never eat soggy waffles… Get Orientated

NEVER EAT SOGGY WAFFLES… North, East, South, West.  Hello Honorable Shamans.  Here is the Earthways Shamanic Path Stepping Stone #3, “Get Orientated.”  

In this Stepping Stone, we will explore the act of getting orientated, of knowing where you are on the Earth.  To begin this Stepping Stone exercise, you may want to review this information before you go outside, to the spot you found in Stepping Stone activity #1, “Stand Your Ground.”  Once you are there, take a moment to ground yourself as described in Stepping Stone exercise #2.

What you’re going to do now, is get orientated.  This means, you are going to figure out where you are.  There are at least two reasons why this information is important to us.    First, we acknowledge these Four Directions in  ceremony and rituals.  Second, when you go out in Nature, you need to know where you are and where you are going, in order to return home safely.

I know a lot of folks who have a hard time telling their left from their right.  And, I know a couple of people who just can’t tell where they are, for one reason or another.  If you are one of these people, please don’t go into the woods or wilds alone.    Please take someone with you who can help you to get home.

The Four Directions are “North, South, East and West.”  But that’s not how they are situated, when we are looking for them, are they?   The Boy Scouts say, “Never Eat Soggy Waffles,”  as a way to remember the order of the four directions, which are also known as compass points.  And that’s helpful.

Let’s start with the East, because that’s where the Sun rises.   But wait, let’s start with a circle.  We talk about the “four directions,” but what we are really doing is dividing the circle of the sky, into portions.  When you are on the Earth, you are always at the center of this circle.  When you move around or turn, you are changing directions.  Your sense of direction is always an interaction between where you are standing, and the path the Sun makes across the circle in the sky.

Perhaps you know that the Sun rises in the East and it sets in the West.  So, you can find East in the morning, by noticing where the sun rises.

When you are facing the Sun, you are facing East.   While standing, if you turn your body to the right,  you should then be facing South.  (That’s 1/4 around a circle.  That’s also 90 degrees.)  If you turn your body to the right, again, you should be facing West.  That is the direction the Sun should set, later this same day.  And, if you turn your body to the right, one more time, you should be facing North.   Stop for a moment and check to see if you are with me:  With your nose to the North, your right shoulder should be pointing to the East, where the sun rises, and your left shoulder should be pointing to the West.

Carry a compass and a map when you go out into Nature.  Learn to use both. But first, you need to know more about  finding the directions without a compass

Once you have identified the four directions in your spot, then you can greet them.  We’ll cover that, next time.

I have theories on why some people get lost in some places, but not in others.  I’ll expound on those later.

And Let’s Share Our Peace with Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Big Walters all around Our Earth.

(c) 2018 to present, Whale Maiden for the Earthways Shamanic Path.  All rights reserved.

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Earthways Shamanic Path Stepping Stone # 3: Returning to your practice

It seems like we have been observing holidays since mid-October, Honorable Shamans and Fellow Pagans, so today, I’m going to provide the Earthways Shamanic Path, Stepping Stone #3, “Returning to your Practice.”

After the holidays, with all the visiting and the hustle and bustle, you may  find that you have become ungrounded, or that you have strayed from your practices.  Sometimes, you may have traveled either for business or for pleasure.  It is important then, to take steps to get re-grounded, and to return to your practice.  First, how do you know when you are not grounded?  You may feel tired or out of sorts.  You might call this being ‘out of whack.’  Other people may helpfully point out that you look tired or sound tired, or something like that.

Here are some suggestions to get re-grounded so that you may return to your practices.

1.  Unpack from your trip.  Literally unpack your luggage and put things away and do your laundry.  Get all the junk food wrappers out of the car and fold the the maps back up and put them where they belong.  If you traveled on business, put the files away and fill out your travel voucher.  Brief your manager.

2.  Return to your regular rituals and habits.  Figure out what day it is, and perhaps even what time it is.  Drink the water you are accustomed to drinking, and get re-hydrated.  (This is really critical if you were inside an airplane or a hermetically sealed conference hotel for 2 solid days.)  Return to the food that you know agrees with you, that which you should be eating.  Eat when you should, and the quantities you should be eating.  Attend to your personal care needs.  Sleep in your own bed.  Get enough sleep for you.  Return to your exercise schedule.  (Particularly the one you keep meaning to start!)  Conduct your daily spiritual rituals.

3.  Return to the People and Animals in your world.  Visit with your friends and family, the ones you live with or talk to on a day to day basis.  Catch up.  Play with your pets.  Groom them or take them for walks.  Run little errands to the places you go, to see your acquaintances.

4.  Go Outside.  Experience fresh air, sunshine, sit on the ground, and go somewhere where you can perhaps play in water, or at least see/hear a body of water.  Greet the Stars and the Moon.

5.  Visit your sacred space — your Meditation area or Altar, and fix it up.  It may be dusty.  People may have moved things, or put stuff that doesn’t belong there, on your works surfaces.   Remove unwanted objects, and reestablish the space as your own.

6.  Conduct a special Ritual or Ceremony to acknowledge you are home.  For me this involves writing, and the use of music and smudging.  Other people like to do a reading for themselves, using cards or rune stones or other methods of divination.

Once you have completed these tasks, then you  should feel more grounded, and be ready to return to your practice.

And, Share Your Peace with Our Earth.

~Whale Maiden~

~~~ ♡ ~~~

Although the Earthways Shamanic Path is based in Florida, it can be celebrated anywhere. You just need to explore the magic of your land. What is it saying to you? What are the seasons, where you live? What do they mean to you? How are they celebrated?

Join Whale Maiden in the discussion at the Earthways Shamanic Path – Facebook Group

(c) 2000 to present, Whale Maiden. All Rights Reserved

The End of Hurricane Season – for now

Honorable Shamans and Fellow Pagans…  Oh, Dry Season is coming to Southwest Florida!  We’re excited to leave the Heat and Humidity and Daily Torrential Rainstorms of Hurricane Season behind us.  Particularly the Heat.  And the Humidity.

But first, here is a ritual to close out Hurricane Season.

Ground yourself as described in the Earthways Shamanic Path Stepping Stone #2 – https://whalemaidensuburbanshaman.wordpress.com/2015/10/07/earthways-shamanic-path-stepping-stone-2-get-grounded/

You may complete this Ritual, over the course of several days.  You may do some of it with family members, and some of it by yourself.

First, put your Hurricane Supplies away.  Inspect and clean all your equipment that you got, and put it away.  If you have a generator, follow the instructions to prepare it for long-term storage.  Maybe you can put a tarp over your Storm Shutters.  Make sure your wingnuts are all packed up in the wingnut bucket.  Visit your “To Go” box, and make sure you haven’t left any trash in it.  Make sure to leave a road map of your State or Region in there, and maybe this year’s Storm Guide.  The Storm Guides are usually good for all kinds of disasters, and it is good to have a plan.

Second, bring a sturdy box to your supply of canned food and inspect those cans. (Inspect the expiration dates.)  Are there some that you want to donate to a local food pantry?  This is an excellent time to do this, because after Hurricane Season ends, and the Dry Season starts, our Snowbirds will arrive and the food pantries need more canned foods.  You can also empty the water bottles you created – use them to water plants or your lawn, or your favorite tree.  Release what is no longer needed.

Third, review everything you learned this Hurricane Season about how storms are predicted and tracked, and how intense and unpredictable they really can be. Make some notes about what you and your family need to do in the coming months, to better prepare yourselves for next year’s Hurricane Season.  Visit my previous posts to get an idea.

Forth, review what happened to the people who were in harm’s way in the Lesser Antilles and Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic and Haiti and the Bahamas and Bermuda and South Carolina, and consider donating funds to a reputable disaster relief organization.

Finally, think about what you learned about yourself spiritually, this hot and humid Hurricane Season.  As we pointed out previously, the spiritual aspect of Hurricane Season has to do with planning ahead, and being ready to take correct action, but not letting that constant state of readiness exhaust you, or make you anxious.   And, it also involves asking for help when you need it, and how to offer help to others, when they need it.  Were you able to experience the middle line of having a plan, but being flexible as changing circumstances warranted?  Do you feel that you were adequately prepared for this Hurricane Season?  What did you learn about asking for help and providing help?  Take a few moments to reflect on this, and write about it in your Journal.  Remember, Hurricane Season is an annual event in the Wheel of the Year

Close out this Ritual as directed in the Stepping Stones.

Now’s the time to release the canned food items you don’t need

And Remember to Share Peace With Our Earth

© 2015, Whale Maiden.  All Rights Reserved.

Join Whale Maiden in the discussion at the Earthways Shamanic Path – Facebook Group

Stand Your Ground, Earthways Shamanic Path – Stepping Stone #1

Hello Honorable Shamans and Fellow Pagans.  Here is the Earthways Shamanic Path Stepping Stone #1, “Stand Your Ground.”  

One of the main points of  The Earthways Shamanic Path, is to identify where you live — where you find your self on this Great Big Mother Earth. From there, you will identify your Seasons, then you will develop celebrations and rituals to mark those seasons.

To help you along with that, in this Stepping Stone Activity, you’re going to go out your front door where you live, and find the closest patch of Earth that you can stand on.  This will be a spot you will visit in other upcoming Stepping Stones.  You’ll want a big enough patch that you can hold your arms out to your sides, and above you, and not get hit on the head by tree branches.  It is ok if you have to go a ways from your front door, to get to a suitable spot of ground.  When I do this, I have to walk out a little concrete path to my driveway, then cross the driveway to the front yard.  If you live in an apartment or a condo, and don’t have any ground out your front door, make your way downstairs, to a place where you can stand.

You may want to bring a little notebook and a pen/pencil with you, when you go out to Stand Your Ground.

The intent of this Stepping Stone, is for you to stand on the ground, closest to where you live in your bare feet.   If it is cold or snowy where you live, please protect your feet while you do this exercise, or wait until it is a nice day out.  This is not a task of endurance or discomfort.

It is ok to bring a yard chair, if you need to sit in order to carry out this activity.  However, in this Stepping Stone, do not sit on the ground, just make the connection between your feet, and the ground.  Stand there for 5 minutes, with your arms to your sides.  Do not speak to anyone, and do not do anything other than stand in this spot, with your feet connected to the Earth for 5 minutes.

While you are standing there, we want you to notice how it feels, to have your feet on the Mother Earth.  Record your experience in your notebook.  If you want to take a picture of your feet touching the Ground, and post to the Group, that would be fine!   Here is the link to the  Earthways Shamanic Path Facebook Group

I’ve posted my picture here, of my feet touching the ground. And Let’s Share Peace With Our Earth.

Introduction to the Earthways Shamanic Path “Stepping Stones”

Honorable Shamans and Fellow Pagans, many of you have been waiting to go on this Journey with us, on the Earthways Shamanic Path.  As you have heard, a long journey begins with the next step.  Over the coming days, weeks,  and months, we will occasionally post a Stepping Stone, (here at this Blog, and then to the  Earthways Shamanic Path Facebook Group ).  These Stepping Stones will be activities you may do, if you feel so moved.  We will be sharing these Stepping Stones, in order to to share with you, useful practices we have learned along this Path.

This is a blended Path.  Some of the Stepping Stones will focus on Spiritual activities.  Some will focus on Nature and the beautiful Earth we all share.  And some of the Stepping Stones, will share our awe and appreciation for Physics.

What we hope you will do, is experience the Stepping Stone activity, then post your comments about it, to the Facebook Group.

We share these Stepping Stones with you, to help you Share Peace With Our Earth.