The energy is building toward summer, and the solstice is the one day when day and night are equal. Spring energy is powerful in creating new growth, but summer is the time when those seeds mature into something that will . . . → Continue Reading: Beginning Today – 40 Days till Summer Solstice]]> This article is a continuation and completion of the article 40 Days till Summer Solstice at IntuitiveMeaning.com

The energy is building toward summer, and the solstice is the one day when day and night are equal. Spring energy is powerful in creating new growth, but summer is the time when those seeds mature into something that will grow for tomorrow.

Your mantra is a way to invest your energy to build something that will produce powerful results. This concept is not one that fits well in the world of instant messaging and always-available cell phones, or the instant-gratification that we get through external imput, sugar, and other stimulants. Those forms of “instant pleasure” make us rise but they also make us fall.

Spiritual Architecture

With a mantra you are the architect of your days to come. Mantras set into motion an intention that attracts events and people that will support the intention. An equivalent in the “physical sense” would be planning what you want to build, finding the people that will help you build it, and getting the materials that you need. If you want success then you would choose those things that will achieve your goal, not follow every shiny little thing that comes along to distract you. Mantras, and the practice of mantras, is establishing and reinforcing the goal.

Choosing a Mantra

There are many great mantras available, but here’s a simple one I like:

“Om Shrim Maha Lakshmi Yei Swaha”

(repeat 108 times)

The meaning of this mantra:

Om is a sacred sound, encompassing into one sound so many tones.

Shrim means abundance, and by repeating this sound we practice stepping out of our own way and being receptive so we can actually receive what we ask for.

Maha means “great” in every way possible. Our goal is not to satify our cravings and desires of the moment, but to create something that will enrich and build in the duration. Let’s go back to the concept of growth in spring and in summer. Spring is being a child and teen. Summer is being the adult, maturing and building wisdom that encourages new things to grow around us and sustains us through the fall and winter. Maha reaches up into our higher purpose as well, connecting us to Source and divine purpose.

Lakshmi is also abundance and prosperity. There is a hindu Goddess named Lakshmi who serves as a representation of the global connectivity and consciousness of abundance.

Swaha is like saying “with blessing”, or as noted in the translation I’ve seen: “hail! hail to! may a blessing rest on!” When we repeat the mantra we continue to build upon the energy of the last reciting, in a sense building a bridge between where we stand today and what we want for tomorrow.

When you recite your mantra do so with humility, focus, intent, and willingness to recieve what you have requested. As you practice your mantra each day you may notice changes in your thinking, feelings, and the interaction you have with others.

Counting to 108

When practicing a mantra it’s recommended that you step outside of the normal “thinking” ways, and create a focus on the mantra itself, being open to changes even during the countdown to 108 repetitions. How do you assure that you’ve done the full 108 repetitions without “thinking about it”?

The easiest way is to use a mala, which is a string of 108 beads with a bigger bead at the starting point. You gently shift from bead to bead as you recite your mantra, and you will know when you are done when you reach the bigger bead again.

If you don’t have a mala then you can use something as simple as dry beans, seeds, or beads. Use something big enough that you can handle them one at a time. Count out 108, put them in a bowl, put an empty bowl next to it, and as you recite move the “beads” from one bowl to the other.

Journal your Mantra

The best way to see results is to journal your journey. Write out how you feel today, what you want, why you want it, and anything else you can think of writing. Go with the flow! Each day you can add more notes, and you can either review your original notes or choose to wait until the end of your 40 day mantra series. Going back you may be totally blown away as you see how much change has occured during this time.

Roadblocks to Mantras

Sometimes we hit roadblocks, and that’s just a part of life. If you miss a day please do continue. You can add a day, or simply do a morning and evening session to catch up.

If you find strong emotions or thoughts that fight against your practice of the mantra you have likely come across a block that inhibits your growth. There are two paths you can take: 1) Accept the block and live within it’s limitations; or, 2) Choose to “face the lion” and find the purpose and present-day value contained in that roadblock. Our own roadblocks can leave us spinning, unable to see the forest through the trees. A spiritual-clarity session will give you a clear, non-judgmental look at the block that is affecting you, and will provide you with a perspective that helps you transend past the block and empowers you for today.

© 2011 Estee Taschereau, Hummingbird Shaman™ and Walk With Wings™. Estee brings over 30 years as a spiritual counselor to help individuals gain a more fulfilling and purposeful focus in their personal and professional world, guiding them in their own awareness and appreciation of their life path and abilities. Sessions are available via phone or Skype, by appointment. Please use the contact form for scheduling.

Animals are different. They do not follow . . . → Continue Reading: Animals Respond to Energy Healing]]> There is a big difference between working with people and working with animals. People have the power of the mind, which is both a blessing and a curse. We can bring about healing change through focus, and we can also mask situations and live within illusions.

Animals are different. They do not follow along with our mental games. Their intentions are clear, and they do not judge themselves out of good health.

When we experience pain our first inclination is to move away from the source of pain. This includes pulling our consciousness away as well. Pain is often associated as an absence of energy. When we restore the flow of energy we can actually experience a sudden decrease of pain. Some say the pain goes away completely. Energy healing is assisting in restoring the natural energy flow.

When energy healing is used on pets their response is usually immediate, but each will demonstrate their experience in their own way. Some pets will turn and look when you touch their auric field with an hand attuned to Reiki or other healing energies. Others will squiggle and squirm just as much as they typically do. I remember giving a Reiki healing to my neighbors Jack Russell, a session that lasted all of 10 seconds before the dog resumed her frantic exploration of my house. I saw no physical change or acknowledgement, but the next day her owner commented that they had not seen the dog sleep in such a natural, restful position in over a year.

The effects of energy healing goes both ways. Yes the animal gains from the healing, but the healer also receives both the energy healing and the focus of consciousness, and that shift within their own energy helps greatly when sharing healing energy with others.

There are many modalities of healing: Reiki, Pranic, Quantum Touch, Auric and Chakra cleansing, and more. Each has its own techniques, but all offer the same focus on healing, flow, and balance.

Estee Taschereau is the author of “Being Here Now – Find your Center, Stand your Ground” now available in paperback and ebook formats. Learn practical, easy to use energy awareness and clearing techniques for self healing and balance.

Dusk changed the day at first like a subtle nuance of color in the evening sky, but with each breath the darkness grows. Small figures flitter through the air, darting to . . . → Continue Reading: What appears in the Darkness]]> Since this site focuses on shamanism and totem animals, I’ll give you one guess on today’s topic. What appears in the darkness?

Dusk changed the day at first like a subtle nuance of color in the evening sky, but with each breath the darkness grows. Small figures flitter through the air, darting to and fro in a pattern that defied its own definition.

The wind blows through the trees, demanding everything in its path to follow its direction, but the small winged creature penetrates the force of the wind, carrying its own message into the silence of its flight.

First one, then two could be seen. How do you count something that appears so quickly, and vanishes within the blink of an eye? At one point it seemed that four were darting around the area, satiating their appetite on insects that would otherwise be a nuisance.

As I stood on the walkway these small winged creatures flew across the opening between the trees, darting within inches of my head. Camera in hand I knew my that the odds of capturing a bat in one picture was astronomical, but my desire persisted. One comes into view, then another, and they dance before me and disappear before my finger can complete its own message to the shutter. Magically on this night I find two images of these creatures of the night.

The bat totem is one that is often overlooked, or likely avoided. Folklore has cast a shadow of darkness over this totem of transformation, and those who worship this typecast creature do so in a manner that perpetuates their own darkness.

The bat is the only mammal that flies. Their eyes do not guide them, instead they find their way through their amazing ability to perceive their environment through a wave of energy that begins and ends from within.

The bat totem is often associated with darkness and fear. Some believe it to be the shaman’s symbol of death, not of the physical death but the spiritual transformation that is the amazing combination of release and renewal.

In my perception I see the bat as a sign of walking your own path, and surviving in situations that cannot be resolved in the obvious ways. To see without vision, to be of the earth yet take to the sky, to cross that line between night and day, that is amazing.
This is the way of the bat, a symbol of the subtle power that is so often unseen, but definitely exists. What appears in the darkness may just hold the key to our inner light.

This story is available for reprint in its complete form including credits. Photo and story are originals by http://HummingbirdShaman.com author Estee Taschereau, and are protected under copyright law. Learn more about your totems and totem encounters in a private consultation by phone.

Note: Most bats are of no threat, and bats typically avoid interactions with humans and pets. If you find a bat and are able to approach it the bat is likely wounded or ill. Do not handle, contact animal control. Bat guano is an excellent source of nitrogen for your garden. Protect bats, provide housing for them, and they will repay you a hundred fold by clearing your yard of mosquitoes, consuming up to 500 per night, per bat.