Journey to the Himalayas

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Journey(s) to and with the Spirit of the Himalayas … I

    1.  Journey to the Himalayas.

I went to my sacred Garden and stated my journey intention to angel Cupid, “Journey to the Himalayas.” Then I mounted on my white horse and with angel Cupid seated behind me, we arrived at the Himalayas. It was a beautiful valley with a clear sparkling pool at the center. I hung out there with angel Cupid at the foothills and when the return beat of the drum sounded, we came back to my sacred garden only to find that the spirit of the Himalayas (or was it the spirit of mount Kailash? I’d visited both mountains) had followed us back to my sacred garden.  He appeared as a tall and slender elderly male dressed in a snow-white robe.  After showing himself to me, he left and I returned to my normal reality and back to my room.

In the few weeks following this journey, I journeyed the Himalayas often.  I’d go there to look for a scenic spot or cave to hang out with my angel; but instead, pathways would open up and things would shift. 

It was frustrating and agitating to be on fast track journeys as these when my intention would be to just go there and hang out in peace.  I was also thankful for those journeys that happened so spontaneously.  I just wish I’d been more rested to actually enjoy them even more.

It was probably my second or third journey with the Himalayas when I met a girl kid. The journey follows:

   2.   Journey to the Himalayas … II

I went to my sacred Garden and stated my journey intention to angel Cupid, “Journey to the Himalayas to hang out with angel Cupid.” Then I mounted on my white horse and with angel Cupid seated behind me, we arrived at the Himalayas.  We landed on a flat plateau on the upper peaks of the Himalayas. I wanted to hang out there with angel Cupid; so I went looking for a cave. I was right by his side at all times. I was called to lay my hands on the side of one of the rocks (on the southern side and facing north) and it opened up and finally I found myself in a cave. The cave was large and there was a pool of dirty water towards the front of the cave. At the far end of the cave, beyond the pool of dirty black water, there stood a girl. She looked scared and apprehensive. Angel Cupid had the water in the cave dry up and the pool of water disappeared. Then the girl felt relieved and I asked her who she was. I got no reply. I sat by her side on the edge of the cave with our legs dangling down by the sides of the Himalayan cliff. Since I did not know who she was, I asked her to go to whom so ever she belong to; if she was mine (my soul part or inner child who had got lost), she was to come to me. She disappeared and I returned with angel Cupid to the surrounding landscape.

Then, at the sound of the return beat of the drum, I came back to normal reality, back to my room.

   3.   Journey to the Himalayas … III

I went to my sacred Garden and stated my journey intention to angel Cupid, “Journey to the Himalayas.” Then I mounted on my white horse and with angel Cupid seated behind me, we arrived at the Himalayas.  I flew with angel Cupid landed on a foothold along the upper peaks of the Himalayas (on the east side and facing the west). I wanted to hang out with angel Cupid; but I was hanging there on the cliffs. At one point, I put my hand on the side of the rocks and a pathway opened up and a stream of water began to flow northward and down the cliff. As I placed my hands on the rocks on the southern side (facing north), pathways would open up as the rocks parted.

Then, at the sound of the return beat of the drum, I came back to normal reality, back to my room.

4.  Journey(s) to and with the Spirit of the Himalayas … IV

I went to my sacred Garden and stated my journey intention to angel Cupid, “Journey to the Himalayas.” Then I mounted on my white horse and with angel Cupid seated behind me, we arrived at the Himalayas. It was a beautiful valley at the foothills with a clear sparkling pool at the center. I had intentionally arrived here at the foothills of the first journey. I had wanted to hang out with angel Cupid, so I wanted to find a cave. At one point, I put my hand on the side of the rocks on the north side (south facing) and a pathway opened up and a stream of water began to flow northward and down the cliff. As I placed my hands on the rocks on the southern side (facing north), pathways began to open up as the cliffs parted. It was leading north. My horse followed it partially with me riding on him.

I’d gone there to look for a scenic spot or cave to hang out with my angel; but instead, pathways open up and things begin to shift every I am there.  It was frustrating and agitating to be on fast track journeys as these when my intention would be to just go there and hang out in peace.  So I decided to stop.

Then, at the sound of the return beat of the drum, I came back to normal reality, back to my room.

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Shaman Tools

Shaman tools vary even among different indigenous groups.  Core Shamans of North America, Shamans of the High Andes and Nepalese shamans are all powerful in their own right; and they have their unique tools and ways.
Some of the commonly used Shamanic tools; plus a few others that are unique to one or more of the above three shaman cultures are listed as follows:

1) Feathers.

The feathers held in highest esteem by many cultures are the Eagle, closely followed by the Hawk and Condor. These Raptors are awesome predators, flying highest in the sky, some can soar and plummet at speeds and with an agility we can barely imagine. To be in possession of these feathers was, and still is regarded as a great honor. To work with bird energies is to love them, respect them, honor them.

You may be familiar with the term 'smudging, or smudge feathers', a practice that dates back centuries… The feathers used for smudging range from Turkey, Eagle, Hawk, Condor … the list is endless. Yet each feather has a different meaning, and each feather has within it the energies of the bird it comes from. 

Turkey is considered the eagle of the South of the Medicine wheel in some north American Shaman cultures.The most  commonly used feathers in smudging are Turkey; they are regarded as having cleansing and healing properties.

Shamans also use the entire wing of a bird such as turkey, eagle, condor, etc. for the purpose of smudging and cleansing.

2) Rattles

Rattles are one of the most ancient of musical instruments. The rattle, in its various forms, is used by shamans in many parts of the world to help the practitioner enter a shamanic state of consciousness and for calling in the spirits.

Native American Rattles ... made of Rawhide, Gourd, Turtle.  Of the many types of Indian rattles it is probably the turtle shell rattle as well as Native American gourd rattles that are the most well known.

Among the South American Shaman cultures of Peru, Andes, Amazon, etc., rattles are made from gourd, stick, feathers and contain corn.

Native American rattles are made with unique materials ...

Turtle shell rattle and may also include leather, rawhide, bead work and feathers as well as fur, leather fringe, seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones and shells.

The items placed inside the rattle also have special importance and are often chosen with great care.

Occasionally blue corn is used with or without quartz crystals.

The Native Indian rattle is also an instrument that is said to refer to the three kingdoms.

The animal kingdom … represented by the container or feather decoration,

the mineral kingdom … represented by rocks used for sound

The plant kingdom ... represented by the container or the wooden handle of the rattle.

3) Drums.

Drums are one of the most ancient of musical instruments. The drum, in its various forms, is used by shamans in many parts of the world to help the practitioner enter a shamanic state of consciousness and for calling in the spirits.

Typically, a shaman's drum is made of animal hide.  Deer, buffalo, Elk are common; goat hide is also used in drum making.

A shaman rides on the drum beat into a shamanic state of consciousness.

4) Quartz Crystals.
A shaman uses quartz crystals for healing, extraction, divination. Quartz crystals used in extraction are double pointed. Vogel cut double pointed quartz crystals are becoming more common for this purpose.

Some crystals have to be charged in by sun light and some by moon light. A shaman journeys to the mother crystal and asks for directions on how to charge it and what the crystal is meant to be used for.

5) Mirrors.  

Mirrors are held as sacred to the Moon, for as the moon reflects the sun's light, so too is a mirror an object of reflection. The symbolism of the mirror is simple and yet, complex.   

Mirrors also help us to see things we could not, without their aid; not only the physical, but also higher things such as memories of past lives, glimpses of the future and visions of things happening in other places at the same moment. They act as portals into other worlds.

The mirror is a useful and symbolic tool; a link with the moon, with one's subconscious and ultimately with nature itself.  Since it is a lunar tool, the mirror used is round; about three inches in diameter is quite common.

6) Staff.

It is a walking stick with feathers tied to its top end with a leather ribbon.

7) Bells.

Bells are one of the most ancient of musical instruments. A set of two bells is used by shamans of the high Andes for calling in the spirits and for singing to the mesa. One of the bells is higher pitched and is the female and the other is low pitched and is considered the male of the pair. A rattle serves the same purpose. An Andean shaman uses both a rattle and a pair of bells.

8) Mesa or Medicine Bag.

9) Spirit Water.

Florida water is used by Andean and South American Shamans to cleanse and also while creating sacred space.

10) Phurba.

Phurba is a dagger used by a Nepalese shaman. Andean shamans use a silver knife. These are used for cutting chords to people, places, etc. 

In certain other energy healing practices such as reiki, the healer uses an imaginary blade of their choice for cutting chords.

In Angelic healing, cutting chords is as easy as calling upon Archangel Michael to help cut the specific chords.

Spirit Walk ... by Ranjana Paul

I close my eyes and watch the purple light

It spins clock-wise in the dark.

I watch as eyes appear; single eyes and pairs.

Like a slide show, eyes just appear and disappear.

Eyes with fear, eyes with a tear;

Eyes half closed and eyes too scared;

Eyes that are shocked and eyes in prayer.

Just eyes; faceless eyes appear and disappear.

Who do they belong to?  Past lives? or ancestors?

I send healing to both and watch for more to appear.

Rarely, a face appears; eyes closed in prayer.

Serene and centered; am I there?

... Ranjana Paul

May 2013