Opening Sacred Shamanic Space

Shamans generally open sacred space, or call to the directions, before ceremonies and Shamanic work. I thought I would share with you the method by which this is done. To call the directions, start facing the South. You may use your rattle or bells and many Shamans spray a Shamanic tincture to bless each direction. Face each direction as you call to it, for Mother Earth touch the ground, and for Father Sun look to the skies.

To the winds of South, land of the Serpent

Wrap your coils of light around us,

Teach us to shed our pasts, as you naturally shed your skin,

Teach us to watch upon the Earth softly, as softly as your belly touches the soil,

Teach us to walk the Beauty Way.

To the winds of the West, realm of the Jaguar,

Oh Mother Jaguar, luminous one,

We ask that you protect our medicine space,
We ask that you mulch any heavy energy and protect us as we walk in Shadow,

Teach us the way of Peace, show us the way beyond death.

To the winds of the North, space of the Hummingbird,

We call to you Hummingbird

We call to you grandmothers, grandfathers,

We call to you Ancient Ones,

Whisper to us in the wind,

Send your secret messages to our hearts,

We honor you who have come before us and you who will come after.

To the winds of the East, sky of the Eagle

Oh great Eagle,

Come to us from the place of the rising Sun,
Keep us safe under your great wing,
Show us the way to soar to our destiny high above the mountains where you live
Teach us to fly wing to wing with the Great Spirit.

Mother Earth
We've gathered here for the healing of all of your people
The plant people, the stone people,
The fur-legged, the two-legged, the creepy crawlers,
The finned, the furred, and the winged one,
We've gathered here for the healing of all of our relations.

Father Sun
Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, People of the Star Nations,
Great Spirit,
You who are known by many names,
You who are the unnameable one,
Thank you for bring us together and allowing us to do this work.

Shamanic space can be opened for meditation, for personal work, and to invite Spirit into what you are working on. However, you should remember to close sacred space after three days. To close Sacred Space, you may repeat the opening ceremony or turn to each direction (including Mother Earth, and Father Sun) and thank each one for their protections and help.

Pachakuti: Transformer of the World

In this final post in my series about the seven Shamanic archetypes, I will discuss Pachakuti: Transformer of the World.

In life Pachakuti was the great Inca emperor said to have commissioned Machu Picchu's construction. As an archetype he represents the superconscious world and teaches us how to step outside of time. He is connected to the Spirit world where all possibilities are kept and facilitates great change and spiritual awakening, and sometimes great upheaval. Because Pachakuti lives in the Spirit world he is not bound by time and he can help you heal your past and your future at the same time. He is the ultimate co-creator.

When I started this post I was having a hard time describing Pachakuti's nature despite my relationship with him - after all Shamanism is really about the experience of the mythic and not the ability to describe it in plain words. So, I decided I would journey with Pachakuti in order to help me find the words for this blog.  However, as I picked up my rattle I broke it and thus experienced the perfect mythic expression of Pachakuti's nature.

I was, of course, very upset having broken one of my most sacred objects and something I believe to hold deep magic. However when I broke my rattle, Pachakuti reminded me it is impossible to destroy the Magic of Spirit - you can only transform it.

If you would like to create a relationship with Pachakuti, set the intention to create a pure relationship with him, place your hands over your 7th chakra and speak directly to him. Ask him to help you find the magic that lives in your life.  Be conscientious and ask that this discovery be gentle, as Pachakuti has a way to transforming every part of your world.

Quetzalcoatl: The Conscious Creator

As I have been discussing, there are seven Shamanic archetypes that are "given" to the Shaman through a special ceremony called the Harmony Rite. This week I will discuss Quetzalcoatl: The Conscious Creator.

Quetzalcoatl is an Aztec god and Shamanic archetype. There are many Shamanic traditions around the world and Quetzalcoatl's mythic nature is experienced in Inca culture as well.

He represents the conscious world and teaches us how to create anyi (right relationship) in our every day life. Quetzalcoatl is deeply connected to the Earth, tending its plants and stones, and is said to be responsible for music, dance, flutes and drums.

He is also a creation of his own right - part bird, part serpent, capable of flight.

I call upon Quetzalcoatl when I am feel unbalanced. He is a stabilizing force and is willing to share his deep wisdom. When I am overwhelmed or exhausted from too many tasks, I imagine myself dancing with Quetzalcoatl as an expression of anyi. Gently gliding across the dance floor, gracefully and effortlessly moving our bodies, he doing his part of the dance, me doing mine.

I  believe that anyone can create relationships with their archetypes regardless of whether they have received the Harmony Rite. However, the intention to create a pure relationship with your archetype is required. If you would like to connect with Quetzalcoatl, try placing you hands over your sixth chakra and speak to him directly. Ask him "Which of my relationships needs balance?"

Read next week for my blog post about the seventh archetype: Pachakuti.

Huascar: The Shadow Warrior

For the last four weeks, I have been discussing the seven Shamanic archetypes. This week, I will discuss the first human archetype, Huascar: The Shadow Warrior.

Huascar was ruler of the Inca Empire around the time of the Spanish invasion but was killed by his brother who had gained power during a civil war.

In life Huascar was the keeper of the medicine teachings. In death he has become the archetype of the Underworld.

Huascar brings balance to the dark places within each of us where shadow lives. He connects us to the renewing forces of death, contrasting the light in our lives with shadow.

During Shamanic Journeys, experienced Shaman can visit Huascar in the Underworld to retrieve lost soul pieces and become whole and balanced in this life. Huascar allows us to bring all aspects of our self into harmony, teaching us to search our subconscious worlds, explore our own shadows, and bring back lost medicine.

I recommend that anyone who is interested in connecting with this archetype do so under the guidance of an experienced Shaman.

Read next week for my blog post about the sixth archetype: Quetzalcoatl.

Eagle: The Soaring Sage

In this series, I have been discussing the seven Shamanic archetypes that are "given" to the Shaman through a special ceremony called the Harmony Rite. This week I will discuss Eagle: The Soaring Sage.

Eagle represents vision, clarity, and insight. On the Medicine Wheel he lives in the East and is connected to the Sun and the Mountains. Eagle teaches us to fly wing to wing with the Great Spirit and to dream our world into being.

When we are connected to Eagle we see from our hearts with great perspective. We see all the pieces in one picture and we can create new pieces if we choose. We can soar all the way to the Sun in order to reach our dreams.

In Eagle meditations, I allow myself to feel the powerful wings of Eagle as if they were my own.  I feel the wind lift me higher and higher until I am able to receive mythic messages very clearly; as if Spirit itself has whispered directly in my ear.

It is very peaceful to see the world from the mountain tops, to embody Eagle. Being deeply connected to Spirit in this way allows me to be closest to my purest energetic self . I can cast aside all ego and allow myself to simply exist.

If you would like to connect to your own Eagle, set the intention to create a pure relationship with the archetype. Place your hands over your fourth chakra and speak directly to him. Allow Eagle to expand your heart's energy until it radiates with the power of the Sun. Reach out your arms, the same way Eagle spreads its wings, and soar above yourself until you see the beauty of your true being as Spirit sees you.

Read next week for my blog post about the fifth powerful archetype: Huascar.