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Why can’t I see anything

 

I encounter this question and comment very regularly. One of the first things I say is have patience and compassion for yourself. We are immersed in a world which places increasingly high value on NOW. Shamanic journeys can be very challenging. It can be very hard to quiet the endless procession of thoughts, grocery lists & fears. Anytime we enter into a realm we are unfamiliar with we are likely to encounter resistance in one form or another.

When minds can’t find things, they engage with the random. A desert ant that can’t find its nest starts hunting randomly. When we get stuck on a problem we can’t solve, our minds throw back to a scenario which may be similar. If we are stuck in analysis, it is very hard to continue with the experience. If your mind is on a nonstop hamster wheel it will be more challenging for you to quiet the mind.

It is not always necessary to stop the mental chatter. Shamanic journey has the extra challenge or bonus, depending on how you view it, of being in two worlds at the same time. You do have the ability to ease into relationship with the constant chatter mind & tune the chatter out. In shamanic journeying, you have to learn to tune out what is going on in the room you are journeying in, and tune into the world of the journey.  Sometimes, while you are tuning out what is happening “back in the room,” you can also tune out your mental chatter.

I have used this analogy before, but I will use it again, create a comfy chair right at the entrance to your spirit world. Sit your critical and/or chatter voice in the chair and let it know you will pick it up and after the journey. Just as a child might sit in a corner with toys to play, while the adults visit.  I have had really positive feedback with that through the years. It might work for you.

One of the benefits of the shamanic journey work is that it engages both the right and left hemisphere. The right is in mystical sight mode and the left is recording and analyzing. This can be, and often is, a huge stumbling block for the new experiencer and can trip up a skilled experiencer.

We have been searching for meaning, likely since we created the first bead, signifying, symbolically we are “separate from”.  Our Ancestors have been pondering these exploration of soul and self for thousands of years. Evidence has been left through art, altars, sculptures as well as burial mounds, to name a few. Darkness, in a journey, is one signal you are trying to understand a problem/ new experience by confronting your psyche’s version of reality. The sensations, knowing’s & insights appear random but are rife with meaningful interpretations. My experience with journey work has reorganized my natural biases by being forced to consider alternative views and interpretations of reality, leading to new insights.

Our Shaman ancestors apprenticed, some their entire lives, some a few years… they knew, and I tell you now, dipping out of consciousness into the personal subconscious and further slipping into the Collective Unconscious takes practice.

The word “perception” when describing something internal or external is generally connected to the visual receptors only.  Perception is much deeper than visual input. Our perception is only as perceptive as we are in determining what is my (insert baggage here) and how does that, or can that, influence how I interpret what I have experienced. Try to perceive with all your senses. The more intensive the perception is, the more present you are. Even in the dark there are no limitations on how you travel. Can you access your physical self during a journey? Do you feel temperature changes, or sensations in the body such as denseness, heaviness, lightness, tingling or an anxiety response? The way down will end at some point. That being said I have dug my way in total darkness trying to get into the lower world during journeys. What I should have done is given myself permission to go back to my anchor spot and look for a new opening. I have experienced obstacles blocking my way. I now use my skills at perceiving without light to detect them and move around them. At times it may feel like the wind or air is pushing back against me. At other times I encounter webs or an entanglement of what feel like roots in my way; I use tools which I have on me at all times. Have you considered taking tools with you, or having them present when you enter into sacred space?

Sometimes we seem to leave logic at the first sound of the drum beat. Some of the tips from other beginners:

If in darkness reach out and turn on the light switch; use a flashlight, use a good old fashioned torch, if you do hands on healing, turn your hands on and light up the space. There are different ways to attempt to catch a glimpse of your spirit world.

If you have tried some of the logical approaches to lighting the darkness, perhaps there truly is a door blocking your view. If your view is blocked, you cannot see anything. Perhaps reaching down and finding a door handle will work, or perhaps you reach up and take the blindfold off your own eyes. It can take more than one approach to bring light to the darkness.

Journeys enables us to make clear a part of our mind that is often hidden, and often even more challenging to interpret. When we are experiencing challenges with journeys, keep in mind you are attempting to make clear the often confusing mystical like symbols which lurk quietly just below your present understanding of reality. Your mind is the place where meaning evolves. As your skills increase through time you will have a better means of understanding your journeys, insights and “a ha” moments.

“I get stuck” is another frustrating obstacle to journey work. In logical brain, the first impulse would be to look down, to find the reason why the feet won’t move. In some of my guided meditations I ask the participants to look down and see what they are walking on. I also ask them to pay attention to any other sounds, or smells. I ask them how the air feels on the skin. All of these questions are equally important to ask when you are experiencing difficulty with journeys, and even if you have been at it for a very long time. What is available to your senses, if your primary way of processing the world around you is removed.

Life is experienced through as many filters as there are humans to perceive them. One technique you and a friend, or your drumming circle should you be lucky to be a part of one, to try is journeying together, to the exact same target, in the exact same room and listen to the differences of each person reporting back. Everyone sees and reacts differently to the environment they are in. Each of us has to process our experience through our personal filters. At times expectations or doubts are so huge that all other movements are inhibited, literally standing in your own way. Skepticism, although very healthy, can be a joy sucker. We cannot always easily escape our cultural, social and educational biases. It is not always as simple as “look this is real, just get over yourself and everything will become clearer”. The psyche can be elusive to engage. Perhaps you are a human who predominantly perceives your world by hearing things or sensing things. I encourage you not to give up just because you don’t see anything.

Have you ever experienced “… and then I end up here, but I don’t have a clue how I got there”? There are often are leaps between scenes. This is common especially when in light trance, and is completely normal and is often more confusing then problematic. As I spent more time in the Spirit World I jumped unconsciously between scenes less and less. It can and does still happen, however now I just see it as Spirit hurrying me along. J Our minds often wander, don’t chastise yourself for that, just take a breath, come back into the room, tune into the drum, and start again at the last place you remember being.In the beginning, the vision often is a little unclear.

The first journeys may well feel like they were just imagined. That is perfectly normal and expected. Nobody is born a master. Journey work takes practice. Learning how to interpret what you saw takes practice. You can ask different people to interpret your journey for you, and perhaps they can give you some crucial insights, but no one can truly interpret your experience because no one was there with you. I have accidentally stumbled on meanings of journeys by randomly reading something related. Or when I am writing my journey out, accessing the left brain to put words and interpretations to the symbols and visions I have had.

At the beginning of your exploration of any spiritual path, answers are being sought. We perceive as we have been taught. At first we perceive in the most basic of ways – a mother may mean the individuals mother, later upon reflection there may be a relationship between the mother in your journey and the archetypal mother in the collective unconscious. Perception is not just visual, but encompasses perceiving from different senses and different angles.

Everyone is unique, and in turn makes sense of the Spirit World in their own unique way. Through time we either add to, or create our own personal mythology. I have drawn maps of my spirit world, as a means of creating and understanding the geography of where I generally traveled. There are places I journey to where my sight is not useful. I don’t draw maps anymore, but I do often turn in 360% in my anchor spot, as that landscape has gone through many shifts and changes through the years. It is a direction reflection of how my views and perceptions have also shifted. The landscape of the spirit world is never the exact same twice, for me. However, there are certain symbols (things) which I use as a means to scan the world around me. Symbols and locations such as the world tree, the entrance to the land of the dead, the river separating twilight and the dead, the cave of lost children as examples of permanent locations in the spirit world.  The places we travel to, are not uninhabited. The spirit world runs independent of you. This place is definitely is not made of sunshine wishes and candy cane kisses, but the origin of many myths and beings who populate them.

Modern Day Tricksters

To understand the modern day trickster we need to understand what makes a trickster. Tricksters in mythology represent the chaotic nature and the unpredictability of life. The role the trickster in myths and stories is a catalyst for change. Without change, we would remain in parity. They are necessary characters in our world because they upset the balance between two characters, or generate an imbalance in a community or world that demands rectification by humans or the gods. In parity we cease to evolve, mature, or improve. Tricksters give rise to situations wherein we may find new ways of thinking, acting or problem solving. Trickster are amoral with a titch of chaos. Additionally they often appear in modern culture as the anti-hero.

According to Hynes and Doty, in “Mythical Trickster Figures” (1993) state that every trickster has several of the following six traits: [Hynes, William J. and William G. Doty. (1993). “Mythical Trickster Figures,” (pp. 34-42). Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press.]

  1. fundamentally ambiguous and anomalous
  2. deceiver and trick-player
  3. shape-shifter
  4. situation-inverter
  5. messenger and imitator of the gods
  6. sacred and lewd bricoleur (construction)

 

Here we have above the perfect ingredients for a character set to upend our world! How can we spot a modern day trickster? We can look back into our myths and tales to find tracks and traces left by our Ancestors and Story Keepers of Old. But, what about today?? Instead of attempting to meet an ideal, the modern trickster encourages us to reject the societal ideal and instead embrace the flaws and scars that make us unique.

Modern Day Trickster Wile E Coyote

We are expressing our modern day tricksters in our cartoons, movies and stories. “But who are they?” you might ask. What about Wile E Coyote. Now there is a trickster if we ever met one. He is a deceiver, definitely has worn a costume or two, and I believe he worships the God(dess) Acme. Acme delivers perfect solutions to his problems, but, much like every trickster, it back fires! He often sends out prayers in the form of signs “Help”, “In Heavens name…what am I doing?” & “That’s all Folks”.

Modern Day Trickster Deadpool

Deadpool, a Marvel Comic figure has the power to heal, everlasting life, but is mentally unstable and quite amusing. As with many tricksters they operate with mostly the best of intentions towards humans. However, along the way to helping, Deadpool often finds himself in precarious positions, relying on his wit to save his own skin. Deadpool certainly does deceive with situation inverting scenarios. To me he is the perfect Antihero. He does not have our best interests at heart, but try as he will to be devious and incorrigible, we root for him. We see past his disfigurement, cheer on his disruptions and want him to find justice in a world which has thrown him away and taken all he held dear. He shifted from a perfect man, to a disfigured hooded trickster with guns and explosives.

Modern Day Trickster Dr WhoDoctor Who is certainly a trickster, seemingly immortal with many tools at their disposal to find solutions and save the day!! Doctor Who travels in Tardis, small on the outside and a most deliberate hidden space on the inside, a cloaked time travel machine. Not all situations are innocent, nor does Doctor Who always play with the highest intent or most favourable outcome for those who encounter this being.

Modern Day Trickster in AdvertisingIf we peer with a mature eye into our society we can see the trickster playing in politics, science and notably the entertainment industry. We often witness our politicians using sleight of hand, in order to gain our favor, all the while acting fundamentally ambiguous and anomalous. Trickster ways are employed in our advertising, believe this, buy this but please ignore this. Bathroom tissue ads depicting bears, shape shifted by employing human personalities enjoying the softness of a product. We are deceived (albeit in a thinly veiled way) into believing bears would be happy to use a product derived from the destruction of their habitat.

Modern Day Trickster PopeThis person writing this might just wink and say, “ya know the Pope could be one of the biggest tricksters of all”. I may just walk away and ask you to ponder how such a notion could be. I may ask which of the six above noted traits does the Catholic Church employ to gain our trust, all the while… playing those trickster games.

 

 

 

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Samhain – History and Lore

Samhain is the most magical night of the year. Opposite Beltane on the Wheel, Halloween begins the dark half of the year. A night of power, when the veil that separates our world from the Otherworld is at its thinnest. A ‘spirit night’, this is the time of the year when our Ancestors harvested for the last time during the year preparing for the long months of winter. Food was stored, animals brought in from the fields, animals needed for food supply were slaughtered and prepared for long storage, activity was moved from outdoors to indoors, by the warmth of the hearth fire.

Samhain is also known as Halloween, All Hollows Eve, Day of the Dead, All Saint’s Eve, Celtic Winter, Feast of Spirits, Celtic New Year, Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn.

Samhain is the third and last of the harvest festivals. This holiday is considered the New Year, representing one full turn of the seasonal year. This day is a celebration of the end of the Goddess ruled Summer and marks the arrival of the God ruled Winter. The name Samhain means Summers End.

The Samhain Holiday begins at sundown on October 31st. The nightide was always a time to be wary of walking alone in the countryside. So much more on this Night when the veils between the worlds of humans and spirits was at its thinnest. Traditional lore speaks of the dead returning to visit their kin and the doors to the Lands of the Sidhe (pronounced “shee”) or Faery Realm being opened.

As a feast of divination, this was the best time for peering into the future. The reason for this has to do with the Celtic view of time. In a culture that uses a linear concept of time, like our modern one, New Year’s Eve is simply a milestone on a very long road that stretches in a straight line from birth to death. Thus, the New Year’s festival is a part of time. The ancient Celtic view of time, however, is cyclical. And in this framework, New Year’s Eve represents a point outside of time, when the natural order of the universe dissolves back into primordial chaos, preparatory to re-establishing itself in a new order. Thus, Samhain is a night that exists outside of time and maybe used to view any other point in time.

Bonfire lit on SamhainRitual fires of Samhain were lit at the fall of dusk on the sacred hilltops, of ancient times, for the protection of people and land and to guide the souls of the dead home to their kin. Today we use fire in our Magic Circle to build a shield of protection and to light the Path for the future. It was customary to light a fire on the household hearth which would burn continuously until the first day of the following Spring. Huge bonfires were lit on the hilltops at sunset in honor of the old Gods and Goddesses,

As a feast of the dead, it was believed the dead could, if they wished, return to the land of the living for this one night, to celebrate with their family, tribe, or clan. On Samhain the veil between all worlds is the thinnest. It is a powerful time for divination and contacting those who have walk these lands before us. The Feast of the Dead” (“Fleadh nan Mairbh”) is laid out by many to welcome these otherworldly visitors and gain their favor for the coming year. Extra places were set at the table and food set out for any who had died that year. Many folks leave milk and cakes (“Bannock Samhain” ) outside their door on Samhain Eve. Samhain is a time when we honor our ancestors and the memory they left behind.

This is the time of the season which the Crone rules. She is one aspect of the Goddess; Crone, Maiden, and Mother. It is She who opens the gate for those departed to travel into Summerland. She rules areas of death, reincarnation, occult sciences, healing, and the wisdom of the ages. She comes in the form of Cerridwen, Hecate, Arianrhod, Persephone, among many others. We use the Crone to assist us in transition from one life to the next, of leaving one level of our existence and entering the next. To bring us into the Womb of the Mother only to assist us in being reborn once again. For it is through Her Wisdom and guidance we learn lessons from experience past and begin life anew from the wisdom gained.

 

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Grandmother Moon

Hail and Hello! Thank you for taking time to read my mental meanderings on Grandmother Moon.

The Moon has been a very influential celestial body through human history. My introduction to the Moon began as a teaching tool relating to the life and health of our farm. I remember we would plant certain seeds during different phases of the Moon. We would harvest during certain phases. Depending on when in September the full moon would make its presence known, was usually a sign of frost coming. We liked it when the full moon was at the end of the month, it meant a longer harvest time. We even castrated by the phase of the moon. It has always been a very integral part of my life. So much so, to this day (and I have lived many days) I am still surprised when people are unaware of what phase the moon, directly over their heads, is in.

hi-res image of grandmother moon
Click super hi-res image of the moon.

The children’s rhyme, Jack and Jill, has roots in stories related to the waxing and waning of the moon. I have not, as of yet, discovered why Jill fell down and broke her crown. There is an Old Norse myth that tells us the story of the Moon, Mâni, who stole two children from earth, Hjuki and Bil, as they were collecting water from the well, Byrgir, in their bucket, Sœgr, suspended from their pole, Simul. The Moon as an archetypal kidnapper of children sounds eerily ominous and was perhaps told to keep children from wandering about at night.

There is a further twist to the tale. Hjuki actually comes from the Norse verb Jakka that means to pile up or increase. Bil comes from Bila, which is to fade, dissolve or fall apart. Is it likely that the old tale is actually about the cyclical waxing and waning of the moon? The fetching of water may have been a direct link to the Moon’s influence on the tides.

Each culture I have studied seems to have a creation myth relating to the Moon and its importance. It is no wonder it has such a Central Role in the Medicine Wheel. The gender of the Moon for the Medicine wheel I refer to, is Feminine. The moon, depending on the myth, can be Female or Male. Often the moon is a consort, or sibling to the Sun. I have read interviews with tribal Grandmothers and Grandfathers from the time of the first moon landing. A few of the interviewees had stories of how they had traveled to the moon. Equally fascinating, to me, were the descriptions of the moon’s surface, and how closely it corresponded to what the astronauts had reported.

Through the years of circling, sitting in ceremony and journey work I have had some of the most illuminating insights. Moon has been a patient teacher for me, helping me to sense my way into the physics of my own psyche. Not just the radiating qualities, albedo (reflective power) but also my edges and blends; my moon shadow. To consider the moon in these ways, to see one’s own radiating qualities, to polish those too with the brush of one’s heart.

Journey Suggestion:

Start off in your anchor spot (if you use one) with the intention of traveling to the upper world to meet the moon. As you journey to it, I would recommend you come with a gift. When we meet a presence so old, with deep abounding wisdom, it is respectful to offer a gift in return for its time. I travel with my magic pouches filled with all manner of offerings. Travel with intention. If you have never met before, perhaps you can simply absorb the energy it is sharing with just you. If you have made this journey before, perhaps it is time to begin cyclical work and you are seeking ideas and insights from the moon. Regardless of what you do, cultivating relationship with a Celestial Ancestor, is never a bad idea!!

 

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Original post of the amazing photo of the moon by Seán Doran.

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Power Animal Bat: Bold and Mysterious

Short Tailed Fruit Bat
Short tailed fruit bat

There are over 1,240 species of bats. They are divided into two categories: Macro and Micro. One can imagine the Macro are large and Micro which are smaller. Straight forward I would say! Our Ancestors encountered these fabulous little mammals living in and around them. As a result, they have made their appearance in many myths and stories from all over the world. Gifted with flight, some teeth and squeaks his combination made them special and formidable game players in many folk tales where the agile bat won the day. My encounters with bats in shamanic journeys has led me to consider them a “liminal” being; they do not fit into the normal order of things and are somehow apart or in-between, almost an ambiguous species.

I remember learning about echolocation when I first started researching Bats. Scientists suggest more than half of the bat species have the ability to use sonar. Bats process the information received through this technique unconsciously, the same way we process the visual and aural information we gather with our eyes and ears. A bat forms an echolocation image in its head that is something like the image you form in your head based on visual information. Bats also process visual information — contrary to popular belief, most bats have acute vision. They use echolocation in conjunction with vision, not instead of it.

Bats navigate the darkest places. The Dark –one of the hiding places of our deep mysteries. Bat wisdom includes shamanic death and rebirth, initiation, viewing past lives, pollination of new ideas, transition, understanding grief, the use of vibrational sound, camouflage, invisibility, ability to observe unseen and secrets, and are well regarded in the Lower World.

One of the shamanic initiations I did was a Death Ritual. It was one of the most profound experiences of my life. It changed me, and I am still changed. During the weeks that followed, I encountered bats in my dreams, journeys and real life. The bat helped me to release my hidden fears and patterns because I was finally able to recognize and release them to the Universe.

Bat flying into your life may signify a transformation of the ego self is about to occur. It may indicate you are entering into a new way of life. This transition can be very frightening, even just to think about. However, in my experience one will not grow spiritually until old parts are acknowledged and released. Facing the darkness before you, will help you find the light in rebirth. Bat gives you the wisdom required to make the appropriate changes for the birthing of your new identity.

Mexican free-tailed bat
Mexican free-tailed bat

Bats have needle like teeth and very sharp claws, which may carry rabies, an infectious disease of the blood. It can cause a person to go mad, and if not treated quickly is fatal. Fears given permission to spread unchecked can saturate our system and create a kind of madness within our lives. Bats reflect the need to face up to our fears.

Echolocation is a process of emitting sounds and listening for the echoes reflected from surfaces, even prey in the environment. With their amazing sonar capabilities, bats are able to navigate the dark with great ease. Can you imagine having the ability to know what lies just beyond your senses? Generally, those with this power animal have uncanny abilities to discern hidden messages both from people and the environment. When one has mastered this medicine, intuitive and clairaudient abilities are accurate.

Bats are truly magnificent creatures. They are responsible for pollinating certain plants, for insect control and for seed dispensing. If Bat has appeared in your spiritual world, perhaps you are being asked to pollinate your area with shamanic ideas and teachings. Perhaps you are being asked to be watchful for pesky insects who would like to interrupt your journey and happiness.

2:20 Video from National Geographic on Flying Foxes, the world’s largest bat!

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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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