Risk

I have discovered something about old time war and world domination....my 11 year old nephew is totally into conquering the world and my 7 year old niece is totally into being the queen and telling him where to move his men. How did I discover this? The game RISK. Now you have to understand that I am soooo not into war games. Even when I was in the military, briefly, and was very good at it, I did not like it at all. So this board game could not be too bad, right?

As it turns out, one should never, NEVER, begin a new board game at 9:30 at night. Your defences are low to begin with, everyone's voice is louder because you are tired from the 14 hour day you have already put in, and you miss the treachery that is in the minds of children in lieu of the cuteness factor they exhibit on the outside. Needless to say, I lost old Alberta and could barely hold onto South Africa and Madagascar. What is the world coming to?! I was so desperate to stay on the board that I almost declared war on my Allie! Then I remembered she was my Allie and could not, in good conscience, do that.

Isn't it funny how a board game can teach us about life? We can get totally snowed by those who look "cute" and completely compromise our better judgement. We can be blind to the hidden agendas people have because they are so pretty, or rich, or popular. We can become desperate to the point of lashing out at those who support us, and, when fatigued, we sometimes need to be reminded of who those people are before we wreck our existing relationship.

So, believe it or not, I recommend the board game, RISK. I just don't recommend that you begin to learn the game at 9:30 at night.

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

Men are from Mars

I absolutely LOVE this photo, by my friend, Gail Fulkerson. It brings to mind a few things. The first is that there is that expression, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." I find a lot of times that the message in this expression is very true. Although equal, men and women simply are different. Not just biologically different, but psychologically different as well. It all stems back to how we were hard wired in primordia in order to survive. Now in our "refined" ways, that hard wiring still exists. We communicate so completely differently at times and wonder what the heck went wrong when the other freaks out on us. Let's face it....it happens. And much of it is because of the way we were hard wired millenia ago.

The other thing that this photo evokes is the awareness that if we constantly wear a frown we are always going to end up being parched, dried out.......lifeless. Our emotions belong to the water element. When we flow with our emotions we allow the water to saturate our beings and replenish our souls. We become vibrant and radiant. We become the epitome of the lush, rich soil of Gaia.

The third thing that this photo inspires is the awareness that we all need the light and the shadow aspects of our lives in order to become whole. Without the shadow part (that which most folks are afraid of and fight against) we would not be able to fully appreciate the Light part. Without the Light, we would also become oblivious to the shadow. Each is needed in balance with one another in order to allow ourselves to fully become the beautiful portrait of our lives that we were each meant to be.

The more we relax into life, the more we enjoy the richness of all the experiences it has to offer.

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

We are not alone....

Some think that I am nutso because I think that the Universe is too vast to not have in it other sentient beings. Some of those beings, I am sure, have the ability to travel here. Why they would want to is still a mystery. Why would any race be interested in a Universal little island that is riddled with tribal warfare? Nonetheless, many encounters are still reported annually. This photo was taken in a rural area east of my fair city. It is not doctored in any way, other than that I enhanced the color quality so that the image could be more clearly seen. So what is it that was making the dogs on the property go completely squirly? It looks humanoid, but not human. Where is this being from? How did it get here? What does it want? Why could the person not see it until a photograph was taken? Why could the dogs see it and not him? Questions upon questions upon questions.

Whether it is from a distant galaxy or from some other dimension, it exists. I have personally seen and interacted with such beings over the course of my almost 50 years. I guess it never really occurred to me at first that they might be dangerous. The first ones that I encountered were quite friendly. Other ones, later, were not. But like humans, we can't paint them all with one broad brush and expect any particular truth to come out. I only know my own personal experiences. And I am not itching to tell anyone who comes along. That is why I find it a little unnerving to even share this with my readers. I don't want to be bombarded with millions of questions, as though I would even have any answers. I just want to bring to light the fact that we are not alone. I don't know the ramifications of that. I tend to be more trusting than suspicious. So I am, for now, perfectly comfortable with the fact that we are not alone. I am also thrilled that we may be able to, in the near future, communicate with them more clearly, interact with them on a daily basis, and maybe even (who knows?) intermingle with them on a more intimate level.

I also wonder if they are not just us in a far distant future form? Maybe they are travelling back in time to help our planet somehow. Maybe they each have personal genetic issues that need to be resolved and so they are doing a family tree research project. There are so many possibilities. I do think that we need to change our "go to" response from one of fear to one of inquiry. That way we may discover some things that would otherwise remain hidden. I don't think that just anyone who comes along is trustworthy. Please don't get me wrong there. But I do think that we can offer anyone the benefit of the doubt until they prove themselves unworthy. I also think that it is important to have all interactions in the light instead of in the shadows of existence. Why hide from us? What advantage do you seek and why would you need one? These are things that I would ask about.

So if you were to suddenly encounter an intergalactic or inter dimensional being....what would you ask?

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

Harvest Moon

Okay, so I think this might actually be a Grizzly Bear, but it is brown and a bear, so for now I am just calling it Brown Bear for the sake of discussion. Now that everyone can join in on my little delusional reality, here we go.

We have just entered what, according to the Medicine Wheel, is the Harvest Moon. This is the moon whose energy medicine is that of "reaping what we sow". The power animal that adopts those born during this moon (August 23 - September 22) is the Brown Bear. "Ahhh," you say, "that is what he is jabbering about in regards to the photo!" and you would be correct. The Brown Bear brings to those it has adopted the medicine of Strength, Introspection and Transformation. It is considered by some to be the Leader of the Medicine Wheel. Brown Bear people, when in balance, are very reflective sorts who take into consideration what is best for everyone instead of bending to pressure from individual agendas. They are protective of those who are weak or less fortunate and tend to be caring individuals with big hearts. They like their sleep and benefit from it tremendously, like the bear does when hibernating. Dreams can be very insightful for Brown Bear people. What frustrates most other people is that a Brown Bear person cannot be rushed into anything. So you might as well set the car keys down on the table, pour yourself a large cup of coffee and just wait till they are ready to head out the door. If you don't you will simply find yourself in a perpetual state of frustration, which is a gross waste of energy.

The Totem Mineral for Brown Bear people is the Amethyst. This member of the Quartz family helps to access the Third Eye chakra (the inner cave) and create intense insights. It also helps to balance the dream time for those who have difficulty accessing it. The Plant Totem for Brown Bear people is the Violet, the petals of which hold properties that, when made into a light tea, balances the endocrine system. Brown Bear People also belong to the Turtle Clan, which is the Earth Element. Thus they are slow to change, but do things extremely thoroughly when they undertake a project.

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

Wicked

I took my Love and my eldest daughter to Wicked on Sunday. This is a photo of the set, which in and of itself was spectacular. Pieces moved and the dragon had red glowing eyes and blew smoke out its nostrils etc. The costuming was superb, the songs were fantastic and the acting was phenomenal! There is not one thing that I could criticise Wicked for, as a production, other than that I wanted it to go on and on when it had to come to an end. It was AMAZING! I would highly recommend this production for anyone who is wanting to see absolutely excellent modern musical productions.

I loved the way it wrapped the story of The Wizzard of Oz into it. Wicked is the prequil to The Wizard of Oz. It is the story of the "Wicked Witch", Elphaba, and how she became so and why. It was funny, moving, and magical. Seriously, it takes a lot to move me to tears, and I was moved at least 5 or 6 times! Not because of sadness, but because of beauty.

I think as well that any outcast will find the story to speak personally to them. I know it touched a part of myself that I have not been in touch with for a very long time. It was not easy walking through that time in my life, and to have it acted on stage with such elegance was profound.

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

The Tribal Tattoo

I am noticing a lot of "Tribal" tattoos this summer. It is as though suddenly there is a HUGE fad for that. Someone designs some funky looking pattern and calls it "Tribal" and suddenly everyone with a desire to connect with the primal within is getting at least one of them inked onto some part of their bodies.  Connecting with the inner primal being can be accomplished much more easily if one attends, say, a drumming circle, or goes camping in the wilderness (and by that I don't mean Central Park!).

Please don't get me wrong. I happen to LOVE tattoos. I have found, over the years, that people instinctively, without conscious knowledge, get themselves inked with their power animal or plant totem. It might be amongst a lot of other stuff that is inked on that means something or other to that individual, but the fact that they didn't know that it was their power animal or plant totem and still were resonating enough with that energy to get it inked on is, to me, admirable. But the marketing of the "Tribal" tattoos I personally find to be silly. Most of them have no meaning unless, like the one on this guy's arm, they are linked in with something that actually does have meaning, like the Yin/Yang symbol on his wrist. The rest of it is fluff. It might look "cool", but then it becomes cool fluff.

I think that if we are going to ink ourselves with things, those things need to have deep meaning. After all, it is going to be on us forevermore, so it better be something that isn't going to just fade away as the fad disappears. That is also why I have never had one done. I have energy tattoos, that some people have seen, that move around on my body like they are "alive". It never fails to freak people out when they first become aware of these "invisible" markings. But to get something inked onto my body that will last forever, well, that is just too much of a commitment for this 21st Century shaman!

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

The City of Bridges

I wish that I could get a photo of all the bridges in our city, lined up down the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon. But because of the bends in our river, that would be impossible unless you were taking an aerial photo. So this one, of two of the bridges, will have to do. This is taken from the deck of the Shearwater Riverboat Tour boat. My friend, Tamara, is the captain of this boat. One of my favorite summertime things to do is to go on a tour with her at the helm. She is a blast to talk with and shares all sorts of stories of riverboat adventures.

Saskatoon also has a few "Bermuda Triangles". Those who are sensitive, like Tamara, myself and my eldest daughter, can feel it physically. The GPS guidance system then will suddenly go all wack and tell the captain that she is driving her boat down Broadway Ave instead of down the river! Fun!

That metal bridge in the distance, the "Traffic Bridge" or the "Victoria Bridge" as it is called, will soon no longer be there. It has been declared as unstable and somewhat dangerous and is, therefore, blocked off to all traffic. It's a shame though because it is one of the more attractive bridges and was the first as well, linking up Nutana with Saskatoon proper. I believe that they will be replacing it with a new one down the road, but I am sure that it won't have the same character.

The Victoria Bridge is narrow. It was built for buggies. So when vehicular traffic started using it, things were a little tight. There was also a board walkway for pedestrians and cyclists along the side of it. My favorite thing to do was to scare the begeebers out of my sister by travelling fast in the car across the bridge with oncoming traffic. Now, you have to understand that this sister enjoyed the art of complete composure and intimidation of others. So to see her white knuckle it as I sped across the bridge with other vehicles whizzing past, just barely missing the side mirror, was soooo much fun! One has to love those moments of torturing one's older siblings.

Blessed Be

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

Ripe Berries Moon

July 23rd to August 22nd is, according to the Medicine Wheel, the Ripe Berries Moon. People born during this time period get adopted by the spirit of the Sturgeon. That little critter in the photo is a Sturgeon. Now, this is a fairly small Sturgeon. They can get much bigger. The Sturgeon is the power animal that is the "King of Fishes". It brings to those it has adopted the ability to be a natural born leader and to be able to go into very "deep waters" in life and be perfectly fine. Sturgeon people don't often like the mundane chit chat that most folks see as "polite". They prefer to get into the deep soul talk quickly and not waste any time with chit chat. They can get to the point and are able to define what is a priority in any project quickly and easily.

They also belong to the Thunder Bird Clan, which means that they are fire elemental people. Spontaneous and combustible are their middle names. Striving for spiritual connection and expression is their life-long goal. Sturgeon people have, however, the ability to work with fire, water and air, for the Sturgeon will jump from the water, see all of what is out there on the surface, and dive back into the depths. The mere balance of fire with water is amazing, but putting it with the ability to also encompass the air element is astounding.

The medicine plant for the Sturgeon person is the Raspberry. It's leaves are, when made into tea, strengthening and purifying for the reproductive system for both genders. Is it any wonder so many pregnant women will drink Raspberry Leaf Tea to strengthen their uteruses? The mineral totems for the Sturgeon are Garnet and Iron, both of which help to keep the Sturgeon person grounded while doing their deep soul work.

Blessed Be

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

Dragonfly Medicine

Has anyone noticed the abundance of Dragonflies around lately? There is a very good reason for it....they eat the mosquitoes that have also just previously been abundant. The mosquitoes are, for those who are unfamiliar with the little critter, the insect form of the pterodactyl. They swoop in like a swarm of hungry dinosaurs and pick you up to take you back to the hive where they feed you to their young. Shhhh! I hear them now! Don't let them find you! I have noticed that the mosquitoes are getting immune to the repellent that I have been wearing. So I had to upgrade to the heavy duty stuff that could possibly be my own demise at a later date. But at least for today I can be left alone by the little bast.....'s.

The other day, however, I had a very brief freak out. I was trying to unlock the garage door, which takes a little fernangling, and was being swarmed by those pterodactyls when suddenly I was crawling from head to toe with a strange sensation. I looked down and realized that I had been bait! The dragonflies were all over me, eating the mosquitoes! I just stood there and let them do their job. I loved seeing the process. The feeling of the dragonflies on my bare arms, legs and head was, admittedly, weird. But once the mind got over the "Oh, my God! What the he....is happening to me?" thing, it relaxed and allowed me to remain part of the circle of life. I must admit that being bait was not my idea of a good time....until now. This form of bait is okay, provided that the mosquitoes don't carry any life-threatening disease.

Dragonflies are the insect form of dragons. Is it any wonder they eat the insect form of pterodactyls? They also teach us about the aspect of illusions in our lives, whether those illusions be from out there somewhere or from within ourselves. A very handy medicine to have around.

Blessed Be

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