Smudging or burning dried plant material to release smoke which is intended to bring about cleansing  or healing has been an important and integral part of the Native American tradition.
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Smudge sticks are usually long bundles of fragrant dried plant material which is wound tight at one end. They are then lit at the other end until the material catches fire and then blown out so that it now continues to smolder to release the fragrant smoke. 

Such smoking is thought to clear negative influences, restore balance, induce spiritual purification, increase spiritual awareness or prepare a person’s mind, body and spirit for any special ceremony.

Such fragrant smoke is also used to cleanse environments, whether at home, work or for special purposes. The aromatic materials that are typically used by the Shamans include sage, wormwood, cedar or sweet-grass.

While burning the smudge sticks, the bundles are held in one hand, carrying the smoke to where it is required by working around the space and directing the smoke where required by wafting it by hand or with a feather.

​Shamans typically travel between these above mentioned three worlds, to find healing remedies or to find a person, thing, information or sometimes to counter bad/evil spirits.

​Sometime they use certain props to help them in this travel/adventure, such as Drums-, which are supposed to open up the gates of the spirit world for the Shaman to travel through… or Peyote Cactus, which is supposed to help the Shaman in their spiritual journey or a Shield which can act as a barrier to block out reality during journeys to the other worlds.

​Shamans think of illness as a spiritual occurrence. They believe that when the physical body is not in tune with it’s soul or spirit self, then illness will manifest. They believe that soul is made up of many parts and when certain parts of one’s soul are lost, one manifests many emotional and psychological illness symptoms such as depression. 

The healing which Shamans cause is not just by utilizing the naturally occurring chemicals (or naturally occurring active ingredients) within herbs, but also by utilizing the spirit inherent in these living natural herbs. Shamanic healing is not only medicinal but also ceremonial and ritualistic in nature. 

Smudge smoke or burning fragrant herbs is one of the very well known Shamanic Healing remedy.  Cleansing herbs are burned to clear the atmosphere or place of unwanted energies and Sweet herbs are burned to invite helpful healing spirits. 

Cleansing herbs are Sage, Rosemary, Cedar, Juniper, Wormwood and Lavender and Sweet herbs are Tobacco, Woodruff, Frankincense, Copal, Sweetgrass and Mugwort.

Smudging one’s living space helps one to clear the energies and lead a more natural Shamanic path of life, which is not only one that is close to nature but also alive with healing energies of this world. 

Particularly considering that fact that in today’s day and age of electronic gadgets and fast paced life and high rises, people are going further and further away from nature and thus bringing about the many known psychosomatic disorders…

Smudging is a very easy and cost effective way to clear the energies and pave way for a path closer to nature and thus closer to health and vitality.

Smudging or burning dried plant material to release smoke which is intended to bring about cleansing or healing has been an important and integral part of the Native American tradition.

​Smudge sticks are usually long bundles of fragrant dried plant material which is wound tight at one end. They are then lit at the other end until the material catches fire and then blown out so that it now continues to smolder to release the fragrant smoke.

Such smoking is thought to clear negative influences, restore balance, induce spiritual purification, increase spiritual awareness or prepare a person’s mind, body and spirit for any special ceremony.

​Such fragrant smoke is also used to cleanse environments, whether at home, work or for special purposes. The aromatic materials that are typically used by the Shamans include sage, wormwood, cedar or sweet-grass.

While burning the smudge sticks, the bundles are held in one hand, carrying the smoke to where it is required by working around the space and directing the smoke where required by wafting it by hand or with a feather.

​“This smoke from the sweet grass will rise up to you and will spread throughout the universe; its fragrance will be known by the winged, the four legged and the two legged…”
- High Hollow Horn (The Sacred Pipe)
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“… I remain undaunted, for I dwell within my spirit that is filled with the heady essence of Sage, Cedar and Sweet grass and with my head held high do I walk into the light that illuminates my new trail.”
- Mary Summer Rain

A Shaman can go into a trance like meditative state, wherein they are able to communicate with the older spirits and gain insight into a problem scenario and also obtain guidance and solutions for solving the situation.   

Shamans can connect and communicate with the spirit guides who help their community by showing the right path in life to the ones, lost to the natural ways of life and also heal the sick by using various herbs, plants and the spirit energy. In this regard, a Shaman elder can play the essential role of a Medicine man- a Medicine healer in their community.

​The role of a Medicine-man (Shaman-healer) or of a Shaman-oracle is of much responsibility. It is essential for proper growth and sustenance of the entire community (their tribe). Because of this, this role rightly obtains much respect from the community. It needs the shaman elder to lead a life of piety, devotion and connection with the natural world and our own essential nature of existence.

A shaman could get messages from animal spirit and totems. They could do such divination for a specific individual or for their community. Similarly, they can “divine” guidance for a specific event or about the energy-trends that are existing and effecting an individual (or their community).

A Shaman’s oracle methods can seem intricate to us- but they need years of devoted service and connection with the natural world as well as the spirit realms to develop a true and deep ability to tap into the ‘divine guidance’.

​And after doing that, they then need to bring the essence of their interaction to us as their divined and intuitive guidance.

​#shamanoracle #animaltotem #animalwisdom #spiritwisdom #spiritguidance #shamndivination #shamanism #shaman #shamanwisdom #nativeamericanoracle #nativeamericandivination #nativeIndians #Indians #nativewisdom #nativewiseman   #ShamanJourney #ShamanDrum #Drumming   #sweatlodge

The Medicine Wheel is a way of gaining access to the very essence of existence. “Four Quarters of the World” ie. the circle and the cross of the medicine wheel is the basic symbol which is also seen in other natural traditions of the world. 

​Such a wheel is supposed to enhance physical, mental, emotional and spiritual understanding of nature and the spirit world. Each of the sections of this wheel is associated with particular elements and aspects of life thus corelating the corporal with the spirit world. 

East, West, North and South of the Wheel: 

The east is regarded as the place of birth and the west is regarded as the place of death. The east is also regarded as the place of the male and the west as the place of the female. In addition, yellow color is associated with the east side and black color is associated with the west.  In addition, Fire is the element of the east and this east section is associated with the plant people and spirit.

Similarly, Earth is the element of the west and this west section is associated with the animal people and actions. In a similar manner, white color is associated with the north and air as well as animal people can be placed here in the north.

Plants can be placed in this south portion of the Wheel, and since plants are placed in this part, water is also placed here. Green or Red color is associated with the south of the Wheel.

​A person’s physical body is supposed to belong to the west portion and his spirit in the east portion. Similarly, thoughts belong to the north portion and feelings belong to the south portion of the Wheel.

The Medicine Wheel is not just a sacred symbol but is a sacred place… It can be used in lieu of an altar or can be placed on an altar. 

Shamans believe that we all live in a middle world between the upper and lower worlds and are in the center of this Medicine Wheel, surrounded by the four different directions and with the sky always above us and the ground or earth always beneath us.
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A Shaman is a person who is comprehensively aware of the natural world and the presence of spirits and the associated spiritual energy. He typically will utilize this knowledge of the action-reaction of the natural energy forces to align themselves with nature and thus bring about true, deep and profound healing.   

Native American Medicine or Shaman Medicine is one of the oldest natural methods of healing, particularly in the west. 

Shamans believe that everything in nature has a spirit of their own.

They are the bridge between the spirit world and their own communities, where they are regarded as spirit teachers ie. wise men and women. They are spirit guides who help their community by showing the right path in life to the ones, lost to the natural ways of life and also heal the sick by using various herbs, plants and the spirit energy.

Their extensive knowledge of the natural existence includes the knowledge of beneficial healing or cleansing herbs and plants. 

Shaman wisdom is found in several areas of the ancient world!!

​Though the Native Americans are typically tribes found in Northern and Central Americas; Shamans are found all over the world- right from North, Central and South Americas to Europe, Africa, The Pacific, Australia, Siberia, Russia, the Far East and the Middle East.

​#shamanism #shaman #shamanwisdom #nativeamericanhealing #nativeamericanremedies #medicinewheel #shamanmedicinewheel #nativeIndians #Indians #fourquarters #shamanmedicineman #nativewisdom #nativewiseman   ​#ShamanJourney #ShamanDrum #Drumming   #sweatlodge