Idiosyncrasies

We all have them. Little quirks that make us who we are, be the quirks good or bad. These idiosyncrasies express our characters. We may look one way and be another way. We may feel one way and present a different persona altogether.

My youngest daughter the other day called them "idiotsyncrasies". I did my best not to laugh. I asked her what my "idiotsyncrasies" were and she told me, in a matter of fact way, that I have a habit of talking to other drivers. I realized that she was right. Over the last year and a half I have gotten vocal once again. I am working on it, as I cannot really drive anyone else's vehicle other than my own. So I am practicing breathing instead of venting. Really, my daughter was right. If I am yabbering on to another driver who can't even hear me, I am actually practicing "idiotsyncrasy". I am the one who looks like an idiot to those who are with me in the vehicle, and I sound like one too. So I am practicing silence and only voicing what is necessary while I drive. In the meantime, I am chuckling at how much wisdom comes out of the mouths of babes. I did correct her on how to pronounce the word, but totally embraced the message.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Capacity to Doubt

The capacity to doubt is one of the greatest gifts that humanity has been granted. What the heck are you talking about, Shaman?? I can hear it now. Well, let me explain this a little bit.

In shamanic teachings it is very important to recognize the difference between supposed reality and supposed illusion. To be able to discern the difference, one must be able to incorporate doubt. This is not like the self-doubt that comes with a lack of worthiness. It is the ability to look critically at something and then draw conclusions from what is observed. Science uses this method all the time. So do mystics, healers and shamans.

When we get too committed to things being one way or another, we risk losing the perspective that there could be other possibilities. Religions around the world are very caught up in their way being the only way. This leads to Holy wars (as though there ever could be a war that was Holy!). They demand that their followers only allow themselves to think and act a certain way, and no other way. They lack the ability to entertain doubt, thus discernment.

It is completely okay to doubt just about anything but yourself. That way you are able to access clarity on your path and find your way to Spirit with more ease. This will lead to enlightenment and illumination. So go ahead and ask the unasked questions. You will receive many opinions. Trust which one resonates with your core and then know that this is not necessarily something that must resonate with everyone else's core.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Drones

The other day I was at the grocery store with my daughter. She was mentioning how she noticed that this particular grocery store has self-checkouts like so many other department stores in the city are installing. She could tell from my response of "Ya, they do" that I wasn't delighted about it. So she asked me why.

I explained that the self-checkout system takes jobs away from people. We live in a society where everything is not just becoming automated, but in so doing is becoming dependent upon technology, which I don't think is such a good thing. I would rather employ a person to do that job and have human interaction at the checkout than have a drone robot do it and in so doing turning ourselves into drones as well.

Technology can serve us as a convenience. But when it comes to taking jobs away from humans, I am so not into it. What also bothers me is that if I step into the 10 items or less checkout someone often lets me know that the self-checkout has less of a line and that I can go there if I like. I always decline and let them know that I would rather employ a real person than a machine. They look at me, stunned.

I think that the offer is also an implication that the public needs to be "trained" to just go for what is supposedly faster and more convenient. I am not a drone that needs to be trained. I will not simply do what I am told to do. I will do what I know in my heart is the right thing to do and make sure that the store knows that I am insisting that a person be employed. If there comes a time when a person is not employed to do this job, no matter how long I have to wait in line, I will not be shopping there anymore.

Go ahead, be a rebel.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Commonalities

It is not necessarily our uniqueness that connects us to those around us. This is what makes us stand out. This is what gives us the gifts that help us to be recognized as the important links between the mundane and the profound.

When we take away the uniqueness, including all the fancy things we wear and own, what we are left with is the ordinary. This ordinariness is what connects us all as one. And this ordinariness is something that needs to balance out the uniqueness, otherwise we are left with feelings of being isolated from the rest of humanity.

I love to putter in my yard and garden. I also like to sit in my lounge chair and just appreciate the yard and garden without having to pressure myself to pull a weed or to trim a tree. Just enjoying the beauty of what I have created is enough. Some people are surprised when they see me digging in the dirt. What the heck is a shaman doing digging in the dirt? That is such a mundane task! Well, it is what keeps folks like me grounded and connected. It is through the menial tasks that we create humility, that ability to stay grounded and centred. It is what then connects us to all humanity. We are unique, just like everybody else in the world. And with this we are also common. We are then able to relate to others. The more basic this awareness, the better we are able to connect with our brothers and sisters of the earth. Allowing ourselves to see not always the minute details, but the rainbow blur of oneness gives us opportunity to weave that web of ordinary commonality consciousness. This is truly a gift. We are then never alone.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Vast Unknown

From the Void we came and to the Void we will return. So why is it that so many people try to avoid the Void? It is because it is the unkown. In fact, it is the unknowable. We have all sorts of human theories about what lies ahead once we leave this realm, and what it was that brought us here to begin with. Truth be known, it is all unknown. Personally, I find that to be quite comforting. I like the comfort of adventure. I have never been one who has enjoyed the rules in life, nor have I found much comfort in them. I am more of a Free Radical. That is exactly the sort of person that the rules were designed to control and manipulate. That way the dreary masses can have a sense of security. They don't have to deal with unusual things or unusual people.

Really, it has been the unusual ones among us that have dragged the world, kicking and screaming, into the 21st Century! It is the unusual ones who have brought to the world the realization that the entire Universe does not revolve around us, but that we are a part of the Universal flow and as such revolve around something greater than ourselves. An interesting concept that got some folks imprisoned and even executed, but it was, nonetheless, truth.

It is the unusual ones among us that bring to the public attention that there is more to this world than just what is physically apparent. There is an essential energy that is flowing in between all the neutrons and electrons and that flows within, through and around us constantly. This, too, has led to many being imprisoned, tortured and executed over the centuries. All this oppression is only because the awareness that has been communicated is something that challenges the authorities that be.

I have always been one of those unusual people. One would think that, living in this wonderful country and in the 21st Century, one would be safe to disclose information such as this. But when I was a teenager, and a young one at that, local people who did not like the fact that I viewed things in a non-fundamentalist fashion, took it upon themselves to try to burn our family farm down every year for 3 years running. They were scared. And they were a mob. So instead of allowing things to escalate beyond control I chose to move away from my family and finish my schooling elsewhere.

I always knew that I was meant to do things to help humanity shake off the cloudy illusions that they held so near to their hearts. I continue to do this. Every day this is a part of what I do. I create a safe environment in which someone can explore some of the "unknown" and be okay with that and know that they are not crazy for thinking outside the box. This helps humanity, one person at a time, to increase consciousness. I write this blog because I have a mass of readers who need to be inspired and know that they are also okay for thinking and feeling the way that they do. For me, this is a service to humanity, to the world, and thus to the Universe. I, like many others among us, have been brought here for that purpose. I invite all my readers to boldly step into their power and into their expanded consciousness and, one person at a time, share what they know and what they have learned. It is not all just up to me. We are all in this together. Bring humanity back into the Heart consciousness. Help humanity to embrace the Divine Feminine into their consciousness, not as a replacement for the Divine Masculine, but as a partner to the Divine Masculine. Both are needed, not just one or the other. That is what the entire shift is all about. It does not need to be a pendulum that swings from one extreme to the next. It can rest in the centre, in perfect harmony, in perfect love, as expressed through each and every one of us.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Assistance Please!

The Earth needs our assistance at this time. As it is going through some amazing shifts in the universe, it is also experiencing some shifting within itself. The Khundalini Serpent is moving its resting place from Tibet to South America. As it does so, the pole of the earth is also tilting to face a different constellation, Aquarius. With either one of these shifts the energy flow would be affected. With both, the energy is in need of help as the crystals and stones within the earth are having a bit of a time of it adapting to the different flow of energy.

So what can we as mere mortals do to help? There is a wonderful meditation that my crystals told me about, which is now coming more to public awareness through various articles that are being written. This actually works. What it does is connects us and our consciousness to the crystals of the earth and the universal energies of the stars. Here is how to do this....

Focus on the solar plexus energy and breathe in. As you do allow the energy to flow out the front of the Solar Plexus chakra and move rapidly up to the stars. As you exhale, allow the energy to move down your back, through the Solar Plexus chakra and out its front, and down into the core of the earth. Then breathe in and allow it to flow up your back, through the Solar Plexus chakra, out the front and back to the stars. This creates an infinity symbol, the two loops of which are the stars and the core of the earth, the centre of which is your Solar Plexus chakra. As you breathe, the crystals and stones of the earth become reprogrammed with Universal Healing Energy and adjust the energy matrix of the Earth so that she is able to adapt to the new shift of the Khundalini. It is kind of like fly fishing while at the same time anchoring the earth with Universal Healing Energy. You will also find your own consciousness growing and expanding and your own energy system experiencing wonderful and exciting new shifts.

Try it. It is quite an amazing experience.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Slowing Down

Things have been a bit like a rat race for me in the last 2 weeks. This morning I found myself becoming uptight about some minor stuff that could definitely wait till later if I allowed myself some time. Once I realized that simple fact, that it could wait till later, then all the stress that had built up over the last few days regarding this issue just drained out of my shoulders and back. It was an experience that bordered on orgasmic as the energy drained away and out of my body. It was almost like what one experiences when muscles are tight and warm water is showered over them, but better.

Then I drew my Osho Zen Tarot card and it was the card titled "Slowing down". It has an absolutely beautiful picture of a tortoise finding its way to the water's edge, which is a prism of rainbow colors. It is so serene and peaceful that I laughed at how connected the card was to what I had just experienced. The lesson...slow down.

Take your time, folks. The world won't come to an end if you leave something and revisit it tomorrow.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Life is too short....

Every once in a while it is important to just let loose. I am not one who usually drums at a house party. In fact I think that I have only ever done that twice in my life. Why? Well, most house parties that I have been at have been hosted and attended by folks who would think that this sort of thing is inappropriate. At this particular house party, the hosts and the guests were the types who love drumming and dancing. That is the best sort of house party to be at! People just let loose and drummed and danced and it was fabulous.

Life is too short to not take advantage of opportunities like these. It is too short to worry about money and it is way too short to hate someone. We are given many opportunities in our lives to just play. Do we take them? Most often not. I have come to the decision to allow myself to provide and take advantage of any opportunity to play that I can. This won't always mean drumming. Sliding down a water slide is one way, eating chocolate is another. It could be anything. And, let's face it, when it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

I don't wanna work...just wanna bang on my drum all day!!!!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Gentleness

So often in our culture gentleness is equated with weakness. There is actually great strength achieved in gentleness. I am a very large man. By that I mean that I am very tall and, with a bald head, can look foreboding to people who are of a smaller stature.

I remember what it was like to be a young boy and have everyone be much bigger than I was at the time. I remember feeling small and insignificant and I also remember how some adults were oblivious to that matter and didn't treat me well as a result of that oblivion and of their own harsh natures.

For this reason, I like to incorporate the energy of the deer whenever I am dealing with children. They come to know me as a gentle giant as a result. I like to talk with them as equals and allow them the honor of talking with me in the same way. Whenever possible, I like to get down to their height and look them in the eye when communicating. That way I might not seem so intimidating to them. They really respond well to this. I think that had someone done this for me when I was little, I might not have been so afraid of the world when growing up. This blog, according to my Love, is short and sweet, so ulike me in the first part and so like me in the second!

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

It's Not Everything

Often in marital counselling one will hear the words, "Sex isn't everything." These words of wisdom are often passed down from one generation to the next as sage advice. I actually have a slightly different view on the matter.

You see, water isn't everything either. Yet without it we could not live. Air isn't everything and get we would die within minutes without it. Exercise isn't everything and yet if we don't get some our bodies become unhealthy. So to say that anything isn't everything comes across as trite.

When we lack something in our lives, it becomes all that we can think about and everything for which we yearn. A lack of sex creates a deep soul skin hunger that drives us crazy and becomes a distraction from other things in our lives. To experience this due to lack of opportunity is easily solved in many cases. But to experience this because you are in a committed relationship in which your partner cuts you off from sexual intimacy falls into the realm of neglect and abuse. Most often the partner who is being neglected is too embarrassed to talk about it. They feel repulsive and worthless. Let's face it, if one is getting the message from the one person in the world that one is not desirable, what other conclusion is there to find? And then the betrayal of having a counsellor say, "Sex isn't everything" simply adds salt to a very deep wound as well as enables the neglectful partner to continue the neglect. It is a twisted world we live in sometimes.

Sex is holy. Sex is sacred. It is a physical expression of a deep soul connection. When we allow ourselves to reduce sex to "obligation" and "meaningless" we reduce ourselves to the same thing. My advice is that if there is anything happening in a relationship that feels like it needs to be kept a secret, then you shouldn't be in that relationship. To all those out there who have been neglected on this very basic level, I hope that you will find a way to heal it with your partner and if your partner is not willing, then my hope is that you will get out fast and find happiness elsewhere. You deserve to be happy. You are worthy of a fulfilling sexual relationship.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Compassion

This is the highest form of love. In order to develop compassion, we must have deep, well fed roots. We can't chop ourselves off from our roots or we lose our foundation and the ability to receive nurturing. We also need to have equal amounts of sun and rain in our lives. That way we are able to understand others around us. We can celebrate when the sun shines upon them and we can comfort them when the rain pours down. Our stems must be secure but also protected by thorns when need be. That way no one can take advantage of us or approach us with anything other than respect. We have to see the potential in ourselves and others as we bud forth and develop new skills in our lives. We also need to appreciate our own beauty and share that from within with everyone around us. When our time comes, we need to gracefully allow the petals to fall to the earth and the cycle of life to continue.

Like the rose, as we do these things we emit a fragrance in the energy system that is there for all to enjoy. It is not exclusive to just one person or another. It is free for all. That is the compassionate heart fragrance and it is beautiful!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Burdens We Bear

Sometimes our shoulders are just not broad enough. We were never meant to be Atlas, holding the world upon our shoulders. But somewhere along the way, we are given the definite message that we have to carry the load. Sometimes that is because others are unwilling. But sometimes it is because we are under the illusion that if we don't do it then no one else will, or worse, that we are the only ones who can do it properly.

The more we martyr ourselves, the less value we actually place on our own well being. The less value we have on our own well being, the more likely it is that we are going to do something that will harm ourselves and risk our own demise, thus not allowing ourselves to actually be there for those we love.

We also have to let go of thinking that no one else can do it as well. This is actually the thinking of a control freak. If we are the ones doing it, then we are in charge and know exactly what is happening. God forbid we relinquish any amount of control and learn to simply flow with life!

This is what we get into when we are out of balance in our base chakra and in our heart chakra. In the base chakra the River of Surprise is feared instead of embraced. This results in our closing the Open Heart chamber in the heart chakra. These two things will eventually lead to serious illness, dis-ease and disharmony.

What we need to understand is that change is the only constant thing in life and we need to flow with it. We also need to understand that in allowing others to assist us we give them the honor of learning how to do things and the ability to take pride in a job well done. It builds their self-confidence and self-esteem.

So we can now all stop doing the weight lifting exercises that build and then break the shoulders and just loosen up with some really good stretches!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com