Shamanism
Spirit Messages Of The Red Cardinal
If you live in North America, you’re probably familiar with the northern cardinal bird, also known as the redbird or red cardinal, commonly found across the continent. These bright red songbirds traditionally feature in the folklore, legends, and spiritual beliefs of various cultures.
The blood red coloring of this little bird’s plumage fascinated our ancestors and it is considered to be symbolic of life and vitality. Interestingly, in the Christian tradition the blood of Christ is a central religious symbol and the red-robed senior clergy of the Catholic Church are also knows as Cardinals.
In indigenous cultures, the cardinal traditionally also represents ongoing life, as well as a strong, lasting relationship because cardinals are a monogamous bird species. The appearance of a red cardinal in your life may indicate a need to start something new or examine existing loyalties and obligations.
Their red feathers certainly stand out amid the more common brown and green found in most of nature. The female cardinal is a lighter shade of pink than the bright red male, which is less easy to see. When you do notice her on your path, she is reminding you to look closer – chances are positive developments are on the horizon.
In native lore they are also associated with the direction of true North, symbolizing the guiding, unchanging Spirit. Folk tradition tells us that to see a cardinal means a departed loved one’s spirit is near, or an angelic guide is trying to send an important message.
Cardinals are also associated with the number 12, representing the annual cycle of months, as red cardinals are a year-round species. In addition, red is the color of the root (first) chakra in Eastern wisdom tradition, and also the Astrological sign of Aries, first in the Zodiac.
Rediscovering The Untouched Soul
Our soul is always a clean slate when we are born. Knowing this and living accordingly is true spirituality. However, the virgin territory of our soul is often more or less blemished or darkened due to many traumas and challenges throughout our lifetime.
Along our life path, we often lose much of the spiritual innocence we had as children. Instead, we begin to dwell in shadows of darkness in various forms: indifference to the destiny of others, confinement in our own; laziness, vanity, greed, envy, violence, hatred.
None of us can deny having at times dark thoughts or toxic emotions, malicious habits or selfish behaviors. However, no matter how widespread and ingrained the darkness may become in us, it is also certain that something immaculate always persists in some corner of our inner being. Even if it is tiny, there is an eternal point of light within where our higher self always remains pure and original. The sacred we carry within cannot be defiled.
As much as life may have made us callous or cynical, we always have this sacred stronghold inside. Herein lies the hope of those who practice spirituality: to reach that virgin point and rediscover in it one’s original nature.
This original nature, pure and innocent, we have sometimes forgotten to such an extent that we need someone or something to remind us to look inside ourselves to rediscover who we truly are.
We sometimes need someone to explain that we suffer because we have stopped believing in purity, beauty and what is good. We need someone to remind us that our deepest identity is virginal and fruitful, empty and full, both things, however contradictory this may seem.
The Spiritual Life Lessons Of The Spider
I recently saw with my own eyes a burly, grown man run screaming from his garage because he saw a spider! I could not help but wonder what he thought might happen to him? Was the tiny spider going to pounce on him and consume him entirely?
Of course, in some places in the world there are indeed deadly little creatures that could cause irreparable harm, or even death. However, in the area where we live there is really not much chance of this ever happening. Instead of running away screaming, the arachnophobic lumberjack should have appreciated instead the spiritual wisdom and life lessons his petite visitor embodies.
When we look closely at the life of a spider, we must recognize and respect its truth. It operates in a world that is dictated only by nature and honest survival. It makes its living by adhering to the laws of nature.
The spider creates creates a home for itself where it can be safe and comfortable by applying formidable patience and diligence. It takes infinite care in this process with extreme precision.
The spider does not have a strict deadline as to when it’s home must be complete. The web is carefully spun after a perfect spot is chosen that will be most advantageous. This miraculous, fragile home must be able to withstand rain, sleet, snow, extreme winds and any other element that nature sees fit to throw it’s way.
Once this arduous and time-consuming task is completed, the next phase is just as critical. The spider will then take on the task that all creatures, man and beast, must comply with and that is securing a source of nourishment.
Promise Of The Stones
Those of us who find ourselves drawn to stones or minerals are called to be servants of the soul of the world. Our teachers, showing us the way to do this, are the stones, and what they have to teach is far, far beyond anything we can possibly imagine. The stones are spirit beings who through millions of years of development are embodied with great healing and wisdom.
Rocks, minerals, crystals and gemstones are known in traditional shamanism as “the stone people.” They are the original beings of who came long before the plant people, standing people (trees), animal people and the human people. Philosopher Alan Watts said in one of his talks, “Rocks are not dead…minerals are a rudimentary form of consciousness.”
For this reason, they are much older and wiser than us humans and we can learn much from them, especially when it comes to energy work and healing.
The spiritual-metaphysical properties of stones are the promise, as spoken by the stones, of what could happen if we approach them as living beings. It is their promise and has to be heard and felt on their terms, not in the terms of our personality needs.
For example, if a stone promises prosperity, to take that offering literally is to abuse the meaning of the stone, for ‘prosperity’ spoken in an intimate relationship cannot possibly mean “you are going to make me materially rich.” If I say to a dear friend, lovingly, with all my heart, “I wish you prosperity,” I am not saying, “You will become materially wealthy because we are related!” What I am saying is that because of our intimacy, your soul will prosper and the world will shine brighter.
Paranormal Activity, Or Energy Residue?
Clients sometimes ask me to do an energy clearing in their homes or businesses. In have even been asked to do a cleansing in stables, where the horses had been inexplicably out of sorts and acting out of character. The energy clearing methods I use vary from the more typical Western techniques to traditional African methods that I learned while living there.
One of the most memorable clearings I ever did was for a long-standing client who struggled with a deep sense of guilt over the suicide of her late husband. She had asked me to do an energy clearing ritual in her home, to see what I could pick up.
Her husband had ended his life sitting in a large, plush wingback chair in their home, where they were bringing up their two young children. Apparently, they had argued a lot in the weeks leading up to his death, particularly after he’d discovered her affair with another man.
Guilt overwhelmed her, and her late husband’s family made their judgment of her very clear. They felt his passing was her fault.
In a mediumship reading I did for her, her late husband had come through with messages that proved he had crossed over to the Other Side, that he was at peace, and that she was never to blame for him choosing to depart from this life. Instead, he spoke of his own life-long battle with depression, and his personal failures in their broken marriage.
The mediumship validations were however not enough to ease my client’s haunting feelings of guilt. She was convinced that her husband’s troubled spirit was haunting their home, and she insisted on me doing an energy cleansing. She was, however, not keen on some of the more typical Western clearing methods, nor the shamanic African approaches I offered, so I suggested we simply use some sage incense and prayer, and she was satisfied for me to do so.
She also consented to me having free access to every nook and cranny of the house, because it is often surprising where energy disturbances can reside. She believed there was a heavy, dark cloud of negative energy around that wingback chair, but to my surprise, there was nothing! In fact, the whole room was clear of any negative vibrations. Continue reading
To The Beat Of My Own Drum
I am in the process of moving home. While going through years of stored stuff in the attic of my old home, I found a Christmas gift that my parents gave me around the age of four. It was a little drum, intact, with sticks to play to the beat of my young heart. I am sure there were many times my parents thoroughly regretted buying a four-year-old a drum to bang on!
To my surprise, throughout the house, I also found a total of eleven more drums. All different sizes and kinds. And it is safe to say I can still make a joyful noise with each one (although my family might consider this debatable).
In the summer we spend a lot of time at Camp Etna, one of the spiritualist camps here in Maine. We have two small cottages here – one that we live in, and another I use as my office. Some of the drums I found are kept in the office cottage, for my clients to enjoy.
Why the obsession with drums, you may ask? Well, drumming has always been a form of great stress relief for me. You can release pent up emotions, by beating the drum as hard or soft as you wish. It feels good to express yourself through the primal beat. Moving to the sound of the beat seems to make doing most tasks easier. Drumming is just plain old-fashioned fun, and people around the world have been moving to the sound of drums since the beginning of time.
Drums are also a very useful spiritual tool. In energy work, for example, I use drums to get in touch with the heartbeat. We also host a drumming circle here, at least once a week. Young and old come out to participate, and everyone in the area is invited. It is a spiritual activity that helps to unite the community. One person sets the intention, and the beat for the circle, and then all join in. It is wonderful to see the smiles and joy the drumbeat brings to faces.
Anyone can learn to play the drum. With people being at home much more these days, if you have always had the desire to learn to play and instrument, it is a good time to try the drums. With all the information technology we have these days, there are many courses and tutorials available online for one to learn drumming techniques in the comfort of your home.
‘Space Clearing’ Is Actually Rescue Work
In my earlier days of doing psychic mediumship work, I used to get many requests from homeowners and businesses, requesting that I do a space clearing in their premises. Typically, these clients would complain about strange things happening onsite and disturbances by unwanted spirits, which negatively impacted their daily activities or lifestyle. Some people would refer to this work using terms like ‘ghosthunting,’ but prefer to call it ‘rescue’ work.
When someone passes, they can either go to the Light, back to the realm of Spirit, or they can remain in the Earth plane dimension. Sometimes a person dies suddenly, from a murder, for instance, or in a robbery or some other controversial way where they were somehow wronged. Their spirit may then choose to remain here, in some attempt to claim justice. They may also choose to remain here because they don’t feel a sense of completeness with this life. Or sometimes they are simply just confused.
‘Clearing out’ the spirits disturbing the occupants of a home or business premises, has taught me the most about death, and what really happens when we die and leave our physical body. For instance, one time I was clearing a pretty large antique furniture store. As I made my way through the shop, I asked the owner who Norma was? She was sitting in one of the antique rocking chairs in the front corner, and she was scaring people away.