FEEDING SPIRIT
FEEDING SPIRIT
Last night I finished a 6 week shamanism course with Eddy Elsey so I feel compelled and inspired to share my experiences and talk more about this work. Firstly the course was great and I got a huge amount from it, certain experiences like this are invaluable, the course was well put together and communicated beautifully throughout by Eddy. A lot of wisdom was shared, and I feel this is a great course for all. There was a lovely bunch of people willing to be open and move past the ego mind to witness a deeper beauty - Me included. Everyone shared a lot which I love, as this is where personal growth can take place. Eddy facilitated with no ego, treating all as equal, which I think optimises this work he does and himself.
It was great to learn deeper about the roots of shamanism, in other cultures but also how it can help us here in the west. It signified why we have so many mental and emotional issues here in the west, we have become very singular and the relationship with the land has been lost and forgotten, which can leave a lonely unconscious void. When I was in Bali at a water temple in the jungle, a whole village where there to heal one woman in the water, this memory really jumped out to me on the course, as it linked to Eddys teachings about traditional cultures and community. Traditional cultures would facilitate healing for one person as a whole community, as they are one organism living with the land, all needing to be healthy. If we have issues here, we go alone, we feel like the black sheep, this makes the issue even worse. Traditional cultures feed the spirits of the land with offerings, as they believe that if the spirits are fed they will be healthy and the tribe will in turn be healthy too. I love this, why would we not honour the land that gives us everything? Without that there would be no us. Something so simple and forgotten in the west.
In Bali they leave offerings daily, everywhere and they were the happiest people I have ever met. They were not rich in material wealth but rich in their spiritual health and connection to the land and the spirits, you can feel this in Bali. When I was there, I thought to myself we have our priorities so upside down.
In the course we had to find power places to give offerings, which I did and loved doing as I feel strongly about the ethos of this work. I had a few places I wanted to give offerings too. In one of the ceremonies, I had a vision of a fox, and a squirrel also the wolf and many other beings and animals dring . When I approached an old oak tree with the intention to make it my power place, Mr. Squirrel appeared, staring right at me from the tree, checking me out. I then knew after my visions and seeing the squirrel, this was a good spot. A series of magical things took place for me throughout the course, and they always happened on the night we connected for the course. The first week I had a vision of a fox, the next week I was drawn to check my window before bed looking onto the park, and I saw a fox through the light, I had not seen one at all until then. The following week I could not attend but when I was coming up to my house the fox was near my house. Last night after we closed the final ceremony, I glanced out my window to see the fox again. I believe deeply in our unseen connection to spirit, I have had so many profound experiences not too. Last night was another reminder of this belief. Many cultures have this belief, it's what holds the community together. I have always had a strong connection to spirit, a sense, very visual connection with animals, this work resonates so much with me as it's also very practical and simple.
As a chef I feel there's a big connection with food and Animistic beliefs. Everything is alive and everything has a spirit. Why would we not want to give something for them, rather than just take. As Eddy ended last night, he said “shamanism is not for everyone but we can all use some of these loving principles to create a more fuller and vibrant earth” I loved connecting with everyone on the course and hearing their profound visions and connections unfolding in the physical, it makes me feel very positive for our future, bringing a little one into the world. Blessed Be - Thanks Eddy.
Photo taken in Bali on my Sony A600
Find out more about Eddy Elsey