Ducks Fly Moon

According to the Medicine Wheel teachings, we have, as of September 23rd, entered into the Ducks Fly Moon phase. The medicine of this moon is that of knowing when it is time to pick up and exit stage left. This medicine allows us the ability to pay attention to our inner instincts and migrate to wherever the environment will be more appealing and supportive of our needs.

The Raven is the power animal who adopts all those who are born during the Ducks Fly Moon (Sept. 23-Oct.23). Raven medicine is that of understanding on very deep levels the mysteries of the Void. These mysteries hold deep and powerful magic and intuitive processes. When you encounter a Raven person you will be encountering a person who had deep intuitive insights into you and any situation. When in balance these people can become great "seers" and extremely creative in their communication skills. They make excellent diplomats, writers, and visionaries who strive for justice. When out of balance they can become self-critical and self-destructive.

The Mineral totem for the Ducks Fly Moon is the Jasper, which allows one to be grounded, come from the heart and receive visions. The Plant totem for the Ducks Fly Moon is the Mullein plant, which helps with respiratory disorders (an imbalance from which most born during this moon suffer).

Those born during this moon are included in the Butterfly Clan, which allows one to be aware of various stages of development with a variety of issues all happening at one time. The social butterfly aspect is one that belongs to the butterfly clan and the need to cocoon from aspects of harsh reality helps a butterfly clan person to adjust and adapt and emerge a whole new being.

Blessed Be

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

Strong Sun Moon

I have been remiss in my writings about the moons of the Medicine Wheel. Well, let's pick it up from the moon we are in and hopefully I will be able to write about the others later. We are currently in the Strong Sun Moon (June 21-July 22). The medicine of this moon is that of a bright and sunny disposition and the ability to over see the bigger picture. The Power Animal for this moon is the Flicker. This is a Robin sized bird that feeds on the ground, as the Robin does, but also feeds on the grubs in the tree bark, like a Wood Pecker does. Because of the collar around it's neck, it is often referred to as the "Tuxedo Bird". The shock of red on its cheeks indicate that this one brings to those of this moon the ability to enjoy life to the fullest and the need to be a bit "dolled up" when going out in public. The rust of the underside of the tail feathers show a great amount of creativity that is carried by Flicker people. There is often a pink stripe on the back of the neck, which indicated the great amount of compassion that Flicker people carry within their hearts.

The Flicker will tap (pound) on any surface with its beak. Sometimes they make me think that they simply like the sound that they can make! They definitely have their own rhythm, as do Flicker people. Flicker people will often confound others who don't understand the concept of flowing to the beat of your own drum. Group consciousness does not concern the Flicker person. Instead, they enjoy individuality and the ability to make their own decisions regardless of what others may think.

People born in the Strong Sun Moon have a natural vitamin C deficiency, so the Wild Rose becomes the plant totem for these people because the rose hips are laced with rich vitamin C and can be made into a healing tea. The Carnelian Agate is the mineral totem. This orange member of the agate family often has a deeper orange to red stripe through it. It helps those of this moon to stay on track with their creative flare.

Those born during this moon also belong to the Frog Clan, which is all about the water element. So tears will flow easily and laughter will ripple easily in a balance Flicker person. An imbalanced Flicker person will become guarded and dark in their emotions because they are not allowing them to flow. Walks in the rain, swimming, having a shower, playing with the garden hose and drinking water are all important activities for the Flicker person.

You won't find a more caring, loving person than a Flicker person. But they do tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves, so it is also important to be gentle with them, for their hearts become wounded easily.

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

Frogs Return Moon

As promised, here I am blogging about the moons of the Medicine Wheel once again. We have just entered the Frogs Return Moon (April 20-May 20). This is the moon that carries with it the medicine of total emergence. It is a time when our inner capabilities shine through and pull us out of the rut we have been in over the last few months.

The power animal that adopts those born during this time is the Beaver. This power animal brings with it the medicine of industry. The busy beaver is always actively doing things to feed and shelter the family. Family is the most important thing to beaver people. It is also important that the beaver dam have many entrances and exits. This is a safety issue in nature, but it is also a security issue in a beaver person. The last thing a beaver person wants to feel in a relationship or in a job is "trapped". These are also people who are meticulous in everything they undertake. Just as a beaver will carefully measure the length of the log it is shaping for the dam so that the log is exactly the length from the beaver's nose to its tail, a beaver person will pay infinite attention to the details of what they are doing. These are the types of people you want to hire to build your house or do a renovation or plan a wedding! Those born during the Frogs Return Moon are also members of the Turtle Clan, so they are Earth elementals. This means that things will develop slowly but surely and with thorough attention to details.

The plant totem for those born in this moon is the Blue Camas, which is a wild onion. If one is out in nature and sees an onion growing it is important to know what color the blossom of that onion is, so that you know if it is edible or poisonous. The White Camas is a white blossomed onion that is deadly, thus earning it the nickname "Death Camas". The Blue Camas has the blue blossoms. Here is the confusing thing though...they grow side by side! Aha! Nature's little trickery! Well, find the patch in spring and watch for the blossoms. Tag the blue ones so that you can come back when the blossoms have fallen off (thus the nutrients are in the onion) and pick at that time. When in doubt, leave it in the ground. The Blue Camas is wonderful for feeding the endocrine system and is excellent in soups and stews.

The Chrysocolla is the mineral totem for this moon. It is a cousin of the turquoise and its energy is excellent for feminine reproductive system imbalances and for inter dimensional travel/consciousness. It can help you to attune to the Earth consciousness and communicate with the spiritual forces of the Earth.  It can help heal things such as the pancreas and blood disorders.  It can help to ameliorate disorders of the lungs and bronchial tubes.  It also is a positive energy force for the home, releasing from the environment negative energies and inviting in the positive energies.

So there you have it. Explore and enjoy!

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

The Budding Trees Moon

According to the Medicine Wheel, we have entered the Budding Trees Moon (March 21-April 19). The medicine of this moon is that of potential. Those born during the Budding Trees Moon are optimists who tend to see the full potential in everything and everyone around them. They serve to inspire the best out of everyone they meet, not by lecturing but by being and example. They are the ones you want on your side when you are forging ahead with a difficult task or a new venture. They see the potential in the endeavor and are willing to say so when you doubt yourself.

Those born during the Budding Trees Moon are adopted by the spirit of the Red Tailed Hawk. This one brings forth messages from Great Spirit and brings the ability to see ahead of where one is now to where one is headed. Sometimes those who are around this type of person will find the person to be a "know it all", but that is only when they are out of balance in their energies. When well-grounded the Red Tailed Hawk individual will be knowledgeable but not arrogant about it.

The plant totem for those born in this moon is the Dandelion. Those born during this time of year are more likely to have slight to large dysfunctions in the liver, and Dandelion Root Tea is what will feed that liver the nutrients it needs. It will also help the liver to detoxify and should be consumed as a weak tea as opposed to a strong tea. That way it does not shock the liver as it does its work.

The mineral totem for those born during the Budding Trees Moon is the Fire Opal. This mineral helps the energy field to remain steady. It helps to reignite the flame of one's existence so that a second wind is felt when one is feeling exhausted.

The Clan that Red Hawk people belong to is the Thunder Bird Clan. This is a clan of seers who are able to tell what is coming down the pike way before anyone else is even remotely aware of it. The first challenge is to not over react to what one sees for risk of being called "crazy" just because no one else sees it. The second challenge is to not say "I told you so" in a way that makes others feel stupid for not being aware enough. Thunder Bird Clan people are of the Fire Element, which is spontaneous and all consuming. There are many forms of fire in our world: The fire of the Sun, which warms our planet and makes life upon it possible; the fire of the Lightning, which energizes the earth's body; the fire of the Volcano, which creates the Stone People; the fire at the Core of the Earth, which keeps the earth's heart beat going; the fire of the Hearth, which warms our bodies and our food; and the fire Within, which keeps us eternally connected to the Creative Source.

With this moon, we have now gone 1/4 of the way around the Medicine Wheel. Only 3/4 of the way to go!

Blessed Be

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

The Big Winds Moon

Well, if anyone has looked outside or stepped outside in our area of the world, they will understand what is meant by the Big Winds Moon! The blizzard that it is blowing in is nasty to the point where I turned around on the highway this morning and came back home. Zero visibility is simply too crazy to risk driving in. So what is the purpose of the Big Winds anyway?

Well, the winds at this time of year actually serve the purpose of moving the trees around. That movement of the trees helps to gently work the roots in the ground so that the frozen ground gets shifted around the roots. This loosens everything up so that the soil is soft in the spring and when the melting happens, the nutrients are able to get to the tree roots faster. Cool, huh? It is all about preparation. That is the actual medicine of the Big Winds Moon. People born during this moon (Feb 19-March 20) tend to, when in balance, be some of the most well-prepared people in any given situation. They are the boy scouts and girl scouts of the Medicine Wheel.

Part of that preparation aspect of their personalities has to do with the fact that the Cougar is the power animal that adopts individuals born during this time. The Cougar is the power animal that brings the medicine of great Leadership. A Cougar person will not randomly do things just for the fun of it...not when they are responsible for so many others in their lives. After all, being a good leader has more to do with what is good for all the people, not just the individual agendas of small groups of people.  Like the cougar will approach a ravine, assess it, backtrack another 20 paces and sit there and contemplate jumping across the ravine, the cougar person will also prepare for such things with as much diligence. Once prepared, the cougar will take a running leap, fly through the air, tail perfectly balancing its body for the mid-air journey, and then land perfectly on the other side. Once it knows that it can do this, then any other time it comes towards the same ravine it will know ahead what it did last time and simply keep running and jump...perfectly. Once the jump has become mastered, the Cougar person will also allow that to lead into quantum leaping through life.

Cougar people tend to be the types who are very independent and don't care very much about the minor needs of the individuals around them. They are more concerned with what will actually help the masses. Instead of fishing to feed everyone, the Cougar person will teach everyone how to fish for themselves. The Cougar person has no tolerance for the helpless or the pathetic. A Cougar person does not ever waste his or her time with those who cling onto the apron strings. In fact, a Cougar person is more likely to slice and dice anyone they meet who is a sniveller or a whiner. Thus the Cougar person tends to be an excellent parent who teaches the young to think for themselves and to be independent contributors to society.

When out of balance a Cougar person will take great joy in being cruel with actions and with words. They will want to be dominant at all costs and will toy with people's emotions. They will cull the weak out of the herd and eat them up.

The Plant Totem for this moon is the Plantain, which helps to nourish the body through the endocrine system. The Mineral Totem is the Turquoise, which helps the individual to express themselves and what they spiritually see as relevant with eloquence. It also helps to connect the individual to the Spirit of everything around us.

People who are Cougar People are part of the Frog Clan, which has to do with the deep water/soul level of reality. They are able to communicate in "deep talk" quickly and to have visionary insights. Frog Clan people were the first to discover the art of Scrying through the surface of the water and thus gleaning visions of what is, was and will be!

Blessed Be

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

Butterflies and Angels

This photo was submitted by the photographer's grandmother, a dear friend of mine. When I look at it I am awestruck at the ingenuity of the photographer. She truly is gifted. It also makes me think about such things as angels and butterflies.

I heard a legend once, in an oral tradition, that the butterflies that inhabit our world are angels in disguise. They didn't want to be tricked by Coyote like Dragonfly had been tricked. So they took on a form that would be forever changing so that they would always be able to break through any illusion that was mustered up, even if the illusion was created by themselves. That way they would always be available to help guide and protect mankind.

I don't know if this legend was just a way of blending traditional lore with Christian lore or what. But it struck me that there really is more in this world, right there in front of us all the time, than we are even remotely aware of. Next time you think about catching a butterfly in a net, think about the quest it might be on and how failing to show up might just endanger someone you know, or someone you don't know. Set it free as it was always meant to be. Take a picture of it and let it go. That way it can be on its way and complete its task. This comes from someone who belongs to the Butterfly Clan around the Medicine Wheel, so take heed!

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

The 4 Rivers

It is so important to be able to go with the flow of things. That includes when the ride is a little bumpy and rocky. Those are the time, however, when we can both experience the adrenaline rush of the ride and be able to stop and enjoy the beauty of the ride. We so often worry about whether or not we have what it takes to make it safely to the "end", but we need to also remember that it is the ride itself that enriches our lives. I always utilize the "otter" method. What is the "otter" method? It is very simple. We otter have some fun, so let's get on that water slide and go!

The 4 River teachings of the Medicine Wheel teach us about the different aspects of life that we experience, all at once. There is a River of Love, a River of Surprise, a River of Inspiration, and a River of Challenge. How we navigate these rivers determines for us how we are able to grow through life. I have a 4 Rivers workshop that I will be fascillitating on the 7th of March. There are so many teachings with this workshop that it is one of those that people walk away from saying, "Wow! I can't believe you put so much information into such a short space of time!" This is okay with me. I always like to deliver my best. In the meantime, just remember everyone to "Row, row, row the boat...".

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Helping Hands, Healing Hands

I always find it amazing how well things go when we lend a hand. Helping others and performing acts of kindness warms my heart. But I also find it sad how many people lack physical human contact. The healing touch that is transmitted through the hands is amazing. I am not sure when we, as a race or culture, got so hung up about touching each other, but we really did ourselves and everyone around us a disservice.

The healing energy that transfers from one to another through touch is free! It is not something that we always have to pay someone to do for us. All we have to do is volunteer. And we don't even have to touch anyone anywhere that they or we would not be comfortable with. Simply touching a hand does so much for the endorphins in the body that it is like taking a happy pill. Then with the energy of intent combined, we can move energy to anywhere throughout the body.

The Medicine Wheel teachings tell us that the body is the temple. It is the place where we learn to properly hold. By "holding" I mean that we learn how to hold our temple in the highest regard, keeping it well so that it, in turn can hold our soul energies intact for this earth walk. It is also important for us to recognize, however, how important it is for everyone to be held, from the time of birth to the time of death (no matter how long a period of time in between those two events).

This is something that hospitals are finally catching on to. Even in ICU there is space provided to touch the person who is unwell. In Neonatal ICU people are encouraged to touch and, sometimes, to hold the infants who are at risk.

So when my Love tells me how incredible it is when I touch her as I caress her back, I take it as an ultimate compliment and know that, no matter what, this is something that I will always do for her. Loving touch does not always have to be a sexual thing. It always is, however, sensual in that it stimulates the body's senses to receive the healing that is involved.

From here on in, I invite anyone who reads this to reconsider their views on touch and look at it as a form of healing in and of itself. Go ahead....reach out and touch someone! ;-)

Blessed Be

Trent

www.deerhornshamanic.com

The Sacred Circle

This is the medicine wheel circle that was set up for the Yule ceremony in December. The white lace table cloth represented the crispy white snow, the rose pattern on it representing the Divine Mother. There are eight stones around the centre which represent the 8 celebrations around the wheel of the year and the infinite number 8. The 4 candles represent the 4 winds, or cardinal directions, and the Spirit Keepers of those winds. The willow (the ability to flow with whichever way the wind blows us) star represents the sacred pentagram, and within the circle of the table (the circle again representing eternity) it becomes a pentacle, or the Druid's Foot. The Druid's Foot has teachings within it as to how to properly conduct magic in an ethical way. Each point of the star has a teaching.

The first teaching is to "know" that magic exists and that we can indeed harness that energy and conduct it. The second teaching is to "will" what we desire to manifest and to know that, as co-creators of our reality, we have the ability to create whatever we desire for ourselves. The third teaching is to "dare" to do the manifestation, because once it is done, there is no going back and this requires us to be very conscious of what we magically invite in and what we do not. The fourth teaching is to be "silent" about that which we have magically invited. Too often people blab about the magic and how "cool" it was and the next thing you know it is halted because of someone else's fear getting in the way. The fifth teaching is to "go", meaning to take the necessary steps to conduct the ceremony, to appropriately invite the partnership with Spirit to help, heal and protect us, to communicate gratitude to Spirit for what we enjoy in our lives, and to ask for assistance in the manifestation.

When all of this is done the cauldron, with the offerings inside, is ignited and the flames take our intent and our desires to the ears of Spirit, who then responds to our wishes and needs. The cauldron is the womb of the Great Mother, the offerings the seeds of the Great Father, and when united and ignited, the manifestation is the Divine Passion.

Blessed Be

Trent

www.deerhornshamanic.com

Four Bones

There is a Sotho Proverb that goes, “The body may be broken, as a cairn of stone is scattered; but the spirit is there all the time.”

The ancients used to use the bones of animals and people, long after they had died, to divine the future. They would scatter them and read the pattern. If a person was initiated properly and knew how to “listen” to the bones, the spirits of the animals or people (ancestors) would speak to them of the things to come, but also of the things of the distant past. Thus all that is known in the past, present and future would be revealed.

Some would also use sticks from the “standing people”; the trees and shrubs, whose medicine would be carried through their “bones” and instruct and guide the seer. Others would use stones, the “bones” of the earth. Some stones would have markings on them, much like the runes. The markings on stones crossed over as well to markings placed on sticks and bones. Each marking would be a sacred symbol of a particular energy, or spirit. Sometimes they would indicate a particular God or Goddess; sometimes they would symbolize a way of being, or a consciousness. As one would read the symbols on the sticks, bones or stones, the messages of spirit, the guidance of the ancestors, the love of Deity would be expressed.

But in order to be able to listen to the bones, one would have to become a Hollow Bone. Medicine Wheel teachings tell us that there are four major bones to the human condition, and these bones are not necessarily the kind that you will find on an X-ray. There is the Wish Bone; the bone that helps us to understand that we are co-creators with Spirit, and that, through our intent, we can create any reality we desire. The second is the Funny Bone. This bone is not located on the tip of the elbow. This is the bone that helps us to keep the humor going. The word “humor” comes from the core word “humus”, which means “of the earth”. Humor keeps us grounded and connected to Spirit and to others around us. The Third is the Strong Bone. This is often thought of as the spine, as the spine holds us up and conducts messages between the brain and the body. But it is also the metaphoric spine. When we grow that metaphoric spine we grow courage and strength to stand up to injustice and to champion ourselves and others around us who might need to be championed until such time as they can champion themselves. And then there is the Hollow Bone. This bone is a state of consciousness whereby we become clear conduits through which Spirits healing energies can flow. We are able to connect with the essence of who we truly are and help others to do the same. As we become clear, clean, pure hollow bones, we are able to channel Spirit, through energy, through divination, through our loving hearts, thus rippling forth positive change on a deep soul level.

The four bones are the most important learning that we can undertake in a lifetime. Without them we only accumulate karma that holds us back. But with the four bones working together, we are able to stay on our sacred path and not get lost on our earth walk this time around.

Blessed Be
Trent

Medicine Wheel and the Body

The last few days, as you can tell from my lack of blog entries, I have been very ill. My body basically laid itself down and said to the rest of me, "Enough". So now that I am on the other side of this event, I have found a lot of things have shifted for me. During my illness I released a LOT of fears. You name it. I dug into the deep dark shadowy corners of my psyche, cleared away the cobwebs and the flakes of debris, and found myself some strength and courage to make the next number of required steps on my path.

In shamanism we don't look at illness as a set of symptoms. We look at it in a more holistic fashion. We see the subtle and complex interrelatedness of all things within us and around us. Sometimes people who hear I have been ill (doesn't happen that often, but when it does, look out!) say stuff like, "What? But you're a shaman! Shamans don't get sick!" I shake my head at this sort of ignorance. Do they say that about lawyers, doctors, carpenters or mechanics? Basically the only difference is in how we treat the illness. We don't tend to medicate unless absolutely necessary and we look for more natural cures and seek more down to earth causations. That way we go about the healing in a very respectful and thorough way.

I am actually quite glad that I have walked through this one. It has made me more clear on my priorities and helped me to infuse myself with an abundance of self-respect. We all have little programs that disrespect ourselves from within. Those cobwebs are now done. Yea!!

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

River of Challenge

One of the other Rivers on the Medicine Wheel is the River of Challenge. On this river we are forced to take a good hard look at what it is we believe in and what we are willing to do in order to personally grow. This can be tough decision making. We are so used to the Ostrich approach or the Deer caught in the headlights approach, that rarely do we take the Mountain Lion approach, which is to leap and know that you will either find a safe and secure place to land or you will learn to fly.

The River of Challenge forces us to go within and face our personal fears, anxieties and powers. I am always amazed at how often people will be more afraid of their own power than they are of their fears and anxieties. I think that says a lot about how our society systematically disempowers us and then praises us for being sheep instead of lone wolves. As we meet the challenges in our lives, it would be nice if we could actively do so from a place of personal empowerment instead of one of personal weakness. No wonder people struggle with this river. It challenges us to grow a spine! It forces us to reach into the depths of our souls and find the courage that we never knew existed.

But once we do, what we find is a lot of resources for dealing with change, the unknown and helping others to cope with all of that. We discover that we can ride the rapids and we can yell "Weeeeee!" at the top of our lungs with a great sense of adventure instead of freezing up and closing our hearts down for fear of that "Weeee!" being heard. With the "adventure wiring" in working order, we are then able to truly enjoy the ride and celebrate every single milestone in our lives, unashamed and completely from a place of personal authenticity. We are able to live and to breathe and to know that all is as it should be. So rock on with that River! After all, it really serves no one for us to pretend that we have no power, least of all ourselves.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

Clarity & Illumination

Today is my birthday. There, everyone now knows that. I am now 45 years old. There, now everyone knows that too. Over the last 45 years I have had moments of great confusion in my life. Not just the kind of confusion where you can't decide "do I choose an apple or an orange?" but real confusion, like do I go to the left or to the right? And whichever one I choose, I know that this means something in my choice will then give me limitations (not having chosen the other path) and something in my choice will bring me great joy and liberty that the other path cannot provide.

These types of decisions are key moments in our lives. And although we can never go back and choose something different, sometimes we can adapt what we've chosen in order to encompass something more than what it originally meant for us. This is the path of Spirit on the Medicine Wheel. The path of Spirit is the path of fire, change, discernment and determination. My mother used to say that there is fog, and then there is FOG. And you have to treat both in the same manner. The fog is a mist that comes in and will hinder your way of viewing the world around you. You can either move forward through the fog and risk stepping off a cliff, or you can find your spot and sit and wait it out until the fog clears and the sun illuminates your terrain. Then you will know which way to go.

The FOG is the kind of confusion that we experience mentally and emotionally in our lives. We lose trust in ourselves and our own decision making capabilities. We walk through our lives unable to be clear as to who we are and what we want out of life. Sometimes this leads us to moments of crisis where we are forced to make a decision, or forced to accept the results of having not made a decision. If we were to allow ourselves to mentally and emotionally "check in" with ourselves on a regular basis, these types of things would be much less likely to happen.

So I have made it a practice on a daily (or at least semi-daily) basis to sit and meditate and receive clarity and illumination on my life. Sometimes it takes a bit of time and a few days running to actually know which path I need to choose. But that clarity does eventually come along, and while I am waiting for the FOG to clear, I am able to focus on my breath and on the feeling of peace and serenity that can flow through me with my breath. That can't be anything but good. I would highly recommend this for everyone.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com