I,
Sitting Owl, would just like to remind readers that ‘cooking’ can
refer to any transformation with fire, including the spiritual
transformations from the kundalini fire. Incidentally, Laughing
Snake has laughed his head off so his name has changed to Smiling
Snake.
Now
Playing: 'Round Dance'
By:
Free Spirit
The Experience of My First Inipi Ceremony or Sweat Lodge
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Before The Lodge
It just so happens that the place where the Lodge is is the exact spot
where friends and I came to do meditation and relaxing with nature and
Mother Earth in about 1968-1969. Sitting Owl directed while I helped
to set up and prepare the lodge and Grandfather Fire. While the
Grandfather Stone people where being reheated, Sitting Owl’s prayers
of Gratitude to Great Spirit inspired me to do the same. Then I sat
down to bring myself into a relaxed meditative state of consciousness.
I began talking about the auras of trees and how they seem to pulsate
with white light and a golden outline as if they’re breathing. This
was to assist Sitting Owl in opening his third eye, inner eye,
mind’s eye or mind screen, and to enhance my own experience in the
lodge. The Stone People were red hot now, so we smudged ourselves and
went on in to commune with Wakan Tanka and his helpers.
The First Round
Before Sitting Owl closed the lodge door I was already sweating my
guts out [For overseas readers that means sweating profusely. Ed.] And
then he put some water on the stones. When Sitting Owl sang the
welcoming song my third eye opened and I saw specks of rainbow
coloured tiny stars of energy. When Sitting Owl had finished singing I
saw a whirling golden orange coloured vortex of energy, like a funnel,
coming from outside the lodge, through the roof and into the Stone
People pit. Circular waves then pulsated from the pit and lit up the
whole lodge. When I described that to Sitting Owl, he said that it was
probably the Great Spirit entering the lodge. Then I saw a huge
silhouetted bear with a golden coloured outline, and then I saw an
eagle circling the roof of the lodge from where Spirit came in. While
Sitting Owl was explaining the significance of these visions, the
lodge was so hot that I almost blacked out. Thank Great Spirit;
Sitting Owl then opened the door to end the first round.
The Second Round
As Sitting Owl was introducing the subject for this round’s prayers,
being the four directions and there associated elements, I had to
concentrate on doing yogi breathing to keep myself from blacking out.
At one stage I had a vision of a deer’s head with antlers, later
Sitting Owl explained deer as the medicine of gentleness. While
Sitting Owl was finishing his prayers I felt heaviness on the top of
my head like wearing a crown. I realised that this was Great Spirit
helping to heal my chronic inner ear infection that I have had for ten
years. With my clairaudience I heard Great Spirit say, “Help me heal
you”, so I immediately put my Rieki hands over my left ear and left
throat, meanwhile I was still almost blacking out. With my inner
vision I then saw Great Spirit, in the form of golden light, swirling
around my inner ear.
I then just managed to say some prayers before finishing the round. We
were both so in need of fresh air that once the door was open we both
collapsed with our heads hanging out gasping for air. This was not a
painful experience, because it was actually quite blissful and
wonderful.
The Third Round
I was so blissed out during this round that I just laid down while
Sitting Owl said prayers for the two-leggeds. Then, I just managed to
sit up to say my own prayers for the two-leggeds. While David waited
for the steam to take my prayers up to the Great Spirit I had visions
of a green and brown coloured turtle and an ambrosia coloured
butterfly with a golden outline. Sitting Owl explained that turtle is
Mother Earth and butterfly is transformation. Again we both collapsed
with our heads hanging out gasping for air.
The Forth and last Round
In this round we sang some songs. And when Sitting Owl sang the
departing song in the Lakota language I could see the song coming from
him like bubbles of silvery white clouds. After that I had a vision of
a spider and then a purple spotted beetle. It was as if after the
Great Spirit had left the lodge I saw white and golden doves circling
out through the roof. While I was waiting for Sitting Owl to leave the
lodge and thank Maka (Mother Earth), and as I did some deep breathing,
I experienced ecstatic physical tingling over my entire body, right
down to my bones. As I was departing, and just after I had given
thanks to Mother Earth, I again saw the purple spotted beetle. While I
waited for Sitting Owl to cut the cord of his rebirth (Splash water
over his body to ground himself) I was on my hands and knees gasping
for air, still half in the lodge.
However, even the cutting of my own cord was a groovy and blissful
experience. By the way, cold water on a hot body and chest boosts the
immune system by increasing the ‘T’ cell (white cell) production,
thus healing any infection of body.
After the Lodge
This is when we sat around the Sacred Fire feasting on the offering
fruits from the altar, and we quickly recovered as we debriefed,
giving thanks to the Great Spirit for the awesome and FANTASTIC!!
Experience of my first sweat.
Epilogue
As I entered my tent to sleep I was still seeing visions of speckles
of light and a spider and its web. As I collapsed on my bed in a state
of ecstatic bliss saying thank you to mama and papa, I realised that
Great Spirit was still with me, always has been, and always will be.
And I’ll be back for many more sweats, as I am still in awe over
this technique of communing with the Great Spirit. So Sitting Owl is
also a pretty good cook, through him the Great Spirit cooked me up
pretty good! I feel more balanced, grounded, focused and whole; and
I’m looking forward to the next journey. I recommend this same
experience for everyone in the world.
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Materials of Medicine
(Home
Herbal Medicine)
By: Colin Hill
(Smiling Snake)
(The
Ditch Wizard or Herb and Food Shaman)
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CREDITS:
Colin
Hill (Laughing Snake) has sourced his work from: Jethro Kloss (Author
of: ‘Back to Eden') and the Queensland Institute of Natural Science
for the course: ‘Herbal Medicine’.
Sitting Owl has added just a little to this work by
cross-referencing from many sources, especially ‘Kitchen Pharmacy’
by Rose Elliot and Carlo De Paoli, and a variety of writings from Dr
Maurice Blackmore (founder of Blackmores Laboratories).
How
to Use the Herbs
As
the following information is simply a collection of information, it is
recommended that if problems persist or if there is any doubt you seek
advice from a professional medical or naturopathic practitioner.
All the herbs in this book can be cultivated in a home garden,
and an organic garden is preferred.
Warning
on dosages
When in doubt don’t.
Please check with one of the many herbalists available for
correct uses and dosages.
Teas,
Tisane or Infusions
These are made by pouring boiling water on the fresh or dried herbs and
allowing a few minutes to infuse, usually from five (5) to twelve (12)
minutes. The strength varies
with different herbs, and can be sweetened to taste with honey, raw, or
brown sugar.
Brews
or Decoctions
These
are made by simmering the herb in water for ten (10) minutes.
The proportions are the same as for the teas above.
Boiling destroys the active principle or ingredient of some herbs
and these are better taken as teas or eaten raw in salads and other food
dishes.
Dose
Dosage
varies, but it is difficult to take an overdose of any of the herbs in
this book.
Herbal medicines act gently and slowly.
Instant miraculous cures are as unlikely as harmful side effects.
The curative properties of these herbs have been known and
described for centuries, so are tried and true.
It is recommended that you begin with a smallest dose and
gradually increase it
Poultice
This
is a hot or cold pack applied to the skin, often over a wound or other
damage.
It is made by mixing hot water with chopped or ground herbs in a
muslin (cotton gauze) bag, often used to draw pus and other debris from
a wound.
Onion, Linseed and Comfrey are particularly suited to this
technique.
Parsley
for the Nerves
(Petroselinum)
Therapeutic
actions of the leaves and stems:
Neutral
to cooling (Slightly Yin)
DIURETIC:
To excite the secretion of urine, or the driving off (reduction) of
fluids.
STIMULANT:
Quickens the physiological processes.
NUTRITIVE:
High Vitamin and Mineral content.
CALMATIVE:
A mild sedative for calming the nerves and combating stress.
APPETITE:
Increases appetite for food.
DEPURATIVE:
To purify the blood (Chrophyill).
EMMENAGOGUE:
Promotes menstrual discharge.
CULINARY:
To give flavouring to foods, particularly salads and sauces.
Therapeutic
actions of seeds:
DIURETIC:
To excite the secretion of urine, or the driving off (reduction) of
fluids.
Helps
to prevent cancer.
CALMATIVE:
A mild sedative for calming the nerves and combating stress.
APPETITE:
Increases appetite for food. Helps
children in the growing process.
Parsley
cleanses and enriches the blood, which makes it good for helping to
reduce skin disorders; and the high content of iron along with
oestrogen-like substances make it good for weak anaemic women with
scanty periods.
Parsley also helps with digestion and Rheumatism.
Freshly
expressed juice: 1 Teaspoon to ½ a cup of water, vitamised with the
fibre strained off.
ONLY ONE (1) CUP PER DAY taken in the morning helps with voice
loss and asthma.
Also a remedy for intermittent fever.
Parsley
Tea: About 3 sprigs to 1 cup of boiling water.
Leave for 10 minutes, then strain and drink before retiring for
bed. This is an excellent
remedy for kidney and bladder troubles, menstrual colic, and relieves
rheumatism.
Note:
Because
it increases the menstrual flow, parsley should not be taken in the form
of tea during pregnancy or by women with heavy periods, although it can
still be used as flavouring in foods.
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Yours
Wholeheartedly
Colin Hill
(Smiling Snake)
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.GIF)
