The Shamanic Journey

The Shamanic journey starts when we begin to live what we have grasped of the Great Plan.

Where do we start? Physically from where we are, however tempting it may be to wait until "the conditions are right," until we move to another place, until we get a new job, until we find more understanding, more congenial people, until... until...

... I am so sorry, but this post has been moved to my new website, Feathers and Bones, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com and can be found in its entirety here: The Shamanic Journey

Morning Meditation - Not everything is about me!

Today I watched a fraternity of dancers, each group taking turns. I thought about how "for everything there is a season" and how that relates to "taking turns" and wondered what does this have to do with me?

One of the dancers stopped and smiled at me, so I asked him what this had to do with me.

He said, "Not everything is about you."

So true!

~what's this?

Morning Meditation - Between Earth and Sky

Back to the Snake Dancers again. This time, a Walpi Snake Priest, dressed for the Antelope dance, explained to me about the Eagle feathers and the cornmeal, both of which are used to control and contain the snakes.

The Eagle feathers represent the sky, the cornmeal represents the earth. And between the earth and the sky is a balance which holds the snake energy.

~what's this?

Morning Meditation - A Planning Session

Friday Aug 15

Today I found Medicine Crow - we sat in a cave together with firelight flickering, and in the sand were lines and circles, and I saw that this was a sort of war party planning session.

He said to me, "You still have a string to that wagon attached to you. First thing is to get that cut." He handed me a big pair of garden shears.

Then he drew in the sand a line leading to a circle. Inside the circle was a map. On the line he drew a symbol representing shears cutting it.

So I said, "OK, and then what?"

He said, "Then what? You know where you're going."

And I thought about a better diet, and I thought about my mob, I thought about the Way of the Shaman and I saw the woods and the valleys and the bright city beyond.... I said, "There." (meaning that journey)

He smiled and leaned back, obviously pleased with the answer, and I'm like... OK? so now what? And he showed me images of me making snares, carving a walking stick, carrying a knife, and matches.

I said, "So, I'll need tools!"

He smiled again, another right answer.

"OK, and then?" I asked. Thinking that since this was us planning a war party, my mind went to the "war" place... war on who? what? where are we going to "make our enemies cry"? Do I really even have enemies? Is war really what we're preparing for?

He said, "Life is a war, a battle, a struggle, and a dance. It's deadly serious for everyone, even this ant." He showed me an ant crawling on his finger. "Now, if he doesn't please me, if I want to, I can crush him right now."


I thought about "The Gods," I thought about how it does seem important to have them on your side, about the relentless force of nature, and how important it is to find benevolence there....

Then, (still talking about the ant, which is now crawling on his arm) he said, "I could help him, I could put him down right here and he could scurry home. Or, I could give him a journey and a vision." He got up and walked out of the cave, several hundred yards away, and put the ant on a leaf high in a tree. "Now he's got a quest," he laughed. "Finding his way home won't be easy from there."

So that was interesting... do the "Gods" act in this way? The Greeks thought so, I wondered about it for a small space of time.. Are there layers within layers? And if so, where do we fit into that grand scheme?

And then we were back in the cave. In retrospect I think maybe I am that ant, high in that unexpected place, wondering and working on how to get "home."

But we were now back at the task at hand, the circle in the sand. I said, "So where am I going? And is there a map?"

He said, "That's for you to figure out. Dream it and a map will come."

Once more we went over the plan.

Cut the string, Saturday is a full moon and an eclipse. So by Sunday night it might be good to have it done. I could work hard and long, and I could get it done. (By "it" I'm thinking closing the blogs in a formal way.)

Then, assemble and create tools. Dream the dream that will provide the map, and head out with my allies (Red Hawk, Crazy Thunder, and Holy Skin).

Interesting....

~what's this?