Power Animal Lion

LION's Medicine includes patience, family importance, courage.

"LION, TEACH ME TO BE A PROTECTOR
POWERFUL, YET SILENT AND STILL.
I AM STRONG AND PROUD,
BUT KNOW MY WEAKNESSES."

Lion is a totem of Feminine power and strength. The male Lion sits and boats his Beautiful mane while the Lioness is out hunting, working and feeding the pride.

The male Lion is the protector of the pride, but he does not fight if he can avoid it. He would sooner bask on a rock as get into a brawl. Lion always tries a passive, calm approach before resorting to violence to protect what he loves. Lion knows that one must not underestimate the power of peace, and suggests that we release all out stress and frustration before making any rash decisions.

Lion teaches many lessons. He reminds us to examine our behavior to find flaws and weaknesses as well as strengths. He teaches us to keep our temper under control. He also teaches us the power of silent, unseen observation, just like Fox. And, most importantly, he teaches us the importance of family and of team work.

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Plant Spirit Shamanism Traditional Techniques For Healing The Soul

Book: Plant Spirit Shamanism Traditional Techniques For Healing The Soul by Ross Heaven

PLANT SPIRIT SHAMANISM: TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR HEALING THE SOUL explores not the usual medicinal qualities of plants, but shaman Communications with the spirits of the plants themselves. Both authors have years of in-depth field shamanic work in the Amazon, Haiti and Europe, and their experiences and interviews with other master shamans in different areas results in a core of insights gleaned from not just one but a variety of indigenous cultures. Healers will find this essential to Understanding plant processes.

This is a great book on the perspective of healing from a shaman's view instead of the Western scientific reductionist view of the pharma industry. The author interviews shamans from different cultures, but most all their work has the same basis.

Everything, including plants and flowers, has Consciousness and has the ability to communicate with other sentient beings. The shamans listen to the wisdom of the plants. Through their spirits the shamans have been able to determine the answers to questions about the brain and our universe that modern science still hasn't figured out with any clarity.

Buy Ross Heaven's book: Plant Spirit Shamanism Traditional Techniques For Healing The Soul

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The Shaman Call

THE SHAMAN'S CALL

The Night Bird's call draws evening near,
Stars and planets in the Darkening Sky appear,
People of the day to their beds retire,
Except for some Old Souls about a fire.

Sounds begin to rule the night,
As the Sun's bright rays fade from sight.
Evening noises begin to grow,
Cricket, Owl, and Wolf's lone howl.

Deeper into the Night we go,
The landscape lit by the fire's glow,
One old man begins to sway,
And one lone drum begins to play.

Boom goes the drumbeat soft and slow,
Tapping out the Heartbeat of the World Below,
Boom echoes the drumbeat's call to go,
To begin the ride to the World Below.
The flames leap high into the night,
And the World around us takes to flight,
Senses shift in the darking light,
And the Darkest Cave draws our sight.
Enter the Cavern, down we speed,
Into the Underworld the Drumbeat leads.
Faster than Dragon, than Hawk, than Snake,
Down the path the Shaman's feet race.
Deeper and deeper into the Womb of the Night,
Till up ahead appears the Light.
Boom thunders the drum, and the walls seem to shake,
And out of the Cavern I stop by a lake.
I look around and I see Land so bright,
That I know mortal eyes have never beheld this sight.
In the Sky wheels Gods and Dragons in Flight,
While bathing in the Lake is the Goddess of the Night.
Her eyes see me clearly and I'm pierced by their Sight,
There is no hiding in the Night of Her Light.
The Animals come to Her call as she sings,
And drumbeat from above gives me wings.
Into the Sky my form changes still,
On Hawk wings I ascend from the hill.
Higher and higher into the Magical Sky,
I soar on Wings lit in Magical Fire.
This Bond, this chain, this freedom sublime,
The Shaman's gift, boon, bane, the Drumbeat Divine.
The Dream that brings Visions into the Night,
The Night that is brighter than any Daylight.
The sight of a Tree draws me near,
The Great World Tree has brought me here.
The Tree of All Knowledge grows out of sight,
Even Hawk eyes are dimmed by it's light.
Form changes swiftly, Snake am I now,
Across the World Tree I wander uncowed.
The Tree of Life, of Knowledge, of Power and Death,
The Tree that for Shaman will give Shaman Breath.
The Drum fills my body,
My brain is on fire,
Visions of Forces dance in the Light,
And the drumbeat caresses me, somewhere in the Night.
The Tree fades from view,
My Soul takes to flight,
And into the World, Dragon Stalks the Night.
Back to the Cavern the worm passes nigh.
Drumbeat calls, caresses, commands,
Back to the Waking World the drumbeat demands.
Up Through the cave I ascend in the Night,
Form shifts so slightly in my bemused sight.
Dragon claws to Human feet,
And to the fire where the Shaman meet.
Around the fire slowly the Drummer keeps beat,
Drawing home the Voyagers to the fire's night heat.
Glazed expressions look into the night,
But in Shaman's eye is still the Light.
Slack faced expressions for others to see,
But in Shaman's eye, is the Fire that Frees.
Shaman stares into the fire,
Then quietly into the night he retires.
Off to his rest he fades from sight,
Until the Drum calls once more to Night's Light.

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Seeing In The Dark Claim Your Own Shamanic Power Now And In The Coming Age

Book: Seeing In The Dark Claim Your Own Shamanic Power Now And In The Coming Age by Colleen Deatsman

If you are feeling unfulfilled or incomplete in some way, if you cannot quite figure out why your life isn't working the way you expect, or if you are just searching for something more, then you have found the right book. I've recently read Eckhart Tolle's New Earth and began to put it into practice, that is, to some extent. There was still something not quite right. I was having difficulty staying clear. After reading Seeing in the Dark, I discovered that it was my "programs" or things I learned as a child that became self limiting behavioral patterns that blocked my progress. This book shines a light on that and follows through with a direction. Where Eckhart lays the groundwork for new thought patterns, Seeing in the Dark drives it home with insight, knowledge, and airy meditations. Seeing in the Dark is clearly THE FORERUNNER to ALL shaman books. If you are ready to clear the fog of your self deluding behaviors, this IS THE PRIMER!!!

"Seeing in the Dark" takes on and succeeds at the herculean task of reintroducing shamanism with language we are familiar with in the 21st Century. This book is a bridge between the flights of fancy of what was, and the concrete pragmatism of what will be, indeed must be, in the years to come as we pull away from the wish-fulfillment thinking which has plagued the New Age. What worked for the ancients will not work for us in the same way. Post-modern man is unfamiliar with the spirit of the buffalo. It is meaningless to him and therefore empty. But, the structure of the human thinking machinery, the understanding that soul is the prime mover in the genesis of human thought, is something we can employ to our benefit and make work as citizens of the new millennium. Deatsman and Bowersox weave the old throughout the new, never stripping shamanism of its mysticism, but unrelentingly championing the retooling of the shamanic worldview towards practical application. If you want to see where shamanism has been, and still catch a ride on where it is going, buy this book. You will be glad you did.

"Shamanism is many things to many people--at its core it is an ancient Spiritual Tradition dedicated to becoming fully human.A Through partnership with the compassionate spirits, shamanic practitioners bring blessings of balance and healing to our world.A In Seeing in the Dark, Colleen and Paul offer us their inspired, multi-faceted perspective, helping to make this powerful tradition more readily available at a time when our need for it has never been greater." --Nan Moss and David Corbin, authors ofA Weather Shamanism: Harmonizing Our Connection with the Elements

"A shaman is never truly alone. Instead, there is an unwavering belief that loving companions are always traveling with us. Feeling this fills us with boundless joy and deep gratitude for our life and our beautiful planet. Seeing in the Dark is both a step-by-step guide to developing powerful kinships with the spirits who surround us and to nurturing a clearer understanding of ourA placeA in the Universe." --Evelyn C. Rysdyk, Shamanic teacher and healer, author of Modern Shamanic Living, and on the editorial board of The Journal of Shamanic Practice

"Colleen Deatsman and Paul Bowersox draw on their diverse spiritual training and personal experience to craft a book that gives readers tools with which to traverse the turmoils of everyday life, economic downturns, and personal struggles. This is the sort of "engaged shamanism" that can light up the dark." --Larry G. Peters Ph.D., anthropologist, licensed psychotherapist, and author (leads groups to Nepal to study Tibetan shamanism)

"Seeing in the Dark is the kind of book that offers newcomers to shamanism a safe and sensible program and also reminds experienced practitioners why they fell in love with shamanism in the first place. The authors carefully guide readers through the many aspects of the shamanic life and offer practical suggestions for journeys, ceremonies, and personal healing. This book will become a comforting and reliable companion for those on the shaman's path." --Tom Cowan, author of Shamanism: A Spiritual Practice for Daily Life and Fire in the Head

"Seeing in the Dark is a wonderful gateway to shamanic practice. Packed with wonderful exercises and journey suggestions, Deatsman and Bowersox gently guide readers to find insight and healing through spirit connections and energy work." --Kristin Madden, author of Magick, Mystery, and Medicine, The Book of Shamanic Healing, and Shamanic Guide to Death and Dying

Seeing in the DarkA reveals shamanic ritual in terms of its practical application to the process of unfolding individual and collective consciousness, making it a ground-breaking work of startling authenticity. This book is a necessity for those who wish to understand how personal reality can be shaped by one's beliefs and how the fate of individuals and nations can be shifted by the focused intent of inwardly directed individuals.A Seeing in the Dark is idealA for those seeking a practical application of material garnered from readings in comparative religious studies, folklore, and mythology but were left looking for the next step--here it is.A Take it if you dare. --Mark Stavish, Director of Studies, Institute for Hermetic Studies and author of Between the Gates: Lucid Dreaming, Astral Projection and the Body of Light in Western Esotericism

"Seeing in the Dark unveils the mysteries of shamanism in a clear, well-written book.A It teaches and demystifies the journeys of the shaman and gives many suggestions for continued success.A Deatsman and Bowersox tell you that you can do this and then show you how!A An essential guide for learning to practice shamanism and the experienced practitioner will find more wonders to explore. Shamanism explores the world of the soul in trance, guided by the drum, the rattle, and our own power. The world of the soul often seems too mystical for us to travel, and yet we know the mysteries are there, hidden just beyond our view. Colleen Deatsman and Paul Bowersox dispel those myths inA Seeing in the Dark, a book thatA shines a light to guide us into the pathways of wonder, the world of the soul.A This well-written book teaches the student how to begin and thenA guides the experienced practitioner on ways to continue. Every reader will deepen their understanding of their own soul and the spiritual worlds of mystery."

Buy Colleen Deatsman's book: Seeing In The Dark Claim Your Own Shamanic Power Now And In The Coming Age

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Power Animals Totem Animals And Spirit Animals

The use of a totem animal is not part of traditional Wiccan practice. However, as Wicca and other modern Pagan Practices evolve and blend together, many people who follow non-mainstream spiritual paths find themselves working with a mix of many different belief systems. Because of this, someone following a Native American or Indo-European shamanic path might find themselves working with totem animals. While totem animals or power animals have nothing to do with the Wiccan Religion, some people do incorporate them into non-Wiccan shamanic practices.

It should be pointed out that sometimes, the use of totem animals and other Native American practices is sometimes seen as cultural appropriation when it's done by non-Native American individuals. Some European shamanic systems do connect with animal spirits, but the use of the specific word "totem" implies a Native American connection. It has a very specific, anthropological meaning, and chances are that if you have made a spiritual connection with an animal entity, it does not qualify as a true "totem." Be cautious what you call your beliefs, because you may find yourself taking ownership of a heritage that's not actually yours to claim. If you're not Native American, but are practicing some other form of shamanism, you may want to consider using the term "power animal" or even "spirit animal" instead.

A power animal is a spiritual guardian that some people connect with. However, much like other spiritual entities, there's no rule or guideline that says you must have one. If you happen to connect with an animal entity while meditating or performing astral travel, then that may be your power animal… or it may just be curious about what you're up to. Our Guide to Healing, Phylameana lila Desy, has a great piece on different types of animal totems and what they mean: Animal Totems.

Unfortunately, as often is seen in the Pagan Community, many times the connection to a power animal is simply the result of wishful thinking. When someone tells you they have a spirit animal, they'll almost always tell you it's the bear, the eagle, or the wolf. Why? Because these are animals that exemplify the characteristics we'd really like to see in ourselves -- we want to be strong and formidable like Bear, independent and mysterious like Wolf, or all-seeing like Eagle. No one will every tell you their "totem animal" is the wombat, the hedgehog, or the three-toed sloth.

There are a number of books available that discuss the spiritual nature of animals. Nearly all will tell you to "choose" your spirit animal based upon which animals you want to see first at the zoo or which ones you just find really interesting. Generally, in true shamanic practice, one meets their power animal through meditation or a vision quest. Often, it's an animal you never expected to encounter. If you are fortunate enough to have this take place, do some research on the animal you've connected with, and find out why that particular creature has attached itself to you. Animals have different symbolism in different cultures and societies. Take the time to do some research, and you may end up learning something new about yourself.

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Secrets Of Shamanism Tapping The Spirit Power Within You

Book: Secrets Of Shamanism Tapping The Spirit Power Within You by Jose Stevens

Secrets of Shamanism is an interesting and informative read with loads of meditation and journey ideas for the reader to enjoy. The authors have done an excellent job explaining how one can utilize shamanism as a wisdom tool and a means to stimulate personal insight. Written by a psychologist, the book is full of clear, safe, practical and powerful techniques. If you want to have a shamanic experience or focus on a specific question - search no further. The layout is great- 1) A clear concise Description of the skill 2) A short (one page or less) story/example of a person applying shamanism in an every day life situation 3) A description of how to do it. and 4) A simple numbered step list/chart to make it clear. It's so easy to jump right in. I am sick of people writing about their shamanic Experiences when any body can jump right in and do it themselves! Yes you!

Jose Stevens is an internationally known teacher, consultant in organizational effectiveness, and executive coach residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a bachelor's degree from the University of Santa Clara. He is the author of nine books including Transforming Your Dragons: How to Turn Fear Patterns into Personal Power. Co-founder and trainer of Power Path Seminars™, he leads executive wilderness retreats focused on the Principles in this book.

Buy Jose Stevens's book: Secrets Of Shamanism Tapping The Spirit Power Within You

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An History Of Magic Witchcraft And Animal Magnetism

Book: An History Of Magic Witchcraft And Animal Magnetism by John Campbell Colquhoun

Modern doctrine of Animal Magnetism, which, indeed, was, until lately, entirely unknown. Facts are generally related and attested by various authors of reputation and credit ; and they have been laid before the reader of this work with as much accuracy as a diligent inquiry could insure. The various authorities for these facts have been adduced when possible ; so that the reader may have an opportunity of testing the accuracy and the value of the evidence upon which the different Narratives rest. With these prefatory Observations, the author submits his labours to the judgment of the inquisi- tive and candid reader. Some time after the preceding portion of this Preface was written, my ingenious and respected friend, Dr BRAID of Manchester, was kind enough to transmit to me a copy of his recently published " Observations on Trance, or Human Hyber na- tion;" in which some curious cases are narrated of individuals who permitted themselves to be buried alive.

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Myth Ritual And Religion

Book: Myth Ritual And Religion by Andrew Lang

The original edition of Myth, Ritual and Religion, published in 1887, has long been out of print. In revising the book I have brought it into line with the ideas expressed in the second part of my Making of Religion (1898) and have excised certain passages which, as the book first appeared, were inconsistent with its main thesis. In some cases the original passages are retained in notes, to show the nature of the Development of the author's opinions. A
fragment or two of controversy has been deleted, and chapters xi. and xii., on the religion of the lowest races, have been entirely rewritten, on the strength of more recent or earlier Information lately acquired.

The gist of the book as it stands now and as it originally stood is contained in the following lines from the preface of 1887: "While the attempt is made to show that the wilder features of myth survive from, or were borrowed from, or were imitated from the ideas of people in the savage condition of thought, the existence--even among savages--of comparatively pure, if inarticulate, Religious beliefs is insisted on throughout". To that opinion I adhere, and I trust that it is now expressed with more consistency than in the first edition. I have seen reason, more and more, to doubt the validity of the "ghost theory," or animistic hypothesis, as explanatory of the whole fabric of religion; and I present arguments against Mr. Tylor's contention that the higher conceptions of savage faith are borrowed from missionaries. It is very possible, however, that Mr. Tylor has arguments more powerful than those contained in his paper of 1892.

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Soul Retrieval Mending The Fragmented Self

Book: Soul Retrieval Mending The Fragmented Self by Sandra Ingerman

Author Sandra Ingerman shares ancient soul-retrieval practices in very down-to-Earth terms in her pioneering book, SOUL RETRIEVAL. While the requirements for doing successful shamanistic healing are simple (requiring crystal-clear intention and complete faith in spiritual assistance), many of us raised within modern-day Western society are likely to face our own inner skepticism that this method of healing can be effective. Ingerman masterfully addresses this and other common pitfalls, as it takes the reader on a journey of rescuing soul fragments from one's past.

We often become physically ill following loss of soul or diminishment of essential spiritual energy, so soul retrieval is a healing art for one's entire being. Ingerman explains, "If the soul totally vacates the patient, the patient will die. It follows that, if the shaman can retrieve the lost soul parts, the individual can be restored to harmony and well-being. This retrieval is done by the shaman in an altered state of consciousness."

SOUL RETRIEVAL contains case studies of Ingerman's involvement with numerous patients who have requested her assistance, as well as fascinating Historical background on the ancient shamanic art of soul retrieval. Those who have undergone soul retrieval therapy claim as the author herself asserts, "Having my own lost soul parts restored to me brought me back to a place of wholeness. I experienced the fullness of life and a joy that I had not been sure I would ever feel again."

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in healing, shamanism, psychology, or consciousness.

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Cat History

For thousands of years, cats have been regarded as mysterious creatures with Supernatural powers. These beliefs certainly did not disappear during the European witch-craze. The Witch Trials started in the 13th century. People began to believe that witches had the ability to turn into an animal, usually a hare or a cat, in order to transport themselves to a sabbat (a midnight meeting) presided over by the Devil. The idea of familiar spirits soon developed. These were imps or minor demons who took the form of any small animal, from a hedgehog to a toad. A familiar acted as an intermediary for the witch, carrying out her orders so that she wouldn't have to be at the scene of the crime when the evil deed was done. A witch's cat came to be called a "grimalkin". The Scottish goddess of witches was called "Mither o' the Mawkins", a mawkin or malkin being either a cat or a hare. Originally a gremalkin was a gray cat. Later the term came to refer to the "pussies" or "catkins" on a pussy willow, as well as to the witch's cat. * Some of the above info from John Richard Stephens, author of "The Enchanted Cat"

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Teutonic Magic The Magical And Spiritual Practices Of The Germanic Peoples

Book: Teutonic Magic The Magical And Spiritual Practices Of The Germanic Peoples by Kveldulf Gundarsson

This is not a dry academic book. Gundarssons' writing flows like the sagas themselves, covering subjects such as norse deities and rituals. It describes the structure of the spiritual realms in which the Norse Magician would walk. It is no wonder that this book is considered the classic text book of anyone who would study runes or the Northern tradition.

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Healing States A Journey Into The World Of Spiritual Healing And Shamanism

Book: Healing States A Journey Into The World Of Spiritual Healing And Shamanism by Alberto Villoldo

Although the authors of this provocative Exploration into the spiritual realms of healing are trained in the orthodoxies of Western medicine and psychology (both have doctorates and are researchers and scientists in San Francisco), their inquiries into "mind over matter" phenomena have led them to conclude that science alone is inadequate in treating human illness. (On this subject, they note the question put to them by a Peruvian shaman: "In the training of your healers, what steps do they take to attune Mother Earth and the Great Spirit?") By observing diverse parapsychological and metaphysical methods of mediums, spiritists and others following "indigenous" healing from ancient to contemporary societies, Villoldo and Krippner enhance our concept of health by incorporating ideas that are ignored by allopathic medicine, a process advocated by the World Health Organization. The freshness of their approach results in a steady level of stimulation.

This book takes one deeper into the Spiritual Practice of mediumship and Shamanism. Mediumship and healing is not meant to be separate, and this book teaches that, and teaches the spiritual practice of the healer or true psychic. Much as many do not see or know it, truth this is what we are ment to use our abilities. This is awesome book and an easy read! I finished the book in one setting I got so enthralled with it. It is an excellent book discussing Villado's Experiences with various healing traditions in particular shamanism.

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Arbatel Of Magic Or The Spiritual Wisdom Of The Ancients

Book: Arbatel Of Magic Or The Spiritual Wisdom Of The Ancients by Medieval Grimoires

A Magical Ritual published at Basle in 1575. The text is in Latin and appears to have been influenced by Paracelsus. It is of Christian, not Jewish, origin, and although the authorship is unknown, it is probably the work of an Italian. Only one of its nine volumes still exists: dealing with the institutions of magic, the work is entitled Isagoge, which means "essential or necessary instruction."

The book introduces the ritual of the Olympic spirits who dwell in the air and among the stars and who govern the world. There are, we are told, 196 Olympic provinces in the universe: thus Aratron has 49; Bethor, 42; Phaleg 35; Och, 28; Hagith, 21; Ophiel, 14; and Phul, 7. Each of the Olympic spirits rules alternately for 490 years. They have natural sway over certain departments of the material world, but outside these departments they perform the same operations magically.

Thus Och, the ruler of solar affairs, presides over the preparation of gold naturally in the soil. At the same time, he presides magically over the preparation of that metal by means of alchemy. The Arbatel states that the sources of occult wisdom are to be found in God, spiritual essences, and corporeal creatures, as well as in nature, but also in the apostate spirits and in the ministers of punishment in Hell and the elementary spirits. The secrets of all magic reside in these, but magicians are born, not made, although they are assisted by contemplation and the love of God.

It is sufficient to describe the powers and offices of one of these spirits. Aratron governs those Things That are ascribed astrologically to Saturn. He can convert any living thing into stone, can change coals into treasure, gives familiar spirits to men, and teaches alchemy, magic, medicine, and the secret of invisibility and long life. He should be invoked on a Saturday in the first hour of the day. The Arbatel was said to be one of the best authorities on spiritual essences and their powers and degrees.

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Primitive African Medical Lore And Witchcraft

Book: Primitive African Medical Lore And Witchcraft by Ethel Thompson

This article presents a comprehensive study of the methods, practices, equipment, and paraphernalia of African Witch Doctors in carrying out Primitive Medical practices. The chief tribes studied are the Azandes of the Sudan, the Manos of Liberia, the Congo tribes, the Bundas of Angola, and the Zulus and other Bantu tribes of South Africa. Primitive beliefs and customs are discussed only insofar as they have a direct bearing on medical practices. The medical practices considered deal mainly with the application of general remedies for ailments and diseases, but certain specialized fields such as obstetrics, surgery, treatment for fractures, and dentistry are also included. Primitive medicaments are presented With Reference to their application for various illnesses. An alphabetical list of these medicaments is given at the end of the article.

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The Raven

The Raven's keynote is that of magic, shapeshifting, and creation. While its cycle of power is that of winter solstice. The raven is one of those birds that has a tremendous amount of lore and mythology surrounding it, and it is often contradictory. It is a bird of birth and death, and it is a bird of mysticism and magic.

In the near East, the raven was considered unclean because it is a scavenger. It is one of the foods listed as forbidden in the Bible. The raven is one of the birds that Noah sent out after the floods, but it did not return to the ark. On the other hand, also in Biblical lore is the tale of how a raven fed the prophet Elijah when hiding from King Ahab.

In Scandinavian lore, the raven played a significant role. The Norse god Odin had a pair of ravens who were his messengers. Their names were Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory). Odin was known to shapeshift as a raven himself. This reflects the idea of raven being a messenger of the great spiritual realm.

In the Middle Ages the croak of the raven was believed to foretell a death or the outcome of a battle. It was even taught to the common folk in Christian communities that wicked priests became ravens when they died. Even today, some old timers tell how you can expect hot weather when a raven is seen facing a clouded sun.

The raven is a member of the corvids family, to which belong crows and magpies and other such birds. In truth, the only really significant difference between the crow and the raven is in size, the raven being much larger. It would be beneficial to study the Information on the crow for anyone who has a raven as a totem. Much of the same information that applies to one, also applies to the other. It is simply a matter of degree. Rather than repeat that information here, I would like to give you some information not generally associated with the crow itself.

The raven has a wealth of myth and lore surrounding it. In many ways it is comparable to the coyote tales of the plains Indians, the Bushmen tales of the mantis and other societies in which an animal plays both a significant and yet confusing role. The coyote was both trickster and wise being-fool and wise one. This was true of the mantis in the tales of the Kalahari Bushmen.

In the Pacific Northwest the raven has this same aura about him. In the Pacific Northwest, raven brought forth life and order Raven stole the sunlight from one who would keep the world in darkness. Nothing could exist without raven. Raven is honored in art and on totem poles, reflecting the tales and mysticism that have developed around it.

With raven, human and animal spirits intermingle and become as one. This is reflected in its deep, rich shiny black. In blackness, everything mingles until drawn forth, out into the light. Because of this, raven can help you shapeshift your life or your being. Raven has the knowledge of how to become other animals and how to speak their languages.

Ravens are great at vocalizations, and they can be taught to speak. They incorporate and mimic the calls of other species. In the Northwest are tales of the Kwakiutl Indians who offered the afterbirth of male newborns to Raven so that when they grew up, they would Understand their cries. Raven can teach you to understand the language of animals.

Ravens are playful, and they are excellent tool users. They will use stones and anything else that is available to help them crack nuts and such. They are birds not intimidated by others, and they are very fast and wary Because of this, they are not easy prey for other animals or birds. This implies the ability to teach you how to stir the magic of life without fear They are also known for their amorous behavior, reflecting the strong creative life force to which they have access.

This creative life force can be used to work the magic of spiritual laws upon the physical plane. It can be used to go into the void and stir the energies to manifest that which you most need. All this and more is what raven teaches. If raven has come into your life, expect magic. Somewhere in your life, magic is at play Raven activates the energy of magic, linking it with your will and intention.

Raven speaks of the opportunity to become the magician and/or enchantress of your life. Each of us has a magician within, and it is Raven which can show us how to bring that part of us out of the dark into the light. Raven speaks of messages from the spirit realm that can shapeshift your life dramatically Raven teaches how to take that which is unformed and give it the form you desire.

The winter solstice and winter season is the time of greatest power for those with the raven as a totem. The solstice is the shortest day of the year The sun shines the least on this day, thus it is the darkest. From that day forth, the light shines a little more each day This is symbolic of the influence of raven. It teaches how to go into the dark and bring forth the light. With each trip in, we develop the ability to bring more light out. This is creation.

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Familiars Or Imps

Non-Pagan history describes familiars as low-ranking demons in constant attention to Witches for the purpose of carrying out spells and bewitchments. Familiars usually assumed animal forms - cats, toads, owls, mice and dogs seem to have been the most common - though virtually any animal or insect could be suspected. In the Witchcraft Trials, if so much as a fly buzzed in the window while someone suspected of being a witch was being questioned or tried, it was said to be her (or his) familiar. The inquisitors took the Bile to heart: those who had familiars were "an abomination unto the Lord" and should be "Put to death: they shall stone them with stones: Their blood shall be upon them" (Lev. 20:27).

Familiars - also called imps - were said to be given to Witches by the Devil or bought or inherited from other Witches. A Witch could have several of them. Cats were the favored forms, especially black ones. The fear that all cats were Witches' familiars was one of the primary reasons for the famous cat massacres that swept through medieval Europe.

Familiars were given names like any household pet, which most of them undoubt-edly were. Perhaps the best known familiar name is Pyewackett, the moniker the Witch's cat in the movie Bell, Book and Candle, and a name that dates back to Renaissance England. Pyewackett, Matthew Hopkins (the famous Witch hunter) stated, was a name "no mortal could invent."

During the Witch hysteria of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the obsession with familiars was confined mostly to England and Scotland, where they are mentioned in numerous trial records, especially those related to Hopkins. The Witchcraft Act of 1604 made it a felony to "consult, convene with, entertain, employ, feed, or reward any evil and wicked spirit to or for any intent or purpose." But the Malleus Maleficarum (1486), the major Witch inquisitor's handbook, offers no instructions concerning familiars in the interrogation and trial of Witches. The book does acknowledge that an animal familiar "always works with the Witch in everything."

There is a scant evidence of familiars in early American Witch trials. In the Salem Trials in 1692, John Bradsheet was indicted for "inciting a dog to afflict." The dog was tried and hanged as a Witch. Outside of Witch trials, more benevolent familiars were believed to exist, serving wizards and wise men (and women) who were magicians or village healers. The familiars helped diagnose illnesses and the sources of bewitchment and were used for divining and finding lost objects and treasures. Magicians conjured them in rituals, then locked then in bottles, rings and stones. They sometimes sold them as charms, claiming the spirits would ensure success in gambling, love, business or whatever the customer wanted. This sort of familiar was technically not illegal; England's Witchcraft Act of 1604 prohibited only evil and wicked spirits. Some familiars were said to be Faeries. Oberon was a popular name for fairy familiars in 15th and 16th century England.

Many modern Witches have animal familiars, usually cats, which are their magical helpers. Some also have dogs, birds, snakes or toads. Witches do not believe the familiars are "demons" or spirits in animal form but simply animals whose psychic attunement makes them ideal partners in magical workings. Some Witches say that it is possible to endow pets with magical powers and turn them into familiars, though others don't believe it should be done. Still others believe familiars are never "pets" (and should never be treated as such) but are animals who volunteer to work as familiars and are Karmically attracted to Witches. Witches who do not have familiars send out psychic "calls" to draw the right animal.

Familiars reputedly are sensitive to psychic vibrations and power and are welcomed partners inside the Magic Circle and other magical work. They also serve as psychic radar, reacting visibly to the presence of any negative or evil energy, whether it be an unseen force or a person who dabbles in the wrong kind of magic. Familiars are also given psychic protection by their Witches. Some Witches it seems also use the term familiar to describe thought-forms created magically and empowered to carry out a certain task on the astral plane.

Sorcerers and shamans in cultures around the world also have helpers in the form of spirits. Dispatching them on errands to heal, harm or kill - called sending. The physical shape of a familiar varies. New Guinea sorcerers rely on snakes and crocodiles, while in Malaya, the familiar is usually an owl or badger passed down from generation to generation.

Throughout Africa, the wild creatures of the bush are said to be Witches' familiars: for the Lugbara, they are said to be the toad, snake, lizard, water frog, bat, owl, leopard, jackal and a type of monkey that screeches in the night; for the Dinka, they are black cobras and hyenas. The Zulus' familiars are said to be corpses dug up and re-animated with magic; they are sent out at on night errands to scare travelers with their shrieking and pranks. In Shamanism, a novice shaman acquires his familiar spirits, usually manifesting in animal, reptile or bird shapes, when he complete shis initiation. He or she may send them out to do battle in his or her place, but if they die, so does the shaman. Familiars usually stay with their shaman until death, then disappear. Among certain Eskimos, the familiar is embodied in an artificial seal, not a live animal.

In closing, what I usually instruct in this area is that the student of magic who feels that they have found a familiar is that they should practice an exercise called "Trading Places" by Keith Harry. This exercise is simple enough to memorize and to practice, and though it was not written specifically for bonding with an animal familiar it was designed for becoming familiar with an animal, and inducing a mystical experience. I think you will readily discern its value in the acquiring of a familiar.

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Big Dreams

Dreams from a Shamanistic point of view are of two types, 'ordinary' and 'non-ordinary' or 'Big Dreams'.

Big Dreams are ones that occur several times, or ones that are so vivid that they almost seem real. Big Dreams are considered to be communication from your Guardian. These are not symbolic, but are literal.

Should you have a Big Dream that has negative connotations, e.g. an automobile accident, you should immediately enact the dream once you are awake. The dream is not symbolic, but your enacting of it is. Just go Through the notions of the incident in a simple way and get it over with.

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How To Hold A Samhain Rite To Honor Animals

This ceremony is designed to honor the spirits of the animals - both wild and domestic. Man's Relationship with animals goes back thousands and thousands of years. They have been a source of food and clothing. They have protected us from the Things That lurk in the darkness. They have provided comfort and warmth. In some cases, they have even raised and nurtured our discarded children, as in the case of Romulus and Remus. If you have animals in your home -- pets or livestock -- this is their night. Feed them before you feed the humans in your family. Put some food out for any wild animals that may happen by as well.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied
Here's How:
1.If you have a pet that has passed away during this last year, you may want to include a photo or keepsake of them on your table during this rite.

Prepare a stew for your family that includes small amounts of as many different meats as you may have available -- beef, pork, game, chicken, etc. If your family is vegetarian or vegan, designate a non-meat ingredient to represent each animal and adapt the ritual as needed, eliminating lines that reference the eating of animals. When your stew is ready, gather the family around the altar table you prepared during the previous night's Harvest End Ritual.

2.Place the stew pot in the center of the table, with a large serving spoon or ladle. Make sure you have some good dark bread to eat as well. Each member of the family should have a bowl and spoon handy. Say:

Samhain has come, and it is the end of the Harvest.
The crops are in from the fields,
And the animals are preparing for the coming winter.
Tonight, we honor the animals in our lives.
Some have died that we may eat.
Some have provided us with love.
Some have protected us from That Which would do us harm.
Tonight, we thank them all.

3.Go around the family in a circle. Each person should take a scoop of stew from the pot and place it in their bowl. Younger children may need an adult's help with this. As each person gets their helping, say:

Blessed are the animals,
Those who die that we may eat.
Blessed are the animals,
Those we love and who love us in return.

When every family member has their stew, each takes a piece of bread. As they do, say:

As the Wheel of the Year continues to turn,
The harvest has ended, and the grain has been threshed.
The animals sleep for the winter.
We thank them for their gifts.

4.Take your time finishing your meal. If you have pets, don't be surprised if they come visit while you're eating your stew tonight -- animals tend to be very aware of the spiritual plane! If there is any stew left over, leave some out for the spirits. Any extra bread can be thrown outside for the wild animals and birds.

Tips:
1.If you want to mix a bit of stew in with your pet's everyday food, it's a good idea to check with your veterinarian first.
What You Need:
•An altar table
•A pot of stew
•Some hearty dark bread

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The Picatrix The Goal Of The Wise Planetary Talismanic Magic

Book: The Picatrix The Goal Of The Wise Planetary Talismanic Magic by Steven Ashe

The Planetary Magic of the Picatrix. Very rare teaching volume of the Fraternity of the Sanctum Regnum. A complete grimoire of Planetary Magic from The Picatrix. The elements of the practical planetary magic of The Picatrix are presented here from a new translation. The Nature and theory of the Planetary powers. The Incenses of the Planets and accompanying Invocations The Invocations of the Planetary powers according to the Picatrix. The knowledge and conversation of the heavenly powers. The Planetary aphorisms of Al-Babel The planets and their astral images. This work creates a practical grimoire of planetary magic selected from all four books of the Picatrix.

Each aspect of lore is referenced according to its place within the original text. This version takes into account the colloquialisms of the Arabic original and improves upon extant translations. From the Magical curriculum of the Fraternity of the Sanctum Regnum.

Picatrix is a grimoire (grammar) of the Art of Magic & Astrological Lore written around 1200 A.D. offering talismanic and astrological guidance. The Picatrix was a primary source for 'alchemic scholars' such as Michael Scot. The book had a major influence on later West European magical thinking from Marsilio Ficino in the 1400s, Cornelius Agrippa, Thomas Campanella, Dr John Dee and Paracelsus in addition to the anonymous authors of magical grammars such as the Key of Solomon. The edition in the British Library passed through several hands: Simon Forman, Richard Napier, Elias Ashmole and William Lilly. Presented in the original Arabic, the talismanic property of this work will be of interest to specialist collectors of seminal grimoires & Golden Dawn source works. Reproduced in the original authentic Arabic.

Buy Steven Ashe's book: The Picatrix The Goal Of The Wise Planetary Talismanic Magic

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Shamanism And Shapesifting

Shamanism can be defined as the knowledge that everything that exists is alive and that all life is connected. It’s the magnification of human abilities of mind and spirit for healing and problem solving. Shamans use a technique of ‘ecstasy’, in which the soul of the shaman leaves the body and ascends to join with the universe or descends to join with the Earth, during a trance state. It’s an investigation into consciousness, the maintenance of balance and harmony within society and the individual, and awareness of keeping the connection with Mother Earth and All Creation. Unlimited by the boundaries of space and time, it brings spirit into matter and matter to spirit, returning to the Eternal Community.

Shaman, pronunciation: 'sha-m&n, 'shA- also sh&-'man, Function: noun, Inflected Form(s): plural shamans Etymology: ultimately from Evenki (Tungusic language of Siberia) samAn

1 : a priest or priestess who uses magic for the purpose of curing the sick, divining the hidden, and controlling events
2 : one who resembles a shaman; especially: High Priest http://www.meriamwebster.com

Shamans are the keepers of ancient techniques used in healing. They are often referred to as ‘witch doctors’ by societies that don’t Understand them. Shamanism requires the desire to lift all restrictions from oneself, time, space, and fear, are a few of the restriction that usually hold humans to this Earth and Existence.

Shapeshifting occurs on three different levels;
The first is cellular. This is when a person shapeshifts into a plant or animal, when a cancer grows in someone or miraculously disappears, even gaining and or loosing weight.

The second level is personal shapeshifting. That is when we decide to transform our personality and usually that means becoming more of what we most expect in ourselves, expanding our best Characteristics and personality traits.

The third form of shapeshifting is about transforming the society that we live in, whether it’s at the place where we work, or the institutions that help shape our lives.

Shamans use the Universal Energy (the connection with the oneness, the ‘God’ energy) to work at the cellular level to restore emotional, spiritual and physical health. The work of healing oneself is primarily a call to relive, remake, and resolve the past. We confront the pain and grief we have experienced in our lives and we work at coming to resolution and being at peace with our families of origin, ourselves, and our life. Through this we learn new options for being and interacting.

Shamans believe that traumatic Experiences result in soul loss. This is when a part of our soul (the vital essence that keeps us alive) splits off and leaves the person. In classical Shamanism soul loss often manifests as illness, comas, or near death states and meant that the life force had left the body. Present day Shamans are finding that soul loss is a very common occurrence, due to the traumas and abuse patterns of our culture. Healing is a combination of removal of intrusions, soul retrieval, and cellular adaptation. The whole idea is that we're here on Earth to be ecstatic every minute. When we feel that deep oneness, we are ecstatic. Ecstasy doesn't necessarily mean joy or bliss; it's the feeling of oneness. It is Universe, Earth and Time; it is all one. We are just one little part of everything else.

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