Shamanism
The Timeless Magic Of Nature Spirits And Elementals
As a youngster growing up in the UK, I loved visiting a neighbor, Mrs. O’Leary, whose lilting Irish voice still echoes in my mind. She spoke often of the “Good People” and acknowledged their presence in her home and garden. I recall her taking us outside to witness her making small offerings to these unseen little mystical beings.
Though it feels like a distant memory now, I can still recall seeing them, too. Perhaps they appeared to us because we truly believed, or perhaps because Mrs. O’Leary invited them to show themselves.
Whatever the reason, those moments left a lasting impression. To me, it felt like truly being “in my element,” fully connected to the hidden, magical forces of nature.
I vaguely recall a magical moment in Mrs. O’Leary’s garden when she pointed out to me a tiny, translucent little figure perched on a large moss-covered rock at the base of her prized old hawthorn tree. With delight, she described how this “little person” was waving at us and encouraged me to wave back. Standing there with awe and intrigue, I became aware of what seemed like hundreds of luminous sprites dancing in the glistening water below.
Despite all the cynicism of a technologically driven world, increasingly devoid of the many miracles and wonders of nature and the unseen realms, Mrs. O’Leary and the spirits of nature still remind me of the healing, transformative power that lies in reverence, stillness, and everyday magic.
Power And Protection From Your Ancestors
I come from a long line of female herbalists of European origins on my mother’s side of the family. They were seers, healers, and prophets who combined their psychic gifts with ancient healing practices. Today, they still come to me during meditation, to offer wisdom.
The family’s mainly Germanic connection is one I’ve researched for many years, but more recently I discovered that my ancestors crossed into Scandinavian and Norse territories too, which suggests a bloodline of fierce women who were warriors of their time.
It’s really not surprising to me, as even my own mother today, who is 84 years old, can still kick anyone’s butt who crosses her path in an unkind way! I always knew she was strong when I was little, and I always admired her power and independence.
I was born in the year 1966, which in Chinese Astrology equates to the year of the Fire Horse. Fire Horse people are only born once every six decades. It is a rare sign and, according to legend, many girl babies born in certain parts of Asia in that year were killed at birth, because they were believed to be dangerous, uncontrollable or resistant to rules or dogma.
My Fire Horse nature shows up in me from time to time, but only when I’m really pushed beyond reason by someone who is taking advantage of, or harming me, or my children.
Life will sometimes push us to step into our core strength and fight for what is right. There are many people on the spiritual path who feel stepping into your true power or fighting for what is right is ‘unspiritual’ or egotistic.
A Beginner’s Guide To Holistic Healing
True healing is about more than just easing lower back pain or calming anxious thoughts. It’s about supporting the “whole you” so you can live in greater balance, joy and peace.
It means caring for the body, the heart, the mind, and the soul. While each of these areas can be worked on separately, the deepest transformation happens when they’re all supported together. That’s the essence of holistic healing.
For many people who are new to holistic healing, it can seem complex, mysterious, or even intimidating. Often, there’s curiosity, but also uncertainty about where to begin, especially if they’ve never tried it before.
Some worry they’re not knowledgeable enough, or believe it’s something only meant for people with special spiritual insight or advanced esoteric understanding. Others may wonder if they’ll “do something wrong” or fear they won’t understand what’s happening during a session.
These feelings are completely normal, but they can hold you back from exploring something that could be deeply supportive and life-changing.
The truth is, holistic healing doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. You don’t need to know every technique or understand all the details to benefit from it. An experienced healer will help you find the best route, even if you’ve never walked the path before.
If you’ve never had a holistic healing session, here’s what often happens: You might arrive thinking you need one specific kind of support, but a skilled healer will take time to tune in and see what you truly need most. Sometimes they’ll use the method you requested, and other times they may suggest a different approach, or even combine several techniques, to support you in the best possible way. The aim isn’t just temporary relief; it’s to start you on a healing journey you can continue long after the session ends.
The Endangered Spiritual Wisdom Of The Prairie Dog
In Native American wisdom tradition, when a prairie dog crosses our path, it brings a sacred message of retreat. During times of stress and overexertion, this wise little creature reminds us to pause and step back from the chaos of modern life to recharge.
Prairie dogs often appear when we find ourselves in situations we’d rather avoid, encouraging us to disengage and reset. It teaches us to choose our battles carefully and not expend energy where it isn’t needed.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or spiritually disconnected, the prairie dog may be offering you a compassionate wake-up call.
Like this gentle guardian of the grasslands, you are invited to retreat to your own sacred space of stillness and safety, where you can restore your strength and clarity.
In nature, when the prairie dog senses danger, it instinctively retreats into its burrow, which is equipped with multiple escape routes. It doesn’t flee in panic, but rather responds with grounded wisdom and preparation.
In this way, prairie dog medicine teaches us how vital it is to create our own safe haven in life. We all need a place of inner peace, ritual, and refuge.
Paradoxically, the prairie dog also symbolizes the importance of reconnecting. If we become too withdrawn from our loved ones or isolated from community and nature, this magical creature encourages us to reach outward toward laughter, kinship, and shared purpose. It reminds us that solitude and social connection are not opposites, but rather part of a sacred rhythm.
The Joy And Wisdom Of The Hummingbird
Mother Nature is a wonderful place to retreat to when we are seeking clarity, inner peace and a return to balance. This is especially true when we have the opportunity to watch animals in the wild.
Each animal, bird, insect and living creature affords us a special magic or spiritual wisdom, which it carries to remind us of a part of our own spiritual being.
Birds in particular carry wisdom from a higher perspective. One such bird is the mystical hummingbird. The energy of the hummingbird first emerged in my artwork in 2016, when he appeared in a painting I titled Grace.
When the hummingbird first appeared in my artwork, he came as a sign or symbol of hope and joy. He appeared on the path of the angel in this artwork, and he has since appeared in numerous of my sketches and paintings.
Hummingbird may be tiny, but he is mighty in so many ways. His medicine or spiritual symbolism reminds us of our true spiritual nature and our ability to experience personal transformation, by transcending our burdens and finding freedom in expressing who we are as individuals.
Just as the hummingbird suspends himself in flight, to reach for the nectar of the flower, when we hold true to our own values, our experiences are in alignment with the desires of our own hearts. We are then open to experience the sweet nectar of life. The nectar of life is contentment, inner peace, being valued, and the ability to find fulfillment. It is the feeling of joy!
The Ancient Spiritual Tradition Of Smudging
Just as our physical environment can become cluttered and unclean, our aura or energy field also accumulates stagnant and negative energy.
Regularly cleaning our homes and workplaces promotes health, hygiene and optimal function — and the same principle applies to our personal and spiritual energy. Clearing our energy field and environment helps to release negativity and toxic emotions, stress and anxiety, and promotes a sense of calm, clarity and balance.
Energy cleansing is essential for removing blockages that may be hindering personal and spiritual growth or disrupting your connection to spirit and the divine. Over time, lingering negative or toxic energy can even manifest as mental health issues, spiritual disconnection and even physical ailments.
By maintaining a regular practice of energy cleansing, you create a positive, harmonious flow of energy that supports overall health and well-being. In addition, a clear energy field sharpens your intuition and inner guidance, making it easier to align with your higher self and make decisions that are aligned with your greatest good.
Smudging is also a powerful way to clear negative energy attachments and banish malevolent spirit entities.
One of the most time-tested and effective methods of clearing unwanted energy is smudging, or smoke cleansing — an ancient purification ritual steeped in history and practiced by various cultures, religions, and spiritual traditions around the world.
Transform Your Life With Akashic Healing
Exploring my own Akashic record was a profoundly healing and enlightening experience. By accessing this information, I was able to uncover deep-rooted karmic patterns that spanned across lifetimes. Discovering the origins of these patterns helped me understand why certain fears and emotional blockages existed in my present life.
For example, one major discovery I made was the origin of a lingering fear of abandonment and persecution that I could not attribute to anything that had happened in my current lifetime.
By delving into my Akashic record, I uncovered past life memories of being persecuted as a witch and burned alive at the stake, which had left an indelible imprint on my soul memory. Although this discovery was painful, it gave me the clarity I needed to heal those karmic wounds.
The Akashic Records are a metaphysical “library” or energetic “database” that contains all the information about our soul’s journey across lifetimes. The Akasha holds records of every thought, action, emotion and experience our soul has ever had. It is part of the collective consciousness or universal memory that transcends time and space, and by tapping into this archived metaphysical information, one can gain insight into one’s past lives, current life situations, and potential future paths.
The term “Akasha” comes from the Sanskrit word for “ether” or “sky” and refers to the source energy or creative life force that permeates the entire universe. In Hinduism and Buddhism, Akasha is traditionally seen as the primary substance from which all things are formed and is considered the fifth element, along with earth, water, fire, and air.