Freeze Up Moon

The Freeze Up Moon (October 24-November21) is the moon that brings us the ability to go deep within and to discover the mysteries that lay in wait for us. As it waits, we ripen to the point where we are ready and able to take the journey within. The Snake is the power animal for all those born during this moon. It brings the medicine of shedding the old and birthing the new in life. But as the Snake sheds its skin to birth the new, every nerve end is RAW. So it tries to find a crevice into which to crawl in order to let its skin toughen up a bit before coming back into the world, anew. The Snake is the animal of the Earth Goddess. It is able to crawl deep into her womb and discover the deep, dark mysteries She has for us. Snake people often have a 6th sense about them that helps them to understand life from a much deeper perspective than others do. They are also ultra sensitive and can be offended easily if they are in an out of balance state of being.

The Blessed Thistle is the totem plant for Snake People. It cures a LOT of things, from the common cold to some forms of cancer. It all lies in the application thereof, I am told. Copper and Malachite are the mineral totems. They grow side by side in the earth and serve on a number of levels. Copper helps to ease arthritic aches and pains, as many of those are apparently the result of lack of copper in the system. And malachite helps to bridge the gap between the waking state and the dream time state. So it helps for all sorts of sleep deprivation issues, bringing balance back into the system. Having it beside the bed or under the pillow allows its energy to flow to you when and where it is needed most. Malachite can only be made into an Elixir in its POLISHED form, as the raw malachite will emit toxins into the system.

I look at the Freeze Up Moon as a time of doing the work that is needed in order to let go of all the old "stuff" that has been holding me back, thus freeing me up to embracing the new opportunities in my life.

Blessed Be

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

Totally Not Willard

Have I ever mentioned that I have this thing with rats? Some people find them to be the most adorable, cute and cuddly little creatures. I do not. It stems from being attacked by one in my sleep when I was a kid. As my father came barging into my room to see why the heck I was screaming my head off, it finally jumped off my back, which it had been biting, and raced out the door between his feet. The next day we got rat traps and rat poison.

Now, even just seeing the little critters on TV makes me squeamish. I know that I got myself over my fear of snakes by purchasing a ceramic cobra, whom I named "Oliver Twist" and setting him at the foot of my bed so that every night and every morning that was what I saw. I also figured it would be a good fake out for any rats. I am now able to hold and handle a python with no fear whatsoever. But put me in the same room with a rat, caged or otherwise, and I am on the ceiling screaming like a baby. The child of a friend had one for a pet. I looked at it in the cage. 15 seconds was all I could do. Then I was out of the room and planning on how soon I could round up the family and get out. They no longer have the rat. Seems it needed a new home. That is okay by me. I now can visit again. This fear has also transferred to mice. Although I can kill a mouse if I have to, I break a cold sweat doing so. My heart pounds out of my chest and I feel weak in the knees. Still, it is at least not as big as a rat. Besides, this is why I have a cat in my house. She is an excellent assassin of rodents. I know we are supposed to be at one with all creatures. But really, when there is a hostile invasion happening in my home, that's it, they've gotta go!

Rat Medicine is supposed to be that of resourcefulness and cunning, wisdom and knowledge, all the stuff that a basic martial artist would love to posses. Well, that is good, and I do have that medicine within me, especially since the infusion of it into my body by the teeth of the rat, but as to being at one with the animal itself, I think I will have to work on that a bit longer.

When I talk about this with people they are rather surprised that I would have a fear like that, being a shaman and all. I am here to tell you that being a shaman means that you work on your fears. It does not mean that you have no fears. We are human, just like everybody else, and we have our stuff to work on. Yes, I could fool myself and others into thinking that I have no fear. But that would eventually catch up with me because life does that. Most people find it relieving that someone like me also has a fear/phobia. It makes them feel less screwed up. Well, I say "Good on you for finding out that you are not the only one who has issues! Welcome to the human race! Now let's work on those issues so they don't haunt you." I am sure that the makers of that Willard movie had folks like me in mind. And if you have ever seen The Bone Collector, well, let's just say that you will know exactly which scene made me squirm. Willard I am not.

All the Power of the Rodent World to ya!

Blessed Be

Trent