A restless
night with dreams of Porcupine quills and bright feathers in my hair had me
waking an October morning – to a compulsion. To walk, what is new you might
ask? Well this was a different feeling, not just a walk but a need to walk
further and leave the dogs behind. After a hearty breakfast, I packed my little
bag with water and wine gums and set off. At first I thought that I would walk
to Misty cliffs, but as I got there, it came to me to walk to Kommetjie, a 9km
walk one direction. I wondered I was prepared enough, but I went on anyway.
As I walked,
I decided to retell my life story as from this point forward. I imagined
Grandchildren sitting in front of me, my daughters and my Beloved beside me. I
told of this walk that I was doing and all the richness and wonder that
followed. A fine tale was weaved. My shoes I realised in between all this
weaving were not exactly fit for use anymore, but I walked on. Now the scenery
between Scarborough and Kommetjie sea route is one of the most astoundingly
beautiful in the world. Still relatively wild, the ocean below crashing and
moving as I walked and talked. Ravens flew up high cawing, encouraging me I
hoped and by the time I got to Kommetjie I was rather foot sore. I popped into
a local pub and had an ice cold beer and
headed back home.
As
I trudged up the first portion of steep hill out of Kommetjie, I saw something
that stopped me in my tracks. Heart beat in throat, I bent down to pick dozens
of Porcupine Quills I gathered them up, and as I did so I fell into a vision of
me having a Nguni cow hide being placed on my shoulders and the porcupine
quills in a white headband… a few months later a random incident (not so random
though) had someone out of the blue gifting me with a Nguni skin covered
notebook with a Porcupine Quill as the place holder holding it closed…
I
understand that I need to know the plant medicines of Africa – this is my path
with Africa and the Porcupine being my Power Animal here…
Last
week while walking, and while pondering over the fact that there is NOTHING
that wants me to be a Sangoma in the African tradition, a quiet voice came to
me as I spoke to the plants and thanked them for their beauty.
Tass – stop your struggle. You are a Medicine Woman…
I felt
lame as I saw the Feathers from my dream making sense (I keep getting gifted with feathers in my path,
Raven, Robin never mind the random
porcupine quills I even find in the streets)
A
medicine journey this last weekend had me journeying to meet my inner Serpent…
I jumped through an Apple tree into the underworld… and met my Serpent in a
cave of brilliant white crystals. The Serpent had two heads – the one I fed a
Large Red apple (and the other head I fed Spirits (not sure if it was wine?)
Well I puzzled over this but knew if I let it alone the meaning would become
evident.
On the
same day I spoke to a dear friend Gerri and asked her who she knew that could
assist in formalising my Shamanic studies… and Robin Youngbloods name came up
again…
Well
the puzzle fell into place while making my bed on Sunday night (no surprises
there it’s a no mind state event!) I am to follow the two paths. One African
Medicinal Plants and the Red Path. I looked at Robin Youngblood’s book too,
read the opening chapters and knew that it is her that I needed to speak to…
How doors fly open when the time is right. I have met an amazing teacher, whose
teachings sing in my blood!
How
wonderful that I now know where to go… this is my path, this is the
consolidation that I seek – and I invite all who wish to answer their call to
being Shamans and formalising their teachings to sign up now…
Ministerial Training: Preparation for Ordination as a
Shamanic Minister of Church of the Earth
Robins plea and wisdom -
"Upon graduation, you will become an ordained minister of Church of the Earth, which is a certification you can register with your government in order to perform weddings, etc. legally. As well, this training is a way to unify many different healing modalities rooted in Shamanic History, through one lineage, in order to provide one with authority and authenticity. As we all know, there are far too many people offering ceremonies who have not received the Initiations and Rites to do so. This is actually dangerous to participants, and, from watching this, I've decided to take responsibility for passing on what I've learned from the Elders, in order to ensure that the body of students who work with me are providing safe, secure, sacred space for whatever they do, in service to the greater good."
This course is Two
years, on skype and email, including two five-day sessions at NuWotiWalela or
in one of Church of the Earth’s International Centers, $4,900
Subjects Covered:
Philosophy: Tenets; Beliefs & Practices; Shamanic History
and Perspectives; Understanding the Shamanic Path; Using the Medicine Wheel
Personal
Preparation: Clearing Obstacles; Connecting
to All Our Relations; Identifying Masks & Mirrors; Aligning with Father Sky
& Mother Earth; Setting Intention; Identifying & Activating Your Gifts;
Awakening Passionate Purpose; Living in Authenticity & Balance
Spiritual
Counseling: Clearing; Becoming a
Hollow Bone; Checks & Balances; Aura Cleansing; Chakra Balancing; Spiritual
Touch; DNA Activation; Understanding the Medicine Wheel: A Compass for Life; MW
Constellation for Individuals and Groups; Shamanic Journeying; Extraction &
Depossession; Soul Retrieval
Ceremonial
Training: Clearing Space; Creating
Sacred Space; Providing Protection; Preparation & Facilitation; Designing
Individual & Group Ceremonies and Rituals; Holding Intention;
Manifestation; Following the Ceremonial Calendar
Teaching: Designing Workshops; Preparation; Organization &
Facilitation; Transformational Processes; On-Going Support
Community: Creating & Maintaining Community; MW Relationship
Training; Community Outreach; Community Visioning; Community Projects: Design,
Preparation, Co-Creation & Process
Missions: WorldWeavers Outreach Projects; Creating Sustainable
Venues and Facilities ~ Viral and Land-Based Villages; Fundraising; Social
Networking; International Communications; Global Co-Creation
This is a two year course, via bi-weekly skype sessions and
email, and including two five-day retreats at the beautiful NuWotiWalela
Sanctuary on Church of the Earth’s land in Washington state. Students will work
in groups of four-seven individuals, with assignments from Reverend Youngblood,
reports and sharing in each skype session, with individual email sessions
between. Retreats will give on-hands experiential training between students, as
well as offering group sessions on building a ministry and community. This
course is a contractual COMMITMENT: once accepted, students are expected to
continue through graduation and ordination.
Website: Church of
the Earth*
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Registration: Rev. Robin Youngblood
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