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This is an ongoing US and global project to help enthusiasts, scholars, practitioners, and curious parties learn more about shamanic living in a contemporary culture. The space here is devoted to sharing info, experiences and opinions about all forms of shamanic expression covering shamanism's multiple permutations. Among subjects explored are traditions, techniques, insights, definitions, events, artists, authors, and creativity. You are invited to draw from your own experiences and contribute.

What is a SHAMAN?

MAYAN: "a technichian of the Holy, a lover of the Sacred." CELTIC: "Empower the people...by changing the way we think." MEXICAN APACHE: "Someone who has simply learned to give freely of themselves..." AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL: "...a teacher or healer, a wisdom keeper of knowledge... (who) takes people to a door and encourages them to enter." W. AFRICAN DIAGRA: "views every event in life within a spiritual context." HAWAIIAN: "...human bridges to the spiritual world and its laws and the material world and its trials..." QUECHUA INDIAN: "embodies all experience." AMAZON: "...willing to engage the forces of the Universe...in a beneficial end for self, people, and for life in general."


-- from Travelers, Magicians and Shamans (Danny Paradise)

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Labyrinth Walk


I recently discovered a labyrinth and was exposed to its healing power. There are a few dotted around the city in unsuspecting places. While there are no hedges to demark their walls, walking on the labyrinth's winding path created a peaceful feeling of flow and an active medititation for me. Overall, I got the sensation of being inside and outside myself simultaneously; slipping in and out of micro and macro; inner and outer. I also felt a certain connectivity to the surrounding area the deeper I went. The complex patterns of life seemed to simplify themselves and become more focused with every step along the labyrinth journey's pathway. As I made my way to the center, I could detect these patterns imprinted on the water, the breeze, the trees, the dying sunlight, my veins.

This excerpt is from the book "Labyrinth Walking" by Patricia Telesco:

"By creating labyrinths, mandalas, and mazes the ancients were trying to illustrate a trusim that modern-minded folk are also starting to re-acknowledge. All of life can become a sacred pattern that guides us toward a reunion with Spirit. When we don't recognize or activate this aspect of life's potential, our souls remain lost in old patterns, old ways of thinking, old ways of being, and often lose sight of the sacred powers alltogether...

"Whether you want to deal more effectively with the constantly changing world, create new patterns that will help you become a truly magickal person in thought and deed, or strengthen the positive patterns you've already created, walking a sacred path, following a sacred pattern, is one answer to that desire."

1 comment:

Hayden said...

I've found labyrinth-walking to be an aide to divination as well. Focusing on my question, walking, the voice comes.