September 2016 Earth Spirit Journal: The Moment for Change

Welcome to Shamanics in Portugal´s Journal. Our intention is to remind you our readers, friends and connections we are all part of a much larger, ever evolving community bringing balance between Father Sky and Mother Earth, and within ourselves.

The Journal is also available on YouTube (http://shamanicsinportugal.com/youtube-channel) so you can listen to it as well as view some of the scenery where our events are held. To further assist you to stay in the flow of what is evolving, we make very regular posts on our Facebook page.

The phase of the triple eclipses beginning on 18th August has just finished with the second lunar eclipse on 16th September. Eclipses bring heightened levels of energy within us and in the world around us.

They have a profound inward pull on our consciousness and are therefore strongly associated with spiritual development. Eclipses are often seen as being very significant in terms of our own evolution.

For us the last three months have been very much ones of the energy of Fire - transformation. (Should you wish to know more about the transformational power of Fire energy, as a subscriber you can download a complimentary copy of our All About Fire workbook) August seemed full of emotional swings - anger and irritation to love, whilst there was also a sense of confidence as to our direction.

Mercury also went retrograde and this has added to the confusion and fog of this period. The retrograde continues until the last part of September, adding to the challenges in what is going to be the most challenging month in what is a challenging year.

It is also going to be one of the most opportune if you are willing to acknowledge each bump and prod is there for a reason. Rather than resisting or ignoring the signs, be an active participator in your evolution.

Clearing the decks

September´s new moon appeared on the 1st with emphasis on beginnings. Rising on the first day of the ninth month meant a lot of endings, culminations and release! Its
influence also provided a focus on the details of your coming big transition.

On the 9th our fortune finder, Jupiter moved into the balancing and fair-minded Libra - remaining here until October 2017. This auspicious moment indicating where growth is likely or wants to happen in your life. The exact nature of the period which follows October 2017 will depend on the seeds you plant prior to then.

In the meantime there will be an increasing emphasis on being fair minded and working through community, collaboration and cooperation. The sharing economy will be more essential than competition. In that sense we will be broadening our tribe or community, creating a base for what follows.

However, this also means accepting responsibility for self rather than seeking to stand for everybody except your-self! So requiring each of us to be self-aware and hence speaking our own truth – being yourself.

Turning the page on...

The full moon on the 16th signified tremendous transformation in our relationships and spiritual life. It activated the deeply sensitive and loving part of each of us, though also attracting sudden unexpected shifts! At the lunar eclipse we were encouraged to accept the ways of a new stage of experience, in readiness for the opportunities it will present.

Mercury goes direct on the 21st. The two days either side providing the best opportunity during September to move into implementing your vision mode.

The last day of equal light and dark is on the 22nd - a moment to observe the flow from one season to another, both within us and in our outer world. For when we take time to notice how our inner world is changing, it improves the quality of our participation in life instead of letting life pass us by.

On the 26th Pluto moves direct again so bringing to an end the phase encouraging us to involve ourselves more deeply in the exploration of transformation itself. Meaning we should once again feel empowered and confident as to our leadership capabilities. Flexibility re-appears as to exploring and trying new ideas.

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One Spirit Work

A moment to Quest perhaps? The final Vision Quest for 2016 is planned for 22nd to 25th September at the end of this period of transition. There will be a half day Introduction to Shamanic Journeying, on the morning of 22nd September followed in the afternoon by the Vision Quest.
(http://shamanicsinportugal.com/product/introduction-to-shamanic-journeying/)

A copy of our 'All About Fire' workbook will be provided to all who book.

Should this date not be convenient and you feel the call to Quest during this last part of 2016, email us via http://shamanicsinportugal.com/contact/ to indicate dates most convenient for you to Quest. Just include your name, email address and dates. We will then assess numbers for a particular weekend and if convenient, email to confirm the date and to request a booking.

29/30th October will be Discovering the Inner Realms...an Introduction to Shamanism. This will introduce you to the shamanic experience of ritual, creating sacred space, journeying, meeting your guides, power animals and much more on our experiential journey together. It will provide you with powerful, effective tools to let you tap into the unseen world for insight and healing which requires no external authority, intermediary, or even beliefs.
(http://shamanicsinportugal.com/product/introduction-to-shamanism-discove...)

A copy of our 'All About Air' workbook will be provided to all who book.

The full list of events is available by visiting this link: Forthcoming Events. The dates for 2017 will be available shortly. For details of further events view our Facebook page.

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Thought and Contemplation for September
Letting go

A time to let go of the old, out dated ways of being and opening to new possibilities...

When it comes to the turning of the seasons, this is not an instant process rather it gathers momentum. The land waits for the trees to start releasing their leaves, the vegetation slows down losing its potency, the clouds and the weather gently gather pace. The colours changing from bright greens and an array of different colours to brown, golden, muted reds and sand colour. These come into play before the plant kingdom sheds itself of its coat of many colours.

Night meets day equally at the turning of the autumnal equinox, moving slowly towards the darker months. The sun is lower in the sky bringing stunning sunsets and the cooler winds appear.

Warmer clothes are worn and diets change to meet the coming winter. We start to tend our gardens to meet the different conditions to come, planting bulbs and winter vegetables. Our exercise routines may alter due to the changing needs of our bodies. These are but a few examples, there are many more to notice as we move into this changing time.

The autumn equinox asks us to review where we have come from over the past year? What we are thankful and grateful for and what has made us feel low and frustrated?
 
Two thirds of the year has passed us by and with it many different life experiences. When you start to look back with intent you will see that some experiences are normal usual routine things that we all must do – such as sleep, eat, cleanse ourselves.

Other activities may have pushed us out of our comfort zone, did you enjoy these moments? Did they make you feel alive and vibrant and living in the moment? Other moments may have appeared really hard, draining and challenging. What did you learn from them?

Look at whether your “work” is giving you as much satisfaction as you would like? Are you happy where you are living? How do people treat you and you them? Does anyone press your 'buttons', pull your triggers? If so what are the messages there for you to absorb and to learn from?

How are your emotions and your diet, are you craving comfort food, healthy food and do you just eat what you are given? What allergies have appeared over the spring and summer? Is there anything to change within your being to help with these for next year? It might be worth researching before the spring returns.

What have you harvested within your experiences? Are your pantries full of beautiful produce? Is your heart content with what has come to you? This is a time of releasing old fears, like the trees releasing their leaves. Look into old habits and patterns that have not served you well; old belief systems that are keeping you separate from unity.
Are there experiences that made you feel the shadow side of your being? Is there anything for you to contemplate and process?

As we do this we may have to go deep and bare our souls (as the trees become naked, so can we). Give yourself a chance to open to this changing energy. Notice when you need to shed a layer, take a rest or revitalise your being with change. We can choose to release our deepest fears, our lower frequencies of trapped emotions and as this starts to happen, we become freer to explore new ideas and experiences.

Move with trust that all of Creation will offer new opportunities and support for our journey. You start to flow with the natural universe, not what we have thought we have seen and judge to be correct. Our walls start to fall down and we open to new energies, new ways of being that are more aligned with our natural state.
 
Like the seasons, we die to ourselves as we let go of all the old outdated ways of being. This happens not only on a personal level. Humanity as a whole shifts as we look into releasing the old fears and move toward freedom.

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Give-away (Letting go) stick ceremony

This is a simple though very deep act that can bring great healing. It is great to do for the Autumn Equinox or Winter Solstice.

-Find yourself a stick.

-Give yourself two weeks to find the stick.

-Ensure during each day you spend time to be with your stick.

-Sit with intent to release all old patterns that are holding you in a state of fear - the ultimate emotion that comes from all other negative emotions.

-With each feeling you intend to let go of, give it attention and space and work on your stick. Spill your tears, release your anger and resentments, laugh and dance with it. Paint, carve, sing to, write on, place ribbons etc. onto the stick, work lovingly with it as you contemplate everything and anything you wish to place into the stick.

-Spend time with each process.

This becomes a very powerful tool for your release. As you start to work, you may find you are beginning to make a plain stick become very beautiful. You may start to love your stick and as you open to this you may be able to sit back in wonder and see that all of what you are processing and releasing has had its time with you and has made you who you are today.

All experiences bring many teachings and lessons and once this is accepted, blame starts to dissolve and forgiveness, gratitude and empathy start to come into your heart. Your heart opens to compassion to even what you perceive as your worst enemy. As you cut the ties of negative emotional baggage you will start to feel lightness pour into your being.

Once you have felt you have spent the time needed with this process, set a moment and space for a Fire ceremony.
You may wish to have witnesses and or invite others to join you within their own making of a give-away stick. This is very powerful when we come together as a group for this type of healing work. For we are bearing witness to each other´s processes, supporting each on their unique journey whilst all acting together.

Use sage, find a drum, set intent to the Universe to carry the energies away with love and transmutation.

Sing and dance and have a celebration of this time.

Give yourself time afterwards to again process this powerfully deep work.

May your stick bring with it a pathway back to yourself.

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Inspiration
Two quotes from Mooji
“Your existence becomes magical again, when it´s not lived as a programme.”

and

“What you are is magnificent; what we believe we are is so limited.

We don’t need to carry on this personal story. It is not contributing to the beauty and freedom of your life.

Don’t be enslaved by the conditioned or indoctrinated mind. It wants you to make anniversaries out of your pain—forget about it.

You don’t have to be so loyal, so faithful to any tendency that causes suffering.

Often we ruminate over the past, not in order to be free, but to strengthen the sense of ‘me’.

We say we can’t change the past, but yes you can!

Did you perceive it right in the first place?

Who is to say your perception is a fact?

It would be a futile and unending task to search for the innumerable strands that have contributed to the person you take yourself to be; mostly they are untraceable.

Better just drop the whole thing and thus remain empty of conceptual debris.

Be fresh every moment.

Be as fresh as consciousness—history-less and happy”

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Portuguese power animal for September
Medicine Animals -- An Invitation

The weekend past I meandered down to the river to contemplate on this month´s Power Animal. The Dog followed me playing on the rocks and slipping into the river. On walking down the steps I disturbed a beautiful Heron 3 metres away, for the second time in three days. This brought a huge smile to my face. I sat on the rocks and became mesmerised by the flow of the water and gentle warm breeze on my skin and a Kingfisher flew by.

My heart seemed to be full to bursting as the Dragonflies zoomed passed catching the smaller insects. Butterflies gently wafting around, the Hornet came and checked me out inches from my face, I stayed calm and non-threatening and she moved away. The Fish jumping for flies, tiny Frogs leaping from rock to rock, the river and the surrounding space was vibrant and teeming with life. Even a sense of Otter nearby, I hear them calling later on towards dusk.

I sat in pure wonder at the beauty of that moment. My heart was full. Enjoying each of the energies I was being offered and shown. In the space of a few moments my life had been filled with so many different beings, all joining me in one way or another down by the river.

Despite the many offerings, none called me to reflect on the changing seasons.

Instead here is an invitation to you:

Open to meeting your own Totem Animal(s)

Welcome the energies of the four-legged, the winged, furred, finned and the insect nation.
Who comes to you?

Have intent to meet an animal that is to offer wisdom, guidance, teachings to help you in your own life experiences.

Look at the colours, listen to the sounds and watch the movements that come. Observe the habits of the animal and how they form relationships, are they within a team, a group consciousness or are they alone.

Open your heart and listen with you inner being to what you are being shown and offered.

All of Creation is constantly trying to communicate with us and so through nature there is so much for us to learn - if we are open to receive.

You may also have a deep sense of knowing as to which animal is for you - be open.

When an animal comes to you and you welcome what they offer, have deep gratitude, investigate it, look at pictures of it, read about it dance the power into yourself, become that being and absorb its teachings.

There is so much information on-line, write about the animals that come to you. Your thoughts about what they offer and read your insights for they are also for you too.

When we open to the Universe in this way our lives can be enhanced beyond normality.

Blessings for this investigation.

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September is an 18 Universal month in the 9th month of a 9 Universal Year! The result is to expect sparks as this doubling up means it can bring you incredible gifts for a new life ahead if you know how to hold sacred space for its power.

In particular it is offering opportunities for wealth, wisdom and leadership. However, as a 9 this means conclusion, ending, time to let go, leaving something you are very attached to. This could be a belief, habit, way of being, a relationship, your job.

Whatever no longer serves even though you believe it does! This is an opportunity to finally let go, to step forward into your creation. First though it is necessary to let go and allow the river of life to support you. Only then can amazing opportunities appear.