You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘shamanic journey’ tag.
As promised (if a little late), the Dream Gatherer, which I call Dream Circles. This exercise came out of Awakening to Shamanism, chapter 6 ~ Dreams.
In Awakening to Shamanism, the Path of Direct Revelation, Carol Proudfoot-Edgar:
“…We also construct “dream gatherers,” usually using natural materials in the landscape where we are meeting. Dreams are a doorway into another world, and the dream gatherer is the door. Think of the wreaths that people make Christmas (Yule, Winter Solstice ~Scott) and hang on their doors. There is a circle within the wreath. The dream gatherer is made from things from Nature and has a circle that represents the doorway into the dream world. These are then placed somewhere close to each dreamer and used to entice the dreamer and the dream spirits to join one another in mutual collaboration.”
I personally wanted to create a safe circle of communication for the dream work. This particular piece would be for two dreamers.

Dream Circles, by Scott K Smith. 12'' x 36'', Acrylic on Canvass, Paper Machete, organic materials (stones, vines picked respectfully).
Aside from the obvious circles with the connecting pathway, there are three spirit guardians between the portals. The feathers are made from the under feathers of a Redtail Hawk, in blue, white, gold, and purple representing their protective and insightful energies while one journey’s in the dream. These guardians mind the pathway to and from the world of dreams, casting illuminating light on the message for the dreamer.
Dream Circles is one of the paintings that will be appearing in the August, 2010 show, downtown Los Angeles.
I hope to see you then.
–
– – –
Be well,
Scott K Smith
http://lifencompass.com
Want to support Lifencompass?
Subscribe via RSS. Leave a comment, those are always appreciated. Submit something for posting, topics and ideas are welcome.
If you are just joining me in these posts you can catch up on the chapter-by-chapter book review of Awakening to the spirit world through these posts:
- Chapter 1: What is Shamanism?
- Chapter 2: The Shamanic Journey
- Chapter 3: Reconnecting with Nature
- Chapter 4: Visionary Work with the Weather and Environmental Changes
Chapter 5: The Power of Ceremony and Ritual
Welcome back to my chapter-by-chapter review of Awakening to the Spirit World, The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation.
The fifth chapter in the book came on the heels of a handful of requests by friends, family, and some magickal connections to assist in some form or another. As I approach the full moon with a list of healing requests, and a prosperity push for a sister-friend I find that The Power of Ceremony and Ritual a fitting read.
It’s not that I don’t know some form of Ritual or Ceremony but I am inspired by the difference in approach to these fundamental magickal acts. They are magickal acts for me, we can call them Shamanism in the modern sense of the word, but the ideas about the ritual and ceremony we conduct, introduced by the authors (Sandra Ingerman, Hank Wesselman, and others) give me great food for thought.
One of the first things in the chapter that read bold in my mind was a note about the difference between ceremony and ritual. Sandra writes,
“Strictly defined, ceremonies have a predetermined structure and goal. In this sense, everyone participating in the ceremony has a predetermined role, and the ability of highly structured ceremony to create change cannot be underestimated, especially in helping maintain the physical and metaphysical equilibrium of any given community.”
In certain senses this reminds me of mythic reenactments, festivals that have been celebrated throughout the ages (with direct spiritual connotation that links us to the natural world), solem or celebratory. Ceremony, for me, is an act of honoring, affirming, dedication, and gratitude personally, and socially. This is the birthday, the wedding, and the funeral. The rite of passage from boy to man.
“Ritual, on the other hand, is much more open-ended. When we are engaged in ritual, we always have intentions for doing so, yet the end result may be quite different from those expectations. This is because there comes a point in every authentic ritual in which the spirits arrive, and then any predetermined structure or form may go right out the door.”
These two statements ticked at something in the mystical mind. This then is the formula followed, right and rote, to create a state of being. The Great Rite, the maypole, and Drawing Down the Moon… This is where I enter my altered state, the ritual brings me to the jumping off point and unlock the greater spirit. I am diving into the magickal.
Excuse me, I think I had some confusion over the year about the meaning of the words. In fact I think I’ve used them interchangeably. I digress. This was only an ah ha moment for me. 🙂
I need to say that I’m also impressed with the structure of the writing and the delivery of the message. I can’t say that I love certain terms used to describe things but I waddle through that in an attempt to keep my persnickety side on a leash, and my mind open. Expanding.
We continue on into structuring a ceremony or ritual, when and how, with some good starting steps in how we put this shamanic act together. What’s the purpose? What steps do we follow? How do we begin and end. I like. In fact I approve! I take away some tips and tricks that I’d like to implement in my own personal work. That’s a plus.
Jose Stevens gives us a basic guideline of ceremonial and ritual structure: Opening, welcome, intention. Offering of gratitude for the work. Calling in the spirits, addressing the elements, cleansing of participants, the blessing, and the prayers or work. Raising power. Closing. Giving thanks and saying farewell to the elements.
There’s even a bit about intentions. These are very important things. Trust!
Anyway, we conclude with some interesting bits about what to do and examples of ceremony and ritual structure. Good chapter.
********
OK so if we’re doing this shamanic / magickal work, what are we doing it for? I can’t help myself here. I want to stand up on my little blog pedestal and ask What is important in the magickal work that we do?
Yes there are personal things that we as individuals need to accomplish. That includes necessity as well as acts of pleasure. An austere life doesn’t serve us unless there are acts of joy that better our lives. We need the sweetness because life can sting. Life is not just the serious and full of diversity to be enjoyed, reveled, loved, caressed and cared for, including our desires.
There are pressing issues like health, money, survival needs that must be met and all of these things can be assisted with some magickal work. It’s a muscle and the more you use it the stronger our ability to work with the unseen, yet felt, world grows. Magickal work is part of my every day life, it’s at the point where I feel that each moment is a path inward and outward, living in many worlds.
Early on in life I wasn’t so integrated. I received a text message last night about a friend and instantly I snapped into a place where I was reaching out to someone in need. No candles, rattles, music, or incense, because after years of work that place is instantly attainable. In the past I would have had to count down into meditation, take a break, step away, but as B was talking to me I could simultaneously reach out to someone in the hospital bed and seek out her spirit, calling her home.
Toot-toot? no. It’s a demonstration of what each of us can do at the drop of the dime with proper training, dedication and experience. We can use our gift, our natural self to help us achieve what we desire, to find our answers, to seek, to know, to learn.
Awakening to the Spirit World seems to offer us a solid approach, from a green perspective, in easy to swallow explanations towards those goals.
Moving along into my week, I hope that this posting finds you well.
–
– – –
Be well,
Scott K Smith
http://lifencompass.com
Want to support lifencompass?
Subscribe via RSS. Leave a comment, those are always appreciated. Submit something for posting, topics and ideas are welcome.
Transmutation News: Sandra Ingerman || Shaman’s Death
July 27, 2010 in Book Review, commentary, Promotion, Story | Tags: awakening to the spirit world, Blogging, Book review, commentary, Death, death experience, EGO, healing, life and death cycle, LSD, Metaphysical, Promotion, rite of passage, Sandra Ingerman, shamanic journey, Shamanism, Society for Shamanic Practitioners, Story, Transmutation News, Updates | Leave a comment
I was reading through this coming months Transmutation News, thoughts on the Shaman’s Death. I am aware that the last few chapter reviews were about Death and Dying and I thought the newsletter, on the tail of these posts was an important connection to the last three articles in Awakening to Shamanism.
The following contains a few excerpts from Sandra Ingerman’s newsletter, Transmutation News.
((EXCERTPS))
Transmutation News August 2010
Then
You can read the full newsletter, and subscribe, at Shamanic Visions.
–
– – –
Be well,
Scott K Smith
http://lifencompass.com
Want to support Lifencompass?
Subscribe via RSS. Leave a comment, those are always appreciated. Submit something for posting, topics and ideas are welcome.