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Thanks for that, Nagual and Wisp. I think it goes even further than that, or maybe this isn't shape-shifting, it's more like spirit help from animals. An old medicine man named Bekah had seagull medicine. Why the lowly seagull? Well, apparently seagulls are used to eating garbage and have amazing regurgitation capacity. All birds do, I guess, since they feed their young that way, but seagulls even more so because they're such scavengers. Bekah could suck out disease from a person's body and spit it out, easily. So, he was in great demand at a time when there were no doctors around. So, I get what you're saying, Wisp, about choosing certain animals for the task at hand.
But, I don't get this: another man had medicine for spiders. Once we were in my truck and a guitar song came on. His son turned off the radio, a bold move for a shy little guy. I asked later why he did that, and he said something like "The strings of the guitar were too much like the strings of a spider web. Grandpa would "get too strong" if he listened to that. (Huh? Beyond me...)
Another woman had medicine for lightning. Again, if you took a flash picture of her, she would "get too strong". Interesting, eh? Any inklings of the dynamic and relationship going on here?

Moon

Talking about getting rid of the mundane stuff in our lives so we have more time to explore the energy dynamics of the universe,  remember the Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. The Manuscript says, as we evolve, our material supports will be taken care of by others in an automated system run like a utility, and they will give us money to provide them with spiritual insight and to help them to evolve. As we let go of our fear of scarcity, and as we all engage in a spiritual economy -- with everyone giving and receiving constantly, in the understanding that whenever we give, if we are connected -- we create a void that the universe moves to fill up again. "We will always have more coming in than we could possibly give away" the book says.
   At this time, we'll also understand that natural areas of the earth have to be nurtured and protected for the sources of incredible power that they are, Redfield goes on ...

Now, doesn't that sound excellent?! We don't need entities, We need to evolve to a higher state of grace in living, so keep practicing with energy and you'll soon be paid to teach others stuff while they bring you corn and blankets and stuff for your physical needs.

BTW, How far do you think we are from this utopia? Do we have to crash and burn first in 2012?

Curious,
Moontingle

Hey James S, where are you? i miss my daily dose of shamanic talk. I ordered the book you suggested by Esmeralda, along with 2 others. One by a shamaness who lives in Siberia. The picture on the cover of the book blew me away. It's of a fire, with spirit eagles flying out of it. And prayer flags hanging from a pole beside the fire pit. Should be interesting.

I have so many shamanic stories from old NAtive Elders I've met and now I have an inkling as to how the seemingly fantastic can be possible, where as once I thought they were just far flung stories. We also have a shaking tent ceremony up here. The diviner is trussed up, her fingers of both hands intertwined together and wrapped with rope and she's then rolled up in blankets and tied again. The lights are darkened and the spirits come and in an instant she is untied and the spirits will answer questions from the audience. One spirit, in a ceremony I went to, said "What you see of your life here on earth is so small. It's just the beginning ..." which says to me the shamanic study thing is the way I want to go. There IS so much more.
Oh, and at the ceremony, when the lights went on, those people who were doubting the authenticity of the ceremony -- the spirits mussed up their hair. Those with the new "do's" admitted, afterwards, they were just there out of curiosity.

 
Do you have stories of such ceremonies from the Aborigines of your country? Oh, I see you live in Melbourne? Is it an open-minded city? Have you met Robert Bruce?

Waiting patiently ...
Moon

I just took my everyday walk down a cutline and into the trees but it was the best yet. Thanks to you I really started noticing things, and thinking about them in a new way. I even brought a bunch of dry, winter-dead plants into the house and arranged them in a vase. The textures and designs are all unique and amazing. Some are fuzzy, some are curly ribbons, one has tiny "pine cones", each one about 1/2 inch long, and then there's brilliant red rose hips to add a flash of crimson. I really appreciate everything I saw - not just thinking "oh, it's cold, winter's coming on and it's going to get even colder blah, blah and on into negativity. I have two places I stop and sit in and I've made little altars there. Good energy, for sure. Now when I look at my winter "flowers" (sitting right beside my computer) it reminds me of the perennial beauty of nature and to go deeper.

What color is your champion eagle there in Australia? Are you near the ocean, because swimming beings have fascinated me, but I've hardly spent time near water being so land-locked here. We, of course, have American Bald Eagles, and Golden Eagles. I was parked by a little lake to the east of my house last summer and an eagle swooped down, caught a fish, and ate it in a tree right beside my car. I watched as it ripped the fish apart, threw down the intestines and small birds came to peck at them and carry them away.

Thanks for the book suggestion. It looks amazing and I'm going to order it from Amazon.

Can you say a bit about what the nature goddess has had to say to you, or is it too personal?

Also, my son is studying Australia in Social Studies (grade 4). What part of Australia do you live in? We'll look it up since he brought home a big map.

Best, Moon  

Yes, I feel very drawn in this direction. I have books to read, and the land, and an excellent Elder friend on a reserve 6 hours to the south, but I don't get to see him enough. I'm working on a book, though, that will take me into the shamanistic realm in my research, about my great, great grandmothers who were all medicine women. I guess if I'm ready -- the teacher will appear.

Your Celtic background ... how wonderful. Is it true they used to leave offerings near springs in thanks to the water spirit? I've always thought that was so wonderful.

I also edited a book written by an old elder, who wrote that when he was born, if you didn't have medicine power, you were poor. When he was only five, his family was camped by a lake, and his mother woke him up to hand him a pail to go get some water. The lake was a mirror, and there wasn't a breath of a wind. When he was dipping his pail, suddenly an old man came up out of the water, with long white hair dripping. Little George screamed and dropped his pail and ran up to his mother, who was watching the whole thing. She was angry and told him "That was your grandfather trying to give you his medicine power" and then he said everyone in the family was upset with him. "I was poor the rest of my life," George says.

My grandfather, on his death bed, revealed some of his medicine. He said he would go and play handgames (a guessing/betting game)with the frogs underneath the water. I could never understand how that was done, but I guess he was doing it in the astral realm.
 
If I could be any animal hmmmmm ... You've got me stumped there. You know, I think I'd be a chickadee. That's a little black-hooded bird we have here, and even on the coldest days she is singing away and always chirps in an extraordinatry way when summer's near. I think I'd really like to be able to fly. So, also maybe an eagle.

Now it's your turn. And why would you want to be this animal?

In Spirit,
Moon

No way!! That takes mail order shopping to a new level. I don't know what level, but ... I wonder if you get to specify what kind of ghost you want. What about couples who want kids? Ghost kids, why not? Easy to care for... Kidding aside, those ghosts should be sent to the light.

In Spirit, Moon

A VENTRILOQUIST - HOW COOL IS THAT? Your life must be so much fun! What kind of dummies do you work with? heh heh. Were you a missionary and that's why you've lived so many different places? Or were you an entertainer? Yeah, Nepal. Incredible place. Wanted to get into Tibet, but at the time the travelling was too hard. Nature is incredible in Thailand, too. Staying in a palm leaf hut for 10 cents a night way back when, right on the ocean!!!

Let's hear from some Aussies... We know about your oceans and coral reefs. Anyone spend time on walkabout in the outback? And, can you walk on Uluru (spelling?) or is it off limits now?

No, no, quite the opposite, keep talking. Glad you read my bio to see where I'm coming from. The problem is ... I've written about the things shamans can do, but never been shown the "how" of it. No, that's not true, the old people said they would get up, drink tea, and just be quiet. On the reservations, that's easy to do. I've just never been able to slow down enough to heed their words. Too bad it's so late in life I'm coming to it. But at least I know I want to dedicate time to going a bit higher now.
On a reserve just north of me are the Dene, when they chant with their drums it's like the sound old trees and mountains would make if we could hear them they sing. So, we dance around a huge fire all night and that is extremely altering. Very hypnotic. Then the elders make their prophecies for the coming winter. Unfortunately, when the ceremony is made these days, no one comes.
I know there is so much more to nature than we see if we don't really look. We have a sweatlodge in the back. One time I was in there with a group of visiting Tibetan monks -- it was the national year of Tibet -- and small balls of blue light danced around the blackness.   A rattle hit me on the head very hard. Telling me to wake up! But I didn't, until I hit this site and started talking to aware and well spoken people like you.
When the green goddess of nature finally got your attention, when was that? Re: shape-shifting, I do know people who play around with time a lot. Also, just thought of this. Was in a shamanic class with an Incan guide and he said when a shaman drinks water, he thinks of  where the source of the water might be, and hears the rushing waterfall it was once a part of.  Definitely, nature is the basis of where they source from. Where do you source from? Is Austrialia your homeland?

Moontingle

Hey MS

You did what I'd like to do! Take my son out of school to travel. Besides nature, travel is my #1 thing to do. How did it go home-schooling the kids?  What is your profession that you can take off anywhere? Do you have really have eight kids? In a motorhome? Must have been a big one.
You must love nature. I see one of your favourite quotes is from St. Francis. I saw that old Brother Son, Sister Moon (was that the title?) movie and loved it. Don't know about going barefoot in the snow, though.
But, back to nature -- I wonder how people stay grounded in big cities. Parks are okay, but so limited ... You talk about mountains. I trekked in Nepal, it was amazing. The rhododendron were in bloom and vibrating ... fuschia fantastic!!!

Hey James,

You said 'if you have a lifestyle that is quiet enough that you can seriously put aside time for the study of shamanism, these things are possible with time. The first step here is learning to be able to see beyond our physical realm - learn to be able to "tune in" to the different planes of existance that are around us. Once you develop an awareness for the other realms, the knowledge of how to manipulate your existence within them will start to come'.

Thanks for this, I finally have an inkling as to why in the hell I moved up here into the frozen north. I am a writer and have lots of quiet time to myself and can move into the pristine wilderness whenever I want. I appreciate your inistense of the committment these abilities take to develop, they are not something one should take lightly. I guess that's why medicine people are often looked at as "weird" and unsociable. Often, if it's a child, they can't even have their clothes washed with other people's - guess the energy must stay clean.
RE: the best way to develop awareness for other realms, is the best way to do this to sit outside and appreciate it in meditation?

In Spirit,
Moon

Why would they necessarily have to be demons? Lots of spirit helpers -- well, I understand you can call on them to help you with all sort of specific tasks. If you are working only in the light, then your helpers will be of the light. But, of course, you should not overuse and disrespect. Only in times of great need. Maybe that's why the housework thing would not be a good enough reason to call an entity in. Are you saying for something mundane like that I would only attract lower entities. BTW, I do my own housework, but I hate it. I have trouble doing repetitive, boring things over and over. I am an "orange" person and I want excitement in my life. That's why I'm on this forum, right? I was just wondering about the housework thing so I could free up more time for having fun!!! I'm not serious about wanting an entity to do it, though.

Moontingle

As I write this, a vanilla sun with tinges of peach is rising above the snow-frosted trees of our fields. It's another day. I've been given another day to choose and create whatever I want to! I can forget about what happened yesterday and start fresh. Surely, whoever created this amazing world must love us, with all the beauty the One packed into this little paradise of a planet. Nature is amazing! And don't forget about animals. Wild animals are the only things we cannot control. From the great whales of the oceans to the tiny little mice. I see their delicate tracks in the snow, tiny dots with a long dash where their little tails drag, leading from the path I daily walk on into the tall grass, where they're nesting. Once, a hawk hopped from tree to tree, staying right with me as I walked down a cutline. Another time, as I sat smoking my sacred pipe (filled only with wild Kinnickinik, people) a bear came, stood up to look at me from a distance, and then dropped down on all-fours. He was so curious, and I respected him.  I spoke to him. He is Muskwa, in my language. And he is powerful. I understand that when the world was new, my people used to talk to the animals and they gave away their bodies for food and clothing. Then we broke that sacred bond of respect, and they fear us. What magic will you discover today in this wonderful world? Have an excellent one, and don't forget -- Be excellent to each other --

In the One LIght,
Dianne

I'm asking about shape-shifting in the physical. In a book called "The Shaman's Nephew" a boy watches as his uncle flies over his home and waves at him, and then flies back an hour later on his return trip. Maybe this isn't shape-shifting, but being able to bodily fly is surely a feat of a master metaphysician. Also, have you heard of Tibetan monks who fly as though they are taking huge bounces, touching down, flying, and touching down briefly again? Their eyes are focused upward. Is this advanced "Yogic flying"? Again, I'm talking about all of these manifestations in the physical. Guess I'm off topic. What I'm really interested in is shape-shifting... what are you reading about shape-shifting?

Moontingle

I just read old posts re Randi's $million challenge and why Robert Bruce would not participate, so scratch what I wrote. But, my husband and I argue daily about the paranormal and I can't OOBE yet but he says if I can move the clock in his office he will pay for me to attend RB's workshop in Costa Rica next year. Likely I won't ever be able to do that, but I am practicing every day. Why do I believe so strongly? I interviewed Native Elders who still live in northern Canadian bush and they spoke of spirit guides and shape-shifting extensively. The astral plane explains so much of the medicine power they live by. The Catholic church beat it out of later generations. I'd give anything to help teach those abilities again.

Moontingle

Hi all,
Could I suggest we approach this in an organized manner? Could we form a group to oversee a testing, because we truly believe. Let's ask Robert Bruce and another ace AP'er to prove this once and for all. The test is not beneath them because it would change the minds of people globally. Let's put this money toward sponsoring Robert Bruce to give more workshops around the world because we cannot all get to Wales and Costa Rica. Maybe this is the breakthrough we've all been waiting for. Why do I get the feeling this won't happen, though. Are we afraid? Just getting the conversation going ...

Love,
Moontingle