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SPIRIT
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Spiritual
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JIGGLES: WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE
ELEMENTS
By CinnamonMoon
I just wanted to point out that we've
been talking here about jiggling things to get them to work
for you. Techniques are a dime a dozen and if you ask anyone
there is going to be some variation
between theirs and the next person's. A jiggle took place somewhere
and someone altered the
technique just a tad to make it work better for them.
People who are learning to achieve states of trance or meditation
(anything really) look for
guidelines and they think they are rigid when they get those
directions to follow. We need to
understand the formation or root method but from there we can
jiggle all we want to adapt the
foundations to our way of doing things.
It's important to remember to give yourself permission to do
this too. It's okay. If you are a
novice and you work with a technique to achieve something it
won't matter what you want to
achieve, it's going to have a basic routine to it. You'll center,
focus, perhaps call upon elemental
forces in the process, and you'll strive to achieve a state
of being. That technique may have a
guided visualization to kick start your motion. Let me give
you an example.
You want to learn to understand the element of Air, it's nature
and essence. Air rules high places
so your guided visualization begins on a mountain top. You by
nature are a desert person, lush
green mountains and vibrant foliage are not common to your environment
and visualizing a place
like that is difficult. You keep getting a high desert mesa
with ribbons of muted colors along the
horizon and vast plains stretching in all directions as opposed
to rolling hills. You can stand on
the mesa just as easy as you can stand on the mountaintop. It
doesn't matter. What matters is that
you stand there and let the Air envelop you, lift you up, and
take you on a journey. You take off
from a high point. Jiggle it however you need to but find a
high point...keep the foundation true,
but you can color it any way you want to.
If you are centering and pulling in elemental forces you may
find a technique that seems subtle
and boring to you. Perhaps it begins with standing on a hilltop
letting the Wind dance around
you. Well if that doesn't stir you then stand in some place
of safety...the eye of a storm where the
Wind swirls around you may be more drama for you, it's safe
in the eye, you're not calling in the
forces of chaos, but there's action going on all the same and
that eye can pull you into the
elemental force.
Centering itself calls on the 4 elemental forces, how you perceive
them is up to you. Any
technique for guided visualization has been created by someone
who found a way to accomplish
things based on fundamental aspects and then adapted them to
fit their nature. Then they share it
with someone else and if it works for several people it becomes
a popular way but it's not the
*only* way. Learn to be creative and give yourself permission
to jiggle things.
The only warning I give here is if you are not certain the "jiggle"
is safe to use then ask someone.
Either someone close to you or come here to the boards and post
the question. We'll tell you if
you're taking things too far. We all need to learn to adapt
things to our nature and that it's okay to
do so. If someone is teaching you a technique do try to follow
it to the letter initially, but if it's
not working ask that person you're working with how you can
jiggle it just a tad to get it initiated
for yourself. They'll be more than willing to point out where
you can adapt it to fit your needs.
Before jiggling any technique or work you are doing make sure
you understand the fundamental
elements that must be there to achieve your goal. Then you will
be able to see what can and can't
be changed. If you leave out the fundamentals then you short-change
yourself, risk something
going haywire, or put others in danger. There is a reason for
everything, but there is also
flexibility in execution. Know this and give yourself permission
to work in ways that suit your
nature too.
Northernwolf:
the question that arises here is how do you know if what you
jiggled is dangerous? I mean there
are sooo many different ways to do things. So I do wonder how
one can know that what they are
doing isn't safe? And furthermore, isn't getting burned along
the way part of the learning process
too. Sure we try to go around that since it's not necessary
to get burned but it's a good teacher in
itself.
Tink328:
What occurs to me NW Is that some people aren't going to get
burned cause they are never going
to push that 'edge' of safety. Those people will give 'jiggles'
while some idiot like me will give a
gigantic push. I do this knowing I may get burned but I do the
same in all my life. Those of us
that test all boundaries do get some scars but it's a fascinating
journey too.
Cinnamon:
LOL, yeah, Tink does push that envelope just a bit. ROFL It
makes her who she is and she's got
Guardian Spirits around to help dust her off and they know her
well too. Our Guardian Spirits
are well suited to our personalities that's for sure! As for
how you know what not to do, as long
as you keep the basics in order you're pretty safe. Respecting
the forces you work with, taking
things slowly rather than trying to call in too much too fast
is wise. It's sort of like driving a car
down the middle of town, you don't floor the thing in a pedestrian
crosswalk, but ease through it.
If you take it slow at first and get a feel for things pretty
soon you have a feel for the energy and
what it can do...then you sense how to use it and how much of
it you need. Keep it simple.
Good to see your input Tink! That pioneering spirit of yours
is a beautiful one. And I agree, there
are times trial and error are fun. Once burned twice shy though
and we learn things the hard
way sooner or later anyhow. It really is a mixture as we journey
through our pathways IMHO.
Sometimes there's an itch you just have to scratch and it's
worth it to satisfy it. I'm just trying to
point out to those who are starting out that there is room to
adapt certain things and personalize
the way you work. I think it's important to do that too.
Tink328:
I know you were Cinn. I was just saying to NW that moving your
location or changing the
wording a bit or other ways of making it more personal really
are just a jiggle and not pushing
the envelope enough to cause anyone to get burned. We usually
don't get the itch till we have
some basic experience at least.
Cinnamon:
Got 'cha! LOL Hey, got a spare set of wings? I could use some
extras today Seriously, that's a
good point. Can you elaborate??? Cinn ducks and runs now. ...
Earthwalker:
I know this is a stupid question but how do you know what to
do with any of the elements. Yes
you can call in a light rain instead of a hurricane but what
do you do with them? How are they
used? For what purpose and why?
Silver Eagle Dream Dancer:
Short version - for me they are like family. The only goal I
have is just to be with them, share and
learn - and I don't really consider that a goal. That's the
stage I'm at. I can't imagine having
control over them to use them and I wouldn't want it. But then,
I approach a lot of my learning
through the perspective of a relationship. It's how I best understand
in ways that I can apply to
myself and my path.
Wisowl:
As far as I am concerned I wouldn't DO anything with the elements.
I just would merely learn
from them and share experiences (hmm I am not sure if I made
myself clear here???).
Earthwalker:
Learn what? In a certain frame of mind, we know the elements
well We live with them. In some
ways they are a part of us. I guess that is why I am having
so much trouble with this dance. They
are very much a part of everyday reality and part of imagination
in the mundane world. It is just
hard for me to take them over into the Spirit world. I will
just have to keep working at it. Maybe
someday I will understand them in the Spirit world as well as
in the physical world.
Silver Eagle Dream Dancer:
“They are very much a part of everyday reality and part
of imagination in the mundane world.”
I agree there! But, there's a difference when you focus your
intent, awareness, and energy into
the experience of being with them. That what I know as a ceremonial
viewpoint. More simply
put - I expand myself into them. Do you intend to be aware of
the air all the time? And yet it's
always there and in your experience. It's the focus of your
intent to open awareness in that
direction that changes your experience with an element from
the daily 'it's there' to a more
spiritual arena.
That's why it's called a dance - as I learned it. You don't
control it, it doesn't control you. You
join spirits and dance together. To illustrate: In a real dance,
like at a party, you take the hand of
another and move in unison to the music. In a shamanic dance,
you and the element join spirits
and dance to Creator's rhythm. When you do that openly and intentionally,
it becomes more than
just the sum of the two parts. After all that explanation -
to return it to simplicity, you learn to
dance with them.
I'm going to amend the title of this because we again strayed
LOL.
Earthwalker:
SEDD, I wanted to thank you for the above post. After trying
to dance with the elements several
times over the past couple of weeks and even early this morning
and getting no place, I happened
to read this post just before I left for work (today). On my
way to work (the forty minutes’ drive
to work each way is "my time" without interruptions),
I was thinking about Cinnamon's reminder
to keep it simple go into the essences and SED comments above
which were to "dance" with the
elements. I had been trying in the other dances with air and
didn't get too far; fire was alright
but decided not to think about these two elements and just focus
on water, something new. I
indicated to Spirit that I would try this evening if I could
find a quiet time but that realistically I
don't get enough time to go into a deeper trance and that was
the way it was; there simply are no
times without unexpected interruptions that could be planned
for. Any way I proceeded to think
about water and what it feels like. As I was thinking about
it there was a shift in vision in my
right eye. My thoughts were oh no not right now. Nevertheless,
I saw myself in a stream, I heard
the running water and became one with the water as it bounced
over rocks and as it is churned
in every directions and even became spray at times. The water
became faster and faster and at
some point I no longer saw or felt myself as being bounced around
by it but was one with water
in the Spirit World at least as seen in my right eye. I was
driving with my left eye and was seeing
and feeling both worlds simultaneously. I didn't need to go
into the deeper level for this
beginning dance nor did I try to go into the upper or lower
worlds. I just stayed in water, felt it
and the currents and heard it as it became faster and faster
and finally went over a falls. As it/we
plunged into the water below I became parts of the returning
splash and became multiple
segments of the element and finally came to rest in the pool
below. The focus then shifted back
fully to the mundane world.
Thinking about other posts I guess this could be a jingle. My
mind couldn't think since it needed
to drive, I had to separate it from the Spirit World since two
focuses need to be achieved
simultaneously. The element dance in the spirit world was felt,
heard, and then seen.
While the timing left something to be desired "I think"
I might now be able to get back into this
state intentionally so I can dance more fully through the elements
and / or take each element
through the worlds. It seems that each time I have learned a
little more but this time I "felt the
shift" I was looking for and then seemed to go with the
flow.
These types of shifts in focus are unintentional; intertwining
the mundane and Spirit World and
happen instantaneously. Yet, after experiencing something in
this focus, it seems one can just go
there by thinking of or imagining water, a totem, or a guide.
What is the protocol in these
happenings? Does one thank the element for coming as one does
in a full dance with guides etc.
I do look forward to the next free time I have to dance with
the elements. Maybe, now I can start
to truly understand them.
Thanks for all the comments about the "Dance". While
I have not in any way completed it I can
know feel the shift in focus I need to experience the elements
as I do when I see during dances. I
believe this shift is felt and observed every time I go into
the Spirit world. I cannot say I feel the
shifts the same between worlds though. It seems to me that in
the different worlds I experience a
change in the closeness of the pixels in the vision being observed.
In other words, in the lower
world the pixels are closer together than in the mundane with
a corresponding sharpening in
focus where as in the upper world the pixels are farther apart
with a corresponding loss in
sharpness or an increase in visual graininess. I cannot tell
yet the differences in the other senses
in the different worlds.
So much for today! I hope everyone has a nice holiday.
Silver Eagle Dream Dancer:
“What is the protocol in these happenings?”
Since this was more spontaneous rather than a formal ceremonial
type of thing... I'd just express
my love and gratitude for the experience. Were it more ceremonial,
you'd perform a 'giveaway'.
I'm so tickled for ya! It's quite an experience isn't it? Course,
you're definitely right about the
timing!
I feel you're right on target with the mind being occupied bit.
You also just reminded me of
something I'd forgotten. I have a tendency to do the same type
of thing while practicing Ti Chi. I
don't know it very well yet.. but the same type of thing happens
with me while performing the
motions. Hadn't thought about that! Thank you
Cinnamon:
Yes, always thank the elements for coming to you and sharing.
As for feeling that shift you spoke of, it's really a personal
thing. Some feel it never, occasionally,
always, and mixtures depending on the moment or level of expertise.
This is why we're doing the
Dance of the Elements. It helps you learn to read your own senses
and their strengths and
weaknesses, in what dimension (if any) does that change and
how. We learn so much about our
inner voice, inner spirit, and the dimensional realms and beings
this way. We get a feel for the
energy at that level and it's variations allowing us to come
to know it's energy signature.
Later this comes into play with the Totems and Guides who work
with these forces too. We take
on through osmosis and experience the symbology of each quadrant
on the Wheel and thus when
we interpret the messages in life and actions of the creature-teachers
that relay those messages
the directions help us to gain even greater insights. It's all
so intricately woven together but
you've got to get a feel for the different threads so you can
see why they are chosen and placed in
specific places in that tapestry of life.
Being aware of the shifts is good and it will indicate for you
a triggering point of transition from
one state or force to another as you become more increasingly
aware of it. I too feel and see the
shift, I hear a change in tone (cosmic) and even colors change
slightly for me so things take on a
different appearance in the process ... for me... you may be
different.
This is progress though and I do want to congratulate you. We
each have to find our way and
yes, it was the jiggle you needed. Sometimes Spirit demonstrates
how we can do that and I think
you had a great example of that here. Congratulations!
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Libraries
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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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Text:
© Copyright: Cinnamon Moon & River WildFire Moon
(Founders.) 2000-date
All rights reserved.
Site
constructed by Dragonfly
Dezignz 1998-date
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