If you are reading this its probable that you believe you have lived a life other than the present one you’re in. I don’t know where I learnt the concept that I had experienced other lives, I just always felt it made perfect sense regardless of other peers belief systems. I just always assumed it was so.

My parents did not indoctrinate me into any specific religious belief system. They were happy to support me to find what suited me best. In that I feel very fortunate.

The first ever past life regression session left me quite fascinated. It was like a dip into place of familiarity. Then after many years of dabbling in all sorts of modalities I found my training ground in contemporary shamanism and it fit like a glove. Still does after all these years.

Not long before my training I did do a regression as I was ending a relationship. I went to someone who was known for this work.  Within the regression the guide/therapist was pushing me to forgive and act of cruelty even though I was not ready to do so. I came out of the session quite locked in upset. I talked to the therapist the following day and said I felt something wasn’t quite right. I was still there somewhat fragmented in that life. She did not offer another session or give me any tools to deal with it. She seemed to think that was normal. At that time, to be honest I was fairly naïve at what else could be done, but intuitively I knew I was left hanging. A few months later after moving overseas and having nightmares every single night (I was living in an area where many witches were burnt and hung). Through blessed synchronicity I found my way to my medicine path and my guide/teacher.

In the very first session, dealing with what was then refered to as a ‘Past life’(I now refer to them simply as ‘Other lives or Parallel lives’ ) I found myself smack bang in the life I had been stuck in. I did not plan on it, I did not think about it, but to be honest I was not surprised. It made sense as I clearly had unfinished business. What was so different in the Contemporary Shamanic Training was that we worked differently with the feelings, the beliefs systems and the vows that were part of that life. When we moved to that familiar place of forgiveness I was instead left to feel and be validated in my feelings. Then after leaving that life ( we move through the death of that life as well) I was taken to a healing place to remove anything my spirit being/body was carrying that I no longer wanted to carry. My guide did not push me, she negotiated and in that I was freed of not only the rage but of the sadness and the vows I had made. Forgiveness then came easily.

We are here in this present life to live it to its fullness. Sure you have influences of other lifetimes, sure you may be attracted to certain costumes, architecture, lifestyles, belief systems, prejudices, etc even if you’re not sure where they came from. Within the contemporary shamanistic pathway you can bring in all the talents from that life whilst healing and dissolving the burdens and wounds .

Your spirit chose this life. Your spirit chose the family you grew up in. Your spirit chose the culture and country and planet that you were born into even if you are adopted, a walk in or was a foster child…. Your spirit chose that too. That’s not to say sometimes we don’t feel a strong desire to return to some of those memories but with ‘Other life Journeys’ we can return, make amends if need be, reclaim that which was arrested in that life and be free to live in this life willingly.

I have cleared some pretty full on lives and some of them admittedly, I was rather shocked by. But each experience taught me so much and I enjoyed the adventure of delving in and clearing those issues with gusto. Maybe that’s why my teacher was happy for me to take on the work after she passed over.  She knew I was going to make my own recipe out of what she guided me in, but the core of the teachings are still there and when I see what clients get from this kind of journeywork it warms my heart that I am continuing the work that was and still is an incredible gift of service.

The path in this journeywork is towards reclaiming lost fragments, reuniting you with your innate gifts and releasing past vows whilst understanding more about your multidimensional self. Its a wonderful adventure if your prepared to walk it.

 

Blessings

Odette

I am available for ‘Other life Journeywork’ and more in the Far North Coast NSW. Australia. The workbook on my website is based on some of the training in Contemporary Shamanism.

“Woman is by nature a shaman.” Chukchee proverb

The word shaman, or Saman comes from Russia (The Tungus people) the word ‘Shamanka’ was used to be helpful in describing a female shaman.

Throughout history the majority of writings and teachings known world wide on shamanism and spirituality, have been from the masculine. The male has been and still to a great degree is, the voice of authority when it comes to major views and decisions worldwide.

When we read back through mainstream history, the references to women and their power come mostly from the time of the Goddess, but little is written from the eyes of the women in rites of passage and religious doctrines since then. The women that have been written about e.g. Mary Magdalene and Jeanne d’Arc, have either been falsely represented through the eyes of the masculine or killed for their courage in speaking up or both.

This article is not an attack against men personally. As a woman that grew up with older big brothers and one that loves my male friends dearly, I am not a man basher in any way.  This is merely an observation of how the ‘masculine’ has possessed and controlled a great deal without the acknowledgement, inclusion and respect of the ‘feminine’.

Both qualities reside in all of us.  The yin and yang symbol is a representative of that regardless of sexual orientation. The feminine/yin has been exploited, misused and misrepresented throughout history. During the times of the Goddess many sacrifices were made and much blood was shed. The feminine in a state of imbalance can be just as cruel and heartless as the masculine.  Both the worship of ‘gods’ and ‘goddess’ has been used and abused in the name of power and competition. One icon replacing another with both out of balance.

If we look at the religious teachings there is very little written ‘by’ women or spoken ‘by’ women. Even today, looking at a snippet of the Popes induction, I could not see a woman amidst the hierarchy, nor do we see them there within the other monotheist religions and strong predominant cults of the world. The masculine still sits at the top of the ladder.  Within shamanism as with others many teachings have been heard primarily through the voice of the masculine.

Woman’s power has been terrifying men for centuries. Bleeding women were seen as dirty, sinful, wanton and cursed. It was actually called ‘The curse’ by women themselves. Rather than honored for their life giving gifts women were shunned and excluded.  Even today there are western based Ayauasca ceremonies where women are banned. In my view the reason is that the male guide cannot cope with the power woman experience when they are so open.

The majority of women hung, burnt and drowned were killed because of their natural ability that ALL women were born with. If the bleeding time is guided well it can be a medicine in itself as a way of clearing that which has been denied and a renewing of the psyche. It can be a guide to what needs work rather than a collective self-imposed curse.  Those that have passed through or passing out of the bleeding times are now bleeding within and the wisdom grows stronger if we allow it.

Women by nature are more private in their service to the medicine. As the feminine is akin to the dark of the moon it is yin, receptive inward, morphing with the great empty. The service is yielding, intimate, nurturing, awakening and maternally strong. The masculine is akin to the light of the sun it is yang, action, outwards, thought, intellect, electric and focused. In combination these qualities can be powerful medicine.

Both men and women are able to acquire both abilities but the development of the practice is individual. As am sure you have met men who you have found more receptive and nurturing than some masculine driven controlling women.

There are now women in the world that are braver to speak their truth. Some come across more male than any male I have met which shows that we still have quite a long way to go in finding balance. A woman does not have to be a man to be strong but that is the example of power many understand. What is sad is that women have become woman’s worse enemy and often times would rather slander a woman of substance and principles than to support her….As I said, we have ways to go.

If all the woman had stood up when others were being hung, burnt or drowned, in support of their relationship to the earth rites, its medicines and the unseen worlds, it would have brought great change but the fear that has been instilled in many women even today is very strong. There is a collective unconscious pattern in many women that fear to speak their truth and practice their medicine because of some deep held pattern that says they will suffer some form of persecution and unfortunately much of that persecution has come from other women supporting men in their criticism of a wise and empowered female.

One of the most well-known book about shamanism is by Mircea Eliades “Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy” a book that is advised to read in relation to understanding the origins but many don’t know that he viewed female shamans as degeneration of an originally masculine profession even though from Mongolia to Africa, it was well known that the first shaman was a woman. It’s a fact that women have been at the forefront of this field worldwide, and in some cultures, they predominate. There is much more evidence to back this up but not in the accessible mainstream and certainly not available or taught to young girls or women.

Female shamans have often been tried as witches as there is a similar relationship to the respect of mother earth, use of herbs for healing and the ability to travel within unseen worlds and offer guidance and healing. Even on All hallows eve, little girls dress up in ugly witches masks and still believe they are something to do with the devil and black magic. Women and their practice of medicine are still to this day steeped in contradictions and misunderstandings.

Carlos Castaneda is well-known author even if one knows little of shamanism. Masses have followed his adventures into ethno-botanical worlds, as did the well known Terrence McKenna who took the psychedelic shamanic modern influences into the era of the Internet and beyond.  However the majority of this medicine is via the plant world access rather than the natural pathways devoid of ethno botanicals

A little more is known of Castaneda’s female apprentices, Florinda Donner-Grau, and Taisha, but only because they were his students. Both women wrote well from the female point of view but only a few books each and since then they have disappeared and never been located. For myself Taisha Abelar insight on sexual recapitulation is a gift to women kind.

Looking up well known shamans or those that practice the medicine throughout history and even today, is easy, it’s pretty much all men. Looking up well known female shamans in history, well you will only find the information within women’s studies, and not anywhere near the same exposure as men have had.

However within today’s world of modern contemporary shamanism, there are some women who stand out and who in my view are an offering great guidance. Sandra Ingerman is one of those. I remember reading her book ‘Creative Visualization’ and ‘Soul Retrieval, so many years ago and I can still feel how both books made an impact on my life and my path towards the medicine I practice today. Sandra’s language is a beautiful balance of both the masculine and the feminine. She has brought the female shaman into the modern world in a grounded and practical way, as did the late wonderfully talented Gabrielle Roth, with her Urban Shaman dance path.

Lyn Andrews, offered insight into the power of women through her writings on shamanism and the women that she was taught by, many books I find are rather a light read and somewhat commercial in delivery however she has offered a bridge to many women to see the power of women in shamanism. In a few books I have read of hers, there were definitely shiny pearls that I have kept in my knowing.

Tenzin Palmo has offered a great example through her building of a monastery for female monks in Tibet. In her book ‘The Cave in the Snow” she saw how women were never or rarely considered in regards to the right to enlightenment. Through Tenzin’s persistence, resilience and commitment she is working hard to offer women the same right to wisdom that the masculine has possessed in ownership and women have bowed down too for centuries. She made the Dalia Lama aware of this imbalance and with insight and an ability to embrace the needs and rights of women he agreed that things need to change and prepared the way for her to carve a path for Tibetan women who want to follow the Buddhist path as an equal right.

Women are the natural midwives of the spirit. Our attraction to these pathways is natural. Fear of our own power is something that we are all trying to unlearn. Power does not mean dominance or control.

I have found the greatest strength when in service of another by metaphysically cutting off my head, being receptive and listening to the soul of my client. The ego to me is very masculine so before I begin I meditate and call in my spirit clan and ask ‘Please spirit, help me get out of my own way so I may be of service’ That to me is how I am nurturing the feminine medicine path and learning to find balance between the doer and the receiver.

We women who have been born in this time are very fortunate. We have come a long way, but we still need to heal our own collective fear of persecution. There are women today that are being burnt for witchcraft, stoned for loving, and killed for being raped. We the women who are able to claim our freedom need to help other women reclaim theirs and one of the best ways is via education and living examples.

If woman by nature is a shaman, then woman by nature is a transformer. The waiting is over. It is time to stand in support of one another not as bullies or pushers, but as sisters and midwives. Its time to collectively claim and recapitulate that, which has been fragmented.  So we can be of service to the ‘whole’ of mankind.

Blessings

InHeart

Odette

Before I begin on this rather huge subject, allow me to clarify a few things. The word ‘Alien’ has been misused.

The actually definition of an Alien is someone who is a foreigner from another country.

An Extraterrestrial is a being that originates outside the earths atmosphere, from space or from another planet.

In the majority of movies that include the word ‘Alien’ the story has been about horrible creatures from another planet doing horrible things. To the general public the word ‘Alien’ and the word ‘Extraterrestrial’ have been totally muddled, an alien only appears to be relegated to the nasty ones.  In America, if you are not born there you are classified and stamped as an illegal alien. An unwelcome foreigner. Hmmmmm……

Well over 60% of Americans believe in extraterrestrials and many more worldwide believe in the reality of their existence. Some cynics, and there are a good many , laugh it off as vivid imagination (dreams or hallucinations); make believe on a hoax scale (crop circles) or a conspiracy theory given way too much time (anything outside the box of perceived normality).  From a statistical point of view there are more believers than non-believers worldwide.

Part of the problems lies in the question of what is REAL, and that depends on your ability to see beyond your own one-dimensional understanding of life and the universe. How can you possibly learn anything when your mind has already judged something as pure imagination without having experienced it yourself or at the very least read and researched widely? I don’t just mean the research within your sphere of acceptance but outside that bubble as well.

People have reported and documented both pleasant and unpleasant experiences of their encounters with extraterrestrials. The unpleasant encounters are challenging to understand. There is the view amongst psychologists that the terror people experience is created within their unconscious fears. Others truly believe ‘Greys’ who are seen as the shadow extraterrestrials, indeed do exist. I myself have not experienced any ‘Greys’ but have known others that have.  On this I keep an open mind.

Below is a link that may assist you in looking at the fearful encounters differently. The interviewers drive me a bit potty on Project Camelot but some of the information that comes through is worth pondering. If you are reading this, my guess is you are open minded enough and want to investigate more for your own understanding.  Take a look at the link below after you have read through the blog post and see what rings true for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RnMwWyfTwU&feature=player_embedded

My father served as the head of military intelligence at one time. He was incredibly well read and experienced many different cultures, customs and viewpoints. He had very fixed views in some regards however; in this particular subject he was to my surprise quite open minded.

When I asked him one day about the existence of extraterrestrials. He said

‘One would be ignorant to assume there wasn’t.’  This is coming from a man that was incredibly logical, a royalist, as well as huge reader and researcher, however he also had a inquiring mind into magic, mystery and mysticism, which in my opinion helped to keep his mind open in regards to the unknown.

The statement he made all those years ago, rings clear like bell of truth in my being to this day. Im in agreement, that it’s incredibly ignorant to just assume we are the only race in the universe. Rather narcissistic methinks. The unknown is a scary place for many. Its much easier to say ‘No, its rubbish!’ than to look at things that are, as yet beyond your own personal understanding. Fear of losing control of your beliefs traps many people in cages of their own making.

There are so many indicators of evidence in ancient cave paintings to suggest that there were indeed visitors from the skies in skins different to those here on earth. Extraterrestrials are part of earth’s natural history and there are so many disclosure projects out there  showing more and more secrets uncovered regarding our relationship with them.

There are numerous quotes in this regard. Her are just a few examples  

 

“In my mind, there is no question that they’re out there. My Career is well established. My texts books are required reading in all the major capitals on planet earth. If you want to become a physicist to learn about the unified field theory-you read my books. Therefore, I’m in a position to say: Yes- Most likely they’re out their, perhaps even visited, perhaps on our moon”. – ABC News Quote — 
— Professor Macho Kaku Author of Theoretical Physics UNY

 

I believe, and I scientifically am certain, that there are endless other living forms out there, including intelligent sentient beings. I do know that there are entire universes of living forms out there.

–Dr.Story Musgrave NASA scientist-astronaut

 

“At no time, when the astronauts were in space were they alone: there was a constant surveillance by UFOs.” 
–NASA’s Scott Carpenter

 

“The evidence points to the fact that Roswell was a real incident and that indeed an alien craft did crash, and that material was recovered from that site. We all know that UFOs are real. All we need to ask is where do they come from, and what do they want?”
–Capt. Edgar Mitchell Apollo 14 Astronaut

 

“We have contact with alien cultures.” 
–Astronaut Dr. Brian O’leary

 

The Media.

The film close encounters of the third kind was implanted into my memory from my youth. I felt a huge connection to the film and the experience of the characters, the pull to connect. Like many I was rather obsessed with the hand movements in line with the sounds from the ship. The urge for contact. Its like I have a photographic memory of that film and its forever living in the inner library of my consciousness. Interesting that the man that worked with Spielberg was one of the most well informed people on extra terrestrial encounters and did numerous interviews and research to find the common similarities in what people who had E.T encounters experienced. Without him the film may never have been so powerful and relevant to so many.I refused multiple times to watch the movie E.T when I was young as I was sure   I wouldn’t like it. I waited till I was way into adulthood to give it a chance. Being an adult didn’t help at all. Being highly sensitive was worse. I felt traumatized.

I knew it was all acted (I spent many years treading the boards as an actress in my early life) I knew no E.T was getting hurt during the filming and it was a prosthetic model. Regardless, I cried and cried and could hardly even see through my overflowing tears. My friend said to me ‘its ok; it’s a happy ending, he is going home’. My upset became more dramatic and I said ‘No, no its not a happy ending at all, its awful’. Needless to say E.T is not a favorite of mine and never will be. There was something in me that felt like an E. T myself, not coping with humanity and all its density.

Many cults have created a formula for that sense of loss and desperation, for the time when the spaceship will come and pick everyone up or the need to have you programmed/brainwashed correctly to deal with the adjustments

Unfortunately many of these stories end up in abuse, fragmentation, mental illness, mass suicide, disconnecting from family or partners who are not in agreement and usually lead by a charismatic manipulative person endowed with a vivid imagination who has clearly lost the plot and is following their own ego’s hunger. E.g. The Raliens, Certain Ascension groups, Scientology and other similar cults. I’m not saying if you’re a Ralien, or an Ascension devotee or even a Scientologist that you’re completely deluded. I’m just saying that these are programs that have been set up to gain followers and can be very dangerous to someone who is sensitive and vulnerable. They are religions just dressed in different costumes . I have counseled people from these cults/religions and it takes a lot of work to clear up the damage.

I keep thinking of the movie ‘Independence Day’ when the flower power hippies (I do slightly resent the labeling that we are all dumb and easily lead) stood up on top of that building waiting in joy to be taken, and then within minutes they were zappedd by some parasitical ugly creature. Terror of the unknown is something the media and film industry is brilliant at creating.

Looking at the level of cruelty her on earth. I couldn’t even begin to stomach the atrocities done throughout human history, the bloodshed, the torture, and the invasions of smaller countries just to steal their resources in the name of peace or economic need. Like the movie’‘Avatar”, so many people loved it…  all I saw was another film about colonization. Raping the natural resources in the name of development. The earth had been sucked dry so it seemed totally justified to go to another planet and start again. The film enraged me so much. It showed me that humanity has learnt very little in this regard.

If you look at the collective world of films about other planetary beings is often the subject of invasion and a battle with the earth. You are programmed through these films to fear the ugly aliens that will eat you for breakfast.  The book War of the Worlds by H.G Wells was one of the first to get the public outraged and paranoid. Orson Wells was acting in the radio version live in 1938 and many people thought it was actually occurring as he was telling it.

Fewer films have been made to show otherwise, but some of them are gems. Stephen Spielberg offered such hope in his two films as have light hearted shows like ‘Mork and Mindy’ or the black and white TV day of ‘My favorite Martian’.  Then there is K.Pax with Kevin Spacey, Cocoon, Starman’ with Jeff Bridges, that clearly show the sensitivity and the difficulty in adjusting to the harshness of human
behaviour. Of course there is Dr Who (who shows you both sides) and Star Trek (which in my opinion could be much more educational in this regard) and Star Wars, but no-one really relates the latter to our earths challenges. The whole alien invades and kills theme is paramount in the way the global media and those that own it would have you view visitors from another planet. Be aware of how movies are programming the general public to view things in a certain way. The blessings of the Internet is that you can cross reference and see things that the general media wont show.

Many freak out about the creatures from space coming and taking over the world, killing and raping the land of all its nutrients. It’s happening already and its humans who are behind the signatures to allow it go ahead. Coal Seam Gas is just one example of the rape of the land even though the communities themselves are dead against it. For good reason. It’s poisoning the land, animals, water and people. Who are the Aliens? the unwelcome visitors?

To be honest if there were horrid creatures out there in space and way beyond our technology, we would have been wiped out without even a thought years ago.

Here is a link to Stephen Fry how Aliens/E.T.s would see our use of language.

http://www.boreme.com/posting.php?id=29482

 

 

 

Shamanic Viewpoint:

To ask a Shaman about extraterrestrials is asking in their language about the ‘Star People’. Not a foreign subject or one that is full of terror. It is a benevolent connection. One that offers insight and understanding. The relationship has existed from the beginning of humanity at the very least. Its not about coming to save the planet its about helping to support how the planet and humanity will choose to evolve.

Within the Indigenous tribes of America and around the world there took place a huge gathering in the late 90’s called the ‘Star Knowledge Conference’. For 10 days, the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota 
was a gathering place for indigenous tribal leaders from around the globe 
and hundreds of Native and Euro-American listeners. Many shamans shared their stories of their encounters and their elder’s encounters with the star nations. Below is a link to some of what was shared if you’re interested in reading further. This is not a corporate government based gathering. It’s a gathering of spiritual tribal elders. There have been more since.

http://www.drboylan.com/strknrpt2.html

 

 

E.Ts in Human skins.

It is not unusual that you may souls like me who feel a deep connection to being extraterrestrials at some point in our walk through multi dimensional lives, may they be past, future or parallel.  Its not uncommon this feeling and no its not always a sign that you are mad as a hatter, member of a cult or have been nibbling too many mushrooms, or smoking too much weed, its just a different understanding of our relationship to the universe and its multifaceted life forms. We know we come from a bigger star system. This quote below says it perfectly in my opinion. We come from the stars.

The amazing thing is that every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And the atoms in your left hand come probably from a different star compared to those your right hand. This is the most poetic thing, which I know of physics: you are stardust.

You could not be here if stars had not exploded, because the elements that concern the evolution – the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron – were not created at the beginning of time. Were created in the nuclear furnace of stars, and the only way because they were in your body, is not if not that the stars were so kind to explode. […] The stars died so you could be here now. “

(Lawrence Krauss – Physicist, cosmologist and astronomer)

We ‘know’ we are originally from somewhere else and have reincarnated here in human bodies to learn about the path of humanity. I feel planet earth is much like a school or university of learning. We are all at different levels of study depending on what is needed for our own development and the development of the human race. I’m not saying we are superior beings in any way. We are much like school students learning ourselves.  Many of us feel as if we are like radio receivers and researchers accumulating information. Sometimes that information can be too overwhelming. We can easily lose the point of why we came here, easily go mad, get lost in addiction etc. and easily forget that we ‘chose’ to be here. Yes chose. Not consciously maybe but subconsciously, definitely.

It can be incredibly hard to integrate into the so-called normal flow of being a practicing human. Some of us feel like we walk this path alone the majority of our lives.  When we find another that feels the same its very comforting.  I have often counseled people who are sure they are visitors here and they feel like they have been left without an earth travel guide or an understanding of how they can survive such a harsh species. They often weep saying that they want to go home. I also felt like this for an incredibly long time, until I worked out what I was here for and now I support others in integrating and finding purpose. I often feel a lot like a research library that specializes in the transitional sensitivities of human behavior and earth living.

I have walked shamanic journeys (drug free) that left me in no doubt that I come from somewhere else. I have woken unable to move whilst watching an inner earth E.T glow before me so brightly in the doorway, bringing no harm whatsoever. It was more a reminder that I was not alone and that they not only come from the sky, they reside in parts of the earth as well.

A woman during my shamanic training experienced such dramatic memory gaps in regard to abduction issues, she would instantly disassociate and become numb when my teacher got close to bringing to light what happened.  I was chosen to journey with her (with her permission and mine) till she could no more and I was asked to see, feel, sense beyond the wall of numbness. That experience went way beyond my imagination of what I thought would happen. It is a private journey of another’s that I will not disclose however, what did surprise me somewhat, was; it felt ‘natural’ to work in this regard.

I have experienced my body morphing into an E.T form in journey session (we had no intent of going into that subject field at all ), to the point I had to open my eyes to look at my earth body to confirm I was still in a human skin. When I look back now the memory is a vivid as this present moment.

I worked with a strong medicine woman with amazing healing and clairvoyant abilities before my training days, (who had be struck by lightning and survived) she backed away from the healing table and wept when she asked to meet my first incarnation. I actually felt my eyes expand out of my skull and at that moment I heard her gasp, shuffle back and weep uncontrollably (she was not scared, she was moved by the connection) and then I felt my body slightly levitate off the table. Something we both were witness too.  You may say this is all my active imagination and that’s your choice. However I know it to be real. (I have had countless dreams of levitation an the art of it)

During the time of the Pleiadean channeling when New age therapy was  booming, I felt like I didn’t connect to philosophy at all. It was not my truth. I stood alone for quite sometime in that regard. Years later  I had a lucid dream. Within the dream I saw lots of people waiting to get onto a spaceship heading to the Pleiades. I was sitting down whilst they all were standing. I felt a bit lost at not going with the crowd and was thinking of maybe moving to stand up. At that moment an ancient medicine woman of Native American origin, whispered with a hot breath into my ear.

‘ You are not from there. You are from The Circle Of Chiefs ‘

I awoke instantly as I do from all powerful dream messages.

I madly researched to find if this Circle of Chiefs did indeed exist. It does. It is otherwise known as the Corona Borealis, known to the Pawnee Tribe.

I am teased and made fun of in my family as the one that was abducted. There are fewer photos of me when I was young compared to my siblings as I have been told by the time the third child comes the eagerness of the camera has long gone. Admittedly I have few memories of that time (I am sure I was here, well a part of me anyway!) It has become so normal to call me the family E.T these days that I laugh with them in agreement! There is nothing to defend or get angry about; I rather like the reference even in its lighthearted mocking way.

Many of us feel like we don’t come from earth and those that are highly sensitive feel this even more so. Its not necessarily a need to go home, wherever that might be, its more like an adjustment that is incredibly uncomfortable to manage and it is important to realise that home is within. I often see my connection to spirit as the universe (Great Mystery) within myself where I am free to travel the multidimensional worlds. What I am referring to is NOT the extraterrestrial religious based cult programs that want you as one of their devoted disciples. It’s a personal connection and one that has no leader, god or icon. I do not have pictures of E.Ts in my home or bow to any particular star.

A beautiful friend of mine, a brother really who has now passed on experienced such a huge inner life that involved both friendly and unfriendly E.T’s His drawings were so telling and he could describe the experiences in so much vivid detail. Some would see these experiences he had as psychotic delusions. I saw them as his personal reality.

It is understood in psychological circles that those who have  been abused as children often replace the abuser with a creature from another planet, as they cannot cope with the truth. I personally feel that this view should not be leveled across the board, nor should it be assumed as such. Each case need to be looked at individually rather than just boxing it into a hallucination to be drugged, numbed and forgotten.

From my perspective it’s not so important whether the abuser was an extraterrestrial, or not, its how the person finds a way to heal the wound in relationship to that occurrence. It’s important to work within the personal reality and through that they may well find their own core self returning.

Another link I would like to share is seen through the eyes of children in a South African School. This helps to understand that every person may see things differently even when they experience the same encounter. This is one of my favorite encounter experiences on Utube.  The little girl at the end says it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnX6CxhTOOU

In the world of the shaman all other dimensional beings are respected. There is not a divide between what is called real and what is called unreal. To put it in contemporary shamanic terms there is ‘Ordinary Reality’ and ‘Non Ordinary Reality’

We are now in the Aquarian Age the veils are becoming thinner and its very important if you are on this pathway to be able to cross between the worlds easily and to navigate the challenges of both. One of the ways to stay stable is working on being earthed. Pulling your spirit into your body, your body that that is here on earth and working and connecting from your heart chakra. Meditate.

My last post was about the significance of the 21^st of December 2012 and my message was to write down whatever came through.  This was the message I received on the night of the 21^st in very lucid dreaming. (This is why I chose the subject of this post)

I am standing outside amongst green hills with my back to a small village. The green valley below is quite, dappled with little white houses. It is just after dusk  Two sisters (close friends) are with me. One is closer in proximity (We talk most days on the phone) and the other who is further away (she was overseas at the time) as I look up the whole sky and galaxy above me is swirling and changing over many layers of cloud and stars, moving swiftly but unlike movement I have seen before. Then all at once appears the biggest spaceship I have ever seen. The light coming from the undercarriage doors are so brightly shining in gleaming gold and silver. The gleam from the huge undercarriage is so strong I find myself blinking at the stars of gold and sliver that glint in my eyes. I am in awe and rather overwhelmed but not frightened. There is a clear message that comes through me. “We are here”. There was an understanding that this ship came from within the earth (a resting place perhaps) and that I felt an incredibly sense of comfort and strength in hearing this. I awoke instantly to write it down.

 

I am very comfortable in my knowing. My mind is not closed to what I feel to be true, I am an open vessel to the knowledge that is offered on many multidimensional planes and I look forward to continuing to learn more.
I want to invite you to keep your mind open, don’t let your fears rule your journey and trust that there is more to life than you know. Go forth and research, allow yourself to explore without getting sucked up into a cult program. Enjoy the adventure that this wonderful earth provides, and do all you can to preserve it.

“You have to take seriously the notion that understanding the universe is your responsibility, because the only understanding of the universe that will be useful to you is your own understanding.”  – Terence McKenna

Blessings

Inheart

Odette

Depending on who you are listening to there are many theories about walking towards the end of this year.  Even some leaders have spoken out about the end of the Mayan Calendar and other prophesies as the subject is so huge world-wide. There is also a great deal of fantasy and fear based theories flying around. These seem to be some of the options regarding what will happen.

• Armageddon (payment of all the sinners)
• Ascension  (moving into the fifth dimension)
• End of the world (Mother Earth has had enough)
• End of a particular calendar (just one Mayan calendar ending as it’s the end of that calendars particular cycle)
• Shift in global consciousness (an opportunity to focus on what we can do as a global community for the good of all beings)

As we all have our own views as individuals, I will share mine. Please only take that which  resonates with your own inner truth and leave the rest behind. I am not her to insult any ones beliefs I am simply sharing my personal viewpoint.

Armageddon:  The decent into darkens and hell. Fear based threats coming from a religious doctrine that shames those who do not live up to its credo. The old testament of a cruel God who punishes all but the high church. You will only go to heaven upon approval by the masculine.

The church is clearly having its own inner Armageddon. With so many priest being exposed for child sexual abuse and here in Australia we are finally having a Royal Commission Investigation into all institutions, one of the primary ones being the church.  The so-called sins of the church are being cleaned out. For those that are happy in their faith but unhappy with the church this may herald a healthy transformation.

Ascension: This word gives me an allergic reaction. The simple version is a ‘Shift In Conciousness’ which I have no issue with, what I have the issue with is the many people on the path of spirituality ‘rising up’ out of their bodies rather than going deeper within to a more aware state. If you look up the word by its definition,  it’s about rising up,  ascending to go up a ladder from a lower station. Looking at the symbolism within the history of religion we see the ‘Rising Up’ to heaven if you are deemed worthy. Just be aware that some new age movements are a form of the old religion in disguise. We have been told even by  elder masters before they passed that the time of the masters is over and the energy was to be spread throughout all people. The  ascended masters and the ascension program is one that I am wary of. I have no issue with these great teachers as elders or symbols of wisdom but be careful that you are not replacing one religion for another in a more cosmic costume. And whatever you do during this time of change. STAY IN YOUR BODY. STAY IN THE MOMENT. You are a spiritual being having a human experience, not a disembodied hungry ghost floating around hunting for bliss.

End of the World. Mother Nature has had enough. Mother nature doesn’t need a specific day to tell us what we need to know. If we look at the years gone by there have been plenty of messages from her about how we take care of the earth. Fish are dying, bee’s are dying, animals that keep the balance of the eco system are being killed. The weather is becoming more extreme. Man is playing with elements (HAARP)and the reactions are incredibly strong. Natural disasters are becoming more common. And the corporate big brother is willingly raping her for resources that will damage the land in the short and long-term. The stupidity of man to think that they can control nature is being more clearly debunked. I personally feel that humanity will listen to nothing else. All the money and riches in the world mean nothing when mother nature comes knocking at your door. Mother nature will be constantly showing us the damage we are doing however I don’t think she zero’s in on a particular date. However there is a mayan sharing that there will be shadow humans trying to dabble with frequencies during this time and some of the Mayans are looking to counter act this interference and balance out the vibration. If you are interested in this go to http://www.actah2012.com/media-gallery-actah-2012.htm Again each to their own but I found Atah’s pathway of service helpful.

End of a particular Calender. Simply the end of a calendar. When you come to the end of this year you buy a new calendar and a new diary to begin again.

Shift in Global Consciousness: The majority of insights from the indigenous people talk about a transition from one world age into another. We have all heard about the Age of Aquarius since the hippie revolution in the 60’s and this is what we are finally moving into. The age of the ‘Global Community’ . The Aquarian age is moving beyond self-satisfaction, self interest, and self promoting. It is the time for us as a world-wide community to start thinking and working ‘together’ for the planet as a whole. We are currently in a state of acute transition. Much like Rome in its time of decadence. The rich are getting richer and the poor are in deep poverty even in countries where the riches and resources abound. The indigenous people are still treated as a minority that knows little and are still told what to do and how to live. Ask many of the young people what they want when they grow up and its money and fame. These self serving needs are choking the rest of humanity and we have an opportunity to come together in a positive way and be of service as a whole. There are indications of this in the revolutions happening around the world. There will be more revolutions to come but not with rage and petrol bombs but with peaceful and emotionally intelligent protesting.  When the public is more informed than the politicians and corporations and we stand strong together,  then will be able to see the power of the global community.  We have already witnessed a huge amount of secrets being exposed, and the pus is literally coming to the surface to be seen and cleaned no matter how many band aids the corporate world stick on it.

The age of Aquarius is about caring rather than control and its up to each and every one of us to choose the latter.

 

During the 21-23 Tips.

• Have a journal with you and write down all that comes through your inner channel.
• Walk down from your head into your heart and breathe from there. Keep your spirit connected to the Earth Mother..
• Meditate on the community as a whole rather than you own desires and be there for others in a calm and peaceful way.
  
• Send the planet and its beings all the unconditional love you can summon. Whatever works for you, visualise, dance, sing, intuitive body movements, group meditation. etc
• If you feel a strong shift within you, be still, take a moment out of time and breathe and allow.
• If you are concerned about picking up energies that you don’t want. Simply ask that whatever you receive is for the good of the whole.
• Acknowledge and give thanks you inner spirit family, guides, allies, E.Ts. etc.
• Don’t get too caught up in the right time and the right place. Your body is the compass and the place you need to be. Just simply be in a state of awareness and follow your inner intuition as guidance. Open to receive and you will be doing exactly what you are meant to do.

 

 It is a transition much like the worm into a butterfly. The worm works hard within and then is blessed by the freedom when it transforms into a butterfly. The transition itself can be uncomfortable and awkward but it is a natural progression which is what we are moving through. The transition of the worm into the butterfly and the beauty and freedom that can come from this transformation is a sight to behold. Nothing happens overnight but the gradual transformation is happening right now and will increase from the 21^st onward.

We all chose to be here for this time of change. It will not be easy and we are being confronted daily. However we are the egg crackers and we are here to be witness and more importantly to plant seeds for a future community model that will be of support to all the beings on the planet and the planet herself.

 

Bright Blessings on your walk into the Age of Aquarius.

May all beings be happy.

InHeart.

Odette

 

 

 

In today’s commercial society the majority of people look to what is now termed ‘Halloween’ as a time to bring out the ugly witch mask, get as ghoul worthy as you can and make mischief if you don’t get the treats you think you deserve.

For children and many adults who are children at heart it’s a time to dress up and have some fun with the spookier side of life and party like a bunch of happy monsters. What needs to be remembered and honoured during this fun celebration, is it original meaning, the origins of the sacred time of year.

I myself over the years have had a wonderful time dressing up and found it quite interesting on an archetypal view what I chose to dress up as. You might like to reflect on your choices and what symbolic meaning they have for you

One year whilst living in America I dressed as ‘The Dragon Empress of China’ with long nails that could do serious damage. My lover of the time dressed as a lizard advisor and was so convincing (he had no eyebrows!) that I wouldn’t let him kiss me as the night went on. (this was eerily symbolic of our learning together)

But one of my all time favorites was when I lived in Edinburgh Scotland and dressed up as a blue-green wet looking drowned witch with my hands in rope (Oh and havn’t I been there before in many other lives!). And just incase you didn’t already know, the reason that witches are so prominent during All Hallows Eve is because they were the ones who knew how to call on and  communicate with the spirit world respectfully. All the warty nosed versions come mainly from the Grim brothers who made up Jewish witches with ugly features to add to the racist cruelty that hitler and his cronies pushed. Also many witches gained wisdom as they got older and more experienced in their craft and with age, wrinkles and a body that is trying to keep up, the didn’t look as nubile as they once were. The term witch means ‘WISE PERSON’.

What I did notice in Scotland (Ireland and Scotland are the original land of my ancestors) was the true origins of the celebrations, rather than the American model I had come accustom too.  In Edinburgh, being such an old city with lots of graveyards, catacombs and hauntings was the perfect place to open the door to the otherworld, which is the custom on Samhain. I had known it was the time of spooks and things that went bump in the night but not really much more.

After Samhain in Scotland, I came to understand that this is the time of honoring all your dead ancestors and loved ones that have passed as well as guardians, spirit helpers, and fey (faerie) folk and to invite them to feast upon your table of abundance

By being generous to the spirits one would not be harmed but by being greedy then one might be tripped up or worse and get lost between worlds.

What was customary was to honor the dead ancestors and the fey folk and to invite them to visit and offer them treats. This is the time where the veil’s are the thinnest between the worlds and your ancestors and loved one may come by to see how you’re doing or leave a message for you in your dreaming. If you have eaten all the goodies and left none for them, then you have missed the point. It’s a matter of respect and gratitude.

So this Samhain, enjoy all the celebrations, decorations and spooky fun, just take a few moments out of time, arrange a plate of offering and something to sip upon(not for the kids who come knocking), light a candle or two and say a blessing to your ancestors and the fey folk. Welcome them in good heart, for they are the ones you will meet when you leave this life that you have lived.

If you happened to get spooked out, like a shiver down your back. Don’t think the worst, it might be your great-grandfather touching you and thanking you for acknowledging the ancestors. For without them, you wouldn’t exist.

Bright Blessing as we walk towards Samhain

Odette

Many years ago I participated in a traditional American Indian Vision Quest. I sweated, I journeyed, I fasted and I was alone in nature with the bare necessities for 3 nights and 4 days. I had previously been through great tragedy and wanted to claim some of myself back. What I didn’t realise was that because of what I had been through my body lacked quite a lot of nutrients and iron. The vision quest for me became incredibly difficult as each day I would lose more and more energy. By the end of the quest I was carried to base camp and the message in all of it was why do I put myself through such discipline and hardship? Do I think I am so unworthy that I need to do it hard?

I found it hard to ask for help (life pattern that I am unlearning) but in the end I had to blow the emergency alert and get support to literally carry me back. I was treated with such love and care and then I was given my medicine name, “Walks with Cougar”. Not an easy handle to own, believe me. I will share about the medicine of the cougar another time.

Years after I came across a book that still to this day stays with me.

It’s called ‘The Healing Quest’ by Marie Herbert. The story tells of Marie’s personal journey through

grief and the path it took her towards the ‘Healing Quest’. This other type of quest for the woman made a huge impression on me.

I have sat for 11, 10-day silent Buddhist Vipassana Meditation retreats in this life. They were hugely helpful to learn about the witness and to get an eagles perspective on my mind and its cravings and aversions. I see both the technique and the teaching one of the most important tools in my inner medicine bag.

Every one I have participated in has been so very valuable. Even the one I did earlier this year was very important on many levels, as it is the last one I will ever do. I had a massive challenge as I was told that the work that I do, the path that suits my spirit, the path of contemporary shamanism does not work with the strict Vipassana discipline and I was asked to choose between what I am called to do and the practice of Vipassana meditation.  I felt the rage of many women throughout history. I was pretty much accused of being a witch (the instructor is human and has issues to overcome as well all do). I was clearly told in no uncertain terms that I was to choose.

And I have chosen.

During that last 10 day meditation I moved through so many deep emotions and rage was at the forefront. During the course you are asked to not practice any other form of ritual, meditation, etc.  Which is understandable as they want you to give full attention to the technique as people tend to flip out when they combine and it can mess with the purpose of what you are there to achieve.

When the challenge came on the fifth day and I saw the instructor and felt interrogated and patronised all I wanted was to go within the shamans tree and connect with my inner spirit family, my inner knowing, my home. I couldn’t do it. I had given my word that I would abstain from any other practice. That’s when the book, The Healing Quest kept popping into my mind. I still had it on my bookshelf but had forgotten its medicine. I could not stop thinking about the path of nurturing towards healing rather than one of discipline. When I came out of the meditation course I grabbed the book and read it again. It made sense to every part of my being. I am now in my 50’s

I am not dishonoring the path of the buddha in any way. I still go to weekly meditation group to sit and honestly it has gifted me greatly with the eagles perspective and I am more than grateful for that as I will be expanding the witness within for many more years to come.

So getting back to the point of ‘The Healing Quest’. Recently I had become too overwhelmed with life and juggling all the things in it including other environmental elements that added to my stress. I am a highly sensitive spiritual being living a human existence but sometimes being human no matter how onto it you are can be bloody hard work!

I was blessed with a two-week break from studies that I will finish at the end of this year and I thought to myself, I need a break from this tight coiled feeling, but I only really had a week to do it in as the other week was full up. I could feel my adrenals were low and my nervous system was in need of a good ironing. Also I had a bucket full of procrastination guilt that I hadn’t given writing my novel much time.

A very close spirit sister of mine lives up in the hills near Nimbin in Northern New South Wales Australia.  The land she caretake’s and lives upon is sacred dreaming land. She rents out lovely eco friendly converted caravans for retreats and such. I was invited to come and stay in one of the retreat spaces just to write and take time out, no charge. I would be picked up and brought back home and could take anything that I needed or wanted with me.

I took nourishing food to cook on the stove, my laptop to write my novel (no internet connection available which is great) a few books, my journal, my drum, my ukulele, some stone people, sage, medicine blanket, candles, clothes and me.  All I can say is IT FILLED MY INNER CUP!

I meditated, journeyed within to my inner sanctuary, spent time in nature, wrote every day for hours a day, read a book from a wonderful aboriginal woman about the truth of living during the time of the stolen generation, sang, danced, sat with horses, respected sleeping snakes, showered in an outside shower with birds singing with me and watched the sun go down behind sacred rocks towards the beauty of the night sky revealing itself in all its diamond glory. I feel blessed and full from within.

One of the main messages I received as my nervous system uncoiled was that the path of the feminine is about nurturing, receiving, allowing and for me it’s about leaving the door open to allow in TRUST AND LOVE AND PATIENCE. I know it sounds simple, but to really get the message to transform things it has to go in deep.

I reconnected with my inner child and all she wants is to be loved and spend time doing things I love and that nurture me. In doing that I have more to give and more time to support other people’s inner child to feel safer.

I have returned now to the market place and its very busy in many ways, however the space I have made within helps me to relax. I shall add to this daily. If I am unable to find enough space on the outside of my life due to survival, overwhelm and life’s challenges, I can always take time to allow more space within.

The source of the feminine is never drained, all we need to do is get the eagles perspective of the mind, walk downstairs deeper into the shamans tree and open the door of the heart to the abundance of nurturing and loving energy that is available to each and every one of us.

Book some time out for yourself. Go on a ‘Healing Quest’. Give yourself permission to receive and fill your inner well. You are worth it. We all are.

Blessings

Odette

If you would like more information on where I went please go to www.centreforchange.net.

I always had a soft spot for animals from a very young age.  I still have my bear since I was about 2 years old. He has no nose and no mouth or ears, but at the darkest times of my life I still held him close to my heart no matter how old I was. There was always something about bears that made me feel safe and that hasn’t changed. I remember a birthday when I was young. I returned to my bedroom to find a little black cat needing its claws into my bear. I was happy beyond description.  To this day cat medicine and bear medicine have been my strongest allies in times of challenge. I grew up in a family that loved animals and treated them like they were family equals. We slept with dogs and cats on our bed, played with guinea pigs and birds and even had the honour of loving and learning the art of play from a grass monkey in Indonesia that my brother wanted to rescue from a horrible cage. The animals in our house would get great food and the run of the comforts. All of us thought this was how animals should be treated and that hasn’t changed either. As a young person I had great trouble adjusting to humanity and like others I often thought I would rather hang with animals than people. I remember being challenged on that concept once and realised that maybe that belief prevented me from letting people in to know me better.  I looked into being an animal rights activist and realised that I would become a murderer or go insane, as I was far too sensitive to cope with the cruelty that befalls them. I haven’t changed much in all those years. My love for animals is incredibly strong.

The difference is now they are within my inner world where I can make contact with them at any time. Since my shamanic death during my Saturn return (see my book: The Bridge Between Two Worlds. A Shaman’s View Of Schizophrenia And Acute Sensitivity) I felt disconnected from everything except nature and animals.  Everything else seemed to drain me of energy especially other people as they seemed to carry so much energy that I could not help absorbing.

One of the first shamanic sessions I had (I studied Contemporary Shamanism in England specialising in sensitivity and trauma) was connected to the animal totem that was best for what I was going through. The bear came forward as clear as day. I remember crying in recognition that this beautiful being was there for me, and had been all along. I recall when I was instructed to breathe the medicine and qualities of the bear within me. I laughed out loud saying ‘ the bear is way too big, he wont fit!’ My teacher chortled and continued to instruct me to imagine it shrinking to fit into my hand so I could breath it into my heart and spirit. When I did breathe him in, there was solidity and strength in me, a fullness that brought so much calm and safety with it. Safety in shamanic practice is of vital importance in the work that I do.

Years later I went on a vision quest. I journeyed to find the animal that would walk with me during the quest.  The black Panther came to greet me. The beauty of the cat was evident but the medicine enhanced my ability to see in the dark and teach me protection and courage in the world of shadow. These two animals are my family of strength amongst some others. But these kin are who I call upon times of great challenge. I feel protected by both and both offer such clear gifts of insight for me. The bear is brilliant at self-nurturing, self-healing and offering a sense of safety when the inner child is frightened. The panther (I have two that sit like bookends beside me) are with me in times of psychic attack, they can see what I can’t and will stand with me against anything. Other animals play a significant part and their qualities teach me so much. The deer has been wonderful in helping me understand that gentleness towards self and others can be a strength rather than a weakness. The willy wagtail in Celtic lore is the finder of lost children but in aboriginal lore is a warning of death. For me with a strong Celtic lineage on both sides of the family, willy is the friend to my inner child, who makes me giggle and smile from ear to ear. And then there is always the eagle to help get perspective and of course the otters, butterflies, whales…I could go on an on…. For those that get deeply upset when they hear about animals becoming extinct. Your not alone. Do all you can to donate, sign petitions, write letters etc and whilst doing all that invite the spirit of the animal into your sanctuary and connect on a deeper spirit level, connect to them through the inner worlds rather than just this ordinary reality. This may bring some comfort as it does to me. All creatures have importance. I have seen some people be really intent on wanting a strong and powerful animal to be their allie and then they get very disappointed when they get something like an ant. Just because a being is small does not mean it medicine is small. Ant is a great teacher of patience, working as team and part of a whole. …There is powerful medicine in all creatures so don’t just look at the more impressive ones, as all have medicine teachings worth learning.

There are many different interpretations of animal medicine depending on who and what culture is talking. It’s good to research the animal that comes to you and learn about its behaviour and the folk stories shared about it, but ultimately it’s what the animal represents to you, the qualities of the animal that will resonate and benefit your growth.

Happy Animal Medicine Journeys to you

Blessings Odette

( I wrote this article a few years ago. As this blog is relatively new I thought you, the reader might find this perspective helpful)

Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcisms, from Greek exorkizein – to abjure) is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place, which they are believed to have possessed.

All those who were said to be the messengers or mediators of the gods practiced exorcism in many cultures throughout history.  The majority of religious pathways have exorcism practices and those who perform the exorcisms are known as Priests, Rabbis, Shamans, Medicine men and Brahmans etc.

They would exorcise the demon or entity from the person who was thought to be possessed.  It was only practiced by those who were seen as having knowledge in this field. They needed a strong constitution and faith in order to rid the person of a powerful dark demonic force. (The origins of the word Demon originated from the Greek word ‘Daemon’ which is a word for spirit, which did not have any malevolent indications)

That mantle usually went to the one in the village that was blessed with, took the orders of a holy man or inherited this ability to understand the workings of the spirit world. Others however tended to use this ritual as a means to gain power and instill fear in the community.

Shamans particularly experience this rite of passage themselves in contrast to Priests or Rabbis. They encounter their own entity invasion, which frequently lead to periods of madness, physical illness, depression and great suffering. Often taking on the pain and imbalances of the village and the land around them.

Recovering from this rite of passage the Shaman would be held in high esteem for their survival with the ability to re-emerge stronger from such an ordeal.  They would then be of service to the community members that asked and needed spiritual guidance and healing. The shaman understood the state of possession, madness and all the elements that attributed to the persons state of torment.  Without walking the path oneself, one is unable understand and navigate the worlds both in reality and non- ordinary reality.

It has been well researched that those who have been possessed by unwelcome energies have a belief in the possibility of being possessed. So if someone were an atheist, he or she would not be seeking this kind of help.

Parapsychologist and Author Jeffrey Mishlove PHD points out that beneath the attack of entity attachment will be found something within the person which has allowed for the possession to occur [Auerbach, 1993].

In my experience there is always an open vulnerability in the person who feels beset by entities. There is a sensitive predisposition that makes that person susceptible to feeling hosted or equally it could be an awakening or trauma that leaves one open to this kind of experience.

Exorcism was commonplace before the advent of psychiatry took the reigns and with that the belief in spirit possession was shunned and kept to a minimum through the church or temple. Those that practiced the exorcisms would not go ahead with the practice until a psychiatrist had seen the person first.

Possession was replaced by the logic of  ‘mental illness’ a disease of the brain. ‘No you are not possessed, you have a mental illness and what you experiencing and seeing are called delusions and hallucinations’.

Throughout history both the church and the psychiatric body have gone to extremes to justify their beliefs. Far too many people were burnt, hung, and tortured and in the not so recent times, murdered in the name of cleansing the devil from someone’s soul. And even today there are reports in Africa that children are being exorcised in a harmful and hurtful way to cleanse them of evil.

Interesting to note that the Catholic Church did revise the rite of exorcism in 1999

In January 1999, the Vatican issued a revised Catholic rite of exorcism for the first time since 1614, reaffirming the existence of Satan and revamping his image for the millennium. Officials stressed that the church was not revising scriptural references to the Devil or suggesting that people should cease believing in the Evil One. But priests who conduct exorcisms should now deal with evil as a force lurking within all individuals, rather than one that threatens people from without. 

However, flipping to the other side which is chock full of medication. People are afraid to talk about spiritual encounters of any kind, as it constitutes various conditions related to mental illness. The Hearing Voices Network is doing much to debunk this theory. As you can have experiences of hearing voices and altered states of non -ordinary reality and still find your way to a state of balance without a label to go with it.

The mental health world is bent on telling people that this experience is a disease of the brain. If it is a disease, why then do people recover?

Look at John Nash (The film ‘A Beautiful Mind ‘was based on his story) he went through great suffering and was medicated for a long time and then withdrew slowly and learnt to deal with his own otherworldly experiences in his own way. Or take a look at the website of www.successfulschizophrenia.com there is a great resource of success stories that the mental health industry does not want to be to widely known.

Statement that many hear:

‘You will have this disease for the rest of your life and you will NOT be able to manage without being medicated for the rest of your life regardless of the side (direct) effects of the medication.’

This statement is a death sentence for many and I see it in the eyes of those who contemplate suicide after being caught in the mental health system and being unable to find a way out of what they see as a life long prison sentence with no reprieve. In the last two years I have been to the memorials of two beautiful brothers who took their own lives a year apart for this very reason.

The mental health world condones giving any attention to what is happening on a spirit level as they say it just exacerbates the imbalance. But ignoring, suppressing and referring to anything that sniffs of that world as a delusion or hallucination is clearly not helping, and to now drug children as young as two years old for their behavior being inappropriate is just way to extreme!

I understand for those of you who perceive from the left side of the brain how possession seems ridiculous. But this does not mean we should negate the broader subject of spirit attachment or imbalance and throw the baby out with the bath water.

Demonic possession is not a valid diagnosis and is not present in the DSM-IV manual. It is now identified as: hysteria, mania, psychosis, epilepsy and schizophrenia.  Those that say they are possessed are viewed by many psychiatrists, psyche nurses and mental health workers as someone’s way of getting attention who suffers from low self esteem or who are narcissists.

Here are a few interesting points from a paper written by Marc Bancroft MA which shows you that this concept of spirit attachment is not uncommon even in the halls of psychiatric and psychological understanding.

 

• British psychiatrist novelist and author, Arthur Guirdham M.D., who wrote on ESP and reincarnation has concluded after 40 years of practice that every severe mental illness can be caused by spirit interference [Fiore, 1987].

 

• In Thirty Years Among the Dead Dr Carl Wickland writes, ‘Humanity is surrounded by the thought influence of millions of discarnate beings. A recognition of this fact accounts for a great portion of unbidden thoughts, emotions, strange forebodings, gloomy moods, irritabilities, unreasonable impulses, irrational outbursts of temper, uncontrollable infatuations and countless other mental vagaries’. [p.17, 1974].”

• Dr. Edith Fiore published a book on spirit attachment and its effects on mental and physical health.  Her book, The Unquiet Dead, generated new interest in the possibility of spirit attachment from therapists and the public alike.  Spirit attachment is the term used to describe the presence of entities “attached” to a living person who affect the person’s thoughts, actions, emotions or behaviors to some degree. Fiore’s work on sprit attachment came as a result from her work in past-life regression therapy.  Discrepancies in past life regressions revealed that many of her client’s past lives were really the past lives of discarnate entities attached to the client.  Out of 30,000 cases Fiore estimates that 70% of all clients have at least one spirit attached to them [Guiley, 1991].

• Some investigators in the field claim that between 70-100% of the population are affected by entities at some time in their lives.

• An exorcist seeking to dialogue with possessing spirits is far less likely to encounter the traditional demonic behaviors of hissing, convulsions, foaming at the mouth, and the screaming of obscenities, as is the exorcist who believes he is “doing battle with the forces of hell”.

•  William James, a psychologist and philosopher who was found to be the 14th most eminent psychologist of the 20th Century, also believed that if there were entities they would have to enter through a cracked or fragmented self. He was one of the strongest proponents of the school of functionalism in psychology and of pragmatism in philosophy. He was a founder of the American Society for Psychical Research, as well as a champion of alternative approaches to healing. He challenged his professional colleagues not to let a narrow mindset prevent an honest appraisal of those phenomena. In an empirical study by Haggbloom using six criteria such as citations and recognition, psychological factors are discussed which inadvertently bring the notions of spirit possession and psychological explanations much closer together.  Baldwin’s observation that “most attached spirits do not make their presence known to the host [Baldwin, 1991]” is indicative of how the subconscious mind typically operates.  The author goes on to elaborate that entities “seem to function at the level of the subconscious [Baldwin, 1991].

• Carl Jung said: The chief danger is that of succumbing to the fascinating influence of the archetypes, and this is most likely to happen when the archetypal images are not made conscious. It may even happen that the archetypal figures, which are endowed with a certain autonomy anyway on account of their numinosity, will escape from conscious control altogether and become completely independent, thus producing the phenomenon of possession

Carl Jung was a man that moved through his own states of madness. Seen as a Shaman of his time, he found his own truth in working with archetypes.  He said  ‘these images need to be made conscious’. I heartily agree with that. Whether on not the client feels that it is a spirit possession, archetype, disowned self, thought form or even the psychiatric term dissociation. The purpose is to bring the truth of the story and the players to the surface, to expose the wound in safety as something that may seem separate from you but as you work with the lesson it brings you to a deeper understanding, including your part in it as well as working on clearing the entity and embracing that aspect of the disowned self.

Professor Jeffrey Remain who served as devil’s advocate for the 1991 televised exorcism seen on 20/20 proclaimed, ‘It (exorcism) means that we don’t have to take responsibility for the conditions in our society that breeds crime and violence and other forms of evil. We can blame that on the devil as well. So I think it’s a counsel for irresponsibility’. [Exorcism, ABC Nightline, 1991]. ‘ Exorcism can easily be perceived as a quick fix for genuine physical, emotional, and psychological problems.

In today’s society it’s imperative that we do all we can to take our own power back. We have moved into a ‘fix it’ society where if there is not a tablet for everything one will be found.

The quick fix isn’t the answer to taking self responsibility, nor is it leaving it up to a psychic healer, Iman, Rabbi, Priest or Shaman that you found in the yellow pages to exorcise your attachments so you don’t have to face you own unconscious prodding’s.

‘It is not for us to judge who is and who is not really ‘possessed’. If someone is in his own cultural milieu, generally considered to be in a state of spirit possession, then he (or she) is possessed’. [Lewis, I., p.46, 1971].    

The work of the Contemporary Shaman is the path of learning how to clear the emotional body of its debris and working within the astral plane, as that’s where these unbalanced energies take form.  Taking responsibility for all that you have attracted (that doesn’t mean becoming a victim) is vital along this learning path.

That’s not to say that you can’t be supported on your journey, held, guided and given a good clearing of the energies surrounding you initially. In the long term however you can’t just expect someone to regularly give you an exorcism when you are playing the victim to what ever attaches itself to you. When you can empower yourself to challenge any visiting energies and learn tools of how to master and communicate with these vibrations of imbalance, you will be able to empower yourself in spirit, mind and body.

The energies/entities are coming to you or through you for a reason; there is availability within your emotional/astral body that they are attracted to. You are the most significant person in moving these energies into the light, as their relationship is with YOU.

Still, like most things being educated in how to stay safe and how to develop insight and skills can take time to learn.  I am not talking so much about intellectual based education, it is more developing emotional and spiritual intelligence. The key is to realize that in giving your fear and your power over to these energies of possession or harassment, you continue to stay the victim of their games.

The Contemporary Shaman after teaching you ways to use healthy grounding tools can guide you in how to embrace and remove these energies. They can guide you in how to work with the spirit world and empower yourself, but the true responsibility lies within you and you are the one that needs to learn how to be the master of your own spirit body rather than the entities, thought forms, archetypes or daemons that appear to possess you.

People are at their wits end in regard to getting help from the various mental health systems around the world and know that medication is not enough. So those with a strong conviction in the laws of good verse evil or those that have lapsed in their beliefs are heading back to the traditional Saturn based pathways of monotheist religions and the like.

Religion is coming back big time, as the world gets more chaotic. In some ways people are going back to traditional beliefs for a sense of familiarity and belonging. There are also New Age groups that are incorporating similar laws familiar to more traditional religious groups.

I find it interesting that there is little found documentation on priests themselves getting exorcised, but I had to laugh to discover that Mother Teresa was exorcised in her latter years, because she had trouble sleeping and was somewhat grumpy. Obviously it had nothing to do with old age and serving people all her life!

I am curious to know if the priests who have been charged with child abuse said it was the devil that made them do it?

Again, this belief that something or someone has more power over you is giving yourself over to something outside yourself. Rather than looking within to connect to your own divinity which is part of the greater whole.

I am not saying religion is to be shunned for those that have a deep connection, but it has brought so much shame, guilt, and judgment with it and lets face it behind every war there is a strong religious backbone.

I honor those that walk the path of compassion whatever path they belong to and do not argue your right to believe in a God, Goddess, Jesus, Allah, etc. Everyone has the right to believe in what they want. But why do we have to be so black and white about everything?  E.g.: this is the only way and those that do not join us will go to hell, stay sinners, be forever lost on the path, not ascend, be left behind, be given no mercy etc.

Today we have a healthy model called Spirit Releasment Therapy, which is akin to the Contemporary Shamanic work that I mentioned before. It assists in making contact with the interfering energy, identifying its attraction to being attached and to assist it to move on and for the client to integrate the learning experience so as to feel more whole.

This fast paced world that we are adjusting to throws us back upon ourselves to be our own healers. It is one of self-responsibility, self-empowerment and that is the path we need to take in dealing with this type of experience.

I can understand the need to clear the person of the surrounding entities as an initial starting point, but there is a relationship of sorts happening and just getting them moved off for a moment will not solve the issue.

Known actor Stephen Fry did a documentary and interviewed people that suffered from what is termed Bi polar (who experience many similar otherworldly experiences when in the elevated stage as those suffering from those labeled with schizophrenia) found that when pushed to answer the question: ‘If you had a choice to press a button and eliminate all the otherworldly experiences and encounters, would you?’ Majority answered that they definitely wouldn’t want to press the button, as it was a gift as well as a curse for them and they enjoyed much of their otherworldly experiences.

Years back I had attended an exorcism as a witness for a man who was deeply religious and believed in the devil.  The born again Christians asked him to ask Christ forgiveness for him being molested as a child (I nearly lost it with anger at that point, but promised I would just be a witness) The voices returned to him within 24 hours because his mind was still fearful and he still felt shame and guilt from the wounds that pervaded his life, which of course were never addressed. I was doing journeywork with a woman in my training days who felt she was possessed by another being and when all was released she felt better but said ‘ what will I be without him?’ Within a short time of her going back to her old ways and NOT practicing what she had be guided to practice the entity was back. There is always some kind of unconscious relationship underlying the continual harassment that the energies bring.

I also went to a workshop that a friend insisted on. At this workshop much was referred to regarding   the subject of Ascension. A woman did what was perceived as a healing on me (I had a little alert button go off but did nothing) and I was getting a cold that day and felt a little weak. I did not relate to many things said and many people in the room were totally enamored of the teacher.

That night and for the next night I felt well, possessed by an energy that was not my own. It was heavy, depressing dark and malevolent. I struggled for a day or two thinking it was just my stuff, as I just didn’t pick up on what was occurring. On the third night I felt like I was spiraling into a chronic state of melancholy and feeling rather spooked and high-strung at the same time. A huge storm was blowing, blasting lightning and thunder. Something inside prompted me to get up put my raincoat on and go up onto the hill close to my home.

As I stood on the hillock with all the skies raging around me, I felt to purge whatever this was and the only way that I could do it was scream all the feeling of ‘bile’ out of me. So I went with whatever my intuition motioned me to do. I spat, screamed, screeched, flailed my arms about, moved my body in strange positions and completely let it out.   I did not resist the feelings that I felt and expressed them fully without judgment…I just wanted it out!

To any one watching (fortunately not) I looked like a bad witch possessed whilst doing some evil spell and ready to be locked up. I thought it better to dive right into it and out the other side of whatever was taking hold.

After it finished (of its own accord) I felt spent and somewhat limp. Walking back to the house another message came though my intuitive self. ‘The stones you took with you to the workshop, bury them in your garden for three days and nights’. I did this as soon as I came in the door, burnt sage in my room with strong intent of sending anything off that did not belong and sat down to meditate. The channel was clear. I felt back in my body and connected. I receive that this ‘Ascension New Age model’ is definitely not my path and that for me it has a great deal of unbalanced energy mixed with it. I am not criticizing the concept of ascension re moving to a higher vibration of consciousness, I am talking about the ascension movement and its cultish pseudo Christian vibration.

In my early days of madness I had to clear the entities from myself and learn about why they had come to hassle me. It’s about empowering yourself to stand up and meet the imbalance head on. There is great liberation in doing this rather than relying on someone to do it for you.

Don’t get me wrong I am all for guides, teachers, path pioneers, and guru’s if that is your path. But these teachers could and should be guiding you back to empower yourself.

Exorcism/ spirit release without dogma is fine if it is part of a longer-term guidance to enable you to clear for yourself. You do not have to bring in the words of religion to be of help if that is not your path and entities tend to get mighty agro when priests say ‘ go back from whence you came’ or an Iman says to the jinn if it doesn’t get out it will be tortured and burnt by the flames of Allah

Whatever the attachment they/it, are lost in a state of imbalance and need guidance in the astral world to freedom.

The best defense is listening and learning what the message is for you. To know where to focus your attention in that area to bring true emotional healing and to strengthen yourself.  Your wound is your gift, bring it into the sunlight embrace it, give it a voice, validate its role in your life and then let it go.

Carry a good bullshit detector, find a good guide in this field, develop an open and compassionate heart, hold onto the sword of truth (not judgment) and you will gain a stronger sense of self and clarity of spirit

Exorcism can be a dangerous ritual to play around with. Wisdom comes from building your own inner grounded truth and shining your light

Do all you can to balance your world. Nurture yourself with healthy grounded spiritual practices and if you feel you are in need of clearance, make sure whatever you do is totally safe and will not exacerbate your issue more. If you are on medication, jumping off is dangerous.  Good psychiatrists will work with you to lower your dose as you gain a stronger grounding.

‘We don’t need anyone to teach us shamanism, because there is really nothing to learn. What we need is someone to convince us that there is incalculable power at our fingertips. ‘

The Power of Silence

Blessings

Odette

© Odette Nightsky

Some symbols just hang with you for a while and are an analogy of where you are. For this blog entry I will use the pirate ship to tell this passage of conflict.

Pirate movies in my mother’s era were all the rage. Errol Flynn and his tights and sword made women swoon. He was a hero and had the bravery to beat the baddies, woo the woman and take the helm of the ship. Women would swoon.

Jonny Depp has replaced Errol and for most of us of this era his is a perfect replacement. Not the classic hero, but deadly handsome, somewhat realistic as a flawed man who can handle a sword, make women melt with his drunken kiss and revel in good dose of skullduggery.  He is human and fallible, like many of us and he knows how to get his ship back when robbed even if that means dealing with the undead! He attracts others to him that can see through his game playing and be of support when the chips are down.

If we look at the symbol of the ocean being akin to our emotions and the ship being the ship of our inner psyche we can often feel like a boat on the big seas battling the wild weather.  We may have to deal with invading pirates who jump our ship, taking the loot and robbing the ship of its instinctive feminine heroine which represents our intuitive knowing. Through this we are left feeling desolate and unsure of our direction.

Many are training to be adept at steering our own inner boat through the storm clouds and tempestuous waves, however if you don’t have any support aboard the ship you are left to watch the helm yourself.

What happens if you feel overly tired or sick and you want to go the cabin beneath to take rest? Someday’s can be very hard on the psyche and its very tempting to hide from the hurricane on the bow and just let the ship be smashed by the waves.

The worst days can feel as if your boat has run ashore and there are leaking holes throughout. This is your ship you’re the captain. What happens to the ship and where it ends up, is in your hands. It’s important not to abandon your own vessel.

The captain (a person who is at the head of or in authority over others; chief; leader) needs to keep a keen eye on all the parts of the ship and the way it is being run. Sure you can pull your ship into port, anchor it, and take out a longboat and row to shore for a rest, but be mindful you do not leave your ship behind so it rots on the sea or on the shore. It is up to you to keep the ship in tip top condition.

Now some of you may ask, why do I have to do it all own my own? Well you’re not on your own. Your inner world is yours to create.  I realize when I feel all at sea and troubled by wild or heavy storms an aspect of me is still working on the ship. And that’s when I call in spirit helpers to assist if need be. Be mindful not to let others take over your ship. Move into calmer waters for a while until you establish your inner strength as a captain at the helm.

My inner compass still points north and deep in my soul I know that’s where I am headed. To the heart of wisdom, the connection with my spiritual ancestors and great mystery. The lighthouses that are around as you move from coast to coast help you too remember that there is the guidance of light on your voyage no matter how dark.

However as I am dealing with the heavy storm I make sure I have locked the helm in place so my inner direction does not get diverted too far off course.  I can go and get some rest in the cabin, I can sulk on the bow of the boat for a time, I can call in spirit helpers so I don’t feel so isolated and I can also plan an island rest from all duties for a while, whilst getting tools and supplies so as to build up strength.

Being lost at sea is very overwhelming and can be terrifying to be out in the dark of the great ocean.  If you look at ships out in the big sea you will notice that they bob up and down with the waves. The great ocean is in control, but if the steering is kept locked in to its direction, the ship is able to move through the changes and get to its destination.

Of course there are times when the ship takes on a huge amount of water and you may fall off the ship. Many are terrified of drowning in the deep dark waters below. This is a good time to call upon the medicine of the oceans. Like working with Whale Medicine or Dolphin Medicine perhaps or even the seahorse and it ability to float in any direction.  It’s important to let the waters of emotion flow through you, knowing that you CAN breathe like the dolphin and get knowledge from the great record keeper, the whale.

This is practice in getting your sea legs and knowing how to RIDE THE WAVE of life.

Blessings

Odette.