Parting the Mists

Well, this week has been crazy in my household, and now I’ve got a bit of croup settling into my chest. Elderberry and clove syrup is brewing on the stove, making the house smell fantastic, so hopefully it will knock out whatever is ailing me.

So, when I drew the Smudging Ceremony card, it fit my situation quite well. The Prayer Feather card was just as insistent, and they seem to go well together as a process. Perhaps many of us need to cleanse and purge and then consciously bring in Spirit and love into our lives.

Blessings and happy Friday!

SMUDGING CEREMONY

MEANING: Let go of the past. Purify. Detox. Release whatever doesn’t serve or support you in your life. Cleanse your body and environment by doing space clearing and clutter clearing. Let go of the old, discarded, and unused to make way for the new energy and new beginnings. Eat lightly, drink lots of fresh water, and consume food with strong life force.

NATIVE SPIRIT WISDOM: Smudging is a native tradition that involves using the smoke of burning herbs to symbolically “wash” a space in a ceremonial manner. Sometimes your energy field or the energy field of your environment becomes so cluttered and dingy that you can’t see the world you clearly and you have trouble hearing the messages from your soul. When you take the time to purify yourself and your environment, not only do you feel lighter and brighter but also you’re a clearer channel for the light. The brilliance that pours through you can heal and help many people – but first the path has to be clear.

THE JOURNEY: Using the smoke of incense or sage, cup your hands into the smoke and “wash” over the top of your head, saying, “That I think clearly.” Then cup the smoke to your eyes, saying, “That I may see the truth.” Next bring the smoke to your throat area, saying, “That I may speak the truth.” Finally, waft the smoke to your heart area, saying, “That my heart be open.”

PRAYER FEATHER

MEANING: Love is flowing in to you and through you. No matter what an individual is saying or doing, love him or her anyway. Gather your inner forces; silently and secretly love deeply and fully, with every ounce of your being, even if someone isn’t fulfilling your expectations. (It’s easy to love people when they’re acting wonderfully; the true challenge is to love them when they aren’t.)

NATIVE SPIRIT WISDOM: Feathers in native cultures often represent a connection with the Creator. Birds often symbolize messengers between the two-leggeds (humans) and Spirit. This is your time to love and be loved. The love that you send out into the world comes back to you a hundredfold. There are times when the small concerns of everyday life need to drop away and be replaced by the majesty of your being – this it that time. Prayer feathers are decorated feathers that can be used for many purposes. In some traditions, prayers are placed into the feather – you can hold it to your heart or between your hands as you focus on your prayer – and then tied onto a bush so when the wind blows, it carries the prayers to the Creator. Another kind of prayer feather is a decorated feather or a decorated bundle of feathers that are used for smudging (sacred smoke) ceremonies. The smoke it to cleanse the space as well as carry your prayers upward.

THE JOURNEY: For a day, love each person you encounter. Imagine a golden ray of light from the center of your heart radiating at the center of the heart of that individual. Notice how great you feel by the end of the day.

Native Spirit Oracle by author Denise Linn and artist Charles McStravick