New IDA Website

All persons interested in curbing light pollution, including astronomy buffs and environmentalists as well as students of shamanism, should check out the International Dark Sky Association.

"The much anticipated redesigned IDA Web site, http://www.darksky.org, is now online!

"A lot of hard work went into creating a site that continues to offer important educational
information on light pollution to the general public."

This very important and often overlooked area of preserving our native landscape benefits our connection to our star brothers and sistes. Please consider supporting this organization and the great work that they do.

January Monthly Shamanism Column

JANUARY

INTRODUCTION:

A very powerful and important message is being handed down from the shamanic elders this season, asking each of us lightworkers to shift our focus away from problems and towards peace.

The upcoming year calls for a great deal of preparation as we align with the evolution of the human species. I have seen many interpretations of the ending of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012, but the one that rings truest is that the human species will evolve from homo sapien to homo lumen. We are changing, we are evolving, and let peace guide your evolution.

In this work, it is often not enough to just think about peace or even to pray for peace; strive to be peace in all that you do. Be the calm in the center, be the one who diminishes chaos and strife by embodying peace and light.

As we enter into 2008, an election year in the United States, there will be much focus by the media and the candidates on problems. Let your focus be on the peace that transcends and diffuses the problems. Let peace flow from you like a wave of light enveloping all around.

This year, 2008, will be a year of gaining critical mass, where light will tip the balance towards peace. We begin 2008 with a 1-1-1 stargate, marking the change that is to come. If you have typically reacted in a manner that is inconsistent with peace, then it is the perfect time to change and work in the light.

POWER ANIMALS FOR JANUARY:

For January, students of astrology in the United States typically associate the power animal Goat, associated with the sign Capricorn. The goat is the perfect power animal for beginning our new focus on peace. In shamanic teaching, the goat aids in establishing foundations from which to climb to greater heights, foundations that include supporting others and offering the ability and freedom to explore new areas. From these strong foundations, goat climbs to new heights in spiritual, mental and emotional areas, always looking up and climbing towards the highest possible goal. Follow the goat when you feel lost, and trust his strength and surefootedness to lead in the right direction.

The Native American power animal for the month of January is the goose. Goose teaches to conserve for the purpose of becoming self reliant and self sufficient. This is not to be interpreted as needing to cut off from others, but rather to be able to learn to identify your own path, your own purpose without having to rely on others. This is a perfect totem for lightworkers to learn to rely on your own inner source of guidance and strength. Know your own place of strength and peace and navigate your path from your own relationship with Source.

The Mayan calendar brings us the energy of Monkey at this time of year. Monkey teaches us to balance the dark and the light and helps us to see our own darker sides. You must know the dark before you can walk in the light, and monkey is a good guide at this time of year. Monkey also helps us to move within to find the ancient sources of wisdom and inspiration in the deep recesses and teaches us to bring this wisdom forward into the light.

While we are still in the Chinese year of the pig, we will also encounter a new power animal in the rat on Chinese new year February 7, 2008. While traditional shamanic interpretation considers a rat as offering information about overconsumption and waste, I was more interested in the Chinese interpretation for those born in Rat years as having characteristics of leaders, and of having great charm and charisma. I’ll discuss more of this in February’s column.

Each of the systems has a different animal for the month of January, but notice that each offers us an aspect of support for our continuing development as lightworkers and light becomers. This is a time of integration, of joining of belief systems to gain from the united strength that is offered by focusing on peace. Embody the offerings of Goat, Goose, and Monkey and shift toward peace.

JOURNEY FOR JANUARY:

For this month’s journey, I decided to work with my mesa, which is a traditional item held by shamans that organizes the shaman’s practices and includes power stones. I have begun asking friends who travel to bring me a stone if one calls to them, and the stone that I chose for this journey is my newest stone. It came from Spain, and it is smooth and cool to the touch. I called to Goat to be my guide, and the journey began almost immediately. We climbed to the top of a craggy, cold, windy mountain. The climb was not easy, but it was possible. From the top of the mountain, we were able to look back down to see the path we had traveled, as well as another path that would have been easier but would have brought us to the same spot. During our ascent, the other path was not visible, only from the top. We could also look out and see a valley, other mountains in the distance, a river through the valley. We seemed to be at the very top of the world, on a mountain peak above the entire rest of the earth.

Goat turned to me and said that the journey did not end at what we now thought of as the top, but the way of ascending must change.

Thank you goat, for the beautiful message for the month of January.

PERSONAL PRACTICE FOR JANUARY:

The practice for this month is simple, yet difficult to enact. Be Peace. Focus on shifting to peace in every situation.

Dreaming for the world to come
Lisa