ancestors
Shamanic Healing For Chronic Illness
When treating chronic illnesses, such as depression or pain, we too often look only at the symptoms, and not the root cause. The fact is, most if not all of these conditions have at their foundation some form of loss: the loss of sensation, loss of control, or the fear of loss. For this reason shamanic medicine can be quite effective as a form of treatment.
Shamanism, the connection between the physical world and the spirit realms, is all about connections. As we look closer at chronic illness, we find that much of it is caused by a lack of connection: to our authentic selves, to our spirit guides, to nature, and to our intuition. This is whey shamanic healing can be of great value.
For thousands of years, before the emergence of modern medical practices, shamans were the healers and diviners of the community. Fortunately, their practice is as strong today as it was then.
A trained shaman is able to determine which type of healing we may need: soul loss or retrieval (often through past-life work), spiritual retrieval (a power animal, angel, or other spirit guide), or reconnection to the earth and spiritual realms. There are shamans with different specialties, just as we have physicians with different areas of practice. Continue reading
Has Your Astrological Sign Changed?
Reports have been circulating in the media that scientists discovered that everyone’s zodiac sign has changed, due to a permanent shift in the constellations. The truth is this theory has actually been around since the mid-90’s, and has been causing quite a stir in metaphysical circles ever since.
A scientific study that measured the shift in the Earth’s axis (called the wobble) cites that the constellations are no longer moving in sync with the ancient dates and astrological positions originally assigned to signs of the zodiac in early times. This cast a lot of doubt and has been confusing people as to just what their actual sign might be. Of course, it also gave eager skeptics one more reason to point out why astrological practices aren’t valid.
Unfortunately, the scientists and skeptics who promote these claims base their entire theory on a misconception about how the signs of the zodiac came into being, and what they are really based on. In truth, the signs, degrees and divisions of the zodiac have no connection to the heavenly constellations that bear their same names.
The zodiac signs were originally assigned to an ‘elliptical belt’ that surrounds the earth based on the seasons of the year, rather than the stars above. An easier way to understand this is to remember that our seasons start on the first day the Sun enters a particular sign. The first day of Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere) corresponds to the onset of Aries; Summer to the first day of Cancer; Autumn to the first day of Libra; and Winter to the first day of Capricorn. Continue reading
Nature Spirits And Elementals
In ancient times, untouched by technology, humanity was exceedingly close to all of creation. In the earliest spiritual traditions people universally believed in elementals and nature spirits, which today is known as animist religion. Although modern society has for the most part lost touch with these ancient beliefs, they remain very much relevant in neo-paganism, new age spirituality, the occult and modern mysticism.
Nature spirits, including elementals, are believed to be various types of beings or spirits which inhabit nature. Nature spirits abide in trees, flowers, and all other plants, as well as oceans, rivers, lakes, mountains, and minerals. They exist in many forms, and many of them have a human appearance. They are believed to exist as the life force in all living things, as well as the planets, and stars.
Elementals are ruled over by the angels, archangels, and the deva spirits. These spirits are thought to possess supernatural powers and are usually invisible to humans, except for those who possess the psychic ability of clairvoyance. They are the spirits of the four elements air, fire, water, and earth. Continue reading
Divining Answers From The Runes
The recent holiday season has been one of the busiest and coldest I’ve ever experienced. But I loved the colder weather, and it snowed here this winter, a rare occasion in my part of the country. The holidays are normally more or less quiet at my house, but this year, ever since Thanksgiving, I have found myself working extra hours and looking forward to endless rounds of cooking, cleaning, decorating, gift-exchanging, partying, and entertaining.
Family and friends were very much in my life this year, from out of town, new additions, folks whom I have not seen in a long time, all manner of extended family – all wanting to see me or at least call me this year. Blaming it on the Mercury Retrograde, but at the same time feeling happy and blessed, I threw myself into the spirit of the holiday season.
Spiritual Rituals Provide Sacred Space
Spiritual ceremonies, where humans gather together in a circle, are especially potent. An energetic hoop gathers over the circle to assist in the endeavor for the gathering, whether it be for the purpose of celebrating a new birth, honoring a solstice, or to express anything of importance to humanity, as individuals, or as a group.
Altars are also powerful. They are a gathering place for spirits to provide protection and shielding, to aid in a calling or, perhaps, to provide a sacred place for the energy of one who has crossed to another dimension to gather and connect. Or, we might choose to build an altar dedicated to providing an anchor for our business when we are away, the same as when we are present. Continue reading
Good Old-Fashioned Dating Before Your Commit
Some of my most treasured moments have been the conversations I’ve had with folks from my grandparents’ generation. I especially like to ask elderly couples what their secret is to a long-lasting marriage, or relationship.
Their answers always put a smile on my face. Usually they would say that they slowly got to know each other, to see if they had the same values and decide if they were compatible.
Sadly, much has changed over the years. These days people no longer seem willing to put in the work and commitment it takes to build a strong foundation for a healthy, enduring relationship. Instead, we rush into romantic connections without thinking and seldom questioning the other person or their motives. Continue reading
A Symbol To Know The Unknowable
This morning, I ran into one of my friends in our little Spanish town, and we decided to grab a coffee and catch up. I was delighted at how she took an interest in my Om/Aum pendant. She commented on how I seemed to treat my pendant as something rather sacred, and with respect – an interesting observation! She loved the flow of the shapes, and asked if the pendant had any specific meaning.
I had to remove the pendant and study it closely to try and remember what I was taught years ago, in order to give her a brief description to the best of my ability. One by one I tried to connect with each swirl in the design and was surprised that I had remembered quite a lot of what my mentor had taught me. It was a long time ago, when we used the Om/Aum chant in our meditation sessions.
With my pendant on the table I began to explain the meaning of the dot at the top of the symbol, and recalled that this related to the silence after chanting Om/Aum. It represents the Enlightened Self, and is known as the transcendental state of Turiya. Continue reading