Guest Authors – Page 26

Thomas Riley Blog Tour

October 30, 2009 by Administrator, posted in Books, Geek Stuff, Guest Authors

by Nick Valentino

Steampunk is a genre/culture that’s fast becoming a pop culture phenomenon. I wrote the book “Thomas Riley” which is a Steampunk adventure novel, just before the wave of high powered popularity hit which makes it interesting for me to watch it grow. For those that don’t know what Steampunk is, the shortest way I can explain it is Jules Verne meets Indiana Jones with near limitless technology based off of steam and old world power sources.

So why the sudden rise in popularity? Why are people meeting up dressed in top hats, goggles and homemade light up backpacks and machinery? I’m going out on a limb to say that the Steampunk’s popularity is growing as a response to modern day complexities. What I mean by that is the world as we know it is full of technology that’s hard for any of us to really understand. How exactly does a Kindle work? To me it’s a foreign technology from a different world. Steampunk is a hands-on endeavor, where patrons of the culture are able to use their hands and make everything by themselves. It’s the human mind and the spirit of ingenuity that inspires the Steampunk movement. You make your own “weaponry”, you make your own backpacks, watches, art, posters… It’s all DYI and you make it with clockwork, machine parts or whatever you can think of.

In addition to that, the style of steampunk is Victorian dress. Finally you have a reason to dress up while being adventurous at the same time. A big complaint about Steampunk is that it’s strictly a fashion statement. In fact it’s far from that. It’s only a fashion statement when you dress up for the sake of dressing up. The essence of the culture is based around a do it yourself life, one that you can express yourself through your own hand. So go forth! Make you’re your own identity, really the rules are few and far between when it comes to this culture so make it up as you see fit.

In the spirit of do it yourself, and now that you’re obviously curious about Steampunk, you can learn more at www.sirthomasriley.com

For those that are currently hooked, you can buy the book here: http://thomasriley.bigcartel.com/

And for those that want to enlist as a Sky Pirate, go here and you’ll get enlistment papers.
http://www.sirthomasriley.com/recruiting-sky-pirates/

Many thanks and much love to Rebecca for having me today!

Catching Up With Rose

October 15, 2009 by Administrator, posted in Books, Guest Authors, Interviews

Back in 2007 I received an email from a woman named Rose Rosetree, who offered to do an article about face reading for The Magical Buffet. Since that well received article, we’ve had her back for an interview, and she even had me as a guest blogger on her “Deeper Perception Made Practical” blog in 2008. It seemed like it was past time to catch up with Rose and see what she’s been doing.

Still suffering a bit? I just published a new book that might help. It’s “Become The Most Important Person in the Room: Your 30-Day Plan for Empath Empowerment.” It’s my second how-to book for empaths. Consider it a prequel to the other book, “Empowered by Empathy.”

That first book happened to be the first book in English for helping “merely talented” empaths to become Skilled Empaths. And foreign editions are in Japanese and Turkish, as well as that magical kind of printing called “audio book in English.” But “Become” is funnier, and a quicker way to learn the skill set of Empath Empowerment ™.

Lately, I’ve created a new website especially for empaths, www.empoweredempath.com.

As for the other chunks of my work, am I still doing Face Reading Secrets (R)? Of course! The same with Aura Reading Through All Your Senses (R) and 12 Steps to Cut Cords of Attachment (R). That means teaching classes, doing personal mentoring by phone, and doing a whole lot of phone sessions to help people move STUFF out of their auras and enjoy life more.

That magical feeling I always get when reading/dining at The Magical Buffet is similar to my typical work day.

About Rose:
Rose Rosetree is a spiritual writer, empath coach, aura reader, face reader and healer. By now she has nearly ¼ million copies of her books in print. You can preview them at the home page of her main website www.rose-rosetree.com.

Later this month, Rose will return to Japan for Teaching-and-Session Tour #10. Since her interview with Magical Buffet, Rose has twice broken a record for VOICE, the sponsoring company that brings teachers and healers to Japan. Both times, Rose’s sessions with clients were by far the most popular in the company’s 27-year history.

Rose’s big work in progress, which she hopes to complete before going to Japan (otherwise before the end of the year) is to fully activate all the websites about her work that have been sitting inactive for the past two years.

At this writing, the only ones ready with clickable articles are: The Empowered Empath website, with tools and articles for empaths, and the blog “Deeper Perception Made Practical”

More buffets of knowledge to come!

Tree Medicine, Magic, and Lore: Flowering Almond

October 11, 2009February 9, 2013 by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors

By Ellen Evert Hopman
Illustration by Will Hobbs

The ancient Jews were polytheistic Nature worshippers who saw their highest Goddess in the form of a tree, the Flowering Almond. Almond trees give of themselves in many ways, providing nourishment in their fruits and fragile pink blossoms to herald the early spring. In their delicate beauty the ancients saw the qualities of the Goddess, blessing Her people with sustenance and grace.

At that time Yahweh was one of several male deities including Baal, El, and Hadad. The Goddess was known as Ashera, Anash or Qedesh. The Ashera (Goddess, Tree, Pillar) was also known as Elah, the feminine aspect of El. The Elah would be set up on a high place, an artificial platform or altar or on a hill if at all possible. In desert areas where trees would not grow a pillar was erected with a bust or face of the Goddess placed on top. So important was the flowering tree in the minds of the people that when the Yahwist High Temple religion took over, the memory of the Ashera was kept holy. Ancient Biblical scripture specified that the Menorah, the candelabrum of the time of the Winter Solstice and the darkest moon of the year, must look like a Flowering Almond tree with buds on its branches. A chief cult of the Temple of Yahweh lit its Menorah on all-important occasions. As it was forbidden to depict or even to name Yahweh in any physical form, so it was forbidden to depict the Menorah, symbol of the Deity in female aspect. Thus the earliest images come to us from Roman times when the conquering Latins carved a Menorah onto a triumphal arch. In modern times the Menorah is lit during the dark of the moon in the darkest season of winter.

about the author:

Ellen Evert Hopman is a Druid Priestess, herbalist and author of “Priestess of the Forest: A Druid Journey”, “A Druids Herbal – Of Sacred Tree Medicine”, “Walking the World in Wonder – A Children’s Herbal” and other volumes. Visit her website for more!

Bibliography
Adams, Barbara Means, Prayers Of Smoke, Renewing Makaha Tribal Tradition; Celestial Arts, Berkeley, CA 1990

Baker, Margaret, Discovering The Folklore Of Plants; Shire Publications Ltd., Aylesbury, Bucks, U.K. 1975

Beith, Mary, Healing Threads, Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands; Polygon, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1995

Brunaux, Jean Louis, The Celtic Gauls: Gods, Rites and Sanctuaries; Seaby, London, 1988

Calder, George (translator), Book of Ballymote: Auraicept Na nEces (The Scholars Primer); Edinburgh, 1917

Carmichael, Alexander, Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations; Floris Books, Edinburgh 1992

Cunliffe, Barry, The Celtic World; St. Martin’s Press, New York, New York, 1993

Cunningham, Scott, Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs; Llewellyn Publications, St Paul, MN 1986

Ellis, Peter Berresford, Celtic Women; Wm. B. Erdman’s Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1996

Erichsen-Brown, Charlotte, Medicinal and Other Uses Of North American Plants; Dover Publications Inc., New York, NY 1989

Evans-Wentz, W.Y., The Fairy Faith In Celtic Countries; Citadel Press, New York, NY 1990

Farrar, Janet and Stewart, The Witch’s Goddess; Phoenix Publishing Inc, Custer, WA 98240

Frazier, James G., The Golden Bough, The Roots of Religion And Folklore; Avenel Books, NY 1981

Friedrich, Paul, Proto-Indo-European Trees; The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL 1970

Green, Miranda J., The Celtic World; Routledge, London, 1995

Green, Miranda J., The World of the Druids, Thames and Hudson, London 1997

Grieve, M., A Modern Herbal, Dover Publications Inc., New York, NY 1971

Hoagland, Kathleen, 1,000 Years of Irish Poetry, The Gaelic and the Anglo-Irish Poets From Pagan Times To The Present; The Devin-Adair Company, Old Greenwich, CT 1981

Hopman, Ellen Evert, A Druids Herbal For The Sacred Earth Year; Inner Traditions/Destiny Books, Rochester, VT 1995

Hopman, Ellen Evert, Tree Medicine, Tree Magic; Phoenix Publishers, Custer, WA 1991

Kelly, Fergus, A Guide To Early Irish Law; Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Dublin, 1991

Kondratiev, Alexei, The Apple Branch; The Collins Press, Cork, 1998

Lust, John The Herb Book; Bantam Books, New York, 1974

Markale, Jean, The Druids; Inner Traditions, Rochester, VT, 1999

Matthews, Caitlin & John, The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom; Element Books, Rockport, MA 1994

Matthews, John, The Druid Sourcebook; Blanford Press, London, 1996

McNeill, F. Marian, The Silver Bough, Vol. One; William Maclellan, Glasgow, 1977

Meyer, Kuno, Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry; Constable, London, 1959

Moerman, Daniel E., Medicinal Plants Of Native America; University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology Technical Reports, Number 19, Ann Arbor, MI 1986

Mooney, James, History, Myths and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees; Bright Mountain Books, Ashville, NC 1992

Naddair, Kaledon, Keltic Folk and Faerie Tales; Century Hutchinson Ltd., London, 1987

O’Boyle, Sean, Ogam, the Poet’s Secret; Gilbert Dalton, Dublin, 1980

Rees, Alwyn and Brinley, Celtic Heritage; Thames and Hudson, New York, 1989

Ross, Anne, Pagan Celtic Britain; Columbia University Press, New York, NY 1967

Saintine, X.B., The Myths Of The Rhine; Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, VT 1967 (Reprint of the 1875 edition)

Squire, Charles, Celtic Myth and Legend; Newcastle Publishing Co. Ltd., USA, 1975

Stone, Merlin, Ancient Mirrors Of Womanhood; Beacon Press, Boston, MA 1984

2009 Esoteric Book Conference

October 4, 2009 by Administrator, posted in Books, Events, Guest Authors, Magic/Occult

By John Coughlin

The first Esoteric Book Conference in Seattle was a huge success. The organizers (William Kiesel, Michael Kolson, and Catamara Rosarium) were present and on the ball keeping things running smoothly. The only recommendation I would make would be to publicize more since many locals said they were not aware of the event. Still attendance was very good and from all the bags of books I saw people carrying many of the vendors were happy.

I was especially excited that there was such a presence from the UK. Being able to meet with the wonderful folk from Fulgar, Treadwells, and Scarlet Imprint was a real treat. Many of the Immanion Press authors were also in attendance besides the authors there to present.

Vendors and Visitors:
As far as vendors go there was quite a selection of new and used books at the event being sold by Night of Pan Books, Ouroboros Press, Holmes Publishing, the Golden Dawn Trust, Immanion Press, Ars Obscura, Fulgar, ANJA, Feral House, and Waning Moon Publications.

Artists:
I missed the art apart from a quick run through of the room. Artists in attendance were Liv Rainey-Smith, Gabriela Sugier, Bryan Ward, and Orryelle Defensetrate-Bascule.

Presentations:
On Friday Thomas Karlsson, founder of Dragon Rouge led the first official Dragon Rouge magical working on the American continent. Dragon Rouge is a Scandinavian Left Hand Path order which is more well-known in Europe but which has been slowly finding interest in the States. I missed this since I was still traveling over the continent at the time.

Darcy Kuntz was the first to talk at the formal conference. He started with a note that his upcoming title, Temple Magic, was delayed since he had come across some additional photos and artwork to be added. He shared some photos of original Golden Dawn paraphernalia including an original altar top. The formal lecture itself discussed the early history of the Golden Dawn, from the initial stirrings through the Egypt Exploration Fund in 1882 thru the 2nd order Golden Dawn which is based on the Societas Rosicruciana in America (SRIA), touching on some of the mail political points which lead to the first order’s dissolution, such as the debates over the legitimacy of the Gold Dawn Cypher MSS by Waite and others. Darcy is an encyclopedia of information when it comes to the Golden Dawn and the lecture was packed with facts and dates.

Second up was Richard Kaczynski – sadly missed since had to man my table. His presentation was entitled “Occult Blue-Bloods and Black Sheep: How the ‘Social’ part of secret societies Spawned Generations of Spiritual Seekers” where he discussed the influences various 19th century secret societies and key members of those groups have had on each other as well as on newer groups which are still active today.

Third was a panel with Immanion Press (and some of their authors) and Waning Moon Publications (represented by me). We only had an hour so focused on the value of small press in giving voice to books and authors that the commercial publishers would ignore since they would not sell enough to sustain the large print runs such publishers make. Independent publishers tend to not put profit over their interest in manifesting books on topics they feel are important. Hence larger publishers tend to rehash the same 101-type material since the audience is larger and they stick with what they know will sell. Small publishers are more in touch with the needs and interests of their readers. There was not much time left for questions so some break-away discussion was taken outside for those interested. I’d like to see the panel back next year with more time since I would have loved to have heard more from the attendees.

Fourth was a presentation by Robert Ansell of Fulgur entitled “Exploring the Creative Sorcery of Austin Osman Spare’s Magico-Aesthetic” where many photos of Spare’s art were categorized to help define Spare’s methodology, and in particular how spare applied his philosophy of “Neither-Neither” as a basis for that methodology. Of particular interest were how other artists and musicians of the time began to employ some of these methodologies in their own work, and of course how they came to influence Crowley himself.

Fifth up were Peter Grey and Alkistis Dimech from Scarlet Imprint in their presentation entitled “Seven Heads, Seven Veils” where both Peter and Alkistis shared their personal work and revelations with Babalon, each having their own unique approach to their work. While very different in approach it was interesting how ultimately similar conclusions were made regarding the depth of gnosis one experiences with that goddess and how demanding She can be upon those who have the strength to work with Her. I was also impressed at how poetic and candid their presentation was.

Sixth was Thomas Karlsson’s presentation. I missed this presentation but was told by colleagues it essentially was a summary of the work contained in his book Qabala, Qliphoth and Goetic Magic.

The last presentation for Saturday was by Michael Staley, a member of the Typhonian Order. I do not know which one he did on this day but both his Saturday and Sunday presentations explored the work of Kenneth Grant, one on Imagination and Creativity and the other on Initiatory work. Sadly I missed both of these since I had to work.

There were several evening events for those who had purchased the deluxe package but I was too jetlagged and opted for the sweet embrace of Morpheus. These performances were by Elysium Obscura, Danse Perdue (butoh), and theatric ritual of Orryelle Defenestrate-Bascule all which got glowing reviews from those who attended. (Still kicking myself for missing it!)

Sunday seemed to have a larger turn out and I was not able to attend the morning presentations since I had to mind my table. The presentations included:

Dr. Amy Hale examining Ithell Colquhoun’s conception of the numinous and its relationship to her art.

Michael Staley’s second presentation on Kenneth Grant’s work.

Brandy William’s presentation on the Chaldean Oracles and thoughts on how they could be adopted/adapted by modern practitioners.

I was able to attend the next three presentations.

Christina Oakley Harrington of Treadwells gave a presentation entitled “Flesh of my Flesh on the ecstasy of the Page” where she explored the common structure of the grimoires. She noted the power and significance of the physical construct of the handwritten book and how the act of copying a text by hand plays upon the transcriber. She shared her own experience of transcribing a Book of Shadows and how it connected her to the past when the book she was not transcribing was itself being transcribed. I thought her imagery of book as a lover was wonderful and given the nature of the conference it was clear by how many in the audience were nodding and smiling that she was not alone in that colorful association. I know I myself love to play with textures when binding books because the experience of handling a book is very visceral and intimate.

Next was Robert Ansell’s second multimedia presentation, “Bound by the Devil: The Arte of Talismanic books” where he presented and discussed many examples of talismanic books from the late 1800s thru to the 1980s. In examining the power of these books he made the point that an amulet reflects energy while a talisman refracts energy. Turns out many of these talismanic books embraced modern book designs for their time and we were left to ponder where the digital age will take us in that respect, tho at the moment it seemed clear that the book as a physical (not digital) construct was very much of paramount to most of us.
Daniel Schulke, current director of Xoanon Publishing was the next presentation. He discussed the magic of the Charming tradition of folk lore offering many examples their use, many of which are still in use today. Afterwards we were treated to photos of many of the internal books and papers of the Cultus Sabbati, who have many members versed in the art of book binding. This was a real treat.
I missed the music by Eyving Kang & Jessika Kennedy which closed the event since I had to man my table.

About John J. Coughlin:
John J. Coughlin has been a practitioner of the Occult Arts since the mid-1980’s. In that time he has worked with several groups, although he primarily prefers to walk a solitary, eclectic path. Also associated with the Gothic scene, John has incorporated his personal aesthetics and ideals into his spirituality giving him an often unique perspective. His pivotal work “Out of the Shadows” has lead some to consider him the father of Dark Paganism, given he was the first author to publicly explore that concept.

Preferring to consider himself an “obscure occult writer” due to his distaste for self promotion, John believes those who will benefit from his work will eventually stumble across it when the time is right. Professional writers are cursed with having to sacrifice their integrity to please the majority in order to sell their work to the masses. John does not seek to make a living off his writing and is therefore free to write about what he finds interesting and important regardless of its trendiness or political correctness. Much of John’s work remains in private distribution within the various magical groups with which he works.

Books by John Coughlin: “Out of the Shadows: An exploration of Dark Paganism and Magick”, “Ethics and the Craft”, “A Cthulhian Grimoire of Dream Work” and “Liber Yog-Sothoth”
As a lover and collector of books, John is also the founder of Waning Moon Publications where he produces both hand bound limited edition as and mass produced titles on various occult-related subjects.

More information about John Coughlin as well as his various web-related projects can be found at www.waningmoon.com.

The Wiccan Rede Project: Deborah Blake

October 1, 2009 by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Religion, Wiccan Rede Project, Wiccan/Pagan

The Wiccan Rede is arguably one of the most important tenets at the basis of modern Witchcraft practice. This is not to say that all Witches follow it, of course, although many of those I know do—even those who don’t call themselves Wiccans, per se. And there are many different versions, so saying you follow the Wiccan Rede is a little like a Christian saying they live by the word of the bible: one then has to ask, “Which bible?”

Just to be clear, I tend to use the shorter, simpler (and less ornate) version of the Rede:

Bide the Wiccan law ye must
In perfect love and perfect trust
These eight words the Rede fulfill
An it harm none, do as ye will
Lest in thy self defense it be
Ever mind the law of three
Follow this with mind and heart
And merrie ye meet and merrie ye part

To me, there are three simple but crucial pieces of spiritual “law” in this short poem: harm none, the law of three, and perfect love & perfect trust. Taken together, they pretty much sum up my take on Witchcraft. (Leaving aside, for a moment, the issue of connection with deity and nature, which is also at the core of my practice.) As you can probably tell, I am a lot less concerned with niceties like “kissing your hand times three” than I am with general attitude and behavior towards others and self.

“An it harm none, do as ye will.” On the surface, this is a rule that gives you permission to do pretty much anything you want, as long as whatever action you take does nothing to harm anyone else. Whoo hoo! Except, of course, that nothing is that simple. To begin with, it implies—and rightly so—that Witchcraft is a spiritual path based on personal responsibility. You are responsible for your actions towards others (this will be important for the next bit as well)—no blaming the devil, or even human nature. It is up to you to judge whether or not your actions will harm another, and act accordingly. This means constantly considering the consequences of everything you do. Suddenly seems a lot tougher, doesn’t it?

And then there is the often-ignored fact that “harm none” includes yourself. This means, in theory, that none of us should ever do anything that would have a negative effect on our health and well-being. (Thank goodness they decided that chocolate is health food!)

Can any of us truly live our lives every day without doing anything, no matter how small, that harms either ourselves or another? I doubt it. Even Gandhi couldn’t pull that one off, and he really tried. But what we can do is strive our best to attain that goal, and when we fall short, we can take responsibility for our actions and—if possible—undo whatever harm we might have done.

Say, for example, that you inadvertently hurt someone’s feelings by sayng something mean. First, you acknowledge that what you said was wrong, then you try to make that person feel better again. But then—and this is the important bit—you try not to do it again. It isn’t enough to say you’re sorry. Following the Wiccan Rede means doing your best to learn and grow, so you don’t make the same mistakes again.

“Ever mind the law of three.” Some Witches argue about whether or not there is really a threefold rule of returns, but most of them would agree that what you put out into the universe comes back to you, one way or the other. Call it the Law of Three, or Karma, but either way, it means that—at least in part—you are responsible for what you draw into your own life. This doesn’t mean that crappy things won’t happen to you, even if you are a nice person every minute of every day. But it does mean that a positive attitude is much more likely to result in a happy, prosperous, and fruitful life. And that a negative attitude will almost certainly circle back and bite you on the hind end.

It also means that if you purposely harm others (as you are forbidden to do), that harm will likely show back up on your doorstep one day. You will note that the Rede makes allowances for self-defense, however. You aren’t expected to sit back and let someone beat the crap out of you…but you’d better be sure you weren’t the one who started the fight!

Possibly the most important “law” in the Wiccan Rede, as far as I am concerned, is probably the most difficult one to follow. “Perfect love and perfect trust” is a concept that Wiccans talk about a lot—but what does it really mean?

For me (and I can only speak for myself in any of this), perfect love and perfect trust means that we accept each other as we are—imperfections, flaws and all—and love each other anyway. When we do so, we are channeling the love of the goddess and the god, and doing their work here on earth.

But it can be pretty hard to love some folks some of the time, and all folks all of the time, in an unconditional and nonjudgmental manner. Let’s face it—people can be difficult! (Not us, of course, but everyone else.) And this rule doesn’t mean you should just love other Witches, or people who follow your same belief system. Nope, sorry. It means everybody. Just like the “harm none” rule, there is no way we are going to be able to pull this one off, at least not all of the time.

But the point of walking a spiritual path—and the point of the Wiccan Rede—is to give us something to guide us as we live our lives. The gods don’t expect us to be perfect. I believe, however, that they expect us to work to be our best, and following the Rede to the best of our abilities is one way to try and do just that.

About the Author:
Deborah Blake is the author of Circle, Coven and Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice (Llewellyn 2007), Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft (Llewellyn 2008), The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch (Llewellyn2009), and the forthcoming Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook (2010). She has published numerous articles in Pagan publications.

Her award-winning short story, “Dead and (Mostly) Gone” is included in the Pagan Anthology of Short Fiction: 13 Prize Winning Tales (Llewellyn, 2008). Deborah is currently working on her third novel and hopes to find both an agent and a publisher for her fiction soon. Deborah’s first novel, Witch Ever Way You Can, has been the winner or finalist in many RWA (Romance Writers of America) contests and received the EMILY “Best of the Best” Award. Her fiction is primarily Paranormal Romance, although she also writes Fantasy, Mystery and Young Adult.

Deborah had been interviewed on television, radio and podcast, and can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, My Space, and at her own website.

When not writing, Deborah runs The Artisans’ Guild, a cooperative shop she founded with a friend in 1999, and also works as a jewelry maker. She lives in a 100 year old farmhouse in rural upstate New York with five cats who supervise all her activities, both magickal and mundane.

This month Deborah will be presenting “The Real Witch: Witchcraft Basics for the Paranormal Author” on line. Click here to learn more.

Shamanism: Seeing in the Dark

September 20, 2009 by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, New Age

By Colleen Deatsman and Paul Bowersox
Copyright © 2009

Though shamanism is the oldest living path of spirituality and healing, many people have never heard of it, or don’t understand what it is. Shamanism is not merely a practice or a set of methodologies, it is a way of living and being in the world that is rich in tradition, eclecticism, and mysticism. It is not a religion. Shamanism is not an ancient archaic art – it is a living power path. It is currently alive in many countries where it often co-exists, blends with, and complements at least one religion, including the major world religions of Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. It is practical, not dogmatic, nor does it have a specific set of rules to follow. Shamanism is interactive, experiential, creative, and in constant dynamic change, based on what works in each unique set of circumstances, not any particular protocol. Shamanism is based in animism. Animism is the understanding that all things are living and are a soul: trees, animals, this magazine, the chair you are sitting in, and you and I.

The term “Shaman” has been adapted from the Tungus people of Siberia, meaning “one who sees in the dark”. This name denotes the ability of the shaman to “see” energy, but shamans not only see energy with their vision, they feel, sense and experience energy using all aspects of their being – physical, emotional, mental, energetic, and spiritual. The work of the shaman is to harness the power of this energy for the benefit of themselves and the people, by acting as the bridge between the energy-based, Spirit Otherworlds and the physical middle world. Using techniques such as journeying, the shaman travels outside of space and time to seek information and harness energy for balance and wholeness for many benefits, including diagnosing and treating illness. They are often called “seers” or “knowers” because of this ability to journey into non-ordinary reality and experience information and energy first-hand.

Shamanism represents the most widespread and ancient methodological system of awareness and mind-body healing known to humanity. Shamans are the visionaries, healers, counselors and psychologists of their communities. They are the medicine people that look out for the well-being of the entire tribe, clan or community, as well as providing individual treatment. Studying shamanism and learning basic journeying techniques does not make one a shaman. To become a shaman requires a deep, undeniable internal calling, intense self-exploration, initiations, and a lifetime dedication to study, training, apprenticing, experiencing, healing, and practicing. It is no easy undertaking and one that few ever consider. However, learning to use shamanic journeys and techniques for personal use is accessible and powerfully healing and enlightening for many people. We all have a natural ability to live from and express our soul-self and to connect with Spirit and the energy of the Otherworlds.

In shamanism there are three worlds: the middle world, the lower world, and the upper world. The middle world is the world in which we live that has both physical and spiritual aspects. It is both the ordinary and the non-ordinary worlds overlapped. It is the world of duality, balance and integration. The upper and lower worlds are places of power where we directly access guidance and empowerment. The lower and upper worlds are non-ordinary worlds that have nothing to do with heaven or hell. These spiritual worlds are referred to as the Otherworlds or spirit realms. These Otherworlds exist within and around all of us, just outside of our daily perceptions. They are the “places” that shamans and journeyers experience and can be accessed through portals, gateways, or tunnels.

Shamans consciously choose to live in two different worlds at the same time. They have one foot here in the everyday ordinary physical world and one foot in the non-ordinary Otherworlds. The fact is, we all live in these two different worlds, but are commonly not aware of the non-ordinary, less visible one. The world that we are most aware of is the world of telephones, cars, airplanes, stress, work, taxi-ing children, paying bills, responsibilities, loves, hobbies and worldly comforts. It is the world of our everyday life.

But there is another world that intermingles and overlaps the everyday world. This world does not exist in some other place, but is right beside us, just outside of our usual perceptions. Because we must hone our perceptions to connect with this subtle world, it seems separate, when in reality it is the undercurrent of the world that we are familiar with.

We often think of non-ordinary reality as the land of mysterious miracles and the paranormal, in which only the wild-eyed few who have ESP can maneuver. Not true. Shamans are ordinary people trained to enter the non-ordinary world to bring its benefits to the aid of the everyday world. We all have the innate ability to do this. Much of the art, music, and wisdom that we enjoy in our daily lives comes from ordinary people who know the power, beauty and ecstasy of the non-ordinary world, even though they may not travel there consciously.

The world of non-ordinary reality is the world of the energy, mystery, and magic that created our world and holds it together by threads of an interconnected web that is the Spirit that moves in all things, referred to by many traditions as The Great Web of Life. Everything is alive with this soul-essence that is both the source of life and the giver of life and vitality to everything everywhere. Through the simple techniques of journeying and performing ceremony and ritual, the veils that separate the worlds are lifted and the Web can be seen, sensed, experienced and accessed, and the Helping Spirits can be contacted. It is by entering this world of non-ordinary reality that shamans tap into the infinite life force energy that heals, creates miracles and reveals wisdom.

A shaman or journeyer enters a trance state in order to access the Otherworlds. This ecstatic state is commonly termed the shamanic state of consciousness (SSC) and/or non-ordinary reality (NOR). This state of deep awareness allows the journeyer to place the conscious, critical, left-brained mind at rest while exploring the realms of vast possibility in the Otherworlds. The trance-state used by shamans and journeyers is the theta state of brain wave activity, a state that is the close to sleep. Thus, many shamans are called “dreamers” or are said to be “dreaming” the journey. This state feels similar to daydreaming though much, much deeper. The shamanic trance is often entered into with the assistance of monotonous rhythmic drumming, rattling, singing or movement. Once the shaman enters this altered state of consciousness, they journey to meet with their Helping Spirits and fulfill the intention of the journey whether it be for growth, guidance or healing for personal use or on behalf of the community or a client. Helping Spirits are ambassadors of the Great Web, and may appear as energy or may take the form of Power Animals or Totems, Angels, Religious Deities, Mythological Beings, or Ascended Spirit Masters, to name but a few.

We are a part of this Great Web of Life. The omnipotent force of the Web is the source of your life and the giver of the energy that you need to live your life. This life force energy within you is your soul essence and constitutes your soul-self. Anytime your connection to your soul-self or the Web of Life is compromised, an imbalance and disharmony is created. If the imbalance continues, it eventually develops into an issue, a symptom or a syndrome. This is your wake-up call. It is your inner wisdom sending a message to your consciousness that something is out of balance. If you don’t get the message, or if you choose to ignore the message, it will eventually develop into a chronic condition. To put an end to this spiraling decline, you must become aware, listen to yourself, and express your soul-self, connecting with The Great Web of Life.

Within your soul-self lives your inner wisdom, inner healer, inner guide and inner peace. Becoming aware of, and connected to these aspects of yourself is integral to living a life full of energy, vitality, passion, purpose, health and wisdom. You can achieve this by living shamanism. Learning how to journey, and journeying on a regular basis, will help you get to know yourself and these important inner aspects for self-healing and self-fulfillment. Bringing this energy and information into your everyday life in real, practical ways makes subtle shifts in your senses, perceptions, experiences, and life. In doing so, you learn how to energize and heal yourself by becoming centered in your universe. You learn how to find your center space within your soul, body, mind, emotions, energy field, life, the Web of Life, the world, and beyond.

Shamanism connects us with the powerful forces of energy, spirit and our own soul-self by using our thinking machinery, wits and senses, awareness skills, and fact-finding abilities to shift our focus from ego to soul/spirit. In the beginning, a person learns about animism, the nature of spirit, navigating through the cosmology of the worlds, multiple effective methods to perceive and receive energy, and techniques that open the doors of the soul to power and energy. Shamanic initiates learn how to stand strong in their own personal power, and find that this power is soul power, not ego power. To advance beyond the basic level, the initiate must build a consistent daily spiritual practice, cultivate intimate relationships with their Helping Spirits, and use their mind, senses, and spirit connections to “see” the world with clarity and act accordingly. Initiates must also dedicate themselves to living from their soul, rather than their ego. This is not an easy task, and is where many initiates lose their way, thus rendering themselves less effective or even directionless. Dismantling the ego allows the shaman’s soul to shine bright and their spirit connections to be clear and strong.

As we recognize, delete or re-write the programs/behaviors, conditionings, masks, and identities that we have unconsciously worn most of our lives, we learn to “get out of our own way” and draw ourselves into harmony with the natural world and its myriad energies. This important aspect of shamanism cultivates the deep work and enables us to take off these “masks” and link up with our authentic soul-self in order to be a clear channel for such things as healing and divination. This process must happen over and over again for the shaman to be free of their programming and clear the energetic, emotional, mental and physical muck out of the way so their soul can shine into the world.

Balance and healing takes place when the energy of the individual is in harmony with the energies of the natural world and the energy body is free of impurities, is whole and has good boundaries. The shamanic path is geared pointedly to this end. This is the path and the tool set that Colleen used to cure herself of fibromyalgia, CFIDS, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism and asthma.

Once a shaman has learned how to get out of their own way, harmonize with their world, and has become whole and healed, they can begin to effectively interact with the world by interfacing directly with the subtle energies that flow through it, known shamanically as the Great Web of Life. To do so, the shaman must be able to merge with and harness these energies through conscious focus and intent. This allows the shaman to perceive and utilize energy the likes of which others are largely unaware. That’s why the shaman can “see” and affect what is going on with others, the world, and the Web of Life.

The great shamans are like the Yogis that have gained popularity in the Western cultures of late. They are simple but brilliant, direct, to the point, power-filled, powerful, free of their personal demons, and are radiant with pure life force energy which they are honored to share with others. The enormity of the shaman’s art is not in the mystic spirit-worlds but in the bringing of the fullness of soul and spirit into this world. That’s how miracles are created.

Shamanism will help each one of us come as close as we are willing to that state of inner peace and power by providing a process and a way of life that changes us. As time goes on, we learn that living peacefully and powerfully is not only about what we do, but who we become.

About the authors:

Colleen Deatsman www.colleendeatsman.com, cdeats3@gmail.com is the Co-Author of Seeing in the Dark: Claim Your Own Shamanic Power Now and in the Coming Age (Red Wheel Weiser 2009), and the Author of Energy for Life: Connect with the Source (Llewellyn 2006), Inner Power: Six Techniques for Increased Energy and Self-Healing (Llewellyn 2005), and numerous on-line and magazine articles. She holds a Masters Degree and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, Shamanic Practitioner, Energy Movement Healer, Reiki Master, Certified Hypnotherapist, and Certified Alternative Healing Consultant at Circle of Life Counseling and Healing Services in Mason, Michigan. Colleen is also an expert by personal experience. She has healed herself from chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome (CFIDS), fibromyalgia, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism and asthma.

Paul Bowersox (pbowersox@gmail.com) is the Co-Author of Seeing in the Dark: Claim Your Own Shamanic Power Now and in the Coming Age (Red Wheel Weiser 2009). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering, is a Shamanic Practitioner and Teacher, Reiki Practitioner, Writing Coach, Editor and Contributing Writer for a number of on-line sources, publications and authors including authors Colleen Deatsman (Red Wheel Weiser and Llewellyn) and Mark Stavish (Red Wheel Weiser and Llewellyn).

Tree Medicine, Magic, and Lore: Elm

September 13, 2009February 9, 2013 by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors

By Ellen Evert Hopman
illustration by Will Hobbs

The Elms were important fodder trees for farmers of the Neolithic. The shoots and leaves of Elm, Ash, Linden, Aspen, and Poplar were once used to feed domestic stocks when other food was scarce or unavailable. The barks of both Elm trees and Lindens were used to weave mats, footwear, baskets and wicker. Elm wood was an important material for bows. The Indo-European root word for Elm was most probably “wyg” from which came the Kurdish “viz”, the Low German “wike” and the English “wych” (or witch) from which the words ligature, binding, withy (for weaving), to bend, and to weave were later developed in several modern languages.

Wisewomen and Cunningmen (village counselors, herbalists, midwives and veterinarians) took on the title “Witch” for their ability to bend fate and the future. Wych Elm or Wych Hazel were the names for trees in Britain under which Witches met.

The Elms are a favorite tree of rooks who like to nest in them. In Devon, England it was believed that Elm leaves falling out of season were a portend of cattle disease. Cornish Maypoles were made of Elm trunks. Elms were once called “Elven” among the Anglo-Saxon because they are a favorite of the elves. To strengthen your contact with Wood Elves it is a good idea to bond with one of these trees. Bring it gifts of cider, mushrooms, birdseed, tiny shells, herbs, fertilizer, honey, or song and spend time with it on a regular basis. Once bonding has occurred you can consecrate the relationship with a simple ritual. Wood Elves tend to appear to the seeker after a long night of music and gentle refreshment, under the Elms.

Slippery Elm bark was used by Native American herbalists who wrapped it around a wound. Dried and powdered and then made into a paste by adding water it was applied to injuries to flesh and bone. The tea of the bark, root and leaf was taken to speed bone healing (I have seen it work nicely on carpal tunnel syndrome when the paste was mixed with comfrey leaf and applied daily for one hour for a week).

The powdered bark can be mixed with water to make a jelly that helps urinary and bowel problems, sore throats, scurvy and diarrhea, and which can be eaten as a source of calcium for those allergic to cow’s milk (perfectly safe for babies too).

Slippery Elm poultices are effective for ulcers, tumors, swellings, gunshot wounds, chilblains, and can be placed on the abdomen to draw out fever. Injections of Slippery Elm tea are helpful for dysentery and hemorrhoids. The Iroquois made canoes from Elm as well as sleeping platforms and casks for shelled corn. The Potawatomi used Slippery Elm to poultice inflamed eyes, boils and splinters. Huron women made Elm vessels of various sizes that could hold up to one hundred gallons of liquid. The largest ones were made to hold maple sap.

The Delaware used Slippery Elm to make a paste to keep canoes tight and the Meskwaki used Elm bark to cover their houses. The root of Slippery Elm was boiled to make a tea that eased childbirth when taken for a few months before delivery.

The Penobscot used a tea of White Elm bark for bleeding from the lungs. The Mohegan used it for coughs and colds and the Seneca made bark kettles of Elm, before the kettle was burned through the meat was cooked. The Mohawk twisted Elm bark to make harnesses for sledges.