I just did a reading with the Green Man Tree Oracle cards, to help me with the answer to the question: "What do I need? How can I use it in my life?"
Upper realm (starry wisdom):
Yew
"Perseverance leads to achievement". Strength and endurance to carry me through, strength to defend and advance.
Middle realm (daily life, the core of the problem):
Apple
"Vision lights the way ahead". True vision, to see beyond the surface of things to know the deeper truth and true meaning.
Lower realm (ancestral wisdom):
Hazel
"Seek wisdom in the depths". I already have the knowledge and wisdom to deal with the problem, I just have to look past my confusion.
Since I was not sure I had asked the question clearly, I asked for one card in response to "Is this the gift that Aldebaran gave me?" and got the response:
Alder
"Defense keeps clear the territory". Indeed a re-emphasis of all the cards above, the importance of using my gifts to protect myself and those with me.
My interpretation is that the gift of Aldebaran was strength, true vision, and deep wisdom, which I must use to help me and my family weather these storms and emerge hale.
Darn, I was hoping for a magic wand or a money tree! :P The problem with all this spiritual stuff is that it just points the way, it leaves you still having to do all the hard work yourself :D
Monday, February 22, 2010
Aldebaran
The day after my dream of finding the power adapter in another reality, I took a spirit journey to seek it out.
I sought aid from my guides, the guardians of the directions, the Lord of Underearth, the Green Man, and any other good spirit willing to aid me. I started on the beach, it was very dark but with a moon and lots of stars. I started up the path into the woods, enjoying the blanket of darkness on the earth and the trees that made everything seem secret and magical. The blackness was relieved by silver glimmers of moonlight on the trunks of the trees, and by the luminous glow of occasional mushrooms, flowers, and insects in vivid blues and greens.
As I walked up the path, the path seemed to rise up off the ground and lead me into the air. It took me up over the tops of the trees, and then spiraling up into the night sky. The path looked like a frozen river of black velvet and satin, glimmering silver in the starlight, wide and comfortable to walk on. I could see the earth below, the woods, and my clearing glowing below me, but I turned my eyes up to the stars and followed the winding path as it took me up and away from the earth.
As I ascended, I could see that the patch branched off here and there, with roads leading to the myriads of stars and planets. I stayed on the main branch, and it presently took me close to the star Aldebaran. This appeared as a huge milky crystal sphere, slightly pinkish, with countless glittering facets. It was so bright I could barely look at it directly as it loomed over me. I took the short path up to it, and entered via a crystal archway.
I stood in a cavernous hall, all of glowing pink crystal, facing a being on a throne raised upon many steps. The being shown like a star so that I could not look at him/her. I said that I had come on this journey hoping to find the tools to help me in my life, if it was right that I find them.
Aldebaran replied that he/she could grant me this, but what would I do for it? The service required was that I use this to help my wife and the others around me when the need support, and not keep it for myself nor use it for selfish ends. I promised to do this, and Aldebaran placed in my hands a large white plastic power converter, the same one I had found in my earlier dream. With many thanks, I placed this in my belt pouch, and returned to the sky road.
I walked back down the path, returning to earth in the woods and walked back to the beach, and awoke
As I walked up the path, the path seemed to rise up off the ground and lead me into the air. It took me up over the tops of the trees, and then spiraling up into the night sky. The path looked like a frozen river of black velvet and satin, glimmering silver in the starlight, wide and comfortable to walk on. I could see the earth below, the woods, and my clearing glowing below me, but I turned my eyes up to the stars and followed the winding path as it took me up and away from the earth.
As I ascended, I could see that the patch branched off here and there, with roads leading to the myriads of stars and planets. I stayed on the main branch, and it presently took me close to the star Aldebaran. This appeared as a huge milky crystal sphere, slightly pinkish, with countless glittering facets. It was so bright I could barely look at it directly as it loomed over me. I took the short path up to it, and entered via a crystal archway.
I stood in a cavernous hall, all of glowing pink crystal, facing a being on a throne raised upon many steps. The being shown like a star so that I could not look at him/her. I said that I had come on this journey hoping to find the tools to help me in my life, if it was right that I find them.
Aldebaran replied that he/she could grant me this, but what would I do for it? The service required was that I use this to help my wife and the others around me when the need support, and not keep it for myself nor use it for selfish ends. I promised to do this, and Aldebaran placed in my hands a large white plastic power converter, the same one I had found in my earlier dream. With many thanks, I placed this in my belt pouch, and returned to the sky road.
I walked back down the path, returning to earth in the woods and walked back to the beach, and awoke
The keys
Late last week I had an odd dream.
I was working on the house, and needed some special power adapters. So I went up to an attic room with my daughter, went into the closet, and closed the door behind us. Then I took out a special key from my pocket, turned it in the lock, and reopened the door. I walked out into the same room but in a different version of reality; the house looked abandoned and heaped with trash.
I know that this reality was dangerous or unstable, and that I could not stay long. I went over to a large tool chest in the corner, rummaged in it for a minute, and found just the adapters I needed. I looked around, and my daughter had wandered over to a bathroom and was looking in the tub that had brackish water standing in it; she was about to put her foot in it when I called to her and reminded her not to mess with anything here. We went back into the closet, turned the key again, and emerged back in my real house.
I awoke thinking that this dream meant something. What did it mean, I asked myself? I immediately knew that it meant that I needed something to tap into the power I need, and that the tool for adapting the power for my service was on the other side; and that I had the keys to find it with me right now. The keys lay in the shamanic work I was doing.
I was working on the house, and needed some special power adapters. So I went up to an attic room with my daughter, went into the closet, and closed the door behind us. Then I took out a special key from my pocket, turned it in the lock, and reopened the door. I walked out into the same room but in a different version of reality; the house looked abandoned and heaped with trash.
I know that this reality was dangerous or unstable, and that I could not stay long. I went over to a large tool chest in the corner, rummaged in it for a minute, and found just the adapters I needed. I looked around, and my daughter had wandered over to a bathroom and was looking in the tub that had brackish water standing in it; she was about to put her foot in it when I called to her and reminded her not to mess with anything here. We went back into the closet, turned the key again, and emerged back in my real house.
I awoke thinking that this dream meant something. What did it mean, I asked myself? I immediately knew that it meant that I needed something to tap into the power I need, and that the tool for adapting the power for my service was on the other side; and that I had the keys to find it with me right now. The keys lay in the shamanic work I was doing.
Monday, February 1, 2010
A surprising and eldrich journey
Soaking in the bath with a bad headache, my mind wandered for a while and then I found myself walking the beach by the ocean.
It was a cold night, dry, with a bright moon touching everything with silver. The waves were splashing and receeding, and I was aware that they were full of life, as was the sand beneath my feet and the air around me. I started walking up the path, through the sea grass into the woods.
I saw a branch of the path go off to the right; I followed it, even though it was narrow and lined with dark trees and black undergrowth. It led through the trees to a small black pool, of murky dark water, filled with roots and black mud. A tiny rivulet of water ran in at the left and another ran out on the right, down to the sea. I could tell the water and mud were filled with living things that seemed nasty to me, with too many legs and squishy bodies; they were creeping and wiggling in the mud. But I knew that they were not evil, just living things different than I who only wanted to live and raise their children.
I knew that I had been called down a dark path for some reason, so I decided the surrender to it and see where it led, trusting in my guides to not lead me astray. I laid down in the black, brackish water, on my back, and crossed my hands over my chest; I sank into the water and down into the mud.
A very large, wet tentacle came out of the mud and wrapped around my chest, and pulled me down into the dark wet earth. I was drawn down, surrounded by earth and darkness, towards what I sensed was a huge tentacled creature with a gaping mouth. This cthonic lord of the under earth did not speak, but simply swallowed me whole.
I slid down its throat and emerged in its cavernous water-filled stomach, swiming in a limitless void of dark water. I remembered the silver moon-ring that had been gifted me by the Smith, and draw it out of my mouth. In its silvery light, I saw that there were many things swimming around in the distance, looking like pale insects and deep sea fish.
A large creature approached, who looked like a giant scorpion make of bone, with a face like an old man made of bone and chiton. He smiled somewhat cruelly and said "So you have arrived." I said something about wanting to know the way out, and he said "Its too late, you are dead already." Then he touched me and I saw that my flesh was peeling away and leaving just bare bone. In moments I was just a skeleton. I felt no pain or fear, just wonder. Afraid of losing my moon-ring, I put it on my left wrist.
He looked over my bones, then produced a large quartz crystal. He said "Here is a new heart for you," and placed it in my ribcage. I looked at it, and felt it beat with soft pulse of light, then asked about the way back. He replied "The only way to be reborn is to die again."
I saw a large, blind snake-like thing coming up towards me. It found my feet and started swallowing me, until I was completely within it. As I traveled down its throat, I felt my flesh grow back over my bones, until I was alive again. Then the flesh of the snake split open, and I found myself laying on the ground under the trees, lying in a stream of cold clear water running downhill, with my head downward and the water running past it. I could feel the moon-ring still around my wrist bones, under my flesh, now invisible, and I could feel the crystal in my chest just behind my heart, pulsing with my heartbeat.
I called to the scorpion-man and asked him what his name was. I heard his voice, "You can call me Yaah-waah, bacause that is the sound people make when they die and are reborn. I am the midwife of this rite of death and rebirth, you are lying now at the birthing-place of the earth."
I thanked Yaah-waah, and the guardians of the directions, and my guides for taking me on this journey.
It was a cold night, dry, with a bright moon touching everything with silver. The waves were splashing and receeding, and I was aware that they were full of life, as was the sand beneath my feet and the air around me. I started walking up the path, through the sea grass into the woods.
I saw a branch of the path go off to the right; I followed it, even though it was narrow and lined with dark trees and black undergrowth. It led through the trees to a small black pool, of murky dark water, filled with roots and black mud. A tiny rivulet of water ran in at the left and another ran out on the right, down to the sea. I could tell the water and mud were filled with living things that seemed nasty to me, with too many legs and squishy bodies; they were creeping and wiggling in the mud. But I knew that they were not evil, just living things different than I who only wanted to live and raise their children.
I knew that I had been called down a dark path for some reason, so I decided the surrender to it and see where it led, trusting in my guides to not lead me astray. I laid down in the black, brackish water, on my back, and crossed my hands over my chest; I sank into the water and down into the mud.
A very large, wet tentacle came out of the mud and wrapped around my chest, and pulled me down into the dark wet earth. I was drawn down, surrounded by earth and darkness, towards what I sensed was a huge tentacled creature with a gaping mouth. This cthonic lord of the under earth did not speak, but simply swallowed me whole.
I slid down its throat and emerged in its cavernous water-filled stomach, swiming in a limitless void of dark water. I remembered the silver moon-ring that had been gifted me by the Smith, and draw it out of my mouth. In its silvery light, I saw that there were many things swimming around in the distance, looking like pale insects and deep sea fish.
A large creature approached, who looked like a giant scorpion make of bone, with a face like an old man made of bone and chiton. He smiled somewhat cruelly and said "So you have arrived." I said something about wanting to know the way out, and he said "Its too late, you are dead already." Then he touched me and I saw that my flesh was peeling away and leaving just bare bone. In moments I was just a skeleton. I felt no pain or fear, just wonder. Afraid of losing my moon-ring, I put it on my left wrist.
He looked over my bones, then produced a large quartz crystal. He said "Here is a new heart for you," and placed it in my ribcage. I looked at it, and felt it beat with soft pulse of light, then asked about the way back. He replied "The only way to be reborn is to die again."
I saw a large, blind snake-like thing coming up towards me. It found my feet and started swallowing me, until I was completely within it. As I traveled down its throat, I felt my flesh grow back over my bones, until I was alive again. Then the flesh of the snake split open, and I found myself laying on the ground under the trees, lying in a stream of cold clear water running downhill, with my head downward and the water running past it. I could feel the moon-ring still around my wrist bones, under my flesh, now invisible, and I could feel the crystal in my chest just behind my heart, pulsing with my heartbeat.
I called to the scorpion-man and asked him what his name was. I heard his voice, "You can call me Yaah-waah, bacause that is the sound people make when they die and are reborn. I am the midwife of this rite of death and rebirth, you are lying now at the birthing-place of the earth."
I thanked Yaah-waah, and the guardians of the directions, and my guides for taking me on this journey.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
New Year augeries
With another wonderful Christmas gift, the Green Man Tree Oracle, I did a reading: What should I keep in mind as I move into the new year? What should I bring forward from last year?
In the Upper World, advice from above for the coming year:
Spindle (Oir)
"Destiny moves us to do great things", follow your deepest desires and your destiny will reveal itself.
In the Lower World, advice from the ancestors, what to bring forward from last year:
Gooseberry (Ifin)
"The ancestors walked the way before you", you have the right to draw on the collective wisdom of those who have walked the path before you.
In the Middle World, what is happening right now that is important to know:
Ivy (Gort)
"Strength comes from accepting support", set aside pride and stubborness, accept the support of those around you.
In the Upper World, advice from above for the coming year:
Spindle (Oir)
"Destiny moves us to do great things", follow your deepest desires and your destiny will reveal itself.
In the Lower World, advice from the ancestors, what to bring forward from last year:
Gooseberry (Ifin)
"The ancestors walked the way before you", you have the right to draw on the collective wisdom of those who have walked the path before you.
In the Middle World, what is happening right now that is important to know:
Ivy (Gort)
"Strength comes from accepting support", set aside pride and stubborness, accept the support of those around you.
Compass Points
Gate of dreams, roseate East,
Good beginnings from golden beast.
Southern forests, paths that twist,
Feathered serpent sets the test.
Moon's consort neath starry sky,
Western toad calls choices nigh.
King in sable, heart of flame,
in Northern hall ring songs of fame.
Good beginnings from golden beast.
Southern forests, paths that twist,
Feathered serpent sets the test.
Moon's consort neath starry sky,
Western toad calls choices nigh.
King in sable, heart of flame,
in Northern hall ring songs of fame.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Solstice fire, with visitors
A fraught and frantic December, and I was coming down with a bit of a head cold, but I felt the need to make some observance for the solstice. It is to me the most deep, numinous, and bone-felt of the holy days, when the world shudders in the grip of dark and cold.
I built a fire in the firepit on back porch out of oak leaves dropped by my friend in the front yard. I knew the fire would only last for a while, so I put a candle by ready to catch the last flames and hold them for the night. I sat down by the fire and stared into it, communing with the flames and letting the rest of the world fade away. I didn't think about anything in particular, just let my mind quiet and let the rustle of the wind and the flowing of the flames fill me.
After a time staring at the flames, and seeing the circle of the firepit flare orange, I became aware of others sitting with me around the fire. On my right hand was the Indian man, Teacher of Boys-to-Men, who had danced with me earlier in the year. Beside him was a large man dressed in furs and boots, who I knew to be a Dane, but with no helmet, armor, or weapons. On my left had sat a very old Indian woman with her gray hair pulled back and weaving in her hands, who laughed and smiled at the fire. There were many others, elders, warriors, folk of many races, who gathered with us around the fire.
No one spoke, we all just shared the fire and each other's presence. I felt the immense depths of time; all these wise folk had in their lives honored Winter and sat vigil by the fire on the longest night of the year, each in their own time and place, and me among them. At the solstice fire, time thins and we all share, all sensing each other's presence and support in the silence. I knew that these were all ancient ancestors and elders who had felt the mystery of the darkness and the hope of the fire, and had sat alone, just as I, to feel the turning of the year. I knew that some here were my many-times-grandchildren also, that the thread of mystery and reverence continues. Just as I have been supported and guided by many spirits and ancestors, so I will take my turn eventually to aid and guide those who come after me.
As the fire faded, my companions faded from my awareness also. I caught the last flicker of the oak flames securely on the wick of my candle, which I nestled safely in the firepit to light our path to the next year, and went in to bed.
After a time staring at the flames, and seeing the circle of the firepit flare orange, I became aware of others sitting with me around the fire. On my right hand was the Indian man, Teacher of Boys-to-Men, who had danced with me earlier in the year. Beside him was a large man dressed in furs and boots, who I knew to be a Dane, but with no helmet, armor, or weapons. On my left had sat a very old Indian woman with her gray hair pulled back and weaving in her hands, who laughed and smiled at the fire. There were many others, elders, warriors, folk of many races, who gathered with us around the fire.
No one spoke, we all just shared the fire and each other's presence. I felt the immense depths of time; all these wise folk had in their lives honored Winter and sat vigil by the fire on the longest night of the year, each in their own time and place, and me among them. At the solstice fire, time thins and we all share, all sensing each other's presence and support in the silence. I knew that these were all ancient ancestors and elders who had felt the mystery of the darkness and the hope of the fire, and had sat alone, just as I, to feel the turning of the year. I knew that some here were my many-times-grandchildren also, that the thread of mystery and reverence continues. Just as I have been supported and guided by many spirits and ancestors, so I will take my turn eventually to aid and guide those who come after me.
As the fire faded, my companions faded from my awareness also. I caught the last flicker of the oak flames securely on the wick of my candle, which I nestled safely in the firepit to light our path to the next year, and went in to bed.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)