Shamanism
Past Lives With Dolphins
Whilst clearing out some papers yesterday, I came across a magazine containing an fascinating article on dolphins, which literally jumped out at me. I had only just been thinking about my framed dolphin pictures, dolphin ornaments, and other dolphin memorabilia – all packed away until we get a bigger home, there isn’t anywhere to display them.
According to the magazine article dolphins were worshiped in ancient Greece. The temple at Delphi was actually dedicated to a Dolphin God. Recently we have been rediscovering that dolphins are sentient souls with large, evolved brains. Although they cannot speak as such, they really do communicate. Continue reading
Soul Rescue Versus Soul Retrieval
Sometimes soul rescue and soul retrieval are intertwined as being the same thing. There is a subtle, but key difference in my view.
In the case of soul retrieval we are finding an aspect of self and returning it back. Soul rescue refers to being of service to a spirit or soul that is temporarily lost, or needs guidance to continue its journey in non-ordinary reality, in the realm of Spirit, having left the physical plane.
In the shamanic community there is a technique known as soul retrieval which represents the fragmented self. The fragmented self is a part of us that becomes temporarily ‘disconnected’ from our etheric soul, from the context of associative memories of a time in our life. Continue reading
The Sins Of The Forefathers
Ancestor worship is a wide-spread belief system, in both primitive and sophisticated cultures. Ancestral healing unfortunately gets very little attention these days, even though some of our patterns and energy imbalances may well stem from our genetic pool.
My first exposure to the concept of communicating with our Ancestors occurred many years ago, during initiation into the Southern African culture of divining and healing. During my training to become a Sangoma*, in a remote area in Southern Africa, time was always put aside for offering prayers to, and for consulting with the Ancestors. My mentor taught me how the Ancestor energies affected their still living relatives, and how, in most African cultures, they are seen as being our link to the spirit world. Continue reading
Talking To The Animals
I am often contacted for psychic readings about animals: missing cats, dogs present and past, sick horses and, even that brutal question as to whether it would be kinder to end an ailing animal’s suffering. Today, just such a request came in from a long-standing client, asking me to communicate with her little doggie, Patches.
She needed to know if Patches wanted to continue, or whether he preferred to be released from his physical discomfort and allowed to cross over the Rainbow Bridge. She knew he wasn’t feeling well, and yet, the veterinarians have been unable to diagnose his problem. It’s one of the most heart-wrenching requests I have been faced with in some time.
I sat quietly and envisioned Patches in my mind’s eye. He kept showing me the number 12. Before going further, I contacted Patches’ owner, and asked her the meaning of the 12. He is twelve years old, my client responded. Although the ultimate decision will be my client’s, I felt this was a subliminal message from Patches – his planned life span was to be here for 12 years. Continue reading
Astragalomancy – Divination With Dice
A bone throwing reading I did for a client recently prompted me to go back to some of my old notes on using dice as a divination tool. Using dice to divine is known as Astragalomancy.
Many of my clients are fascinated by some of the unusual items to be found in my bone-throwing divination pouch. I have some interesting pieces, from the original animal bones I was given during my training in this shamanic art, to crystals and other trinkets which all have a special personal meaning to me. Because of the special meaning attached to each item, it often adds extra depth to an interpretation. I also use different types of dice, which I combine with the bone throwing, including the more familiar dice with numbers to some I have with African wildlife images carved into them. Continue reading
Tree Insights
If you told me a month ago that I would have a conversation with a tree, I would most likely not have believed it. Not that I am closed off to such experiences, but rather because I have never had any kind of engagement with nature on this level.
This weekend I was hiking with some friends, and there was a moment when I was separated from them. One of my friends went ahead of me, and the other two lagged behind. We were on a train, so I was confident that we would eventually meet up. So, I appreciated this time to myself for reflection and contemplation.
I sat down and began to meditate. As I did so, I turned my attention to a very large tree that must have been there for hundreds of years. I recalled something that I had channeled in the book I was writing. I recently wrote about how everything has a spirit, including animals and plants. I had not really thought much about this in the past. Most of my spiritual insights have been associated with interactions with angels, spirit guides, and individuals who have passed on. This said, I am certainly open to interacting with the spirit’s of animals and plants. Continue reading
Animals As Healers
Pet owners know about the many benefits of animals in their lives. But what exactly do they give us beyond companionship?
Our ancient ancestors not only loved animals; they revered them. Many of these cultures were shamanic and knew of the psychic properties of all the animals in our world. Today we live in a modern world, but these connections are still there. Animals that we regard as common or even nuisances, such as pigeons, ants, spiders, and even rats, all have lessons to teach us. And we can learn, even as we avoid them.
As with our dreams, it’s a good idea to keep a small journal on the animals you encounter. Think about what each creature means to you personally. Meditate on the way it sounds, moves, and looks. A gray squirrel in a park may give you the idea to become more agile and quick physically, or that you need to start saving money for lean times. No two people will see an animal the same way. Continue reading