animal medicine
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
A Butterfly Message From My Father
My father passed away just over 12 years ago. Since then he has made frequent contact with from the other side. A few years ago, he used to be a frequent visitor at my monthly psychic circle, until it was discontinued when I relocated to another country.
The circle used to gather on the first Saturday of each month. At one particular sitting, we all heard my dad’s voice. His tone was crystal clear, but we were unable to decipher what he was saying. The other sitters had all met my dad before his passing and we were all very sure it was him.
I had never really felt the need to consult a medium after his passing, because of the messages we so often received in our own little circle. Plus, he was almost 80 when he passed, and considering his addictive lifestyle over the years, together with his struggle with pancreatic cancer, I don’t feel he wished to linger on this earthly plane any longer. I was also fortunate to get closure during his illness. Continue reading
Communicate With Your Animals
My mother was in some ways a woman of the times. She hauled water from a well to feed and clean her children, as well as her home. She also made her own bread and jams from the local berries we picked. She also put up preserves for the winter and grew her own vegetables.
Just outside our backdoor was my mother’s vegetable garden, and the shed where she had to take the wood from for the big kitchen stove. Daily, my mother would come out of the house to complete her chores, and to this present time and I can clearly recall a blue jay bird that used to squawk at her. It was not just idle chat on the blue jay’s part. He would squawk, my mother would respond, and it always appeared as if he could completely understand what she was saying.
My siblings and I took it for granted that my mother could easily communicate with our fine feathered friends, and we assumed other people could do this as well. Continue reading
The Ancient Art Of Possum Bone Casting
I have spent some time exploring ancient forms of divination. It made me realize one can use just about anything, from bones to rocks, or even animal intestines – anything that may be handy at the time.
A few years back a friend of mine moved from Maine to New Orleans. We are connected on Facebook, so I decided to contact her to see how she liked living in New Orleans, and what she was doing for work. Much to my surprise she said, “I’m doing bone readings in the French Quarter of the city.” Well, that certainly peaked my interest.
I have since began studying the art of bone casting. As with anything, I found lots of ideas and several different opinions on the matter. Using my own intuition, I settled on learning to read possum bones. They are said to be the real deal, but I have never seen a possum in the state of Maine (even though I’m sure possum is here.) Continue reading
A Tale Of Two Wolves
As a child, I always enjoyed parables, and even in my middle years I still like listening to a story that has real meaning behind it. Recently, I discovered a fabulous story.
A young Cherokee child gets into an argument with one of his peers whom, until now, he felt he had been on good terms with but on this occasion, however, felt that the other boy had been most unjust to him.
In anger, the Cherokee boy runs off to seek advice from his wise grandfather, an elder of the Cherokee tribe, who loves teaching his grandchildren all about life. After telling his grandfather of his injustice, the old man wistfully looked at his grandson and said that he too, in his life, had similar experiences that resulted in him feeling great anger. “It is like there is a fight between two wolves going on inside you,” said the old man, “and indeed a terrible fight.” Continue reading
Raccoon Medicine For Thanksgiving
When you see a raccoon, be it live or in a picture, what comes to mind? Is he cute and innocent looking, or does he remind you of a little outlaw? Or do you fear the creature you see?
Raccoons are indeed considered to be night varmints and scavengers. They can destroy property and be a real nuisance. However, spiritually the raccoon has a much more constructive significance and they are the perfect animal totem for Thanksgiving.
Traditionally, the raccoon, when it comes into your life, is referred to as “the one who carries the medicine of the protector of the underdog” and “the one who provides for the young, infirm and the elderly.” Because of its mask-like features, it is often unfairly referred to as The Masked Bandit, but when a raccoon comes into your space, you are being asked to contact your inner warrior, to become a protector and generous provider for those in need. Continue reading
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