January 2012 Shamanic Tracking: Decoding Symbols and SignsOn New Year's Eve, 2011, I rescued a baby salamander from the frigid depths of my backyard swimming pool. Salamanders are harbingers of change, sometimes life-altering change, and often change brought about by outside forces. Whenever a salamander enters my life, I know a major shift is about to happen, and my internal shamanic tracker kicks into high alert. The universe provides us with many signs, sometimes in answer to a question, other times as a warning of things to come, or to prompt us to take action. Shamans develop heightened awareness. We note seemingly random occurrences and watch to see if they form a pattern. A shaman tracks sign chains, decodes the embedded message, and then acts accordingly. For example, in late July 2011, I had ducked into Target on some long-forgotten quest. While striding past the accessories department, a swath of camouflage had caught my eye. I had searched unsuccessfully for a camouflage cap back in 2009 when I was completing Spell Check, my young adult romance. In Spell Check, the fourteen-year-old protagonist is never without her late father's camouflage hat. Evie's cap! It had seemed so random, hanging on a bottom hook, overshadowed by brightly colored sun hats. I had contemplated buying it. But in the end, I had reminded myself that I had put the manuscript aside to concentrate on my shaman practice. Long after I had left the store, the memory nagged at me. Evie's hat; it must mean something. About a week later, I received an email from my friend, the author Ginger Hanson. While doing research, Ginger had happened upon a small publisher, Astraea Press, that she thought would be perfect for Spell Check. She urged me to check out the publisher. Believing coincidences are actually symbol clusters, I took notice. Upon investigation, Astraea Press did seem perfect. They publish sweet Young Adult romances. At the time, Astraea Press was particularly interested in Halloween-themed manuscripts. In Spell Check, Evie's best friend tries to ensnare Evie's secret crush with a love spell. Halloween provides the ticking clock to stop the spell, and it marks the anniversary of Evie's father's death. Another omen! At the time, I was teaching Goddess Camp each weekend. Astraea is the goddess of justice, the last immortal to have dwelled among humans. Spurred by the preponderance of positive omens, I emailed my manuscript to the publisher. I promptly received an auto reply thanking me for my submission and telling me I'd hear back within four weeks. I figured time would reveal if I had read the omenscorrectly. Within 48 hours, the publisher offered me a contract. Spell Check is currently scheduled to be released before Valentine's Day. I had been lucky. The signs were clear and impossible to ignore. That is not always the case. Often, signs appear to us in dreams, cloaked in metaphor. Be sure you keep a dream journal. If possible, write down your dream immediately upon waking. Symbols are often embedded in the details of a dream, which tend to slip away if you wait too long. Although books on dream interpretation can help you decode symbolism, it is more important to reflect on what something symbolizes to you. When analyzing your dreams, search for repeated motifs. Before I became a shaman, a business acquaintance hid the darkest of intentions behind his seemingly harmless demeanor. One obscure fact I knew about him—he had briefly studied to become a monk. After his criminal actions were revealed, I looked back through my dream journals. A monk appeared in several dreams. Each dream should have served as a warning; the monk always played a deceptive and destructive role. Hopefully, the baby salamander will not bring any shape-shifters, monks or otherwise, into my life. With Spell Check's imminent release, I foresee only good things ahead. My shamanic tracker is on high alert. Practice Heightened AwarenessAs 2012 begins, is there a question you would like answered or a situation you need help with? Offer the question or problem up to the Universe. Write it down. Sometime between the New Moon and the Full Moon, burn the piece of paper. Be sure to thank in advance any guides or guardians who may assist you. Ask them to give you signs you can clearly understand. Make an offering in gratitude and acknowledgment for the help you are about to receive. The offering can be anything—a beautiful stone, a flower, or whatever feels right. For at least one moon cycle, keep watch for signs. Record your dreams. As symbols appear, write them down so you can determine if they create a pattern. When you have your answer, be sure to express your gratitude to the invisible energies that assisted you. Next Month: Love Spells |