Midwest Shamanic Gathering

As a staff carrier, I have been called to travel quite a lot. 2009 has been especially busy with trips to Chicago, Norway, New York, and all around the Midwest. In the old tradition of staff carrier, the Volva (old Norse) was not attached to a specific community in which she would live and work. Rather, she had several communities that she would visit in a circuit throughout the year. Sometimes she would travel quite far to do her work and to meet with colleagues in order to learn more, sharpen her skills etc.

This suites me well as I am not inclined to join groups such as churches, seeker communities, or political, intentional communities. I enjoy coming into a community as an outside perspective, detached from the politics and intricacies of the group. I can bring a fresh perspective to view the wyrd of the group dynamic, make recommendations and do readings or healings for the group and individuals in the group. I can strengthen the work of the resident spiritual leader of the group with some new tools learned abroad or by simply providing a colleague to learn from and to teach to (no better way to learn than to teach).

But to say I don't have a community of my own is not true. I was home most of August and neighbors stopped by to say hello, tell me how much they missed me this Summer, and ask about my adventures. I know that my six block radius is affected by me, absent or present, working and playing and talking and gardening...they miss me when I am gone.

So I am off again to the Midwest Shamanic Gathering to contribute to and learn from a dynamic and intentional community of spiritual workers. Then I will bring it back home to my six block radius where living spiritually affects everyone around me.

I am truly blessed!
K

Humanity's Cover Girl - photo

My friend Jeanne gave me a chart.
In 75,000 BC there were only 2,000 humans alive in the world.

By 24,000 BC there were more and so some of them moved North.

This is the cover girl of The "French" in around 18,000 to 10,000 BC.

By that time the world population was around 1,000,000. Wow. Busy women!

Notice the horn (probably Aurouch - so Freyja with Uruz) has thirteen marks for the 13 moons in a solar year. Her left, yin hand is pulling energy from her own womb and delivering it out through the moons with her horn.

Hurrah for the Horn!

Runes at the Shanties

Art Shanty Project
I came to the village on the frozen lake. The home of misfit toys hosted me. A good place to start blessings. Community blessing, Norse Shamanic style, it starts with kulning, cow calls and bells. Stavs struck on ice and cross sticks needed to balance and make our way. We dance svict and pols around a circle and sing to Austri, Vestri, Sudri, Nordri. We ask for blessings from the lost soul beneath the ice. We all cheer "skol paa fisken" hail to the fish.

Then from one home to the next I carried my runes. Each householder drawing for their home, their art shanty.

And then, I come across a plane crash. These guys are trying to find Nifelheim. I gave guidance where I could. Hela, be kind to them if they come your way.

Bless em. Bless em all!