Healing, Blessing, and The Sweat Lodge

It is the morning of our Sweat Healing Lodge.  After spending an hour in quiet meditation this morning, I was reflecting on a thought that came to my mind while I was meditating.  

When you feel the pain of the world you are participating in the life of the world.
It is saying yes to love with no boundaries and no limitations
It is through this love that radiates into the world that the most deeply wounded of all places in life can be healed.

Those that participate in an open healing Lodge are coming to us to share the pain of what is troubling their spirits.  They are looking to find a solace and comfort in knowing that their pain, their internal hurt and struggles are able to be healed and wounds closed.  Many times those who come to see a Shaman think that their is some great power that can be bestowed to magically be healed.  The truth of the matter is that the healing comes from within a person themselves.  It is a Divine light that penetrates the barriers and wounds within themselves that does the healing.  A Shaman simply facilitates a process in order for them to find that light.


I was contemplating those that will be in attendance today, having known some of them only briefly and others for sometime.  Knowing the 'stories' and the struggles that each are facing in their lives it caused a great deal of pain within myself.  It was within this pain that my Source of Light came radiating through in full brilliance showing me that pain is really an extension of my own love for people, for other souls.  My own light is really a limitless compassion for others who have not found their own Light.  Though tears did fall, it was tears of joy that I have the capacity today to feel to the depths of my soul the pains of others and encompass those pains in the Eternal Flames of Love.


I was asked in a private email "What if I start laughing during the lodge?".  I thought how perfect.  It was shared recently with me that "Our laughter will be loud enough to destroy the borders of our mind." (Agni Eickermann).  Laughter is the perfect mechanism for healing the pains of the world.  It is through this laughter that we can begin to see the Rainbows in the sky and the shafts of light radiating down upon us.  Until we can see, we can not feel.

My prayer for today:

Lord of Fire 

May You ignite the Light of our Sacred Fire with the Flames of Eternal Love

May You radiate down and purify our hearts and souls 

May You fill each soul with the experience of Your Eternal Love that healing may begin

Lord of Fire

May You continually bless us with the Flames of Eternal Love

Om Agni Jay

The Warrior Does Battle and Plays 'Simon Says'

In an earlier post I described the ritual ceremonies in brief of preparing the land and the lodge for the upcoming Sweat Lodge.  This note is on a personal level.  It is a great responsibility for one to undertake hosting a Lodge of any sort.  There is great tradition from time immemorial that accompanies every facet of a Sacred Lodge. 

When one hosts a Lodge or any Sacred ceremony it is vital that the Shaman (really any Spiritual Leader) to be grounded, centered, and focused in their own being.  To me this means many things.  I spent the past three weeks walking the spokes of the medicine wheel as I do every year at this time.  This process allows an in depth (and sometimes painfully honest) inventory of your inner being.  Thanks to the inspiring love of Durga Holzhauser, I took this one step further this year and asked some of those who are closest to me to participate in this process.  This was the most revealing experience.  It caused me to take a step back and truly look from an objective place at what was being shared with me.

As I continued on in this third week of make choices based upon what was revealed, I have spent a great deal of time in deep meditation and reflection, which brings me back to the Lodge.

I attended a Guided Meditation last evening which proved to be one of the most profound experiences I have had in a very long time.  It is funny how these moments can come at the most unexpected times.  I was asked at the meditation (which was a group setting) to describe my experience.  I had a difficult time as I knew that my experience was more than a simple revelation.

In this guided meditation we were to meet a Spiritual Guide that was one from our origin, we were to go to our Inner Temple, see our Akashi record, be given a gift, and to face our greatest obstacle.  It was a deeply moving experience for everyone who participated.  For my own experience, I did not know whether I wished to laugh or to cry.  The emotions opened flood gates.

I will say that I got to play “Simon Says” in my meditation and shown pieces of a puzzle that have been eluding me for some time.  What I really wish to share is the obstacle.  We all face obstacles in our lives here on Earth.  What we do with them and how we face them reveals our strengths and faith.  While many saw doors, walls, and veils, I saw a clear passage way blocked only my a smaller version of myself.

My obstacle in life is myself.  It is not a great mountain to climb or a vast ocean to swim, but rather my own being.  In the meditation we were to use our gift to overcome or break through our obstacle.  I stood at the gateway that opened into the vast spiritual dimensions seeing the reflection of myself in awe and wonderment of how I was to overcome or break through the obstacle. 

We were guided to return back to the Earth plane after a while and those in the group were glowing with excitement at having been on this fantastical journey and defeating an obstacle in their path.  I, again, did not know whether I wished to laugh or to cry.  When asked my reflections, all I could muster was “Simon Says I didn’t play the game right”.

I left last evenings meditation knowing that I would need to spend some time in solitude meditation to awaken to the real meaning of my earlier journey.  This morning I spent hours inside the Sacred Lodge built for healing.  As I began my mala bead mantra’s, something caused me to shift locations within the lodge.  The air inside was filled with incense, sage, sweat grass, and rose hip.  I was moved to sit in the West.  The West is the seat of death.  There are times when the death of self needs to happen in order for the rebirth of the Divine Soul to appear.  Knowing the direction the meditation was about to take, I called in my “Simon Says”, The Lord of Fire to watch over me as I went back to my origin to meet with myself once more.

I am not sure how long I remained in this deep meditation only to say that hours have passed since I went into the lodge.  There was a death and there was a birth.  When I opened my eyes the Sacred Lodge was filled with the smoke of incense.  I felt something move across my hand as at some point during the meditation I had laid down on the ground.  A foot long black racer had found its way into the Sacred Lodge and was warming itself against my own flesh.  After a moment of realizing it was only a black racer I calmed and lifted my head slightly to gaze at the gift of nature.  There was a single ray of sunlight coming through the lodge where the blankets had shifted in the wind.  The racer had come to lay itself in that single shaft of light where my right hand and mala beads were.  As my senses returned slowly what was heard was the singing of birds.  I began to sing with my internal voice when I was reminded in dramatic fashion it was my external voice that needed to be heard.

And so I sang.  AUM MAHAJWALAYE VIDMAHE AGNIDEVAYE DIMAHI TANNO AGNI PRACHODAYAT

A Sacred Fire as the Cauldron of Souls: The Path I Walk

A Sacred Fire is very much like the Cauldron of Souls.  The journey one initiates during this Sacred Fire can carry you through the cosmos to the origin of the Sacred Fire.  It is a powerful initiation that purifies the Spirit that resides on the Earth plane.  Many have faced a disruption of the life force frequency that abides in every soul.  As the life journey transpires there are times that this frequency can resonate at a different vibration. 

The Sacred Fire returns the soul to its origin.  That origin is pure and full of Eternal Love.  Each of us was birthed into creation with a pure spirit, a pure soul, that was gifted a purpose.  It is not only few chosen persons that have this gift of a soul purpose.  It is the Divine birthright of every one.  We are created as balanced and centered spiritual souls. 

We may forget this; the Sacred Fire empowers the awakening to each whom initiate its Flames of Eternal Love in order that they begin to know their own truths, their own authentic selves, and their own inherent gifts.   When the Sacred Fire is done in ceremony with intent, it connects one with the Divine energy that imbues the soul with all pervading spiritual energy that the cycle of life.  This cycle allows for the soul to let go of the separation and be rebirthed in the Unity of the Universal Life.

I was reminded recently of my own authentic self, my own truth, and my own purpose.  I was asked recently about my own “mandates”.  Although, it is my own belief that a person’s spiritual “mandates” are revealed though the action and deeds that are exposed in their daily lives, as some have asked, I share my way here.

My spiritual soul is born of the Sacred Fire that is the Universal Life.  I live in service, responsibility and mindfulness of this Universal Life through the Sacred Fire.  I am bound by my own honor, my own action, my own deeds, and my own words within the Universal Life of the Sacred Fire.  

Life is meant to be engaged; not survived.  Every moment is THE moment to be engaged.  If my action, my thoughts, or my deeds are not to strengthen my spirit, my mind, or my body, then they need be released. 

I do not journey as a perfect spiritual being.  I too have actions, deeds, and thoughts that need to be released and purified.  This is why I initiate the Sacred Fire daily at Sunrise, to begin again as a clear, pure spiritual soul upon a journey.  It is by delving within to find the soul, allowing it to be purified and blessed by the Fire that birthed me, which I walk within my mandates. 

My mandates, my path, my codes are not for all to follow.  They are for me to follow. It is my origin and my journey.  You have your own path, your own mandates, and your own codes to follow.  The Sacred Fire, the meditation within, the purification and blessings are the way I initiate the connection of unity within.  The path for All to follow is to find your Path and Your awakening to a Divine connection to life.  It is my hope this answers the questions that have been asked.

Carry the light in your heart ~ Be an angel of hope~!

Talesha shares a simple message to each of us. This very special lady gives me inspiration and Hope!!! Talesha can be reached at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unconditional-Love-The-Love-I-Give-Is-The-Love-I-Receive/162114363827928?v=wall

Stop by and say hello and share with her how the simple message offered you some hope. Thank you Talesha ... all my love.

Jana Stanfield - I'm Not Lost, I Am Exploring - Video by Quiddity: Live ...

What Is Female Empowerment?

I have received numerous questions that all go back to a single question.  What is Female Empowerment?  To start with, let me explain what power it self is.  Power is really based upon the ability to manifest.  The ability to create your desired reality.  In our society this power has really been about making deals with power.  A deal is really either accepting, rejecting or controlling a situation.  This is different than manifesting with power.  There has been an overwhelming society of fear that has been created.  We fear shifts due to rejection or judgmental perception.

The fear of the feminine power has been happening for centuries in our society.  We have lived in a true patriarchal era with the male energies being imbalanced and having control over the feminine energies.  As individuals, we can begin to shift this imbalance.  As we take back our power and begin to stand tall as a female, we are in no way rejecting the male energy.  The truly empowered female has a balance within of the male energy and the female energy.

It is important to understand that every person has both male and female energy within.  In the balancing process we are reclaiming a balance that allows for a more centered and grounded being.  This is true not only for the females but also for the males.  Balancing both the male and the female energies are vital in being an empowered person.

Within every female there is an innate sense of who you are.  This is called your inner authority.  This inner authority is the female power.  This authority really means that you are not owned or controlled by anyone or anything.  You are able to stand on your own in your truth.  It means being truth and loyal to yourself, to your inner life, and to your own journey.  You trust your own instincts and follow them.  You give yourself permission to find the path that works for you.  You do not have to just follow.  You discard those things that do not work for you.  It means you take a nurturing and supportive path towards what your life experiences. You celebrate who you are as an individual.  When you have a longing or desire, rather than sit by and continue to long for it, you shift your energies to create a fulfillment in that area of your life.  You know what you stand for and you don't back down.  You know that the power resides within you not in something or someone else.

There is an old saying by Buddha.  I don't remember the exact quote but it goes something like this.  Don't believe something just because it was said, believe only what you have checked out for yourself and what works in your own experience.

Female empowerment is simply becoming aware and stepping into your authentic self.

Q and A Time: Can You Explain Reverse Breathing?

I was asked about the form of reverse breathing that I use in this statement:  

My anchor is the Sacred Flame of Eternal Love. It can be felt when you close your eyes and inhale deeply. This anchor can hold you steady through any storm.

Reverse breathing is simple reversing the natural inhale and exhale movements of the abdomen.  When you inhale the abdomen contracts inward and when you exhale it relaxes outward.  This style of breathing is what is used in the Waiest® Warrior training for Mental Martial Arts that I practice.  It draws the chi energy directly into the different parts of the body and allows you to direct the energy to any location.  It is also used to build up a storehouse of chi to act almost like a bubble of energy around your body that helps build up the immune system on a physical level and a bubble of protection on a spiritual and emotional level.


When you inhale contract the stomach it changes the physical pressure of the chest cavity as well as the abdomen.  The diaphragm moves down and this results in collecting more energy into the central spine.  As you exhale there is a sudden expulsion of the energy outward to where ever you direct it.


There are a number of different types of breathing that is recommended to practice proper breathing such as awareness breathing, nose panting, abdominal breathing, and complete breathing.  Reverse breathing is relatively simple to do once it has been practiced.  The key is to determine before beginning where you are going to be directing the energy to.  It requires careful timing and deliberate effort.  Persistence will pay off.  


Before giving the directions to reverse breathing, let me share with you the spiritual aspect of the directions.  As I am inhaling the breath I am focused upon the Sacred Flame drawing it within, actually breathing it deeply into the sacral chakra.  I hold the Sacred Flame deep within the sacral chakra taking a moment before exhaling to feel the living energy anchor deeply.  The exhalation I focus all thought and energy upon feeling the Sacred Flame of Love flowing throughout all limbs of my body but remaining anchored in the sacral chakra.


Begin by touching the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth directly behind the front teeth.  Then inhale through the nose allowing the air to compress down into the cavity of your stomach deliberately contracting inward towards the spine.  You will find that your chest naturally expand outward as the lungs are filled with air.  Personally, as I inhale I also tighten the perineum.  This initiates a couple of locks in the energetic system.  As I exhale through the mouth allow the diaphragm to rise and relax the stomach letting it expand outward again.  When you exhale be sure to fully empty out the lungs with each breath.  Remember to try and be relaxed as you are breathing.  


Once it is practiced and it becomes a natural form of breathing, it will infuse your entire being with chi power.


If you are not familiar with proper breathing techniques, you may wish to start with a simple awareness breathing pattern before attempting to utilize reverse breathing.