We recently had the opportunity to connect with a group of shamans from Mongolia who offered to hold ceremonies to help heal the effects of the COVID 19 virus here in the US. They partnered with the spirits of their home place and their ancestors. They asked permission to engage in the healing work and received advice about how they could be of assistance. They were in close communication with the spirits of the mountains and environment in which they live and work. Through this engagement with their local spirits, they also connected to us, on the other side of the world, in meaningful and powerful ways. By working locally they strengthened the global community, generously and profoundly.
Connecting with spirit and nature, as shamans do, often conjures images of remote places, such as traveling to the Amazon or going on a vision quest in the high desert. The ceremonies in Mongolia were extraordinary. Yet while there is great value in the spiritual experiences unique to specific places, we can be trapped into chasing something elsewhere. Put aside the idea that power resides only in certain places or with certain people. Shamanic practice is about the here and now. Your here and now.
If you’re like me, that here and now is usually less dramatically wild and more subtly beautiful. Especially in this time when we need to restrict our movement and physical contact, one of the ways we can serve ourselves, and our clients and students, is by reestablishing and strengthening our relationship with “home.” As we understand that all nature is our family, anywhere that we are on the planet is our home. Ordinary reality is extraordinary! Ordinary life, both in the visible and invisible realms, is where we need to reconnect. There is exquisite power and wisdom in the “home” of our bodies and the everyday spaces we inhabit.
Power of Interconnection
We know that everything is part of an interconnected web of existence. Our potential for affecting each other through that web is dramatically illustrated in maps of the spread of COVID-19. The more we understand the interconnectedness of all things, the more we realize our sources of spiritual power are available from anywhere, and at any time. Like a hologram, one part contains the whole.
4 Ways to Work with the Elements from Anywhere
Water: When you wash your hands (which is hopefully often!), thank water. Envision anything that’s not yours (physical and energetic) changing into something beautiful, like shimmering light, and rinsing away.
Air: Step outside. Breathe in deeply. Experience air moving gently in and out of your body. Relax your body with each breath. The word inspiration has origins in the Latin inspirare, “to breathe or blow into.” [iii] Listen for any inspiration. Thank the element air.
Fire: Feel the sun’s radiance on your face and body. Are there ways you would benefit from stoking up or tamping down your fieriness right now? Listen and give thanks.
Earth: The earth is ancient. Over time we share it with our ancestors and our descendants, but it can be easy to focus only on our own lives and perspectives. Sit or lie down outside. Feel the earth under you, strong and supportive. Breathe deeply. Relax into the safe embrace of the earth. Ask the spirit of the earth to help you see the larger perspective. Is there anything you should know about being in good relationship with the spirit of your home place on earth? Offer gratitude for the place you live.
The wisdom of shamanism holds keys to our joy, to being in nourishing relationships, and ultimately to our survival. Wishing you a peaceful heart and a healthy body.
[i] Ewert, A., & Chang, Y. (2018). Levels of Nature and Stress Response. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 8(5), 49. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8050049 [ii] Ranganathan V.K., Siemionow V., Liu J.Z., Sahgal, V., Yue GH. (2004). From mental power to muscle power—gaining strength by using the mind. Neuropsychologia
Volume 42, Issue 7, 2004, Pages 944-956
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.11.018 [iii] https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-origins-of-inspire
Hi Mara. Thank you for your beautiful insights and practical suggestions. I look forward to putting them into practice.
-Katie