Connection and Communion with Ancestors
“I know that it is going to be a long walk to our freedom,
but it must be started now, for the future generations of our people.
We today, have failed to deliver the seeds of freedom, love and justice,
that is why the great spirit is calling everyone.”
-Baba Mandaza Kandemwa
By Rose Zimmerman
Looking at artifacts and cave paintings reveals a lot about our ancestral history, the stories that were told thousands of years ago and the stories that continue to be told today. It has always been a wonder to me how cultures from different parts of the globe and even thousands of years apart were able to associate similar meanings to particular planets, stars or forces of nature. When the night sky was the only thing streaming on network television, and the best story teller in the community could bring to life such imagery and imagination into our speckled origins above. Was it a scorpion, or a fish hook giving birth to the Hawaiian archipelago of islands?
In a similar way meeting the ancestors of the natural world on earth, the elder trees, rocks, mountains, and streams. Our hundred year old sea turtle friends pass by, eyes curious and wise, I ask them just much of this mysterious ocean, and just how much sea grass have you enjoyed dear friend? The high noon clouds pass with such softness and dissipate back into the clear day before its time for dinner.
Modern day clocks tick differently than Sun dials in sand. Somewhere between cave paintings of Orion’s belt, and lunar phases inscribed on whale bones, one thing is for certain, the geology of the land may morph and change over time, but there remains this pure regularity of the stars, our home above, swirling round and round, shining in stellar unison, our most distant and remarkable friends. How unknowable in their timelessness, and yet so familiar for all of human history.
“One of the most wonderful things you can do is go sit in the forest, sit under a tree, know that the intelligence in that tree has watched human behavior for as old as it is and even older because it has ancestors also and if you can relax yourself and be open to receiving that energy the tree will tell you what you need to know… everybody actually has sacred trees.”
-Yeye Luisah Teish
Media Library: Dive Deeper
Daily Practices and Inspirational Talks on Tending to the Earth
African Shamanism and the Natural Path to Shamanic Power
by Yeye Luisah Teish
Chief Iyanifa Fajembola Fatunmise also known as Yeye Luisah Teish is an American author of African and African-diaspora spiritual cultures. She also is an affluent ritualist, keynote speaker, and spiritual advisor on a global scale.
Answering the Call of Spirit
by Baba Mandaza Kandemwa, The Power of Shamanism Summit
Throughout time, great spiritual teachers and healers have answered the call of Spirit. It is critical that we each answer this call as well by journeying from the head (or intellect) to the heart of compassion and inner wisdom. Spirit is the undeniable voice within that goes by many different names, including God. In this session, Mandaza examines what each of us must do in our lives to respond to this imperative call.
Experiencing the Shamanic Journey
by Sandra Ingerman
Step into the ancient wisdom of Shamanism with Sandra Ingerman as she introduces the transformative practice of the shamanic journey. In this excerpt from her online course, she explores the historical roots of Shamanism, the power of personal experience, and the importance of trusting your own connection with spiritual helpers. Through this journey, you’ll discover how to access spiritual realms beyond visual perception and deepen your understanding of the unseen world.
Indigenous Wisdom From Arctic Siberia: Animal Spirits, Shamanism & Healing Music
by Snow Raven
Indigenous Arctic Siberian woman, Snow Raven, delves into the rich tapestry of her heritage, sharing the ancient traditions and practices of her people. From mystical shamanism, to mimicking birds and animal sounds to go into trance – Snow Raven reveals the wisdom of her people, and how it can change the world.
Spring is in the air, and the natural world is singing it’s tune of colors in bloom.
Big Bear Retreat Center wishes you a healthy joyful spring!
