Rattling the Bones

I’ve been working on this particular blog entry for a little over two weeks. I’ve been exploring the topic of “hypnagogia” for a very long time; but recently DEB informed me that it was the “in thing these days” and that people were using this “dream technique” to practice shape shifting. For starters hypnagogia isn’t so much as a dream technique as it is a step in the process of dreaming. As for being helpful in shape shifting – I find the idea fascinating; but I remain somewhat skeptical towards the hopeful, expected end results. Have you ever heard of hypnagogia? It refers to the moment just before you fall asleep. If you pay attention you’ll notice that just as you are about to fall asleep the mind randomly feeds us with a series of images, colors and sounds. I’ve even notice different flavors as well. Basically it refers to when the mind is shutting down; getting ready for sleep; and literally empties itself of all kinds of impressions. I’ve practiced hypnagogia for over...

This blog entry is in response to a question from Jihad. Several years ago we gave a conference at Concordia University. We were invited to speak about the Medicine Wheel and how shifting perspective can help in self-discovery and healing. At the end of the lecture one of the students approached us and asked if either GP or I could teach him how to fall into a trance. When we asked him why it was so important to him he answered: “Because I lost someone who was dear to me and I believe that it’s possible to get in touch with her through trance work.” I remember staring at him for a moment searching to see if he really believed in what he was saying. And he did! Trance work is like walking between worlds. You are neither sleeping or awake, but you are still somehow experiencing some kind of reality. Many First Nation traditionalists or Medicine People understand trance work as a particular type of dreaming. The first time I found myself in a trance was when I was 9 years old. I ...

I got this message from Michelle today and asked if I could paste it on my blog page. I think that many of you will appreciate her story. It's a great example of circular thinking. There are so many different ways to apply the CIRCLE in our lives. I love the way Michelle found the circle in her life story. ****** Hi Lisa; I am not sure if I am getting the circular thinking right but I wanted to send you this…let me know if I am getting there. This post brought me to my beginning. Most of my mother's family told her to have an abortion and not ruin her life. She told me she felt me kick and that was the end of it she was having me. I see how this influenced my current need to please everyone do more with less. I am working on sitting in my breathe being silent still....it is hard because I am so used to going and doing thinking really it is tough for me to shut my mental brain off. When I do get to those moments of silence I am relaxed and feel great I just wonder if what I am ...

I get a lot of questions about the paranormal. In the last 20 years I’ve had people ask me to teach them how to speak to animals, connect with the Dead, develop telepathy, and even figure out how to levitate. Ironically the hardest lessons aren’t about the paranormal but more so about ordinary life challenges and abilities. On the Medicine Wheel there are 12 elements: Clarity, knowledge, illumination, growth, trust, love, experience, introspection, strength, renewal, purification and wisdom. According to Sacred Circle tradition it only takes these elements to reach a point of learning and healing; beauty and abundance; interconnection; and good attitudes and gratitude. I don’t think I’ve ever heard an elder or medicine teacher talk about happiness, prosperity and health. These are Western aspirations or Hallmark wishes. In truth I was often told my teachers and elders to focus on the way of the circle and to apply myself to learn simple, basic attitudes and skills to eventually ...

I recently had a dream where I was having a discussion with an ancestor. We stood in a clearing white with snow. The grown cracked as if the weather had been cold for a while. I saw a traditional long house hidden under some trees and some men cared for a fire near the entrance. An elderly man I’ve seen in my dreams before said to me: “Make sure your resting place is on sacred ground.” For a little while I talked and explained to him how in the 21st century people usually get cremated. “The ashes are kept in urns, which people often bring home,” I explained. I even mentioned how expensive it can be these days to buy a plot for yourself and your family in a cemetery. Even lockers for urns can be quite costly. The old man didn’t seem to understand the concept and so he simply repeated: “Make sure your resting place in on sacred ground.” I woke up wondering if the dream predicted my demise or if it was talking about something more specific? From age 6 to 13 years old I was educat...