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. [Read more…]
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. [Read more…]
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. [Read more…]
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.
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. [Read more…]
Power Animal Bat: Bold and Mysterious
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.