SHAMANIC RITUAL: THE

HEART OF
TRANSFORMATION
By: Gaia Staff | February 6, 2017
Historically, Shamanic ritual lives inside the heart of Indigenous cultures.
Rituals, ranging from simple to complex, are a way to step out of the
mundane of everyday life, to connect to spiritual life, and to lift the veil
between the visible and the invisible realms. Ancient shamanic rituals
have been practiced since the beginning of time. At their core, they aim to
restore wholeness to individuals and communities, where a genuine
reciprocity is formed between humanity, spirit and nature. According
to Sandra Ingerman, “Shamanism is the most ancient spiritual practice
known to humankind. We know from the archaeological evidence the
practice dates back at least 40, 000 years. Some anthropologists believe
that the practice dates back over 100,000 years.”

Shamanism is practiced in Indigenous cultures all over the world. The

practice thrives today in Mexico, Mongolia, Greenland, Russia, Korea,
Peru and Native American/First Nations in North America.
The diverse and unique shamanic rituals speak a language of prayer, connection to the
realms of spirit, harmony and guidance from the heart.
According to Dean Edwards, “Shamanism is a “technique of ecstasy” in
which the spirit of the shaman leaves the body and travels to
communicate with spirit helpers and other beings for the purpose of
obtaining knowledge, power or healing.”

Skilled Shamans are able to cut through the veils unique to the individual
to receive information to restore vitality, balance and wholeness to the
individual, the community or cause. Shamanic rituals are created and
performed to connect individuals with plant, animal and spirit guide
allies. They carry the potential to reweave and bring home parts of us that
are disconnected or lost, remembering a calling of our destiny. Shamanic
practices such as calling in the directions, smudging, going on a journey
to retrieve a power animal or a soul part, and a fire ceremony to name a
few, are examples of how the shaman can encourage the individual or the
cause back to its natural state of wholeness.
 Shamanic wisdom is gaining momentum in the 21st century as we are
now being called to come together for peace, equality, and a new
understanding of unity on a global scale.

At the heart of the Shamanism are the following core beliefs:

 Everything is alive and has a life force (the term for this is animism)
 Our “concrete” or “material” world is only the beginning, and this “conceptual shift”
opens up the possibility to connect with the realms of spirit
 Everything and everyone is our teacher
 Compassion and a deep union with nature allows us to see and live from the eyes of
our heart, the practice of living in this way brings illumination to all aspects of life
 Each individual has the birth right and responsibility to communicate with the spirit
world directly

From ancient to modern times, Shamanic ritual is diverse and unique

within each culture. What remains consistent is the intention to weave
the sacred into the ordinary ways of life to bring forth wholeness. There is
an understanding that Shamanic ritual is a way to strengthen your inner
body so that you have more tools to work with your personal challenges-
not a way to be healed completely. The key is strengthening the
connection to your inner spirit. This is a practice of working with spirit,
working to shift patterns in your psyche and potentially release old
wounds or traumas within.

As the practices of Shamanic Ritual are vast and diverse, for the sake of
this article, here are some examples from both Native American and Q’ero
Shamanic cultures.

THE SHAMANIC JOURNEY

Practiced in both Native American and Q’ero Shamanic traditions, the
participant is guided into an altered state of consciousness through the
sound of a drum or led by voice cues, where one may enter a non-
ordinary reality. This is done to release anxieties and blockages in the
body and to strengthen one’s inner body to support the healing or
transformation process. The shaman may lead the individual to find their
power animal for vitality.
A retrieval of life essence may be needed if there are energy leaks, deep fatigue, or a
feeling of being “lost” is detected. This is called Soul Retrieval.
An extraction may be necessary if there is physical or emotional
imbalance due to “psychic infections” where they have taken on
another’s person’s imbalanced or sick energy, or had to protect
themselves from this energy. The shaman will then extract this energy
from the spirit of the person through tapping, blowing, rattling,
drumming or willing the unwanted energy out.

VISION QUESTS
Many Native American and First Nations people have practiced Vision
Quests as the rite of passage where older children go into nature without
food for several days to find their inner strength and to connect with a
power animal, or guardian spirit to receive advice or protection.
This is known as a coming of age right of passage and varies in length and intensity
from tribe to tribe.
Once the message or sign was received in the vision quest the individual
would return to their community to pursue their life’s journey.

SWEAT LODGES
In a small darkened and heated structure, warmed by hot stones,
individuals and groups gather with the intention to purify and cleanse
their bodies, minds and spirits.
Known as a healing process for both medical and emotional conditions, the endurance
to withstand the heat brings forth the warrior/ess spirit.
Ultimately, the process serves to extract imbalances, receive messages
from the spirit world and to invite in healing powers. The sweat lodge is a
tradition of the Native American and First Nations people.

THE SUN DANCE CEREMONY

Historically the Sun Dance was the predominant ceremony of the Great
Plains Indians, however today it is practiced by many tribes as a prayer
for mother earth, world renewal and gratitude. There is a belief that
unless the Sun Dance is performed each year mother earth will become
disconnected to the universe and the ability to regenerate will be lost.
The Sun Dance takes place on summer solstice and lasts four to eight
days and involves fasting, singing, drumming, the experience of visions,
and in some cases, self-torture.

The Sun Dance is a ceremony practiced differently by several North

American Indian Nations, but many of the ceremonies have features in
common, including dancing, singing and drumming, the experience of
visions, fasting and, in some cases, self-torture.
People would dance for the healing of others, for their people and their connection to
spiritual realms.
Ancient widsom, through the Sun Dance, “shows that there is no true end
to life, but a cycle of symbolic and true deaths and rebirths. All of nature is
intertwined and dependent on one another. This gives an equal ground to
everything on the Earth.” Once the dancers complete their ritual, they are
put down on beds of sage to rest where they share their visions of songs,
prayers, dance steps, and even future prophecies. The outcome of the
Sun Dance is unique to each individual brave enough to endure the
journey, the end result being a reciprocity and rebirth between the people
and the earth.

FIRE CEREMONY
The fire ceremony is at the core of many shamanic traditions. This ritual is
most often performed at full moon or at new moon when the veils
between the realms of ordinary and spirit are the thinnest. Fire is known
as the most rapid form of healing and transformation.
The symbolic essence of the fire ceremony is to release old ways of being, to let go of
old stories and drama, and through this comes the rebirth, the transformation and the
renewal.
According to Dr. Alberto Villoldo, “through fire ceremony, you honor your
lessons and old belief structures by placing them in the fire and turning
them over to Spirit. By releasing these old patterns and beliefs into the
fire, you heal deeply at the level of the soul without having to experience
them at the literal and physical levels. In the past, when fire ceremony
was taught, it was only done with a teacher for years and years before
doing it alone. Now, shaman’s say that the earth and our civilization are in
such great peril that fire ceremony should be held by anyone who is
willing to step in.”

DESPACHO CEREMONY
For centuries, the “paqos” – the high shamans also known as the
“wisdom keepers” from the Q’ero lineage of Peru have practiced the Ayni
Despacho Ceremony. The word Ayni means balance and the Q’ero people
believe that when humans are imbalanced, the world reacts to this and
becomes imbalanced as well. The creation of an “Ayni Despacho” is like a
large Mandala where participants gather sacred objects placed upon a
white piece of paper that acts as a wrapping for the gift to mother earth.
The intention of this ritual is to bring the individual, the community into a place of
harmony, union and balance with the natural world. Each ingredient is given breath,
prayers and the ritual becomes a living prayer.
Celia Blackwood, who worked with skilled Shamans in Peru describes
some of the medicinal herbs used in ceremony. “Coca leaves or bay
leaves are used to hold prayers. Sugar and various sweets bring
sweetness and love to the prayers. Corn and other grains are used to
nourish participants and the Pachamama- the Earth.” Once the Despacho
is prepared, the Shaman ties it together in a bundle and cleanses the
energy bodies of the participants. It is then offered to a ceremonial fire, to
sacred waters or buried in the earth.

Try this simple ritual for setting new intentions and shedding old ways of
being. This is effective when you feel imbalanced in your emotional,
physical, and emotional body. (stress, anxious, exhausted, unclear, or
healing from illness to name a few) Listen for the call to shift your inner
being and to step into a new way of living.

A RITUAL FOR SETTING NEW

INTENTIONS AND SHEDDING OLD
WAYS
To be created and practiced on the new moon or full moon.

GATHER
Candle/matches 6 items from nature (flowers, stones, crystals, etc) 2
separate pieces of paper/pen Sage stick/Palo Santo/dried herbs of your
choice Any personal altar items that align with your intention Access to
fireplace or outdoor fire- optional

FIND A QUIET PLACE

Find a quiet place inside or in nature where you can be comfortable.
Begin to calm your body with deep breaths and bring awareness to your
intention for your ritual. (Eg. Peace, love, balance, letting go.)

BUILD AN ALTAR
Begin to build your altar, place your candle in the centre and place your
nature items in the 4 cardinal directions, one below for mother earth and
above for sun/stars/moon, place anything else of significance your altar

SMUDGE
Smudge yourself with sage or palo santo for purifying your whole self by
fanning the smoke over the front and back body and over your altar.

CALL IN THE DIRECTIONS

Call in sacred space and honor the directions South, for letting go and
being in the flow of your life West, for facing fear with love(/video/west-
yoga-courageous-yogi)
North, for living in joy and in connection to our ancestors East, for leading
and living from our hearts Mother Earth, for grounding, creation and
abundance Father Sky, Grandmother Moon and the Stars, for our
reverence to the spirit world

MEDITATE
Sit in meditation for some time again to connect with your breath and
your soft receptive nature. Notice parts within you that may need to be
released. This could be in your physical body, in your emotions or in your
mind. What no longer serves you in your life?

WRITE
Write on a single piece of paper all the things that no longer serve you in
your life and what you are ready and willing to let go of. Then roll up the
paper and wrap it with string. Blow your pure intentions of letting these
things go 3 times into your rolled up paper and place on your altar.

HONOR YOURSELF
Sit again in meditation honoring your whole, connected and vibrant self.
Repeat out loud 3 times “ I am whole, I am open, I am love.” Bring
awareness to what you are ready to invite into your life. Take time to
imagine or see yourself living this invitation.

WRITE AN INVITATION
Write on the other paper what you are now inviting into your life. Using I
am and I statements are powerful. Blow 3 long slow breaths into your
invitations and place on your altar.

OBSERVE
Sit once again in silence and observe how you feel, any sensation or
images that come to you know. Stay soft, open and receptive. With great
attention take your rolled up papers or your “spirit arrows” and honor the
work you have done today to let go of old ways and welcome in the new.
If you have access to a fire you can burn your spirit arrows, if not, feel free
to release them in any way that feels right.

CLOSE THE SACRED SPACE

Close up your sacred space by honoring the 4 directions, Mother Earth
and the stars, sun and moon. It may feel right to honor your
ancestors, spirit guides, family and teachers; consider speaking your
 thanks aloud. Thank yourself for being the open luminous vessel of light
and love that you are. Journal about your ritual if you are inspired or
share your experience with a friend or loved one.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RITUAL

In closing, I truly believe ritual and ceremony allow us to source from our
inner beings, to create from pure intention, to see more clearly what
doesn’t serve us any longer and to dream our life into reality. A ritual has
a beginning, a middle and an end. It gives us creative power to follow our
intuition and to open our vision to be in alignment with our communities,
the earth and ourselves. Inside the heart of shamanic ritual lives pure
presence, creativity, connection and harmony. When created and
practiced in wholeness and goodness towards all beings, we can lead the
way for transformation on many levels. Any time you feel “blocked”, or
are working on what you want to dream into your life, shamanic rituals or
your own ritual creation can support you to shift perspective and activate
your visions.

You are more powerful than you can imagine.

Aho, with Love and Radiance, Mara Branscombe

SIGNS OF SOUL LOSS

The following checklist can help to determine if soul loss has occurred:

1. You have a difficult time staying “present” in your body

2. You feel numb, apathetic, or deadened
3. Chronic depression?
4. You have problems with your immune system and have trouble resisting illness
5. You were chronically ill as a child
6. Memory gaps of your life after age five where you sense that you may have blacked out
significant traumas in your life
7. Struggle with addictions, for example, to alcohol, drugs, food, sex or gambling
8. Find yourself looking to external things to fill up an internal void or emptiness
9. Have difficulty moving on with your life after a divorce or the death of a loved one
10. You suffer from multiple personality syndrome

Having read this book with no prior knowledge of soul loss or soul
retrieval, I found the concepts quite sobering.
Within situations of physical and emotional abuse, negation and trauma,
there are many experiences in life that can be too difficult to bear. Soul
loss is an understandable response for spiritual woundedness, and deep
fragmentation of one’s soul essence, that would lead to an internal
dissociation from natural balance.

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN

PERSONAL HEALING
Soul retrieval is not a quick fix. Sandra Ingerman states, “If the person has
done a lot of personal work the soul retrieval might be the end of the
work. If not the soul retrieval would be the beginning of the work.”

No matter where you may find yourself, at the beginning or near the end
of working through an issue, the most important factor in all healing work
is you.

You have to be willing to do the work that is necessary to participate in

your own healing. You will have to be willing to look at yourself with new
eyes, from a new perspective and as an embodiment of completion and
wholeness, while knowing that willingness is the impetus for great
change which always begins with the heart.

For more information on Sandra Ingerman’s work log

onto [Link].

You can also learn more by watching this interview on [Link] with Jill
Kuykendall on Soul Retrieval.

HOW TO HOLD A FOUR

DIRECTIONS CEREMONY

Life calls to open sacred space during pivotal events, such as birth
or marriage, and for healing purposes. Whatever the reason is, the
intention must carry an unyielding presence of love and focus for sacred
space to open. When sacred space is created, the veils between the
physical and spiritual worlds begin to thin and transformation ensues.

THE MEDICINE WHEEL

At the heart of the Shamanic path is the contract to live in harmony with
nature, self, community and spirit. The Medicine Wheel, or Wheel of
Life, is represented by the four directions.: it symbolizes the cycle of life,
without beginning or end, and provides guidance for living. While the
Medicine Wheel varies by culture, it universally honors the core belief that
all things on earth are living and all things are interconnected. The four
directions, as taught through Native American knowledge, are deeply
embedded with symbolism and guidance for transformation:

EAST
East represents Spring and symbolizes victory, success and power. After a
long winter, the renewed sense of life emerges. The color is red and it
symbolizes protection. Red beads were used to call forth the red spirit for
strong love relations, to heal from illness and to pray for longevity.
Animals of the East are birds in flight such as the owl, hawk and
hummingbird. Words are offered to the East so they may fly and soar with
Spirit.

NORTH
North represents winter and also a sense of trouble, hardships and
sadness. As winter is the season of waiting and surviving, the Cherokee
word for North literally means cold. North is the color blue. The animals
representing the North include white buffalo, moose and bear. These
animals are a reminder to be patient with the seasons.

WEST
West represents Autumn and the final harvest as the end of a cycle. The
West is black and it represents the death of summer’s cycle. The animals
of the west include the beaver for teamwork to prepare for winter and the
snake to remind us of how to shed our old skin for transformation.

SOUTH
South represents Summer and is a time of great abundance. The summer
holds fertility, passion, growth, joy and peace. The color is white. The
animals of the South hold the lesson of strength, courage and pride. The
eagle with her keen sight and the wolf, proud to be part of the tribe.

ABOVE AND BELOW

There are three more Sacred Directions: up above to the stars is yellow,
down below to the earth is brown and the center is green. The place of
self or the “sacred fire” of the self which is the center of all paths. The
medicine wheel holds meaning to life, death, birth, aftermath, rebirth and
the sacredness of place along the path.

ASSIGNMENT: FIND YOUR TRUE

NORTH
Knowing the cardinal directions and where you stand in relation to them
is an essential aspect of connecting to the natural and spirit worlds.
Ancient cultures of the world, in tune with the cycles of the seasons and
the stars, knew how to orient themselves if lost and likely intuited their
location naturally due to practice.

Set a reminder to locate true north intermittently throughout the day; for
example, at sunrise, midday and sunset, use a compass to find north. Stand
facing north and notice the angle of the sun and landmarks that may guide
you without a compass.

HEALING THE LUMINOUS BODY

Learn about the luminous energy field that surrounds your physical body
like a blueprint of life and travel to the Andes to uncover shamanic
wisdom of the luminous body.
SIGN UP TO WATCH
FOUR DIRECTIONS CEREMONY:
OPEN SACRED SPACE
Call upon the four directions in this invocation from the Q’ero Shamans of
Peru to ask for blessing from the spirits in your endeavors. Consider
creating an altar representing each direction. To begin, take some deep
breaths, let go of mental preoccupations and align with your heart’s
intention to create sacred space. As you face each direction, smudge or
fan sage, blow scented water, or shake a rattle and say the prayer aloud.
Face the south with one arm up and the other palm open to receive

To The Winds of the South

Great Serpent
Mother of the Life giving waters
Wrap your coils of light around me
Remind me of how to let go and shed old ways of being
Teach me to walk the way of beauty

Face the west with one arm up and the other palm open to receive

To The Winds of the West

Mother Jaguar
Support me as I see my own fears
Teach me how to transform my fears into love
Remind of how to live with impeccability
May I have no enemies in this lifetime or next

Face the north with one arm up and the other palm open to receive

To the Winds of the North

Royal Hummingbird
Ancient Ones
Teach me about your endurance and your great joy
Come to me in the dreamtime
With honor I greet you

Face the east with one arm up and the other palm open to receive

To the Winds of the East

Eagle or Condor
Great visionary, remind me to lead from my pure heart
Teach me to soar to new places, to fly wing to wing with Spirit

Place one palm on the earth and the other arm up

Mother Earth- Pachamama

I pray for your healing
Let me soften into your wisdom
May I take great care of you so that my children and my children’s
children
may witness the beauty and abundance you offer me today

Raise both arms to the sky

Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, to the Star nations
Great Spirit- you who are known by a thousand names
And you who are the unnamable One
Thank you for bringing me here at this time

CLOSE THE CEREMONY

When you have finished your ceremony, sacred space must be closed.
This can be done silently or spoken aloud, but it must be intentional.
Thank the serpent, jaguar, hummingbird and eagle for their wisdom. As
you release their energies back to their four directions, take a few deep
breaths, acknowledge yourself back in the space you are in and witness
any changes in your being. Take any inspiration gleaned from your sacred
space and share them with the earth, your family and your community.

SMUDGING CEREMONY:
AN INVITATION
By: Gaia Staff | January 5, 2017
A smudging ceremony is the ritual of burning plant resins and herbs in a
shell or a clay bowl while intentions and prayers are called forth. For
centuries, Native American and Indigenous cultures have practiced
smudging rituals to clear away negative energy, to invite in peace and
harmony for individuals or environments. The smoke from the herbs and
the plant resins are fanned using a feather or a hand and directed like
a spiritual cleansing bath surrounding the person or the space.
The purpose of this cleansing ritual is to clear away anxieties, sadness, impurities, dark
thoughts or unwanted energies that may have attached themselves to a space or an
individual.
Smudging is most often performed before or as part of a ceremony to
clear the environment and the people from certain thoughts or feelings
that will not serve the highest good in themselves. For this reason, it is
important to set a clear intention while smudging.

As the smudging ceremony is practiced, the smoke rises and so do the

prayers to mother earth, father sky, to the sun and the moon, to the
plants, the animals and the water. The burning of the sacred plants- sage,
cedar, sweetgrass and palo santo- to name a few, support the connection
to the sacred realms between the earth and spirit. Through this connect
to spirit the smoke bath lifts negative feelings and energy and creates an
opening for prayers and intentions to be heard, therefore bringing
positive intention into practice.

WHAT PLANT MEDICINES ARE USED

FOR SMUDGING?
Here are a few of the Plant Medicines used for Smudging and the
symbolic meaning behind them:

SAGE
Sage offers clarity, vision, strength and wisdom; it is known as a medicine for Women.
Sage is used traditionally in Native North American, First Nations and
Indigenous cultures to represent the life force and maternal lineage of
women. Sage can be gathered and bundled to dry in a stick or a smudge
stick can be purchased already dried.

CEDAR
Cedar is used to heighten positive energy, to uplift feelings and evoke
positive emotions.
Cedar holds the medicine to purify and return balance.
Cedar can also be used as a healing tea as it is very high in Vitamin C. It
can be bundled, dried, and burned for purification and to heighten the
connection to the spiritual realms.

SWEETGRASS
Sweetgrass is on the of the four medicine plants used by all Native
Americans/First Nations, the others being sage, cedar and tobacco.
Sweetgrass is braided, dried and then burned as a cleansing ritual. As the
smoke from smudging rises it is believed that our prayers too will rise up
to the world of spirit to be seen, heard, and to be remembered.
Sweetgrass symbolizes kindness- as this plant only bends when walked
upon and never breaks – may we too remember that if injustices are done
upon us may we hold kindness in our hearts and not react with hostility.
Sweetgrass is known as the hair of Mother Earth.
TOBACCO
Tobacco is a sacred medicine plant to all North American Indigenous
Cultures. Tobacco is believed to be a gateway or a bridge between
the Earth and Spirit realms. Historically if tobacco is offered and
accepted, then there is a sacred promise sealed. It acts like a
commitment made by people and supported by the Spirit World.
 Tobacco can be used as a way to thank Mother Earth or the Creator for the abundance
and beauty we receive every day.
For example if you saw a beautiful sunrise or a rainbow and you want to
give thanks you could leave some Tobacco upon the Earth for this gift of
beauty. Tobacco doesn’t need to be smoked.

PALO SANTO
Palo Santo is a mystical tree that grows on the coast of South America
and it means “Holy Wood” in Spanish.
Palo Santo looks like a small wooden stick and it’s scent is known to raise the vibration
in preparation for meditation, creative endeavors and ceremony.
It’s known to bring a grounded and clear feeling when burned and is
related to Frankincense, Myrrh and Copal. It is used the same way as Sage
and is burned and fanned with a feather to clear the air and ask the spirits
for permission to perform the ceremony.

COPAL
Copal is a natural tree resin and comes from the Buresa tree family in
Southern Mexico. Since ancient times, Copal incense has been considered
sacred to the Mayan and Aztec people. Offerings were made to the deities
and the gods atop the pyramids and the sacred burial grounds. Copal is
considered a medicinal tree to the Mayas and is used to clear the body of
diseases.
Using copal to smudge before meditation and ceremony can assist in strengthening
peace of mind while removing energy blockages from the body.
Any of these plant medicines – along with any others that you feel called
to burn – can be placed in a shell, a clay bowl or the open fire. Take the
time to witness the smoke purifying and rising, allow the smell of the
herbs and incense to bring you into a place of pure presence. As you call
forth your prayers, visions, or intentions stay curious, open and full of
heart as you engage in your smudging ceremony.

HOW TO SMUDGE
Smudging can be done before any kind of ceremony, house cleansing,
before yoga, meditation, in a group healing circle and in nature. Before
beginning make sure you have these items in place. I suggest sitting in a
quiet space for a few minutes to feel the earth below you, to soften into
yourself, to take some full deep breaths, and to get clear on the intentions
you are calling forth before your smudging session.

 You will need either a clay bowl or a large clam shell or abalone shell
 Herbs of your choice to burn (remove stems)
 Wooden Matches
 Large Feather or your hand is fine to wave smoke
 Open windows if you are inside
 Place the herbs or plant resin in the smudging vessel
 Light the herbs with a wooden match for 20 seconds are until it catches flame
 Wave the herbs with feather or hand so the flame goes out and the smoke swirls
 Smudge yourself first, waving the smoke over your face with eyes closed, over heart
and limbs, over crown of the head and under the feet
 When you smudge others begins with the front body, then ask them to turn to do their
back body, ask them to lift one foot then the other
 Have a clear intention to purify with your light and love anyone whom you are
smudging. This is very important
 If you are smudging a home or a studio (wonderful for clearing away negative energy
or when moving into a new space) ignite your herbs if they go out and begin the
waving of smoke until every nook and cranny of the space has been smudged
 Once you are finished, take the ashes of the burned herbs and return it to the Earth

A SMUDGING BLESSING FOR NEW

BEGINNINGS
Read over this a few times so you are familiar with the blessing and the
body parts, then smudge yourself while speaking this prayer. Replace any
words that you feel work better for you.
I cleanse my Eyes so they will see the Truth all around me, allow my eyes to see the
beauty I receive from Mother Earth and the Love I create within my family and my
communities.
I cleanse my Mouth for truthful speaking. In my speaking words may I elevate my
community. May I speak prayers of healing to Mother Earth.
I cleanse my ears so that I may Listen fully to the wisdom passed down from my
ancestors, the creator, the Earth and my Spirit Guides. May I be open to hear the good
and allow any negativities to slide off me.
I cleanse my heart so that I may be filled with compassion and gratitude. May my heart
be in truth and grow with purity, balance and joy.
May I walk in beauty
I cleanse my feet so they will guide us on this life’s journey as a light and truth seeker.
May my feet stay grounded and remind me of how to walk in balance, love, joy and in
harmony with my family, friends, earth, sky ,water, plant and animal worlds.”
May I walk in beauty.
Smudging is a very powerful practice and can work wonders in clearing
away stagnant or unwanted energies in your home, in your heart or your
mind. Being intentional, mindful, and calm as you are smudging creates a
portal for you to go further into your spiritual work. The ritual of lighting a
candle and then smudging yourself or your space allows you to gather
presence, to let go of stress and to enter into your yoga practice,
meditation, prayer or ceremony with intention. Let us rise up, clean our
own energy fields and feed the greatness that lives inside us. Through this
state of presence, may we also inspire our communities to live in their
own greatness.

HOW TO CATCH YOUR

DREAMS
By: Gaia Staff | November 2, 2016
Dreams are the easiest portal to the otherworld which we are granted in
this human landscape. It is in these nighttime sojourns that we connect
with Angels and Guides, converse with our Highest Self and are afforded
the luxury to work out that which cannot be readily digested in our
waking hours.

I’m always fascinated by this in between space, yet am heartily

disappointed by traditional dream meanings. I prefer to dive into the
shadowy depths of my own psyche without such pedestrian notions
spelled out. Carl Jung perhaps posits the best path to decipher the
meaning of our dreams. It is the archetypes – the rich characters whom
we encounter – who can lead us best to extract the meaning of our
dreams. As they each represent an aspect of self, unravel the archetype to
see how this underlying energy or persona plays out for you presently.

Beyond the gentle soothing of rest and restoration, others have skillfully
navigated psychic landscapes through this dark revery. David Wilcock, in
his extensive dream work, has been able to predict many global events.
Over the course of many years he meticulously journaled his dreams
upon waking and was able to accurately extract their greater
significance. Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet, was so skilled in these
realms he was able to carry out precise and highly personalized readings
for people. Unable to access such knowledge in his waking state, his
dreams presented a doorway to far-reaching knowledge which helped
thousands of individuals and still has lasting relevance today.

Here are some ways you can begin to tap into the powerful portals of the
divine through your nighttime escapades.

SET AN INTENTION
 The universe, in its respect of free will, can only act in accordance with
what we directly command. State an intention to easily and readily recall
your dreams upon waking. I proclaim this aloud. Speaking things into
being and giving vibrational frequency to your desires magnifies the
likelihood of success.

KEEP A DREAM JOURNAL

To best utilize this nighttime landscape for yourself, record your dreams
as soon as you wake. Keep a journal by the bed and make a habit to jot
some notes in the morning. More than the specific encounters and
details, I find the feelings evoked are more telling.

PERSONAL DREAM
INTERPRETATION
It is helpful to go back over these jottings from time to time to see what
has transpired. Don’t grab a dream interpretation book, instead seek to
decipher your own meaning in hindsight. Can you see your own
archetypes and patterns at play? Once you identify themes and key
players you can more readily understand your dreams as they occur. This
is a refined process that takes time to develop well.
Once you can navigate your own internal landscape, you can more readily make use of
the profound insight being shared.
CRYSTALS FOR DREAMING
Crystals are allies for all occasions but potently paired with dream work. A
crystal under your pillow will aid in the retention and recall of your
dreams. You can easily program a crystal to support any intention you
wish but it is especially helpful to store, or encode, dreams. Upon waking
pick up the crystal and hold it while you capture your escapades.

Beyond recall, other benefits of crystals for dreams are:

 Amethyst – a gentle crystal which aids in restful sleep; psychic stone of the crown
chakra helpful for deepening dream states
 Ametrine – connection with highest self, it creates a portal for this wisdom to be
transmitted to you
 Azurite – 3rd eye opener, can bring through spirit guides, past life memories and the
connection with psychic gifts
 Quartz – best for programming to act as an ally for dream recall
 Modlavite – a powerful generator which illuminates personal issues and brings them to
the surface, aids in lucid dreaming
 DREAM GUIDE MEDITATION
Allow yourself the space to delve into this guided meditation to meet with
a Spirit Guide offering assistance for you in your dream work. Gently and
easily meet with a guide that is personally devoted to you.

 Close your eyes and breathe deeply into your belly

 See yourself in the night sky, held by a blanket of velvety stars
 You will see in the distance a platform of pure white crystal
 Stand atop this stage and request that a Dream Guide join you
 Spend time getting to know this guide. Feel their vibration, request a name and ask
how this partnership may best unfold
 When you are complete, thank your ally and commit to accepting the assistance
 Stand alone atop the platform to receive restorative cosmic blessings of the universe
 Slowly bring yourself back to your physical body feeling these offerings of abundance
 Commit to invoking this guide nightly and connecting again upon waking to best
utilize the support offered

DREAM CATCHER
You may have seen these beauteous decorations hanging from walls and
rear view mirrors. The dream catcher looks much like a spider’s web and
is said to catch the nightmares. Peaceful, blissful and supportive dreams
are able to pass through with ease and support you.

The ritual use of these sacred objects is well documented. Beyond

ornamental, they are handmade with great care and created for a specific
individual in mind.

The tradition began with the Obijway Native Americans. Made from
sinews, or plant fibers, and hung over sleeping children, the web would
catch the bad dreams and allow the good dreams to pass easily through
the hole in the center. When the morning sun illuminates the dream
catcher the bad dreams would be vanquished.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN DREAM

CATCHER
Used as a scared object the dream catcher can have a beneficial effect on
sleeping and dream recall. Whether literal or a placebo effect, crafting
your own object of power for your nighttime journeys can be a space of
deep connection and healing.
1. GATHER SACRED ITEMS
Traditional dream catchers include bone, feathers, crystals and beads.
Find your own items that convey special meaning. Remember that the
final design will be rather delicate so avoid heavy objects.

2. CHOOSE THE FRAME

You’ll need a 2-6 foot length of pliable material. Red willow or soaked
grapevine are easy to obtain from a craft store. Remember, this is a
sacred quest and gathered items should feel important to you. Invoke
Spirit to lead you to the best suited materials for you.

3. WEAVE THE HOOP

Perhaps the most ritualistic step of creating a dream catcher is in weaving
the sinew through the hoop. Take this on as a sacred task. All myths carry
stories of weavers – to the Nordics it was the Norns, or Sisters of Wyrd, to
the Native Americans it was Spider Woman. Weaving is the act of creating
the web of time, the very fabric of reality, and is a channel for all
manifestation, spiritual work and healing. While you weave your hoop,
hold your intention close to your heart and chant your selected
mantra(s).
Many tutorials are available on how to create this sacred art yourself. Intention is key
and the finished project will carry your intentions.
Your dreams are a most personal gift and direct link with the divine.
Making conscious use of this nighttime travel will aid spiritual
development and support your path of Ascension. Use it well lovey and
know there is no more powerful way to access your Highest Self!

HOW TO COMMUNICATE
WITH YOUR ANCESTORS
By: Gaia Staff | October 25, 2016
The desire to communicate with our ancestors is an innate part of the
human experience. We intuitively sense their presence in our wisdom
bodies and it begs the question: can we communicate with them?

Through daily prayer, mediation, creation of art, music, food and

ceremony, the ancestor spirits can communicate, guide, protect and heal
the living. Ancestral communication has been an ancient practice in every
wisdom tradition throughout time. Your ability to connect with your
ancestors is always available.

In particular, the days on and around October 31 to November 2 are a

transformational portal on the wheel of life. It’s the mid-point between
fall and winter, the death and dying season. Therefore, it’s a powerful
time to communicate with one’s ancestors. This article offers guidance on
how to create a beautiful ceremonial journey to communicate with your
ancestors.

THE TRADITIONS OF ANCESTRAL

COMMUNICATION
Ancestral communications is an ancient and daily practice found in many
cultures around the world, including Mayan, Celtic, Aborigine, Indigenous
American, Ancient Greece, Ancient Eurasia, African Tribal, Tibetan and the
Vedic/Yogic traditions. Some major religions, such as the Catholic faith,
honor the deceased on All Saints Day and All Souls Day with prayers,
candles, incense, chanting, ceremony and offerings. In Mexico they
celebrate the Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos). And in the Celtic
tradition, Samhain, which observes the transition time between the two
worlds.

In our culture, we are familiar with Halloween or All Hallows Eve.

However, much of the essence and spiritual wisdoms connected to these
ceremonial days – meant to honor and communicate with one’s
ancestors – has been lost.

I lost my own father early in life. Through ancestral communication, I

have been able to open my heart, experiencing a deeper love within
myself, due to the work I have done to connect with my father and other
ancestors. Through this work, I have been able to reconcile deep wounds
and karmic patterns that stem back even beyond my Dad, but also to my
deceased grandparents and living family.
Ancestral work can transform the karmas of past generations, as well as work into the
current and future generations for healing.
HALLOWEEN AND THE DAY OF THE
DEAD
These two celebrations are traditionally considered ceremonial days and
nights to honor and communicate with one’s ancestors. This is a time to
create family altars, perform ceremonies with the ancestors and lay out
offerings of flowers, incense, crystals, art and food. Halloween or All
Hallows Eve literally means Holy Night or All Saint’s Night. It is a time to
honor and communicate with those that have taken their spirit walk,
ancestors and the holy or saintly ones. The Day of the Dead maintains the
spiritual essence of ceremony, honor and communication in the deeper
regions of Mexico.

Last year at this time, I was in southern Mexico, in the city of Merida,
studying the Mayan tradition. Two days before Day of the Dead, I decided
to take a walk in the main plaza to enjoy the night air. I encountered a
celebration amongst the locals. Dozens of families from surrounding
villages were joyfully creating altars, cooking and sharing food, lighting
candles, putting up photos of their deceased and playing music all
around the central plaza. It was a very moving experience and I could feel
the light coming in through their intentions and offerings to their familial
ancestors.

Elements of these beautiful ceremonies and altar practices can be

observed in our modern Halloween by way of candles in jack-o-lanterns,
candy offerings and festivities. If you choose, you can mindfully reconnect
to these ancient practices while the veil between the two worlds is open
this time of year.

WHO IS AN ANCESTOR?
The Lakota say Mitakuye Oyasin, “All are my relations”- the tree, water,
sky, earth, animals, brothers, sisters and those that have taken their spirit
walk. There is a sacred hoop, a medicine wheel, a mandala of life. All is
connected. All is life and all has the essence of Love. All are children of the
Great Mother and Father – in spirit and physical form.
An ancestor is one who took a physical body and experienced the loves, sorrows, joys
and pains of being human. They are your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great
grandparents. Anyone who has taken their spirit walk. Anyone who is in your soul
tribe.
The ancestors are ones who intimately know what it is like to take the
human incarnation and share your spiritual and/or physical DNA. They
can have great empathy, compassion and sensitivity for what it is like to
be in a personal earth journey. They can provide helpful teachings,
guidance, protection, healing and forgiveness from the spirit dimension.
Ancestors may also have their own continued healing work and evolution
to do as a spirit and are still considered part of the sacred hoop of life.
There are other types of ancestors, including Territorial Ancestors (aka
Land Ancestors) and Spiritual Ancestors. Territorial or Land Ancestors are
beings that incarnate on a piece of land and are now connected to the
land as spiritual guardians and stewards. Your family ancestors can also
be your Territorial Ancestors if you are living/working on ancestral lands.
Your Spiritual Ancestors are lineages of spirit beings that your soul
repeatedly chooses to work with. This could be Archangel Michael,
Buddha, Quan Yin (aka Guanyin), White Buffalo Calf Woman, Star Beings
from the Pleiades, or the Egyptian wisdoms spirits- the sky is the limit.
There are infinite possibilities and a particular ancestor could be in
multiple “categories”.

For our ceremony on how to communicate with your ancestors, we are

going to focus on your soul tribe ancestors. It is perfectly all right to invite
your other ancestral lineages to be present and assist as well.

WHY COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR

ANCESTORS?
When my father Robert Schenkelberg died of a sudden blood clot to his
lungs in 2003, I was far from resolved on many things with him. There was
a mixture of deep love, grief, confusion, anger, sadness and many
unanswered questions about some childhood experiences. I was not
particularly wanting a spiritual connection at that time and even shunned
it.

Ten years went by and I had lost more and more connection with my own
heart. I found myself in an ashram in the mountains searching for inner
peace and was reading a book about a spiritual teacher who knew when
he was going to die. Inviting all his students together, the teacher shared
that when someone dies they are not gone – they are present in Love.
They have transitioned to the spiritual dimensions and are still present
with us.

He suggested that we could choose to honor them and send them love.
This statement awakened my soul and opened up the portal to
a profound shift in my spiritual heart. In October 2013, the mid-point
between fall and winter, my father contacted me in a dream. It has been
an evolving process over three years through prayer, meditation,
ceremony, daily dialog and surrender to deeper transformation. However,
this connection with my father has been the most profound journey into
healing for myself, his spirit, my grandparents and even my living family –
including my mother, brother, sister, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Opening up your heart and learning how to communicate with your ancestors can
provide deep, transformational healing on all levels.
I have found many moments of joy and contentment when I am in
communion with my father and my ancestors. They laugh with me, they
send me messages in the wind, they sail in on the wings of a hawk, they
comfort me with love and provide loving guidance for my soul’s path in
this life. This requires personal work – to dissolve old programming,
emotions, grudges and stories – and it continues to require these shifts.
For me, ancestral communication and healing has been the most
powerful and rewarding gift of my spiritual journey.

WHY PRACTICE CEREMONY TO

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR
ANCESTORS?
There are many ways to communicate with your ancestors and eventually
it may become a daily practice and dialog for you. Simply calling them
into your heart and having a quiet moment can be perfect. However,
ceremony can help to amplify the communication.

Spirit is energy and uses high vibration frequencies to access the earthly
realm. Ceremony is high vibration. The difference between offering
ceremony and personal prayer is like the difference between playing a
guitar amplified or playing a guitar acoustically. They are both beautiful
and appropriate for different needs, but one has a stronger resonance
and reach. Just as it is easier for us to hear the amplified guitar, it is easier
for spirit to communicate with us using the higher vibration of ceremony.

We have held ceremony many times personally, in groups, at our yoga

studio, on retreats and with people of varied faiths and beliefs. We have
found that most people have an innate remembrance and connection to
ceremony even in their first experience.

WHAT IS CEREMONY?
There are many ancient wisdom traditions on our planet that share
the gift of ceremony and there are many ways to do ceremony-
individually or in groups. While the specifics of the ceremony may vary,
there are three essential pieces that apply anywhere, anytime:
1. Intention: In the yoga tradition this is called Sankalpa, which translates to “vow of the
heart”. Declare your purpose. It can be a positive affirmation, asking for an answer to a
question or healing.
2. Attention: Be Present. Or as Ram Dass says, “Be Here Now.” Get grounded in your heart
and clear your mind. Energy flows where your attention goes.
3. Purposeful: Make sure what you doing is meaningful to you. When you are in a group
ceremony there may be aspects that don’t connect to you in that moment. That’s
okay. Keep your attention on your inner intention, on what you are offering up from
your heart. When you are creating your own personal ceremony, create a ceremony
that inspires you and has meaning for you.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR

SPIRIT GUIDES: 14 STEPS
FOR A LOVING
CONNECTION
By: Gaia Staff | August 24, 2016
Spirit Guides are among our greatest allies and grant us both protection,
vision and courage to help us navigate the unseen realms. Forging this
relationship must be viewed as one of the fundamental practices to
spiritual development.

With these myriad spiritual energies surrounding us all the time, it is of

greatest benefit to hear the lessons they are offering us which will aid and
ease our human experience.

James Van Praagh reminds us we are spiritual beings having a human

experience. To be in intimate connection with these guiding benevolent
forces gives us strength, hope and direction in a challenging world.

Like a budding friendship, getting to know them is natural and easy. No

special honing psychic ability exercises are required but rather an open
heart and ability to listen are your best assets. Without stress or strain,
they are always near awaiting an opportunity for connection, guidance
and insight. To become a clear channel, simply relax, trust and allow
yourself to feel their loving presence.

TYPES OF SPIRIT GUIDES

We are blessed with love reverberating through us always. Many
assistants are in place to ensure our spiritual well being and evolution.
Though we’ll use the term interchangeably, here are the most common
Spirit Guides which you may encounter:

ANGELS
Most prevalent and trusted, it is the Angels who are in devotion to
humanity. ArchAngels can be many places at once while personal
Guardian Angels are in service to us individually.

POWER ANIMALS
Recognizing the wisdom of the animal kingdom, shamanic cultures work
with Power Animals as personal totems of power. When we can embody
the raw attributes of animals, we can be imbued with courage, focus and
transcendence.

DEVAS
Earth energies are in constant cohabitation with humans. Tree spirits,
fairies, Air and Water beings will all fall under this category.

Different from Angels, they are not devoted to human expansion, rather
they are in loving service to the planet. They willingly help individuals
when respect and honor of the Earth has been consistently
demonstrated.

ANCESTORS
Our first place of love and connection, it is our Ancestors who can most
readily assist us. Replying to the request from their own bloodline, they
act as fierce and protective Spirit Guides and should be our first point of
contact.

The African wisdom traditions honor this ancestral blessing inherently.

We in the west however have fallen out of partnership with lineage spirits,
preferring the omnipotent Angels. This is somewhat foolish for it is the
ancestor’s commitment to the healing of their own descendants which
make them arguably our strongest assets in the Spirit Realms.

###Ascended Masters

Those beings who have achieved enlightenment are dedicated to

assisting humanity on our own ascension. St Germain, Buddha, Jesus,
Metatron and Quan Yin are among the many faces of these guiding forces
which are readily available to us and will often appear in our meditations.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR SPIRIT

GUIDES
Contacting our Spirit Guides is one of the most readily available gifts to
humanity. Yet few of us may remember how. There is no training required
in learning how to contact your Spirit Guides rather a gentle and loving
heart will draw in exactly the blessings you seek.

Here’s the best ways to be in communication with these beneficent

forces:

###1. Set the Mood

As with all ceremony, your physical environment should be prepped to

support these subtle energies. Light a candle, dim the lights, clear your
clutter and create a peaceful space. Bring into this setting any objects of
power which hold significance – crystals, sacred objects and spiritual art.
These will form your ritual space and amplify the intentions of your
connection.

###2. Craft a Clear Intention

All spiritual endeavors (heck, all endeavors!) should be carried out with
clear intention. With whom do you wish to work? What questions are you
hoping to address? With clear focus, we can call in the beings most suited
to answer our queries.

If working on self healing, a gentle loving energy may be a perfect

partnership – think Quan Yin or Mother Mary. If we are seeking profound
teachings, an Ascended Master like St. Germain or Buddha may be more
suited. Carry a pure directive in your heart and you will attract the loving
energy of the Guide most suited to assist you.

###3. Practice with Loving Patience on Yourself

We easily forget the ease of this gentle process! There is no need to feel rushed nor
hurried. The messages will sweep over you as gently as the wind and it is only your
ability to receive that will block your connection. As with breath, this communication
with Spirit is our most primal and it cannot be done from the mind.
Set no expectations – this way of being is rarely like fireworks! Rather with
patience and trust, you will find yourself in communion with the divine
energy forces at work all around you.
 ###4. Relax and Breathe

Breathe is among our most available treasures and the surest way to
bring ourselves in to the present moment. With each breath, allow your
awareness to deepen and become softer. No strain nor stress.

If you find yourself tense, stretching can alleviate some of this built up
energy. Laying down is also a grand idea but don’t make yourself too
comfortable or you may find yourself wonderfully asleep!
To find yourself in the stillness of breath will open potent gateways to spirit. In the
quiet center where the mental chatter ceases is where you will find the whisperings of
your Spirit Guides.
###5. Call in Protection

As with all spiritual work, the dictates of your heart will call in like
frequencies. A simple clearing will bless yourself and the space.

Envision yourself in a pyramid of white light and let these energies wash
away anything not of your highest living good. When you are ready,
relaxed and willing to allow the messages to come to you, ask that the
most loving energy willing to assist you be called forth now.

###6. Sacred Sounds

The most profound of all sacred sounds is our own voice. Chanting is the process by
which we make the sounds of the universe. Making these sounds raises our vibrations
and attunes our energy to the most powerful forces of spirit.
Chant “Om” (Phonetically, this sounds like: AaaaUuuuMmmm) seven
times to align your energy with that of the divine. You will quickly
discover chanting to be a perfect portal to contacting your spirit guides.

###7. Go through the “Door”

As your breathing slows and sacred space is activated, you may notice a
shift in your being. This is the turning on of your light body which will
magnetically attract the Spirit Guides, Angels and Ascended Masters.

 Focus on your light body for this is the aspect of you that is pure spirit
 See yourself walking through a “doorway” into another dimension. This is not always a
literal doorway… sometimes we see it as a cosmic space, sometimes a beautiful
landscape that inspires wonder or bathing yourself in a vibration of color. We all have
our own entries to the beyond and you will soon discover that which is best for you
 You will notice an expanse of infinite space around you. It is in this space that we are
open, available and altered enough from our everyday spaces to meet with our Guides

###8. Invite in your Spirit Guides and Angels

In the bliss of the abyss, call in your personal Guides and Angels. Share
with them your intention and give them clear permission to join with you.
We live in a free will universe where our command is the most respected
and honored of all sacred laws. If you do not explicitly give permission,
you may miss their encounters and simply enjoy the rest offered in this
sacred space.

###9. Open yourself to Subtle Frequencies

Their messages may come as visions, impressions, smells or thoughts. I

wish the messages were always blazingly clear, but this is often not the
case. Pay attention to everything you experience for it is their direct way
of being in communication with you now.

###10. Ask for a Sign

This too is a flexing of our free will… and we are dense and doubting
creatures. Ask for a sign in your day-to-day life that affirms your
connection and the messages they offer. Please don’t see this as “telling
them what to do,” rather it is a way of loving reassurance that will bolster
your faith in them. This is a sure way they can express their presence and
they are happy to oblige so long as you ask!

On many occasions this is for me the most magical of all forms of

communication! When I was contemplating my move from Chicago to
Colorado, I asked for a sign to affirm my decision. I saw 3 shooting stars in
a night, was given a book the next day by a friend on native plants of
Colorado and was invited by another to visit her in the western plains to
see if I liked her area! Talk about cosmic confirmation. I packed up and
had moved within 6 months!

###11. Ask for a message or a blessing

Spirit Guides are in service to us and as such they can only help in the
ways we explicitly ask. Beyond the validation of a sign, ask for a message
or a blessing while you are in sacred connection with them. This could be
guidance, insight or a sneak peek at what’s in store. The blessing could be
a healing or an activation of your psychic skills. Please do not feel bad
asking and instead see this as their devotion and love for you put to work!

###12. Give thanks!

We all like to be appreciated and this small act from you will ensure you
continue to incur their goodwill. Gratitude is our way of opening to more
blessings when we can be humble and acknowledging of those that have
already been granted.
Expressing thanks aloud will give your ceremony extra credence as it shows them
resolutely you know they are there and are willing to bring your voice and your will to
the reality of their presence.
###13. Return

When walking through these sacred dimensions, we must take

precautions to return the ways we came. See yourself leaving through the
same means you entered taking any paths you may have ventured. Ask
your Guides to help you with this with zero stress… they know the way!

Soul fragmentation occurs when we leave behind pieces of ourselves (in

both physical and non- physical realities). To retrace carefully your steps
ensure you gather all aspects of yourself and can bring our full power and
potential back to you now.

Allow yourself time to come fully back into your body. You may choose to
write down your experience or take a nap to integrate. Be gentle as you
allow this state and experience to be received at all levels of your being.

You may feel yourself a bit altered after these encounters, take that as a
sign in your body that something had indeed occurred! Eating, walking in
nature and baths are a perfect way to bring you back to you.

###14. Living in the Sacred Everyday

Sacred space is best honored when we recognize it is a thriving part of our

reality. To only visit once shows little regard for the relationships formed.
Instead, know this place of loving support is available to you always and
make use of it!

I tend to visit not just when I need help but anytime. Sharing your
blessings with them and acknowledging their part goes far! They like to
know their efforts are not only appreciated but are working to help us be
better humans.

To join in these spaces of communication with our Spirit Guides regularly

reminds us the world is far more expansive than what most people
believe. It will enhance our psychic abilities, ensure we are on the right
track and can lead to fulfilling our destiny. Before long our ability to
receive these messages can occur outside of sanctioned ritual and we
begin to receive messages all the time.

FIND YOUR ANIMAL

SPIRIT GUIDES
By: Gaia Staff | October 11, 2016
Many people enjoy looking into the symbology of animals, but few are
aware of the origins, scope and depth of the benefits in which animal
guides are capable of supporting you. Many Ancient Civilizations believed
that humans did not stand superior to nature’s inhabitants but revered
each as brothers and sisters, coexisting for each other’s benefit. Each
member of Mother Earth had something valuable to contribute to the
collective knowledge and Ancient Civilizations were well aware of this.

WHAT IS ANIMISM?
Animism is said to be the seed of most spiritual and religious thought:
animism is the concept that everything in nature has consciousness and
spirit (soul) which survives after its hosts’ destruction, prevalent in
ancient times. In the Chinese ancient art of Feng Shui the three principles
of Chi holds that everything is alive, connected and ever-changing.
Native Americans traditionally honored everything of Earth and Sky: through
observations, they gained intimate knowledge of the world they lived in.
Recent interest in Animal Spirits, Spirit Guides and Animal “Totems” is
bringing about the resurgence of the deeper study into the guidance of
animals and the knowledge that they hold for us. These familiar titles are
often used indiscriminately and interchangeably, causing confusion as to
which animal guide helps when and for how long in our lives. How are all
these animal energies fitting into our lives to guide us? Are there different
categories of animal guidance and when and where do they help us?

MISCONCEPTIONS: ANIMAL GUIDES

VERSUS TOTEM POLES
Totem Animals should not be confused with totem poles. Totem poles
were important to the Native American tribes of southeastern Alaska and
the Pacific Northwest. Cedar was usually the tree of choice. Most totem
poles either represented 1) the status or lineage of a family, clan or tribe;
or 2) a recorded history or a tribal legend that was previously handed
down orally which conveyed a life lesson, similar to ancient myths. Some
totem poles were said to be made as commemorative works of art for
major achievements or celebrations.

A totem pole did not represent a person’s Personal Animal Guides. As a

rule, an individual’s Animal Guides were not presented in such a public
display as a totem pole. However, Personal Animal Guides could be
displayed on one’s own personal medicine shield. Medicine shields
should not be confused with war shields or medicine circles/wheels.

A war shield was a tool used for protection during confrontations with
enemies to deflect airborne objects and could have contained some
portrayal of strong and ferocious animals. Medicine circles are used by
medicine men/women as a spiritual tool of healing for a person, clan or
tribe. Depending on the circumstances, medicine circles may contain
drawings or parts of animals used for the purpose of healing. After healing
ceremonies were completed, all traces of the circle were erased.

The vision boards of today can be considered a modern day, watered-

down version of the Personal Medicine Shields of the Native American.
Both contain symbolic objects and images which reflects one personal
vision of what is needed or desired to be achieved. A vision board can
include elements of the spiritual whereas a medicine shield, rooted in
societies where all living is spiritual in nature, is considered one’s own
spiritual path. A medicine shield contains drawn symbols and most likely
will be adorned with herbs, plants, parts of animals (teeth, feathers, etc.)
or any other reflection of the natural world around the owner. Every piece
of one’s own personal shield conveys messages and reminders obtained
through spirit guides and/or visions to the owner of the best person that
he can be and what may need to be worked on.
In the vernacular of animal guidance speak, Totem refers to an animal spirit guide
which has a prominent position in an individual’s personal growth pathway.
A great many of Native American tribes believed there to be nine animal
spirit guides holding prominent positions within the individual’s personal
makeup. This can be similarly thought of in the same way in which an
archetype is thought to hold a position in one’s personality.

DISCOVER YOUR ANIMAL SPIRIT

GUIDES
The first four Personal Spirit Animal Guides position themselves in the
four directions: East, South, West and North. You can now more clearly
understand the greater similarity to a personal medicine shield than to a
totem pole. Each direction holds entrance into your personal growth and
understanding of your being and the world around you.

EAST
As the sun illuminates the day rising in the East, the East Spirit Guide
illuminates your personal path. A traveling animal companion helps you
see your spiritual challenges more clearly, leading you to spiritual
awakening.

SOUTH
Your South Spirit Animal holds the place for emotional wisdom and
protectd the delicate inner child within. They help you claim who you
really are amidst the ever shifting emotional waters of living life. This
spirit teaches you the benefits of whom to trust, when and in what
situations. Another function of this Animal Guide is to teach the qualities
of humility.

WEST
The Spirit Guide in the West direction helps you to dig deeper to find your
personal truths, locate your inner answers, listen to your intuition and
clarify your goals. This is sometimes the one guiding you through a
midlife crisis.

NORTH
The life lesson of when to speak and when to listen, a quality of true
wisdom, finds its place in the north direction. The North Animal Spirit
Guide pushes you to express yourself and at times can stand in your way,
making you stop and listen to others. They also teach the important
quality of gratefulness, which can take you a long way on your path.

The next three positions can be compared to Father Sky, Mother Earth
and the True Self:

ABOVE
In our modern world, it may be harder to trust that there is a Great
Universal Spirit or Source; Native Americans referred to it as Father Sky or
The Great Spirit. The Animal Spirit Guide holding the above position can
help you believe in Great Universal Spirit, as well as to believe the
messages you are receiving to help you along your path or to help others.
This animal teaches you to honor Father Sky and protects your
subconscious mind that is in receipt of important messages.

BELOW
This Animal Spirit Guide leads you to Mother Earth and teaches you the
importance of staying grounded while you are living your life. When you
are not grounded it’s hard to stay firmly walking your true path. Trying to
keep you from becoming confused and unfocused at times in your day-to-
day life can be a difficult job for this animal guide.

INSIDE
Having a central position in the picture of your personal medicine shield,
the Animal Guide located here is assigned to protect your most inner
being. Your true self, someone who is infrequently shared with anyone
else, you need this guide to protect your innermost doorway. Only you
know the real you, deep down inside, and the work that you still must do
to grow. At times this is a heavy weight to carry but this Animal Guide also
teaches you the benefits of finding joy wherever you walk to lighten your
load.

The last two positions can be compared to your male/female sides of self.
These Animal Spirit Guides usually present themselves very early in life
and most likely are lifelong companions.

RIGHT SIDE
Being the male side, this Spirit Animal Guide is most likely the first to
show up in your life. Your all-encompassing protector with courageous
spirit, he teaches you how to summon the courage inside yourself to face
your inner fears and assaults from the outer world.

LEFT SIDE
Arriving not long after your right side animal guide, your left side is your
female side. This Spirit Animal is nurturing and teaches the nurturing
aspects of your life. A true bearer of a constant mother’s love, she teaches
you adaptability to life situations and its relationships.

HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR SPIRIT

ANIMALS?
As just mentioned, the right and left side Spirit Animal Guides show up
early in your lifetime. Think back early in your life: did you have recurring
dreams or nightmares as a child which contained a certain animal? Maybe
you had an almost obsessive attachment to a certain animal. While on a
visit to the zoo (and successive visits) did you spend the longest time
watching a particular animal, practically having to be dragged away? Did
you collect books about that animal? Or were you fascinated by nature
shows or movies which contained a certain animal? Did you have a
certain animal showing up frequently in real life for which you had a deep
fondness? The first animal appearing to you in this way is your right side.
The second animal appearing to you in this manner is your left side.

As you become older you may discover an Animal Spirit showing up as

you are working in the areas described in the other seven directions. It
may show up in dreams or in meditation where you ask for help in a
particular situation. There may be a particular live animal consistently
showing up in your life. Or you can use divination tools to reveal the
Animal Spirit Guide when you ask for help which reflects a particular
direction.
These guides find you: you don’t get to choose your spirit animal guides.
HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR
ANIMAL GUIDES
When you start communicating with spirit animals, try not to approach it
with a human point of view. Learn about the animal and its qualities and
behaviors. Start thinking like the animal: Become familiar with how they
move through their environment, what sounds they make, how they use
their senses and what skills they use. What about this animal can protect,
guide and/or teach? Once you become closely familiar with the animals
you will be increasingly receptive to their telepathic messages. Use your
inherent intuitive gifts, as animals do. Remember, as human beings, we
are also spirit animals and have the capacity for the same power and gifts.

As you seriously work with Animal Guides to develop life balance and
growth along your personal path, these guides see that you are serious
about your personal growth. This also increases communication in
content and quality. The most common forms of communication with
Animal Spirit Guides are through your intuitive gifts, meditation periods,
dreams and telepathy. Occasionally a ‘heads up’ shout out is given
through an appearance of an actual animal.
This in-depth work also makes you more aware of Animal Messengers that show up to
add a certain piece of needed information of any kind. They can show up in real life,
briefly in a dream or during a meditation.
When you are at a situation or crossroads in life that may take months or
even longer to move through or understand, an Animal Guide may stay
with you until this is resolved. A Journey Animal is your companion and
guide during a major life change or challenge.

When you repeatedly fall in a pattern of mistakes and negative behaviors,

due to holding onto negative qualities, a Shadow Animal Guide may show
up in your life. They usually arrive with a “scared straight” approach and
blindingly show you the truth of regarding your situation. They challenge
you to go deep to find the necessary and often major lifestyle changes
required to reorient yourself on a productive growth path. Refusing to
change the present lifestyle and ignoring a Shadow Animal’s guidance
may lead to severe negative influences showing up in your life.

SHOW GRATITUDE TO YOUR

ANIMAL GUIDES
Always remember to thank and honor all Spirit Animals that bring you
messages. They are your protectors, teachers and guides. You may
additionally show your gratitude for your Personal Spirit Animal Guides
through the use of pictures or small statues as a focus point during
meditation (or on an altar) or create your own Personal Medicine Shield.
Expressing your thanks is always appreciated.

SOUL RETRIEVAL: THE

SHAMANIC NATURE OF
THE SOUL
By: Gaia Staff | August 24, 2015
You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.

::~ C.S. Lewis

The shaman’s toolbox is a personal and intimate gathering of powers.
Some shamans learned through direct experience, others gleaned
through master teachers, and still others are simply gifted in the thrall of
journeying to the depths of the invisible realms.
A few tools are so foundational, nearly every shaman utilizes them. Soul
retrieval is one such tool. Not only is it universally effective, but it’s also
the pervasive root cause of illness overlooked by many in the medical
field.

The shaman performs soul retrievals, which are the result of soul loss. The
basic idea is this: as traumas occur, little pieces of us take flight or run
away. This is called soul loss. A soul retrieval gathers the soul’s “parts”
and ushers them home.

Let’s break this down a few ways so we can understand why this spiritual
illness is so damaging.

NAVIGATING SOUL LOSS

The soul is our most basic life force. As soon as the soul leaves, the body
dies. Anyone who has been with a loved one at the moment of passing
can tell you once the soul departs, the person looks different, empty
even.

Our soul is multi-faceted and complicated, to say the least. Not only does
it venture through lifetimes, but it may even leave our body occasionally
and visit other places. Shamanic journeying, astral projection, and
remote viewing are examples of the soul taking an escapade, but not fully
departing the physical body.
The soul can explore realms and come back. In a soul loss, however, parts of it venture
off and stay gone until we come lookin’.
Soul loss occurs through a number of ways and for a number of reasons —
from physical or sexual abuse to traumatic situations, or even just a bad
fight. No one knows with certainty why a soul aspect decides to depart,
but it’s a common occurrence and one rarely addressed in our modern
society.

Soul loss cannot be prevented. It’s simply part of the package in this
human condition, and one that can be normalized so it doesn’t sound as
startling as the name suggests.

Shamans look for hints that soul loss has occurred. When they find clues,
a soul retrieval is the next step to restoration for the client.
HERE ARE SOME RED FLAGS THAT MAY
SUGGEST SOUL RETRIEVAL NEEDS TO
TAKE PLACE
 You may notice a part of you feels dead or lost.
 You were in an accident years ago and haven’t been the same since.
 There’s a long-gone relationship that you’ve never been able to shake.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF A SOUL LOSS

INCLUDE
 Depression
 Feeling incomplete
 Feeling stuck and not knowing how to move through it, or
 Feeling not like yourself, disconnected from those you love.

Not all traumas cause soul loss and, in some instances, a piece may just
decide it’s all too much and hightail it outta there. I had one piece do
exactly that: she wasn’t happy with the choices I was making as a young
adult — I enjoyed my drinking phase, while she found it destructive!

Though we cannot prevent soul loss, we can become energetically

sensitive enough to recognize when something is off. With this skill, we
can do our own psychic maintenance to ensure total wellbeing.

ACTIVATING SOUL RETRIEVAL

Soul retrieval is a favored tool in shamanic healing. It can be the much-needed
blessing in any number of situations to bring the soul back to wholeness.
The healing session is much like a massage — lying down in a comfortable
space — while the shaman works. Your shaman uses an ancient technique
of “journeying” into the spirit realm to find the pieces of your soul that are
ready to come back.

Journeying is the most trusted tool of the shaman (though to you, it may
just look like someone with their eyes closed). Drums often help set the
tone and aid in the voyage. Since you’re lying on the table, chances are it
sounds pretty soothing!

The retrieval itself is incredibly interesting. In some cases, the parts are
eager to come back, excited to once again experience the physical world.
Other times, the parts are still repeating the trauma that sent them away
in the first place, and they need sweet-talking…or even negotiation.
In one of my personal soul retrievals, I had a soul aspect who agreed to
come back only if I soaked in a bath weekly. To her, this was an important
need that wasn’t being met. To keep her around and bring completion to
the healing, I needed to nurture her — and myself — more. Pretty cool,
right? A perfect example of requiring negotiation before she agreed to
return.

When the retrieval is complete, the shaman may blow on your head,
heart, and/or stomach to help the pieces land back in their home.

WELCOME HOME
The pieces who do come back act as blessings, helping us feel more
complete, content and purposeful. Our heart spaceopens wide to receive
them, and whatever ailed us may be lifted. Heavy emotions, once
centerstage, are lessened in intensity. All of this allows for better flow,
appreciation and a return to passion and vitality.

Once the retrieval is complete, your job is to celebrate their return and
make them feel welcome! Talk to them, follow through with the requests
they made, and do your best to avoid another departure. It may also help
to write and share their story so you don’t repeat it!

In this traditional world of invisible medicine, it’s empowering to know

that such tools are available. In all cases, find someone you trust or get
referrals. Since this is energy work, we all navigate it differently, and
require our own unique subtleties.