WiseWomanhood School

Supporting Women - Body, Mind, & Soul

Inner Work

Grounding with the Chakras

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Grounding in the seasons of Autumn and Winter helps balance the airy nature of cool winds, especially in dry climates.  Eating more heavier root veggies and fatty foods might work – with subsequent added body weight. Another way to ground is through energy of the chakras.

There are many different chakra systems… yet it is common in cultures that acknowledge  our energetic bodies that chakras are accepted.  Whatever system you  are used to, most seem to be focused on moving upward.  The “up is good” and “down is bad” paradigm is part of the negativity towards such various parts of life such as sex and dirt.  Moving the energy upward definitely doesn’t help ground.

The more animist form of chakra system is about an interchange between Earth and Sky, Mother and Father, with us in the middle of them. See more here. Our energy is naturally related to both the Upper World and Lower World and thereby to the Sky and to the Earth.  This formation lends to more grounding AND more relationship with the Upper World.

In this system  the lowest chakra on our body is the Foot chakra.  By putting awareness into the lower chakras it helps ground – without putting on the calories.  Walking is one way of emphasizing the lower chakras. Another way is to do some breathing with a visualization.

This visualization is in tune with the in breath and out breath.  Sitting or standing, tune into the Crown chakra. With inbreath visualize a flower blooming open, with outbreath see it turn into a flame that purifies that chakra. Many pictures of the chakras show them as discs on the front of the body. Rather than this visual, “see” the flowers horizontally oriented, and centered on the spine.

Move down the chakras, following the base chakra with the Foot chakra. See all the chakras blooming and purifying with each inbreath/outbreath. (see picture here- thanks to www.therapeutic-shamanism.uk) Continue for 5-10 minutes.

Play around with this – try moving up from the feet to crown or focus on particular chakras where you might notice less flexibility.

May you experience this holiday season as a grounded, nourishing time.

Smiles,

Terra Rafael

Becoming a True Elder

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I’ve been studying shamanic practice with Paul Francis, of the UK. He teaches that the basis of shamanism is animism. Our Hunter-Gatherer forefathers & mothers lived in this kind of culture. They lived harmoniously within their human tribe and with the larger community of non-humans – Animal, Plant, and Stone Peoples. They understood all the Peoples are soulful and worthy of respect. They knew there was a Spirit World, unseen unless in a Shamanic State of Consciousness, during a shamanic journey or in a state straddling both the physical world and the Spirit World.

In this animist world, children were initiated into adulthood, signaling that they’d become a True Adult. They were shocked into giving up their childish self centeredness and into connecting more fully to the whole web of life – human & non-human. Using their talents for the good of the whole. That was the makings of a True Human Adult.

I hope to grow into that – and onward to be a True Elder, not just older but seeing beyond the daily world to bigger needs of the whole community and sharing that wisdom.  Paul Francis says that Shamans were Elders ahead of their time, with a foot in both the Spirit World and the physical Middle World. They tell stories to help keep the tribe on the path to being Truly Human Beings.

Luckily, Ayurveda helps us to live long and well as possible. With these supports I hope to make it to True Elderhood.

If you would like to join me on this path, join our free twice monthly Shamanic Study Groups and look into the excellent books and classes by Paul Francis at Three Ravens College. To have your own personal longevity plan, start with a zoom consultation with Terra or try some Ayurveda on-demand classes.

Rattles – Tools of the Soul

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I have three rattles that have been with me for decades.  They have many layers of meaning for me, reminding me. Two represent the feminine and masculine duality of creation and in each of us. One connects to the Animal People. I’m still learning new things from them.

I use them in various different ways – to invoke the 6 Directions; to clear or close the energy body; to give rhythm to singing; to be the sound beacon for those on shamanic journey.

My Blood Rattle is a natural gourd with an expanded bottom and smaller top bulb which acts as a handle. I found it at a farmer’s market. The surface is mottled in various tans, browns and muted orange. Its dried seeds are what makes it a natural rattle.  When I was a midwife I asked some clients if I could anoint my rattle with their birth blood, which I did. I also anointed it with my moon blood.  Thus I named it my Blood Rattle. I put a red cord tied loosely around its neck. The sound of this rattle is deep and with various tones in it.

Today I realized that the Blood Rattle represents the Lower World – Mother Earth powers.  It awakens and invokes the Soul helps from the yin or feminine realm which hold the potentials of all creation. That is the feminine power to be the potential for all to happen.

My Moon Rattle is created of natural materials put together in a very Yang/Masculine form. The head of the rattle is very hard and coasted with tiny crystals on a light background. This is why I called it my Moon Rattle- it reminds me of a Full Moon. The handle is a brown branch with two little angels carved into it and on the bottom a larger quartz crystal is attached. Between the head and handle, purple yarn is wrapped with two feathers attached to beads at the ends of the yarn. The sound of this rattle is a bit softer yet sharper.  It was a gift from one of my midwifery clients.

Today I realized that the Moon Rattle represents the Upper World – the Sky powers. It calls the forces of the Upper World, the Spirit helpers from the yang or masculine realm. The masculine carries out the intentions of the feminine through its consciousness.

My Animal Toenail Rattle is from a native market years ago.  I was fascinated by this unique rattle, that is made of some kind of toenails, sewn to cloth in a circle like a bracelet or anklet. I love to use it as a rattle, great when dancing. It has a brittle, high pitched rattle sound. I can’t help but think of the animal who gave it to me.

Seeing the sacred in everything around us is a way to connect deeply with life.

My Three Rattles- a poem

Your voices call me into new adventures,

Into Plant, Animal, or Stone-

Each of you, an Emissary of one of them.

My Blood Rattle, anointed with woman blood

Is a simple dried gourd, rattling inside itself,

My Plant Emissary sings rooted wisdom,

Reaching to the Sun.

My Moon Rattle, glowing like the Moon

With tiny crystals coating the head

And a sizeable quartz at the handle’s end

Shares a softer sound, the quieter voice of ancient Stone.

My Toe Nail Rattle, made of sheep’s toenails they said,

Is my Animal Emissary,

Sewn loosely on a woven cloth circlet that fits my wrist.

Its voice rings like a clatter of animal chatter, calling me.

Thank you Rattles for connecting me to my relations,

And to the worlds of shamanic journeying

And the deep source of Mother Nature.

Loving Kindness Meditation

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At the recent NAMA conference I loved the workshop, Role of Ojas in Building A Healthy Family from Birth to Old Age. It reminded me of the importance of ojas. And one speaker suggested a good way to increase ojas is through Loving Kindness Meditation.

This form of the Loving Kindness Meditation is what I use: I sit for meditation, focusing on the love I feel towards a person or deity. When this feeling is firmly established, I let go of the object and allow the love to be inward, filling my whole body and aura as I inhale and radiating outward from my heart like moonlight, as I exhale. This inborn love never is depleted.

Try it! You may find it renewing and also ojas increasing.

Pratyahara – developing inner awareness

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Pratyahara is one of the Eight Limbs of Yoga from the Yoga Sutras. It is the linchpin between working with the outer physical world and going to the more inner, subtle senses. This is relevant to both Ayurveda and Shamanism.

For Ayurveda, it works at awakening to the Atman, the Highest Self.  This is the source of Truth, Light, and Love.  It supports a sattvic mind, leading to better lifestyle choices.

For Shamanism, developing our inner senses allows us to sense the subtle Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds. This allows us to bring more information back to this world.

The first steps to Pratyahara involve learning how to properly deal with relationships. These are the first limb – the Yamas and Niyamas.

Yamas

Yamas focus on our behavior and thoughts towards others.

  1. Ahimsa is non-harming, non-violence. It is being loving and compassionate.
  2. Satya is truthfulness and honesty.
  3. Astya is non-stealing.  We develop healthy interchange with others. This means not just avoiding thievery, but also avoiding being a taker or user without giving back somehow.
  4. Bramacharya is moderation of the outer senses.  This means controlling your sensual cravings and addictions.
  5. Aparigraha is non-hoarding. We avoid unnecessary materialism and selfishness around sharing our time and energy with the world.

Niyamas

Niyamas help us learn to maintain a positive environment and develop self-discipline and inner strength.

  1. Saucha is purity and cleanliness. This involves physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.
  2. Santosa is contentment.  Learning to accept and enjoy what is now.
  3. Tapas is heat or fire of practice. Using our best efforts even when we don’t want to develops the discipline needed for deep inner work.
  4. Svadhyaya is self study. We contemplate ourselves– mind and body – to find our own truths.
  5. Ishvara Pranidhana is surrender to Higher Self. We may surrender to Nature, a personal god or the higher self as spiritual practice.

Asana

Asana is another limb of yoga.  As a spiritual practice it is more than poses.  It liberally means “to sit calmly.” Through asana we become aware of our bodies, emotions, and minds. We become healthy, balanced, calm and disciplined enough for further inner work.  Prana – the life energy- can where we put our attention. Asana helps us become aware of our whole body. It also releases stuck areas that inhibit the flow of prana.

Pranayama

Pranayama is meant to allow prana to circulate freely through our body-emotion-mind- spirit system. It is opening up to allow the flow to happen. Being able to sit (or live) calmly and allow our prana to nourish every cell, give us the energy and safety to move on to pratyahara.

Pratyahara

Pratyahara can happen when the prana flows. We need to be in a safe place in the external world. Then we can practice opening up and strengthening our internal sense organs.  Next blog, we’ll delve more into the practice.

I highly recommend the Pratyahara class by Dr Claudia Welch and Dr Robert Svoboda

Part 2 will delve into more about developing Pratyahara

Strengthen Support from Ancestors

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We can strengthen the support of ancestors who have gone before us. Certainly, they already pay attention to us at times. Yet we can develop our relationship with them. Many cultures have traditions that do this and the fall is the general time of year especially attuned to this work. Helpful ancestors can include unknown ancient ancestors with various talents, teachers and dear friends, as well as blood relations we have lived with and known.

Strengthen by Celebrating All Saints / Day of the Dead

Two well known traditions in our culture revolve around the ancestors.  My friend Kathy recently shared that in New Orleans it is a tradition on All Saints Day (the day after Halloween) to visit and bring flowers to the tombs of ancestors. Similarly, this is celebrated around this time in Mexico as Day of the Dead. People gather at the graveyards, even picnic there with some favorite foods and drinks of their departed loved ones.

Strengthen by Prayers, rituals and charity to support Ancestors

In the Hindu tradition this time of year is Pitru Paksha. It follows the moons and this year it fell September 20 – October 6.  This time of year is for mourning the dead, doing prayers and rituals to support them in the afterlife, and doing acts of charity in their name.  These practices an certainly work at any time as well, but go with the energies of the year at this time.

Strengthen Relations with Ancestors on Samhain / the Roots of Halloween

Ancient Celts believed that on Samhain (now celebrated as Halloween) the good departed souls came back to earth to visit their living relatives.  Honoring and welcoming them, you can make a special altar – photos of them, some of their favorite foods, a candle, and maybe some rosemary sprigs, symbolizing remembrance. You can also do some of their favorite activities in memory of them, giving them a chance to re-experience them through your actions.

Strengthen by Celebrating Your Ancestors’ Death Days

You can do all these activities on the person’s death day as well, to honor them individually. Some traditions do this very importantly on the year anniversary of the death.

Following these traditions will amplify your relationship with helpful ancestors. You may then notice little signs of their input through signs and intuitions. Or you may hear or see them in a vision.  You can call on them for support when you are feeling low or facing a big challenge.  The give and take between you and your helpful ancestors is supportive to both of you!

For more work with the unseen realm, including farther back helpful ancestors you may not know about, consider the Shamanic studies and support offered by Terra.