Reflections from the Shaman's Hut

Patterns

2009-12-09T23:16:00.001-06:00

I have always found patterns to be fascinating. From the time I was a wee boy and my mother would have quilting bees, I have found that patterns have told many things. I now am able to see patterns in very different ways. Very early on, I discovered this thing called "Patterns of Behaviour". I was fascinated to find that there are certain stimuli that can induce certain responses in certain people. For example, if I am watching a movie and there is an intense chase or fight scene, I bite my finger nails. I do my best to not bite, but that is a stimulus that induces that behaviour pattern in me.

Patterns can tell us beautiful stories. Whether they are quilted or beaded or placed in sand with a rake, the patterns can tell us things. Blood splatter patterns can be the determining factor in solving a murder scene. Paint splatter can tell us what mood the artist was in when he or she painted the picture.

I find the behaviour patterns to be the most fascinating. For example, we have all had situations that resemble the bomb that is dropped in a Friday meeting just before the weekend when those who have dropped the bomb can then escape the wrath of the rest of the people at the meeting, then they come back on Monday morning and act as though all is well. That kind of stuff is a passive aggressive pattern of behaviour, and it is abusive.

Patterns of behaviour that are also interesting are those in which a loving sentiment is shared. For example, someone always gives you roses on your birthday. This is a pattern of behaviour that says, "I love you" and makes you feel great inside. Or how about that wonderful person who leaves love notes in unexpected places for you, or the child who always brings you a handful of dandelion flowers for a bouquet every weekend.

Yes, behaviours are patterns that speak volumes to those who are astute enough to observe and see the connections.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

A Warm Location

2009-12-09T13:29:00.001-06:00

On cold days like these last ones have been (-26 to -30 degrees Celsius) it is always fun to think about a nice warm location. I understand the "Snowbirds" completely. After all, although we in Canada tend to be a hardy bunch of folks when it comes to extreme weather, why would we want to hang around in parkas and snow boots if we could be sunning on a warm beach?

I do like winter. The air is cleaner and more crisp and there are no mosquitoes to have to deal with. But on the really cold days it is essential to have a place to go to, even if it is in your own thoughts. Mine is a very sunny beach with beautiful blue water rolling in. Sometimes it is a warm summer's day beside a pool. Okay, so it usually involves steel drum sounds and grass skirts on the women folk, but really, I guy's gotta have some fun!

I invite everyone out there to dive in. Go ahead! See what your warmest fantasies can conjure up for you in your mind. Let not even the sky be the limit. And let me know how it goes!

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Wizards At War

2009-12-03T12:03:00.001-06:00

When I looked at this photo of space, I saw two wizards at war with each other. It brings to mind a scene from a Harry Potter film. I also began to think about how often we not only experience but also expect conflict. I have seen this happen amongst people in spiritual communities as well. It is so unfortunate that we are, as humans, so desperate to be right, even if that makes us dead right.

A spiritual community is supposed to provide some safety for people to gather, share, and heal. It is an opportunity for participants to experience a deepening in their relationships with each other and with their God or Goddess. Yet, human as we can all be, conflict eventually arises. It is not so much the conflict as how it is dealt with that makes the world of difference. Too often petty differences between people not only escalate, but are encouraged to escalate by those around the ones with the differences. Why do we always feel such a need to take sides instead of taking a deep breath? Sheesh! That is a deeply shamanic term...."sheesh!".

I have always preferred to address things up front. That way everyone can trust that they will always know how I feel and what I think. Yes, sometimes it is challenging to address the things that need addressing. But we have to make the effort if we are ever going to grow. As my sister used to say, "It's now time to put the big girl panties on." We sometimes just have to buck up and be mature about addressing things before they get out of hand and before we lose some sacred part of ourselves. When we let things eat away at us or allow others to take advantage of us, we diminish ourselves until there is nothing left of us. Why wait for such a crisis to happen? It is so much easier to just say what you think and feel. Yes, we can be kind and compassionate about it as well. But we must be authentic and have some personal integrity in life. After all, if we have no integrity, then we really have nothing at all.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Space....the final frontier....

2009-12-02T11:06:00.001-06:00

When I see photos like these of things happening in space, it makes me realize just how small we really are. There is so much that we really don't know about going on in our neighbourhood. Something like this can send out enough energy through the universe to eventually impact what happens on our own little rock in space. But for now, it is really quite beautiful to see.

Some of my paintings turn out like this. I remember one in particular that I sold a number of years ago. When I created it I felt like there was something pretty big that I was tapping into. It ended up being bought by an astronomer who told me that they just got a photo of that "event" in space the week before. He was astounded to find that I had painted it over a year prior to the show. He couldn't help but purchase it. I did not know what it was that I was painting. I just painted it.

We all have that ability. When we go into the "zone", which for me is painting, we access information that is beyond that of which we are currently conscious. It doesn't have to be painting. It could be doing anything creative. Working with mechanics or carpentry is also creative work. Stirring the sugar in the sugar bowl is creative. Knitting is creative. Whatever it is that gets us in the zone is what will lead us to that connection.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Still Waters 4

2009-11-27T15:44:00.001-06:00

Comfort levels are something that a lot of people struggle with. It is often difficult to have a comfort zone honoured when dealing with other people, be it at work or at home. We often need to create skills in declaring our personal space and boundaries in order to be able to function. Too often people end up just clamming up instead of utilizing their interpersonal skills.

The problem with clamming up is that it allows things to fester beneath the surface. Those things that fester end up creating deeper problems for ourselves. We end up having random physical symptoms surface up that annoy us and, over time, can destroy us when they go unattended. What we really need to do is to come out of our shells and say how we really feel. When we speak our truth we allow ourselves to let go of what is bothering us. We also need to speak our truths in kind and respectful ways, otherwise we end up creating more turbulent waters between ourselves and those around us. When we allow kindness and compassion to be expressed through us, even when we are speaking difficult truths, we create a flow of loving energy that honours others as well as ourselves and that flow heals the situation. As kindness and gentleness emerge from our beings we are able to melt the coldest of hearts. That melt down can be something that the other person feels, but it can also be something that we experience through the process. As our hearts melt we are strengthened because what is actually melting down is the level of anger and bitterness that has been carried by us, sometimes for years at a stretch.

Shells, like those of turtles, need to be put to proper use. They are meant to be a safe haven, a protection, and a home that walks with us wherever we journey. That is a state of being. It is a state of confidence that resides in our own hearts and allows others to become inspired to find their own confidence. As that ripple moves out through the world, the world heals, one person at a time.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Still Waters 3

2009-11-26T15:32:00.001-06:00

No matter what we think, say or do in this world, there is a ripple effect that happens as a result. My mother taught me that with water. She had me throw a stone into the pond that had very still water. Then she asked me what I noticed? I said, "It splashed." "What else?" she asked. "Well, it made ripples," I said. "And where are the ripples going?" she asked. "To the shore," was my reply. "Yes," she said, very gently. There was then a time of silence between us. Then she looked at me....and I looked at her.....and then I said, "Fine, I'll go apologize to my brother." Her mission was accomplished.

The thing is that, no matter how deep or how still the waters are, when you drop something into it, such as a rain drop or a stone, it makes a splash. It will always ripple outward, in all directions, as well as back to you, right where you are standing. In life, the same applies to our thoughts, actions and words. It might take a while for it to ripple back to us, but most often it is what I have coined "insta-karma". So if we are going to make a splash at all we might as well make it a good splash instead of a negative one.

Oh, and one more thing. Do you see the "eye" watching you from within the photo? There is always someone watching you. Even if no one is in the room, spirit watches us. I know that freaks some people out because they associate that with a stalker syndrome or something. But really, it is a comfort. Someone has to keep a record of our behaviour and that way we will, when we ask the question, be answered as to what we need to repair in our lives and how to do it. The guidance is always there, gently waiting for us to open up and receive it. At the very least, we can always remember that just at the time when we think that no one is watching, we are setting an example for someone who is there, unbeknownst to us. My mom always used to say, "You can tell the character of a man by what he is doing when he thinks no one is watching." So true.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Still Waters 2

2009-11-25T19:41:00.001-06:00

Have you ever noticed when you look at water that there is so much beneath the surface? In this photo you can find all sorts of plant life and the rain drops almost make it look like there are eyes looking up at you from within the water. An entire ecosystem is functioning beneath the surface!

My mom was right when she would observe the stuff beneath the surface of people. I learned to do that very early on in my childhood. My challenge was to not blab my mouth about what I saw. I remember telling a woman who stopped by for tea that she didn't have to worry because her husband was going to leave that other lady soon. She burst into tears. My mom scooted me out of the room and told her to stay there and she would be right back. I was around 3 perhaps, and that was my first lesson in that thing called "tact". I learned to not spill my guts about everything of which I was aware because not everyone wanted to know, not everyone was ready to know, and I would not know how they would respond.

That is a lot different from how some people, as they are growing up, learn to just block it out because "it isn't real" or "you must be crazy to think that" or "If we don't know that, then there is no way you possibly can know that". These types of messages actually cause people to shut down their intuitive processes. This harms them beginning at a very early age and onward through their lives until they reclaim their own gifts, abilities and powers.

My mother never doubted my abilities. She did, however, do her best to teach me how to use them ethically and tactfully. The other shamanic teachers that I have had along the way have also been rather impressed that I have been able to develop so strongly and not have my ego get in the way of my ethics. Okay, so I admit it, there has been a time or two when I have utilized my abilities to create something of personal gain that would otherwise not have been able to happen. They were few and far between, but each time I also learned yet another reason why not to do that. I have always said that if we cannot learn from our mistakes, then there is really no reason to make them. I am probably not the first one to say that, but I have always said it. So now and then I too make mistakes. But that is another blog entry altogether.

What I am getting at is that sometimes people expect complete transparency and then when they actually get that expectation fulfilled, they are horrified at what they have learned. People sometimes think that it is my job to tell them everything right now. It is not. That would deny them the opportunity to learn at their own pace. It would also, quite frankly, screw them up. Those of you who are gifted out there know that what I am about to say is true. Most people are actually afraid of the truth and the expansive capacity of it. So for people to think that I should tell them absolutely everything I know in, say, a one hour session of talking, is not only unreasonable, it is delusional. I have learned what I have learned in so far 46 years of my life on this planet, plus numerous past lives of which I have recall. It would still take lifetimes to share all that I know. I only hope that I will be able to share enough of it with enough people to make a positive difference on this earth one day. But that won't happen in an hour....or two....or three.

I will share this though. Love is the greatest power of all. And that is why I am inviting all of you to share with me, and all the readers, a true love story. This can be a love story from your personal past, or one that is about a family member or a friend. The theme, though, needs to be "Love". Now, you will not need to just put it in the "comments" section of this blog. If you like, you can email it to me directly at deerhorn@sasktel.net. I do encourage you though, to share your story with the rest of the readers. Love stories inspire us. They motivate us to become better people than we ever thought that we would be. And please only send me stuff that you don't mind having shared with others. I plan to collect the stories and perhaps publish them, either in the blog or in a journal. I want as many stories as you can think of because I will also use them as teaching tools in sessions and workshops. So there it is. The invitation is there for you. Do with it as you will!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Still Waters;

2009-11-25T14:58:00.001-06:00

They do run deep. This is what my mother used to say to me. "Still waters run very deep," she would say as she observed someone. At first I thought that what she was saying was that shy and quiet people have much more going on inside of them than they tend to let on to those around them. I think that this is the version of that saying that most people think it means. My mother, however, would sometimes talk in spiritual code.

I learned that she was not necessarily talking about shy people. She was actually referring to the "dark passenger" that she would observe in others. We all have a dark passenger. This is the hitchhiker that tries to sway us into self-destructive behaviour. It is the one who does not seem to care who else they harm along their path of destruction. For myself, the dark passenger is the one who is thrilled by a morbid sense of humour. Black comedy sometimes absolutely cracks me up. The War of the Roses was a movie that a lot of people didn't like, but I found to be hilarious. And seeing someone slip on ice renders me useless to help them because I can't stop laughing. I can't stop laughing even if it is myself who has slipped on the ice!

As I have walked through this life I have discovered an even darker side to humanity. This is the side of humanity that creates rapists, murderers and child molesters. These ones have a particularly darker passenger. I sometimes cringe when I pick that vibe up off a person. It is not easy being gifted and getting visions of what people actually are capable of or have done. Sometimes it leaves one feeling slimed.

But there are reasons for every gift. Although they can sometimes seem like curses, we also have to experience them to truly come into our power. That way we can still help the innocent as they encounter others' dark passengers. They help us to come into our own power so that we can become of more service to our people.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Castle Keep

2009-11-23T23:28:00.001-06:00

All my life I wanted to live in a castle. The one in my vision was much like this one that my friend photographed in Scotland. There had to be hills and a lake and turrets and stuff. A very magical place it was. In my mind there was nothing that could penetrate the walls of the castle other than the power of love itself.

It seems, however, that to date all the past lives that I have remembered where I have actually lived in a castle ended very badly. In a castle I was burned as a witch. In a castle I was slain for having an affair with the queen. In a castle I was smothered before I was even 8 years of age because some idiot wanted the crown and thought that he needed it more than I. Castles, castles, castles! Death, death, death! Sheesh.

One day, when I am king and live in a castle, I am going to make life easier for everybody. I will decree that people must pull into the outside lane on the freeway and allow merging traffic to merge. I will decree that, for fear of instant death, people will no longer be allowed to talk on cell phones or text each other while driving! I will decree that people who generally drive in idiotic ways loose their licenses immediately....or be imprisoned with those of their kind. Can you tell I have had a few close calls lately? I will also decree that stupid people who don't accelerate to the freeway speed limit when merging will have their cars impounded...just because they are stupid and holding up the flow of traffic. Oh, the list goes on! But enough of that. Perhaps there is a reason why I am not king and don't live in a castle this lifetime. Besides, not living in a castle allows me certain liberties that I would otherwise not have.

Liberties you say? Why yeeeeesssss. Liberties! I can, without living in a castle, not worry about the paparazzi. I can also go to the grocery store and not worry about anyone trying to slay me on the way there or back....well...other than the stupid drivers that is. I can come home after a long day at work and remove my socks (which I despise wearing anyway), kick back and watch a movie. I don't have to be saddled down with signing any decrees with the royal seal. I don't have to worry about anyone smothering me in my sleep because they want the crown. They may, of course, try to for other reasons, but not that reason. I can take a quick trip out of town and not worry about my absence being detrimental to the well being of my country. Whew! I am so glad I don't live in a castle!

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Got my eye on you, baby!

2009-11-19T14:55:00.001-06:00

That is what one of my Spirit Guides said to me today. I was doing energy healing work at a health fair at a college in town when it happened. There was a young guy who was having issues of stress and anxiety and I was talking with him about it while streaming energy into his system. The conversation turned to a moment of grief in his past. As this unfolded, the blockage of the energy in his heart chakra also released and fresh energy was able to then get in.

At that point, the Spirit Guide (a cat/human image) showed up and said to me, "I got my eye on you, baby!" I knew that he was quite proud of what I had done to assist this young fellow. But he was also saying that I needed to apply some of my knowledge, wisdom and expertise toward myself in order to move the healing of the passing of my sister along.

The other day I picked up a birthday card for another sister and it hit me that I had always picked up two, because the sister that had just died had a birthday within 2 weeks of the one for whom I was currently getting a card. Ouch.

It is little rituals like this that bring home the loss for a person when a loved one dies. That is why events such as Christmas and Thanksgiving tend to be emotionally charged for people after a death in the family. So part of the healing that I will be doing is that on her birthday I will be lighting a candle for her and asking her spirit to make a wish for itself on her healing journey on the other side. This will be something I may do once, or it may be something that I do each year for a while. That all depends upon what I sense I need to do. And I have the help of my Spirit Guide to assist me in that process.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

My Sister

2009-11-13T11:16:00.001-06:00

You all may have noticed that I have not blogged a lot of late. I have been a wee bit busy with life and with death. My life is always quite busy with family and friends, but recently I have also been very busy with the death of my sister. As a shaman work sometimes just gets going when a person crosses over.

There are a couple of things that I would like to share about her. First off, as you can see, we have sported, for different reasons, the same hair style. Mine was more by choice. Hers, not so much. Secondly, it is pretty obvious by looks that we are so genetically linked that we could not possibly disown each other and hope that no one would know we were related.

Leith had a very tough exterior, but inside she was a marshmallow. I had a way of making her share her marshmallows with me. She spent her life striving for excellence and perfection, which on a professional level she achieved. Let's face it, on a personal level no one is perfect. I think that her drive to achieve came from a little girl within who always wanted to please her dad.

When I was about 2 or 3 years of age, my family took a trip to Ottawa to visit my older sister. During that visit my older sister made bread. When it was in the final stage of rising, I came into the kitchen and saw it sitting there, just waiting to be poked and pinched. No one saw me do it. But when it was discovered, my older sister went crazy (also a perfectionist). I chose to implement the old "Keep your mouth shut until it all blows over" trick that I had learned about a year earlier. Leith, however, upon seeing the bread, burst out laughing! She took the heat for the offense. She swore her innocence, but no one believed her. I figured that my older sister's cat, Sir Henry, had already attacked me, so I would let this one belong to someone else. I was sure that it would blow over. It became, however, the topic of conversation during family gatherings. Every time it came up, Leith professed her innocence. For 20 years this went on! I could not believe that my family could hold onto something like that! I have seen pit bulls let go faster! So finally, I couldn't take the guilt any longer and I confessed. You should have seen the stunned looks on the faces of my family! They were shocked that it was me (being a model child and all!). Finally the truth came out and they let it go. Leith, however, had mixed feelings. She was relieved that the truth was revealed. She was also angry that I had let it go on for so long. But most of all, she was impressed that I could keep a secret for so long!

Leith was also the one in the family who invented "Happy Nothing's Day". This was a result of her not wanting to feel pressure to purchase a gift for anyone just because of some arbitrary date, such as Christmas or a birthday. But throughout the year, she would certainly make up for it. You would suddenly hear her say, "Happy Nothing's Day!" and she would present you with some gift that she picked up just for you because it made her think of you when she saw it. This is a tradition I continue with my own children, although they really cash in because I also gift them on birthdays and Christmas.

Yes, we also had our differences. But the good stuff will certainly be missed. I hope she finds peace on the other side of the Veil.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Every Time I See Your Face...

2009-11-05T16:09:00.001-06:00

This photo is from this last Halloween. I actually had three costumes for Halloween this year. This is unusual for me. For the day at work I went as a Gypsy fortune teller, expressing my family ties to the Gypsy line. For the drumming circle I went as a cave man, thus expressing my primordial self. For the evening of handing out candy to kids and the Halloween party that my Love and I put on, we went as Cowboy and Indian. I did not include the beautiful Indian on my arm in this photo, because for this entry I needed a close up. But trust me when I say that she was the most beautiful Indian! We had considered switching roles, but we couldn't find me a feather large enough for....uhem....coverage. So I went as the cowboy.

What struck me in the photo was how much my face looks like my dad's. Even the expression on it is like he would have. He never had a moustache, to my knowledge, but even with it I look like him. If our relationship had been better than it was, I would be complimented by the observation. It is weird how we can sometimes look so much like someone in our families with whom we didn't really have anything else in common.

I had an opportunity, however, this Halloween, during a simple ceremony for the dead, to embrace some healing between my dad and I. Initially it was a ceremony to help my sister, who died the next day, to cross over peacefully. As it turns out, the ceremony was not just for her. Rarely is a ceremony with only one purpose! As she was able to see how people change on the other side of the Veil, I was able to see how my dad had also changed in the last few years on the other side. It was good to see. I still don't wish to share any future lives with him, but at least I can find some comfort in the fact that he is finally evolving on a spiritual level.

I see his face every time I look in the mirror. Perhaps that is why he had been so hard on me...because he saw his own wounded inner child every time he looked at me. Instead of nurturing, well, let's just say he chose not to nurture very often. Now I have to show some nurturing for my own adult male. I remind myself of him so much at times that it freaks me out inside. But I have to nurture that part of me, for it is in my blood and I can't get it out. So making it a friend instead of an enemy is my task on a daily basis. Lately this task has been going much better. It would seem that once you pick up a task at any point at all in the process, then the rest can more easily fall into place. That is a good thing, considering every time I see his face!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Goddess Lives

2009-10-31T14:38:00.001-06:00

It is amazing to me sometimes how we can find ourselves in a seemingly average situation or gathering and then suddenly, there she is again! The Goddess in all her divinity is portrayed right there, on the shelf!

No matter how much patriarchal society and religion try, they cannot get rid of this feminine force. They should not even be trying, but try they have and try they do. Just the fear mongering about Halloween itself is a testimony to how much they are still trying to keep this most powerful force of nature down. But no matter how many rain forests they chop down, no matter how many rivers they pollute, She lives on and very gently whispers, "Come to me, my child!"

Her voice can be heard in the wind swept trees, the babbling brook, and the thunder storm. Her heart beat can be felt as we lay our bodies down upon hers in our back yard and breathe. She embraces us now, and always has, and always will.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Getting Your Ducks In A Row

2009-10-30T13:29:00.001-06:00

When I was given this photo of my dear friend's daughter, it made me laugh out loud. And it also warmed my heart. It brought to mind how I would love to have a bath every time I visited my grandmother's house. She only lived till I was around 8 or 9 I think. But our relationship was very close. She taught me so much about life in such a short period of time.

Whenever I would go over to her house there were a few things that I really enjoyed. One was "sneaking" chocolate kisses from her candy jar. This was before they were called "kisses". Another was playing with her hand made blocks. The third thing was taking those blocks into her pantry closet and playing in there. And then there was her bath tub. It was bigger than the one we had at home, which was a large wash tub. This was an actual bath tub. The possibilities were endless! And, like this little girl, I loved rubber duckies. So I had my own collection back then. They had relationships with one another and would talk to each other. Then they would have to adjust to the introduction of my boat and the fishermen on it. I had a blast!

It is experiences like these that truly help children to get their "ducks in a row". Creative play helps us all. But the fun part of it is that we don't have to be really young to enjoy creative play. That is what costume parties at Halloween is all about. That is what art and music and dance are all about. These things all help us as adults to get our ducks in a row!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Pumpkin Teachings

2009-10-29T12:27:00.001-06:00

There are ancient teachings around the traditions of carving pumpkins for Halloween. Some of these teachings have recently been "claimed" by the Christian Church as their own, which is only a pathetic attempt to justify the fact that they cannot control their people. Their people resonate with some of the ancient traditions and so in order to not lose their parishioners, they take the original teachings and spin it in a way that "feels good" and claim it as their own. Whatever.

So in the original traditions, feasts were laid out at night to feed the ancestral spirits. Samhain, or Halloween, is a time when the Veils are very thin between this world and the Otherworlds. In order for our modern society to be able to "predict" the event, it is marked as October 31st on our calendars. But Samhain actually is the full moon closest to the 31st of October. So this year the time is actually on the 2nd of November. The spirits were honored by having a feast laid out. This was a sacrificial feast of gourds, corn, grains, cooked foods etc. These feasts were never consumed by the people. They were laid out overnight and then composted the next day. To feed on the feast was considered to be very poor form, much like theft. It would bring about very bad karma. And for anyone who has actually fed on a feast that was meant for the Spirits, you will know that the food has a dead or depleted taste anyway and really does not nourish the living body.

So then there was the issue of helping the spirits find their way to the food. Candles were lit, but the wind could easily blow out the candle. So shelter for the candle was needed as well as a protection for the feast so that passers by would not just up and take the food. Pumpkin lanterns were made so that all would know that this food was sacred for the spirits and to not take any, lest you set yourself up for some nasty consequences.

When creating a pumpkin lantern, or Jack'0'Lantern, one first opens it up, much like opening up one's mind for any form of sacred undertaking. Then one scoops out the pulp, the mind clutter. Once the clutter is expelled from the mind, one's eyes and ears can open to see and hear what is actually right there in front of us all the time, that being the guidance of Spirit. Some carve out a nose, so that it opens the breath, which is the flow of energy, as well. Then there is a mouth that is carved so that we are able to "spread the word" of Spirit. All this is then lit up with a candle in order to allow Spirit to shine forth from within. The lantern is then set out with the food to invite Spirit to join in the feast. Energetically the feast is consumed and then the remains, or "left overs", are composted, honoring the cycle of birth, life, death and decay, and rebirth.

So there you have it. Here is wishing you all a vibrant Samhain!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

St. Tropez Event

2009-10-21T16:30:00.002-06:00

The other night a dear friend invited my Love and I to her birthday party that was taking place at the St. Tropez Bistro in Saskatoon. First off, if there is anyone out there who has never tried out this wonderful establishment, it is my recommendation that you do. If you have not been there in a while, go again. The food is exquisite and the service is excellent.

Sometime in the last year it was revealed to me by my Love that she knows Andrea Menard. Well, as it turns out, my other friend also knows her and so guess who I am sitting beside at this event! I have wanted to meet this local talent for a very long time, and, as she also mentioned, it has been crazy that we have taken so long to meet considering that we have many similar social circles. Well, we finally met at exactly the right time. She is fabulous! Thank you Andrea for making this event even more special!

I find it interesting how we so often will meet someone and realize that we could have met them years ago with the many six degrees of separation that there have been, yet it takes until now to meet them. I truly think that there is a Divine plan in when we encounter folks in our lives. For all intents and purposes, we could meet anyone at any time, but we don't. We meet them when we are meant to meet them. Where it goes from there is completely up to us. I look forward to possible friendship stemming from my recent encounter. But there have also been some people that I have met that the friendship thing just doesn't take. There is reason for that as well. Paths take people off in different directions all the time. And sometimes there are undercurrents of reasons in energy form that prevent us from connecting further. Then there are times that undercurrents of energies propel us to connect further and deepen some relationship. The Universe has many plans for us. Sometimes it is just a matter of recognizing when we need to respond. That, indeed, is the trick.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Many Strong and Beautiful Women

2009-10-22T14:25:00.001-06:00

On the far left, you will find my Love. Next to her is my good friend Sandhya, and on the far right is a new friend, Andrea. I have found that through my life I have typically been surrounded by strong and beautiful women. This is but one example.

For me, I think it started with my mother and my grandmother. They both taught me quite a lot about life and our connection with nature. They taught me that the world itself and all of us who live here are magical. That understanding is a big part of what has made me who I am today. My sisters were some of the first feminists. They helped me to understand that gender plays no part in capability. Yes, there are differences in the general sense, but we are all capable of becoming and achieving whatever it is to which we put our minds.

Each woman who has ever been romantically connected to me has taught me more and more about relationships and matters of the heart. Every sister of every friend has taught me to one degree or another about the importance of honoring each other.

Now, this is not to say that I have not had strong and beautiful men in my life. I have. I have also found, however and unfortunately, that the truly strong and beautiful men are fewer and farther between. I like to surround myself with men of quality and integrity. But these are not aspects that are nurtured in our culture. What is nurtured is more the capitalistic mentality. This breeds competition and one-upmanship. I don't particularly like those qualities, so it takes longer for me to find men who resonate with me. They are out there, though. I have some very good male friends. These are the types of fellas who support me and my endeavors and who also kick my butt when I need it.

Really though, it has been the women in my life who have impacted me the most. I think the ones who are going to continue to do so the most are my daughters. Each one is unique unto herself and quite strong in her own way. I feel blessed and honored to have them in my life. I know that we are only vessels through which they arrive in the world and that there is no ownership of our children (something else I learned from my mother and grandmother), but I also look forward to many years of discovery as they learn and grow and become each a strong and beautiful woman.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Block 1912 "C"

2009-10-15T14:59:00.002-06:00

In addition to the art on the walls of Block 1912, there is also chalk art on the menu boards. This is done by local artists as well. I love chalk art and feel that it does not get enough attention as an art form. it takes a lot to make chalk art look realistic. These people have mastered it as far as I am concerned.

Something else that is quite interesting about Block 1912 is the notes that people leave. There is a coffee table with a drawer in it. When you open the drawer, you find napkins and papers that are full of notes that people leave. The owners, Peter and Komala Pepin, keep these notes in boxes on another level once the drawers get full. So now and then, it is an empty drawer to fill and people continue to leave notes. One of the notes was from a foreign exchange student who wrote that he was homesick and hated winter in Canada and thank God he found this cafe!

Block 1912, at 10361 Whyte Ave in Edmonton, is a place that celebrates community and celebrates people's eccentricities. There is a well known cartoonist who has said that upon his death he wants Block 1912 to have his cartoon drawings and to hang them. Peter asked where exactly he wanted them to be hung, considering that the walls are full of local art. The cartoonist said, "They are cartoons! Hang them on the ceiling!" Peter is considering that to be a very funky idea.

Well folks, that is all I have to say about Block 1912 at this point in time. You may now know more than you ever wanted to know, but I hope that these last 3 blog entries have inspired you to stop in when next you are in Edmonton. I hope that they have also inspired you to travel to Edmonton just to experience the best French Vanilla latte you will ever taste!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Block 1912 "A"

2009-10-15T13:28:00.002-06:00

There will also be a "B" and "C" to this story. So keep checking in. What is Block 1912? It is a very trendy cafe in Edmonton, Alberta. My love (on the far right) and I were in Edmonton this last weekend for the wedding of a dear friend of ours. There will also be photos and bloggings about that. While in Edmonton, we just had to stop in to visit our friends, Komala and Peter Pepin (left and centre), owners and operators of Block 1912, located at 10361 Whyte Ave.

For those of you who have not been to Edmonton, Whyte Ave is the artsy, trendy shopping street. There are numerous shops along Whyte. One of my favorites is A Sense of Serenity, located just off of Whyte and around the corner from Block 1912. I will write more about that as time goes on here.

Block 1912 is open seven days a week from 9 am to midnight. It is fully licensed and has all sorts of home made food and baking, including some Indian food like samoosas. The beef lasagna was so good that I ordered it for supper one evening and then for lunch again the next day! They also have a gelato bar with the best gelato that you will ever taste. I also experience something that I can only describe as an oral gasm. It was the French Vanilla latte. OMG! I think that I had maybe three of them in a 24 hour period. I kept saying to myself that I was not going to let that stuff go to waste, especially mine! A medium was about the size of a small soup bowl. It went down so smooth that I was done sucking it back before I even realized I had started. So I had to learn to savour the moment, otherwise I would end up with a caffeine twitch.

As my Love says, "You cannot see from the outside the treasures that lie within" when looking at Block 1912 from the street. But once you walk in, it is a feast for all the senses. As you can tell, I highly recommend stopping in whenever you are in Edmonton. But don't rush the experience. Be prepared to wait in line (yes, that popular) and to relax once you are in and have ordered your treats.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Block 1912 "B"

2009-10-15T14:44:00.001-06:00

In addition to great food and drink, Block 1912 on Whyte Ave in Edmonton, Alberta is rich with stories from the community. There are people who have frequented this cafe for years. Peter Pepin, owner of Block 1912, shared a number of stories with us as he had coffee with us at our table.

One of the stories was about a set of Italian lounge chairs that are in the cafe. Now it is important first off to understand that absolutely nothing in the cafe matches. The tables don't match, the sofas don't match, the chairs don't match and the cutlery doesn't match. That is all part of the eclectic charm of this location. All the furniture is recycled from other places. So purchasing a matching set of Italian chairs (no, they don't have an accent....I asked!), was somewhat of a different venture. Peter's wife and business partner, Komala, was dealing with the furniture sales person. These chairs were very expensive. The sales person was not wanting to alter the price whatsoever....that is, until Komala mentioned that they own Block 1912. "Block 1912! You own Block 1912?! I met my wife at Block 1912!" Suddenly the chairs were not so expensive at all. This speaks to how this cafe touches the hearts of many people.

Whether you are there for a designer coffee with lunch, or simply a scone and tea, this place becomes a part of you. When I entered it I could feel the spirit of this place, warm and gentle, inviting me in. The delicious food is often prepared on a 2 burner stove in a very small kitchen, and the baking is done on another level in this fabulous heritage building.

The art that is on the walls is by local artists who also frequent the establishment. When the art is sold, the money goes to the artists to help support them and the local community. There is a violin player and a guitar player who each will come in, sit down and play music. At this point the music on the sound system is turned off so that everyone can enjoy the live performance. Block 1912 is a place of gathering with friends and family, but it is also a place that has become interwoven with the entire community. This may be why when there were riots on Whyte Ave, Block 1912 was the only place that did not get vandalized. Believe me, if I were a rioter, I would not stand for anyone messing with my favorite coffee shop!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Pain and Suffering

2009-10-08T11:28:00.002-06:00

Master Osho said, "Pain is simply pain". I am sure he is not the only one who ever said this. But he is my reference at this point. I happen to agree. I always have agreed. People often belittle their pain by saying things like, "I'm sure this is nothing compared to what others go through." The thing is that there is no way to really compare pain. One person's pain is not more valid than another person's pain. Pain is, in itself, valid. It is a signal to us that there is something that needs to be experienced and healed.

Suffering in our lives is when we actually try to avoid pain. It comes from the concept that there should be no pain in our lives. It is the denial system of the mind that causes this. Quite often we are driven by our minds instead of flow with our hearts. The mind tricks us into thinking that our lives should be a certain way...namely, painless. We really don't need to should upon ourselves. If we embrace pain, we then communicate with our experiences and get through it as we heal.

I remember how painful it was for me to know that a relationship that I had become comfortably trapped in was actually coming to an end. The suffering that I experienced was not the ending of the relationship. It was a result of how I thought the relationship should have been in the first place, then the fear of the unknown of what was to come after the ending of the relationship. It was also wrapped up in the illusion of the pain I saw myself to be causing by ending the relationship. Yet having walked through it, the pain is much less than the fear and suffering was perceiving it to be.

It is also said that how we die is how we have lived. I remember how hard it was to watch my mother die. She did suffer a lot as the cancer spread and ate away at her body. But when I look back on this event, I also realize that she suffered a lot each day. She was not the type of person who would make radical changes in her life. Some of what she experienced was quite painful. But she also chose to try to deny the pain, and I think that in doing so she lost some of the opportunities to learn and grow and to heal the pain. Thus her death had much suffering, just as her life did. I hope that when my time comes to cross to the other side of the Veil, I do so laughing all the way. Yes, anyone who knows me knows that I laugh a lot. I can't help it. I have been fostered into having a sick and twisted sense of humour. I see the humour in most things that others would not see as funny at all. Yet there I am, laughing and totally enjoying the experience of laughing. I think that I have laughed more than I have cried in my life. For this I am grateful. There have been many tears. It is nice to be able to look back and see that the scales have tilted way over to the laughter side of things.

Yes, when we are in the valley and know that we have to ascend the mountain in order to find love within our hearts, it does help to have a friend there with us. We gaze at the mountaintop and wonder if this journey is going to be worth it. A true friend waits patiently beside us and encourages us to take it one step at a time and to know that he or she is right there with us, even though they can't take those steps for us. We have to make the effort. I feel so blessed to have had friends like that in my life. It has made the journey so much easier and thus tremendously decreased the suffering.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Objectifications

2009-10-07T15:56:00.001-06:00

I received an email the other day that said, "Do you know who this person is?". As I scrolled down I found a photo of a beautiful man who was progressively wearing less and less clothing with each frame. At the end of the photos, the statement was...."Who cares?"

Funny, yes. But I couldn't help but wonder if this would have been considered so funny if the image was of a woman? Double standards abound! In Shamanism we are taught that to objectify someone...anyone...this way is to insult them and to diminish them. So I do my best to not do that. I don't know who my brother was that posed for the photos, and that doesn't matter. His motivations are his business. I don't need to participate in the objectification. I would hate to think that something like that would be circulated about my son or daughter, my niece or nephew, my brother or sister. Yet our society behaves in ways that ensure that this sort of thing will continue to go on.

Sad...

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

These Rings

2009-10-02T14:24:00.002-06:00

In nature all things are circular. Night becomes day, day becomes night, night becomes day once again. The Moon waxes and wanes, and then waxes again. There is Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, then Spring returns. These things are all part of the Great Mysteries and are symbolized by the circles that are these rings.

I am a Shaman in love. You may get a wee bit sick of reading about this, but bear with me. I will get over having to talk/write about it all the time. But for now, it is what inspires me. So suck it up, Buttercup, and read on!

The other night my Love and I exchanged rings and vows. No, we are not married. These are commitment rings, not wedding rings, and we are truly committed. It was nice that her cousin got married just a couple of days later and threw a big party for us to be able to celebrate not just his marriage to his lovely bride, but our commitment to each other as well. Nothing like having a party and not having to go to the effort of arranging everything!

The rings are silver, representing the refined spirit, and the stones are Peridot, which represents Compassionate Love, Abundance and Protection. I thought that I would never be able to wear another ring on that finger after removing the last one I had. It felt as though it would hurt too much. But where there is love, there is a comfortability and a resonance that surpasses all former hurt, pain, and wounds. No, I am not wearing this ring every day. After all, sometimes I work in the garden and sometimes when doing energy work jewelry on a hand is just not the thing to have. But I wear it almost all the time. I look down at it and my heart skips a beat and I feel warm all over. I feel happy...truly happy. I am extremely blessed to have found this amazing woman with whom to share my life.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Getting Stoned

2009-10-01T14:44:00.001-06:00

I have had a couple of lifetimes in which I have come to my demise through the process of being stoned to death. This is a very slow, cruel and brutal way to die. It took a few lifetimes for me to learn to obey the rules or, at the very least, not get caught not obeying the rules. I guess that I have always been the type who would push the limits and hopefully encourage others to do so as well. Now, there have been many lifetimes in which I have been killed or died in strange ways, such as getting eaten by sharks or alligators and the like. I have worked out my fear of water that stemmed not from the water itself, but from the big bad creatures that were in the water. It really is all a process. What I have wondered about here and there is why I have not developed, considering the number of times I have been stoned to death, a fear of stones and rocks?

As I was helping a client to begin the process of communication with rocks and crystals, it suddenly dawned on me that it was never about the rocks! They have always been my friends. In fact, the ones that were used to stone me to death were screaming "NO!!!!" as they were flung through the air at me. I knew that it was not their desire to be put to such a horrid use. So my fear never was about them. My fear was about the mobs of people who put them to use in a way that would harm another living being. Is it any wonder I don't really like going to concerts, raves, or shopping malls? Now that I know what is behind my discomfort about these events, I am going to be able to work it out much better. I always thought it was just because hoards of people stunk. Perfumes and body odor sometimes overwhelm my olfactory senses. Now I understand that en mass they can be dangerous, these things called humans! So off I go now to heal that part of past life traumas and I am sure that before you know it I will be up on stage in concert leading throngs of people in rhythm and chant! Well....maybe.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

My Big Fat Indian Wedding

2009-09-30T16:21:00.001-06:00

Have you ever seen the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"? It inspired me this last weekend to call the wedding that my Love and I attended (not ours, don't worry!) "My Big Fat Indian Wedding." I had an absolute blast at this wedding. My Love's cousin was marrying the love of his life and there were people from out of the country who travelled to this event. There were relatives from New Zealand, Chicago and so on, and they all gathered for the auspicious event.

Besides being overwhelmed by trying to remember whose name was what (especially because many of them have the same sounds, just mixed a little differently) what really struck me was the variety of absolutely beautiful outfits. Saris abounded and each one was elegant and amazing in intricacy. This photo is of my Love's gorgeous cousin (yes, one of many) and the sari that she wore to the evening banquet and dance. I have actually impressed myself and my Love by remembering, as we went through the photos, most of the names and definitely the relationships that they are to each other. It is like an intricate weave of tapestry, each person being a thread that is woven in and entwined with the others, thus creating a stronger and more vibrant weave.

Did I mention the food? OMG!!!! The Friday evening before the wedding there was a meet and greet at the home of the bride and groom with Indian food that would pull me back to life from within my grave, just to taste another bite! I love the way the flavours are blended with just the right amount of spice to make it not too hot but just spicy enough to have an oral-gasm! Gotta love the left overs as well. I have also discovered that the Indian culture does deserts! I was not so familiar with any more than one or two deserts. But of course, at a wedding event, all the recipes come out and provide an array of taste sensations!

I am told, however, that in comparison to what most Indian weddings can be, this one was not so much a big fat Indian wedding as it was a small skinny Indian wedding. All I can say is....I am now even more looking forward to the next one so that I can hopefully see what big fat Indian wedding can be! I know there will be food!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com