Pagan

[2myladyblue]

Originally Posted by Bit

{{{{{{{{{{{Blue}}}}}}}}}}}}} Hi honey! Good to hear from you!

Yes, I believe we can and should lend assistance whenever we are able to. It's vitally important to people in a disaster; I believe the outpouring of love, concern, and prayers/energy is what makes it possible for people to survive things like 9/11, Katrina, or the disastrous earthquakes and tsunami in Japan. Without the compassion pouring in from the rest of the world, I think people would go on living but wouldn't really recover, yanno?

How to do it? Pretty much like you described doing. The candle might be optional for me, though. *smiling* I guess I don't see sending energy on a global scale any differently than I see sending energy to an individual--but then I grew up praying for world peace, so I guess I'm used to the idea of sending globally.

Love to hear your story! Hope you can come back soon!

(((Bit)))
It's good to be back! My adventures sans internet haven't been much to write home about, but after 6 months of being a foster mommy, it is good to have a peek outside of my world & feel like part of a larger community again.
(Can we say In-tro-vert...lol)

My story...hmm...what was I going to share...
Oh yes...Well...when Hurricane Katrina happened, my friend began having very troubling "dreams". She was hardly sleeping for fear of having another of these horrible nightmares. When she told me about it, I brought up the possibility that she might be a medium & being sought out by those who had recently passed in the disaster. This wasn't something that she had previously experienced or that she felt ready for on such a large scale.

Now, I agree with you...we should absolutely lend whatever kind of assistance we can - if we can. She didn't feel she was in a position to lend as much assistance as was being asked of her. So we talked some more about what she might try during these 'dreams', in terms of not being so open, preparing herself to help anyone who did come through & being able to draw the line & take care of herself when it became too much for her. It became a nightly 'exercise' for awhile. She was able to pass on love & light to many & help one lost & lonely boy in particular realize that he had died & move on (I am so proud of her!). She has since become much more comfortable with the whole idea & has developed her ability on her own.

Please note: I have no 'real' (personal) experience to speak from on this topic, but I do know how to be a good friend & listen & that was all she really needed...to not feel like she was crazy...to not feel judged & I'm glad that I was able to provide that.

Which reminds me...this place...feels good like that too...a safe & welcoming place that people from different backgrounds can come together & discuss things that we may (or may not) be able to discuss with everyone in our every day life. And I want to say Thank you to everyone who contributes to that atmosphere.

I might come back with another story after the babies are finished lunch...

-Blue

[Bit]

Originally Posted by 2myladyblue

Oh yes...Well...when Hurricane Katrina happened, my friend began having very troubling "dreams". She was hardly sleeping for fear of having another of these horrible nightmares. When she told me about it, I brought up the possibility that she might be a medium & being sought out by those who had recently passed in the disaster. This wasn't something that she had previously experienced or that she felt ready for on such a large scale.

OH my word your poor friend, to come "open" at such a time!!! Talk about trial by fire! I'm so glad she had you to talk to!

Originally Posted by 2myladyblue

.... that was all she really needed...to not feel like she was crazy...to not feel judged....

I think we all need that, most especially those of us who walk paths that are not mainstream, yanno? Like you, I cherish the openness of this thread. There are things I talk about here now that I never could have talked about before... heck, I didn't even believe they were real before, and now they happen to me! So a non-judgmental place is really wonderful.

[foxyshaman]

Hail and Hello Blue and squishy hugs to you Cath!!!


Abilities come in all forms with different levels. Global disasters can be hard to deal with from a spiritual perspective. In shamanic traditions there is a method called psychopomp, which basically means crossing the souls over. I like this work, actually I love this work. What I have come to discover however is that not all spirits respond to the work. When we do the work we can encounter spirits who have lived in a different spiritual tradition than myself or my circle mates. These spirits can shun us in the spirit world or flat out tell us mind our own business. Those were good lessons. It doesn´t stop us from trying to help however. And as in every place on earth different people practice different spiritual traditions.

I have been away from home for the last couple of weeks so I was not able to participate in our circles gatherings for psychopomp work for Japan. However, I am sure that they encountered some spirits who wanted no help from western shamanic practitioners, no matter how well meaning.

There are different ways to do psychopomp work. The first time I tried this was in 1999 when there was an earthquake in Turkey. I was instantly attracted to the work and found it IMMENSELY rewarding. I also think it is exceptionally important work. I often encounter stuck spirits wherever I go, and sometimes I can help and sometimes I cannot.

Interesting tid bit... I am in Mexico right now and the main reason I came was to celebrate equinox at ChiChin Itza. It´s my birthday, so I figured why the hell not celebrate the balance of light and dark (and secretly me ha ha) with 25,000 others. It was beautiful and an amazing blissed out day for me. When I got back to my hotel that night, I had a really strange series of dreams regarding suffering beings, other wise known as possession. I woke up thinking something was not right. (duh heh!!) Then I went to my small fridge to get my drinking water... it was frozen. The same bottle I had drunk out of when I was away. Nothing else was frozen in the fridge. So... something had followed me home. The other odd thing was I was craving a cigarette...almost unbearable. I quit smoking ten years ago, but I almost gave in. Did my small ceremony in my room and it left. Whew...

That night I had even more dreams. In each dream more and more people were coming to house to watch me perform a ceremony of compassionate depossession. The house was so full I kept wondering where everyone would sit. I knew when I woke up someone big was coming and that I had to pay attention. Then later that day, towards the evening I went into town to wander... and wandered right into one of my favorite people in the whole world and I had not seen him for three years. He is terminal and when I saw him I `felt`he is surrounded by a host of spirits. Neither of us was surprised we ran into each other. He is coming for work with me when I get home, incidently he was moving to my home city and would fly out the next day.

Dreams are amazing. What I have found over the years is that the more I pay attention to them and understand my own personal symbolism displayed in my dreams, the more meaning I can derive from them. Our dreams are as individual as we are. They have a language that is unique to each person.

Anyway, this short note has turned into a short novella.

Thanks for listening.

[IrishGrrl]

Hey everyone. I havent been posting much lately, busy with life, and introspection. I have finally set up my alter after much putting it off. why did I do that? I feel so much better already and it's only been an hour. My spirit is realigning.

Hope you all are well!

blessed be,
Irish

[Bit]

Hey there, welcome back Irish! Glad you got your altar put together!

Foxy, you cunning one you, sneaking your birthday celebration in like that. I highly approve! Those dreams of yours sound quite intense. I am glad you reconnected with your friend!

Gryph has experienced the same as you, that sometimes spirits want no help and say "mind your own business." I would say, that IS a shaman's business! *wry smile* But hey, there are certainly enough people in need of help that no one need look far to find someone else who wishes to cross over.

My dreams have been pretty active lately as well. The ones I remember, I am reliving books and stories, and sometimes writing new chapters in my dreams. I am content to have it so---sure beats nightmares!! But when I'm not burying myself in escapist dreams, I do have a dream world that seems to be filled with symbols that have meaning for me, things which are either not in dream interpretation books or have a different meaning than in the books. I suppose it's rather like having your own personalized tarot deck.

{{{{{{{{{{{{Irish, Foxy, Blue, Andrew}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Bright Blessings in the coming week!

[2myladyblue]

The Charge of the Goddess


I who am the beauty of the green earth
and the white moon among the stars
and the mysteries of the waters,
I call upon your soul to arise and come to me.

For I am the soul of nature
that gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed
and unto me they must return.

Let My worwhip be in the heart that rejoices,
for behold--all acts of love and pleasure
are My rituals.
Let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion, honor and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.

And you who seek to know Me,
know that your seeking and yearning
will avail you not, unless you know the mystery:
for if that which you seek,
you find not within yourself,
you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you
from the beginning, and I am
that which is attained at the end of desire.

[2myladyblue]

If you focus enough on the Goddess, it is almost as if she begins to notice you and takes you under her wing. She gradually begins to reveal herself in all her complexity, and sometimes in unexpected ways. This is an ongoing process, spiralling to deeper and deeper levels, always continuing. Let the Goddess come into your meditations, your dreams, your work and the faces of people around you. You will begin to recognize and acknowledge the Goddess in your life and become fertile soil for her to grow in. Give her plenty of water, light and food, and you will find yourself transformed by what grows inside of you. You will have become the Goddess.

-from The Heart of the Goddess by Hallie Iglehart Austen

[Lady Pamela]

Happy Solstice!

[cara]

Thanks! You, too.