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Blog Changes & A Healing Stone Ceremony

Wow, I can't believe almost six weeks has gone by since I posted last. Where has the time gone?

Well, part of the time has gone into the face lift for the blog. We are migrating the blog to a different format. We now integrate with the website! It wasn't a huge project except that last night, when everything was working beautifully, I moved it from the working file and BOOM, it all disappeared! And I mean disappeared! I had to start from scratch :-( Fortunately, it wasn't such a project the second time around.

So, those of you who are seeing us here at Blogger, can now see us at our new home at http://www.shamansblog.shamicconnection.com. You can also join our RSS feed of the blog simply by clicking the icon in the right column. If you want to continue to enjoy our musings, please see us at the new site as I will be closing this one down in the future and will no longer be posting here.

Besides the new look, you can now post comments on the blogs. HA! Now I'll know if you're reading or I'm talking (blogging) to myself :-) Late summer at The Grove brings a flurry of activity with harvest and preserving the winter stores. Even though I didn't get my garden in this year, we have wonderful farms and markets here to purchase my goodies from the local farmers. My cupboards are filling with pickles, corn, tomatoes, relish, peaches, tuna from the coast and more. Needless to say we don't go hungry around here! And, we get to eat mostly local all year round.

I had a different blog planned for today, but I received the September newsletter from Healing Drummer and it contained a great healing stone ceremony. Toby said I could share it with you, so here it is, courtesy of Toby Christensen via www.healingdrummer.com. Enjoy and subscribe to his great newsletter.

The month of September correlates to the element of mineral. As we go in and look deep, it is time to weed out the old stories that are preventing us from stepping in to our purpose in life. Once again, a stone ritual would be very appropriate for this time of year.

Find a stone that fits easily into one hand. Take some time to think about the things in your life that no longer serve you. It may be behaviors, attitudes, ways of thought that create division . . . whatever they may be, speak them into the stone. As you speak them, remember that the stone is working like an external hard drive transferring the energy that is not helpful for you into the stone. The stone can hold it; the stone can hold anything, without harm.

As you speak your stories, attitudes, blockages, and "not helpful" things into the stone release them from your body, and know that you never have to repeat them again. Allow the energy of disharmony to transfer from your body into the stone.

When you feel it is complete, bury the stone in the earth and thank it for holding this energy you no longer need.

Just a side note for our "urban shaman" friends, you can bury the stone in a flower pot or bucket of dirt. Placing the stone in the earth is a way of cleansing it and Mother Earth transmutes the energy through the dirt. Also, I recommend that you leave the stone buried for at least a "moon cycle" of 28 days before removing it from your potting soil. Remember my dear friends, it's all about the intention. So, city dwellers unite and bury your stones in potting soil. The important part is releasing those stories, attitudes and other things that are no longer in your best interest.  

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

Healing Power of Drumming – An Ah-ha Moment

 

Recently I was talking with a colleague in New Jersey and we were discussing her excitement over drumming for an upcoming shamanic journey at an assisted care facility. As with many conversations, this one led us on a trail of discussing the healing power of the drum.

Through many years of drumming and hosting circles, Gary and I have been witness to the not only the calming and stress relief benefits of drumming, but the power that the vibrations have to shift the energy body to release pain and to heal deep physical and emotional disorders. Studies have shown that drumming stimulates the immune system and promotes the production of endorphins and the body’s own morphine-like painkillers helping to control pain.

The reason rhythm is such a powerful tool is that it permeates the entire brain. The sound of drumming generates neuronal connections in all parts of the brain, even if there is significant damage or impairment such as with stroke and Parkinson’s patients, and with Alzheimer’s and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). 

My colleague then told me of an article she had read many years back.(I tried to find it, but it must be lost in cyberspace somewhere.) It was about a care facility that held weekly drum circles for its residents. Also in this care facility was a man who had been in a coma for some time. One day, he got out of bed and walked out into the middle of the drum circle. The drumming had helped him out of his comatose state!

From my experience working with coma and Alzheimer’s patients, I have frequently found them in The Otherworld. Sometimes they were lost in their own past or simply wandering aimlessly and others simply stuck and not knowing how to return.

Then came my “Ah-Ha moment”… Of course! We use drumming for shamanic journeys to help us access the altered state of consciousness. But, in doing so, we also use it as what I call “the trail of breadcrumbs” to follow and return home when our journey is complete. So, medical studies aside, this simply made sense. The drumming that the patient had been hearing week in and week out had reached him in The Otherworld and he was then able to find and follow the “trail of breadcrumbs” home.

This awareness opened up a new path of treatment for my colleague as she routinely works with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients in her healing practice. If you are working with clients with focus difficulties, adding drumming, whether through a drumming circle or simply playing a drumming CD during a client’s healing session may be helpful to strengthen their awareness and focus. 

Until next time -
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),

Debbie

Reconnecting With Nature's Widsom

It's been a busy few months here, getting settled and beginning projects that need to be done before winter and the rains come.

We have added to our "Barnyard Goddess" family. The last three baby chicks wouldn't let me pass them by at the farm bureau. Our current ladies are in "henopause" and have either quit or are laying occasionally. So, if we wanted fresh eggs, we needed to increase the flock. But they grew too fast and required a new half-way house until they were ready to integrate with the current Goddesses. This project had to take presidence.

In our time spending with the land, we have been given a name to call our place. So, when you hear us speak of Shaman's Grove, it is the property. We haven't changed our business name. We're still Shamanic Connection. 

Returning to life in the forest has really reawakened Nature’s call to us. Just the call to return to the forest has great significance for us. The forest is connected to creation and growth energy, free of controls and constrictions. We are visited daily by Crow (“The magic of creation is calling”) and Deer (“Gentle luring to a new adventure”) among others. Besides being awe struck by our daily nature adventures, the pot of creative juices has been well stirred. And, one of the fruits that bubbled to the top was a new blog, called Nature Wise, sharing information about the wisdom Mother Nature has to offer.

We are blessed by nature. It touches each of us in personal and special ways. “From the elements to the animals, from the plants and trees to stones and minerals, the natural world is one of our most powerful sources of spirit, wonder and wisdom. Every tree has its own magical story. Every plant has healing and every animal has spirit. Every cycle brings opportunity for change and growth. Familiar and exotic fragrances that tease and delight fill the air. The songs of birds awaken and soothe. The colors of plants, flowers and trees stir emotions and resonate subtly with our body and mind. And the appearance of an animal causes our spirit to soar. Nowhere does the spirit of the Divine manifest more clearly than within the natural world.” (Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Smallby Ted Andrews)

In the past shamans, priests, and priestesses were the keepers of Nature’s wisdom,  the sacred knowledge of life. They were connected with the rhythms and forces of nature. (read more)

Join us on our walks through nature.

Until next time -
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),


Debbie

Healing vs. Curing

Frequently Gary and I get calls from someone wondering if and how a shamanic journey can help them or a loved one with a disease. And often these are what the medical community sees as “terminal illnesses”. Their question is simple “Will a journey help?” The short answer is always “Yes, but what are your expectations?”

Here’s where we arrive at the issue of healing vs. curing. So, let’s differentiate the two.

Dictionary.com makes this distinction: “Cure” is applied to the eradication of disease, sickness or issue. “Heal” suggests the making whole of wounds, sores or bringing an issue to an end or conclusion.

So, in essence, curing, is a method of treatment or a remedy to alleviate symptoms of pain and disease, whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual. A “cure” is viewed as the absence of symptoms and the elimination of whatever is causing the dysfunction, even if that means removing a part of the body or masking the symptoms with some form of treatment. While this method certainly makes it easier for us to live physically, it doesn’t address the origin of the problem, only the effects.

Healing, on the other hand, begins within and seeks to identify, transform, and remove any obstacles preventing the mind, and the body from working as a cohesive unit (the “mind-body connection). Healing is WORK. We must be ready and willing to release the emotional hurts, pains, fears and patterns buried deep inside us. The goal of healing isn’t fixing, it’s about us being in balance on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels; about being whole.

As shamans and healers, we must explain that healing and curing are not always the same. We must explain the distinction between a cure —physical recovery and/or elimination of a condition—and a healing, which occurs on spiritual and emotional levels and may not involve a physical resolution. Ideally, if the person is ready, both can and will take place with a shamanic journey.

Sometimes a shamanic healing can produce a cure; symptoms are relieved, problems are solved. We have seen this on many occasions over the years, and we have seen as many cases where it has not. And sometimes a person may be temporarily “cured” of a particular undesired condition, but if they choose to hang on to their emotional hurts, pains, fears and patterns, healing does not occur, and the underlying condition can resurface at a later time.

Many of the uncomfortable situations we go through, that we often label as disease or illness are actually for the higher good of us, or those around us, and are part of the lessons or experiences we have agreed to for this earth walk. In these cases, healing does not always mean recovery. Healing may mean an understanding or acceptance of the condition. It could also mean an opportunity for the person to be at peace to return to the spiritual realm.

Whatever the outcome, healing means moving more into wholeness, love, wisdom and consciousness. And, healing MUST happen before a cure can happen.

Until next time -
Mitakuye Oyasin (A Lakota prayer reminding us we are all related),


Debbie

Earth Day 2012 and Seed Bombs

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

© 2011 Shamanic Connection LLC

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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. Sign up for free here. 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.