Leap of Faith

Now and then we need to take one. Most recently I took a leap of faith in that I was able to release myself from a couple of positions and programs that were no longer serving my needs. That meant that others then had to step up, yes, but they could then go at it whole heartedly, whereas I was no longer feeling whole hearted about it. It is amazing how easy it is to let go of something when you no longer feel valued or respected.

I also do that with relationships. If I am no longer valued or respected, and if it is no longer a partnership but a burden to me...out it goes! The thing is that most people fear that sort of thing because it forces them to take a leap that is completely into the wild blue yonder! For me, I like the yonder. Perhaps it is because I am an air elemental by nature, or perhaps it is because I like the color blue, but the wide open space appeals to me. I am able to see the potential in what is out there, as opposed to fear it because it is big and scary. It may mean that I have to free fall for a part of it, but at least I am FREE!

I encourage everyone to take the leap into.....whatever.....and see what happens! Unburden yourself and allow your spirit to soar!

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

A Little Extra Padding....Please

As most of you know I am not one to wear socks. I hate socks. They bug my feet tremendously. In fact, most of me is a nudist. In winter, that part of me suffers....well, except for the part that hates socks. I usually don't even wear them in winter unless for some reason I have to be "dressed up". So I find that the extra padding in my winter coat is delightful because it keeps me cozy warm. But it got me to thinking...

How often in life we need a little extra padding! It is nice to have a soft place to land when you are leaping into the unknown. It is also nice to have someone there to catch you if you fall. And it is certainly nice to have a nest egg tucked away in case there are financial hardships. The latter one I am working on. The first one is where my trust in the Universal process is having to kick in. The second one....I hope....

So many people, though, don't have that extra padding in their lives. There is no one and nothing that they have been able to count on. They struggle through life and hopefully make something better for themselves as they go. But, just like folks in a hospital, some fall through the cracks. Do we judge them? I don't think so. Do we enable them? Certainly not. Do we have compassion for them? Absolutely.

Without compassion we are unable to fully experience what this whole trip through humanity is all about. Having compassion does not mean that we need to sacrifice our own well being to be of some assistance to those in need. It simply means that we can be mindful of where and when we can actually help. That way both benefit. The person you are helping receives the assistance he or she needs and you benefit from being able to spread the good energies around and pay it forward.

Think about yourself. Where is your extra padding in life? Have you shown appreciation for that? Do you have any extra padding? If not, work on getting it. Being there for others helps you to be assisted by others when you need that as well. Put yourself out there. Allow the goodness of giving of yourself and your time be a practice that enriches your life.

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Hangin' Around

Sometimes in life things get all upside down on us. We have things go wrong, things we say come out all backwards, we accidentally offend people, not meaning to at all....

These are the times we simply need to hang around, upside down. It lends a new perspective to things. I have literally put myself in to an upside down position and have found that in just a few short minutes things straighten out in my energy field and in my mind. Maybe it is just all that blood rushing into my brain that makes me think more clearly. Maybe it is like riding backwards in a vehicle and seeing the road fall away from you instead of coming at you. I don't know and I really don't care. All I really care about is that it works! Try it!

The other day I actually felt like hanging someone else upside down. She pulled something that was extremely rude and invasive and, even though I handled it well, what I really wanted to do was turn her upside down, shake her till her teeth fell out and toss her into the gutter. Yes, even shamans have those feelings now and then. But really, what good would that have done? People who don't know boundaries certainly are not going to know them any better when they have some wine in them. So I figure that I will just be ready for the next time she pulls that stuff and then shake her up a bit.

In the meantime, I hang around, upside down, and enjoy the view!

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Shiva and Shakti

What a beautiful image of the Yin and the Yang! Shiva and Shakti are the Hindi Gods of Fertility. Shiva, the masculine, is considered to be the "Destroyer" and Shakti, the feminine, is considered to be the "Nurturer". This is a bit different from the usual concept of Yin and Yang. The Yang, or masculine, is considered to be the Light and the active, whereas the Yin, the feminine, is considered to be the Dark and receptive. The thing is that most often because she is considered to be the dark, she is also considered to be the "destroyer", seeing as how, as we all know from a Christian perspective, the dark is a devious thing that is not to be trusted. It makes me wonder just how much non-Christianized versions there actually are left?

Perhaps in the Taoist version of things, there is a concept of the feminine being dangerous. I don't think, however, that it was necessarily dangerous in destructive ways. I think that it was dangerous in that it was wild and unpredictable. These are not necessarily bad traits. The wild and unpredictable keeps us on our toes and makes us have to take stock of how fragile life actually is. Life is rarely ordered. The universe actually has a chaotic component to it that we cannot control and should not even try to control. The concept of order is only there to give us a false sense of security.

I wonder at times, and especially since going through a divorce in the last couple of years, if marital relationships are actually meant to be? I know I am stepping way outside the box in writing that. But really, marriage is something that dictates how things are supposed to look so that it is acceptable to the rest of society. People often confuse how marriage looks with, yet again, a false sense of security. When we end a marriage, the rest of society, or at least the right wing conservatives in it, responds in fear instead of from understanding or compassion. People immediately want to take sides in an issue that has nothing at all to do with them. When we allow ourselves to flow and to release each other in harmony, all those antics that outsiders go through mean nothing to us. We simply make arrangements and keep things as peaceful as possible.

I personally like the idea of Shiva and Shakti. They are completely in love with each other and allow themselves to express that love. They are the perfect image of what Tantra is all about. The sharing of love from the heart allows the expression of love on all levels. There is no shame involved in sexuality or sensuality and the honoring of each other as a God or Goddess flows freely. One is able to bring pleasure to the other and vise verse and the energy ripples and grows, just like in the picture.

My invitation for all who are in relationships with lovers or spouses is this...allow the love to flow. Allow the love to flow even in the midst of being frustrated or angry. Allow the love to flow and to wash away all fear that you may hold in your heart. Allow the love to flow and build bridges of loving energy between you and your mate. Know that when it comes right down to it, this person is, at least for the moment, your manifestation of God or Goddess in your life, in your heart and in your arms. With that awareness, as long as love shall last, you will be One.

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Spirals of Life

Well, the return of winter to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has arrived! I was wondering how long it would take as our autumn seemed to have lasted an exceptionally long time this year. I think that it is good that it did last that long, though, because we did not have much of a summer for weather. It was rainy and cold for most of it. The autumn actually brought us a few days of nice weather and then stayed nice for a long time. Nice, in Saskatchewan, means that it was about 7-9 degrees C. Normally once October hits we are battered with snow storms. We have actually just begun having any measurable amount of snow overnight and through today.

Having clients come and go, I have to keep on top of the shovelling. So I have already shovelled three times. Yes, my body is feeling it, but it feels good to also get out into the fresh air and have a bit of physical activity. I have been making all sorts of adjustments in my life that include things like more physical activity.

I find it amazing how we can extend ourselves beyond the breaking point at times and not even realize it until suddenly enough is enough. I have withdrawn from two programs that I was involved in because they both were taking up way too much time and energy on my part and were compensating me with very little. I was involved in them because I thought that it was an excellent way to look after the community and also have ripple effects to the world at large and, who knows, maybe beyond. But neither one were serving to feed me on a soul level. Initially, yes they were. But then the responsibilities gradually became obligations and burdens. So I asked myself, "Self," I said, "If this were one of your clients what would you be suggesting they do?" and my self replied with, "Well, I would be suggesting that they simplify their lives." So simplify I did and released myself from the programs. Voila! I could feel such a weight lift off of me it was amazing. Thus I know I made the right decision.

So my invitation to anyone who is feeling burdened with obligations is this....what can you do that will simplify your life? No one else can do this for you.  Only you can do it.  The more simplicity we have, the happier we become. As we allow ourselves to flow with the spirals of life we release our needs to hang on to whatever is no longer appropriate in our lives.

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

It Makes Scents!

No matter how "natural" a product can be, there is still the possibility that someone's senses will be overly sensitive to it. Take the average Peony for example. I love those flowers. They are like the most humongous rose on the planet. I love seeing them and enjoying them in the back yard. But I have to be extremely careful about bringing any into the house. That is not just because of the ants that come in with them.  It is because the scent that is on them permeates the rest of the house and I end up with allergic reactions.

I have had situations happen with clients who, for example, do not use perfume of any kind, yet the scent of the "natural" products that they use for washing and for styling their hair etc is so overwhelming that it closes my throat very quickly.  I usually ask people to not wear that sort of thing when they are coming to see me, but then if that is the only soap that they own, it also becomes an inconvenience for them.  I don't want to be inconveniencing them.  Yet I have to think that if it affects me so much, perhaps it also affects the next client as well.  What to do....what to do.

I guess the thing that we all have to consider is what sorts of irritants we utilize that will create problems for other people.  I have not used after shave for about 25 years because I found that people would have strong allergic reactions to the scents.  I use unscented lotion for my face and body so that I am not creating issues for anyone, least of all myself.  I am also finding it more difficult as I go to find lotions with no scent.  It seems that the hypoallergenic aspect to products is becoming less popular than it was 5 years ago.  At the same time, I don't think I should have to pay three times the price to get something at a "natural foods store".  So the search continues at times, and sometimes I luck in.  Oh well.  I know that one day it will all make scents!

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Boxed In

Every once in a while we find that we have become a little imprisoned by someone else's viewpoint of who or what we are. This is always uncomfortable and never healthy. Too often, though, we succumb to the other person's view of us and then can go years with that as a weight upon our shoulders. Being an Air elemental, I do not at all enjoy being boxed in.

So you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that someone whom I have thought of as a dear friend has a view of me that is untrue, or at the very least way out-dated, and is not hearing me when I am trying to tell her that this may have been true 15 or 20 years ago, but is no longer the case. The thing is that I think that she just does not want to hear me. In confining me in her wee little box of an idea, she thinks that she has some form of grasp on me or control over me. I think that it is because my personal power threatens her in some way. It is never easy to have our viewpoints of how things work in the world or in the universe challenged. As you know, I challenge dogma all the time, no matter where it may show up. So I must be an extreme challenge for her because I am relentless when it comes to boxing things in for the sake of ignorant comfortability. That is not to say that I am rude or aggressive about it, just relentless. Relentlessness can be accomplished in kind and gentle ways as well.

So now I am left with what to do with this sort of thing. If it were someone I did not care that much about, then the solution would be simple. Cut her loose. This is, however, someone for whom I care a great deal. So the solution will be a wee bit more difficult than that and will perhaps take much longer than I would hope. What complicates things is that she has a view of me that can actually be spun in a positive manner, but even though it can be it is still not truth. So I have decided that I will gradually allow the process to unfold and hopefully she will see that I am not in the box that she holds so dear to her heart. If she can handle that bit of information and process it, perhaps she will be able to adjust her point of view. If not, then she will have to move on and find someone else to box in, because I am a very patient person, but will lose patience if something goes on for too long a period of time. After a certain amount of unproductive lapses of time, it becomes obvious that allowing it to continue is simply enabling that person to do this to me. That will not be acceptable. So here is to hoping that she will one day actually hear me!

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Impulses

We all have impulses. If we didn't we would not experience things such as impulse purchases or road rage. What we do with our impulses is what counts the most. Jung divided the personality into three categories. The Ego, he said, was the sense of self, the knowing about who we are in the world and within ourselves. A lot of people bash the ego because they only want to see it as rampant and self-serving. That is actually something else. The Ego is the sense of self that defines us from the rest of those around us, which is actually a very good thing, even though we are all one as well.

The Super Ego is like our conscience. It is the part of ourselves that says, "You know, you might be angry with that driver but it is really not a good idea at all to pull your gun out and blow his head off as you drive past him." We need the Super Ego to keep us in check because if we didn't have it there would be nothing but chaos all around us all the time.

The Id is that part of us that is most impulsive. I equate the Id as the "Inner Desires", which is also a part of our ID. The Id is the one that will say to us, "You know, it's only chocolate cake. What would it really hurt if you had a fourth piece?" Sometimes our inner desires are not healthy for us. We have to be able to control some of them in order to not sabotage ourselves along the way. To keep our heads in the sand and think that our bodies will simply process that fourth piece of chocolate cake with ease is simply a heart attack waiting to happen.

So when we look at our inner desires, we do have to look at what is best kept as a fantasy and what can actually be incorporated into our lives as an expression of desire. I might fantasise about rolling naked in millions of dollars of Canadian 20 dollar bills, but to I really want to experience the paper cuts on places that should never be sliced? Indulgence is something that needs moderation. When we don't moderate our indulgences we tend to overdo it and end up with deep regrets. Every year at Christmas time we indulge in Christmas dinner. Sometimes, after say the third helping, we complain about being too full and thus being in pain. Well, we could always stop after the first or second helping. Yes, Christmas is a time of indulgence, but we don't have to over do it even for a special time of year.

I invite everyone to look at what you view as indulgence vs necessity. See what you come up with and see how many antics the Id will take you through to convince you that an indulgence is a necessity. At the same time, I invite you to allow some of your deeper inner desires to come forth and allow yourself to play with them. It won't kill you or anyone else for you to allow yourself to address one or two inner desires. After all, even the Id needs some attention now and then!

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Fun and Festivities

It has been so long since I have had hair that I was not sure this was actually me! But it was. This is me in my costume for the Halloween Drum Circle held on October 30th. I was in the persona of Trentulla! Can you see all the spider webs and spiders all over me? Look closely. There is a spider pendant, a spider on my arm, 2 hanging from my ears and so on. The best part of it was that for the drumming rounds I was able to, for the first time since I was, like, 18 or so, incorporate Hairology. You know what that is don't you? Flicking your hair around to the rhythm and making yourself look like a rock star! The only issue I had with it all was that I kept getting the darn stuff in my mouth! I hate hair in my mouth, acrylic or natural. Ick!

There were 26 people that showed up for the circle which made the event amazing. There was even a Belly Dancer who danced around the flaming cauldron. Very dramatic and beautiful and so completely spiritually connected was this event that people are still emailing and phoning me with gratitude for hosting this. Of course, I would not have been able to do this if it were not for the assistance of my co-host, my Love of my lives. So all the gratitude is also extended and transferred to her as well.

I already have the next event for Halloween in my day planner for next year. This is one I never like to miss.

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com