The Shaman & Shamanism

(The following is taken from a post on our private site....) 

FROM OKWAHO....

"I think the best gift a Shaman, Sorcerer or God could ever give to us is the space and time to work things out on our own. We can make it and find the divine in us to make it.... A Shaman has a role but his or her role is not to live life for you - where you have chosen to give up. If anything a Shaman should inspire, breath strength in you when you are down but make sure you get back on your feet.... "

I was deeply touched by this and wrote back...
 

"Your words helped me to understand why I am where I am. You have

breathed life into me so many times when I was down... yet you would

not let me become dependent on you and that has made me stronger and more in touch with my own essence, the divine in me. It is easy to get entranced with the Shaman and want that energy to carry us, but it

will not help us in the end. One of the judgments I've heard about the

Shaman from those who don't know... is that they think we are "guru

worshipers" and don't have minds of our own... they are so wrong. Even

when I tried to give my power away to Lisa, she wouldn't let me...lol.

Thank God!

Thank you Shaman for helping me to find myself. Thank you community

for showing me who I am - light and shadow - and sticking with me through thick and thin. It has been such a healing for me. We are blessed here in GP to have each other, but we work hard at it too. We are blessed to have technology to stay connected and gatherings in Quebec to meet

in person."

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It is true that even some of my close friends or family think that I am being overly influenced by our Teacher, Okwaho. I know that in the past, I would put her on a pedestal, being so infatuated with her energy, her power and beauty. Who would not be? 

I used to be an AMMA devotee. Amma is a holy woman from India who embodies the Divine Mother. In India, they have a better understanding and respect for the Holy Ones amongst them than we have here on this continent. Amma is always surrounded by an entourage of Devotees who take care of her physical body and needs, while she goes into in trance and tends to the multitudes of followers. The followers have no fear of being "seduced", "brainwashed", or "overly influenced" by their Guru... they have absolute trust, something we Westerners could learn from.  Amma did not need me, I needed her. She helped me to find my way back to my path, knowing that my journey with her was temporary.


The Shaman does not want "followers", it is hard work to take care of so many!!! Yet the Holy ones all over the world... in India, Africa, Australia, North and South America... continue to serve in spite of the hard work and the persecution which seems to be directed at them so often. In the past, they were put to death...  today they are ignored, ridiculed or judged by those who do not understand, those who don't take the time to ask questions, to open their minds or even to observe those that they judge to see if they are for real .... It always amazes me how humans can pass judgments on things they know nothing about!

So what is the purpose of the Shaman in a community, or on this Earth?

As Keeper of the Shaman, I do have an infatuation with this energy... it calls to me like a bee to honey. The Shaman is an energy or Wind that blows through its carrier, and brings wisdom, divinity and love to all who are in its reach. I have had the Shaman energy blow through me briefly...  and I felt such incredible unconditional love for everyone, and I just seemed to know things. Others felt it too. One woman followed me around after as if infatuated, unable to leave, mistaking me for something that moved through me... The energy did what it needed to do and left. 


But there are some who carry this energy more often and for longer periods of time... these individuals sacrifice everything to the Shaman, in service to Creator and Creation. They give up their personal in order to become a Collective creature. It takes many arduous initiations to get to the point where you can carry this energy for any length of time.

The Shaman can inhabit a stone, a tree, a crystal, a person, an animal.... It comes and goes... it chooses where it goes and when..... we do not control it.

There are so many misconceptions about the Shaman and Shamanism -  judgments made out of fear of the unknown, ignorance, superstition, rumors... etc. Many people are afraid to tell their friends and family that they are on a Shamanic path and follow the teachings of a Shaman, because of the judgments. I find this really sad. Why are East Indian Gurus, Enlightened Masters and Holy ones accepted, yet Shamans are not? People will cross the ocean to get a glimpse of the Pope and bow down in worship, kissing his ring.


Is it a matter of shame, seeing what was done to the Aboriginals, Shamans and all...? Is it too soon and too close to home for those who live on this continent? I find it strange that  that people go to other countries, South America, for example, to find Shamans and Traditional Shamanic teachings... when it is available right in our own back yard. 

It is true that Okwaho, my Teacher, has supported, encouraged and empowered me to find my own way when I just wanted her to give me the answers or tell me what to do.... That would be so much easier, simpler and quicker. But she trusted in me enough to let me go at a time when I was completely lost in ego and thinking I knew what I was doing. She let me make my own choices and follow where that led me.... She always told me to "Tell my own story" when I wanted to just talk about her and her teachings. 


 It took me many years to understand what she meant, because I didn't value my own experiences, my own life, MY dreams and stories... I didn't see the power in ME.. but she did and she continued to nourish it in me with infinite patience when I was being a real  pain in the butt!!! She cared enough to give me the tough love, to show me where I was out of sacredness and not in my Truth and Power. The ego is a tough nut to crack, especially in today's world which is so totally ego-centered. But even ego is accepted as part of the whole on this path, and we explore it to bring it into balance, unlike some practices that throw out the ego altogether. You gotta love a path that says that all of who we are has a place and purpose! We get to dive headlong into life  and explore our imbalances, illusions and indoctrinations, to live the experience of life to the fullest and find our way home through what we live. We honor our journeys and stories because that is all we have, what the Creator gave us.

We need the Shaman today to remind us of sacredness, to show us the way,  to point out the beauty and divinity to us. Because much of this has been lost or destroyed or broken in us. 


We can only see what is in the mirror. I found that with Amma, when I was in judgment, doubt, ego or my mental, I could not see or believe who she was. When I let go of all of that... then I could be fully in the experience and open to what she wasshowing me.


The same goes for the Shaman... we only see what we are open to seeing and believing. It takes humility to have a Teacher, and as they say, the Teacher appears when the Student is ready. And the student is ready when he or she is humbled enough by life, has enough strength to get past the arrogance or insecurity of the ego, or disbelief in the Mysteries of Life... and is willing and able to face the Creator with a rawness of soul and an openness to Truth. Amma showed me my Light, the Shaman showed me both my Light and my Shadow.... and loved and accepted all of me when even I could not!

One thing that makes us so lucky.... and this path so unique...  is that it exists in spite of 500 years of attempts to extinguish it. We are survivors! We are strong! Those of us who have found our way back to these teachings and to the Shaman.... have come through hell and high water to get here, because deep down inside we are seeking TRUTH and COMMUNITY and to understand ourselves and our world in a way that only the Medicine Wheel can show us. 


Many are Dreamers, Healers, Warriors, etc..  who need to explore their what they are living when no one else seems to understand.  


We are lucky to have the Medicine Wheel as a tool for survival in these difficult times and a Shaman to help us to find that which we have forgotten or had taken away from us... our medicine or power!

Hau!

(As you can see, this is a topic that I am passionate about and will return to again and again I'm sure, there so much to share, teach and learn.)

 

H1N1 - What is Going On?

With all the opposing theories on the swine flu and even the so-called evidence that is questionable, what is a person to think? After hours of online research, I feel that there is one thing that is being overlooked. It is a catch-22 kind of thing.

With respect to those who have lost someone to this disease, I don't believe that vaccinations are the answer. There are seriously harmful ingredients in the vaccines. These ingredients have been known to cause severe and permanent nerve damage in many people. There is so much evidence out there, so I won't reiterate it all here. But I will include some links throughout this post, that I feel are worth checking out.

In all of this, what I see as the bottom line is that we have created a society of unhealthy people with weakened immune systems. Those who have been taking vaccinations for years and eat poorly, have almost become dependent on medical drugs to alleviate their systems. The problem is that the drugs don't cure the problem,they just mask it and create a weakened defense system.

Viruses mutate every once in a while, causing an outbreak of illness and even deaths.

http://www.health.alberta.ca/health-info/pandemic-influenza-history.html

http://www.health.alberta.ca/health-info/pandemic-influenza.html

The thing is that the more we try to fight these strains, the stronger the viruses become and the weaker our immune systems become. We need to get the flu in order to develop resistance to it. The symptoms, runny nose, fever, etc... are the bodies defense mechanism's way of taking out the weak cells in our systems. We actually need to get colds and flu's in order to be healthy.

It is better NOT to find a cure for the common cold. It has a purpose, it keeps us from getting worse illnesses. And those antihistamines only stop the body from doing its job.

http://www.pandemic-flu-guide.com/flu-shot-ingredients.html

http://drbenkim.com/flu-shot-ingredients-dangers.htm

With all the electrical energy, microwaves, cell phones, etc... bombarding us every day, our nervous systems are being compromised as it is... then to add chemicals to foods and prescription drugs that further destroy our systems.... it is no wonder we are seeing more and more mental, emotional and neurological disorders in young and old.

What can we do? Well, eat organic, local food is possible. Reduce the electricity in your homes, cut down on cell phone use and microwaves ovens... live simply.

On another level, do not panic! They call it a pandemic for a reason... it creates fear in people, making them easy to manipulate.

Although I am thankful for the internet and television that brings us all together, I have noticed that when I lived in BC in the mountains and ate organic, my nerves were calm. Since moving to Alberta and living in a busy city, these past few I have felt something was wrong with my nervous system and it seems to be getting worse. It makes sense to me now, that it comes from the modern overuse of electricity and chemicals in our food.

But, I refuse to live my life in fear, there is enough of that in the world. It permeates the air, entering my body and wreaking havoc on my already affected nerves. I stop and breath, I let go of fear, and I go about my business as usual, while trying to walk lightly on the earth. I am using less electricity, eating organic, walking more, getting out of town more to let Mother nature heal me. we need her now more than ever. Let's not forget to connect with her and allow her love to carry us.

There is also something wonderful happening in all of this... people are waking up! It is a time of great challenges, and great opportunities. A time to make conscious choices in our lives.

H1N1 - THE SWINE FLU SCARE

About H1N1.........I've been listening to CBC radio a lot lately and they have been talking about H1N1, also known as the swine flu. On one of the phone-in shows, I was amazed and impressed at how many people are actually questioning the side effects or efficiency of the vaccination. Yet, the most vulnerable ones, elders and children and pregnant women are taking it because they are afraid of getting the swine flu.

Personally, I think this flu thing is blown way out of proportion, just like the news story I heard about the big fuss about a man who committed suicide after a regression therapy workshop. Not to deny the pain of this man or his family, but no one mentioned how many people commit suicide after seeing a medical doctor or taking prescription drugs for depression or other similar conditions. Sometimes I wonder if someone is orchestrating the whole flu virus situation... why is it that a remote Indian reserve on the West Coast of Canada got hit so hard a year ago? It reminds me of the diseased blankets they were handing out to our Ancestors when they first placed them on reserves.....

I don't deny anyone's right to choose, some may need it for various reaons... but I will not take the flu shot. I remember when my Mom said she wouldn't take any more flu shots because they made her sick. She never got the flu after that either, and she lived to be 90 years old.

Personally, I believe in prevention.. eating right, taking natural vitamins, organic when possible, and if I see signs of illness... I ask myself... why am I getting sick at this particular time when there are always germs in the air? Usually, it is about me feeling vulnerable, insecure, tired, stressed, having internal struggles or issues... in some kind of process.. something simple like that. When I become aware of these things and just take good care of myself and do my inner work, the symptoms usually go away.

My son did research on the side effects of the flu shots... and it seems that people can get nerve damage from them. I heard this also on the news and looked it up online. Are these things also contributing to diseases that affects the nervous system? It is hard to know who or what to believe these days when everyone seems to be out to make a buck.

We are creating super viruses because we overdo it with vaccinations and antibiotics... even using anti-bacterial soaps. Anyone who knows anything about nature will know that everything in nature has a built-in survival mechanism. Bacteria or viruses are the greatest survivors on the planet. They adapt and convert to overcome anything that tries to kill it by becoming stronger.

At the same time, we are making our immune systems weaker because we are a society that is afraid of germs. My parents drank water from sloughs and it didn't do them any harm. I am more afraid of all the chemicals in our food, air and water than germs. Germs have always been around, chemicals are relatively new to our physical environment. Our bodies need centuries to adapt to foreign agents in our cells.

Unfortunately, we are forcing overdoses of sugar and toxic chemicals into our systems. We spew out pollutants into our air and water, we have excess electricity and radiation bouncing around, penetrating our skulls daily... and we wonder why so many people are sick and dying of horrible diseases.

I say look at the cause and start there, make the necessary changes. If this flu does become a pandemic, it will be because we caused it from years of abuse of chemicals and toxins. In the meantime, I am not going to live my life in fear of what might happen.

Some of neighbors, an older couple told me that they don't want to leave their house this winter because they are afraid they might get the swine flu. They have been influenced by the news. If it happens to me, then I will deal with it, but why take vaccinations that can do harm to my body, for something that may never happen?

This is my stance. I am not saying that it is for everyone. Every person has the right to do what feels right for them, and respect the choices that others make. What really does not sit right with me is the idea of imposing the vaccinations on everyone.