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Newsletter
3/1/09 :
February-March 2009
Current Reflections
and Workshops Announcements |
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 Dear Friends,
Winter dominates now
in so many ways: internally
and externally.
Rain and snow muffle
the landscape and even
the stars seem to have
disappeared. It's hard
to separate the outer
contracting cold from
the inner contracting
- exacerbated by the
daily news of a world
shrinking and that seems
more overcast each successive
day.
I've been reflecting
on a few issues during
these wintry days:
How do we as shamanic
community respond in
these troubled times?
What does shamanism offer
to the Present Age?
How do we support one
another in ways grounded
in our current realities
and use our transforming
powers to assist the
birth of new social forms:
ones that pursue the
common good for all.
Our deep unease is not
just for the economic
order but includes the
growing effects of global
warming. And these are
not unrelated issues
- both of which require
that we find ways to
collaborate that recognize
there are no geographical
or national boundaries:
we are each and all seriously
affected by this unraveling
of nature and of economic
order. And the health
of future generations
depends on what we can
accomplish in bringing
positive change.
Visoning
and Dreaming Together
our Future
We are living in unique
and wonderfully challenging
times. The need for restructuring
social and environmental
priorities has been evolving
for years: this Present
Age demands a
new vision and the courage
to enact our vision.
We are given the opportunity,
if not necessity, to
rethink how we humans
shall live on this planet.
How shall we care for
this Earth? Our previous
paradigms no longer work.
We are truly on a new
adventure to dream and
manifest new social orders
and environmental practices.
Just as nature has the
promise of Spring embedded
within the cloak of Winter,
we have the ability to
envision a more positive
future, and sew seeds
of change that will,
in fact, keep faith with
future generations.
Shamanic cultures have
always grounded their
spiritual practice in
the pursuit of respecting
the natural order and
prospering the people.
These goals were not
perceived as being in
opposition. In times
out of balance, the shamanic
task was to do whatever
would assist the community
in realigning its behavior
so that harmony would
return. This might require
periods of consulting
with various Spirits,
ceremonies of cleansing
so that 'clear vision'
would return to the people,
or working with the forces
of nature to see what
changes would correct
some current crisis.
Covenants
and Agreements - our
Shamanic Storyline
Shamanism is grounded
in the belief that hope
is always available.
Our Covenant with Spirit
is based on a collaborative
relationship. In this
relationship, both the
humans and Spirit abide
by agreements to restore
health and prosperity
to the landscape and
its inhabitants if specified
changes are made. For
example, one ancestral
story involves over-fishing
River and depleting the
Salmon People….then
River pulls away from
its banks…in the
midst of catastrophe
an Agreement is reached
in which River will return
as long as the people
agree to respect River
and All who live within
and depend upon River.
We need to revisit such
stories for therein are
teachings. It's not that
stories necessarily have
the answer but they point
us to the signature issues
and provide us examples
of our own heroic natures:
courage we can summon.
We need to explore deeply
our Covenant, understand
the Agreements made between
our Ancestors and Earth,
and recognize what Agreements
we have forsaken and
how to rectify. Through
sourcing these ancient
stories, we may find
lessons that will assist
us in our changing.
This
is the issue before us: "How
will our times be reflected
in the focus of our practice,
our teaching, our workshops
and conferences?" Clearly
we continue with our
basic healing modalities
such as soul retrieval,
extraction, and psychopomp.
Yet these address specific,
individual problems and
do not speak to the broad
systemic problem that
can sap the vigor and
enthusiasm in our daily
walk and communal relations.
If we don't speak to
this systemic issue,
we shall be Winter-Walking
through all our seasons.
Buffalo Medicine in
the Present Age
I've had this recurring
image of the contemporary
shamanic community walking
the Medicine Wheel. In
this image, we began
consciously walking about
forty years ago and now
find ourselves in the
Place of the North-with
Buffalo as our Totemic
Teacher. We have grown
ourselves from our early
visioning place (Eagle),
explored with great curiosity
and innocence (Mouse),
hibernated, internalized,
and matured the teachings
within us (Bear) and
are now moving into the
place of wisdom, of community,
of leadership, of Give-A-Way.
In this paradigm, the
Medicine of Buffalo calls
to us - seeks our attention
so we might continue
evolving on this path
and become active members
in our communities.
In so many ways, the
history of Buffalo is
the story of our times:
there was Buffalo roaming
the prairies, plains
and high grounds…treasured
for both substance and
shadow. During a relatively
short period of time,
wasteful use of this
treasured Being left
them now living on limited
reserves. Yet Buffalo
Spirit is alive and calling
us..willing to once more
give and to teach us
how to survive.
There are many teachings
and ceremonies unique
to Buffalo Medicine.
If we can gather and
practice this Medicine,
we help to bring balance,
prosperity, and peace
to our world. These are
not just idle words:
these are the promises
given to us by Spirit.
They are based on countless
years and generations
of the humans covenant
with Creator.
In many ways, the Plains
story of White Buffalo
Woman encapsulates these
teachings and the promise.
Instructions from this
story include: "seek
for all the people, prepare
yourselves to receive
new visions and understandings.
You will learn new ceremonies
and rites that will restore
health and balance among
yourselves and in your
relationship with all
other beings."
Workshop
Offerings and Focus
Thus, the workshops Susan
Gilliland and I will
be teaching in 2009 will
focus on this theme: Shamanism
in the Present Age.
Shamans have always understood
that their job was to
raise the Call, work
with Spirits, and promote
the spiritual ways that
would bring hope and
wisdom to the people.
So Now are we called
and together, in our
Circles, we must learn "just
what are these ceremonies
and activities" that
shall prosper us during
these lean and contracting
times. What teaching
is Spirit wishing us
to receive both for the
present moment and for
unfolding our future.
We shall revisit some
of our ancestral stories
and seek visions with
Spirit. Together we will
discover what we, as
walkers of this path,
offer our larger community
and Earth herself.
Now is the time for us
to seek, to receive,
to enact---and together
in Circle we shall do
this.
Workshop
Dates and Costs
I am announcing these
workshop dates (June
- August) now because
enrollment is limited.
Except for the workshop
in Philadelphia, all
others will take place
at EarthRetreat Center
that is located in the
Santa Cruz Mountains.
This Center has been
designed especially to
support the gathering
of small groups - which
I prefer for weekend
workshops because this
allows for more sharing
and individual learning.
This will be the second
year of teaching there.
The Center is located
midst an incredibly rich
coastal ecology and provides
several sites for gathering
within the woodlands.
All of my workshops this
year are for both men
and women. Just as in
previous years, I considered
it important to offer
some workshops just for
women, I now think we
must vision, dream, and
Circle together to meet
the challenges affecting
all of us.
Money matters: I have
worked hard to keep workshop
cost as minimal as possible.
Previously I have requested
that participants lodge
at the retreat centers
where the workshops take
place. This is still
my preference but for
some individuals, commuting
is more cost effective
and if commuting allows
someone to participate,
then this can be their
choice for lodging.
Scholarships are available
for those needing financial
support. Scholarships
are possible due to the
generosity of previous
participants. If you
are able to contribute
to the scholarship fund,
please to so. This is
one way we can continue
to support one another.
Cost is based on choice
of lodging and ranges
from $250 - $400 for
a weekend..That includes
all costs except for
travel.
Complete information
on these workshops will
be available at my website
by the first of April.
(www.shamanicvisions.com)
June 26 - 28 (Fri - Sun)
July 17 - 19 (Fri - Sun)
July 23 - 26 (Thurs
- Sun)
August 7 - 9- Philadelphia
If you are interested
in one or more of these
workshops, I recommend
you contact Pirkko Miller.
Your name will be placed
on a mailing list to
receive updated information
regarding both focus
and specific cost for
each workshop. Pirkko
is the coordinator for
all my workshops (except
the one in Philadelphia)
and can provide information
for any questions you
might have re: my teaching
work.
Pirkko's email: Pirkko@embarqmail.com
For the Philadelphia
workshop, contact Gail
at:
GW
8215724@aol.com
Journeys
on and within Earth
These past six months
have been bookended by
two journeys: to the
Great Bear Rainforest
in Canada, in September,
and to Akumal in the
Yucatan early this February.
The first journey involved
lodging on a houseboat
and using our days to
observe the Bears while
sitting quietly in 'sighting
blinds'. Spending a week
with these wild friends,
and their other relations,
was comparable to my
safaris in Africa in
1982. I am so altered
that when seeking to
describe I can but sing,
drum, rattle and smile
broadly. I shall find
the right words - just
not yet!
With the Yucatan journey,
I have images of our
ancestors building great
monuments, of stone tablets
inscribed with many 'messages'
creating tablets containing
mysterious information.
Yet the most enduring
image is that of the
Caves - wandering within
a crystalline underground
city created by Natures
powerful interactions
of earth and water. Within
one Cave I was within
Her womb…as were
thousands before me.
These two journeys spoke
of the wonders upon and
within Earth herself.
From both journeys my
soul remembered our human
covenant to honor, treasure,
and take good care of
MotherEarth and her Beings.
This is our covenant
whether of the Stone
Age or the Present Age.
My prayer is that my
teaching always keeps
this Covenant alive to
our consciousness and
witnessed in our daily
living so that wherever
we walk, we leave those
we have touched sighing
with contentment: "ah,
the humans have come
by again." This is a
prayer best done by Walking
with soles giving blessing
and souls receiving blessing.
Gathering in these Circles,
may we so Walk.
In closing I glance out
my window and see again
the presence of Winter
visiting the Land. Immediately
I feel this invitation
to withdraw, hibernate,
avoid the cold and wet
outdoors. Unlike Bear,
however, I am not a true
hibernator and I know
that heat is generated
by my own activity. I
remind myself to share,
to reach out to each
of you - to not contract
and withdraw but to warm
ourselves by the fire
of friendship delights;
and to pursue with passion,
the lessons being taught
in this our Present Age.
Blessings,
Carol Proudfoot-Edgar
More
Information
- Complete information
about workshops
can be found at Carol's
website or will
be sent to you upon
request.
- These workshops
welcome commuters
as well as residential
participants.
- Partial scholarships
are available and
can be applied for
when registering.
To
register for one or more
workshops with Carol,
contact the Coordinator for
Shamanic Visions:
Pirkko
Miller at Pirkko@embarqmail.com
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P.S. We invite you to
visit our Home
Page to see if there
are other shamanic activities
listed there in which
you might be interested.
Or if you wish to join
in a Circle, check our Global
Circles web page to
see if there is one in
your area. If not, then
please start one because
Circles can be powerful
places of support for
each of us on the shamanic
path.
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Copyright © 2019 Carol Proudfoot Edgar
Not to be reproduced without permission |
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