December 2012 Earth MagicIn the desert, the sun slips behind the mountains earlier and earlier each night, reminding me that the Winter Solstice will soon be upon us. Shamanic signs flow with fresh intensity as the longest night approaches. For this is the time of the Wolf, the Hermit, and the Shaman. It is the time to journey inward, to gather information, and to hone one's instinct and intuition. On a recent stormy night, I did intuitive readings for a fascinating group of women. Outside, the rain-slick roads reflected holiday lights. Inside, the well-appointed living room crackled with excitement and expectations. Watching for shamanic signs, I noted the oracle card FOREST from Steven D. Farmer's Earth Magic deck* appeared in several readings. FOREST, with its message to slow down and breathe deeply, seemed particularly fitting for this time of year. BreatheTake stock. Have you become so caught up in the stress and rush of the holidays that you hold your breath or take quick breaths? Shallow breaths indicate you are in survival mode. Try this simple test: count while you breathe in. Then, count anew as you exhale. Do the two numbers match? Are the numbers really low (three, for example)? Imagine yourself in a forest. The trees, the Standing Ones, fill the air with oxygen. Breathe in as slowly as you can. Fill your lungs. When you are ready, release a long, slow breath. Attune yourself to the rhythms of the forest and the natural exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Breathe in. Breathe out. Envision an even energy exchange. Lengthen your breath. Strive to match your inhale to your exhale. If you feel off balance, imagine the chakras in the arch of each foot opening and growing magical roots. Send these grounding cords deep into the earth. Through the roots and your breath discharge worry and stress. Imagine each day filled with ease and grace. Become the oak, strong and enduring. Become the flexible willow, able to bend, not snap. SurrenderTraditionally among far northern tribes, the Winter Solstice marked the time when each villager surrendered his or her soul's burden to the shaman. The villagers would gather, like the women on that recent stormy night. The shaman, through spirit flight, carried the burdens up the Sacred Tree to the Compassionate Heart of Purification to be burned and purified**. What burden does your soul carry? What intractable thoughts prevent you from seeing a better outcome? What tug-of-war are you engaged in? What happens in a tug-of-war when one person releases the rope? It is possible to surrender and still "win." Dropping the rope doesn't mean you concede. It means you have chosen to no longer engage in a situation that is not in your highest good. Think of all the energy you have expended in the struggle. Drop the rope. Cut the invisible cord. Free your energy so it can better serve you. May the Dark Night of the Soul lead you into release and enlightenment. ~Ariella Helpful Links:* http://www.earthmagic.net |