empty like an atom

on our first day in the desert we set up a medicine wheel where we stayed alone and meditated, drew, danced sang and slept. the medicine wheel is a tool found in many shamanic cultures although its form varies. the medicine wheel is a way of holding sacred space. it is used for protection and orientation of the dreaming and physical bodies. a basic medicine wheel has 7 directions. north, south, east, west, above, below and within. for the purpose of this exercise we were orientating ourselves with the first four. in the mayan tradition north is the direction of initiation, of air and of consciousness. the east is the direction of fire and the will. the south is the direction of earth and the body and of manifestation. the west is the direction of water, of emotion and of death and transformation. calling a medicine wheel involves honoring each direction and asking for guidance and giving thanks. it is my practice to call a wheel before doing any kind of journeying or magical work. the following piece of writing is taken from my journal of experiences of sitting in circle that day. although alot of my writings that day were of a more personal nature and have not been included, i've kept this one because i feel it demonstrates something i learned in a very practical way that day. if we can centre ourselves in the four directions, learn to watch as our thoughts, desires, emotions swirl around us, we can learn to hold circle in everyday situations; we can see influences come like waves.




i fall asleep to the laughter of coyotes, imagining them as they dance around the tent in the moonlight. i awaken in a dream. the night is quiet and moon fully risen shining silver on my skin. curious i unzip my flimsy cocoon and crawl out into the night. not far away, under the tree that lends us shade from the sun, stalk 6 cat-like creatures. similar to how i'd imagine an ocelot to look, alhough i've never seen one, but their eyes huge and hypnotic; the colour of pale jade. as i fall into them, i fall in love, into the whole universe within. it is like nothing i have ever felt before and somekind of channel is opened. the cat speaks, not words but directly into my head.