The main and most important tool of all is simply prayer or meditation. Ask the Creator to bless you, your family, the unfortunate, those who cannot for any reason ask for themselves and for the earth. You may then ask the Creator’s blessing on the request you are about to make or the need you have. Learning to be connected with the Creator, whatever Creator is to you, is very important. I am a firm believer that we must all accept, realize and experience the presence of the Creator. Until we have experienced the Creator, it will be difficult to have faith and trust in anything we do. The Creator is our primary tool without which we are powerless. It is through the Creator’s force in all things, including ourselves, that we are empowered. Doesn’t it make sense to acknowledge the gifts provided all around us?
One mistake many churches have made, in my opinion, is eliminating the lighting of real candles. Many churches now use electric candles. I have enjoyed going to many different churches and experiencing the power of real, lit candles. Recently, I was in a church where the candles were electric and it did not feel right. Something was missing. It was the power of the candle. You see, fire is a majickal element. It has a power very unique to itself. The striking of a match is more forceful than the pouring of water. This does not take away from the power of water. It has its own properties, such as healing, which are not to be taken lightly. But fire power is very intense and because it is intense, it is a perfect conduit for the energies we can send out in prayer, majickal work or meditation.
So, in conjunction with prayer I would recommend the use of this very simple tool: a real candle that you have to light yourself! Sit and watch the flame. If you sit long enough and wait, you will feel the power of the lit candle. A couple of years ago, I was in despair and fearful that we would have to move yet again. This was before we bought the house I mentioned in the chapter about “Raphael and Me.” As we waited for the money due us to come in so we could close, I became fearful and doubtful to the point of thinking I would go mad. There are few things worse than not knowing if you will ever have a place called home and that is where I was. I felt as if I were on the brink of madness so I decided to light candles. Not just a few but almost seventy! I put all my animals (cats and dogs) away in other rooms, moved knickknacks, television, radio and whatever I had to make room for these candles. I put them in candleholders. When I ran out of candleholders, I used saucers and when I ran out them, small pots, big pots, whatever I had and then I lit them. All of them. I sat tearfully asking for my faith and trust to be replenished for although I knew what miracles could be, I was afraid I had run out of my fair share. Suddenly, I felt POWER. I FELT A POWERFUL SWIRL AROUND THE ROOM AND AROUND ME! The hair on my arms began to rise and goose bumps began to rise all over my skin. I felt a warm healing power embrace me and almost immediately all my despair and fear had left me. I felt totally unlike the terrified lost soul that had been prompted to go to such extremes as to light seventy candles. It didn’t matter. The power was there. I asked for the Creator to help me and helped myself by drawing in the energy of the element of fire. Fire- A gift of the spirit.
There is a word of caution about fire. Aside from the obvious, it is a strong energy to work with and the mind has to be trained not to put within the power of fire any misdirected anger, pettiness or bitterness. Fire works quickly and will “pick up” such thoughts and bring about speedy results. By the time we mentally correct ourselves, the careless thought could already be in motion. I have used fire when I was angry or upset but, only to use the ENERGY ANGER CAN CREATE to empower a PETITION that would benefit someone who had been wronged, or injured or gravely ill. It takes a lot a lot of mental strength and discipline to be able to do any work, much less working with fire when you are justifiably upset about someone’s misfortune. Matters of justice should always be placed in the hand of the Creator. Active work to manipulate what we feel justice should be is not correct. Petition is different than spell casting and I cannot emphasize enough how crucial it is to be able to know the difference and when to work and when to petition. I have learned this along the way for I have made my mistakes as everyone does. This is why so much time has been spent on ethics and thought. Gifts of spirit are all around us but we have the responsibility to use them responsibly.
As I have said before the Creator has given us only good and endowed us with a world filled with beauty, wonder and the majick, if we learn how to find it. The Creator has given us all we need to begin to reinvent our circumstances. All categories of spirits are all around us to help. There are angels, protections, and guides, Gatekeepers of the directions, Guardians of the elements, earth spirits, deities of geographic locations and the spirits of animals, plants, insects and even rocks! Since we already discussed angels and the other types of spirits most identify with, we are going to look at the tools of the earth.
It was perhaps about ten years ago after exploring animal medicine for a while that I first felt the power of the Creator. I can never forget that encounter and the Creator chose a mountain to give me that truth!
I had managed to get away for weekend to a mountain retreat for myself. My job had become extremely stressful and before I went away, I had already decided to hand in my resignation because the reasons for the stress were simply a conflict in my truth. I could not work my ethics in my work environment because the agency had itself lost sight of its compassion. I was in human services, dedicated to providing assistance to the needy but the agency I worked for became extremely focused on money and asked me to write documentation that was misleading. My role was to help people honestly and although the matter of business cannot be ignored, I was being asked to work a truth that was not my own.
I stayed in a cute cabin off a lake and every morning I would get up bright and early and do power walking around the lake for about two hours. I used to do a lot of cross country “scrambling” or dashing up steep inclines, challenging myself to work harder and get the heart pumping. It would be so invigorating I would release a lot of stress.
This particular morning, I decided to do some scrambling up the mountain. Now mind you, I was by myself. I was going to scramble up a mountain and I didn’t tell anybody. I didn’t stop to think that I could fall or be unable to get down or that someone should know my plan. I just went for it. From where I began, the mountain did not look that steep or high. I figured it would be a half-hour jaunt and then I would be back, shower and get breakfast. I began scrambling.
The more I climbed up steeper inclines, the more energized I became. I became a scrambling machine. Although it reached a point of becoming rock climbing, I simply could not get tired! It was a while before I realized the top of the mountain was no where in sight and I became determined to reach the top. I continued upward and although I was sweaty, I was not tired! I finally reached the top and sat down on the ledge. There was a silence that comes only from the absence of people. I could hear the rustle of little critters scampering up the trees, the chirp of birds and the leaves crackle with the once in a while breeze that rose. I sat enjoying the serenity and tranquility and beauty when all of a sudden I could hear a subtle, “rrrrrr.” It was barely audible. If you have ever had a large dog and rested your head on its flanks, you know how the flanks rise and gently fall as the dog breathes. That is what I felt sitting on top of that mountain only it felt like a breathing vibration. I sat absolutely amazed for I could feel the spirit of the mountain pulsing through me. For the first time in my life, I felt the presence of the Creator. The pulse of life was all around me and THROUGH me! I have been to every church imaginable and I never felt the knowledge that “God” existed. I had never felt touched by love, joy, power or anything else until this mountain. By the time I finished feeling exhilarated, I finally decided to go back. This required looking down, where I expected to see the lake where I had began. I saw nothing. I realized that this mountain had been a lot bigger than I had imagined and felt from deep within me that I was called to this mountain peak for a reason—to feel the power of the Creator.
Then I was struck with the dilemma of getting down for where I was at almost a straight drop down! I wondered how I even got up! It was soooo steep, I didn’t even dare to turn around to climb backwards. So I slid down the whole way on my butt, clutching at rock tips when I could, sliding down yards at a time and grabbing roots along the way to control my speed. How did I get down? Why, the Creator got me down. From that day forward, even through hardship, I always remembered that mountain that connected me with the Creator.
This energy is in everything, and it within us. The reason I have spent so much time discussing thought, rethinking, values, “being” and ethics is because it is through these means that we develop our second tool: us. For if a mountain has spirit, then so do we and if a mountain can ‘tell’ me about the Creator, then I can tell the universe what I wish and how I wish it. Energy Conversion, remember? All of this will come together in the chapter on charging in which we will go through techniques and feelings to assist in telling items such as herbs and stone what we are asking of them.
We will begin with the tools of the earth—flowers, plants, trees and rocks. Since they all have spirit, they help us focus our own energy toward the work we want to do.
In Native teaching, you never pick the first flower or plant because it could be the last of its kind. The same is true for any earth-based religion. Before collecting items, a spiritualist will declare to a forest the work that needs to be done and ask for those spirits willing to assist to let themselves be known. Then it is a matter of walking around. If we have honed our senses and spirit, we can begin to feel the different energies around us. A good exercise is to simply walk in a forest or park and just feel the vibrations around you. Feel the energy of a tree. Ask that a rock offer itself for you to learn how to feel it’s spirit. The rock that draws your attention for whatever the reason, is the rock spirit willing to teach you. Hold that rock and feel any vibrations that you can. Once you begin to feel any energy, thank the rock and put it back where you got it.
Ask the same of the plants. Then bend over and hold the plant that draws your attention in your hand. Let your mind go blank, close your eyes and wait for its energy to be revealed. This is an exercise in sensing, so you will not be taking the plant, just getting to know it. I had an Uncle in Boriken (Puerto Rico) that asked permission of every plant he took for his work. It is a good practice to begin doing this from the beginning. It demonstrates appreciation for the spirit of all things with which we are truly connected.
Environmentally minded people have been jokingly called tree huggers. The truth is, trees have incredible powers of healing and calming. Hugging a tree can be a surprising experience. First of all, its roots go down deeply into the earth and the earth (as any mother) is strong, nurturing and protecting. A tree can actually draw tension from our body and pull it out and down into the earth who will dissipate it for us.
Of course, always ask for a “volunteer tree,” thank it and leave something for the tree and the earth in form of corn, nuts, anything that is edible. If you have worries, you can walk about and ask for a leaf to help you. I prefer leaves that have ready fallen. I will then pick it up, ask it to help me calm down and pour my worry into it. I do my breathing, I focus on what the problem is and what I want my situation to be. I focus until energy goes coursing through me. I am very sensitive to energies so a lot of times, my body will just shake. It takes a lot of control and concentration for me to maintain my focus and breathing when I work like this. When the surges stop, I toss the leaf in the air and leave seeds as an offering and walk away. By the time I am finished, I already feel calmer. The reason I prefer a leaf that has already fallen is that this particular spell will result in the problem being resolved as the leaf dries up disintegrates and blown away. As this process begins to happen, so does the problem begin to be more manageable until it too is gone.
Learning to focus, breathe and feel is very important in the collection of items for work. There are spiritual baths that are made from the natural gifts of the earth. After we discuss charging, which is the combination of focusing, breathing and feeling, you will learn how to charge your herbs for a spiritual bath and how to charge the bath itself. Spiritual baths are wonderful in also dispelling negative energies and entities. Sometimes more than one spiritual bath is required. In this case, you will learn how to make a larger quantity. Rocks are very handy in grounding positive energies for particular purposes. As a tool, rocks are handy to “round” out corners in rooms in order to keep energies swirling around in a circular motion. There is an Asian discipline called Feng Shui that maintains the proper flow of energy by rounding out corners through furniture arrangement and furniture placement. Remember, even rocks must be asked to participate. In time, you will be able to feel the different vibrations rocks give off. This will help you know which ones to use. Other natural tools are plants and herbs. If you are collecting them in the forest or from your garden, remember to ask permission. Rosemary, thyme and sage are excellent bases, as is salt (for cleansing) and fern. I like fern because there are two types. There is a darker, blunter edged leaf which is good for resolving money matters and the lighter, pointed-leaf fern which I use for baths and prayers for health.
With the right spiritualist, another tool is healing. People often think spiritual healers are ‘quacks’ promising spontaneous results for work that replaces traditional medicine. Though healing is itself a tool, it depends on the spiritualist’s ability to draw from the toolbox that is the universe. If someone is very negative, fearful and pessimistic, this will naturally slow down healing and can cancel it out. I usually prepare a “bath” or instruct my client how to make a bath (if they are capable) in order to alleviate the negativity that will hinder any work being done. Even resistive cases eventually benefit from the bath and healing, especially if the area of healing is selfesteem, fear or loneliness.
A person with a medical or psychological condition needs to seek sound professional judgment and make informed decisions on their treatment. No healing, spiritual or medical is complete without cooperative participation. Today, many doctors acknowledge that healing is a medical process that is best holistically or totally. In other words, physical healing is enhanced by the strengthening of the sprit and elimination of the stresses that contribute to the symptoms. With the mind less agitated and more tranquil, the ability to focus on being well develops. While the body is healing there is the benefit of the mind willing wellness into being.
Many years ago, because of stress and hereditary factors, I had a bleeding ulcer that left me writhing in pain, anemic with migraines and an inability to even eat because it was too painful for me have anything in my stomach and yet, in order to heal I had to have something in my stomach to absorb the acid that was debilitating me. It was a long, painful recovery. During that period of time I evaluated the stress that made this illness happen and decided that would not allow anything to do this to me again. Did I participate in my medical treatment? Of course I did. I went three times a week for six months for my liver and B12 shots, I took medication as directed, I rested and mostly I thought. I thought and decided that I would NEVER have a bleeding ulcer again. My father had had a bleeding ulcer when he had been a young man too and for the rest of his life, his stomach always bothered him, often keeping him up moaning all night long. When I got an ulcer, I was afraid that this would be my future too. Well, after six months of painful illness something in me said “Enough” with such power that even I did not know or understand. I never got a bleeding ulcer again. That was over twentyfive years ago!
Spiritual healing can better empower the mind. In the bibliography you will note some suggested readings. Some of these cover the area of the power of the mind as both a healing factor and killing factor. A spiritual healing balances the flow of energies that can become locked up and stagnant because of illness and worry. It’s like washing dirt off your hands. If all you get from your faucet is an occasional drip, you will not be able to cleanse properly. Such is the case with a spiritual work including healing of anxiety, stress or tension. The spiritualist draws positive energy down into the client to send ripples of energy through the body. Clients often feel heat or vibrating air. Some become so tranquil they fall asleep. They almost all feel refreshed and somewhat rested. They also feel calmer. All of this helps the mind and body become calmer. Being clam is an important factor to healing. Can the client learn this technique for him or herself. Sure they can. But, learning it takes a lot of discipline and practice and most people would rather go ‘there’ than do the work to “get” there themselves. That is okay. I would rather go see the doctor when I am ill than go to medical school to learn how to treat myself. Spiritual healing can be compared to the ‘Chi” energy (healing energy of Asian tradition) that is unblocked through acupuncture or acupressure. These disciplines are now recognized and practiced by many doctors who specialize in pain management.
I am one of those who can draw down positive energies to facilitate calm and healing but, I am also guided by my spirits to prepare individual liniments from plants and herbs. These liniments are good for muscle and arthritis pain and are individually made for the person for whom the liniment is intended. I once made a liniment for my mother’s arthritic knee. She felt great warmth and slept well that night. A few weeks later, I had pulled a muscle and decided to use the liniment I made for my mother. Well, the liniment became uncomfortably cold and irritating. I had to make a liniment intended for myself which worked very nicely.
We can use and combine the gifts of the earth to make a number of useful tools.
We can make caches that if placed under the pillow can soothe us into sleep with their tranquilizing aromas.(There is a whole practice utilizing this principle called Aromatherapy.) We have already touched upon baths and liniments. We can dry plants and herbs to burn like incense for cleansing our homes and our ourselves with the smoke created. (Be especially careful when using dried plants, herbs or roots as incense, some of them are TOXIC such as dragon’s blood and the needles and bark of pine trees. Be sure you know your plants are safe for burning when dried!) Cleansing a home in this manner I call smoking. Cleansing a person or yourself is often called ‘smudging.’
Certain plants can be used to ‘sweep’ negativity from your home. Jerusalem Oak is a plant that is often found dry in Spanish spiritual stores called botanicas and is called “pasote.” The actual plant itself is used to literally beat the floors and walls of a house to absorb and chase negativity away. A new broom with straw bristles can be used for this purpose as well and is especially good when used in this manner before moving into a new home. After the walls and floors have been “beaten” on a path that leads out of the door, throw the broom away. Certain baths can be made to add to your floor washing bucket or to sprinkle your house.
Dried herbs purchased at a store can be used as can purchased incense. With knowledge and skill, they also be effective in attracting loving and positive forces. There are some herbs and plants that are completely harmless to use. They are rosemary, thyme, basil, cinnamon, garlic and onion skins and sage, especially white sage. These herbs, in a bath with salt and perfume can be soothing in any number of ways. You can charge them to relax you, rid you of nightmares, help you sleep, help you manage money (add the dark green fern, basil and cinnamon). They can also be charged and used to wash down walls and to mop your floors as part of a routine spiritual cleansing of your house. You can boil them and walk around the house allowing the vapor to cleanse as well. But now, before we go any further, we need to look at the skill of “charging.”