Plant Spirit Healing." Please visit her website http://partnereartheducationcenter.com/index.html The book explains how the plant and tree spirits can help us on so many levels.

In this book she features photos of the tree and plant spirits. A tree or a plant is photographed. This image is then edited in a graphics program. I use Paintshop Pro. The image is mirrored and the two mirror images are mated up. When this is done you see amazing results. You see the spirits of the tree or plants. Below are some that I have taken and then edited. Some are so alien to our human mind. Some look like animals. Some have more than one spirit. Keep an open mind as you look at the below images and see what else you can see in them. You will be pleasantly surprised. Click on the images so see them full size.

Turpentine gum spirit.

1000year old tree spirit in Vietnam.

Banksia tree spirit.

Blue gum spirit.

Blue Gum spirit.

Spotted gum spirit.

Turpentine gum spirits.

Grevillea & fungus spirit.

Ornamental grape spirit.

I hope that these images have helped you to see this other realm, a spiritual one, that some many people refuse to acknowledge.