QUESTION PERIOD.
With Ted Jauw.
I regularly ask people for blog entry
suggestions. TJ – left this message on
our Facebook page in early spring:
“There
used to be a village shaman. Do you see it becoming more democratized? Each our
own shaman?
Do
you see the 'medicine wheels' of the world coming together? Overlaying? Or
interacting?
What
do your elders say about these times and (as there become fewer of them) is
there any urgency to further share what they know and add to what you already
put forward?
As
media creates a new collective consciousness (movies for instance) do you see a
change in the language of dreams? Perhaps compared to oral tradition.
Can
you talk about the pipe? It's relation to dreaming?
I'm
fascinated by the use of common items that are now elevated to sacred. Marriage
baskets, pipes, fans, etc. perhaps because we don't use them for their original
mundane purposes?
Does your tradition have a
clown tradition like heyoeka, koshare or windigokaan 'contraries'? How do they
figure in dream work?
Ted JAUW
*****
“There
used to be a village shaman. Do you see it becoming more democratized; and each
our own shaman?
The path of the Shaman is all about mystery and the
unknown. I think we can make predictions
of where we think the path may lead; but based on personal experience it never
ends up where you think it should… So
far in the last 2000 years the leading or governing authorities have always
destroyed what supports Shaman energy.
I’ve met people who lead churches, temples, nudist
camps, sport teams, dietary programs and dog shelters etc…and many show the
potential of Shaman energy. I think lots
of people are searching for clear, fair and honest leaders: People who are willing to be in service to
others (to listen, to help, to share, to be there and to show the way). The
problem often is that people aren’t willing to let go of their expectations;
their programs; and their need to always be right. They want a leader who can be communal; but
they aren’t willing to walk the path along side him or her.
For a village, a tribe, a group, or a circle to work
everyone has to be willing to walk the path together; and share similar values;
as well as agree to follow a dominant voice. A leader can’t lead if the people
aren’t willing at some degree to follow.
Democracy for me simply implies that “everyone has a perspective and a
right to voice out this perspective.”
The Medicine Wheel is definitely the perfect example of “democracy” that
works. I believe that any village, which
devotes to the Wheel’s philosophy and comes together behind a Shaman could make
miracles. I believe they have
already…
Honestly, if you look at our Planet today and humanity
-- I don’t believe we are heading towards a reality where villages are devoted
to one Shaman and Sacred Circle philosophy / psychology / LIVING. Sorry! I can’t see it. We are heading towards an unknown and a
shamanic future I can’t yet perceive. I
see glimpses through some of the experiences, phenomenon, and perspectives
coming from the next generation; but no absolutes.
Do you see the 'medicine
wheels' of the world coming together? Overlaying? Or interacting?
No! One thing that all of my teachers have repeated
through the last 30 years is that Medicine Wheels are built according to realities
and memories stored in the Earth. This
means every Medicine Wheel is attached to its geography. I’ve often imagined small wombs floating
above the earth held by umbilical cords.
In each womb is a city, a village, a group of people, or an ecosystem
etc… In each womb lives a story / a
dream. When the story comes full circle
and ends a Wheel shifts. There’s a birth
so to speak in the Realm of Creation – and another dream or another womb
appears.
I believe we are at a point in time where many old
Wheels are coming to a close. I don’t
know what will come next and what form it will take. For it to overlap or interact there would
have to be important geological changes.
Is it possible? Yes of course; but it would certainly mean the end of
the World as we know it and possibly, the end of a big chunk of humanity.
TO TED: I have the feeling your question was deeper
and implied a particular exploration. If
you would like to return and reformulate the question; continue the discussion
I would love to revisit the question.
As
media creates a new collective consciousness (movies for instance) do you see a
change in the language of dreams? Perhaps compared to oral tradition.
I remember when my children were young. They often dreamt of the characters they saw
in movies or tv shows. They were
obviously influenced by the stories they were told whether it was through the
television or the ones both my husband and I improvised. It doesn’t matter where you get the imagery
from – we humans behave the same way we used to 500 years ago. We love stories!
The dreaming is made of stories. Anything or anyone that dreams will feel
pulled towards storytelling. Honestly I
don’t see much of a difference between the stories the media creates and the
one our ancestors told. They hold the
same notion of interesting characters; dramatic or horrifying plots; and
surprising endings.
I’ve also noticed that our modern movies seem to
follow themes and very often these are the same themes we find through nature
and the stars. Sincerely, we are
continuing the same traditions just within a different medium.
Can
you talk about the pipe? It's relation to dreaming?
Many years ago, G and I had the good fortune of
working with a Pipe Carrier. RT is
Malacete, and showed us the beauty and power of the pipe. He was able to reveal shadows in places we
would have certainly overlooked (at the time) and with prayer and smoke was
able to dissipate the darkness quickly.
We met other pipe carriers who couldn’t do this… We soon came to realize that the pipe is a
strong tool as long at the carrier trusts and believes in his or her
prayers. Like a drum – you need to
regularly use the pipe and really make one with it.
For sure the pipe is a great tool for
purification. It can certainly serve a
purpose when it comes to dreaming but honestly we’ve never used it. On the other hand we often use smudging
during our journeys, or circles and the burning of medicinal plants certainly
helps people let go and enter the dreaming with more ease.
I’m definitely not an expert on the Pipe. I personally have never smoked the pipe. My lungs don’t like “smoke” period…. It’s not my path obviously. I you are a pipe carrier and would like to
explore the pipe and its purpose in the process of dreaming --- I’d certainly
be up to an adventure.
I'm
fascinated by the use of common items that are now elevated to sacred. Marriage
baskets, pipes, fans, etc. perhaps because we don't use them for their original
mundane purposes?
I personally believe that all things are sacred. I find it sad to live in a modern, consumer
base society where everyone sees objects and even animals / trees as
insignificant. We are already starting to
treat one another this way… Marriage is
no longer a long term commitment and little by little we are disconnecting
everything from the idea of Spirit.
I believe we have elevated to sacred such objects as
marriage baskets or belts; pipes, fans, drums etc…. because we want to return
to sacredness everything that comes to us from the past or from tradition. We are trying at this point to reclaim all
that has existed and give it significance in our lives.
Does your tradition have a
clown tradition like heyoeka, koshare or windigokaan 'contraries'? How do they
figure in dream work?
Our understanding of the Heyoka or the windigokan is
nothing in comparison to what they once were.
In our tradition these old “Spirits” (so to speak) are but ribbons of
energy moving through our people. In the
dreaming though as we reconnect to these “Spirits / stories” they begin to
reconnect with us and to take shape in our daily living.
G and I are Traditional Dreamers. We are stepping away more and more from such
titles as Shaman / Sorcerer because there are too many definitions or in our perspective
--- misuse of the “words” or experiences.
Like Gérard pointed out during a Conference a few years ago: “These
words are too private and too connected to our basic nature and soul to be
share with others. They are ours to
explore, ours to work through, and ours to commit to. Nobody else’s and
certainly not meant for a CV.”
The word “sacredness” has also changed and it’s
becoming more and more difficult to navigate through nature’s momentum of
evolution. This isn’t new. It’s the way of the Wheel and it’s the way of
Shamanism. There have been countless
shifts and transformations since the start of humanity. Our role, at least from our perspective, is
to follow the dreaming. It will bring us
to where we need to be.
The Heyoka (the trickster) is no doubt still playing
his / her games through the dreaming and affecting the lives of those who are
willing to hear, to see, and to connect.
There was a time where people embodied the Heyoka and devoted to a life
of clowning. They were crucial in times
where people didn’t have therapist, meds for depression, and grieving
councilors. Times have changed. And
still, I see every day Heyoka attempting to return and inspire us all with its
wisdom. There are some amongst us who
are still ready to commit and bring back this “Spirit” to our World. I’ve been pleased to have met a few and if
they are reading this blog – I would like them to know: They are Medicine, Hope in my World.
As for the Windigokan, I can still remember hiding
under the sheets as my grand-mother told us horrible stories about zombie type
warriors who shape shifted into dinosaur birds to kill the enemy. In some of these tales I almost cheered for
these creatures while in other stories, I couldn’t wait to see them called back
to the land of the dead. One way or
another, as far as I’m concerned these Spirits are better off hidden in the
dreaming than roaming our waking reality.
They still inspire childlike fear in me and I can’t help but shutter at
what they once were to our ancestors.
The elders still tell stories of these creatures and
others, to young children. The tales have
changed a bit but you can still find through the details this shrieking impression
well worth today’s Hollywood, horror movies.
No matter what form these old traditional stories take there’s no way we
can get rid of the wisdom, and teachings hidden behind the details. What is difficult is finding the people
nowadays capable of unlocking the old consciousness.
This is why we feel traditional dreaming is a
must. People of tomorrow will need the
dreaming and will need to understand the dreaming – to understand the
underlying realities of their world.
HAU!
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