Quiet

"All things that have flowered return to their root. This returning to the root has a name: Quiet." Lao-tzu.

Have you ever noticed the relaxed, quiet afterglow that follows making love? All the senses have been stimulated, the endorphins are now rushing through the brain, and the deep sense of satisfaction hums through the aura. This is a "returning to the root". The same is experienced after spirit dance. Everything has built up to a climax and afterward there is a calm within and a connection with Spirit that glows all around us. We also get this effect from drumming circles and meditation. These things nourish our bodies and our souls. On the Wheel of Life, returning to the root would be the point of crossing over to the other side of the Veil of Existence until we reincarnate. This is also the experience that is promoted during the "shaman's death", which is the death of an old way of being and the birth of a new way of being that is actually primordially older than the way that we have just sluffed off. It is a return to the shamanic roots that exist in every culture and every race around the world. It is a connection with Nature and with the Divine, internally and externally.

Some have roots that grow deeper than others. This is not about "my people have been here longer than your people" and it is not about "Our ways are older and better than your ways." This is about working on returning to the root daily. Our personal backgrounds have little to do with our personal potentials. No matter what has forced us to bloom, we each have the capacity to deepen our connections.

Blessed Be

Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

What Lies Beneath

I think that was the title of some movie a few years ago. I think it might have been one with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfiefer. But I am not sure about that, as I never did see the movie. When I took this picture, I was intrigued by the steaming fountain. It reminded me of a foggy bog that I used to hang out at when I was a kid. There used to be all kinds of salamanders and frogs and snakes and such. It was pretty cool. I did my best to keep away from the snakes as they used to freak me out. It would be even more fun to visit the bog now that I don't have that fear. When I took the photo, the words, "What Lies Beneath" ran through my mind with the subtlety of a marching band tuba. Actually, the words were not even in my own voice in my head, but in the deep, resonant voice in which Spirit often speaks to me. I knew when I heard it that it was a message, so I have taken a lot of time since photographing the fountain to think about what lies beneath all things that we see around us. I have come to some personal conclusions that I would like to share with you.

When we die, we cannot take with us our bodies because our physical temples are no longer useful where we are going. We also cannot take with us any possessions, because they are just as useful as Monopoly Money is at the bank. Nor can we take our friends, because it is not their time to make that journey. The only thing that we take with us is our essence. That would be the Spirit, with all soul parts intact. It is the Spirit that is beneath all things in the Universe. It is the Spirit that is filling the space between all neutrons and electrons. It is the Spirit that gives life to all things, animate and inanimate. For me, the fountain represents the journey of life itself. The centre of the fountain is the One, the Great Spirit, the Divine. The steam is the essence of each of us, and the pebbles are the soul energies that are individual yet all connected through the Grace of Spirit. I see the leaves of the plant around the fountain to represent all those beings who watch over us as we take each step on our earth walk now. The bowl of the fountain seems to me to be akin to the warm embrace of the Earth Mother, who assists us by giving birth to us as well as supporting us all through our lives.

The photograph makes me feel at peace. It helps to remind me of the stillness within. Deepak Chopra said, "In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you." I like to access the stillness with simple things like the photograph, a sip of water or my breath. What lies beneath the surface of my body and my mind is a Spirit that is unshakable. It is a compassionate Spirit that inspires those around me, as well as my own self. It is a wise Spirit that helps, heals, guides and protects me. It is a Spirit that is my best friend and with whom I will forever be found, hand in hand, walking this great adventure we call "life".

Blessed Be

Trent

www.deerhornshamanic.com