Remembering who I am

OMG!!!!!!

Just like Kelseyville...

eep!

________

I gained some insight into my spider friends and their role in my life. How timely. The Owl is next:

From: Spirit Animals: Unlocking the Secrets of Our Animal Companions, by Stefanie Iris Weiss. 2009. Chronicle Books. San Francisco.

Spider

The Creative Illusionist


PERSONALITY

Spiders are swift and fragile creatures that spin beautiful silken webs, seemingly out of nowhere. Yes, these webs ensnare smaller insects that the spider eats as prey, but their craftsmanship is still a wonder to behold. It seems as if spider webs are created to entrance and ensnare us with their beauty. Spiders are found throughout the world.

SPIRITUAL ORIGINS

Spider are associated with the Hindu word, maya, or “illusion”. In a famous Greek myth, the goddess Athena turns Arachne into a spider after the latter boasts about her weaving skills. To the Japanese and some African tribes, the spider is a trickster. And some Native Americans call spider power the creative life force.

GUIDING POWERS

If life feels a bit boring, and you’re longing for some creative zest, call upon the spider. This is an excellent spirit animal companion when you’re at the beginning of a project and need to jump-start your inspiration. If you’re staring at a blank screen or a blank canvas, the spider will bring your sense of invention back. The spider can assist you whether you’re a professional artis or are just in it for fun.

Companion animals: Monkey (creativity) and Swan (beauty).

OWL
The Wise Hunter

PERSONALITY

Owls are solitary animals with keen eyesight and exceptional hearing. Nocturnal birds of prey, owls are fearsome hungers because of their long talons and strong beaks. Unlike many birds, introverted owls live a private existence. They fly noiselessly, swooping down without warning and scooping up vulnerable animals. As ruler of the night, the owl is not afraid to be alone, secure in the knowledge that its incomparable survival skills will always see it through. Owls are found all over the world, except for Antarctica and Greenland.

SPIRITUAL ORIGINS

As a symbol of both birth and the Great Goddess of the pre-Christian era, the wide-eyed owl was viewed as a protector of women and children by ancient cultures. This regal creature was a sacred icon wherever the power of the feminine was revered. Eventually, the owl became a harbinger of death for Babylonians, Egyptians, Hindus, and Celts. And Christianity considered the owls “hoot” a call to summon witches. It wasn’t all bad, though—Native American peoples revere the owl, and many tribes connect it to sacred knowledge.

GUIDING POWERS

Owls are ideal animal guides when you need to give birth to inner wisdom. They show us that with quiet wisdom comes great strength, and they offer insight from silence and dreams. Call upon your owl guide right before bed if you wish to reach a more mature understanding overnight. If you hunger for the hidden truths of your own psyche, or just require some time alone to think and meditate, invite the wise hunter.

Companion Animals: Cat (mysticism) and Crab (intuition)

The Lion
"Comfort and ease"


PERSONALITY

Lions would rather roam the Savannah with their pride than engage in battle with other animals. If provoked, of course, they will fight ferociously and protect their loved ones. They care for their young with great gentleness and more than enough patience, making for a beautiful family dynamic. Lions are mostly found in Africa, although they once roamed the Middle East and India.

SPIRITUAL ORIGINS

The lion is the symbol for Leo in the zodiac; Leo is the most dramatic and creative of the twelve signs—ruled by the sun and associated with royalty. The Egyptians linked the lion to power and wealth. The Chinese viewed the lion as a symbol of courage and strength. The cowardly lion of the Wizard of Oz fame was inspired by this creature’s long association with dignity, courage, and nobility.

GUIDING POWERS

The lion is your guide when you’re in need of a little self-love. It teaches you not to be so hard on yourself and to relax, let go, and stop being such a workaholic. And lions don’t frown upon primping. They’ll tell you that, yes, it’s more than okay to play hooky and book a massage. You’re worth it. This relaxed confidence is the mark of the creative person you long to be—the one that takes a break when stressed instead of drowning in angst and neurosis.

Companion Animals: Swan (beauty) and Hummingbird (joy)

Book Excerpt


Chapter 5

Processing the Journey


After breathing, the journeyer (still somewhat altered and assisted by the co-journeyer) engages in one or more expressive art forms (mandalas, sculpting, mask-making, collages, Shamanic Shakti Painting Process, etc.) as well as sacred scribing. In sacred scribing, the journeyer describes in detail what their specific experience(s) were during their session. The co-journeyer scribes what the journeyer tells them in a journal and relates back and scribes what their own experiences were during the journeyer’s Shamanic Breathwork. This process allows for integration and grounding as well as for the journeyer and co-journeyer to briefly process together what their experiences were during the session.

The Shamanic Expressive Art Process may include drawing a mandala, working with clay, painting, writing poetry, journaling, or some other form of expressive art. These processes allow the journeyer to express and work with the images, messages, and experiences of their sacred Shamanic Breathwork process. This integrative expression is closer to the language of the soul than speaking about the experience in words alone. The artistic expression is meant to give full access to the unconscious and conscious processes animated by the breathwork. The following is a brief description of one of the more powerful art processes, the Shamanic Shakti Painting Process, from its creator, Judy Merritt, Red Hawk:

The Shamanic Shakti Painting Process (SSPP) is about the Sacred Marriage of the Shamanic and the Shakti energies. It is a calling in of the Shaman within, that Divine Witness and Healer, to show up as witness and to hold the space for the language and vision of the soul revealed through the painting process. The Shaman within is summoned with the ritual of smudging and the setting of the intention for healing and revealing. The Shakti energy is activated and invited in through the process of kidney breathing. The kidneys flow and filter that deep wellspring of creative energy. The SSPP then requires the participant to enter into the commitment of communication between soul and ego through the application of paint to paper, allowing the colors to be chosen and the movement of the brush to be informed by the inner voice, the feeling and movement from deep within the body of the painter. The SSPP is not about thinking about what will be painted. It is not about putting onto paper any representation of the outside world. It is about using paint, paper, energy, commitment to the process, and the act of surrender to reveal to the painter what the soul and the Shaman within need the painter to see and to feel for deeper understanding and healing.

The use of the mandala drawing can be an extraordinarily powerful tool in the Shamanic Breathwork process. The mandala is a form of expression in which the journeyer artistically describes their experience in pictorial form. The Sanskrit word mandala means “circle.” Indeed, each mandala begins with a softly drawn circle on a large piece of art paper or other media. The mandala circle is a suggestion--a starting point from which the journeyer’s experience comes to artistic life. Almost invariably, the experience pours from the journeyer’s psyche onto the paper, overflowing the confines of the suggested circle and consuming the entire media. This artistic expression allows the journeyer to quietly reflect upon their experience, using the mandala as a form of expression to encapsulate that which words alone cannot. The mandala is both a reflection of where we are now as well as a preview of coming attractions in our lives.

Jung believed that the mandala allowed for expression of both the personal and the collective unconscious. He believed that, in drawing the mandala and connecting with the collective unconscious, we are allowed the opportunity to move away from the ego as the center of our psyche. He said,

The goal of contemplating the processes depicted in the mandala is that the yogi shall become inwardly aware of the deity. Through contemplation, he recognizes himself as God again and thus returns from the illusion of individual existence into the universal totality of the divine state.

He described mandalas as a reflection of the self--the wholeness of personality. He believed that the construction of a mandala accessed our psyches and allowed our core truths to emanate forth. He said mandalas “cannot tolerate deception.” Of mandalas, Jung also said,

I had to abandon the idea of the superordinate position of the ego. . . . I saw that everything, all paths I had been following, all steps I had taken, were leading back to a single point--namely, to the midpoint. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the centre. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the center, to individuation. I knew that in finding the mandala as an expression of the self I had attained what was for me the ultimate.

Contained with each individual mandala is often essential information for the journeyer about the meanings of the images, symbols, and motifs they experienced during their Shamanic Breathwork journey. These images, symbols, and motifs are interpreted both literally and for their underlying metaphorical meaning. One of the powerful aspects of mandala interpretation is examining the archetypal themes inherent in them. Present in all people in all cultures, archetypes have been recorded by dreamers across time and from all walks of life with remarkable commonalities.

Engaging in a spirited dialog with the archetypal forces visible in our mandalas allows each of us to integrate material that may otherwise exist outside of our waking consciousness. In this process of recognition and integration, we have the opportunity to fully engage with and purposefully invite core archetypes into our consciousness so that we may live and learn their lessons rather than resist them unconsciously.


http://store.innertraditions.com/isbn/978-1-59143-106-0?id=3710&displayZoom=1&selectedTextTypeKeynames=23

And so it begins...

"I don't want to stay here no more" is about where I have been, in terms of my state of mind/inner peace. It is NOT a reference to this forum.

More trickster projections? My ego must die and it thinks it is really pissed.

Even though it looks like the mountain behind it is an extension of it, it is not. Another view that I could not capture before work shows the same angle on the back left side, also. I suddenly realized that for decades I have been driving through a canyon full of pyramid shaped mountains.

HigherLove wrote:

malletzky wrote:I love this thread Troy, it really brings some memories back.

You mentioned the Druides in your post above. I remember now that I, for the first time, have heard of the term Druide while reading the book "The sword of Shannara" from Terry Brooks. It was at the end of 80's and me being 19-20 years old, I just found the book very, very fascinating so I re-read it immediately.

The lone Druid called Bremen (one of the main characters in the book) was someone I wished to become like. I still remember the feelings (while reading the book) I got about him and his powers back then. It was the knowing that his powers were something very common and just usual, but we "the humans" have had lost these powers during our "evolution".

I wanted these powers back, I wanted them soo badly...and the knowing that we can gain them back has only become stronger in the years to come.

So you see, now I remember too...I remember when my awakening started. It started with the Druids, with Bremen and my quest to look inside me for the first time and try to locate the place where these powers could be located.

In the meantime, I have found the place...it's in my heart...and the powers...well they're yet to come back.

I just wonder now...how do I know this? And why are these feelings so strong? Was I ever a Druide in some of my previous lives?

I thank you soo much for this Troy.

much respect
Mall...

P.S. You should know that at the time of reading the book, I didn't knew that Terry Brooks "might have" used the "Lord of the rings" from Tolkien as a template. And I must say, I'm really happy about that. I was free from any prejudices when reading "The sword of Shannara"...and it was perfect so. I see now that Brooks have extended the first book to a trilogy...and I really intend to read the other two parts in the next months.

I love Terry Brooks!

I read the first three books in the series in my late teens (the Elf Stones was my favorite, but Wish Song is quite good, also).

He wrote another trilogy that I read about a Magician.

Of course, the Shannara books went on in other forms (a most prolific writer).

Not having powers for the time being is vexing, to say the least.

Harumph.

Personally, I am thrilled at the prospect that my journey into Christianity began before the formation of the Catholic church. Then again, Druids pre-date the arrival of Christ, in the flesh.

That means neither Protestant nor Catholic, but just Druid. Eh?

But yes, the magic of those books is my fantasy world (minus the mischief, of course).

Oh: and a way to enjoy luxurious showers for as long as I want, without hurting the environment, or limiting the supply of another in any way.

And so without further ado, I announce the Druid list of "things to do":

1. Regain abilities

That is pretty much it.



Edit - And: You are most welcome. Much respect to you, also. Thank you so much for reminding me of his work. What a delight.

Well I'm back here to remind you once again and to tell you that few weeks ago I actually finished reading the whole trilogy, including The sword of Shanara again. What a pleasent and wonderful journey it was.

I might agree with you, the Elf Stones is the most powerful and probably the best one of this trilogy. Altough, the Wish Song had the capacity to be the best one, but I guess the unfolding of the whole story didn't match quite with the outcome. Brin's powers and her ability to change the environment with her voice is something which reminds me of our own and still hidden abilities.

I was wondering why did Terry Brooks only wrote so little about the King of the Silver River. He only mentioned him a bit in each of the books, but just stoped there. What a wonderful carracter, what a wonderful possibility to unfold the whole story of the King even to a separate book. Did he do that in one of his other books?

Is the The Heritage of Shannara tetralogy the logical one to read now, where the beginings and the foundation of the druid society has been desribed? I've decided to read all his books conected with Allanon, Bremen and the whole Druid society...

Thanks in advance
Mall...

malletzky wrote:Is the The Heritage of Shannara tetralogy the logical one to read now, where the beginings and the foundation of the druid society has been desribed? I've decided to read all his books conected with Allanon, Bremen and the whole Druid society...

Butting in to your conversation here...
http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/reading-orders/

One of the later series (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara) was my introduction to Terry Brooks. That series drew me in immediately, and I read the whole series in about a month.
I've now gone back and begun reading from the beginning of the recommended reading order. I have less than 100 pages left in "The Elfstones of Shannara" (at the rate I'm going, I'll probably finish it today. ).

I've already purchased The Heritage series at the Half Price Books down the road. That IS next on my list...

I am also intrigued by the story of the King of the Silver River, and have thought that he would be an excellent character to base a book around...I don't believe he has written such a book yet, and I don't really know if he has gone more in depth about that character in other books. Perhaps it will be a future project...

CW, thanks a Lot for that Link.

drury - son of druid

Oh wow...I forgot about this thread. eep!

I will respond. Thanks!

PEACE

On a different note, and having just over-stretched a calf muscle dancing around to this alleged illuminati puppet - (it's just so catchy!)...and her story introduction seems appropriate enough. She wrote all of this and seems to know what she is doing, so far:

INTRO:
It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M
Just put your paws up'
cause you were Born This Way, Baby


VERSE:
MY MAMA TOLD ME WHEN I WAS YOUNG
WE ARE ALL BORN SUPERSTARS

SHE ROLLED MY HAIR AND PUT MY LIPSTICK ON
IN THE GLASS OF HER BOUDOIR

"THERE'S NOTHIN WRONG WITH LOVIN WHO YOU ARE"
SHE SAID, "'CAUSE HE MADE YOU PERFECT, BABE"

"SO HOLD YOUR HEAD UP GIRL AND YOU'LL GO FAR,
LISTEN TO ME WHEN I SAY"


CHORUS:
I'M BEAUTIFUL IN MY WAY
'CAUSE GOD MAKES NO MISTAKES
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN THIS WAY

DON'T HIDE YOURSELF IN REGRET
JUST LOVE YOURSELF AND YOU'RE SET
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN THIS WAY


POST-CHORUS:
OOO THERE AIN'T NO OTHER WAY
BABY I WAS BORN THIS WAY
BABY I WAS BORN THIS WAY
OOO THERE AIN'T NO OTHER WAY
BABY I WAS BORN-
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN THIS WAY


DON'T BE A DRAG -JUST BE A QUEEN
DON'T BE A DRAG -JUST BE A QUEEN
DON'T BE A DRAG -JUST BE A QUEEN
DON'T BE!


VERSE:
GIVE YOURSELF PRUDENCE
AND LOVE YOUR FRIENDS
SUBWAY KID, REJOICE YOUR TRUTH

IN THE RELIGION OF THE INSECURE
I MUST BE MYSELF, RESPECT MY YOUTH

A DIFFERENT LOVER IS NOT A SIN
BELIEVE CAPITAL H-I-M (HEY HEY HEY)
I LOVE MY LIFE I LOVE THIS RECORD AND
MI AMORE VOLE FE YAH (LOVE NEEDS FAITH)

REPEAT CHORUS + POST-CHORUS

BRIDGE:

DON'T BE A DRAG, JUST BE A QUEEN
WHETHER YOU'RE BROKE OR EVERGREEN
YOU'RE BLACK, WHITE, BEIGE, CHOLA DESCENT
YOU'RE LEBANESE, YOU'RE ORIENT
WHETHER LIFE'S DISABILITIES
LEFT YOU OUTCAST, BULLIED, OR TEASED
REJOICE AND LOVE YOURSELF TODAY
'CAUSE BABY YOU WERE BORN THIS WAY

NO MATTER GAY, STRAIGHT, OR BI,
LESBIAN, TRANSGENDERED LIFE
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN TO SURVIVE
NO MATTER BLACK, WHITE OR BEIGE
CHOLA OR ORIENT MADE
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN TO BE BRAVE

REPEAT CHORUS


OUTRO/REFRAIN:

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!
I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!
I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!
I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY
I WAS BORN THIS WAY HEY!

SAME DNA
BUT BORN THIS WAY

THEeXchanger wrote:drury - son of druid

ClearWater wrote:

malletzky wrote:Is the The Heritage of Shannara tetralogy the logical one to read now, where the beginings and the foundation of the druid society has been desribed? I've decided to read all his books conected with Allanon, Bremen and the whole Druid society...

Butting in to your conversation here...
http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/reading-orders/

One of the later series (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara) was my introduction to Terry Brooks. That series drew me in immediately, and I read the whole series in about a month.
I've now gone back and begun reading from the beginning of the recommended reading order. I have less than 100 pages left in "The Elfstones of Shannara" (at the rate I'm going, I'll probably finish it today. ).

I've already purchased The Heritage series at the Half Price Books down the road. That IS next on my list...

I am also intrigued by the story of the King of the Silver River, and have thought that he would be an excellent character to base a book around...I don't believe he has written such a book yet, and I don't really know if he has gone more in depth about that character in other books. Perhaps it will be a future project...

Wow, thanks. I did not have any other details, so this really helps.

malletzky wrote:

HigherLove wrote:

malletzky wrote:I love this thread Troy, it really brings some memories back.

You mentioned the Druides in your post above. I remember now that I, for the first time, have heard of the term Druide while reading the book "The sword of Shannara" from Terry Brooks. It was at the end of 80's and me being 19-20 years old, I just found the book very, very fascinating so I re-read it immediately.

The lone Druid called Bremen (one of the main characters in the book) was someone I wished to become like. I still remember the feelings (while reading the book) I got about him and his powers back then. It was the knowing that his powers were something very common and just usual, but we "the humans" have had lost these powers during our "evolution".

I wanted these powers back, I wanted them soo badly...and the knowing that we can gain them back has only become stronger in the years to come.

So you see, now I remember too...I remember when my awakening started. It started with the Druids, with Bremen and my quest to look inside me for the first time and try to locate the place where these powers could be located.

In the meantime, I have found the place...it's in my heart...and the powers...well they're yet to come back.

I just wonder now...how do I know this? And why are these feelings so strong? Was I ever a Druide in some of my previous lives?

I thank you soo much for this Troy.

much respect
Mall...

P.S. You should know that at the time of reading the book, I didn't knew that Terry Brooks "might have" used the "Lord of the rings" from Tolkien as a template. And I must say, I'm really happy about that. I was free from any prejudices when reading "The sword of Shannara"...and it was perfect so. I see now that Brooks have extended the first book to a trilogy...and I really intend to read the other two parts in the next months.

I love Terry Brooks!

I read the first three books in the series in my late teens (the Elf Stones was my favorite, but Wish Song is quite good, also).

He wrote another trilogy that I read about a Magician.

Of course, the Shannara books went on in other forms (a most prolific writer).

Not having powers for the time being is vexing, to say the least.

Harumph.

Personally, I am thrilled at the prospect that my journey into Christianity began before the formation of the Catholic church. Then again, Druids pre-date the arrival of Christ, in the flesh.

That means neither Protestant nor Catholic, but just Druid. Eh?

But yes, the magic of those books is my fantasy world (minus the mischief, of course).

Oh: and a way to enjoy luxurious showers for as long as I want, without hurting the environment, or limiting the supply of another in any way.

And so without further ado, I announce the Druid list of "things to do":

1. Regain abilities

That is pretty much it.



Edit - And: You are most welcome. Much respect to you, also. Thank you so much for reminding me of his work. What a delight.

Well I'm back here to remind you once again and to tell you that few weeks ago I actually finished reading the whole trilogy, including The sword of Shanara again. What a pleasent and wonderful journey it was.

I might agree with you, the Elf Stones is the most powerful and probably the best one of this trilogy. Altough, the Wish Song had the capacity to be the best one, but I guess the unfolding of the whole story didn't match quite with the outcome. Brin's powers and her ability to change the environment with her voice is something which reminds me of our own and still hidden abilities.

I was wondering why did Terry Brooks only wrote so little about the King of the Silver River. He only mentioned him a bit in each of the books, but just stoped there. What a wonderful carracter, what a wonderful possibility to unfold the whole story of the King even to a separate book. Did he do that in one of his other books?

Is the The Heritage of Shannara tetralogy the logical one to read now, where the beginings and the foundation of the druid society has been desribed? I've decided to read all his books conected with Allanon, Bremen and the whole Druid society...

Thanks in advance
Mall...

Great synopis...I would love to live there.

I know I would like the power of the wish song a bit much, so I would probably be consumed in short order by it. The Elf Stones seem a bit more manageable. And yes, Wish Song should have been the best one, but he just put more into Elfstones.

:)

Simplicity wrote:Sorry, Troy, I didn't read this whole thread

I was just looking for somewhere to tell you how much I enjoy you.

Thank you so much!

And yikes...I nearly forgot about this thread.

I keep starting new ones every time I feel a "jump".