Shamanism | Writing Creatively With Spirit

July 24, 2013
by predencia 2 Comments

Visit to Brompton Cemetery

Regular followers will remember that back in May I had an experience which seemed to be directing me to Brompton Cemetery.

https://writingcreativelywithspirit.com/2013/05/06/graveyards-and-pigeons/

I got my opportunity to carry out that directive on Friday (19/07/13). I’d arrange to meet my friend outside West Brompton tube station at 1.15 p.m. but as she was delayed I walked the few yards to the cemetery by myself.

Open Day at Brompton Cemetery

I noticed two things almost simultaneously. The first was the banner advertising the cemetery’s open day the following Sunday. I wondered who hosted such a day. Whether the residents come out for the day and invite people to experience their small resting space (or in some cases not so small). Which leads me to the second thing I noticed. The vastness of the cemetery.

The main street in Brompton Cemetery

As I stood at the Old Brompton Road end my eyes were drawn to the circular building at the end of a long drive which was flanked by ancient tombstones in all shapes and sizes. I made my way in the scorching sun through the group of what appeared to be street performers. As I wandered further up the drive their laughter and applause became less distinct.

I took detours down some of the side streets to the left and to the right, noting that some of the graves down these avenues were somewhat overgrown with long grasses, and sprinkled with vivid purple sweet peas.

Overgrown graves at Brompton Cemetery

Some well positioned trees provided welcomed shade, and on one occasion an opportunity to ‘spend a penny’ as there are no facilities in the cemetery.

By the time my friend arrived an hour later I’d had a chance to take in some of the more spectacular and unusual edifices, and engage in friendly chatter with a Portuguese man who stopped to talk to me. I found no evidence of the graves of Surrounded by the Enemy or Red Penny, and without a specific map of where they’re buried I could have be wandering around for weeks. The cemetery is 16.4 hectares.

Graves at Brompton Cemetry

We headed to Tesco for some lunch at the Fulham Road entrance, being both a bit peckish by then; but was forced to stop and observe a group of courting pigeons. I’d never noticed before the iridescent green and pink of the male neck feathers, which shimmer and dazzle when inflated to attract the attention of all too often disinterested females. These female pigeons were certainly making their men work for their attention. Makes me think we could learn a thing or two from them.

Flowers at Brompton Cemetry

It was lovely to spend time with my friend in person. Even though we speak almost every day on the phone there’s nothing like a face-to-face meeting to rekindle that special friendship energy.

As we on a bench, chatted and munched on our lunch, a red fox emerged from the graves behind us and stood looking inquisitively at us. He was there for about five minutes till the woman on the bench opposite us looked up from her magazine and exclaimed, ‘It’s a fox.’

He turned to look at her and scarpered. We marvelled at how he’d held our gazes, looking from one to the other of us as though trying to tell us something we couldn’t quite get.

An hour later as we wandered back down one of the side avenues we saw a group of crows. What is the collective noun for crows? They seemed to be having some kind of meeting but dispersed every time someone came close.

Crows at Brompton Cemetry

I mentioned to another friend that nothing spectacular happened in the cemetery. ‘Maybe not in this realm,’ he replied. ‘How do you know what your presence there, at that time, changed somewhere else?’

I’ve only just realised as I write this (five days later) that the day I had the dream there were pigeons trying to get into my window. One meaning of seeing pigeons is getting messages in unusual ways.

I looked up foxes and crows.

Fox = amongst other things, listen and hear, look and see, sense and feel – trust your senses to guide you.

Crow = be very watchful over the next couple of days for any clear omens and signs that will guide your and teach you.

With hindsight it wasn’t surprising to see these creatures – given that I was in London for a shamanic workshop!!! DOH!

July 22, 2013
by predencia Leave a comment

Session 39 – Meeting my power animal

Thursday 18^th July 2013

Another small group, 3 men and two women but so different to last week. We were in the log cabin again, but began our first relaxation meditation not long after 7.30.

Just as I closed my eyes to begin I saw two cats playing on the floor to the left of me.

As I’d mentioned to Greg that I was going on a shamanic workshop at the weekend he said he’d do a shamanic journey with us to meet our power animals. He’d very generously offered to help me choose a stone from the garden that would be suitable to take with me on the course. He thought the one I’d chosen was too big (not palm size as requested by the course but more something that could be used as a lethal weapon). He said it was likely to be the first of 13 alter stones if I decided to pursue a shamanic path therefore a smaller would be better.

He told us some of the basic differences between shamanism and spiritualism, but basically said there was a lot of overlap. He then took up on a shamanic journey (without the drums) to meet out power animals.

He ask us to climb up a hill and then down the other side.

‘Stop and look back at how far you’ve come,’ he said.

I was about half way down. He told us to look across the landscape to an island shrouded in mist. We were heading for the island but first we had to go through the woods that were directly in front of us.

‘Stand still and wait for a sign to show you which direction to go in,’ he said.

I waited. A coconut fell off a tree and rolled to my left. (What’s a coconut tree doing in a British woods!!!) Anyway, no time to think about it as we were being instructed that we had now come to a clearing where there was a lake and a ceremonial robe. We had to put it on.

There were seven robes on the ground in front of me, one in each colour of the rainbow. I had an internal tussle between the yellow and the purple one, but finally choose the purple.

‘Step into the lake,’ Greg instructed us, ‘and get into the canoe which you can now see.’

Wet and dripping I got in, marvelling at how things can just materialise in front of your very eyes in meditation.

We had to row across to the island, get out and choose between one of three paths, a wood, a river and a beach.

I really wanted to follow the river but found myself pulled to the beach.

‘Sit on a rock or a log. Close your eyes and wait for your power animal to come to you,’ he said. ‘Be aware that it could be huge like an elephant or tiny like a wren, or even an ant. When you feel your animal’s presence open your eyes and look at it.’

Even while Greg was still speaking I saw, in my mind’s eye, a sleek and graceful black jaguar walking down the beach towards me. When I opened my eyes I found myself looking deep into its eyes. His face was only inches away from me, but I felt no fear. In fact I felt the opposite, I felt completely safe.

‘Walk with your power animal,’ Greg told us.

As we began walking along the beach I could feel his power and knew he could and would protect me from anything.

‘Ask your power animal if it has a message for you,’ Greg said.

I waited for the jaguar to say something to me. When he spoke to me it was telepathically.

‘You’re stronger than you believe. You’re faster than you know. Never fear those who fear you.’ His voice was strong but soothing, and I was about to ask what he meant by ‘never fear those who fear you’, when Greg said,

‘You come to a river and have to get back into the boat.’

Power Animal Oracle Cards

I was feeling a little sad that I had to leave but perked up when Greg said, ‘Your power animal gets in with you and you paddle back to the other side. When you get there get out of the canoe and immerse yourself into the water before coming back into the room.’

I reflected on my messages while the first person shared her journey. She too had seen a black jaguar, but had also had a bear and a bird. I’d look up Jaguar in my Power Animal pack with I got home.

The first two parts of my message made sense to me, but why would I fear those who fear me?

Greg said he felt it was about letting go of my fears, not just learning how to control them but letting go of them completely, because I had nothing to fear.

I mentioned the cats.

‘Was one of them black,’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ I replied wondering if he’d seen them too.

‘They are often in here,’ he said. They used to live here and their spirits obviously come back from time to time to visit.

‘Must be a thing with cats tonight,’ I joked.

Because three of us had unanswered questions from the meditation Greg suggested doing ten minute silent meditation to ask for answers. One was ‘Why am I constantly hot?’ Another ‘Why am I always rocking?’ A third was ‘How do I step into my power?’ and mine was ‘How do I get rid of my fear?’

Within minutes I felt a tremendous tingling in my back. It went on for some time. I began to wonder if it meant ‘don’t look back’ or ‘learn from the past’ or ‘don’t hold on to past hurts.’ I was still trying to work it out when Greg called us back.

One of the women said that tingling in the back is usually an indication that our angelic wings are being fitted, or if already fitted being adjusted, often being made bigger.

Greg thought it was about not focusing on the past, but looking to the future.

I’m still not sure. Do you have any other suggestions???

July 22, 2013
by predencia 2 Comments

The Way of the Shaman – Page 1

I went on this long awaited course at the weekend. It completely blew my mind. I’ve been seeing my spiritual journey as collecting bits of a jigsaw puzzle which, when all the pieces are in place, will finally show me why I’m here. On this course I picked up quite a number of pieces.

I’ll have to write up the main exercises and my learning in a series of blogs. I’m still trying to process some of them. I want to say a massive THANK YOU to Sandra for pointing me in the direction of Sacred Trust. I’m so grateful that you have shared my journey so far, and pray that you continue. I value your input. Please know, all of you who respond to my cries for help that it is received with gratitude and positive effect.

Further blogs to follow in the series ‘The Way of the Shaman.’

May 26, 2013
by predencia 5 Comments

Cow and Ivy

May 26^th 2013 (Sunday)

I had two very distinctive images in meditation this morning.

1^st image – I was cutting a piece of a plant from under a tree with very low branches that were almost touching the ground so that I had to bend and grope for the plant I wanted. The piece of plant had five leaves on a vine similar to that of the ivy, but not thick and waxy like the ivy. The leaves were about two inches in radius and thinner than the ivy. They were a little deeper than spring green in colour.

2^nd image – I saw a very large cow walking across a mixed landscape of desert, plains and woods, with some houses to the edges. Although the cow was real the landscape was a model made of papier mache and sand.

Both lasted a few seconds then faded.

Animal Spirit Guides
Stephen D Farmer, PH.D.

I looked up cow in my Spirit Animal Guide book. The possible explanations are:

This is a very nourishing time for you, so be willing to partake of all that is offered to you.
You have nothing to worry about, as you’re well provided for in spite of any fears or doubts.
This is a time for mending and healing the relationship with your mother, whether she’s alive or has passed into the spirit world.
You may wish to work with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, as a means of being assured of your abundance.
Stand in your truth, and once you’ve made your decision, don’t let others sway you.
You may be called upon to make some sort of sacrifice that will benefit the greater good.

I wasn’t sure what the plant meant, but obviously got plenty to think about for the cow. I’ve been getting a lot of messages recently that all my needs are taken care of, and that I will soon have more than enough for my own needs and plenty to share with others.

I had to make a decision yesterday which I think I may be asked to change. After this I will remain resolute. The other things don’t resonate so well with me, and I’m sincerely hoping I won’t be asked to make any more sacrifices.

I couldn’t make sense of the plant. The only thing I could think of was that it had something to do with shamanism and using plant remedies. However, it was a beautifully sunny day and I spent a lot of time gardening. Maybe it was as simple as that – a message about gardening. Unless of course you have a different view on any of the above. Love to hear from you.

May 15, 2013
by predencia 5 Comments

Only one spirit

15^th May 2013

I first encountered spirit in July 2003 in a Louise Hay teacher training course. It was a physical encounter which I could not deny. Prior to that I didn’t believe in spirit.

Since then I’ve been trying to get my head around all the different forms of spirit. Did angels exist? I got heavily into angel cards, learned about the Archangels and all the major and minor ones. I became a Reiki practitioner and connected with the healing spirits. I learned about fairies and elementals, about the spirits of nature, and about ascended masters.

When I first got evidence of the spirit of deceased members of my family I was initially very afraid, and would call on the angels to protect me from other kinds of negative spirits.

When I was finally dragged kicking and screaming to the psychic development circles it was because things I’d written about in my second novel were becoming manifest in real life, like I was watching an unfolding of my story. Some of this has also started to happen with my third, yet to be published novel. I found this very spooky, and even began to worry in case I wrote ill of someone and it happened.

In the circles we’ve been taught about connecting to our guides, and through Shamanism I’m learning about animal spirit as guides.

Add to the mix the fact that I’m an A Course in Miracles student where one of the central teachings is that we are one with God, that our higher Self has direct connection to God and freely communicates with him/her/it, and that time spent in communion with God is all the guidance we need, and you can see that I was getting a little confused.

Different people from the different groups gave me their interpretation of spirit but there was no-one connecting up all the dots for me. I decided to meditate on it.

What I got two days ago was that there is only ONE spirit that it has different aspects to it, and that when we ‘connect’ with it we are connecting with that part that we need at that moment. Spirit is part of us and we are part of it. My higher Self is that spirit, and my higher Self knows all that was, is and will be – past, present and future.

What I realised in this meditation is that when I’ve talk about ‘spirit overload’, i.e. getting messages all the time in different formats such as dreams, visions, meditations and in writing till I’m exhausted, that I’m actually bringing this on myself. There are no external spirits piling it in till I’m weighed down.

In circle the advice was to ask spirit to go easy. Dave Scullen advised that I visualised a tap on full speed and then turn it down. The former didn’t work but the latter did. That’s what got me thinking. Did I do it or did spirit do it?

Spirit is not an external part of me, another person, another entity living somewhere else who visits me from time to time. Spirit is a part of me that I’ve just discovered how to access, and like a child in a sweetshop I’ve been grabbing at everything – all that time. This is one of my personality traits. When I get excited about something I tend to overdo it and often get worn out, before I learn how to pace myself.

So this is really about me regulating my access, and not being afraid that it’s going to go away if I don’t grab it all now. I’m not being ‘speeded up’ as one of my friends suggested. I’m speeding myself up.

What I stumbled on accidentally, unconsciously, with the writing, I can do consciously through meditation. I’m understanding more what Lynne McTaggart means by intention meditation.

It’s like writing your shopping list before you go shopping instead of going with a big trolley and no list. There will be plenty to choose from in the shop, and you’ll come home with some exciting things and maybe some basic things. And when you get them home you’ll work out what to do with them. You may even have been working out as you went around the shop what could be used for what.

But if you go to the supermarket knowing a) what you want, and b) that they have it your time in there will be more productive (so long as you don’t get side-tracked). You can go to the right aisles, straight to the correct shelves – and if you don’t know you can always ask and get directions.

That’s what happens in circle meditations where we’re asked to focus on a specific person for messages. Much easier that picking things up randomly and hoping someone will be able to ‘take’ it.

Meditation is conscious connection with spirit, with my higher Self, with the spirit of all who have ever inhabited a body on this earth and those who haven’t. When I connect with my grandma, I’m re-connecting with that part of me that once inhabited that body, that has the wisdom and the strength that is available to me, always has been available and always will be available.

When I fell asleep at the laptop while I was writing the novel I connected with the writing spirit part of me that continued to write the story.

This may all seem self-evident to you but to me this is a mystery solved. Angels, guides, universal Reiki energy, ancestors, spirit animals – all one – and all me.

So what can I do with this knowledge? Well, when I have an issue – any issue – big or small, I can go to the place where all the answers are. Instead of flapping around in my little self I can go to my higher Self and ask for the answer. I can call on whichever part I think will have the best chance of getting me the answer, my grandmother, Buddha, Shakespeare, Jesus and other ascended masters, wolf, owl, rabbit, or Archangel Michael.

I can learn to trust that the answer will always be there and be patient enough to wait for it to become evident.

I can stop fearing that my writing is in some way prophetic and stop trying to censor what I write in case I bring on some apocalyptic event, or hasten someone’s demise. Very liberating! Comments welcomed PLEASE!

May 12, 2013
by predencia 1 Comment

Shamanic link

At 2.15 p.m. on Saturday I received a text from my friend Stephe.

‘Hi, what’s your eta? Paul and Demi are here?’

I was about to reply pointing out that he’d sent the text to the wrong person, when a bottom drawer in my memory filing cabinet creaked open to remind me that I’d agreed to meet Stephe for lunch and a walk around Winterbourne Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston at 2 p.m.

Bluebell field at Winterbourne Gardens

What to do? Lie and say I was held up in traffic? Call and say I couldn’t make it (sure I could think up a reason)? Pretend I’d written it in the wrong week in my diary – thought it was next week?

I was happy to be distracted from the clutter clearing I’d embarked on for the day, so donning my jacket and a pair of boots I called, confessed, and said I’d be there in twenty five minutes. I shaved five minutes off the eight and a half mile journey, and was pleased to meet Paul, an old friend, and his new girlfriend Demi.

During lunch (had I remembered I wouldn’t have eaten a big bowl of cornmeal porridge two hours earlier) I watched as the three of them ate, and we talked about many things. One being the Darren Eden personal development course Demi is engaged in.

In describing some of the changes that are happening for her she said, ‘sometimes it’s like I get into this place, like nothing exists, like I’m going on a shamanic journey.’

‘Have you ever been on a shamanic journey,’ I asked quickly.

‘No, but my grandfather was a shaman, and on this course, where we’re meant to find out what our purpose is, its coming out that I’m here to do healing, like maybe shamanic healing.’

I know I write a lot about my jaw dropping but this time it went quicker and further than usual. Demi is from Nigeria, very closely bordered to Cameroon, but has been brought up mainly in the UK. She knew nothing of the mediumship work that I’ve been doing (they’ve never read my blog), and had appeared a little reticent about mentioning her shamanic heritage.

Surely this could not be an accidental meeting – of course there are no accidental meetings, but I’m becoming increasingly impressed by the way spirit arranges things.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Demi and I have arranged to meet up in London where she lives; hopefully on the day when I go to visit Brompton Cemetery. I’d like to learn more about African shamanism and there may be a link here that will help me to increase my knowledge.

If there’s anyone who practices African shamanism I’d love to hear from you.

May 6, 2013
by predencia 9 Comments

Graveyards and pigeons

Still on a high from the conference I went to sleep, only to be woken with the words ‘West Brompton.’ I heard it twice before getting up and writing it down. I’ve learned that once the voice speaks it carries on till I act. Some of my best poems were dictated this way, one verse at a time. Only when it was all written could I sleep.

During the dream Gary Ranard (author of The Disappearance of the Universe) came into my room and told me that I needed to do more exercises and meditation to keep my heart open. He didn’t say what, so if you know of any good exercises of meditation I’d love to hear from you.

As I did my morning meditation it was as though the pigeons from outside were trying to get into my window, they made such a racket – I’ve never known them like it.

Anyway, I checked out West Bromption. The only thing of note there is the famous Bromton Cemetery where a number of very well known people are buried, including two Native Americans from the Oglala Sioux group. Names – ‘Surrounded by the Enemy’ and ‘Red Penny.’

It’s also rumoured that the children’s author Beatrix Potter got a lot of the names of her animal characters from the gravestones in the cemetery.

I’m trying to makes some links here. Is this about shamanism? Am I to trawl the gravestones for names for my characters? Or is this about ancestry work? I wish they’d be a bit more explicit with the messages.

Apparently pigeons are to do with getting news in an unusual way. Unless of course you know different. Any thoughts on any of the above will be welcomed, (as always).

May 3, 2013
by predencia 2 Comments

Shamans and Ayahausca

I’ve just finished reading Shedding the Layers How Ayahausca Saved More Than My Skin. It was recommended by ‘R’ who first suggested I look into Ayahausca if I was interested in Shamanism.

Shedding the Layers – How Ayahausca Saved More Than My Skin by Mark Flaherty

It’s not an easy read if you’re squeamish because he describes his deteriorating skin in extremely graphic detail, but it’s absolutely necessary to understand his plight.

I found his description of the camp and the Ayahausca ceremonies compelling, so much so that I found the idea of a ceremony initially very off-putting. Prior to starting the book a trip to Peru seemed very exciting.

It was only toward the end of the book that Mark Flaherty was able to rekindle my curiosity again. His journey is engrossing. A couple of things he said hit a note with me.

‘It’s all just a story when you look with your eyes. When you look with your heart, you see the truth’

‘Do not try to live life, let life live you.’

April 16, 2013
by predencia 10 Comments

Shamanic dance

Friday 12^th April 2013

One hour version of the thirty minute one I did a few days ago, but it felt much, much longer. There were some similarities but quite a few differences.

Shamanic meditation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzb8zN9AbmM

Although I got into trance it took longer. Not sure if it’s because it was daytime, (not 1.30 a.m.) and I wasn’t on a high from completing a chapter.

I drifted in and out of trance, not stayed there throughout like last time.

I had three images. The first was of me walking around my kitchen getting a drink of orange squash (interesting because I don’t have orange squash in my kitchen).

The I saw an Alsatian dog pacing up and down at the bottom of my garden, he arrived and disappeared very quickly, but was clearly impatient.

Next I was out in a wood. People with drums surrounded me and started playing. (I wonder if I made this up because at that stage the drums were very insistent).

There were times when I felt my body moving involuntarily to the music, mainly my shoulders doing their own dance.

I reached states of high sexual arousal. Is this normal??????

Not much to say really, other than to note the appearance of another dog. I feel like I need more time to try and analyse what I’m being shown in these meditations.

If you have a spare minute and want to offer an explanation I’d be more than happy to receive it – gladly.

April 12, 2013
by predencia Leave a comment

White horse dream

11^th April 2013

I arrive late for a Tai Chi class. A white horse runs to meet me. It’s quite a small horse only reaches my waist. I stroke it; I remember it from the last time I was here when I was riding it. I’m pleased it remembers me. All the class are doing a Tai Chi moving meditation as I stroke the mini horse.

I did a little research, seems horses have quite a number of meanings. Often, horse dreams are interpreted as signs of courage, success and wealth. On the other hand, certain equine reveries may be regarded as portending challenges, dangers and struggles as well.

A white horse in a dream may signal pleasure, prosperity and positive outcomes.

I guess the fact that my horse was smaller than usual means that I just get half of the above, half the wealth but only half the dangers and struggles.

I looked up the Shamanic meaning of horses at horsejourneys.com, given that I did a Shamanic meditation just before going to bed. This is what it said:

Horses are our willing mentors, but we have to be willing to give something up to enter their world. We have to give up our attitudes of dominance and control that interferes with our ability to really listen, trust and learn. One of the first teachings that can come from working with horses is learning how to befriend your emotional nature and opening to new ways of consciousness.

The message could definitely be about opening to new way of consciousness. It was a really nice dream though.

Writing Creatively With Spirit

A journey of psychic discovery

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