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Contemporary Shamanism for the 21st Century
My Blog
Blog
Smudging - 8 Herbs in Shamanic Practice
Posted on 19 April, 2017 at 6:36 |
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Shamanic smudging is a tradition which has been used for generations
to create peace and harmony. There are many different smudging ceremonies, and
different shamanic practices use a variety of herbs for smudging. Shamanic
smudging is the burning of herbs or incense for cleansing, creation of sacred
space, purification, dismissal of negative energies and protection of both physical
and spiritual bodies. You can use herbs that are tied into a
bundle, commonly called Smudge Sticks, braided herbs and botanicals, such as
sweetgrass or loose herbs which can be burned on charcoal or in a fire pit.
Shamanic smudging releases the energy as well as the fragrance of the herbs enabling
them to heal, cleanse and purify. Different shamanic traditions use different
herbs for smudging. Some of the most popular herbs include desert sage, white
broadleaf sage, juniper, pinon, sweetgrass, lavender and juniper. Shamanic smudging can be used daily for practical
purposes: to restore physical, mental and emotional balance and to shield
against negative energies, and herbs can be used singly or together. One good
combination we’ve found which covers all four elements of air, fire, water and
earth is pine resin and sage (either desert sage or white broadleaf sage). This
combination is appropriate for general use, cleansing, ceremony and ritual. Desert sage Primarily an air element herb though can also
be used as for four-element general purposes. Has a sharp, light and refreshing
scent. One of the most sacred herbs in Shamanic practice. Used to purify the
mind, body and spirit before prayer, meditation, ritual or ceremony. Also used
to purify sacred items such as pipes, magical tools, tarot decks and eagle feathers.
Can be used for area, house and personal cleansings. Some people carry a small
amount of Sage in a pocket ensure personal and spiritual safety. Pinon Resin Primarily a fire element herb, though can
also be used as for four-element general purposes. Has a pleasant fragrance and
is cleansing and warming. Traditionally used for its spiritual and healing
properties. Produces a thick stream of smoke, and is excellent for refreshing
the senses and reviving a tired soul. Produces a lot of smoke when burned with a
very earthy, piney scent. Gathered from an almost leafless Middle Eastern shrub
called the Commiphora Molmol. It was used by the ancient Egyptians in rituals
of Healing and Passing. It is one of the ingredients used by the Egyptians to
embalm bodies. Useful for spirituality, meditation, happiness, release,
transformation, strength, confidence and stability. Primarily a fire element though can also be
used as for four-element general purposes. This is the resin of an African tree
and produces a rich, dense smoke when burned. Used extensively in meditation
and healing. Frankincense's spiritual scent was believed to confer divine
blessing. Primarily air element though can also be used
as for four-element general purposes. This is a broad leaf sage with strong
aromatic properties (strongest of the different types of sage). Considered the
king of all sages. Excellent for meditation, divination, smudging, cleansing
and purification. Sweetgrass Hierochloe odorata
gets its name from its sweet-aromic fragrance. Burned as an incense, sweetgrass
is valued for its vanilla-like scent. Clippings of sweetgrass is commonly
braided and and then dried prior to burning and its light
fragrance does not last long. Excellent
for cleansing sacred space. Traditionally, sweetgrass is believed to attract good spirits and positive energies. It is used as a smudging tool to purify peoples auras, cleanse objects,
and clear ceremonial areas or healing spaces. Juniper has a sharp, piney scent and is excellent
to stimulate and revive when tired in body, mind or Spirit. Traditionally used
for ritual purification of temples. Its smoke is believed to aid clairvoyance. Also useful for purification and to stimulate contact with other worlds. Primarily water element. Produces a heavy,
warm, aromatic scent with just a hint of sharpness and scent lasts a long time
after burning. Excellent for meditation, divination and increasing psychic
abilities. Traditionally associated with attracting love, conferring peace and
enhancing beauty. About the
Author Melanie Tomsett is a Shamanic practioner and owner of
Shamanic Quest based in Hertfordshire in the UK. Shamanic Quest offer a range of opportunities for you to explore and learn
shamanic practices. These include Introductory Workshops, Foundation Course,
Practitioner Course, Drum Circle, Sweat Lodge, Sun Lodge and Moon Lodge,
Student Clinics and Consultations. Full details can be found at www.shamanicquest.co.uk |
10 Ways To Clear Your Root Chakra
Posted on 5 April, 2017 at 6:07 |
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Maybe
you’re going through a hard time or feeling anxious, insecure, or vulnerable.
Perhaps you just feel you can’t let your guard down or are finding it hard to
relax. Or Sometimes the knocks of life can just throw us out of whack. Sometimes
when we feel out-of-sorts or a little unsettled in this way it can be helpful
to clear and balance our root chakra. The root
chakra is the first of the seven chakras. And it can be the key to
feeling grounded, safe, and secure in the world. Clearing
and balancing your root chakra can help you relax, feel calmer and more secure,
and let go of some of those underlying fears you might be holding onto.
When you feel deeply secure, you can turn your attention to more exciting
things such as your relationships, your creativity and art, your dreams for
your career, ongoing learning, expanding your spiritual development, dyeing
your hair blue, buying yourself a parrot – the possibilities are endless! One really
great thing is that you don’t have to be a trained energy healer to begin
working to heal your own chakras. Of course, it can help to get treatment
from a professional energy healer, or come along to one of our courses (we’d
love you to do that anyway!). But there are many easy, down-to-earth,
even fun things that you can do yourself to give your chakras a “tune-up.” Here are 10
easy, effective things that you can do to really help you balance and ground
that root-chakra! What is
the Root Chakra?
The first or ‘root’ chakra is located at the base of the spine. It’s
keyword is “survival.” It relates to self-preservation, survival
instincts, our connection to our bodies and the element of the earth, and our
sense of safety, security, and belonging in the world. Is Your
First Chakra Healthy or Blocked? If you have a healthy root chakra you will feel a basic
sense of security and safety in the world. You are well-grounded and the
practical side of your life will usually function fairly smoothly. You
will have a sense of having ‘enough’ of everything you need to meet your needs.
You will likely be fairly at ease with your own body and mostly, though not
always, your body will be relatively healthy physically. If your
first chakra is out-of-balance or ‘blocked’ then you may feel overly fearful
about security and survival. Perhaps you sometimes experience extreme
anxiety, or panic attacks. This might also effect your physical body, and manifest
itself in issues with your bones, feet, legs, colon, elimination, or
weight. Or maybe, as sometimes happens, you have become overly practical,
plodding through your life and have lost your ability dream or imagine. The
Healthy Chakra A healthy chakra is open, allowing energy to flow freely
both horizontally, in an exchange of energy with the universe, and vertically,
connecting it with the other chakras. It’s very
common, at one stage or another in our lives, to have one or more chakras that are
somewhat blocked or just out of balance. And an under-functioning chakra
can cause disruptions in a person’s body, mind, spirit, and life. 10 Ways to
Clear and Balance Your Root Chakra If you feel you could perhaps benefit from clearing your
first chakra, there are many simple every-day things that you can do.
Here are ten ideas:
Disclaimer If you have serious concerns about your physical or mental
health, you should seek the help of a qualified medical or mental health
professional. The ideas in this article are meant to complement your health,
rather than replace qualified professional health care. About the Author Melanie Tomsett is a Shamanic healer and owner of Shamanic
Quest based in Hertfordshire in the UK. Shamanic Quest offer a range of opportunities for you to explore and learn
shamanic practices. These include Introductory Workshops, Foundation Course,
Practitioner Course, Drum Circle, Sweat Lodge, Sun Lodge and Moon Lodge,
Student Clinics and Consultations. Please contact me for further information.
Full details can be found at www.shamanicquest.co.uk |
A Quick Guide To a Moon Lodge
Posted on 29 March, 2017 at 4:27 |
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In ancient days, woman of a tribe or village
would retreat into
a Moon Lodge, Menstrual Hut or Red Tent during menstruation. It was a sacred
place for women to renew, recharge, connect with one another and receive
spiritual guidance. They would gather during their moon times and
be taken care of by the elder woman and younger maids of the village. Foods were prepared and delivered
to the moon lodge. Women were completely discharged from their other duties and
responsibilities so they could turn their attentions inward and care for
themselves. During
this time, they would bleed on the earth, throw it into the fire and with it
cast away their pains and discomforts. They would laugh about the small things, cry over
the bigger things and put the world to rights. The Moon time was, and still is, a time of natural Sacred Ceremony for all women, a time of dedication to the
God and Goddess and for a higher spiritual purpose and connection. Moon
time is still a sacred time for women, however many of us have forgotten this. The
physical act of menstruation allows the body to purge itself of any negativity
that may have been collected during the month of the menstrual cycle. Fortunately,
this cleansing can be supported in many ways. There
is a great importance for a woman to take care of herself Spiritually,
mentally, emotionally and physically. One of the best ways to support our Moon
Time is to begin by reconnecting with the divine feminine within ourselves by
honouring our body. Our body is the only one we will have for this entire life
time. So let us begin by prioritizing our body and nurturing her. This could
include reduction or elimination of processed foods, sugars or caffeine from
our diet and avoiding drugs or alcohol for the duration of moon time as these
things may lead to a negative impact on the functionality of our body and her energy
flow. When
women come together in a circle, we can find support for our Spiritual, mental
and emotional well being, along with nurturing and person empowerment. The
Moon Lodge that is run by Shamanic Quest operates on the Monday around the time
of the Hag Moon – the Hag being the Wise Woman – it is not linked to the
physical act of Moon Time for any specific woman. The
Shamanic Quest Moon Lodge explores the Sacred Feminine within us all, utilizing
shamanic practices and principles, other ancient traditions of understanding
and some Jungian archetype information so that we may explore and understand
ourselves more deeply, connect with others and enjoy the company of women in
the beautiful environment of the Mongolion Yurt. The Goddess still lives within each and every
woman, and to nurture that part of our soul and care for her is to accept the
divine feminine in each of us. For more information about Shamanic Quest and
our Workshops, Courses and Lodges please contact Melanie Tomsett at www.shamanicquest.co.uk. Our Moon Lodge dates can be found here. |
A Guide to Shamanic Quest Foundation Course
Posted on 20 March, 2017 at 8:49 |
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This course consists of eight modules
spread over twelve one day workshops. Criteria for acceptance on the course are
attendance of an Introductory Workshop. The principle aim of the course is to
help you with your own, multi-dimensional personal development, re-establish
your connections with the earth and nature and enable you to practice shamanics
on an on-going basis to empower your future and help those around you with the
knowledge and techniques learned. Participation in the course will impart
a deeper understanding of shamanism and its principles and practice. You will learn how to access the
extra-ordinary worlds of the shaman though shamanic journey techniques
and develop a deeper experience of these non-ordinary realities. You will:
There will be an
opportunity for certification on completion of the course, the criteria of
which will be discussed in workshop one Melanie Tomsett at Shamanic Quest
offers One-Day Introductory Workshops at the Clophill Centre, providing an
overview of the Basic Principles and Practices of Shamanics. For more details
on the Foundation Course contact Melanie, and for our current Workshop dates see here. |
What is a Shaman?
Posted on 13 March, 2017 at 5:16 |
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Shaman are spiritual beings with the
ability to heal, work with energies and 'see' visions. Shamans work with the spirit healing illness at the soul level, using
knowledge and insight gained from working with the spirits of nature such as
rocks and trees, the land, and from the spirits of animals and humans such as
their ancestors. For the shaman, everything is alive and carries information. You can call this spirit, energy, or consciousness. In order to communicate with the spirit or consciousness of these
things, the shaman will shift his or her own state of awareness. Shamans can do
this through various means, such as meditation and repetitive sounds such as
that of the drum or rattle. For
centuries, shamans have also been involved with earth healing by using their
ability to communicate with land, bodies of water and other such natural
features of their landscape. Whether by determining why crops would not grow in
a certain location, or the reasons for drought; working with growing things,
the weather, and the land has been a traditional activity for the shaman. Melanie Tomsett at Shamanic Quest
offers One-Day Introductory Workshops at the Clophill Centre, providing an
overview of the Basic Principles and Practices of Shamanics. For more details
and our current Workshop and Celebration dates see here |
What is Shamanics?
Posted on 6 March, 2017 at 3:48 |
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Shamanism is an ancient
healing tradition and moreover, a way of life. Shamanism is the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all
indigenous tribes and where all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in
nature, shamanism is the method by which we as human beings can strengthen that
natural connection. Put simply Shamanism is a way to connect with nature
and all of creation. While people of
many religions practice shamanism, Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists, and
Jews, not all shamans are members of an organized religion. Shamanism is not a
religion but an application of beliefs. These beliefs are spiritually
based and applied to the Shaman's healing work and as such there is commonality
with religion, as most religions also have an element of spirituality which
propels one to help others. Shamanism
organically arose from ancient tribes as a response to the needs of the people.
Shamans have always been highly valued in their communities healing the injured
and sick, performing sacred ceremonies, singing, chanting and dancing,
expressing themselves artistically. Shamans often act as the bridge between the
living and the dead, communicating with the spirits to receive knowledge and
teachings of plants, animals, and the elements. Over the past few decades the term “shamanism”
has been popularized throughout the western world and ‘Shamanics’
amalgamates the ancient knowledge and practices of the
Northern Hemisphere Shamans to form contemporary shamanic practice and is
a form of deep spiritual, personal development and healing, based in nature and
developed by Kenneth Meadows. This form of Shamanics is a
contemporary distillation of Northern Hemisphere Shaman knowledge (northern
European, Amerindian, Hawaiian Kahuna and Doaist) that is based in the common
truths held within all of these traditions, but without the dogma or ritual. The
techniques of Shamanics are simple but profound and can be easily practiced in
any circumstance or location by the person using them. The teachings are
experiential and found to be deeply meaningful for many people. By utilising and traversing the ancient
knowledge of the Shaman, the modern Shamanic Practitioner can undergo massive
personal growth and an understanding of themselves and their place on the
earth; experience deep balance and healing; and can also help others on their
earth walk. Melanie Tomsett at Shamanic Quest
offers One-Day Introductory Workshops at the Clophill Centre, providing an
overview of the Basic Principles and Practices of Shamanics. For more details
and our current Workshop dates see www.shamanicquest.co.uk |
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