THE LESSON
"Ask the animals,
and they will teach you,
or the birds of the air,
and they will tell you,
or speak to the earth,
and it will teach you,
or the fish of the sea,
and they will inform you."
Job 12:7-8
One of the most effective methods of drawing upon the power of
ancient wisdom is to regain awareness that your are one again.
Falling into the pattern of nature and that you are living in
harmony with all creatures.
Among shamans, the totems represent the physical form of one's
spirit helper, guardian, and/or guide.
Identifying Your Totem:
1.Which animal/plant/mineral has always fascinated you?
2.what animal do you see the most often in nature?
3.which animal frightened you the most, often it is your fear that
you need to come to terms with.
4.what animal do you dream of frequently.
The following question will help you form a mental picture and link
with your totem:
a. what is it's color?
b. size
c. shape
d. what are its behaviors
e. where is it from, which direction does it favor: north, south,
east, or west
f. when is it most often seen, during the day or night
g. what sounds does it make?
h. what are its survival techniques?
Nature offers animal, plant, and minerals as capable guides for all
things contain spirit. Granted, it may not seem cool to you to have
plant or a rock as a spirit guide, but they are just as powerful and
knowledgeable as an animal.
The web of power applies to all elements of nature. By understanding
how this power works you may tap into resources that you may not
have imagined possible.
From a shamanic perspective communicating with these spirits has one
basic requirement: respect. This is the key to all effective
communication.
The spirit in rocks vibrates at a particular frequency. This is
especially true for gemstones. As healers it is important that you
understand the significance of the power of rock, and all elements,
in aides to healing.
Remember, when working with rocks that they are long lived and are
used to experiencing life at a slower pace. Be patient.
Exercise:
1.Sit down with a rock, mineral, or gemstone. Study it carefully,
then close your eyes and ask it these questions:
What are your specific properties?
Is there something you want to tell me?
May I have your permission to work with you?
Ask it for help.
Thank its spirit.
Plants, like rocks, have frequencies, which can help you. In every
culture shamans have gotten to know plant spirits and their
properties in order to work with the spirit to heal. To become
acquainted with a plant's spirit you need to exercise a great deal
of patience. They, like the rock, experience life at a slower pace
than we do.
Exercise:
choose a plant.
Study its appearance.
Close your eyes and allow yourself to sense the plant.
Ask it for a message, then listen with all your senses, not just
your ears.
Thank the plant.
Power animals can assist you in all kinds of ways. They are not
static beings and they like to learn and be challenged. Just like
you like to help someone in need, so do they. But remember that
they, like you, also like to be treated with kindness and respect.
If you don't, can't, or won't, they will simply refuse to work with
you.
Exercise:
relax and close your eyes.
Visualize a landscape within your imagination and go there.
Ask for an animal to enter the landscape.
Ask the animal about it's qualities, powers, lessons, and abilities.
Thank it and watch it fade from your mental screen.
Allow another animal to enter the scene.
Repeat the questions.
Notice if one particular animal comes more frequently than any other.
Shape shifting:
In shamanism Shape shifting is an important skill. Not only will the
shaman shift to meld with his personal totem, but also that of other
creatures. This allows the shaman to gain a wide variety of
experiences and perspectives — a gift that is important in problem
solving. For example, how would a bear, mouse, or fox, solve the
problem of a locked door? None of them would have the same answer,
but each of them would present a solution, thus giving you three
possible answers. You would choose which answer to apply.
There are three types of Shape shifting:
1. Changing your body in the spirit/astral realms.
2. changing your physical body in the material level.
3. Inwardly melding with an object/creature.
We're going to discuss the third one in more depth.
In order to learn to do this you need to learn the object's habits.
What does it eat?
How does it live?
How does it feed?
How does it hunt?
What are the noises it makes?
Learn everything you can about the object/creature.
After completing your study:
find a quiet place.
Close your eyes.
Visualize the animal.
Imagine the animal entering you.
Visualize your hand and body parts changing into those of the
creature/object.
Be the animal for several moments.
Think like it.
Feel like it.
Move like it.
When you are done, thank the animal and slowly change yourself back
to your normal body.
Give thanks.
Familiar:
A familiar is not the same as a totem or power animal. Many modern
witches have animal familiar — usually cats, which are their
magickal helpers. They believe that the familiar ha psychic
abilities which makes them ideal partners in magick. Reportedly,
familiar are sensitive to psychic vibrations and are able to enter
full magick circles without disturbing the vibrations. They often
act as guardians, since they sense negative energies and thus can
warn the witch.
Further sites of interest:
OBOD:
http://druidry.org/index.shtml
