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'Riding the Drum' Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
" The easiest way to
enter the shamanic state (a.k.a altered state of consciousness) is through drumming.
You can drum or listen to
someone else, or use a recording with shamanic drumming on it. Shamanic
drumming has its own beat, about 70 beats per minute.
In tribal societies, the
drumming is called the heartbeat of the Earth Mother. Whether
fast or slow, the drum creates harmonics of the pulse of the Earth in its
energy.
When we consciously drum
to accentuate the energy of the Earth, a doorway opens into non-ordinary
reality, allowing the energies to connect within us, for ceremony or ceremonial
dancing in the physical world, or 'riding the drum' outward into the
world or worlds of shamanic journey.
Learning to drum and
journey at the same time takes considerable practice; it’s easier to have someone else drum or listen to a recording.
You can record yourself
drumming for use in journeying, but a bit of practice is required to keep a
steady tempo for a prolonged period without losing track, being distracted, or
journeying off yourself while you do it.
You must maintain the right
attitude throughout the drumming so that the energy is kept constant and
supportive of journeying.
Focusing your Intent to Journey will enhance, prolong, & facilitate Resurgence in Journeys during peaks & troughs in your altered state of consciousness.
The mechanics of
journeying are quite simple; the harmonics allow us to 'ride the drum'
as it were, while they also raise our vibration rate and lull the conscious
mind.
This is why drumming is
also useful to connect with spirits, consecrate or clear lands and promote
healing.
The 'poor Coyote
mind' gets bored, goes to sleep or wanders off, allowing who we really are
— the authentic self, the one who listens — to come forward, lured by the beat
of the Earthly Mother.
The matter at hand,
then, is intent.
Remember that the shaman’s primary duty — indeed, the very essence of shamanism
— is to practice discernment and carefully direct intent.
In shamanism, intent is everything. If you intend to
journey, you will journey.
If you can dream, or daydream, you can journey.
There is nothing esoteric about it, despite what some would
make it out to be; it is simply viewing the world in a different way or, more
accurately, allowing ourselves to view the world in a different way. "
Source: Jim Pathfinder Ewing - Healing Plants & Animals from a Distance.
'Riding the Riff ' Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
In contemporary Western Traditions, some of the musical gems of our modern times, Stairway to Heaven, Cortez the Killer, Hotel California et al, use potent journey invokers, Riffs & Binaural beats, to sedate the 'Bored Kuri Mind' & tease out who we really are — the authentic self, the one who listens — to come forward.
When you enter into an altered state of consciousness, your mind is switching off or turning down the conscious state, & turning up your subconscious state.
Our conscious state is full of repressive states that invoke self defence mechanisms, e.g, denial, repression, transference, reaction formation, self medication etc, as the reasoned state of mind, our conscious state, attempts to block out trauma.
It is this blocking of trauma which wears us down & prevents us from moving forward in our lives. Accepting trauma is very difficult, it is not an easy path to follow, confonting One's lived reality!
Trauma is at the heart of Addiction!
Unleash te Hokioi & tease out who we really are — the authentic self, the one who listens — to come forward.
Plant dieta to unlock & Release repressed trauma - Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
In this chaotic World, with Covid Outbreak, Lockdowns, & every scenario imaginable feeding anxiety, humans are feeling overwhelmed. We are not good at coping with long term stress & inevitably this manifests itself in mental illness in the form of depression, anxiety, phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder.
Dieting Plants ritually, i.e with intention & commitment, may ameliorate some of the stress associated with the 'new normal' that is our lives, but lets be frank, there's nothing normal about how our lives have changed since Covid ripped through humanity, making us confront loss of life, Long Covid, & the realization that all our so called sophistication means NOTHING when the power of Nature takes a lesson yielding turn, & reveals our fragility, the inconsequential Self that we really are.
Maybe this is a good opportunity to get in tune with Nature, we've created this mess, our meddling, tampering that has seen deforestation, destruction of ecosystems, the never ending demand for 'Economic Growth', what is 'economic' about destroying ourselves & our futures?
Man encroaching on the Order of things, our incessant demand for Natural Resources, coming into contact with animals best left to live out their lives in their their own domains, & thereby enabling animal viruses to jump, mutate & take up residence in their newfound human host.
Maybe we need to cast aside our nice comfortable consumer lives, rebrand ourselves from the tribe of Nike, Adidas, Puma et al & become our authentic selves.
We've done a good job blanketing ourselves in Consumerism & equating self worth to one's bank balance.
The Plants beckon, they are us, as we are them, they have a symbiotic relationship with us. Our D.N.A, our very makeup is tuned into Plants, as they are tuned into us. Is it mere coincidence that many human Brain Receptors are sensitive to Plant based active constituents that interact with our bodies when ingested, & mimic those naturally occurring chemicals our own brains produce. Our human brain & body cannot even distinguish the difference between naturally occurring Plant & Human substances.
Think for example Cannabinoid Receptors, Kappa Opioid Receptors, how is it that Man & Plant have evolved to be complementary, the human brain is unable to distinguish between endogenous & exogenous, Plant derived & human derived substances are complementary.
Our attempts to trump Nature have failed, our future is Plants.
There will be more viruses & more challenges ahead!
Salvia divinorum & Plant based Cannabinoids are but two of a whole suite of Plant based remedies in Nature's Plant Pharmacopeia that can help us, some deal with the human psyche, some with the physical manifestation of illness, diabetes, heart disease, cancer.
To release trauma, Salvia divinorum is an amazing go to. For those commited to follow the path of the Leaves, or the bridge of Smoke, or the Sublingual Nectar of the Gods, there can be tangible rewards, BUT be prepared to learn about yourself, your failings, how to be a better person, your vices AND why you are the person you are.
Was there trauma in your life, perhaps you took a deep breath when that trauma enveloped you, & you have been running with that breath of trauma inside you for your Whole life.
Maybe it's manifested itself in your life by fostering self sabotage, narcissism, substance abuse, egotistical driven gaslighting, backstabbing, malicious, self centered opportunistic tyranny of Others.
Salvia divinorum breaks down self defence mechanisms & gives us the opportunity to examine the trauma from a fresh perspective.
Maybe an individual has repressed trauma from decades earlier when they were a child. That trauma was 'locked up in a box & sealed in a cupboard,' at say age 6, when the child experienced trauma.
The child did their very best to cope at that point in the human lifespan, but the emotional 'tool box' available to the child at such an early age was very limited & based around Repression & Denial.
If the child does not communicate that trauma to a nurturing adult, how can healing take place? The child will carry the burden of that trauma & inevitably it will manifest itself in later life in the form of mental illness, addiction, & a self destructive lifestyle.
Salvia divinorum based meditative practice as part of a dieta can reveal you to yourself! Once you commit to the Path of the Leaves you will begin to release suppressed trauma as your authentic Self manifests.
Be prepared for a reality check, you might not like what you see through the mirror glass!
Trauma is pain, releasing trauma & letting it float to the surface is going to be a painful thing. That trauma has impacted & shaped your whole life, it is why you are the person you are today, it dictates how you conduct yourself in the here & now.
Expect tears, release of long held sadness & confronting your authentic self.
There can only be a RESET when you start an authentic process of facing up to your Self.
See: Seven Chakra Activator - S.A.M.S - Salvia Assisted Meditative States.
A Reset...What now? Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
A reset provides a window of opportunity, a moment in time when your self defence mechanisms are lowered & you are more cognitively flexible, more open to new ideas & can honestly examine your Life from a fresh perspective.
The brain can get stuck in a rut, locked into a particular negative way of thinking. Organic forms of Shamanic Meditative Practice in Ceremony, have the potential to open people's brains & for them to become more flexible and fluid.
This potential to rewire the brain may lead to changes in brain network modularity, or changes in different parts of the brain functionally connecting with each other.
We inherently know what is right & what is wrong but the extent to which we as Humans 'bury the truth to ourselves' must surely be one of the defining traits that distinguish us from other mammals. Use this opportunity for self reflection wisely!
'Your Spirit Animal ' - Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
In referencing the Shamanic State, it is evident, the importance of One's Spirit Animal.
In
days long since past, we were at one with Nature, Commerce was not the
dominant motivator, & we lived a symbiotic relationship with the
Land & all its Occupants.
A Spirit Animal is characterized as a teacher or messenger that comes in the form of an animal and has a personal relationship to an individual.
Other names might be animal guides, spirit helpers, spirit allies, power animals, or animal helpers. It is believed that you do not choose the animal, rather it chooses, or has already chosen you. The animal is there to provide 'Medicine' to the recipient in the form of guidance, lessons, protection, power, or wisdom.
Shamans worldwide have relied on the guidance, wisdom, and symbolism of spirit animals for thousands of years.
Your Spirit Animal once identified, can be used to visualize & help you maintain focus whilst entering into an altered state of consciousness.
A Spirit Animal can offer comfort, safety & security too. When the Traverser of altered states of consciousness is inevitably humbled by their experience, as their belief in Self is shattered into a thousand fragments, one is naturally inclined to seek Help in that tipping point moment when one reaches a crossroad & must choose between Absolute Terror & Ecstacy.
To identify your Spirit Animal, look for Synchronicities. Identify what Animals you have a natural affinity for, e.g, are you drawn inexplicably towards Horses, Cats, Boar, Rabbits, Dogs, Sharks, Whales, Octopus, Birds, Lizards, Snakes.
You can have multiple Spirit Animals that will make themselves known to you, both in the Natural World & the Other World, as & when they choose to. They can comfort, protect, lead you, guide you, allow you to live in the moment, as they do in their Spirit Lives.
A Spirit Animal gives us the opportunity to tap into our own primordial natures, things long suppressed through Culture, Conditioning, Regimentation, Pedantic preoccupations, those things that shackle us in our ordinary states of consciousness. As the Steppenwolf Rock Classic goes...Born to be Wild.
'Set & Setting' - Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
Entering a state of altered consciousness opens the mind, frees the nervous system of its ordinary patterns and structures.
The nature of the experience depends almost entirely on Set and Setting.
Set denotes the preparation of the individual, including his personality structure and his mood at the time.
Setting is physical — the weather, the room's atmosphere; social — feelings of persons present towards one another; and cultural — prevailing views as to what is real.
It is for this reason that manuals or guide-books are necessary. Their purpose is to enable a person to understand the new realities of the expanded consciousness, to serve as road maps for new interior territories which modern science has made accessible. See: Tibetan Book of the Dead
To enhance your Journey to an Altered State of Consciousness, we recommend you use an 'airline style' eye mask, to block out distracting visual stimuli. Available at the Warehouse for $10.
By depriving yourself of a Sense, i.e Sight, something that allows us to make sense of our Natural World in our Conscious State, you are 'changing the game,' your Brain is more susceptible to being lulled into a state of altered consciousness.
Strip yourself of further sensory perception, e.g, via a flotation tank, & the Other World is your Oyster!
'Preparing an Altar or Conduit for Mind Travel' - Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
As previously referenced, Set (Mindset) & Setting are a very important tool in achieving an altered state of consciousness.
A successful Altar or Conduit for Mind Travel might include objects of significance, one has accumulated in their physical Lives, perhaps a gift given to you as a young child, that for some reason remains in your care, an object gifted from a passed Relative, a momento of a significant time in your life that has shaped you into the person you are today.
Objects found in nature can help to create a conducive atmosphere, maybe some unusual stones you picked up in your travels, some sea shells picked up on a sandy beach, some freshly picked wild flowers with aromatics that take you back to a moment in time in your childhood.
Burning candles & incense to create a sacred or significant space, giving of thanks, a recognition of our human frailties & seeking healing both physical & emotionally, all assist to bring together those elements that maximize the experience.
Take some time out to prepare ritually & make your Altar work for you by reflecting that which is significant to you.
If you're not prepared to invest the time, why would the 'Other World' be bothered to open up to You!
" Salvia divinorum is literally a Godsend: a form of life, a manifestation of a Higher Being/Beings which, when consumed by the human animal, reveals the divinity within, and heals the person afflicted with the ills, the delusions, of a decadent culture.
A plant which awakens the human mind to the web of life within and without is a priceless thing in these times of alienation and impending ecological disaster. Salvia opens the human heart to the totality of life."
William Arden Ruth
Oberlin, Ohio
October 21, 2002
'Retrieving Your Icaro - Magic Song'
Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
Icaro is most commonly used to describe the medicine songs used by shamans in healing ceremonies.
Traditionally, these songs can be performed by whistling, singing with the voice or vocables, or playing an instrument such as the didgeridoo or flute, and usually involve a mastery of advanced techniques to evoke the healing effects.
Traditionally, icaros may come to a shaman during a ceremony, be passed down from previous lineages of healers, or come to a shaman during a 'dieta' where plant spirits are believed to teach icaros to the shaman directly. The singing or whistling of icaros is sometimes accompanied by a chakapa, a rattle of bundled leaves. Due to the complexity of certain performance techniques, it may take many years to learn certain icaros, and experienced shamans may be able to recite hundreds of them.
At a practical Level, you can look for your Icaro/s by directing intent whilst in meditative practice. Your Icaro might not come to you immediately, & it may take multiple meditation sessions to bring back those parts that eventually yield your Icaro in its completed form.
An Icaro retrieved directly by you in Ceremony, is part of you, a reflection of you, & a gift you have received from the Other World, & enables you to revisit that State of Altered Consciousness by Magical Song, anchoring you to that moment in time, when you were at your most True Self.
With practice, your Icaro can be a useful tool to shift consciousness at will, providing a signpost imprinted on your brain, a memory you can retrieve at will, moving you seamlessly in to the Other World, as you switch on your Spiritual Antenna & Awaken.
When you sing your Icaro, or even think your Icaro, you might experience an immediate chill down your spine, a chill in your brain, & a feeling that your brain is like a spore spreading out as it multiplies.
This is your brain shifting to a state of altered consciousness, your brain & body moving into a very focused state, perhaps a primordial state, from a time we were at one with nature. There is no room for trivialities in this state, & the merry go round of everyday life in the Natural World cannot shackle you here!
See: Why We Remember Music and Forget Everything Else
“Music is inherently bound up with personal identity, and so when people can identify pieces of music without a lot of information, it’s often music from their youth which can trigger what we call the reminiscence bump in autobiographical memory,” Jakubowski says. “Older adults have a really good memory for certain songs from their youth because they listened to that same record over and over … It can bring back your memories from that time period when you were having these self-defining experiences.”
The Symbiotic 'Contract' between Plant & Human - Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
Consciousness has to do with energy and light.
It is really very simple; neither animals nor people have consciousness.
It is plants that have consciousness: Animals get consciousness by eating plants. Dale Pendell
In Shamanistic terms, there is a recognition of the Symbiotic Contract' that exists between Plant & Man.
The Plant, in providing humans with the ability to access altered states of consciousness in Ceremony, & thereby providing enlightenment, receives mutual benefit too.
As humans, we get to access primordial states, otherwise denied us through our so called evolution as the Apex Predator, superior to all other forms of life on the Planet.
Plants are enriched too, they get to experience the Lives of Humans, entering the human body through ingestion, & interacting with the human body & brain, sampling our Lives as we live them.
Like two 'old friends' relationships are reinvigorated, renewed. It has been a long time since Plant & Man in so called advanced societies, met daily & 'broke bread together', each gaining the gifts of mutual benefits received.
There was a time when Plant pharmacology was the sole basis of all Man's medicine, & Man & Plant Ceremony was integrated in each others Lives. Just as all flora & fauna is characterized by a Cycle of Life, we are part of that Cycle too.
One suspects that Plants look upon our Lives in wonderment, why do these humans conduct themselves the way they do, the World is their Oyster, yet they openly subvert their own ecosystem? Destruction & Self Genocide, what is there not to intuitively understand about existential threat?
Shamanic Healing in Ceremony: Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
The following reference to 'meditative tea ceremony' can be swapped out to include any form of ceremony undertaken. It is provided as a guide, & does not intend to limit any practices you choose to introduce in seeking to have the ceremony of relevance & meaning to Self. You are the Master of your own Ceremony!
e.g, you may choose to incorporate drumming recordings, Candles, incense, an altar, momentos of your life, representations of your Spirit Animal, pictures of Loved Ones since passed that you seek to communicate with.
A meditative tea ceremony is a focused, intentional activity that creates a bridge between everyday life and meditation. It reminds us to find joy in even the most common, routine aspects of each day. By doing so, one experiences beauty in simple things and enjoys inner peace.
When you concentrate all your attention on this singular task, your mind is enriched with transformative energy. As you connect with the tea, you appreciate the subtleties of the ingredients and the process that makes it what it is. It allows you to be in the present, be grateful for the experience, and enjoy contentment and freedom in the moment.
Meditative tea ceremonies are a means to inject mindfulness activities into your daily life. Embrace mindfulness as the way to a more balanced lifestyle, and enjoy the immense benefits of this empowering ritual.
A tea ceremony is a simple, but empowering ritual. This activity is performed in a calm and peaceful setting. After comfortably settling into this peaceful environment, you must clear your mind of all thoughts. Be in the present and engross yourself in the process that follows.
By steering clear of all distractions, you will dedicate this time entirely to yourself and the tea you are to embrace. Everything should be done with complete mindfulness to reap its benefits.
A facilitator of Ceremony, will follow their sequence of steps to prepare the tea or guide you with making it yourself. As you go through these steps, immerse yourself in the smallest details involved. Tune into the harmonics of the gurgling sound of the boiling water being poured, the subtle OR pungent fragrance of the ingredients, and observe the colors that emerge as the tea comes together in the act of generation with the water & becomes One.
The ritual enters its transformative phase with the drinking of
the tea. As you consume it, use the opportunity to reflect on all that went
into preparing the tea: the planting, nurturing, protecting from the elements, harvesting, drying, storing, grinding, brewing. Appreciate all that it has to offer you. Embrace the freed mind.
Many herbs used in ritual dating back to millenia, require the teas to be consumed by way of sublingual absorption.
This can be a 20 minute process as the herb gets to work to heal. It is suggested that this is an appropriate time to introduce in a darkened setting, or with the use of blackout eye masks, drum recordings, woodwind instrument recordings etc, to lull the mind & let the plants do their work.
The distinctiveness of a meditative tea ceremony lies in the intentional nature of the ritual.
Everything in life is transient, each moment is fleeting. While keeping up with this startling pace, acts of mindfulness, like meditative tea ceremonies, help to appreciate and live every moment to the fullest.
When life becomes too busy, it is essential to pause, step away from the chaos, and indulge in a serene, homeostatic experience. A meditative tea ceremony can do wonders for your well-being by allowing you to reflect upon your life and enjoy peace. This reflective ritual will not only calm your mind but also rejuvenate your spirit.
Tea ceremonies can be traced back to many ancient Cultures, practiced for centuries, often led by Shamans, Druids, Spiritual Guides.
A quiet, contemplative act of meditation where the participants immerse themselves in the process of brewing and consuming tea ritually, is rooted in many traditions.
Do try our teas to Recharge the Spirit & Mind!
'Letting Go' - Shamanic Healing through Meditation.
For the Mazatec, the shamanic use of xkà pastora has to be taken seriously and approached carefully.
One must have an honest intention of healing oneself or another or a plan to do good things with its use.
A ritual with a beginning and end should be performed, and, even if the purpose is just to navigate internal realms or to get to know the herb better, one must ask for permission of the spirit of the plant before cutting the leaves, be thankful, and show respect to its power. Ana Elda Maqueda
You commit to your dieta, meditative practice is the key, a path once regularly trodden in times since past, cultural devolution, having eroded our inner being.
You've surrendered to the path, wherever it might take you, the Message has always been there, for those who choose to Open their Eyes with their eyes closed .....
Through the Tunnel, like a high speed train operating in hypermode, lights flashing past me like shooting stars, or am I passing them? Should I end this journey now, will I cope with this truth before me, that my reality is not even real, will I wake up only to discover this is a dream within a dream... that I am on a journey within a journey with Others from this Other World ready to welcome me if only i can reach the Station. Or do I reject this outright, deny my here & now reality & go about my routine as if this never happened, a caged hamster riding the wheel of mediocrity, safe in its predictable environment.........
It is in this state that you may experience an epiphany, a message to yourself from yourself, although at this time, there is no Self.
And how will I remember these messages, they are important messages, but do I have the means to collate those messages & take them with me when I return home. To remember where I have been & Who, What, Where I have Seen? Remember remember, you'll forget this I bet. Not even a pen to write on my hand, in this Space!
They say you can't take it with you when you die, is this what was meant? am I disrobed, a naked Soul, is this what a Soul is & can this Soul return from this Journey or is there no turning back on this highway with no offramp?
Questions & Realizations, On what basis do I really conduct my life? You can't lie to yourself here.
And what of the Matrix? Have I merely been a chess piece acting out a game already concluded?
And what of this Inverse World, that has always been here, but no map plots it ..... *T.B.C to be continued.
'To Purgatory & Back....Maybe'
'Communion with the Snake'
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Salvia Seven7 Chakra Activator New Zealand N.Z
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