Spirits of Place
Expanding our paradigm
allows us to develop shamanic
practices that nourish the
particular, the specific;
this nourishment can then
ripple out along the spiritual
leylines of our EarthHome.
Otherwise, we can forget
that we are creatures who
are Place-Dependent. We can
forget that part of our call
is to tend our immediate
surroundings and the natural
communities we inhabit. Over
time, the natural systems,
of which we are but a part,
begin to languish. How can
we nurture the wilderness
of our beings and the wilderness
for other creatures? How
can we nourish what is seeking
to thrive in the specifics
of Place?
You will see from my 2008 Calendar
that I am focusing more on
shamanic ways that arose, and
still arise, within particular
ecosystems on Earth. Attention
will be given to the Ancestors
of Place who have left their
signatures and whose presence
is palpable to those who will
take time to connect with them.
Although the ways may be Place
dependent, to have worked with
a community of Beings, allows
one to draw upon these relationships
for help and wisdom at other
times and places.
These workshops are also offered
in the time-honored tradition
of the spiritual seeker or
the shaman traveling beyond
one's home to other lands in
order to acquire wisdom, resources,
and new connections -
for one's self and for one's
larger community.
There is real benefit to a
core shamanism that is place
independent. However, we won't
appreciate the importance of
tending Earth unless we fully
understand how Place is the
Home of certain Beings and
Spirits: to take care of those
Places is to take care of these
Beings, these Spirits, ourselves,
and future generations.
Retreat Centers
On a different note,
I have been concerned about
the increasing costs of retreat
centers for doing this teaching.
I prefer to teach in residential
settings because it allows
the power of Circle to deepen
and conversations between
sessions can be rich resources
for overall learning. Also
residential lodging allows
us to connect with the Spirits
of Place through the waking
and the dreaming hours. But
that means finding places
that are not prohibitive
in lodging costs.
Apprenticing to the Spirits
and learning shamanism should
be accessible to all who
are called to, or interested
in, this path. The
benefits of this Walk have
such far reaching consequences
for restoring ourselves and
our planet to health. With
that in mind, I have sought
other centers in which to
teach this year. The centers
I have chosen are less expensive
than previous ones and are
easily accessible by plane
and/or car. This coming Spring
and Summer, I will be teaching
at a newly opened retreat
center in the Santa Cruz
area. (Ben Lomond, CA). The
center is called "Sacred
Earth Retreat" and is ideally
suited for small, intimate
Circles. Exploring and wandering
through the mountain coastal
forest there, I realized
it provides opportunity to
both discover and deepen
one's knowing about aspects
of shamanism I consider so
critical to walking this
path.
Support
In addition to renting less
expensive centers and keeping
my tuition fees the same,
we are able to offer partial
scholarships for these
workshops due to the generosity
of donations received to
Shamanic Circles. For those
of us needing some support,
we can apply for scholarships
by contacting Pirkko Miller.
For those of us with abundance,
please consider making
tax-deductible scholarship
donations to Shamanic Circles.
It is this cycle of giving
and receiving that allows
us to be a community in
which we support one another.
Other Projects
I will continue to work with
larger groups, especially in
my relationship with the nonprofits,
Shamanic Circles and the Society
for Shamanic Practitioners. We
are currently collaborating
on developing a project we
call "Shamans without Borders." More
about this will be introduced
at this year's SSP Conference
and in communicating with Circles
at the Shamanic Circles website
(www.shamaniccircles.org).
In the next few months, Shamanic
Circles will announce its next
International Gathering. We
also invite you to join a Shamanic
Circles sponsored weekend on
Thetis Island in Canada.
Partners
I continue to partner
with Susan Gilliland and
Pirkko Miller in my teaching.
Pirkko coordinates all my
workshops and is the person
to contact if you have any
questions as well as to register
for a workshop. (pirkko@embarqmail.com). I
feel grateful and blessed
to be teaming with them in
this work.
I invite those of you who studying
shamanism to consider participating
in one of these workshops.
Not only will there be deepening
of your own shamanic understandings
but opportunity to gain support
for your sharing in the communities
in which you live.
May all of us on this path
walk the Way of Blessing and
leave footprints of gratitude
wherever we wander.
Love and blessings,
Carol
Workshops
February 29 to March
1
Medicine Wheel & Shamanism
Tucson AZ (Aravaipa Canyon
Ranch}
see
description
April 25 to 27
Women Healers: Totemic Body
Earth Retreat Center, Ben Lomond
(Santa Cruz County) CA
see
description
May 2 to 4
California Shamanism
(Medicine of the Coastal Redwood
Mountains)
Earth Retreat Center, Ben Lomond
(Santa Cruz County) CA.
see
description
May 14 to 18
A workshop at the Society for
Shamanic Practitioners Conference
Sunrise Springs, Santa Fe,
NM
contact: Bonnie Horrigan, shamansociety@cox.net
Web site: Society
for Shamanic Practiioners
July 11 to 13
California Shamanism: Bear
Medicine & Bear Doctoring
Earth Retreat Center, Ben Lomond
(Santa Cruz County) CA
see
description
August 1 to 3
Medicine of the Northeastern
Woodlands
Philadelphia, PA
see
description
Oct. 24 to 26
The Totemic Body of the Shaman
The Presentation Retreat Center,
Los Gatos, CA (San Jose area)
Coordinator: Pirkko Miller,
Email: pirkko@embarqmail.com
see
description
Oct. (dates)
Shamanism and our Animal Companions:
Healing our Kindred Spirits
Los Angeles, CA
Carol Proudfoot-Edgar & Dan
Jordinelli
In this workshop, we will be
working with animals that,
for various reasons, are being
held at the East Valley Animal
Shelter. This is an opportunity
to discover ways of healing
both body and spirit of these
companions - most of whom are
there due to serious neglect.
We will learn what shamanic
methods are most appropriate
to bring them comfort, healing
and retrieving of any wandering
souls. What is learned in this
workshop can be used in our
own animal companions or those
whom we might encounter on
our path.
Doing this work is one way
we can give back to our animal
family.
The exact dates and costs are
still to be determined. A portion
of the workshop proceeds will
go to assist the animals at
that particular shelter.
Coordinator and Contacts: Pirkko
Miller, Email: pirkko@embarqmail.com
or Dan Jordinelli: jordinelli@earthlink.net
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