Sacred Medicine Ways – Part 5
A Teaching by Ghost Dancer
Every single one of us has a power or more than one. Very few today even know how to find theirs because no one teaches this or practices this much anymore. Now, I hear you saying, “Well how would I find my power?” I’m glad you asked.
See, traditionally unless you ask you don’t get told. As the elders always say, “A closed mouth does not get fed!” And no, they were not speaking about food for your belly, but knowledge for your spirit, mind and body. We all have an innate ability to travel the spiritual or cosmic waves. It is just our choice to do so or not. Those who practice regularly become more powerful and can learn to use this ability at will.
If you truly seek to find your power you must be willing to work for it. Knowledge comes with sacrifice: Your time, your energy, your discipline, your giving of yourself. Wow! Did you catch that? You must give to receive! To connect to your true spirit you must give up your flesh to find the spirit! You are now saying, “What does that mean, give up my flesh?”
Well, first, it means doing a fast. Yes, a real one. Fasting helps you to lose all the things that block and distract you. It weakens your body which tries to control your mind and spirit. As the body weakens, the mind can become less cloudy and cluttered, and we become so much more sensitive to all around us. When the body is quiet, the mind can be quiet. It is only when we have a quiet mind that we can step into the folds of the spirit world.
The Journey Begins – Fasting as a Route to Deep Meditation:
Every individual is different, and many factors affect the level of fast any one person can or should attempt to achieve. For instance, those with special medical issues such as diabetes or heart problems, must be careful and adjust their fluid intake and length of fast to avoid triggering a medical problem. We humans are experts at rationalization, so the key point in making the decision to fast to achieve deep meditation is to know the truth. Our own Spirit knows the truth, so we can’t lie to anyone but ourselves, cheating only ourselves. All our own Spirit asks is that we give what we can give. That’s it.
I would advise that you slowly taper off your food for a few days before you begin a fast. Then start off just going a half a day for your first fast. That means no food period for a full half day, something anyone of you could do. Later try fasting for the full day. After you have fasted for a full day, wait a week and then fast for 2 full days. (that means day and night, no food period, no nourishment period.)
When you can be successful at this, then wait a while and fast for three full days. Yes, it gets rougher, but with each success, you will begin to have confidence in yourself. Never set yourself up for failure. Once you have become used to this, then you will be ready to do a four-day fast.
Not everyone will require a full four-day fast, but others with highly active minds may need to. A deep meditative state comes when the mind is empty. Fasting is a discipline, so if a person can discipline their body for one day, then 2 days, how much easier is it to discipline the mind? Again, we cannot lie to our spirit, we just give what we have to give.
Remember, before you start a long fast, it is important that you eat lightly for a week; a little less each day so your stomach begins shrinking, and try to eat as healthy as you can. Drink lots of pure water for on this fast you will not take in food or water (or only a minimum of water). You will also need to make sure you will be free from distractions. Also, after a long fast, you will need to eat very lightly when you begin eating. Eat fruits, nuts, grapes, raisins, and such until you can slowly work yourself back to eating. Otherwise you will be throwing it all up and be sick.
The Journey Continues – Smudging and Entering Deep Meditation:
Smudging is a way of purification and cleansing. The smudge combines all the four major elements in creation – earth, air, fire, and water. No material thing is ever used or act performed until it has been blessed and purified by the smoke.
Now smudge yourself. This is done by taking cedar and sage and placing them in bowl or shell and using a hot coal to get them to burning. Blow on the coal to get the sage glowing red and smoking. Fan the smoke over your hands and then use your hands to fan the smoke over your face, head, then your heart, and then the rest of your body.
Find a place that is totally peaceful and quiet, make yourself comfortable. You can sit cross legged, lay down or whatever you choose to be totally comfortable. Have with you something to give as an offering for help: a pinch of tobacco or a pinch of corn meal, or something that holds special meaning for you. (remember you give to receive.)
You will need to breathe in the smoke from the sage and cedar and then blow it back out. This means only good things will come out of your mouth. Words are power so be very careful what you say.
Now try to empty out all your bad feelings; let them go and let the sage/cedar smoke take them away from you. If you have done anything bad, either physically, mentally, or spiritually, please let it go; release it from you.
Empty your thoughts; just think of a beautiful lake. You see a ripple starting in the center of the lake; watch it spreading outward as your mind steadily releases all your ego, doubts, fears, beliefs. Now you become just still; a single drop of water in a large lake; separate yet connected to every part of the lake.
The lake is living water of life. Feel the bottom and feel the heart beating slowly, steadily. This is Mother’s heart and you begin to match your heart with hers. Feel her becoming part of you; feel yourself letting go, floating outward from your body. Now slowly release your spirit from your body; see it hovering above your body as it feels your freedom; your true power.
Please picture a beautiful, wonderful place where you are totally safe. Nature is all around you: butterflies, birds, crickets, young rabbits playing. The grass is so green and soft. A gentle spring gurgles as it slowly runs down the way to a large pool sitting there.
The pool urges you to come in. All the animals, birds, plants tell you, yes, go inside, dive down and push on through; the bottom is just a veil before you take your spirit trail. So, you dive in, going deeper and deeper. You have no fear so you push through the sand and into nothingness. Suddenly you pop through and find yourself in a strange place, but you still feel safe.
A river flows there, so beautiful, so clear. Suddenly, you feel a presence there with you. Look and you will meet your Spirit Helper. From this time on, your Spirit Helper will teach you your power and medicine. You will be given instructions. Follow them always and you will have your power. Use it wisely.
Now when you meet your Spirit Helper, always be sure to ask these questions: “Are you here to help me? Are you here to teach me? Will you shown me so I can understand all that I am to know and learn? If the answers are yes, then say, “Okay, I give you permission to help me in any way you can that is good for me.” It is vitally important that you both ask your Spirit Helper to help you and give your permission for your Spirit Helper to help you.
Yes, this applies no matter what your personal religious preference may be. What I’m trying do is help you, no matter how you define your beliefs or what your preferred religion may be.
Now when you meet your Spirit Helper, you may even be tested. Why? Well to see if you truly wish to find yourself.
So, what is your Spirit Helper? What do you think it is? Is it your imagination? It is a trick of Projection? An illusion? Or is it a basic part of yourself, part of your own nature?
See, we all have within us the natures of animals and birds, plants and everything else. We have these characteristics for a reason. Yet we have never recognized them for what they are: Part of you! Yes you!
They have only waited for you to step to them to find the real you. Now many folks have more than one nature and spirit. Some have multiple natures and spirits. No, there is nothing wrong in that. For each has it’s time when it is needed.
Oh, I can hear some of you thinking, Well, that goes against what I believe. That is not what my religion teaches. Really? Do you really think that? What religion is that?
I have studied all the major world’s religions and this I know: Every religious tradition teaches us to listen to the Spirit that lives within us. All traditions encourage us to learn from the animals and birds for they will teach us how to live, just as Native traditions do.
So, for all these years you may have just never thought to look at the depth of your inner power that has been there for you always. Now that you recognize this simple truth about yourself, it will be so much easier for you to begin working with your inner spirit to tap into your true power; a gift to you from our Creator. Be sure to do what your true spirit tells you to.
So now that you have met your Spirit Helper, it’s time to return to your normal state. Just relax and picture your own body, see it there waiting for you. Slowly see yourself going back to your body and becoming one with it again. Once you have, you will be sleepy and weak at first, so just take it easy.
Please now practice this as often as you can. The more you do the better you will become at it, until you no longer need to do the fasting or anything. You will be able to sit, still yourself, and find your inner self.
Respectfully,
Ghost
Ghost Dancer © 2017
Journeys of the Spirit 