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Lynx and Bobcat

Canadian Lynx in the snow
Canadian Lynx near Whitehorse, Yukon

I grew up in a fairly secluded, heavily wooded area. One of the best ways to explore the wilderness was on horseback. I admit that I would NOT have seen either of these beautiful cats if my horse had not reacted first. My encounter with a Lynx was one of the most beautiful, tranquil encounters of my life. I was riding one warm winter day and out of the bushes, on top of a snowy bank, emerged the most majestic grey faced cat I had ever seen. It was perfectly still, allowing me a long time to gaze at it (much to my horses’ displeasure). It slowly made its way out of the bushes and crossed the game path I was riding on, silently disappearing into the bushes.

My encounter with the Bobcat is similar [Read more…]

Bees and Bears

Winnie the Pooh protecting his "hunny" from bees.
Winnie the Pooh

If I asked you to call to mind a modern bear with an obsession for honey, would you name? For me, it would have to be Winnie the Pooh. I remember reading his adventures with “hunny pots”, and sticky paws coupled with guilty looks. If I asked you to call to mind a modern bear with an obsession for honey, who would you name? For me, it would have to be Winnie the Pooh. I remember reading his adventures with ” I think A.A. Milne incorporated this lovely little nod to history on purpose. Or perhaps it is simply because Christopher Robin though all bears like honey – hence Winnie would LOVE honey.

A Finnish creation myth I love to tell is of Mielikki, the Forest Goddess. In her stories, it is often mentioned she held the keys to a chest of honey. Honey has been a highly valued substance often denoting wealth. In this case, I think it has many meanings as she has a chest of honey. As a creator figure in Finish mythology, she would be in touch with the Divine. Honey and the Bee have been associated with the divine in our oldest esoteric teachings. [Read more…]

Woman Rising – Awaken the Storm

This is the fourth annual woman’s retreat I am co-hosting with Haven Art Therapy owner Nkki Featherstone from www.ourhaven.ca . Nikki is a witch with many years of experience in exploration of the soul. She has dedicated her practice to the worship and understanding of the Goddess in our Modern culture.

Our Retreat beautifully combines Shamanic Journeys, Art Therapy and Ritual as avenues to explore and heal from the wounds of trauma. I dedicated one of my podcasts to Grief, an outcome of Trauma to share some of my thoughts and ideas. I dedicated two podcasts to Raven in honor of the Spirit Kin we will be calling upon during this work (part 1 and part 2).

Through the years I have held sacred space in my healing room for people moving through their journey from Trauma to healing to integration. This weekend provides the opportunity and tools to enable you to release your ensconced within soul, Grief.

Dates: July 13, 2018 to July 15, 2018

Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta

To register please visit: www.ourhaven.ca

[Read more…]

Butterfly

We have arrived at the last stone in the Centre of the Medicine Wheel – Butterfly. This stone is the Air Clan, with the Spiritual Face of the Butterfly. They rarely stay in one place for very long. Air is the element of change, transformation, illumination and beginnings. This stone in the Centre is a reminder to each of us, we shift through many layers of transformation and change, as we emerge from our womb, until our last transformation death and decay.

Peleides Blue Morpho
Peleides Blue Morpho

Not surprising Sun Bear chose the Butterfly Weed, in my world, I know it as Milkweed, for the Plant Totem. There are many varieties of Milkweed. Common milkweed is slightly toxic, but not to the Monarch butterfly! By feeding almost exclusively on milkweed leaves, they are able to accumulate enough of the poison in their bodies to make them distasteful to predators.

Milkweed has a long history of medicinal uses. The milky white sap was applied topically to remove warts, and the roots were chewed to cure dysentery, not a common ailment in North America now, but it had to have been common enough for our Ancestors to chat with the plants and find out which one was best. The leaves were taken to suppress coughs, as well as being used to treat typhus fever and asthma.

Butterflies have been represented in art, painting and glyphs left for us by our Ancestors. Butterflies are viewed as an emblem of the soul and of unconscious attraction towards light. During my Christian days I recall an image, from Gnostic teachings, of the Angel of Death as a winged foot crushing a butterfly. Perhaps we can draw from that, is the butterfly was equated with life rather than with the soul, in the sense of the spirit or transcendent being. Perhaps this also explains the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth.

Butterflies and Butterfly Weed
Butterflies and Butterfly Weed

The stone to represent the Butterfly on the Medicine Wheel is Azurite. Azurite, is a beautiful blue color, ranging from pale to an almost purple hue. It, too, can aid in transformation, especially the Mental part of your being. I love the color and feel of this stone. It reminds me of changing hues of Blue we see in our Skies. I have placed the stone in my hand, using the drum track on shaman’s way, and journeyed to the Spirit of the Stone. I encountered an old and wise blue Lady. She told me to hold the stone to my third eye (which I did during the journey) to experience union with the skies and my body. It was transcendent and unforgettable. I felt transported from this physical plane, through all the worlds, and floated in the Great Abyss. I felt as though, no matter what I asked, or what I thought, there would be an answer to my question – asked or unasked.

The Color for Element of Air is a clear translucent with a hint of blue. This color bespeaks and teaches gentleness, faith, tenderness, love, and peace. It is good for inner child work and “especially good for healing the spirit.

Azurite
Azurite

The animal totems influenced by the Butterfly Clan are Deer, Raven, and Otter. These souls are the harbingers of messages from the Ancestors and will focus their attention on conveying the express wishes of the Elders so that the plan of the Great Spirit can unfold itself upon all that is Living.

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Thunderbird

Thunderbird, the seventh Stone in the Centre of the Medicine Wheel, and is the Spirit Keeper for the element Fire. If we think of Fire, we may call to mind different colors, but for our discussion, Red is the color we will use for this stone position. The plant spirit chosen to represent Thunderbird is Fireweed. The stone we use to hold this position is Lava Rock.

Haida Double Thunderbird
Haida Double Thunderbird

Fireweed, also known as willow-herb, may be found in every Canadian province and territory, as well as the northern United States. It is usually one of the first plants to grow and bloom on land devastated by a forest fire – or even by a volcanic eruption. Which may be one of the reasons Sun Bear chose to put Lava stone and Fireweed together, to further the lessons of Thunderbird. Fireweed was a very common plant for me to see in and around the farm I grew up on. It has an extensive root system, which helps the earth to heal after the devastation of fire. It is a perennial plant, [Read more…]

Shamanism in Edmonton

Kriket lives and hosts numerous events in Edmonton, Canada. She also performs healing sessions there. To find out more, or book a session check out her personal site.

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