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SPIRIT
LODGE
LIBRARY
Guides
& Spirit Helpers
Page
8
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(Main
Links of the site are right at the bottom of the page)
Included in this Guides & Spirit Helpers section are:
Communicating with Your Inner
Spirits & Guides
By CinnamonMoon
The secret is to *listen.*
It has been said that a wise person
listens and a fool talks. There is a lot of truth to that statement.
You can't hear truths if you are busy talking. For this reason
a Talking Stick is passed in Native American gathering Circles
and each person is given the opportunity to speak in turn. While
they speak their words, the others in the Circle who are listening
will not only hear what is said but also receive a message through
those statements, a message meant just for them. We all take
what we need from conversations. Listening is Key, and it's
hard to do sometimes. I was taught to curb the urge to interrupt
one should sit on their hands…most people can't talk without
sign language (gesturing).
We cannot hide behind disclaimers,
and must be fully willing to accept what we are shown by our
Guides. Then we are to speak of things Spirit asks us to address
and be confident our Inner Spirit and our Guides are honoring
us with this information. Our love and depth of relationship
with our Inner Spirit is a connection that enhances our evolutionary
growth and becomes a channel to attain phenomenal amounts of
information about ourself, others, and the realms of Spirit
as well as the physical environment we find ourselves in. This
happens with people too; the better you know someone the deeper
into their life you go and the more details you are able to
surmise intuitively. But how does the Inner Spirit communicate?
There are several ways: intuition,
senses, visions, dreams, and telepathy to mention just a few.
Our intuitive ability comes as a
gut feeling, hunches, impressions, and an inner *knowing* or
recognition of a truth. Through visions and dreams we see things,
through telepathy we hear things, all of our senses are brought
into play because the Inner Spirit must work with what is available
to get through to us. So, one of the first steps to making contact
is to work with your senses. While we use our senses daily to
maneuver our way in the world we live in, it is done on an involuntary
basis…an almost unconscious reaction to the stimuli in
our environments. We don't tell ourselves to hear this or that,
we automatically hear. It's the same with sight, smell, taste,
and touch. These are our natural senses…all five of them,
but there is one more…the sixth sense as some call it…the
Third Eye…Second Sight…ESP...the ability to see beyond
the physical world and into dimensional realms…and to *know*
truths.
In most cases, as children we naturally
use our senses taking them for granted as we have no reason
to doubt them. We trust our intuitive nature as part of that
process and we don't question it since we have experienced nothing
to counter it. As we grow our parents and other adults often
close those doors for us telling us we are imagining things
that are not real. Since we trust them to guide and protect
us, we believe what they are saying and one by one we shut down
our psychic abilities by closing doors we may later struggle
to reopen. This is part of the physical illusion we often hear
about. The recapturing of our gifts is a process that helps
us come to see the world we live in is much more than it appears
to be. It's dimensional and those dimensions are just as real
as the physical one. It's that child-like innocence and trust
that we must recapture to re-open those doors. You must believe
you can open them and consciously expect them to open; then
you must step through them…but how?
Let's explore the "how?".
We begin by acknowledging our senses one by one. Take a day
and explore just one sense. See how you react through that sense
to your environment. Everywhere you go, everything you do, explore
it with that sense. You'll be amazed at the amount of information
it conveys to you. Do this for one week, a different sense each
day, and then bring it all together on the sixth day to utilize
them as a whole. This conscious awareness allows you to hear
the voice of your Inner Spirit and you open a channel of communication.
(Those of you who are new to this process and exploring it perhaps
for the first time are encouraged to post your experiences with
this thread.)
Another method is to explore through
a mirror and there is a Mirror Exercise in our Knowledge Center
that you can utilize for this approach. While there are other
methods of exploring our senses, these two have been very effective
for people I've personally worked with and I highly recommend
them.
All action, everything that exists
is comprised of energy and it's important to honor that as well.
Our senses operate on it just as our spiritual gifts and abilities
do. I'd like to suggest exploring another exercise in the Knowledge
Center and it's the one on Cloud Busting. This gives you a visual
experience and allows you to see the results of energy in action.
It's very simple to do, most people have experienced it early
in life, a childhood game that may be long forgotten. Give it
a try and see for yourself how quickly that energy moves and
accomplishes its task. Through this exercise you can explore
the way your energy brings results and how your intent controls
matters…and matter itself. I think you will amaze yourself
and it's an excellent tool for initiating interaction with your
Third Eye, the Mind's Eye. Many people actually see the energy
on a molecular level and you'll find greater detail in that
lesson. Please feel free to explore it.
Working in this way you become aware
of your Inner Spirit and it will guide you through future endeavors
as you begin to be aware of your own spiritual evolution. As
you learn to trust your experiences you open yourself not only
to the voice of your Inner Spirit but many other voices as well...those
of Guides, and all lifeforms. The tone of voice mirrors us in
many ways and speaks a language of its own. Years ago I was
taught to read many languages spiritually speaking. When reading
a person (in person) I look for the face and its features, the
lines or lack of them, the posture and gestures, the expression
verbally and silently. I look into the eye of the person and
read their spirit, not to invade and find secrets, just introduce
myself and read their character. That's enough to know how to
communicate with them. If they want to let me in deeper I must
have their permission or an invitation otherwise it is invasion.
Then the reading I get is purely clairvoyant. If I touch their
hands during the reading psychometry kicks in, I have that with
objects too. Again clairvoyant impressions are given me. Yet
there is something in the voice, it's rhythm, it's pitch, it's
tone that will tell you many things as well so pay attention
to that.
When my Guides step in clairaudience
comes into play and I *hear* their words. I hear them expressed
in ways I don't use personally, their voices are all different,
and their touch within tells me who is who. I work with many
different Guides and in many different ways. It depends on what
I'm doing and why. We all have a circle of Guides waiting to
speak with us, and if we open to them they will use any focus
we hold to come through and open a channel that will grow strong
with use. They understand how we think and through those processes
they will communicate with messages, signs, symbols, portents
we understand and relate to. Let me give you some examples.
Through the Tarot, messages convey
situations and impress me with how I would feel in that situation
and I convey that to those I Read for. I was taught to read
that way and then the book came to me with the universal interpretations.
I use those only when I get nothing else. My Guides step in
when I'm reading the Cards only when I'm starting to stray from
the points being made or I'm reading something wrong. The exception
to that rule is if a message not coming at me from the Cards
needs to be expressed.
Photographs capture the essence
of the Inner Spirit and often the energy signatures of an individual's
Guides be they personas or Totems. I've always been able to
see this around people in photographs and it tells me a lot
about them. I don't do this professionally, it's simply something
I've used as a personal tool to understand people and their
character.
Objects hold energy. If you open
yourself to that you can "feel" things, emotions,
impressions, perhaps even get a vision of the person that they
belong/ed to. This is called psychometry and it is just another
way to explore the information your senses are capable of picking
up on. To explore this option, hold the object in your left
(receptive) hand and let the energy of the object pass through
you. By feeling the energy sensually you will find yourself
reacting to it and therefore "reading" it. Those reactions
will allow you to interpret positive and negative impressions
that tell you a great deal. Your Inner Spirit will pick up even
more and in time, as you open to it, the channel of communication
will feed you information.
Energy of any kind will convey information
and there are endless methods of tapping into it. Whether you
do this strictly through your senses and a channel to your Inner
Spirit, or choose to use various tools to open the way for you,
energy talks. Every living thing holds an energy of its own
and we can learn to read it, communicate with different lifeforms,
and tap into a whole universe of information increasing our
knowledge and applying it to our life or the lives of others.
There's a lot of negative psychic
stuff out there and many use different methods of shielding
to avoid it. People get jealous of one another and nasty stuff
happens sometimes. Those who start to compete with spiritual
gifts often find that it can get downright ugly when jealousy
enters into matters and you often hear of psychic wars…"Witch
Wars" taking place. Because of this the issue of psychic
protection and shielding often come up. You needn't fear this
arena, but you do need to be aware of it and examine different
methods of handling yourself in such situations should you find
yourself in one. We do have a section on this in the Knowledge
Center if you want to look into it. However, when all else fails
a word to the wise: *Trust your Inner Spirit to know what to
do and let it lead you*...it's been there before.
It goes with the territory, spiritual
realms are not exempt from trouble-makers either…be they
human or entity. So these things will call for some to take
those precautions and that's their right. We all have a right
to psychic self-defense. I see nothing wrong with that. I tend
to be an open book. I have nothing anyone can take from me.
I walk with Spirit and my Guides so I can back it up
with the way I live. That's my protection and it's served me
well. There are times, however, when I have had need to shield
myself and have done so. They are extreme, exceptions to my
rule, but they have come up.
The information we receive through
these (and other) sources is going to be on target regardless
of our ability to understand it. If we are testing ourselves,
or our Guides we need to understand that validations will be
presented. It's a process of coming to trust in our spiritual
nature and it's merit in our lives. When a person mistrusts
their own abilities and/or the tools they use, then the readings
or information that they receive is going to be off due to clouded
insights. It's that way with anything we intuit. If your senses
speak to you and you don't trust them it serves little good,
your Inner Spirit's voice or that of your Guides grows weak
and becomes difficult to hear. However, working with it and
maintaining steady effort does strengthen it again and it will
grow. When you trust and enter the Silence to listen it grows
very strong. That voice is capable of shouting at you at times
you need to pay immediate attention to something and it can
warn of danger, of opportunity, of many things you would otherwise
have no way of knowing so it becomes an invaluable connection
to maintain.
Please share your opinions or views
about this subject with the community, perhaps techniques you
have used in the past or even now to maintain this level of
communication and evolve with yourself. Before I end this I
just want to say one more thing. Our Inner Spirit is the true
Self. Know that we are not bodies with spirits but spirits with
bodies. It makes all the difference. Your Inner Spirit is the
sum total of all past lives, it holds that knowledge and wisdom
and it knows where you need to go in life. It knows your purpose
for being here: the lessons you need to learn, the way you are
to serve, your spiritual role and evolutionary process. By opening
to it and receiving guidance you become the Witness and can
see that the Inner Spirit holds the road map to your journey…all
you have to do is follow along. It will guide you, inspire you,
protect you, and take you where you need to go. I cannot encourage
you enough to embrace this aspect of yourself and explore it,
so I hope this stimulates interest and conversations here.
Northernwolf:
It seems
I'm in a talkative mood today. Regarding senses, I had seen
an exercise similar to that in the book buy Jose Stevens and
his wife on shamanism. From my stand point not a good beginner
book although it gives an overview of some possibilities. Anyhow
the trick was to meditate and focus on one sense at a time and
then at the end bringing them all together. This wasn't presented
for use on a spiritual level but it does bring you closer in
the contact you have with your environment which in turn later
applies to spirituality in a way.
Also by associating myself with wolf or other animals, I've
notice personally that my sense of smell is more acute. Not
necessarily to discriminate between fragrances but to pick up
more subtle smell. I often catch myself sniffing the air at
times yes I can be weird, lol.
Same
thing with earing and a little bit with sight. One of my friends
who's totem is snake as a very poor eyes sight but a very develop
sense of touch. Just thought I'd share.
Moonwolf:
...I printed this off to add to my 'library.'
I've been looking for this, just didn't know it. Thanks once
again -I'll definitely be working on this.
Earthwalker:
Since you all have a lot more experience
in symbolism and I find it difficult (albeit I am learning),
I would like to get your impression of what guides are showing
me in this dream. I dreamt this dream a couple of weeks before
I found Spirit Lodge and read Cinnamon's book. I haven't mentioned
it before since I didn't understand it. At this point I believe
I do, but would like to have all of your impressions as well
(for those of you who have the time). I will share my thoughts
afterwards so as not to bias yours. Note; I personally do not
see this as frightening despite the early frames.
The dream was in frames of increasing
duration. I was watching myself on the outside but was also
part of the dream. The first frame was of a burnt landscape,
charred trees and deep red night sky. No life appeared to exist
(I felt sad, depressed, was asking the question why?) The second
frame was of a square-ish space ship with oars about seven each
side sticking out of it. The inside population was cramped,
couldn't move and was feverishly rowing to keep afloat on the
sea during a storm. (I felt enclosed, unable to move, and the
overall sense of the population inside was fear). The next frame
was of an approaching tidal wave. A large wave about three times
higher than the ship approached and overcame the ship. The ship
was overturned and then relegated to debris. The frame ended
as I observed the debris of the ship floating on the water's
surface. (I assume this to be the sea because of the size of
the waves.) The third frame was of people swimming under water
along with other creatures which were present but not something
I focused upon. (I could see myself swimming as well but in
a more animated form). The focus of this frame was the intense
turquoise color, the freedom while swimming and the loss of
the enclosed feeling (the color was of an intensity I have never
seen before. I liked the color, which was atypical for me, since
I prefer muted colors). When swimming deep into the depths of
this turquoise landscape, I watched myself as I looked upward
and saw the underbelly of a huge humpback whale just peacefully
floating on the surface of the water. Its presence was a calming
and serene effect, individuals below just continued to explore
this new environment beneath her.
I was, however, comforted and glad
she was there and kept looking at her for meaning. Others didn't
appear to see her. I knew that her presence was important but
I didn't know to ask her for guidance at that point. Thank you
in advance for your interpretations. I really would like all
of your interpretations. Each of you bring a uniqueness (as
I have learned from your discussions).
Cinnamon:
Interpretations really hold symbology that you will recognize
and put meaning to beyond universal symbols. So do keep that
in mind as it does carry greater weight. For one person, for
instance, the Whale might remind them of the story of the Old
Man And the Sea, or Jonah...for another it could mean universal
consciousness. A big difference. What it means to you is ultimately
more important. Another thing is that not all dreams (even if
they are very vivid) are spiritual dreams and if you are a witness
to that dream rather than a participant then it's a "normal"
one. That may help you define which ones you need to heed. That
said, I'll give this a go.
*Soft Smile*
The first frame:
The ruin and colors of the first frame and the question of "why"
in your mind was seemingly a desire to understand why things
must die. Old notions, old habits, old perspectives must fall
away so there is room for the new. All cycles must end so a
new one can begin. Life flows from one stage to another, one
season to another, but that cycle will return again when it's
time has come. Perhaps you were being told to set aside all
that you had as preconceived notions about your spiritual searches
until now so that you could embrace something new that was coming
your way with a clear pallet. The burnt hues and deep reds could
reflect the burning away of old passions too.
The second frame:
This square-ish space ship with 7 oars to each side...more perspectives
to explore? Confinement, overpopulation, fear...this could be
social strictures that you were trying to escape, or feeling
that they were forced upon you by the social norms...perhaps
traditional religion was closing in on you? The feeling of cramped
space, the inability to move (ahead?), struggling to hang on
to outworn ideals. Trying to stay afloat on the sea during a
storm...upsetting current concepts and struggling to find your
way in a sea of information? Water always represents emotions
as well as cosmic consciousness...that connection to Spirit.
A storm at sea represents your storm within as you search for
something that's right for you.
The third frame:
An approaching tidal wave...being hit with a tremendous amount
of information at once? Being overcome by that and trying to
make your way to survive it means a struggle to sort things
out. The demolished ship would represent the tearing down of
old ideology that no longer serves your needs and starting anew.
With this large body of water I am taking a more cosmic view
of things. That's what it would mean to me through my own personal
symbols.
The fourth frame:
People swimming under water along with other creatures which
were present but not something you focused upon. I would see
as many ways of doing things, many cultural differences, but
all swimming in the same ocean so tolerance since you felt no
anxiety or focus necessary. The intense turquoise color and
your liking it (when you prefer more muted tones) is an attraction
to something new. Exploring knowledge. The freedom while swimming
was recognizing choice and new energies around you. Study Humpback
Whales. Each species has something slightly different to teach
you, but as a general rule, Whale holds all knowledge and the
history of the universe...a library in a sense. So again seeking
knowledge. That it was peaceful and floating above you tells
me that you have time to explore at your leisure and the information
is just waiting for you to retrieve it. (Finding Spirit Lodge
shortly afterward may well mean that you found a body of knowledge
-- through the site and community -- that would help you along
your way without trying to force it on you or confuse you).
That the presence seemed calm and serene is good, and I hope
that's how you feel here too! *S* That you kept looking at her
for meaning and were glad she was there (see how you say "she"...your
inner spirit sensed the female energy *S*) so there would then
be a feminine guide coming your way to help steer you in the
right direction. Watch for her. She's near you. Others not seeing
her just means that they are not seeking
the same knowledge you are.
It's interesting that you didn't
know to ask her for guidance at that point, but recognize now
you should have. She'll return to you. One thing that is Key
for most pagan or shamanic paths is that when seeking you do
need to ask for answers to your questions. Those who can teach
you things are not interested in recruiting anyone to the path
they walk. They know that to learn this kind of information
the seeker must really want it, there is a lifetime of work
and exploration ahead and they are going to want to see a passion
to know. It's not so much the question you ask as it is how
you ask it and those who can teach you things will read the
"how" through your words. So you must ask to be taught
here or anywhere spiritual knowledge exists...be it in the mundane
world or the spiritual ones.
Hope that helps, I'm on short time
today but we have several people here that delve into dream
interpretation and understand the symbology. You should get
some interesting answers and the perspectives will vary. I know
that you are seeking and with so much spiritual symbology it
seems to me you were seeking to swim up to the surface of knowledge
after diving deep into new wisdoms. Lots to choose from, and
sensing that there would be guidance, you simple enjoyed the
freedom to look around. *Smile* not bad at all.
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Libraries
are on this row
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INDEX
Page 3
(Main Section, Medicine Wheel, Native Languages &
Nations, Symbology)
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INDEX
Page 5
(Sacred Feminine & Masculine, Stones & Minerals)
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©
Copyright: Cinnamon Moon & River WildFire Moon (Founders.)
2000-date
All rights reserved.
Site
constructed by Dragonfly
Dezignz 1998-date
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