Session Start: Thu Mar 07 02:20:19 1996 * Logging #pathweaving to: [#pathweaving.log] Shamanism is, for me, seeking guidance from the spirits all around, and paying honor to the Wheel, to Life, and to the All. Its a spiritual path honoring the Mother, Earth, and the "Life" that is in all things. Its a path of self awareness, for in shamanism we are truly our own teachers. The spirits are here only to advise us, not to direct us. Shamanism is having dis-embodied friends. QUESTION: What do you mean by all these spirits? Are these Spirit Guides? Totems? A spirit is the essesnce of something. Everything has a spirit within that holds within it a the image of what that thing is. Spirits are also the "souls" of those who have gone before, some I speak to even call themselves "ghosts". Spirits can be the voices in the wind, communication s with the animals and nature, or in the sound of water falling down a mountain. They can even be your higher self communicating with the you that is trying to learn. Everything reflects the Powers That Be in their own way. We call this its spirit. When we see a tree, we see the spirit of that tree. When we see a rock we see the spirit of that rock. The spirit can be thought of (but please don't limit it to) the "essense" of what ever the object is. What makes a shaman's outlook different is that a shaman deals directly with the spirits of the world. We see the spirits in everything. For instance.... We do not just see the spirit in the corn. We see the spirit in the air that brings the spirit called water to nurish the spirit in the corn. We see the spirit of the sun helping the corn spirit to grow, the earth spirit giving the corn nourishment, and when we finally harvest it, we give thanks to the spirit of the corn. Simply put, Spirit Talking is what the shaman does. We have been taught that there is a major difference between what we do and channeling. Channelling is speaking for some being that has never lived on this plane. Spirit talking is talking with those who have crossed over and have returned to this plane in spirit to help others advance along the path. * Lady_Wolf is giggling ... the keyboard is an electronic talking stick) :) QUESTION: So what do totems have to do with all this spirit stuff? Are they spirit animals or something like that? Totems (also called power animals) can be any kind of animal: birds, mystical creatures, reptiles, or even insects, that come into your awareness to teach you. You do not SEEK to be the wolf by growling and acting like a wolf but learn from the spirit of the wolf. in our tradition we have 5 primary and 5 secondary totems. (10 in all) Totems are, in fact, the essense of the creature they represent. The totem is the spirit of the creature and what it has to teach us from within our selves and of the world outside of ourselves. As Lady Wolf said, it is our teaching that there are a minimum of 10 totems that we are interacting with at any one time, and that we should be trying to learn what each of them is here to teach us. Right about now, I think, you are all going TEN TOTEMS????? How in the HELLLLLL ????? I'm having enough trouble finding ONE!!! *** Souix (~bricholas@lans232.dial.voyager.net) has joined #pathweaving There are two ways to learn from a totem. The first is to find the totem within ourselves and to thus learn more about ourselves. The other is to have a totem come into your awareness that has a lesson we need to learn (sometimes whether we wish to learn the lesson or not). There are 5 types of totems that cover the various aspects of our relationships with life. Each of these areas of our lives has an Inner totem and an Outer Totem The inner totem is the aspects of the totem creature of that life area that we are within ourselvs .. that totem will hardly ever, IF ever, change. It is that part of the totem that makes you who you are. The outer totem is the totem creature of that life area from which you are seeking to learn. *** tonyh has quit IRC (Leaving) Our child is a Fox, but wants to learn the lessons of the Wolf. She is a Turtle, and wants to learn from the Butterfly . I am a wolf, and have yet to learn all that wolf has to teach me. *** Ozguy (~ozguy@hahn.une.edu.au) has joined #pathweaving The five Areas of Life are: 1&2: The Preditor Totems and the Prey Totems (they are closely related. *** lilith (~rightturn@dialin17.bayserve.net) has joined #pathweaving The Preditor Totem is in direct relationship to the way you APPROACH the world. The Prey Totem is in direct relationship to the way you REACT TO the world. 3: The Flying Totem is the inner you. The way you imagine and relate emotionally with the world. It is your Vision and your Inner Gifts. 4: The "Other" Totem is that part of you that you will never fully understand or do not wish to acknowledge. 5: The Spiritual Totem is your Inner or Higher Self. You are also taught by creatures OTHER THAN your primary or secondary totems. Just because MunchKin is a FOX, learning from the Wolf, doesn't mean Coyote isn't going to come along and teach her something. All totems should be respected and watched for what they have to teach us. They are the Voice of the All for a shaman. they are the world in which we live Actually, I have been taught that Music is the voice of the All. That's why I love drums and dancing around the fire. To be honest, I like to drum, and watch OTHERS dance around the fire. *** Brrrrigid (brigid.chi@argusbbs.com) has joined #pathweaving *** JohnGuru (mw1315@pa5dsp5.richmond.infi.net) has left #pathweaving QUESTION: Then what ARE spirit guides? Spirit guides are the voices that guide us. They don't TELL us what to do, but they do give us a slight edge on life. For US, spirit guides are people like you and I who have crossed over (died, if you will) and have chosen to guide others. A Shaman must walk his own path, in lands where there are no maps, and a shaman finds help on his way through a point of view not possible to the living - that of his Spirit Guides. *** Wolfcry has quit IRC (Read error to Wolfcry[acs.saultc.on.ca]: EOF from client) *** JohnGuru (mw1315@198.240.105.205) has joined #pathweaving My spirit guides are an interesting mix, believe me. They have names, and they lived in what is history to us. I have learned a little of their cultures, and a lot of their wisdom. They have counseled me, protected me, guided me, and befriended me. And not just me. Through them I have helped my daughters, my husband (Bear), our grandson, and even complete strangers. They have taught me how to work with all types of energy, how to be a part of the great Pattern, healing ways, and even a practical lesson or two. They were shamans in their times, and chose to remain outside "The Wheel" to help guide others. I have followed their advice to my benefit. and they have cried with me. and I have been angry with what they have had to say. All this. And I have also learned so much from them, and know how much more I have to learn. now ... that brings us to ... THE ... question *** celtic1 (~James@206.231.72.119) has joined #pathweaving the one question that usually causes the most problems for those new to the shaman path (or those with shamanistic leanings) QUESTION: How Do I Find My T O T E M ? ? ?? well ... I read an AWFUL lot of books to get where I am There's a booklist you wouldn't believe .. BUT ... the easy answer is ... *** |nailz| has quit IRC (Read error to |nailz|[nlkd1_onlink2.onlin k.net]: EOF from client) be aware be aware of your Self recognize that which you have been drawn to those are a part of the things that are within you. *** ploughboy (~ploughboy@pm114.nemonet.com) has joined #pathweaving *** Brrrrigid has quit IRC (Brrrrigi d) *** JohnGuru (mw1315@198.240.105.205) has left #pathweaving *** celtic1 has quit IRC (Ping timeout for celtic1[206.231.72.119]) Be aware as little things that mean nothing to others become meaningful to you ... a crow caws ... a squirrell on the roof ... a hawk on the wing .. a lot of things ... gifts from others a coffee cup a shawl a bag of feathers. *** Conjurer (~conjurer@205.177.16.27) has joined #pathweaving ANYthing. *** Rivrheart (Rivrheart@arwen.vip.best.com) has joined #pathweaving *** SpiderWlf sets mode: -m thank you ladywolf and lord bear we are open for discussion now wascal has a question: (if you're ready) *** SpiderWlf is now known as wascal * wind^away has a two part question, when you have a chance.. *** wind^away is now known as windwolf this might be a touch superficial bu tits something ive wondered for awhile... on your idea of ten ; taht seems to be in line with the medicine wheel *** Brrrigid (brigid.chi@argusbbs.com) has joined #pathweaving the title 'ahaman' when is it appropriate.. i use it for lack of a better word for recognition.. and though i know a good deal.. and have learned quite some more tonite (thanks) i dont think im anywhere near that "level" (tho if youve seen my tirades you know i dont give a hill of beans for 'titles' and hierarchy) *** bud2 (Pgrace@204.177.169.23) has joined #pathweaving *** bud2 (Pgrace@204.177.169.23) has left #pathweaving so the question is what does a 'student of shamanism'; call him/herself? and when is it appropriate to use the term Wascal: when is the term Wiccan appropriate? or Baptist? Same rules apply. Session Close: Thu Mar 07 02:48:08 1996