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SPIRIT
LODGE
LIBRARY
Tools
& Crafts
Page
21
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(Main
Links of the site are right at the bottom of the page)
The links for the 22 pages in this Tools & Crafts section
are below.
Tools
By CinnamonMoon
Spiritual paths (whatever form they
take) are laced with the use of tools to aid us in our work.
Many question whether they should make them or purchase them
or if they should be accepted as gifts from others. It really
doesn't matter.
Tools that are handmade by you take
on your essence in that process. You are focused in their construction
on the use that particular tool will function by, you put your
touch to it as you fashion it, and that seeds it with the energy
you contain creating a bond. Some feel this is the only way
to acquire them. I personally disagree. Not everyone has such
talent, some prefer better quality in their tools than they
are capable of achieving on their own, and there are numerous
other reasons, some as simple as not having the time to devote
to this kind of work.
Tools fashioned by others and purchased
are just as effective. If something catches your eye, and speaks
to you there is no reason you shouldn't acquire it if it's within
your means to do so. If you do purchase a tool you are going
to want to imprint it with your energy, often accomplished by
a purification ritual and then placing it near you for a period
of 7-30 days so it absorbs your energy. There are other rituals
that are added to the process and I'll get to them in a minute.
Tools that come to us through Spirit's
grace, gifts through nature, are meant to be accepted and embraced.
We need to give thanks for the gift and the blessings it brings
and we need to attune to it to know it's powers. Some tools
that have been passed down through generations, or from Teacher
to Student come to us as gifts too. In that case we are to again
give thanks, take the time to know how to use it, and honor
it.
Sometimes tools fall into our hands
through circumstance, we are their Keepers. Their function does
not serve our work, and we are to protect them for someone else
until the time comes to pass them on. You will *know* when that
time has arrived.
All tools are sacred. They should
not be handled by others without your permission and you should
never assume it is okay to pick up the tools of someone else.
For one thing, the tool itself has its own energy and you may
not like the reaction you have to it. Touching it connects your
energy to its energy and can be disruptive to you and to the
tool. Always ask for permission and do not be insulted or take
it personally if it is not granted. Many practitioners let no
one touch them. Respect their wishes. Respect your tools as
sacred and keep them out of reach from curious hands.
Once a tool is fashioned, there are
certain rituals (these vary according to the path or tradition
you follow) to consecrate them, giving them sacred blessing
and bringing their energy to life. In most cases, this will
involve presenting the tool to Spirit, and passing it through
the four elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth in ceremonious
fashion. Many like to expose them to the elements over a period
of 30 days (a full Moon Cycle) before using them.
Prior to any consecration ceremony
or process, the tool is "Loaded". Loading your tool
is a ritual way of adding your essence to it. This Loading generally
consists of adding your body's essence through
a blood deposit. For instance, if you are making a Prayer Staff,
working Staff, or a Wand, perhaps even a wooden knife hilt,
you would prick your finger (cactus thorns work great and are
less painful than needles), letting three drops of blood fall
to a piece of 100% cotton (cotton balls are great for this).
A small hole drilled into the tool (usually the end you hold
it by) is then filled with the cotton plug and sealed with white
candle wax (beeswax if you have that available). You want to
use natural substances. Once Loaded the tool is then decorated.
Decorating your tool consists of
inscriptions. You may want to use ancient script, Runic symbols,
or other symbolic representations that are akin to the work
or ownership of the tool itself. This can be done by painting
them on, using a wood burner, or carving them into the wood.
Knife blades are often etched in this way. Other decorations
can include adding beads or adornments such as fetishes, stones,
and feathers. These adornments should also hold symbolic meaning
and contribute to the work of the tool in some way or at bare
minimum, enhance the tool with your personal totemic essences.
There are times, in the Dream Lodge,
during Journeywork, or in a Vision that we are shown specific
tools. These tools will either come to us in some way or they
are to be fashioned by hand. In either case it often takes time
to acquire the tool but with it you are also instructed on when
and how to use it. Pay attention to these things. They are important
factors to your pathwork and will guide you along the way to
make the acquisition.
I do want to take the time here
to note an important warning. When someone wants to gift you
with a tool, the only time it should be accepted is if you know
the person well, and are comfortable with the gift. If a stranger
wants to gift you, there could be deception involved and you
need to ask Spirit if it is right for you to receive it or not.
Do not hesitate to excuse yourself long enough to ask that question
and receive your answer. It is very important you are certain
it is right for you.
Having shared this much, I am more
than willing to discuss construction of tools with you. If you
are interested, please post your questions and I will address
the specific tools brought to this thread. When it comes to
constructing tools, I'd like to stay on topic so with those
posts, please title them with the name of the tool itself and
that way we'll have easy access for others who may be looking
for the information too. Thank you for that courtesy.
Wildlite:
Hi Cinnamon,
I was wondering about the singing bowl, and for what purposes
it was used for in Shamanic Healing. I think it is one of the
most beautiful sounding things I've heard. I have found somewhere
which sells them, but the person behind the counter unfortunately
couldn't tell me much about it. I had a Shamanic healing once
before where it was used at various parts of the body...do you
know any more about this? Thank you.
CinnamonMoon:
I’m not familiar with
this practice enough to address it so I spoke with Raven (my
blood-sister) by phone and she has not heard of this either.
However, a very seasoned Healer is coming to town
this weekend and she will be working with her and ask about
the Singing Bowl. She also said that she would check her own
resources to see if she could learn anything.
What comes to mind for me is that
Water is (in the Cherokee tradition) First Medicine...it purifies.
So the Bowl of Water would be placed by the inflicted area to
be healed, a song sung into it...a Medicine Healing Song...and
the purification of the infliction would hence take place. A
baton of sorts is worked around the rim of certain bowls creating
a tone that is healing too but that’s about all I can tell
you about the practice. I’ve never looked into it really.
I'll see what she shares with me on this but that's what would
make sense to me from the teachings I've had and putting the
pieces together on that basis. I'm hoping to be back with more
for you to work from though.
Wildlite:
Thanks
Cinnamon! I look forward to hearing more! The tool she uses
is a metal bowl with a round wooden baton type thingy (I think
that is the correct technical term ). The bowl is placed in
one hand, and the other hand, using the baton in contact with
the bowl, circles the outside lip. The contact of the wood on
the bowl as it moves around builds up a vibration and the bowl
literally begins to sing. The sound is incredible...very metallic
and changes pitch as it circles the dimpled metal bowl. I would
gather that it’s the use of its sonic vibration that creates
the use of the tool and as you mentioned when used in certain
places it does...certain things (sorry to be simple)...but...out
of interest, she also does use a bowl of scented water and sings
into with a powerful and piercing shrill...quite amazing. When
I go back to Australia in November for a couple of weeks I would
like to go and see her so I'll try to find out more.
CinnamonMoon:
Simple is always the truth
of the matter. Never apologize for truth. In what you've shared
it is the creating of a sound vibration that will penetrate
the body for healing at a cellular level. I don't know this
particular technique and it may be unique to the Aboriginal
teachings. Perhaps when Lune swings by she'd know about this
too. She's a Singer herself, though her Songs are to the Land,
she may be aware of this method. Yes, if you gather more insight
please share. It's always interesting to learn new things like
this. Thank you!
Mouse:
Wildlite,
singing bowls are very popular in healing. Their frequency assists
in shattering blockages in the chakras or energy centers. There
are different varieties, such as the copper bowls in the Tibetan
healing culture (Tibetan singing bowls), and the Crystal singing
bowls that have started to become more popular over the last
3 years.
For
those who are interested in a link to a piece of meditation
music with crystal singing bowls: crystalmusic.com
In the
table there, it says "click and listen". Do that,
sit back and enjoy (don't be too generous with volume of speakers
to start off with... adapt it to your comfort level once it's
playing). Don't forget to relax. An interesting aspect of this
particular piece of music for me is that I can feel the different
bowls on different parts of my body, corresponding with the
chakra areas. It can be overwhelming if you're not expecting
it, so hence the warning.
There's
quite a lot of info via google if you search for "singing
bowls", "crystal healing bowls", that kind of
thing. The frequency of this kind of sound is quite the experience.
The first time I heard a crystal bowl (it was one made for the
first chakra, but I didn't know that at the time), I burst out
in tears, felt something shatter around my uterus, and had to
pee and cry non-stop for days. But BOY WAS IT BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
CinnamonMoon:
It's very beautiful and
I thank you for sharing this Mouse. I could feel tingling in
my feet and hands and the whole body relaxed and "rode"
the music. It's so nice!
Wildlite:
Oh mouse
you sweetie! perfect! exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you!
Isn't it one of the most beautiful sounds you've heard? I've
found a great place that sells them and I think it has been
calling me...so I'm saving every penny (they aren't cheap!)
Will research more now, thank you.
Unregistered Guest:
Oh
that was soooooo amazing, thanks for sharing the link, Mouse.
Very relaxing, very soothing. I felt the energy flowing through
me, and very strangely, a tingling in the back of my throat.
Lune:
I
know them as Tibetan singing bowls. I haven't heard of crystal
singing bowls, but you can get a crystal wineglass to sing so
hey! I was taught the Tibetan singing bowls are made of a number
of different kinds of metals, all layered into one bowl. Hmmm,
sounds great. I LOVE the sound of them. The first time I got
to play one I just couldn't get enough of them.
And I will
never forget a very strange incident in Brisbane. I was staying
in a backpackers, and was so tired and gone to bed quite early,
so the dorm was empty but for me. I was woken by this singing
that I recognized as a Tibetan singing bowl. It was so surreal.
A backpackers is not quite the place you would expect one. The
next day I don't know how it came up, but one of the people
staying, I realized they had this bowl so I told them I had
heard it last night. He was quite embarrassed because he had
found what he thought was a quiet place where he wasn't disturbing
people to play it. But it was so nice coming to gradual consciousness
to it.
Wildlite,
where are you going to be in Australia? They are not that expensive
here where I live.
The singing
into a bowl of scented water... Sound is the most amazing tool
for healing. I sing quite a bit to heal, or straighten out energy.
It just takes things straight to spirit. I am waiting for a
friend of mine to get Internet access. She is the most gorgeous
singer you have ever heard, and she uses singing all the time
in her healings. It is spine-tingling.
If you
want to experiment yourself, take a focus, like say singing
the chakras clear or whatever, then sing straight from your
heart both figuratively in that you let whatever sound come
to you come, and literally let the sound/energy from your heart
chakra rather than think of it as coming from your throat. Then
you won't get a sore throat!
Wildlite:
I was
in awe the first time I ever heard the singing bowl, I think
it is one of the most beautiful sounding things that man has
made! In Australia, I'm going back home to Perth for a month
and yes that's a good idea about getting one there as it will
be so much cheaper! I'm not sure where I could find one in Perth...any
ideas? I'm sure at some stage I will stumble on to one by "co-incidence".
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Libraries
are on this row
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INDEX
Page 3
(Main Section, Medicine Wheel, Native Languages &
Nations, Symbology)
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INDEX
Page 5
(Sacred Feminine & Masculine, Stones & Minerals)
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©
Copyright: Cinnamon Moon & River WildFire Moon (Founders.)
2000-date
All rights reserved.
Site
constructed by Dragonfly
Dezignz 1998-date
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