shamanic journey | Writing Creatively With Spirit

August 30, 2014
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Love is Not a Reward

The long silence has been the result of getting my head down and focusing on completing 3 major pieces of writing.

Love is Not a Reward – Stories and Sourcebook

I’ve come up for air. I’ve been going through the proofs of the two Love is Not a Reward books – text and source books. They will be available for sale soon, just a few more corrections and they’ll be on the shelves.

Also, I’ve just completed the first draft of a play. I won’t mention the title at the moment because it might change. It’s out to readers so I can breath for a few days. Initial responses have been very favourable, though the indications are that more work will be required to make it ready for stage.

I am, however, very excited by suggestions that it would work as a radio play, and also as a book (narrative). One person even mentioned film.

Does the spiritual work affect my writing? Absolutely!! Particularly the subject matter. Even the colour of the cover for Love is Not a Reward was shown to me in a shamanic journey.

July 3, 2014
by predencia 2 Comments

Loving it by the lake

I’m just coming to the end of 3 weeks in Carnforth just outside the Lake District.

I came up to try and finish the workbook that accompanies Love is Not a Reward – and it worked. Not only did I finish it (thanks to an extra FREE week at the Pine Lake Resort – a long story) but I’ve also started to write the play for stage that I agreed to do a year ago.

Most of the time was about the writing, but I took some time out to do a little exploring.

I loved the walks along the side of the Lancaster Canal. On the day I finished I walked the ten miles from Pine Lake to Tewitfield and back along the canal on an air of elation.

I managed to get into Morcombe a couple of times and strolled along the promenade eating ice cream, as well as frequent trips into the lovely town of Carnforth.

Sculpture of mother and child in Morcombe

I’ve been guided by spirit on numerous occasions during the writing of Love is Not a Reward, from being told to keep the title when I was about to change it, to being guided to the colours to use on the cover – and many more pointers on the content.

Most of the guidance came through journeying and dreams, but some came through messages from mediums and fellow sitters in psychic development circles.

Boats on the Lancaster Canal

I set of at the beginning of this blog curious as to whether my spiritual development would influence my writing – silly to think it wouldn’t!

I feel a book about the whole experience coming on – but not until I’ve finished the play – which I guess will only add more chapters.

Both the text and workbook of Love is Not a Reward are in production at the moment and should be available by the end of August.

February 14, 2014
by predencia 3 Comments

Birmingham shamanic group

Having looked for and not found a shamanic group in Birmingham, I decided to start one. We’ve had one meeting so far with voice, drums and journeying. It was very healing.

There were 3 of us. Our next meeting on February 25th will have a 25% increase in participants. Yes, there will be 4 of us.

The format is that I do a little teaching session on the principles of shamanism followed by the experiential work. Last time I looked at the place and purpose of ritual.

From small acorns great oaks grow. Watch this space. Let me know if you’re interested in joining us.

November 21, 2013
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Moringa in the morning – lizard at night

Thursday 21 November 2013

Moringa pods

Yesterday I had my first mosquito bite. I got a sense that I had stayed too long in there space and they just wanted me to leave. I had been six hours in the same place in the lounge writing. I took myself off to my bedroom and noticed a small lizard on the wall. My friends told me that lizards eat flies and mosquitoes. That news was strangely comforting. I felt that the lizard was protecting my personal space.

Since I’ve been in Barbados my UK mobile phone has not worked. It kept saying ‘no service.’ This morning I had my cleaning head on and was doing it to the music on my phone which was stuffed down my cleavage.

As I bent over to move some shoes out of the way a small lizard (the same size as the one that was in my room) ran out from behind the shoes. Startled, I jumped back and my phone fell to the floor. The back fell off and the battery fell out. I replaced them both and immediately started receiving texts. Service had been resumed.

As I continued with the cleaning I couldn’t find a pair of rubber gloves. The same (or pretty near identical) lizard scurried past me. I watched where it disappeared to, and there was a hand of glove.

At this point I decided to look up the spiritual meaning of lizards. When lizards show up it’s mainly an indication to pay attention to one’s dreams and visions. I have not done a shamanic journey (meditation) in over a week now. Maybe this is a prompt to either meditate, or to pay closer attention to my dreams.

In terms of writing, I stayed on the project for about 12 hours yesterday. We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss progress and I was feeling a little panicked.

It’s been difficult to get my head back into academic writing – but I’m there now. Ably assisted my regular intake of moringa, both as tea first thing in the morning, and the seeds throughout the day.

Open moringa pod, exposing seeds

My friends have a friend who owns a moringa tree. It’s interesting to break open the pod and get the seeds out fresh.

No beach for me yesterday. Doesn’t look like it will happen today either – but I am going to Oistens tonight to eat fish as part of the food and drink festival that’s going on here at the moment.

September 11, 2013
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Countdown to Cameroon – 7 days to go – Mapping the way

Wednesday 11^th September 2013

A few weeks ago I did a shamanic journey in which I was told to always carry a cloth map (among other things) with me. I pondered this for a while and did a bit of research. I discovered that silk maps were made for the armed forces in both the UK and US during World War 2, but they were of specific places to help pilots and others negotiate their way out of enemy territory. There were no world ones.

World map

I found a few world maps on beach towels but they were too large to consider popping into my handbag. A tea towel would have been fine but I couldn’t find any, and so I forgot about it as other things quickly rushed in to fill the space. That was until a few days ago when I had one of those Amazon ‘would you be interested in this’ emails.

It was for curtain fabric with the world map on. Doing a quick reccie on delivery dates I realised that the guaranteed date was the 17^th, a day before I flew out. I ordered it. Lo and behold it arrived today. I am exceptionally pleased with it. It’s lightweight enough for me to carry in a largeish handbag, and will fit easily into a rucksack.

I’m not sure yet of the significance but I trust that all will be revealed in time. I’m totally loving this spiritual journey.

Citronella oils

As mosquitoes generally want to be friendlier with me than me with them I thought I’d get some insect repellent. In the spirit of natural remedies I headed to Holland and Barrett to find citronella oil. Oh joy! They had a buy one get one half price sale. I’ll mix it in with my home-made body lotion (cocoa butter, olive oil and aloe vera gel) to make a cream that I can apply all over. Mossies – be warned!

September 1, 2013
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Countdown to Cameroon – 17 days to go

Sunday 1^st September

It should have been a day of bee-like activity of preparations for Cameroon. I was awake at 5.45 a.m. and raring to go. I did my cards, A Course in Miracles lesson, journal and a 30 minute shamanic journey. And was in the gym by 8.30 a.m.

Not having been all week I gave 100% in a 45 minute spin class followed by abs and upper body work. A quick blast in the steam room and I was ready to pick two pounds of blackberries from the grounds at the gym.

The healing Wisdom of Africa by Malidoma Patrice Some

After making a crumble from the blackberries with apples and plums from my garden, I was just fit for a snooze. I resisted, however, because my attention was completely caught by Malidoma Soma’s third book which arrived a couple of days ago.

The Healing Wisdom of Africa – finding life purpose through nature, ritual and community is providing many answers to the issues that are arising in my shamanic journeys. It was probably the best preparation for Cameroon for today.

August 20, 2013
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Countdown to Cameroon – 28 days to go

20^th August 2013

Moringa seeds

The body preparations began yesterday with the first of three visits per week to the gym. Today was a rest day – only a walk and back to the High St. (About 2 miles)

Instead of malaria tablets I’m using Moringa seeds and powder. Moringa has been shown to build immunity against malaria which is only one of its many health properties. Other include: reduces high blood pressure, cures diabetes, reverses failing eyesight, and helps blood to coagulate. It’s brilliant with weight loss, and even turns grey hair black. It is actually called the miracle tree.

Moringa leaf powder

So I reckon I can use Moringa as a one stop for all my aliments. (I’m not suggesting I have all of the above, but I’m hoping it can save me a few pounds on hair dye and help to reduce my visits to Specsavers).

Still on the body preparation front – I’ve booked to have my Yellow Fever vaccine on Friday. I tried to persuade my GP to let me have the vaccine for free, as I have made no claim on the NHS or her practice for nearly twelve years. But alas no. I have to play £50 like everyone else! I’m also cutting down on my sugar intake. Though with jam making season around the corner, and the fruit trees laden with plums, apples and blackberries, this could be challenging.

Admin wise I got my passport photos done and collected all my papers into one pile. I’ve decided to send my application for the visa by special delivery and go to collect it from the embassy when it’s ready. This is because the only other option for returning my passport is a stamped addressed envelope. I’m not keen to risk using ordinary post this close to departure. Even my post man advised against it. Tomorrow I’ll try and find a good deal on the train for picking it up.

Spiritually I’m doing more shamanic journeying. They’ve become part of my daily routine. I’ve been having some amazing experiences which I will, when I can find the time, record in this blog.

August 10, 2013
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The Way of the Shaman – Journey to find my life purpose

Saturday 3^rd August 2013

Of Water and the Spirit by Malidoma Patrice Some

I’d just finished reading Malidoma Patrice Some’s book Of Water and the Spirit and was so envious that he knew what his life purpose was so early in life that I decided to do a journey to try and find mine. I’ve been asking since January to be helped to remember what it is.

I set the intention three times – ‘my intention is to journey to the lower world to meet my animal guides and to ask them to show me my life purpose.’

I felt very apprehensive as I walked to my usual axis mundi, and the journey down the roots of the tree was slow and laborious.

Both the eagle and the jaguar were waiting for me. They bowed to me as before and I told them why I’d come. I began to gibber away about what I’d been told before about being a high priestess in Egypt, about being a writer, a healer and a shaman. I rattled on for ages while they patiently listened and didn’t interrupt.

‘So can you tell me,’ I ended.

‘You said you wanted to be shown,’ jaguar reminded me.

They both looked kindly at me, before eagle flew off.

‘Where’s she going?’ I asked jaguar.

‘To keep watch,’ he replied and indicated to me to follow him.

I was expecting something akin to what I’d been reading in Malidoma’s book – some kind of initiation. We walked through a clearing, through a forest and past the mouth of a cave. All these things are in Of Water and the Spirit.

Each time I thought the jaguar was going to show me something, but he just kept on walking till we came to another much bigger clearing.

It took me a while to work out that we was standing in the middle of a massive heart. Gradually the outside of the heart filled with men of all different shapes, sizes and ages. Although of different races they were predominantly black.

‘You are to heal men my opening your heart to them,’ the jaguar said.

I wanted to scream ‘NO! NOT THAT! THAT’S TOO PAINFUL!’ I looked around at all the men and began to cry. I wasn’t just crying in the journey, I was also crying into my blindfold. I felt as if my own heart was breaking.

All I could think of was that it would mean no happiness for me – men constantly coming and going in my life. The jaguar tried to reassure me that all would be fine.

‘But what about the women?’ I asked, ‘Don’t the women need healing too?’

‘When the men are healed, the women will be healed too,’ he carried on in his soothing way. ‘The women are strong but they look to the men for leadership, they look to the men for love. The men need to heal. It’s why you came.’

All I kept thinking was, ‘what about my own happiness,’ while the jaguar went on about the importance of the men healing.

Then all the men disappeared and were replaced by prepubescent boys. My heart went out to them and I sobbed (I must find a less clichéd word) literally and figuratively. Then they were replaced by the men, then the boys. They kept interchanging.

‘How am I going to do this?’ I asked the jaguar.

‘That’s for another journey;’ he answered softly, ‘this one was about your purpose.’

‘Where’s the eagle?’ I enquired.

‘She’s gone to check out the way,’ he said before the call-back tempo made me realise how quickly 30 minutes had passed.

I was still crying when I returned, with a heaviness that made it difficult to move. It wasn’t really what I’d wanted to hear or to see. It felt (feels) like too much at too big a personal cost.

August 6, 2013
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Session 41 – Soul retrieval and the chamber of treasures

Thursday 1^st August 2013

We were five tonight, three women (including a new one) and two men including Greg.

We began with a relaxation meditation – which I really needed. It began with the usual deep breaths. ‘See any part of our body that’s in need of healing surrounded by the colour grey,’ Greg instructed us.

I focused on my broken finger (or should I say the finger that was broken ). Although I think the fracture has mended there is still some deep tissue bruising which is painful to touch, and the skin on that finger continues to peel, very slowly. I’m literally shedding old skin.

We then had to move white light through our bodies changing the grey to white, healing and rejuvenating any part of us that needed it.

Just before the meditation ended (and I’ve wondered about including this) I saw a couple of men pushing an old van. It was hot and they were naked from the waist down. They seemed unaware that their genitals were swinging for all to see. I didn’t mention this in the feedback. On reflection I’m wondering why. My own embarrassment? Not wanting to embarrass others? Maybe a bit of both?

Next we did a shamanic journey to retrieve parts of our soul and also to visit the chamber of treasures. The shamanic journeys we do here are different to the ones we did on the course a few weeks ago. These are guided, whereas the way I was taught is that you do your own journeying without any guidance from anyone.

‘Allow your luminous body to go into the earth, past the stones, tree roots, loose debris until you come to a river. Bathe in the river to remove anything that shouldn’t be taken into the lower world. Flow with the river till you come to a lake. Swim to the shore and find a power animal waiting there for you.’ Greg’s voice was soft but firm.

As I’ve been practicing on my own I’ve learned to go at my own pace and I’m beginning to find the guided ones a little too fast for me, so I don’t always get from one place to the other in time.

I travelled from my usual axis mundi and the jaguar came to meet me. He came with me to the room Greg directed us to and I saw a three-year-old version of me sitting in a corner with her knees pulled up to her chest looking a little lost and frightened.

I brought her into my heart as directed, but before I was fully integrated with her we were on the way to the chamber of treasures.

‘You will meet someone there who will give you something,’ Greg said.

I wasn’t given anything as I was still occupied with my younger self.

We retraced our steps and returned. Greg suggested that the little girl probably represented an event that happened when I was that age that I’ve never fully integrated and that this afforded the opportunity to do that.

The final meditation was one to open the 3^rd eye.

We focused our energy initially on our third eye before allowing the energy to fill our heads. We then built a bridge between our third eye and the pineal gland.

My bridge was blue with sparks flying off it before it changed to turquoise.

‘See a screen ahead or you, like a movie screen,’ Greg began. ‘Look at it and project something on it from your 3^rd eye.’

The Magician tarot card

I saw a torch and picked it up. As I shone it at the screen it made lots of sideways 8 (Greg said the infinity sign) and then circles, then back to the sideways 8.

I’ve been seeing the number 8 a lot over the past month or so. I know one of the meanings is abundance and power, and another is, as Greg pointed out is infinity. I also remembered that the infinity sign features prominently on the Magician tarot card. (Ryder Waite version)

July 30, 2013
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The Way of the Shaman – Eagles and Jaguars

Journey to find the significance of the Jaguar and Eagle in my life.

Monday 29th July 2013

Yesterday I got a reply to the blog Way of the Shaman – Power Animal Retrieval. Sandra asked whether I was aware that ‘The Jaguars’ and ‘The Eagles’ were names given to elite warriors in the Aztec army.

I wasn’t, but Googled it, and sure enough my animal teachers were the noble and elite warriors of that ancient civilization.

Now, this was a little disconcerting because I have no wish to go into battle over anything. Not voluntarily anyway. In fact my whole focus of the moment is towards peace, inner and outer.

I was so rattled by this that I decided to do a shamanic journey to find the answer. This is what happened.

I journey to the lower world through my usual axis mundi, the tree in my front of my house. As I entered the lower world my teacher, the jaguar, was waiting for me. I told him why I’d come.

He contemplated for a little while with his head down. I’m getting used to his ways now. He seems to take his time to consider how best to work with me.

When he raised his head a big round boulder had materialise beside me.

‘Sit down,’ he said softly.

I did as I was told and he sat opposite me.

‘You need to learn to breathe like a jaguar’ he continued in his soft voice. ‘You need to learn how to rest properly and be ready for action when necessary. When you get back look up how jaguars breathe.’

We sat for a while, both of us breathing deeply.

‘Why do I need to be ready for action?’ I asked, remembering the warrior link.

He showed me a crowd of people, thousands of heads, like when the spotlight washes over the crowd at a concert.

‘What are they doing?’ I asked perplexed.

He didn’t answer for a while, and then in a voice I could just about hear he said, ‘you’ll touch them all in some way.’

I was about to ask another question but he indicated that I should get back to the deep breathing. He kept reiterating how important it was for me to learn to breathe properly, to relax, and to be prepared.

After what seemed like a long time I asked him why I hadn’t seen the eagle since the course. Almost as soon as the question left my lips the eagle appeared beside him. She was almost the same size as him.

She bowed her head to me, then the jaguar did too, then they both bowed together. I bowed back.

We sat looking at each other in silence for a while before the eagle reached out her right wing and gently, as if I was a baby, stroked the left side of my face. Looking deeply into my eyes she stroked my right cheek with her left wing before enveloping me in both wings.

She felt tender and soft and I could have happily stayed in her embrace forever. It was then I felt the jaguar put his arms around us in a group hug. I felt safe and protected and very reluctant to leave as the music changed to the call back tempo and I made my way back up the tree roots into my room.

The message about relaxing made a lot of sense to me as I’ve been flying around like a mad thing recently. It was interesting, when I reflected on the experience, that I had gone on a journey to meditate, because that is clearly what I’d done for most of the time. This message was reiterated with an experience I had with butterflies. See blog Messages from butterflies.

Touching many people? Yes, that makes sense too, because words can do that. It doesn’t mean I have to personally meet with thousands of people.

But I’m still not clear why specifically a jaguar and an eagle. I looked up how jaguars breathe but couldn’t find anything.

I’d be happy to hear your take on any of it.

Writing Creatively With Spirit

A journey of psychic discovery

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