WORDS are powerful forms of expression and powerful energies. When words are combined with intense emotion, the emotion acts as a fuel for the word; the greater the emotion, the greater the fuel.

An intention puts things into motion universally. Life force is also fuel. Throughout [...]]]> Curse Unraveling
Intrusions: curses, spells, contracts, vows, intentions

WORDS are powerful forms of expression and powerful energies. When words are combined with intense emotion, the emotion acts as a fuel for the word; the greater the emotion, the greater the fuel.

An intention puts things into motion universally. Life force is also fuel. Throughout history and cultures sacrifices have been done to add extreme power to an intention. We don’t live in a culture such as this and so the thought of it is foreign and primitive. However there are many cultures that still use a form of sacrifice to ensure the power of a ceremony. Chickens in Africa are often used in ceremonial practice and then used to feed the community. Even the church refers to the blood of Christ and the body of Christ in their sacraments, and Jesus is referred as sacrificing himself to save others.

I bring up this topic because I find myself often dealing with these issues during my healing work of Soul Retrieval. As I stated earlier, sometimes a person has tried everything to heal. They have read the books, done the workshops, gone to both allopathic and alternative practitioners, but their condition persists. They have something chronic: pain, misfortune, failure. This is where I find amazing success by looking into other lifetimes of the client. Not only was the curse been found in another lifetime but it was successfully unraveled and health restored to my client.

Shamanism does not view lifetimes as linear – past, present, future – but all happening simultaneously. If there was a spell, curse, oath, promise, declaration, vow or contract that was created in another lifetime that has a huge amount of life force with it, it is very likely that life force is still alive and activated in the client’s energy system. The energy of the “contract” is still in motion and affecting the person in this lifetime. Journeys into these other lifetimes and changing the situation in that lifetime literally changes the outcome that the client is living today. I find this work fascinating and effective.

There are many ways that curses and spells can be activated. Watch a few movies to get a feel for the drama of the past. Declaration, vows, and oaths were common. Great ceremonies and rituals often sealed the deal. Energy was put into motion in a dynamic way with lots of life force and emotion.

Imagine a scene where two men are dueling for the love of their lady. Declarations of love are spoken, Vows are created of fighting to the end, or declaring love for eternity. The duel happens and blood is spilled, someone dies and takes this vow with them into the afterlife. Just because the person died, doesn’t mean the energy did.

The Hatfields and McCoys are a classic example of feuding that is passed on energetically to the offspring. The offspring are then raised in an environment that automatically sees fault and disdain for the other family just because of the name. Now think of countries that have been feuding for centuries. The vows, the curses, the spells that have been cast because of these intense feelings cause enormous amounts of blood shed.

Blood is only one example of huge amounts of life force. Emotion without the blood can be just as binding. Fear can create power over a person or persons that can live on for centuries. The fear of burning in hell has been a controlling device that has proven to be effective, harmful, and invasive. If you want to control people, scare people; it always seems to work.

Fear has built enormous thoughtforms and they affect us all. The fear of survival is a root chakra broadcast (root meaning the basis of all things). If this chakra is out of alignment with its origin of wellness, safety, security, and belonging, the foundation of a person can be altered. With enough individuals expressing this fear, the foundation of a culture can be altered, and all of these broadcasts feed the thought form that lingers over their culture.

Many, if not all people have some sort of curse or spell on them. We as a culture tend to be very sloppy with our words, not aware that they are a powerful energy that lives on. We curse ourselves and curse others with words and emotions. Simple self-imposed curses can bind a person energetically from creating the type of life her or she desires or manifesting their dreams.

Words and intentions live on. However, they can be cleared and you can heal from them.

The Raven Stories are both entertaining – as raven’s mischief often [...]]]> Surely we have all heard the legends of raven. Raven, like coyote and other spirit beings of the Northwest mythology, was as fickle and unpredictable as nature and its seasons. Raven was a shape-shifter, who could assume any form – human or animal.

The Raven Stories are both entertaining – as raven’s mischief often backfired, but also instructive – teaching us about the Northwest Indians’ way of life and the origin of their customs.  The raven is traditionally associated with death and blackness, acting as intermediaries between us and the afterlife, or associated them with sorrow and dying. In fact, carrion birds were usually the first scavengers on the scene after a death, and feasted on man and beast alike. Their reputation among such peoples was grim one, and many scorned the birds, or cursed their presence.

Among other peoples, however, it was the wit and curiosity these birds displayed which colored their spiritual significance. They were associated with joy and laughter, and a spirit of mischief. The native tribes of the pacific northwest were among the latter of these two. They called Raven the Great Trickster, and boasted that the creation of mankind was Raven’s doing. They also claimed that Raven’s tricks brought fire to mankind so they wouldn’t freeze in the darkness; Raven supplied water during a great drought; and Raven made Salmon for the people to eat (Of course that was after he stole it from the Beaver!). When totem poles were erected to honor the spiritual guardians of these tribes, Raven was a common feature on them. There are also totem poles which depict raven and beaver together, of course raven is on top!

The idea of Raven as a creator was not unique to North American peoples, even in Siberia there were myths and stories told of how Raven created the world. It appears that as humans we could watch and admire the raven for its creativity and fortitude. In Australia, kookaburra is the laughing trickster, so the raven (the story of Whan) has a slightly different role, a bird of sorrows. He takes the sadness from humanity, and flies away with it. The Australian raven’s mournful call reflects the burden he carries.

But when I read European mythology in doing comparison work I found that they were mostly messengers, or an alternate shape for various deities and spirits. The ones that I can call to mind are Bran, (whom I have met in my journeys both as god-form and raven form) the Morrigan, and of course Odin

A circle mate explained more to me about Odin’s ravens, Huginn and Muninn, when we were together for the Three Worlds workshop.  I read a bit further and it seems that there is a split between active and passive roles; Huginn is Thought (active), and Muninn is Memory (passive), and Odin sends these two birds off around the world at daybreak, to bring him the daily news.

Wolves and ravens have an old and close relationship in the wild. In countries where both animals live together, a great deal of a raven’s food comes from scavenging carcasses left by wolves, particularly in winter. Both animals would have been a common sight on the battlefield, scavenging on the bodies of the slain

Ravens are fascinating birds.  I guess what attracted our ancestors to them, still attracts modern people to them.  Ravens are very common spirits in our circle.  There are people who have taken the name Raven.  Raven is still referred to as Grandfather by the Haida people.  Raven is still considered a trickster when it arrives at pow wows and others ceremonies.

How could they not capture our imaginations? Ravens have been a part of our global history for over 3 million years, it is obviously embedded into the global psyche.

References:

Raven’s End – Ben Gadd

The Celtic Shaman –  John Matthews

Mind of the raven: investigations and adventures with wolf-birds – Bernd Heinrich

I enjoyed the journey, and the food… but not the effects of the water  ! It was not until I returned that I actually studied [...]]]> In September I took off to explore Peru with a wonderful group of friends, new and old.  We travelled through arid regions, the jungle and of course the basic sites.

I enjoyed the journey, and the food… but not the effects of the water  ! It was not until I returned that I actually studied the cosmology that we were quickly introduced to.  Peruvians have a long and wonderful spiritual history.  There are still aspects of their worship in some of the older archealogical sites.

This is some of what I learnt:

Three Andean Worlds

Chacana – When you draw a horizon in the center, the upper half is the spirit world of the Condor (also of the sun and planets), the centerline is feline; the surface of earth and the present world, and the lower half of the cross is the serpent world of the dead.

Hanag Pacha

Upper World

Spirit – Condor

Place of the future

Spiritual Ascension

Sun, Moon, Starts, Thunder and Rainbows

The condor is known for having wingspans of up to 10 feet wide and is native to the mountains of South America. Every civilization that has inhabited the territory has referred to the condor in their design. In the Peruvian tradition, the bird is considered the messenger between our physical world and the realm of the gods or spirits, and represents all heavenly life forces. The condor represents the ability to “see” as a bird would from the air. In other words foresight and spiritual wisdom are all associated with this image. Many people relate the image of god’s eye with that of the condor. Furthermore, the ability to fly also alludes to transcending. The condor is associated with the top of our head, the place of sight and perception, and, according to Q’ero shamanism, the place where the soul can enter and exit or commune with gods.

Kay Pacha

Middle World

Present

Puma

Strength

Fire and Water (M & F   L & D)

The world of the present moment, or reality as we humans are accustomed to it, is embodied in the image of the jaguar or feline. The cat, with its incredible sensitivity to sounds and motion, poise and power, embodies the physical world we know. The jaguar roams the earth with incredible agility, and can move almost instantaneously. Jaguar is confined to the middle world, just as in reality the feline primarily only on the ground plane, and for that reason represents not only the earth we know but a place in time neither in the future or past. The jaguar is associated with our hearts, our instincts, and our intuition. In other words, the way our body can feel, perceive, and react independently of rational.

Uca Pacha

Lower World

Serpent

Past

Intellect/Mental/Psychological

Supay – God of Death

Land of the Dead

The serpent is the keeper of the underworld or world of the dead. Much different than the western world’s conception of hell, the underworld is the place where souls go after death to prepare their next rebirth. Under the ground’s surface is both the place where dead leaves decompose and new seeds rise to life. The world of the dead is in this way also the world of birth. This continuous death and rebirth process thus not surprisingly links the serpent to the Pacha Mama or Mother Earth. The human belly or center is associated with the realm of the serpent.

Human powers:

1. Illanqay = power of the body.

2. Munay = power of the heart.

3. Yachay = power of the mind.

There is quite a bit more, lots more actually.  I will put up a post discussing my experiences with San Pedro and Aya.  Both were quite amazing medicines to take and become acquainted with.

Until Then…

Be well and may Spirit bless with a smile big enough to hurt your cheeks!

Kriket

The first [...]]]> A Power Animal is any natural object, being, or animal that symbolizes a specific kind of energy. When one awakens to a Power Animal and honors it, the mythical energies behind it are released into one’s life. My first power animal was Deer.  Deer taught me patience, gentleness, healing and many other important qualities.

The first shamans watched Animals very carefully, their traits, abilities, habits and learnt to respect them. Through time, myths and stories were told and retold by shamans to explain their understanding of the spiritual animal to their village mates.  We encounter that in circle, the similarities between journeys, the similar characteristics between our Power Animals. They may be present in their earthly manifestations, but they aren’t bound by physical forms. One does not worship a Power Animal; one follows it. The way of a Power Animal is something you aspire to, rather like someone who aspires to live according to a code of honor. A Power Animal will share information through our voyages, our visions and dreams. Animals come to us because they have a lesson we need to learn or a power they are willing to share. They seek to give us understanding, love, energy and knowledge.

The Power Animals that come to us offer us power and wisdom once we learn to communicate with, respect, trust and understand it. Each animal has its own special power and message, for each animal has a powerful spirit and an inherent skill. Animal Spirits choose a person to be a companion to, a friend to, not the other way around. The animal will choose you and make itself known to you.

Eventually, everyone who practices the shamanic journey will encounter the Shadow Power Animal. They are sometimes frightening and threatening, but always intimidating.

From a psychological perspective the Shadow represent those aspects of our psyche that we choose to ignore – our fears, our secrets and dark thoughts. They characterize our personal boundaries, our self-imposed limitations and those parts of ourselves that rejects spontaneity, risk taking and the development of self-esteem.

I have a weakness for Grey’s anatomy, so I watched it last night.  The entire show was dedicated to playing with Shadow.  The characters fears of ‘not being seen”, or “judgment”, “loss of a best friend”. The duality played out in the writing was very coincidental, I thought! I pondered the hardest parts of our drama, our tragedy. Playing right into our shadow. Each main character was presented with a mirror of him or herself, and had the embrace the ensuing chaos that inevitably comes when they faced themselves.

Shadow Power Animals represent our dark side – the shadow aspect of our soul that we tend to ignore or suppress due to the connotations that they represent and the responsibilities they force upon us. They make us to look at ourselves, to stand before our weaknesses and our frailties and to honour them as lessons and as stepping-stones to power.

The Shadow Animal is a substantial presence in the Spirit world, similar to a nightmare in your dreaming reality. It usually presents itself as the scariest, most frightening animal, or being, you can imagine. They can be fire-breathing dragons, trolls or skeletons wielding arm sized machetes, really anything.  A Shadow Power Animal tests us. They have keys for us, but will put us through tests before they will let their power work with, and for us, instead of against us. In all of nature there is prey and predator. In the spiritual world there is the same.

Shadow Power Animals are equally as important and as valuable a teacher as one’s Power Animal. Remember it is Shadow because it is unconscious.  We cannot see what we are unconscious of.  The Shadow Self operates mostly in unconscious reflex, it is not based upon instinctual desires alone, but is a sum total of many parts including fear, anger, repressed drives and needs, past pain not yet been healed, resolved and integrated, as well as our early childhood conditioning.

Shamanic work is not always fun and fluffy and light.  It is very serious work.  Many times we have left this temple, this circle, in tears, in confusion, frustrated… or light and fluffy with lots of giggles… kinda a crap shoot eh!!

The Spirit World has, often times, a very different agenda then our waking reality.  Walking somnambulists are not welcome there.  To participate in the land of the spirits you do have to be awake and take a certain level of responsibility for yourself and your walk.  To get our attention we are often presented with what may scare us, or what may frustrate us.  A snake may be very frightening for some, for others who don’t have a great deal of fear they may encounter barriers to this world or that. The idea is we are taken deep into ourselves in order to understand ourselves, the challenge we face is to bring our newly awokenCONSCIOUS SELF back to our waking reality and incorporate it.

A shadow Power Animal is one that initially you fear. The shadow Power Animal often represents inner fears that you must overcome. Until you face the fears of the shadow Power Animal, its powers may very well work against you, not letting you soar. When you overcome the fear of the shadow Power Animal, it becomes one of your most powerful allies. Your goal with a shadow Power Animal is to learn the lessons and incorporate that animal into your life. If you are scared by something over and over then you still have not accepted the lesson that animal has for you.

Your shadow does not have to be scary.  It does not have to harm you, you don’t at all have to be afraid to encounter or meet your shadow side.  You may be at the point in your life where you are friends with your shadow.  I have found over the years my shadows counsel has been invaluable to me.  I have been able to see my limitations emotionally, physically, and above all spiritually.