Monday, February 25, 2008
What is de Witchdokta?
Juju follows a shamanic perspective, with the inclusion of spirits born from the minds of men and those who have never walked this world. Juju used for positive means or enlisting the help of positive beings is called Mojo. Juju used for negative means or enlisting the help of negative entities is called Jomo. Juju as expressed as an omen from the spirit world can be either "Good Juju" or "Bad Juju," depending on the omen. The witchdoctor knows all things are made of energy, and all can range from positive and negative. The witchdoctor can make his Juju even more powerful by shifting Juju around him, using good to fuel good and bad to fuel bad through mask, costume, voice, atmosphere, visualization, and ritual.
Witch doctors are a mixture between the Hoodoo's jinx's, curses and healing abilities; shamanism's power totems and ability to commune with spirits; and any other traditions or symbols the individual witchdoctor might see fit to use. They work not only for themselves but for their community or tribe, for the spirits of the dead and never dead, along with anything else in all of creation that need their skills. Creating curses and jinx's is a specialty of the witch doctor. The witch doctor can make a deadly doll of wax or tallow containing a specific person's hair, skin or blood and is knowledgeable in The Doctrine of Signatures. The Witch Doctor is open to spells, talismans, and spirits from other traditions, times, and paradigms, knowing everything exists and that truth is based on results.
The Ancient Ones
...For no one knows where the Sumerians came from, and they vanished just as mysteriously as they appeared...they had a list of their kings before the Flood, which even they carefully chronicled, as did many another ancient civilization around the world. It is believed that they had a sophisticated system of astronomy (and astrology) as well as an equally religious ritual...
...AS MENTIONED, the God of the Moon was called NANNA by the Sumerians. By the later Sumerians and Assyrians, he was called SIN. In both cases, he was the Father of the Gods (of the planetary realm, the zonei), and was depicted as wearing horns, a symbol familiar to the Witches as representative of their God. The horn shaped crown is illustrative of the crescent phases of the Moon, and were symbolic of divinity in many cultures around the world, and were also thought to represent certain animals who were horned, and worshipped for their particular qualities, such as the goat and bull. They also represent sexual power....
...For many years, the Moon remained the prime deity of the Sumerians, constituting the essential Personum of a religious and mystical drama that was performed roughly 3000 B.C. amid the deserts and marshes of Mesopotamia....
...A transient lunar phenomenon (TLP) or "Lunar Transient Phenomena" (LTP), refers to short-lived lights, colors, or changes in appearance of the lunar surface. Claims of short-lived phenomena go back at least 1000 years, with some having been observed independently by multiple witnesses or reputable scientists. Nevertheless, the majority of transient lunar phenomena reports are irreproducible and do not possess adequate control experiments that could be used to distinguish among alternative hypotheses. Few reports concerning these phenomena are ever published in peer reviewed scientific journals, and rightfully or wrongfully, the lunar scientific community rarely discusses these observations.
Wander...
Watch...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Harmonic Convergence
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
An Internet Clipping
...A shaman's medicine colors are black and white because he/she walks the world of Light as well as Shadow - the polarity of man's existence. Black and white also represents the balance a shaman seeks to maintain, both inside himself/herself as well as bringing that balance to his/her clients. It is well expressed in the Eastern concept of yin-yang.
Bat is the Mayan and Aztec symbol for rebirth, and the totem animal for shamanism. Bat hangs upside down in the cave, just as humans are nestled upside down in their mothers' wombs. In leaving the womb or the cave, each is forced to look at light and shadow. Bat embraces the idea of the Shaman's death. In ancient traditions, the would-be-shaman was sent to a certain location to dig his/her own grave, and then spent the night inside that grave, totally alone. The grave opening was supported by limbs, covered by a blanket, and then filled over with dirt and debris. Absolute darkness and total silence quickly cause the initiate to be confronted by his/her fears. The basic idea of the initiation was to break down all former notions of "self", and to cause the initiate to face his/her inner fears and demons. When the initiate is released from the grave, the old persona and ways of life of the one "who was put in in the ground" truly are dead and buried. A "new" person emerges, reborn, with the right BY INITIATION to be called a shaman, and to heal. During my initiation, I spent three days and two nights totally isolated within the grave, and it truly is a terrifying experience.
Much Learned
Yes, let me first say I'm am sorry for my hiatus without warning. I have tendency to wander away from writing, to refill myself with experiences and thoughts, though I always eventually come back. Rest assured that in this time I have done much thinking and reading, and I plan to do as much praying and journeying I can.
I went to the Rainbow Gathering these past few weekends, a nomadic commune birthed from 1960's idealism, and I must say I believe I saw what an illuminated society just might look like. Everybody shared, there was no aggression, all were family! There weren't just hippies but hobos, bikers and street kids along with entire faimilies. The society itself is a rich one, and no words of mine could ever do it justice. One must experiance such a life to know it, go beyond symbols and see into the true core.
They had a authentic Native American steam lodge there, and I must say it was a glorious spiritual event. We prayed to all four directions, and my body was cleansed of all polluntants. Spirit filled me, and my shamanic gifts have increased in strength and vision.
Kulkulcan, Pahana, Quetzalcoatl...may you bring such living to all the world at your return. A'ho.
Friday, February 8, 2008
I Return
We are composed of four parts in the material world:
-Who We Are
-Where We've Been
-Who We Were With
-What We Did
These 4 can sum up an entire life, and the effects it had on the rest of us. More later.
I have also found great wisdom within:
Life is like bowling, if you don't play with the gutters, you aren't really playing.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Might We Sing The Song?
I see houses burning
I'm ashamed
Before you close your eyes denyingly
You'd better ask yourself:
Did I choose something I could regret?
Did I do something I should regret?
Is this the place I used to call Fatherland?
Is this the place I used to know as Fatherland?
The silence is illusion
Stay awake
I hear children crying
Do cowards ask themselves:
Did I choose something I could regret?
Did I do something I should regret?
Is this the place I used to call Fatherland?
Is this the place I used to know as Fatherland?
Did I choose something I could regret?
Did I do something I should regret?
Is this the place I used to call Fatherland?
Is this the place I used to know as Fatherland?
Is this the place I used to call Fatherland?
Is this the place I used to know as Fatherland?
Fatherland
Fatherland
Fatherland
Fatherland
Fatherland
Sunday, February 3, 2008
As we march to 2012
They used to tell us that we were the best
And we were superpower
That with each passing minute we prospered
And flourished hour after hour
That our armies could take on the stars
And accomplish any task
That the internet would expand and surround us
And provide us with masks
They commanded we march off to war
And we heeded their drums
That our sacrifice was needed
And so we gave them our sons
They said it would all be over
And we hoped for that day
They said that it might take longer
Yet still we obeyed
They told us there would be no problem
That all would be well
They told us there would be bomb shelters
For when it all went to hell
But as the oceans rose and the ionosphere declined
As the warhawks sang
We should have known it would all dissapear
In the wind, with a bang
A Test of Will
The material world is designed in a way that prevents one from keeping one's thoughts on the spiritual, this I have seen. Everyday we feel the pressures of money, status, and fear coursing through our bodies like viper venom, paralyzing us mentally and stranding us here. Can we deny that we would all be better with 30 minutes of each day spent dwelling on spiritual things? Yet when it comes down to it, how hard is it to actually achieve that goal?
No wonder the medieval monks hid themselves away from the world, content to see nothing outside the monastery walls and take oaths of silence. but that is the way of the hermit, of the mystic, of those who cross fully into the spiritual. It is the duty of the Shaman to mediate between the many worlds, to be a vertex of the Six Directions. The shaman not only knows of the worlds beyond, but communicates with these worlds for the betterment of his tribe.
I sit, wondering if I myself have the courage and will to bound myself to 30 minutes of journeying everyday. Can I make it? I admit that I am void-touched, too happy to be all potential and no kinetic, to simply sit and allow the world to flow through me. So, I will try to journey for 30 minutes a day, though I understand I might fail. This shall be a test to show how much improvement is needed, and to see just how stacked against the spiritual the material really is.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Classroom Musings
Oh sure, shoot for college they say. What then? Get a career that I don't enjoy as I struggle to clear the debt from my name? AWAKEN! There is so much more out there then money or the town you live in! This is a WORLD, not just a place! Enjoy the fruits from Mother Earth's womb, for when Father Void embraces you, you shall never return.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Peering Into Time
The would be disappointed and even perhaps insulted because of the lack of respect we show for this world's inhabitants and the many others after it. What would he think of men in blue taking away his spear? The government chasing him out for living outside?
But what would he make of our accomplishments? We can cross the seas and fly in the sky above. We have left this planet and even walked on the moon. We know the exact dimensions of our own planet and our knowledge of the stars is only rivaled by the Mayans.
Would not our technology seem like awe inspiring sorcery? Would we all not be witch kings? He would bow before our weapons, and our sheer ability to kill millions of opposing tribe members. But what of us? To him we would seem weak and bound for death in the wild. Hear we scream about power outages when this darkness is all he has known of night.
So he might view us as demons, heroes, gods, or fools.
Can the same be said of us?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Drawing in and Drawing Down
On Monday I had a chance to at least put my beliefs into practice. I sent two of my friends on a guided spiritual journey, and I showed them their respective Totems. They were amazed, and begged me all night after words to do it again. Something deep inside me was happy, happy I could finally fulfill my destiny in at least some small part.
2012 draws nearer each day fellow seekers, can you see the clues?
Watch for the children marked with indigo, for as their numbers rise, Quetzalcoatl draws ever nearer to our world.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Prayer to the Directions
I pray to the six directions.....hear me.
I pray to the West which gives us rest and reflection.
I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.
I pray to the North which gives us patience and purity.
I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.
I pray to the East which gives us energy and knowledge.
I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.
I pray to the South which gives us discipline and direction.
I thank you for these gifts for without them we could not live.
Father Void above, share with me your wisdom, and I thank you for this gift.
Mother Earth below, share with me your strength, and I thank you for this gift.
Power Animals Explained: Part 3
Shaman are spiritual beings with the ability to heal, work with Earth, animal, plant, mineral, and elemental energies and even 'see' visions.
The ability to consciously move beyond the physical body is the particular specialty of the traditional shaman. These journeys of Soul may take the shaman into the nether realms, higher levels of existence or to parallel physical worlds or other regions of this world. Shamanic Flight, is in most instances, an experience not of an inner imaginary landscape, but is reported to be the shamans flight beyond the limitations of the physical body.
Today you are going to become a Shaman - in the sense that you will connect with your power animal to heal and bring light to the planet.
Please take your time . . .
As you are now seated at a computer - begin by returning to your cave, using all your senses to make it appear real.
Call your power animal to you and establish a connection.
'Tell' the animal you wish it to remain with you today so that you can connect at various times to experience.
If you can physically go into nature - or even make contact with a piece of nature such as a rock, tree, creek, etc (indoors or outdoors) - this would enhance your experience.
You may use music to enhance your experience.
The use of any kind of mind altering drugs is your option.
Once you are ready - close your eyes.
Take two long, slow breaths (inhaling through the nose and - exhaling slowly through the mouth).
Feel totally relaxed.
Disconnected from your physical environment.
See yourself slowly shape-shifting from your physical form - to that of a Shaman Healer.
(Shamans have the ability to shape shift).
Experience your physical body - its age, skin color, 'make-up' you may have applied, your geographic location, your confidence to heal, your personal power returned, the secrets you possess from the ages
Become one with that person - and experience.
Slowly shape shift again - this time into your power animal. . .
Feel each cell in your body changing . . .
Go into nature - physically or telepathically!
Move through nature as your power animal would.
Listen to the sounds. Experience all of the sensations of nature - on a higher level.
Listen to the animals communicating with each other.
Sense the Oneness of all things.
Sense portals that open to other realms.
Observe how they open and close.
You stop near a piece of nature, perhaps a stone, or tree, or even another power animal. Make a connection - physical or telepathic.
Determine how it can help you.
Ask to use it's energy or ask for it's help on your behalf.
If you asked for energy and they agreed, feel their energy surging through all that you are - the power animal, the shaman, your physical expression. If you asked for their help and they agreed see them doing as you asked.
Connect with the healing of the shaman energies of the indigenous people around the world, and the spirits that surround us.
Ask other Shaman to teach you new techniques or things they have learned if you wish.
Bask in the inter dimensional web-of consciousness, as you are connected to all things in this world and the many after.
Contemplate higher thoughts.
Ask the spirits what you might do to help the Mother Earth, Father Void, the Spirits, the Dead, or your fellow man.
Go on a Shamanic Journey to accomplish the goal shown.
This may result in your initiation into higher realms of spirit and healing.
Power Animals Explained: Part 2
Prepare to meet your power animal - as you did in the first lesson.
You can try this while at your computer - or in a place you meditate.
Out in nature usually gives the best results!
Relax your mind and body.
Now close you eyes and take two long deep breaths - breathing slowly in through your nose - holding the breath as is comfortable for you - and breathing out slowly through your mouth!
Return to your cave, making it as real as possible, as your third eye begins to open and shows you images . . .
Connect with your power animal .
If you can see the animal in movement - follow the animal to see where it takes you and what messages it wishes you to learn.
If you are having trouble following the animal - first visualize the animal - then see it moving away - perhaps through the tunnels within the Cave - perhaps on the Earth plane- . . .
Once you have connected with the animal - mentally tell the animal that you wish it to take you on a spirit journey so you can learn more about whatever you wish at this time.
It will take you on a journey . . .
As you leave, thank your Power Animal.
Make notes about your journey when you return.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Power Animals Explained: Part 1
The concept of a Power Animal is universal to all cultures. Tribal cultures will recognize a Totem for the tribe, one for the clan one belongs to, and one for the family that one is born into. In the United States, and in other countries, the Tribal and Clan Totem still exists, although it is thought of in a slightly different manner.
There are also totems for our adopted cultures, such as clubs or societies which we may belong to, such as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose, and the Lions Club.
Even Christianity, the prevalent religion of this country, has maintained two Totem animals, these being the Fish and the Lamb. Specialized Totems are also seen in organized sports, their names being reflected in the team names. Example: Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Falcons
The next type of Power Animal or Totem is that which is personal for the individual. These Totems are protective spirits which help us in our everyday life. Everyone has such a Totem. Even today most parents give a special protective Power Animal to their children and tell the child that it will be protected over night by that Power Animal. They don't realize that is what they are doing when they give a teddy bear to their little one.
We often unconsciously recognize the Power Animal affecting someone, and use terms which give away our unconscious recognition.
Our heavens/zodiac include animal references Leo, Scorpio, Taurus, etc.
The first item of business for a potential Shaman is to learn to travel through "spirit journeys" in the other worlds, then to discover his Totem or Power Animal. That knowledge is necessary in order to start the long process of learning.
Power Animals are usually a reflection of your deepest self and also represent qualities which you need in this world, but which are often hidden or obscured. A mistake that people often make is to be dissatisfied when they find that their Power Animal is some non-ferocious animal like a mouse. We tend to think that a mouse is not very powerful - that it is meek and afraid. What they forget is that spirits are not limited to physical reality and that size is irrelevant. Your Power Animal may be a tiny mouse, but in times of need this mouse can and will change its size and deportment to that which is appropriate to the occasion.
There is nothing weak of meek about a 500-foot tall mouse! Your personal Power Animal (as opposed to your family, clan, or tribal spirit) may change several times in your lifetime, depending upon your specific needs. If you are dispirited, your animal is far away from you and needs to be brought back, or a replacement found.
When you make your first exploratory journey you are likely to encounter spirits which may represent themselves as being your Totem or Power Animal. If you are already aware of your spirit that spirit may greet you and give you additional power.
All animals and insects are positive spirits. Any positive spirit may be your Power Animal. Your Power Animal may also be a mythical animal, such as a unicorn or Pegasus, or even one which does not exist in myth or legend.
We all have power animals - spirit animals - that are connected to us as protectors.
Many power animals are our spirit guardians that exist in other realms.
Some animals were with us from past lives but may have been another physical form. Example: We might have had a wolf or other wild animal as a friend or protector. In this timeline the animal incarnates as a dog.
Time to find your power animal.
Find or quiet place or just relax at your computer. . .
Relax your mind . . .
Feel the muscles in your body relaxing . . . your head . . . your shoulders . . . your neck . . . your jaw . . . the torso of your body . . . your arms . . .
Close your eyes . . .
Take 2 long slow deep breaths . . . breathing in through your nose . . . holding the breath as is comfortable for you . . . exhaling slowly through your mouth . .
Still your thoughts.
You are going to watch the screen just behind your eyes . . .
Imagine yourself before a cave, the traditional shamanic entrance to the spirit world. Make it as real as possible, using all of your senses . . .
Telepathically ask your power animal to show itself to you .
Be patient! Your third eye (pineal gland) must open before you can see images.
Soon the image of an animal will appear.
It may - or may not - be the animal you are expecting - so have no expectations.
The image may come all at once or appear to move towards you.
You may see the front view of the animal or see it at another angle.
The animal may not be your favorite animal!
Just allow the image to manifest before you!
Once you see the animal - watch it carefully to see what it does.
Listen with your thoughts to get a telepathic message from the animal.
It may seem funny to get a message in a human language - from an animal - but it can happen.
Your animal may appear in a scene that is significant for you.
Focus as best you can . . .
Note the colors around the animal - colors have significance.
Feel free to ask the animal is properties or abilities, or any questions you might have.
Before you leave thank your Power Animal . . . slowly open your eyes and write - or draw what you have seen.
You may see more than one animal.
You may see an animal that seems mythological vs. animals in our reality.
You may find that another day brings a different animal with a different message.
Things to consider:
Have you ever dreamed about this type of animal? What happened in the dream? Ask the animal to come to you in tonight's dream time and interact with you.
Why would such an animal appear to you?
Perhaps you must seek the meaning of this animal.
Power of Words
"Unknowable"
What lies beyond my sight, Beyond the world cast by light?
There the Ether has it's tides,
And on it's waves, we do ride
Adrift like rafts upon the sea
Whats the difference: you or me?
Its all the same
Ignore the name
Better never to be tamed
Words and symbols used as chains.
The Nature of This World
I'm not saying the material realm is a bad place, I'm just trying to pin down WHAT it is. Perhaps the world we know is a hallucination, a dream we have all chose to live for some unknown reason. Why here? Why now? Did I chose my destination, was I thrown into it, was I created within it?
And those before me, why did they live in the times they did? Perhaps I chose to be near 2012, to be 22 when it finally rolled around, powered by youth and full of life. Or maybe I was put near 2012 for a specific reason. I'm an 11, a master vibration of the spiritual realm. Perhaps in some way I and my ilk are needed at this time, to guide the others to a new plane of reality that we ourself can craft.
Who knows. I have learned much, but I shall never have all the answers, perhaps even all the questions. This one in particular portrays itself as a cloud of smoke within my mind, and I find myself unable to look inside the smokescreen.
This is my time, but what is my reason? Why do I go through the trails and tribulations here. Have we decided to create a world of suffering, and if so, why? What is so crucial that it must permeate every facet of our existence? The Discordians asked a similar question, and thier answer was quite profound.
A SERMON ON ETHICS AND LOVE
One day Mal-2 asked the messenger spirit Saint Gulik to approach the Goddess and request Her presence for some desperate advice. Shortly afterwards the radio came on by itself, and an ethereal female Voice said YES?
"O! Eris! Blessed Mother of Man! Queen of Chaos! Daughter of Discord! Concubine of Confusion! O! Exquisite Lady, I beseech You to lift a heavy burden from my heart!"
WHAT BOTHERS YOU, MAL? YOU DON'T SOUND WELL.
"I am filled with fear and tormented with terrible visions of pain. Everywhere people are hurting one another, the planet is rampant with injustices, whole societies plunder groups of their own people, mothers imprison sons, children perish while brothers war. O, woe."
WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THAT, IF IT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?
"But nobody wants it! Everybody hates it."
OH. WELL, THEN STOP.
At which moment She turned herself into an aspirin commercial and left The Polyfather stranded alone with his species.
Why do this to ourselves? Or perhaps have we been guided down the path of violence and hatred, of ignorance and fear. Did we commit some sin long ago that all Creation frowned upon? If so, what?
What indeed, what indeed.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Vivek: Street Philosopher, Visionary, Prophet, Martyr
"A real smart part of me didn't want to do this with you...In general I don't want to do this. The world isn't ready for this. People don't want the truth.."
He does not give up, and finally at the end he is able to Illuminate the fools, who promise to put what was once going to be a comedy video, online so that all might see it and learn.
His Ways and mine are similar, and differ only in minute details of the source of the Ways and how others should access the Ways. Still, a modern day wise man who must not be forgotten. Through him we learn that, though the "citizens" may never understand the truth, we must always be willing to offer it to them.
Ramble onward, and seek Illumination in the words of Vivek.
Or watch them here:
"Theres no limit in reality, we have no beginning and no end."
"In reality your as priceless as the god of Infinity."
"What I tell you is nothing compared to the Truth."
"You don't know when your hypnotized, so you don't know when your waking up. It takes power, man."
"This is a literal dream right here. What we're going through here is just as much a dream as what you dream when you go to sleep at night."
"The only way to take this seriously is if your the humblest person who ever lived. I told you what the Great Masters are like: they do everything for everybody else."
"The thing we're talking about is supposed to get us to turn our minds away from this dimension."
"The spiritual path is beyond words."
"The credit goes to our highest nature."
The Eternal Inter-Dimensional Web of Consciousness and You
I have.
Sit back and ask yourself, what is the state of your spiritual life? Are you happy? Are your beliefs proving and re-proving themselves everyday? When was the last time you experienced a miracle? You know the possibility, the sheer potential is all out there, waiting for you. For totems may speak to you and try to get your attention, but if you are resolute in ignoring them, you shall never know.
To miss the joys of nature, the mastery of reality, the closeness of other worlds: THAT is hell!
Never forget that the Ways are always accessible to all, you need but outstretch your hand and touch them. You must let go of your want to dominate the universe, to be it's center or ruler. How can you rule over that which IS you? You are the breeze against the hurricane, a cell rebelling against the body.
Know that this body shall always heal, and that no tumor lives for long. But it is not that this world and the many after it seek harm upon you, ay, they wish you only the best! It is YOU who decided to throw yourself in danger, wnadering the dark streets alone. Some, some can walk these streets alone....but we all benefit by having a few tricks up our sleeves and friends at our sides. The Ways do not hide themselves, they are present in all things. To know them is to know Creation, but one must seek them out. We can never indoctriante, to do so is to destroy his soul. We are guides and teachers, helping all and teaching those who seek. Ye must seek out the Ways and ramble if you are to truly become One, verily I say unto you.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Is Change Near?
I won't go into details, but it appears as if I might begin my journey far earlier then I wanted, due to certain circumstances. I have no supplies as I did in the old days, and will begin assembling a new hobo bag at once.
It seems the strands of fate are twisting in the shadows, and my eyes cannot pierce their veil quite yet. I shall spirit journey and consult my Totem Animals, and perhaps I shall have a "view from above" on the whole situation.
Time of Medicine and Mojo Draws Near
I have begun debating what to do next after my Mojo Medicine Bag. Some friends would like me to craft similar items for them, and of course I cannot turn them down. But what will my first act of Hoodoo "rootwork" be. I have toyed with the idea of putting a jinx on the local police, and Hoodoo is quite capable when it comes to dispelling the law. Look no further then Lucky Mojo to provide the evidence:
A highly unusual, but obviously authentic spell using Goofer Dust was brought to my attention in April 1998 by Carol Barber, who wrote about what seems to be a very old recipe for a mojo hand:
"[Here's] something I've been trying to figure out [...] Someone was looking for a spell to help a friend get out of jail. This person received a spell that I'm not quite sure what to make of [...] It called for a "guffa bag" to be made from yellow silk, in which is placed a yellow feather, a sprinkling of powder (not defined as to what type), and a shiny new penny. It was then to be tied closed with a yellow ribbon."
The word "guffa" in this mojo bag recipe stumped me at first because in my mind i pronounced it with a short "u" (as in "guff") but in discussing it in usenet, William S. Aronstein set me straight by asking if "guffa" was not the same as "goofer," and then the composition of the bag fell into place:
Here is a brief analysis of the ingredients of the Goofer Dust mojo:
YELLOW SILK
Yellow silk tends to be associated with charms for wealth (yellow stands for golden coins) and, in older times, for court cases, especially when paying a fine was necessary. Yellow silk is the 2nd most common cloth used in making conjure bags (after red flannel). Its use dates back to the 19th century or earlier when yellow Chinese silk was very popular for ladies' fancy dresses and undergarments and seamstresses had lots of scraps of yellow silk and silk ribbon ready to hand.
YELLOW FEATHER
The inclusion of a feather in a mojo hand is very common, a practice that has roots in both African (Congo) and Native American custom. By the 1900s, the colour-coding of dyed chicken feathers included in such hands had been brought into line with the Western Esoteric Tradition of magical colour symbolism, as modified in America. In this system, yellow usually stands for gold and wealth.
SHINY NEW PENNY
Coins are often found in African-American conjure bags and they appear in many Congolese magic bags as well. The American coin most often encountered in mojo hands is the silver dime, followed by the nickel and then the penny, always specified as "shiny new." A silver dime cannot be placed in contact with Goofer Dust, however, for the sulphur will discolour it. The symbolism of coins is obvious -- acquisition and mastery of money -- but because this is a "get out of jail" bag, the coin may symbolize paying a fine, bribing an official or, more likely, the penny may stand for a "copper" that is, a cop or policeman. (Copper pennies often appear in Law Keep Away spells.)
POWDER
The name of the bag identifies the mysterious unspecified powder it should contain. It's a Goofer Bag, so the powder must of necessity be Goofer Dust. The inclusion of a powder is another pointer to the 19th century origin of this magical recipe, for although sachet powders are very popular in hoodoo work, they have become less and less common ingredients in conjure hands in the years since WW II. Goofer Dust is usually a fine yellowish-grey, so the colour makes it all of a coherent piece with the yellow silk, yellow feather, and yellow ribbon. Since it is there to mess up someone's life and the bag includes a penny, the implication is that a "copper" will suffer if the bearer is jailed. Alternatively, if the graveyard dirt that went into the bag came from the grave of a police officer, the criminal may actually asking for his spirit's protection from the harrassments of the law.
This old-fashioned Goofer Bag does not contain the elements one would expect to find in a "court case" mojo hand intended to influence a trial or parole hearing. (Those items would likely include Chewing John root (a.k.a. Court Case root or Little John to Chew), poppy seeds (confusion to an enemy), white mustard seeds (faith in deliverance), oregano (keeping the law away), and so forth.) Rather, this bag is intended to protect against arrest, get a fine or bribe paid, or destroy any policeman who interferes with the activities of the bearer. Only a real criminal would carry a Goofer Bag like this. It is not an innocent victim's petition for legal aid; it is a law-breaker's bag, meant to put the jinx on the cops.
Monday, January 21, 2008
My Tribe, My People
They are invisible, a face you pass by everyday without a care. Society simply isn't designed for their existence, and so they make a society of their own. Some catch trains, some hitchhike, others get around in their own way. Each one has a story and each one is a walking conduit of wisdom gained through experiance. These are my people, my tribe, and they will always be dear to my heart. But who are these people you ask? Allow me to explain.
The ranks of the homeless are filled with four different and unique classes, each commanding a respective amount of respect. A Hobo works and wanders, a Tramp dreams and wanders, a Yegg steals and wanders, and a Bum drinks and stays put. In the old days the Hobo was king, though as their numbers dry up it is the Tramp who takes their place. My own class, the Yegg, are very rare indeed, but are respected by all other classes as never bowing down to authority.
I have always practically lived as a tramp, smoking dope and squatting in abandoned houses every weekend with my friends, creating almost magical memories of what life is supposed to be. I was a skilled Yegg already, and kept the houses we occupied that still had their electricity stocked up with stolen food. Fried chicken, Gatorade, chips, fish, candy, liquor, black and milds, fruity pebbles, bowls, plates....we had it all.
For some reason I always figured I would eventually run away, so i kept a fully stocked "Hobo bag" filled with stolen supplies. I was fully loaded, and my supplies were culled directly from the survival tips of other homeless. I had even begun hanging out with a few, partying and hearing their tales, and I must say I was drawn to the culture. I learned the ancient hobo hieroglyphs, a dead language, but terribly fascinating nonetheless.
When I was kicked out of my house I lived on the street as a Yegg for about three days, and I have to say it took some convincing from my friends to leave that lifestyle. After that, anytime I ran into any other homeless I made sure to give whatever I could: money, black and milds, food. I knew their hardships, and if I had a place of my own I would have boarded them.
I cannot wait for my motorcycle, and the call of the asphalt does beckon my soul. But I also hear the train whistle, the stirring of mulligan stew, and the warm cackle of a jungle fire. One day I think I might just join their ranks if I get disgusted enough with the society I live in now.
After all, every jungle camp could use a Shaman and a little Mojo.
(Homeless Survival Guide 1)
(Homeless Survival Guide 2)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Music Is Emotion
I have always found that music sways my emotions as easily as a the wind sways a branch. It can send me on an emotional rollarcoaster, going from happy, to nihilistic, to sad, to mechanical, to spiritual. but why? What is it about these sounds that effect us so? I mean, all music is merely organized sound, isn't it?
Recall my earlier post about the direct translation of thought to speech. With music, we skip translating our thought into audio symbols(language). It remains pure, like the howl of a wolf or the chirp of a bird. Indeed, if man makes but one sound I saw it is music. Music allows us to step directly into the mindset of the artist. He is not asking you to read, or comprehend.
He is making you feel.
Music travels through the air, into ears that may be far from the original source. You cannot ignore it, nor the feelings it conjures. I am by no means a communist, and yet, when I hear the sounds of the Red Army Choir, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride for a country I have never known. I wish to enlist, to fight, anything for my motherland, her uniform and colored ribbons worth more then my life.
The industrial band Laibach knows this, and uses fascistic symbolism to make the mental assault even more complete. Even more amazing is the fact they come from Slovenia, one of the smallest and non-threatning countries in Europe. And yet, when Laibach plays, I feel as if I am goose-stepping to join some conquering blitz.
But as each song passes the mood can change just as quickly. "E Minor Waltz" by David Powell reaches my ears, and at once I am on a porch beneath the warm and pleasant southron sun. I am surronded by friends, simply watching the overworked world pass us by, content in the happiness we enjoy.
Another shift and my body bubbles with rage, hate, and contempt. I am a one man hurricane, willing to destroy everything that affronts my eyes, its sheer existence in insult. Death rules over life, the idea of balance dashed against the floor like a man's brains, my fist covered in his blood. I feel strong, powerful, and desire to go on some great raid, where I may have the inhabitants of some far off location quiver in fear at my presence. Fear me, the embodiment of Death made flesh!
Accordian? Guitair? Slavic Accent? Gogol Bordello has transformed me into a wandering gypsy, once again identifing with a culture I have never known. No book, no film can bring me closer to the essence of a gypsy then these songs, and I wish only to live, to dance, to drink and be merry! Though I cannot understand his Russian, I still somehow grasp the message, the feeling of his words, possessing a shape and texture all their own.
And then, it slows. Kingfish sings the blues, and I am a backwater Mojo man, one step ahead of the cops with a fistful of Goofer dust. Muddy Waters almost transforms my skin color, and I identify and feel the world of the Black South, perhaps in the only I can. Sadness, Happiness, Luck, Good Times and Bad all become one, and I see a life outwardly poor but spiritually rich.
Silence.
I am myself again, almost dizzy. Was it all a dream? I feel as if I was gone for a year. Where are the people I knew? The places I've been? I smile, for though they may be gone for the moment, I can always go back.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
A Fragment, A Hint
To bring about such a change the will-user uses the conception of 'dynamic interconnectedness to describe the physical world as the sort of thing that imagination and desire can effect. The shaman's world is an independent whole, a web of which no strand is autonomous. Mind and body, galaxy and atom, sensation and stimulus, are intimately bound. Shamanism strongly imbues the view that all things are independent and interrelated.' These concepts pivot on the belief that all things come from the One Thing, or First Cause, and 'Its power is integrating, if it be turned into earth.'
The purpose of all rituals in ceremonial magic is to unite the microcosm with the macrocosm to join God, or gods when invoked, with the human consciousness. When such a supreme union is achieved the subject and object becomes one. This is because the magician feels that he is consciously in touch with all elements of the universe, therefore, he can control them. It may be said, the magician feels connected with the universe. This feeling intensifies the more the magician successfully practices his skills. Whenever he experiences a failure he knows that the ritual was not performed correctly..."
Law of Association
"...The next law is the Law of Association. This law is the most commonly and frequently used of all the laws of magic. This law falls with the principle of sympathetic magic. Simply this means things react upon each other under certain imposed or imaginary conditions.
The Law of Similarity is the first of two sublaws contained within the Law of Association, the second is the Law of Contact or Contagion. The Law of Similarity states that like things produce like things, or that an effect resembles its cause.
Schematically this may be illustrated as such: thing 'A' may produce something similar to itself called 'C'; and, thing 'B' may produce something similar to itself called 'C'; and, this something called 'C' may be shared by both 'A' and 'B'.
The Law of Contact or Contagion, the second sub law of the Law of Association, follows from the Law of Similarity. This law states that things which have once been in contact with each other continue to act on each other at a distance even after physical contact has been severed.
This can be shown by the following example: the something or commodity 'C' which is similar to and was shared by thing 'A' and thing 'B' can after its detachment from 'A' and 'B' affect or control either or both. The mutual, influencing effect or control these things exert upon each other is dependent upon the greatness with which 'C' was shared.
From the Law of Similarity the magician infers that he can produce any effect just by imitating it. And, from the Law of Contact the magician infers whatever he does to a material object will equally affect the person, or entity, the object was once attached to, whether in the form of a body part or not..."
The Tool User
But what of man? Are we alone devoid of these extraordinary powers, doomed forever to be at the mercy of the universe. Just looking at the amazing abilities the things of this world and any others have almost can convince some that everything good and bad is totally due to some external force, that we are no more then puppets, without purpose besides what we ourselves are being used for.
But this is a falsity, a retreat by the mind close to Illumination.
For it is Man who has been given the greatest gift of all: the ability to use the powers of others in the direction of his will. For while the Devil's Bit root is said to put a stop to any evil, it is the Hoodoo man who directs it. Is it not we who summon the spirits, we who journey to commune with the Totems?
Man is not a director, but rather a conductor, guiding the forces around him to either make beautiful music or a cacophony of terror, but always relying on the musicians to make his dream reality. There is mutual respect between the conductor and the musicians, for the sound they seek to create is not possibly without their unity. But not only do we use the intelligent "tools" of this world, we can create our own, shaping the things around us into new and never before seen forms.
How else has man survived these millions of years? We are not particularly strong, nor fast, nor fearsome. We cannot fly, nor live in the water, or even in the bowels of the earth. And yet, we have some driving force, some key ingredient within our very souls that looked out upon creation and said "Yes. I can work with this." Whether with his hands, his words, or his mind, Man shall always continue to use everything at his disposal to better his own condition, but he becomes more then Man when he does this with not only the self in mind.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Companions Along the Journey
The drive to travel hums deep inside me like a massive bee hive. Every motorcycle I see I am transfixed by, each one reminding me of the future voyage ahead. I notice my body begins to feel with tension when I think of the little money I need, yet do not have. How ironic that an able-bodied young man who wants nothing more then to work like a mule remains jobless!
And I am not lazy! I have searched, and applied, and still have found no luck. I know however that I cannot lose, that defeat is simply an impossibility. I will get the money, I will get the bike, and I will be on the road, sooner or later. If the world has deemed that i must wait, I know not to struggle against it. Man can only see so far, while the spirits see all.
So I continue searching, ever ready and willing to do any work. Today I even met a kindred nomad, longing desperately to escape this suburban morass many call Satellite Beach. When I explained to him my plans, he was ecstatic about the concept, asking if he might join me. It turns out his father did the exact same thing I am planning. Coincidence? I told him I welcomed all companions as long as he got a bike to ride as well.
He shared my condition, and I saw much of myself in him: a kid society has deemed useless and carelessly thrown to the trash, simply because he does not fit their preconceived ideas of what a life is. With his addition the tribe I have always longed for slowly takes shape, fate obviously slowly building momentum towards my exodus. Though he is uninitiated into the world of metaphysics, I know that when we are upon the road, he shall be open to the true nature of the world.
Do you long for the road as well? Email me, and please, join us. You can stay on the road with me as long as you like, and join in the adventures and illuminations that are sure to come. Who knows, perhaps you'll never go back?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Helping People
Today I had the chance to help two people, one with interpreting a dream, the other by introducing him to shamanism. Now, I do not believe in Karma, and yet I cannot deny that I feel more spiritually uplifted due to my deeds.
I believe this is not due to some cosmic exchange of good and bad, or the smiling favor of some faraway god, but due to the fact that I am living out my destiny. With each soul I help, my destiny becomes more and more fulfilled.
What is your destiny, your cause, your calling. I think we all have a reason for being here, but that it is up to us to pursue it. We must accept the fact that while the world may nudge and bad might befall us, we can still ignore our purpose, damning ourselves to a life of unhappiness and inequity.
I know you've done something that brings you more joy then anything else. Why have it as a hobby? Why not make it your life?
Life. What a gift, what glory! Mother Earth, Father Void, let me continue this wondrous life of beauty and ethereal splendor!
Machine Spirits And Techno-Shamanism
We are energy ordered into a physical form, the material world nothing more then the vibrations and frequencies put off by the movement of this energy. We can share this energy by touch, by emotion, and by conscious thought.
So, we can give this energy to machines. Does this mean they have life? I would say yes. Guitarists can tell you each guitar feels different, almost as if it had a soul. They can even feel the age of one, just by picking it up. Hasn't your computer ever seemed to have a mind of it's own, or actually responded to your pleas for it's cooperation? I have a friend whose CD player in his car refuses to play angry music. It will play all manner of CD's, but if an angry band is put it, it won't even play.
How can this be so?
We all feel like certain clothing gives us luck, that aged books seem like wizened old men, and that our special chair just feels different. I believe that through emotion we have given these automatons the spark of life, and that they can be addressed like any spirit. Go on a spirit journey and ask your car to keep you safe on the road. Perhaps you might ask the spirit of the washing machine to help cleanse your spirit body?
After all, all machines are made out of what once were natural materials. Might not the spirit stay with them then?
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
What a Journey
This journey was intense and dreamlike, so the details are a bit muddled.
I sat down, turned off the lights, put on my "Lifepuzzler" station on Pandora, and began to rattle. For some reason tonight I felt as if I didn't need it. I knew tonight was special almost instantly. I felt Brother Bat as clearly as I had the first time, and his voice seemed to boom. My body seemed to be more relaxed, and the images more clear then ever before.
I had interpreted a dream for someone earlier today, and I asked Brother Bat if my interpretation was correct. He told me it was, and that my powers of intuition were growing. I asked that this person's power animal be sent to them through a dream, and we visited Frog(the power animal in question). He agreed and was on his way. I decided to continue journeying.
On my street there is a rock that resembles a pagan standing stone. I had always been interested in the rock, and tonight before I came home I decided to lay my hand on it and feel it. I felt energy funnel through my body as if I had become part of an electrical circuit. I decided that tonight I would finally communicate with a mineral spirit, and so I called out to the rock in the spirit world.
I saw my spirit body sitting cross legged on the street in front of the rock. He began to speak, and the energy from the rock made me feel as if I was floating out of my body. I almost passed out. I asked him what his properties were, and he said he was descended from a Cairn, and that he could amplify my power greatly. I asked him if, when I make my medicine/mojo bag, I might use of a piece of him in it. "No, of course you can" he said. I asked him if he had any wisdom for me.
He told me to stay on my path, to never be ashamed of who or what I am, and one third piece of advice I can't seem to recall. I thanked him and returned to the part of the spirit world I most often visited, carried on the back of Brother Bat and feeling amazing. There was a knock on my door, and I knew I had to return. I gave thanks. "Thank you Brother Bat, thank you Brother Frog, thank you Sister Rock." The word sister seemed to fly right from my mouth, as if I had meant to say it. Yet I had reffered to the rock in the male sense, and it responded in tow.
An amazing experiance.
The Irony of It All
All I want to do is to help people and live my life closer to the spiritual world, to wander with a tribe of like minded individuals, discovering higher metaphysical truths and living life to it's fullest. And yet, in this day and age this is frowned upon. I am "wasting" my life. Ha! Is it you or I who has wasted the wonderful bounty of experiences this world has to offer? Do you know of the beauty of a full moon rising over the horizon? The sweet music of running water? The grace and beauty of the animal world? The secrets and knowledge of the fungi?
No, I say it is those who are damned to only a material existence who have wasted the precious gift of life! Go out and explore! LIVE!
The Dead weep for the living, for it is only through death that life is truly appreciated. The Time of Travel draws near for me, and I hear the road beckon. I hear you! I hear you! We are long lost lovers, waiting for the time we might once again be made one.
"Nomad"
Speak not of hovels
Of dens and abodes
My heart's made of pavement
My blood made of road
I know not of months
Of weeks and of days
But only of silver
And bright shining rays
I ride in a tribe
And we know this land
And though you may never
Quite understand
The thought of the miles
Far at my back
Leaves my soul free to roam,
Released from the rack
Now THIS is the life
That brings ease to death
Not a chance missed
Not unspent a breath
Discard Your Dream Dictionaries!
Every day as I browse the bookshelves I see them. The desperate, the confused, the lost desperately seeking answers anyone can give them. They buy self-help books, cheap new age texts telling them everything is alright, but worst of all, they buy dream dictionaries.
Let us pause and consider what a dream is. According to the shamanistic perspective the dreamworld IS the spirit world, and every dream carries an important message. These messages are hidden among symbolism that will be recognizable to the dreamer. How then can an author create a "all-purpose" dream dictionary? Do we all interpret symbols in the same way?
To allow someone to discard the individual meaning of your dream and replace with an over-generalized symbol relevant only to the author is nothing short of imperialism, perhaps even spiritual rape. Your dreams should be one of your most sacred possessions, for it is through them most of us experiance the spirit world, and through them we can find guidance, meaning, and answers to our most dire questions.
Dr. Francis Crick, the man who discovered DNA, didn't do it be studying or running tests. He claims that one night he dreamed of molecules and proteins combining into a strange shape he had never seen before. When he awoke, he jotted the symbol down, and today we know it as the "spiral ladder" of DNA.
But let us return to the individul symbolism of dreams. What does Bat symbolize to you? Perhaps fear, or darkness, death, maybe even evil. What is Bat to me? The cave is seen as the entrance to the spirit world in Shamanism, making Bat a guardian of the spirit world, the teacher of the mysteries of the unknown. Bat helps to move through the necessary shedding of the old and embracing of the new, to confront the "little" deaths of change, transition, and transformation, along with guiding the souls of the dead to the afterlife. One special guidance tool it symbolically offers is sonar navigation. Like Dolphin, Bat uses echolocation to guide it, so if we study and attune to Bat, we can learn to swoop with grace through transformation and rebirth, trusting that our own inner guidance and intuition will help us find our way.
This is not to say that only one person can decipher a dream, on the contrary, as long as you explain any details that might contribute to the dream, nearly anyone can help. If I know you, I know your dreams. So please, rather then continue to send these scam artists money, consult with friends, family, or the spirits themselves on the meaning of your dream. If you are still confused, email me, and perhaps I can help you understand the message of your dream.
Fort more on Bat, my power animal, ramble onward.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Five Directions of the Medicine Wheel
Everything is Alive.
Everything has its own spirit or energetic signature. From this principle we learn to observe and pay attention to everything around us. We strive to see things as they are and learn their true nature. To explore the experience of energetic observation we practice the shaman’s art of vision-shifting.
Everything is Conscious.
Everything has its own form of conscious awareness. From this principle we learn to be present and to enter into true dialogue with the unseen forces around us. We actively engage spirit and energetic forms. To alter our consciousness and attune to spirit we practice the shamanic art of journeying.
Everything is Dynamic.
It is the nature of things to move, change and transform. The shaman knows that where there is movement, there is health. Where energy cannot move there is illness. From this principle we learn to be flexible. We learn to sense the movement of energy and when it is blocked. We adapt the shamanic practice of shape-shifting to learn to move energies not by mastering them but by merging with them.
Everything is Connected.
Everything exists in relationship to everything else. From this principle we learn to be respectful and we come to understand sacred reciprocity and the healing power of relationship. To restore balance and harmony to our relationships we practice ceremony and ritual.
Everything Responds.
The universe responds to our most sacred intentions. From this principle we learn to be clear and to engage the world with embodied prayer. We serve the unseen world by bringing beauty into the seen world. Bridging the waking and dreaming worlds is the art of dream-weaving.
For more information of the Medicine Wheel, and how you can use it, wander onward.