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SPIRIT
LODGE
LIBRARY
Tools
& Crafts
Page
20
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(Main
Links of the site are right at the bottom of the page)
The links for the 22 pages in this Tools & Crafts section
are below.
Tool Construction Overview
By CinnamonMoon
Tools are objects of focus, sacred
objects that are held as such and should be treated respectfully.
They are not to be allowed openly into the hands of others for
amusement or to satisfy their curiosity. If you are going to
let someone handle them make sure you know who the person is
and that they will not contaminate that energy. This is also
important to remember when you are around the tools of others.
Do not pick up objects for curious examination for in doing
so you can take on the energy they are used for and it may not
be to your liking.
This said let me move onto the tools
themselves. Tools that are acquired as gifts are common. Many
times an Elder will pass their tools on to someone they know
will make good use of them and benefit from their gift. Often
people choose to construct their own tools in a personal energy
implantation to bond with the tool itself in this process. Others
are more comfortable purchasing the basic tool and taking it
home to adorn it themselves. However you come by your tools,
I do not personally feel there is a right or wrong way to acquire
them so long as the source or resource is a good one.
Ceremonial objects hold their own
power and often have a resident spiritual entity within them,
an essence that contributes to the work that you do, a Spirit
Helper. They are focal objects to serve in ritual, ceremony,
healing and other pathwork helping us maintain our focus as
well. When constructing a tool you will find that it often becomes
a teacher in that process and will "tell you" what
it needs through intuitive means.
Tool construction involves meditation,
sitting with the tool and feeling what it needs in the process
of preparing it is recommended. Some tools will bring about
visions in this process and you may find that they have their
own source of enlightenment as you handle them. I have had my
tools call to me to use them and in the process I find I am
doing Spirit's work in helping someone that has need of my services.
You may find this happens to you as well.
While we are enough in ourselves,
tools are important factors to spiritual work on various levels
from mild to extreme and this will vary with each individual
according to their own needs. Those who are not given to a lot
of ceremonial work will have fewer tools where those who do
a lot of ritual work will have many.
The adornments we add, be it burning
or etching symbols into them, adding feathers, beads, teeth,
claws, fur, etc. should always relate to the powers you are
going to be calling on to serve the work the tool is meant to
do. For instance, my Prayer Staff is adorned with specific items.
A Raven Feather/Cosmic Law and Medicine; a Buffalo tooth/give-away,
heart, sharing, the greater whole; Rabbit Fur/to quell fears
and bring peace that will multiply the efforts of my work. There
are other adornments as well but each addition adds to the focus
of my prayer work and calls upon some aspect that will enhance
it.
As we develop our tools and work
with them a relationship develops and there is a bonding that
takes place. They become (in essence) a very good and helpful
friend. Each tool, in it's own way, has a Voice and it will
serve you well to listen to it. In this way it will show you
how you can expand its use
and how it will serve you and others blessing the work you do.
Examples of tools that might
be created are:
Arrows
Bonding Sticks
Centering Stones
Ceremonial Bowls
Claws
Dreamcatchers
Drums
Feathers
Gourds
Jewelry
Knives
Listening Sticks
Mandalas
Masks
Medicine Bags
Medicine Bundles
Medicine Dolls
Medicine Pouches
Musical Instruments
Pipes
Prayer Ties
Rattles
Scrying Mirrors
Shawls
Shields
Skulls
Smudge Bowls
Smudging Fans
Staffs
Talking Sticks
There are others but these come to mind off the top of my head.
Please feel free to suggest those that interest you and I'll
be happy to share what I can about their construction.
Tarra:
I have found a
great store for Drum Kits. They put them together as a community
and send sage with them. It's a small company and although you
can view them online they only take orders over the phone or
by email. The kits come with all the materials and directions
to make the drum and beater. Add your own smudge and prayers
and you have a ceremony! Very altering.
Pipes
I found on e-bay under pipestone. Alan Monroe is who I bought
my pipe through. He has a Horse pipe I'd love to have but it's
out of my pocket book range.
www.cedarmtndrums.com
DragonflyDezignz:
Tarra, Alan
Monroe is a great Pipemaker and his stone is the genuine Catlinite
from the Pipestone quarries in MN. You made a good choice there.
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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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