Sand Paintings

Energetically a shamanic session starts the moment you decide to book it. To help support this process in the time before a session, and also to seal the energetic change after a session, I often suggest working with a Sand Painting. (This is also a process you can do that is complete unto itself, whether you decide to have a session or not).

Although widely used now, traditionally Sand Paintings were a North American Navajo tradition. A Shaman would draw a circle in the sand and within it create a visual representation of her client and her client's issue using items from nature.  Once happy that this reflected the current situation, she would then change the painting to reflect the state of health her client desired. Working at the level of the mythic, of the soul, by changing the painting she is able to change her client's reality.

Working on your own, you can create understanding and healing by engaging in this beautiful process.

Find a place in nature that feels right to you. Open Sacred Space - you can do this in your own way, or by calling on the Four Directions, (South, West, North and East) and on the Earth and the Heavens. It is your intent that is important not the words. Then draw a circle in the ground and place in it items from nature, each item reflecting an aspect of how the issue you are working with lives within you. Do not use words only images. Words are the language of the mind, images the language of the soul.

Once you are happy with it, do not close Sacred Space, leave the painting open for a couple of days or upto a week. (If you are planning to have a session this is the point to stop until after the session).

When you return to the painting a few days later, observe and absorb how Spirit has changed the painting for you. Make any further changes you want to reflect how you now feel about the issue. Once it feels complete - seal the painting with you intent. Then return everything to nature, scattering the items and removing the circle. Close Sacred Space by thanking and releasing the Four Directions, the Earth and the Heavens.

The White peak of the sacred mountain Ausangate, taken from Patchatusan, Peru

Fire Ceremony

Working with fire is a powerful means of personal transformation. It is an opportunity to release and let go of anything that no longer serves you and bring in the light and warmth of the fire into your luminous energy field.

Open Sacred Space - you can do this in your own way, or by calling on the Four Directions, (South, West, North and East) and on the Earth and the Heavens. It is your intent that is important not the words.

Prepare yourself to do sacred work - take a few deep breaths to release the everyday world and allow yourself to drop into the vibration of the sacred.

Light the fire. You may choose to light a single candle, a group of candles or to work with a fire outside. Working with a stick, (or twist of paper or cocktail stick depending on the type of fire or candle you are using) blow all that you wish to release into the stick at one end and that which you wish to call into your life instead into the other. Place the stick in the fire and allow it to burn completely.

Looking in to the fire with a soft gaze, use your hands to draw the energy of the flame into your belly, your heart and your forehead. This represents the places where all the power, all the love and all the wisdom resides within you.

Pause for a moment and allow the light and warmth of the fire to penetrate your being. Spend the time at the fire that feels appropriate to you. 

Close Sacred Space by closing the Directions, Earth and Heavens. Put the fire out if it is a candle or let the fire burn down naturally if you are outside.

Over the next two weeks observe as Spirit presents you with opportunities to turn your intent into reality.

Salt Bath

After an energy session or whenever you feel the need to clear and integrate changes to your energy feild, pour a cup of epsom salts and a cup of baking soda (not baking powder!) into your bath. Soak for about 15 to 20 minutes. You may well feel the clearing of your field as you lie in the bath. Even if you do not, know that this is a very effective clearing.

Afterwards it is very important to wash all the salt from your skin, do not allow it to dry on you as you will undo all that has been acheived by having the salt bath in the first place.