Posts Tagged ‘ancestors’

During the time of my ukuthwasa (period of initiation to become a traditional healer or sangoma) some decades ago in Southern Africa, my mentor and some other village elders would join our group of ithwasa (sangoma trainees) by the campfire and discuss other spirits. That is, others in addition to those of our ancestors.

We heard many tales of other spirits who control the rivers, oceans and lakes, as well as those who live in the sky and control the rain. There were also stories told of sacred places where spirits inhabited mountains, trees and rocks. I loved hearing those stories from various individuals whom have had unique experiences and felt they had seen and communicated with those various spirits. Read the rest of this entry »

The Isle of Avalon is a mythical place of healing, psychic learning, crafting, and the life and times of King Arthur. Figures such as Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur and Merlin the Magician are just a few legendary names associated with this Holy Isle. Though no longer here in the physical world, Avalon is still accessible through the inner worlds by way of  meditation or immrama, an Irish-Welsh word meaning ‘spiritual journey on the astral plane.’

Avalon was known as training ground for priestesses who dedicated their life to spirituality, and to the Great Mother Goddess. These women trained in the arts of clairvoyance, herbalism, weaving and devotion to the Divine feminine. Read the rest of this entry »

Drawing upon the gently swirling patterns of the benevolence and moods of the delivery of rain, wind and the sighs of sunlight, here within the true freedom of divination or spirit lies. When looking upon the strata and cirrus patterns that beset the azimuth across our skies, here within the simplicity of the patterns of nature, here we can find succour, within the artwork of these neutral and just breaths of renewal and resurgence.

Below the feet upon the ground upon which you walk, simply you will feel the centre of your mother earth, nurturing you to a point of reprieve, only rooting you back within the trees, there within the flowers, there beneath beauty of the forest beneath the bowers there you will find peace and beauty. Look up between the leaves to see, waving, rustling, singing, only to feel the sunlight upon your face, opening you up to a spiritual place, upon which you can find your grace and peace to see the future past and present within these wordless friends. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve recently become interested in charm casting, because I’ve begun to notice objects in everyday life that are parallel to the Lenormand Cards* I use in my psychic readings. Charm casting refers to small objects, such as charms you’d see on a necklace or bracelet, that are used for divination.

The premise is that each object has a specific meaning that you’ve assigned to it. For example, a heart can pertain to love; a dog to loyalty; a ring to commitment, even contracts; a house to security and safety, and so on. You ask an open-ended question, then put the charms into a bowl or box, shake, and cast them onto a surface or cloth. By looking at the charm groupings, you will be able to divine the answer to your question. Read the rest of this entry »

Cats are often depicted in ancient Egyptian art and artifacts. The Egyptians actually worshiped cats as gods, and believed that they took on a spiritual importance. They were considered to be a sacred animals with magical powers.

Ancient Egypt was said to be one of the most advanced civilizations in human history, capable of architecture, that by today’s standards would be difficult, if not impossible to construct. But, did they also possess otherworldly knowledge that has been forgotten?

Some myths and folklore also claim that cats can walk in and out of the spirit world with great ease and at will. It was also believed that when a house cat would disappear, with no plausible explanation, that it had found a portal to the other worlds and is exploring them and will return just a mysteriously as it had disappeared. Read the rest of this entry »

“Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak,” wrote William Congreve in his classic poem, The Mourning Bride. He seems to have understood that music can soothe anyone who might be be stressed out, overwhelmed, anxious or depressed.

Studies indicate that music and sound heal us in a multitude of way, perhaps even at the cellular level. Long-term patients, nursing home residents, and chronically depressed people have been found to experience healing through sound.

Ancient cultures from Egypt to Japan to Australia used the secrets of healing sound. What these long-ago people instinctively knew, we now attribute to the effect of certain wavelengths upon our brains to calm, relax, and heal. As with acupuncture, these sounds may be able to reset our internal balances and remove negative energies. Read the rest of this entry »

To understand spirituality, it is important to go back to the fundamentals. It need not be overly complicated. Simplicity is recommended. I have noted that when trying to discern or understand complex systems or ideas, really what is most needed are only a few foundational aspects. It is really that easy.

For one, we have a few inherent principles in religion that are structurally similar throughout history. This can be seen in the way they are written, starting from the cuneiform alphabet, to the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, and Asia, with these tenets being spread all across the continents as the cultures migrated and merged. Read the rest of this entry »

Friends, as opposed to acquaintances or associates, are a rare find. We are typically a society of users and takers, where social networking has erroneously become synonymous with friendship. In fact, friendship and networking has very little in common.

As children of the Information Age, we have become acculturated to disconnection as a norm, merely using each other and calling it friendship when it is mutually beneficial, and calling it a variety of unsavory names when it is not mutually beneficial.  Friendship for business and networking is quite different from true friendship. Read the rest of this entry »