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alchemabotana · 4 years ago

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WTF are “The Directions” and Why TF Do You Care?

Every Shamanic lineage shares in common a deep reliance and rooted belief in the power of the directions. Shamanism is, by it nature, dependent on the natural physical world. I gave my apprentice RJ a teaching once about this. I believe the jist of it was me musing one day about how being of-earth and on-earth, it is only logical that we honor and use the energy of this earth in our general spiritual exploration. There is power to be had in the Earth, and not only that of the physical resource here. The Earth itself is a multidimensional space with its own layers of spiritual energy.

So lets break that spiritual energy down into something we can all understand: directions. There’s North, South, East, and West - most of us on Earth believe this to be factually correct. Did we give the directions these names? Apparently we did. But did we construct these concepts out of nowhere? Absolutely not. As scientific observation of physical reality grew, so did our comprehension of the universe that surrounds us. Science and Shamanism have always walked hand in hand. So when our ancestors discovered navigation, the system of orientation was based upon on our relation to the heavens, and to the Earth: the constellations and the magnetic pull.

The energies of the different directions were discovered in like, by spiritual meditation and reflection on the experiences of the people creating their medicine wheels. This is why you will notice that some tribes or shamanic lineages use different directional associations within their wheels. It is this individuation that gives shape to the system of each lineage.

You will hear my opinion of “experience over information” frequently throughout my speaking on the lineage. Although written information like this can be useful, it can also be highly distracting on the shamanic path. This is because Shamanism is a highly experiential path with a value emphasis on spiritually and emotionally gained insight and wisdom above intellectual knowledge.

You will find differences between medicine wheels because the spiritual qualities of each direction has been revealed to the direction keepers in their own way. The revelation of spiritual information as it pertains to physical reality is a daily part of a Shaman’s life. Here is the simplified directional wheel that I use in my shamanic practice:

My Wheel starts in the East.

The Eastern direction is protected and guarded by the Hawk, the Fox, the Deer, and the Eagle. The East is where the Sun rises, and it brings us new energy. This is the morning of the medicine wheel. The power of the East rises in the Spring. This is where yin falls and yang rises. The emissary of the East is the element of Wood. The Color is Yellow or Green.

Next Comes the Southern direction, ruled by the spirit of the Elk, Possum, Squirrel, and Antelope. The Sun is directly over us, and we are at the highest yang point of the year. The South is the peak power of Summer Solstice. The emissary of the South is the element of Fire. The Color is Red or Orange.

The West direction is the most mysterious direction of all, and is our portal to the road of the Ancestors. We often call it the Blue Road. Bear stands as the watcher of the West. This is where yang falls and yin begins to open. This the feast of All Soul’s, the celebration of All Saints. The emissary of the West is the element of metal and air. The Color is Black, White, or Blue.

The Wheel begins to turn again after the direction of the North. The North is a lesson of gratitude and wisdom and is ruled by the Buffalo Spirit. The earth’s yin sets the pace of time. The emissary of the North is the element of Water. The Color is White or Red.

There are also the Above, Below, and Within directions.

The Above direction points us towards the heavens, the most yang aspect of the medicine wheel. Certain spirits are honored here, such as the Wind and Cloud Spirits, the winged ones (all of our shamanic bird kin), the Star People, the Moon and Sun, and other beings. This is our connection to Father Sky, the yang aspect of the spiritual being. In my traditions we do believe in a “Heavenly Father” and have a name for God.

The Below Direction points us towards the Earth... all the way into the earth. This is the most yin aspect of the medicine wheel. Here we honor all the Earth Spirits, but most especially the Grandmother and Grandfather Stones, the Stone People, the creepy crawlers, the waterways, and the locationally based spirits we may work with such as the spirit of a mountain or other land spirits present.

The Within Direction: This is within ourselves. It is the self and our relationship to it. It is the entire universe contained in your body. Another dimension and universe unto itself, interacting with the energy of the planet and stars from which it was formed.

#shamanism #shaman #herbalist #medicinewoman #medicinewheel #medicinelife #herbalism #animalspiritmedicine #animaltotem #animalspirit #fourdirections

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alchemabotana · 4 years ago

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Mother Tree - Tales from the Dark Forest: The Nesting Doll

Long ago when the Grandmother Tree stood tall in the Dark Forest, a two legged came walking. The life of the Forest knew the two legged in the deepest sense: for it had called to the two legged in dreams and visions. The Dark Forest knew the two legged as Shaman: an animal being that could communicate between the realms of life and the after-life. The Grandmother Tree had known the ancestors of the two legged for many centuries, and called the Shaman sacred to all life on the Earth Mother, and knew it to be beloved by the Creator of the Universe.

When the Shaman came walking in the Dark Forest, the Animal Beings, Plants, and Stone People rejoiced in its presence. The Spirits of the Dark Forest proclaimed amongst themselves that it would be a time of great rejoicing. The tribes of the life of the Dark Forest sang and danced upon the wind, carrying the news of celebration. Amongst the tribes were conversations of honoring the Shaman’s walk, and they consulted the Grandmother Tree on which gifts the Shaman should take from the forest.

“My relations,” said Grandmother, “whatever the Shaman needs, we must give to the two legged, for its life is not its own. This two legged lives in the knowledge of The Everlasting Life, and whatever we give of ourselves, will live on within the Shaman for all eternity. Even when the Earth Mother dies, and returns to the dust and light of the Star People, it will hold our teachings within the Creator of the Universe itself, who animates the spirit of the Shaman.”

So when the Shaman walked the Dark Forest, the Plants would sing to it: “Shaman of the in-between, you who sees that which is unseen, who hears our voices near and far, whose Spirit shines like evening stars, come closer to the ground below you, my relation, my relation, come and learn the Plant Nation.”

And the Shaman would hear their songs, and bend close to the ground to gather their medicines, listening closely to the instructions they gave on how to work their medicine for any living being whose spirit they chose to honored.

When the gathering was done, the Shaman asked the Plant Nation for permission to go deeper into the mysteries of the Dark Forest, and the Plants sang songs of joy, knowing what the Grandmother Tree had taught them was righteous and true.

The Animal Nation sent their emissaries to the Shaman, in order to feed the Spirit of Creation. “I will serve the Shaman’s path,” said each of their representatives as they, one by one, discovered the Shaman’s trail. And there were many of the nation who gave of their own lives, so that the Shaman would survive the harsh conditions of the Dark Forest. The tribes of animals knew that their bodies and spirits would live on within the Shaman, and their gifts would honor the Earth Mother. For they understood the knowledge of Everlasting Life, and feared not death.

When the Shaman had grown strong from the food and medicine which these nations had provided the two legged, it went walking further into the Dark Forest, animated by the innumerable gifts it had been given. The Spirits of the Dark Forest saw within the Shaman the power of the knowledge of Everlasting Life walking as tall as the Grandmother Tree herself. The Spirits knew each life the Shaman carried within it, and wished to be of service as well. So the Spirits called to the Shaman in the dreamtime, showing their faces and phases, and giving the Shaman visions of all the lives which it had lived and would live. The Shaman, wise from its own life and the journey that had brought it to the Dark Forest, honored the Spirits’ messages and followed their visions even deeper into the Dark Forest.

For many months the Shaman walked, finding more medicines and gifts along the way. The Shaman understood that it would come upon the greatest gift of all: the integration and transformation of all the lives it would ever live and had lived. When the Shaman had finished its honoring work, and dreamed through the phases of many moons, it was guided by the Stone People. The Stone People, who were the very essence of the collective knowledge of all life of the Dark Forest, instructed the Shaman to bear their load. Because the Shaman carried within it the essence of the Dark Forest in each cell of its body, and resonated as the vision of the Spirits, the load was easy to bear. The Stone People, of which there were many, carried ancient knowledge of the Earth Mother and the Creator of the Universe. They knew they would travel, through this Shaman’s walk, to every corner of the Earth. They knew not the constriction of Time, and lived infinitely beyond the concept of the cycle of life. Each Stone person who was carried by the Shaman was blessed, and in turn, blessed and protected the Shaman in every life it had lived or ever would live.

The Stone People entered the Shaman’s consciousness and guided its steps along the forest floor until it came upon the Grandmother Tree. In this moment, the Dark Forest became silent so that both the Dark Forest and the Shaman could hear her speak. As the Grandmother spoke, the Shaman recognized her voice, and became still and quiet in reverence.

“Shaman, I called you here,” she whispered softly through her leaves.

“I know you,” replied the Shaman, “In my dreams I saw you, heard you, and came to know you. I have listened, and came walking. I have sung with the Plant Nations, and been healed. I have eaten with the Animal Nations, and been satiated. I have dreamed with the Spirits, and been illuminated through every life I have lived or ever will live. And I have carried the Stone People on my back. I have brought them all back to you, Grandmother. Tell me what gift you ask of me, as I fear not death, and understand the knowledge of Everlasting Life.”

Grandmother smiled through the heart of the Mother of the Earth at her child standing before her, holding the life of the Dark Forest within every piece of its body and spirit. She spoke: “The greatest gift I wish from you, is for you to help my children live far beyond the reaches of this Forest. I wish for you to sacrifice your face for my own, and keep the knowledge of Everlasting Life for your people.”

The Shaman understood that this was indeed a great gift to be asked to give to the Grandmother Tree, and to all the lives of the Dark Forest. The Shaman stood in the moment of sacrifice and said: “I will do this with a happy heart, and give you my smiling face. I will bring your children with me where I walk, and teach my relations the knowledge of Everlasting Life. And if this means my spirit will return here to this moment, I will gladly do this in this life and every life I have lived or will ever live, because I you have given me the gift of the Faith in the Everlasting Life”

The Grandmother Tree saw, heard, and understood the voices of each relation living within the Shaman’s body and spirit. She felt the warmth of the Earth Mother’s love, and the protection of the Creator of the Universe. In this moment, she shed her tallest branch. Down it came, blessed by the Sky People and the Heavens it had grown so long to reach, so that the Shaman could hold and bring forth its medicine. When it reached the ground, it made the sound of a thousand and one drumbeats all at once for every Shaman to hear in every life they would ever live or had lived. In this moment of sacrifice, the Shaman lost hearing in its left ear, so that it could always hear the heartbeat of Mother Earth, the voice of the Creator of the Universe, and the Animals, Plants, Stones, and Spirits which gave their medicine.

“Take this wood,” said every voice of the forest, “and make the medicine which will animate the two leggeds with the knowledge of Everlasting Life.” The Shaman took the wood and carried it upon its shoulders for many moons, assisted by all the medicine it had integrated already. The return walk was much more difficult than the first walk into the Dark Forest, as the Shaman carried so much medicine. But when the Shaman grew tired or weary and was tested, the Faith which animated and gave the Shaman strength for one more step. One step at a time the Shaman returned to the world of the two leggeds.

When the Shaman reached the Dark Forest’s edge, and returned to the world of the two legged, many years had passed. In the darkness of the Forest, the Shaman’s eyes had changed. From carrying the wood and Stone People, its back was bent close to the ground. From eating of the Animal Nation, and partaking of the Plant’s medicines, its could no longer speak the same language. The two leggeds could no longer recognize the Shaman, and as they did not live in the knowledge or faith of the Everlasting Life, they began to fear the Shaman.

Yet the Shaman carried on, finding its way to a new home, where it finally rested and began its transition to the next life it would walk upon the Earth. It took the wood and built from it a shelter where it placed the stone people on the Earth Mother. The Shaman sat and sung the Plant Nation songs to the Stones, and listened to their teachings. From the wood, it created a Hoop, which represented every life it had lived or ever would live. And on the hoop it attached a skin from the Animal Nation. The Shaman used the wood to create a beating stick for the drum, and attached the fur from the Animal Nation. The Shaman rested throughout this work on the fur of the Animal Nation, which touched the Earth Mother within the shelter. The Shaman offered the medicine of the Plant Nations to the Stone People, so that they could speak more loudly and reach the ears of anyone who could hear, and many did hear. Many two leggeds came to the Shaman and asked for the knowledge of Everlasting Life, and those with true hearts were blessed with the healing the Dark Forest had provided.

For many years the Shaman lived in this way, honoring the sacrifice the Grandmother Tree had requested. When many more years had passed, a motherless Child came upon the Shaman. The Child could also hear the voices of the Spirits, Animals, Plants and Stone people, and had followed them to the shelter. The Shaman looked upon the Child and understood that within this Child lived every life the Earth Mother had lived or would ever live. Within this Child was the knowledge and faith of the Everlasting Life. In this moment, the Shaman flew to the moment of sacrifice and once again heard the voice of the Grandmother Tree, but now saw the Child living within it. Returning to its body, the Shaman then spoke to the Child, “I see myself within you. I see you within the Grandmother Tree. I will give you the gifts I have been given, for we are of the same life, we are relations.” The Child smiled, and the Shaman knew it was time to shed its very own face.

The process was one of many years, for the Child had many things to learn from the Shaman, and many initiations to grow through in order to hold the lives of the Dark Forest, the Earth Mother, and the Creator of the Universe within itself. The journey was difficult, but with each gift bestowed, the Child grew stronger, wiser, and more faithful. On the nights of the fullness of the Moon, the Shaman would carve the remaining pieces of the Grandmother Tree carefully, while telling medicine stories to the Child. One day, the work was complete, and the Shaman knew it was time to give the Grandmother the Shaman’s own face. From the gifts of the Plants, Animals, and Stone People it painted its face on the work accomplished. When the painting was finished, the Shaman held the gift closely to its heart. In this moment the Shaman returned to the moment of sacrifice. It no longer saw the Grandmother Tree, but instead, the Mother Tree growing in her stead. The Spirits of the Forest gave the Shaman many visions of the lives the Child would live, and instructions for the gift the Shaman had finally finished. When the Shaman returned from its Spirit Journey it called the Child close.

“Child,” she said, “I have come with teachings for the end this Earth Walk of mine. I know that you will see me in every life I have lived or ever will live. In my moment of sacrifice I exchanged my face for this wood I have made our shelter, drums, and many medicine piece from. And now that I must leave this body, I understand that I am giving you my face, and every face within it.” She handed her daughter the gift. With tears in her eyes, the Child accepted it, understanding that the gift itself would allow her to live her life without the moment of sacrifice which had been made for her.

The Shaman’s body ceased to walk, and began its nesting life. Buried deep within the soil of the Earth Mother, her body returned to give life to the Nations which had honored her with its gifts. And the Child became a Woman, who became a Mother, who became a Grandmother, who lived to be a Great Grandmother. She taught each generation the faces of the Shaman, the teachings of the Dark Forest, and the way and journey of the knowledge and faith of the Everlasting Life. The Great Grandmother Shaman kept the gift of the moment of sacrifice and revered its medicine. One day, she herself returned to the Earth Mother and the Creator of the Universe, and continued to live many lives just as her mother Shaman teacher had. Her children, grandchildren, and great grand children looked upon the gift and saw their own faces there. The smallest of the children of this family, animated by the lives that had come before her, spoke for their Nation of Shamans saying, “this is the gift of the Nesting Doll, and she herself will learn to speak across the generations, so that if we lose our voices, or our faces, she will keep the knowledge alive until we return to reclaim her.”

-Little Thunder (Antonina Whaples) 1/30/21

#shaman #shamanism #shamanichealing #shamanic lineage #Siberia #nestingdoll #medicinestory #plantspiritmedicine #spiritanimal #animalspiritmedicine #medicinewoman #intergenerationalhealing #drum #shamanicjourney #all my relations

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