Teachers and teachings

To my teachers

My teachers are among the greatest blessings I received in this life.

Starting out with some teachers in regular and church school, also during my builders education, who answered my sometimes weird questions and didn’t t block off that wild, uncomfortable boy. I learn of stabile basics.

My teacher for Shamanism is a man that lives secluded in the forest with his family. When he came in my life, my level of aggression sank drastically and during initial contact I gained healing of a skin disease, that was with me from childhood. Whenever that man spoke to me, it was as if something inside me responded, as if my own knowledge got evoked, woken up. We travelled many worlds and hit the drum for many hours together. Now, more than twenty years after we first met, I look back at that amazing path, that opened for me thanks to the connections he made and remain in awe. I met many people during these years, listened to many stories and was even able to help some. I hope that all my actions honour his work, since it is such a big part of my personal path. I learn of great strength.

My teacher for tattooing lives and works in one of Germanys big Metropoles. Coming from an old craftsmen family, I considered myself never a great artist. However, what I was drawing inspired her to offer me a place as an apprentice. She initiated me in the old system of tattooing, made me understand, why we cling on to the traditional teacher and apprentice roles, give area protection. To claim apprentices due in forehand was out of fashion at that time already, still I understood the value of her lifetime invested in me, the effort of teaching and that it should be directly honoured.

Apart from an incredible upgrade of drawing skills I also learned my fair share of bookkeeping and how to run a tattoo shop.

Finally she also linked me up also to my current workplace and all the success that came with it. I can say with pride that I am of the rare species of tattooers, that left the teacher on good terms and I am very grateful for that. I learn of great creativity.

Musically I received off course the basics in my christian upbringing thanks to my parents. I heard hymns, sung by hundreds of people already in the belly. Of whatever nature they might have been, they left traces.

After years of unsuccessful trying throat singing a good man and strong nordic shaman, living in the Norwegian mountains taught me much later in life the secrets. It took him only one day in a long friendship to make me finally succeed.

At that time Heilung was not named, but existed in its very first fine fibres already.

Last but not least, deriving from a Scandinavian metropole I received one of the greatest gifts in my life. A studied musician and producer listened to that wild, dynamic drumming, howling and screaming crazy me and found it worthy to work with me. His partner affectingly took care for my breathing  and vocal skills. Both sacrificed a great share of lifetime, wich also already counts years, to make music with me, upgrade my rhythm and tonal skills and finally made me fit for stage to perform while being in half trance in a gigantic, complicated and complex ritualistic performance, that touches many people. I learn of great sound.

I would have never been able to reach the point where I am now without these people, who approached me with passion and an open heart. They helped me to find my place in life, to fullfill the purpose why I was born. All of them are good friends on a very deep level, living close to me or far away.

My compassion goes out to those, who I hear constantly complaining and talk bad about their teachers. Mankind has the phenomenon of mirroring out in the world. Every teacher, a person meets, is a reflection of the inner teacher or advising element, however you want o perceive or name it.

So we are never the result of our teacher or his or her actions, more the result of our reaction to the teaching, reflected back in us.

Simply said, an Idiot can only teach you to be an idiot and your actions will show. So choose your teachers wisely or give all you have to be chosen by the best.

Acceptance - the first step

Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.”

-William James

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Basics of healing: Acceptance

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Life is a long line of spontaneous changes. The moment we fail to accept changes we create misery for ourselves and others. If we accept new situations free of judgement or disagreement it gives us the chance to see the situation in all its qualities as it is. This enables us to find the right reaction or action or let it find us.

That is the key to bare pain without suffering.

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Acceptance is often mistaken for resignation. That should not be the case. We are not carpets where everyone can just walk all over. 

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Acceptance to me is taking a step back, rethinking, meditating instead of pushing into a hopeless fight all over again. 

It is the understanding, that we are not a product of what happens to us but that we are a product of our reaction to what happens to us.

I think trying to bend reality according to wishes deriving from not-acceptance of what is, will result in the mirroring of the repellant attitude in the world and others. The fate of the not accepting individuals will so be the disconnection from the path of happiness and healing. 

They will maybe start intrigues, leave those who live love and wonder why they feel empty and isolated, even from themselves. 

They will possibly accuse others or the circumstances for being the cause of their misery, not understanding that they carry it in them and the outer world just triggers it.

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Acceptance is in my worlds the very basic of every true spiritual path. 

Those who fail to accept will clearly not be able to embrace the challenges of the higher teachings.

No acceptance equals no real healing.

No acceptance means a constant fixing of symptoms without ever getting to the root of the problem.

Ask for help

Ask for help

I learned that real, effective help in traditional shamanism can only emerge after the client asks for it. Even just in the mind. In addition, that unrequested help, even with best intensions can lead to worsening the situation. A look in the future, for example or any kind of divination would not reflect the affairs of the client in any kind, but would be only the reflection of the asking individual.

Explaining this, I heard a story once from old Siberia. Unfortunately I forgot the name of the tribe.

A man is sick and the family asks the shaman to come over and help. But as soon as the spirit helper wants to enter the room, the sick man, a good christian, yells at him, curses him and wants him to leave.

Quiet the shaman leaves.

As the disease of the man progresses, the family again requests the help of the spirit helper, so he comes to the sick mans bedchamber, only to hear him wishing the shaman to hell.

Quiet the shaman leaves.

The story repeats on more time, with the desperate family returning to the shaman, begging for his help in bitter tears. One more time the spirit helper approaches the sick man, just to hear him whisper in weak hasps that the shaman should leave.

The shaman leaves and the man dies from his disease.

Now the widow in sorrow and anger cries out to the spirit helper: “Why didn’t you help my husband? You would have had the power to do so easily!”

“No, I would have not, he didn’t t want me to.” Is his answer and he leaves quiet.

Here we recognise in the answer of the shaman, that the power of healing would have emerged from the client itself, not from the helper.

Just like in trance journey drumming it s not about to just hit the drum, but pulling the sound repeatedly out of the drum ;)

The goddess...

Midsommer ritual

Early missionaries, arriving in the north, describe shocking rituals, where the norsemen were hanging animals and people in the trees in order to honour their demonic gods...

Shamanism, Christianity and Syncretism or how to rule the world

Let us start with contemplating about three things:

-Nomadic cultures seemed to have favoured some kind of shamanic spirituality, with earth and sky as main entities and independent figures as facilitators.

-Peripheral organised settling cultures show structures of an animistic concept, with a cast of priests, taking care for local entities and the rituals in the cycle of the year.

-Centrally organised empires need a regulated, concentric cult with a main entity and dogma.

The journey is for the nomads a main part of their life, only logical the spiritual caretaker is a wanderer in between the worlds. Earth and Sky rule the everyday life, so do their powers on the other side. The Thunderstorm and the Wind generally are of great influence, also as the connecting element between earth and sky, so their blessing is always wanted. The believe, that the soul wanders on in the afterlife is common.

The settlers are much more interested in the well being of their crops and cattle, so the contact to the very earth they want to remain on is important for them. Also, that that very place is blessed with the right amount of sun and rain to the right time. These people don´t need anyone to go out and tell them where to find the big rendeer herds anymore, they need someone to call the rain to their field, someone holding an eye on the movement of the sun for time measurement. The believe, that the souls of the deceased remain “living” in their graves, is not unknown. Fully furnitured grave chambers go along with that believe. 

To rule large amounts of people and land is the focus for a monotheistic cult, already early egyptian pharaohs demand solitary worship, worth mentioning also the emperor cult of Ancient Rome. The central cult also collects the donations and offerings centrally and is so holding the economical control. The spiritual or even physical disadvantage not following the dogma is of great importance to keep up mind control and homogeneous behaviour. Rome, ruling big parts of Europe with massive military force first managed to remain in power and expand global after all with the turn to Christianity.

As a connecting element, we have syncretism, usually appearing, when cultures undergo a change in cult and culture. It means that religions blend and exist parallel to each other without a regulating element.

In the viking age we see in Scandinavia very clear signs of christianity slowly sinking in in a spirituality of settlers, wich still bears marks of the old, nomadic roots of the early eurasian cultures. Like the nomad tribes of the Siberian Steppe 500 BC, the Vikings still bring great horse sacrifices with their dead nearly 1500 years later. At the same time they already embrace the new religion from the south. We know cast forms, where with one melting pot a Thors Hammer and a cross can be cast. Christ is mentioned among the older gods in the majority of full rune line poems we know today. A big number of rune inscriptions is of christian nature. Even the highest god, wide worshipped Odin, undergoes a change. The angry Wotan, raging in the sky as dark ruler of souls but living under the grave mounds moves up to heavenly realms while his name slightly changes northwards.

copyright: @sarikatainenphotography

On many Shaman and Udugan coats we still to this very day find crosses, none of these healers would be shy to use blessed water, if it helps.

Traditional Shaman burials are also found containing crosses and other christian symbolism.

In the Americas some of the First Nation churches even practice consumption of trance inducing hallucinogens during Sunday service. 

Since shamanism technically is not a religion, it mixes very well with all other spiritual lines. It is the oldest way of seeking answers to the unanswerable, always open and always curious, since we are all wanderers on the wide open plains by nature, where it is space for everyone. The nomadic hunter and gatherer period is the longest form of existence for mankind. Nothing else left deeper traces in us. The nomad, a permanent guest, has no reason to see a foreign cult as hostile. The settler, living on the mountain couldn’t care less about the maritime religion of his fishing cousins at the sea. 

The evidence shows us that christianity in the very beginning in the north was tolerated and loosely embraced. Christianity at that time also had no problem to adapt to local habits and absorb some cults, turning them in their own.

The people we see as the old pagans today had space in their temples for the newly arriving Crucifix, just the other way around it turned out to be a little bit difficult.

A monotheistic minority can be enriching, a monotheistic majority historically seen strives to Absolutism.

Can the shaman become sick?/ Shamanic healing basics

Yes. It is an important part of the path.

 Seen from the shamans point of view, the disease can be an initiation or a rite of passage.

It starts out with the so called Shamans Disease. It is the call of the spirits to bring the shaman on the way. It usually happens in young years and can be a severe physical condition of nearly any kind. Significant of the Shamans Disease is, that the regular medicine doesn’t t heal it. First the contact to his or her spiritual path leads to healing and at the same time to a very close and intimate contact to the other worlds and its entities.

From there on the shaman usually remains blessed with a good health and an exceptional stamina, which is visible during the exhausting trance inducing dances, beating a heavy drum and bearing the coat, which can be of weight no less than an average battle armour.

Still the shaman will go down sick during his worklife several times, due to multiple reasons. There is several cases known, where these spiritual workers gain new healing methods during these periods. So the tribe benefits from the suffering of the shamans in the end, which is anyway a great part of their purpose of existence.

As a common circumpolar point of view the shaman is seen not to be able to heal himself or his family. Generally the traditional shaman has no healing power. All power comes from the spirits, the Shaman is just the channel, the connecter or networker. So the sick shaman usually then calls in another Shaman or Udugan from another tribe. In the old belief, Shamans from other or even far away tribes are seen as stronger and more efficient than the local. 

Why is that? As a good channel you are supposed to be completely open and relaxed, free of judgement. It means, that everything you know about your client is actually more hindering than helping. The foreign shaman will so always be more objective, more likely to transmit pure information, not influenced by local habits or iconography.

In the end every sickness upgrades compassion. Compassion is a central point and topic of the Shamans path. As a sign of submission to the traditional path is a life for the good of all, a permanent desire and action to keep up harmony in between and inside the people of the physical and invisible worlds. 

A very old shamanic technique and an ultimate act of compassion is also to simply absorb the sickening spirit or disease, the very awe inspiring “take one for the team” self-sacrifice.

Nevertheless a sickness is also a very effective teaching tool of the spirits, a proven way of adjusting habits, attitude and general course of the shamanic learner.

Last but not least it is also a journey to the world of hurt, valuable and receivable with gratitude.

And sometimes it is just a flu, exercise for the immune system with no spiritual relevance ;)

But let s come to the dark side: There are and always were people, who used shamanic techniques to gain personal energy and upgrade their physical existence out of purely self centred interest.

Locking in spirits and even keeping other humans in (mental) capture to ensure the supply of energy is not unknown, the pre-buddhist Tibetan rite is worth mentioning here.

Luckily it is very easy to separate the “good” shaman from the “evil” one:

Those who follow the traditional path are always people who help those around them upgrade their life and gain health and strength. They are ready and willing to go long ways for that as a gift to the clients soul. In fact, even to other, not always beautiful worlds. They leave a trail of happiness and health behind. Although some healing methods are rough and for sure not always pleasant, the final result is usually reconnecting, a help to move on or even complete recovery. Their approach is led by the desire to contribute.

Those who loosely collect the easiest and effective methods to gain self-focussed personal energy instead of transmitting it are usually individuals that in some or another way are involved in the downfall or hurt of those surrounding them. For some reason bad luck strikes as soon as they are around. They tell you they love you, that they care for you but their actions are free of compassion or humility, malicious and in best case careless. The general approach here is led by the desire to get the maximum out of it all and their path is framed with hurt and disappointed people. It is hard to have the dark shamans do something for you and they ask for huge amounts of offerings or money. While the tribe is suffering and looses energy, the shamanic acting individual is over average strong, prosperous and of formidable health.

But while the traditional healing is usually of permanent or long term effect, the high priced help of the shadow wears off quick.

In the end the spirits, always interested in win-win situations, will withdraw their blessing from the self centred acting Shaman or Udugan and his or her path usually comes to a devastating end, which can still be used as a learning process unless the failure was so great that it resulted in physical death.

Circles close as a multiversal law, so the attempt of healing will always bring health to the individual, like a magnet is always attracted to the iron. On the other hand the attempt to destroy or bring disease will also reconnect with its source- the sending individual.

We all live in paradise and there is a point in every persons life where we decide to become gardeners in the garden of the middle or a parasite…

Shamanism basics

The word "shaman" entered our modern languages from the Evenki people/ Siberia.
In their language it describes a person who is excited or in ecstacy.
Asked after a job description, Evenki shamans describe it as "keeping the balance between the visible and invisible worlds."
A shaman is someone in a permanent ecstatic condition with special techniques and tools to send his soul on a journey to get in contact with the supernatural. Not more, no enlightment, no perfect role model, no priest, no Übermensch...

It is not a position, people desire to have, the traditional shamans often live a regular, sometimes poor life, being off duty relatively
normal or even troubled people, consumed by their work. They are very often feared and if possible, avoided. It is a little bit like the fire department: you re happy to see them if you need them, but even more when not.
They inherit their destiny from their grandparents mostly and we can probably very well imagine how popular a long, painful path as a complete weirdo in service of all people and spirits in today s modernizing society is...

Naran Bö, Evenki shaman, picture taken 1931

Shamanism is clearly not a religion by itself, more a development or blossom of animism, meaning a mindset, that all existence is interwoven with spirits or intelligences.
Markings of a shaman are f.ex., that he or she possesses no individual power, all power comes from the spirits. The shamans special ability though is to control or ride these.
Is the person controlled by spirits, we call it a medium.
Also plant medicine is not necessary a part of traditional shamanism, here lies the difference to the medicine man.

drawing of Evenki shaman 18th century

Shamans usually are recruited from among the little special, but intelligent members of the society/ tribe. People who are in balance with themselves and the world.
If that is not the case, the shaman will become evil and only interested in him or herself.

Safe travels

Kai

Galdraristning

A very special weekend with good people on a magic place making old style magical tattoos.

Here you see the lead singer of L.E.A.F.

We did a song together:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejCYogT4vQ

Where you find runes:

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On Bragis tongue...sleipnirs hoofs...the owls beak...nail of the norn...hand of the healer...

(free interpretation)

The lead singer of FAUN, check out an amazing version of Egillssaga, a classic :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oYmc9WTdSs

We started with a ceremony on a crisp, cold morning and finished in warm sunshine...

During the tattoo process, ancient and new songs were sung...

The ravens on the shoulders were described before and also here I m not giving away the very personal meanings of the Bindrunes and Galdrs.

There s many reasons why people wish to have the ancient symbols on their skin.

A wish for love, protection, health or generally power might be the intension.

And sometimes it s just beautiful.

Magick...

Galdr for love and frienship, based on mediaeval icelandic grimoires and karelian embroidery patterns

Based on Sami drum paintings, showing sun, moon, totem animals, the shaman ( Noide ) and the forces of darkness and light.

Nordic owl tattoo

Design based on a brooch on exhibition in the National Museum Copenhagen.

Once upon a time in Finland...

stone age settlement site with reconstructions (FI)

Recipe for a good time:

Tar

Ivory

Needles

Meat

Snow

Fire

Ice

Spice it up with a little sunshine and good friends

Enjoy :)

Babylonian owl tattoo

The bearer of the designs ancestorline goes back to the tribe of the Caldeans, first mentioned in Mesopotamia around 850 BC.
She is the fourth generation of chaldean women, that do not traditionally receive the forehead line tattoo anymore.
Also here the inspiration of arrangement and shapes goes back to early mesopotamian art.

Stadha Galdr- Algiz

Another magic moment, caught at midsummer by Christina

body-art-photography.com

Rune Magick

                                                    About the essence of fighting...

How to kill the ancient dragon

Ich schliesse meine Augen
Und sehe nur Schuppen sich winden
Gewuerm
Listige  Augen voller Niedertracht und Gier
Ich sterbe
An deinem Gift, deiner toedlichen Umarmung
Ich hoere sie singen, hoere sie beten

Vajra Vajra Vajrarama
Donar Donar Donarhamar
Marduk Marduk Marutukku

Schon will ich vergehen, zerschmelzen an deiner Uebermacht
Dann bin ich ganz geschaelt und nur mein Zorn ist noch
Rein und weiss
Eine Flamme des Hasses bricht hervor
Wird Stern
Wird Sterneneisen
Donnerkeil
Und faellt in meine Hand

Ich fuehle nichts mehr
Ich erschlage dich
Ich zerstueckele dich

Und als dein Kopf vor meine Fuesse rollt
In deinem Blut ich wate
Bin ich kalt

Ich verspeise dein Herz
Doch es saettigt mich nicht

Aus deinem Tod, deiner Verwesung
Baue ich ein Heim fuer mein Volk

Dann erhebt sich die Sonne einer neuen Welt
Ich verstehe und vergebe, vergehe ganz
Die Zacken schliessen sich
Zorn wird Demut
Erst dann bluehen wir
Und schauen unendlich.

Kali काली

This picture represents Kali, a hindu goddess. Her name means lord of death, darkness, death or time. The figure has many facettes and is worth studying. In her left hand you see the double Varja, in itself a very complex symbol, wich hints to the thunderbolt, an archaic divine weapon, that can be found in many cultures, starting in babylonian mythology all the way up to the norse mythology.
Part of the Midsummer Photoshoot by Christina www.body-art-photography.com

Sometimes...

Sometimes there are these golden moments
When all pieces fit
And something wonderful comes into existence

http://body-art-photography.de/

mummyfied goat head