MAGIC

What is more, quantum physics has shown us that consciousness plays a crucial role in physical reality. There are no observers, only participants. Remarkable studies have shown that people, monkeys, rats, birds, and even crystals seem to communicate in telepathic-like ways. If this sounds like science fiction, consider the curious experiment conducted by physicist Helmut Schmidt, who linked up a heat lamp to a random number generator, and placed both in his garden shed. He arranged it so that the heat lamp was turned on and off in a completely random way. In a trial run as was expected the lamp was on half of the time and off half off the time. Schmidt then placed a cat in the shed, during the cold weather. To his surprise, he now found that the heat lamp was on far more than it was off, in a way that defied chance. It seemed that the cat - which presumably preferred to be warm was somehow influencing the random numbered generator! (Gill Edwards.) There is also the theory of 'synchronicity' advanced by the psychologist CG Jung. Put simply, this attests that there can be connections between events that are something other than cause and effect. This has instinctively been known by those who practice 'Wicca,' 'Wisecraft' or 'Witchcraft' and their art is the manipulation of those 'synchronous connections.'

Spirit, emotion, light, sound, feather, petal and stone are vibrations on a spectrum. Thoughts are things which influence the reality we see around us. The concentration and ritual of magic focus and desire, enable us to move about the spectrum, so to speak. (Teresa Moorey.) Spells can be likened to prayers, but instead of begging an external God to help, a witch will place great importance on his or her own concentration and power - she or he is responsible for the success or failure of the spell. However, no sensible person believes that such power is the property of the little human ego. Really it comes from the Goddess and the God in all of us. Magic changes the person who works it, real magical transformation takes place in the mind of the practitioner, which then translates to changes in the physical world. These changes come through ordinary means and are rarely dramatic. A properly worked spell will always have some effect, but success is sometimes partial and may come about in ways we have not anticipated. Transformations take place gently, in the ordinary course of things. it is just the witch who says a quiet, 'Ah-ha.' (Teresa Moorey.) As ever there is a great deal to learn on this subject - on creating a magic circle, chanting, raising power, visualisation techniques, signs and symbols, ritual tools, festivals and learning about 'correspondences.' These are all interesting and important aspects. Below are some of my favourite books...

On the 'New Science.'
• Mysticism and the New Physics, Talbot, M. (Bantam, NY, 1981.)
• The Dancing Wu Li Masters, Zukav, G. (Fontana, London, 1980.)
• Wholeness and the Implicate Order, Bohm, D, (Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1980.)
• Looking Glass Universe, Briggs, J.P and Peat, F.D, (Fontana, London, 1985.)
• The Tao of Physics, Capra, F, (Fontana, London, 1976.)
• The Turning Point, Capra, F, (Fontana, London, 1983.)

  Magic

• Experimental Magic, Brennan, J, H. (Aquarian, 1972.)
• Spells and How They Work, Farrar, Janet and Stewart. (Hale, 1990.)
• Circlework, A DIY Handbook for working Ritual, Psychology and Magic. (House of Goddess, 1994.)
  (for more please see WICCA section.)

Wicca is the name given often given to the religion of 'Witchcraft,' also called the WiseCraft or more simply the Craft. It has been one of the most vigorous branches of the pagan revival and is not just a form of magic, but a whole Pagan philosophy and religious belief. Witches worship the Divine as the great mother Goddess and her consort the Horned God , who appear in different aspects through the solar cycle of the seasons and throughout the monthly lunar cycle. The ‘witch’ which is closely aligned to that of the ‘shaman’ offers women the possibility of harnessing this power and using it in ways which benefit mankind - to heal and change that which should be changed. it has not been easy for women to exercise their spiritual gifts in recent times and often those who did were condemned as ‘evil witches’ and as underminers of the male establishment. So some people prefer not to use the term. Others wish to reclaim it in a positive way. Wicca consists of a number of different traditions which are based on remnants of Pagan tradition which have been handed down through families. These traditions were in danger of dying out and a number of those involved in Paganism became interested and took what were a dying set of beliefs and revived them in ways suitable for the current times. In doing this much was grafted onto the core of the folk traditions from elsewhere, principally from the various European pagan traditions and ritual magic, a magic which is concerned with transformation of the self - the goal of ancient Pagan mysteries, rather than spell craft. This has created a religion which encompasses a broad range of practice, from worshipping the Gods through the seasonal cycle, to the development of psychic powers and the highest forms of mysticism.

Wicca has a very positive attitude towards women and they are essential in the priesthood. Since the Divine expresses Itself as female and male Wicca believes that Gods are best served by a priestess and priest. Wicca has no central authority structure, but consists of autonomous covens run by elders. There are also Wiccans who prefer to worship and practice alone.

• Wicca: The old religion in the new millennium, Vivian Crowley, (Thorsons, 1995.)
• Hedgewitch: A guide for the solitary practitioner, Rae, Beth (Hale, 1990.)
• A Witch Alone, Marian Green, (Thorsons, London, 1996.)
• The Enchanted Forest, Aburrow, Yvonne, (Capell Bann, 1993.)
• A Woman’s book of shadows, Brooke, Elizabeth, (The Women’s Press, 1993.)
• Wicca: A guide for the solitary practitioner, Cunningham, Scott, (Llewellyn, 1988.)
• The Spiral Dance, Starhawk, (Harper and Row, 1979.)

Sacred sites, great monuments of antiquity that remain in our times still retain their mysteries and reveal to us long forgotten ancient wisdom. They have universal character and are present all over the planet. Their location, orientation, structure and function are based on universal laws of change and homeostasis. Our ancestors, living in harmony with Mother Earth were able to recognise and locate subtle energy places and patterns in the landscape. Rocks, Springs, Holy Wells, Trees and Sacred Groves, were and are natural shrines, or Earth Mysteries. People were in constant contact with them,: they made pilgrimages to such places, meditated, prayed and listened to the earth spirits. When stone circles, shrines, castles, or towns were erected, these universal principles of balance and harmony were used throughout the whole time.

In the West, this land magic is known as 'geomancy.' Avesbury, Stonehenge and Glastonbury Tor are well known monuments in England. These arts known for thousands of years combine traditional sciences like astrology, sacred geometry and intuitive approaches of dowsing, oracles or trance work in order to locate these places and live in harmony with the Earth. To some extent, the role and power of sacred sites is to bridge the two apparently separate material and spiritual worlds and lead us to an understanding of who we really are and our original source.

Sacred sites were created instinctively, as sensitivity of ancient people allowed them to follow and interact with the earth's energy system. Moreover, they developed the ways in which landscape and space can be modified in order to improve the flow of subtle energies, and thus the well-being and prosperity of the inhabitants. They thought that subtle energy patterns or lines were running through the earth similar to acupuncture meridians in the body and following or tapping into them people could benefit from what they called the 'vital breath' or 'chi' energy.

Sacred sites are very much closely connected with rituals performed at certain times and occasions. In its essence, ritual is very simple. It involves becoming aware of the special nature of the place and time, and some action like dance or prayer is taken to honour a specific God or Goddess, singular or plural. Ritual can be a spontaneous and individual activity, but tradition suggests that ancient sites were used for purposes of groups of people. On occasions, such as seasonal festivals, dancing might have taken place at stone circles. The use of ritual involving dancing, chanting or psychoactive plants or other methods may be aimed at achieving altered states of consciousness and to specific ends such as healing.

Being in touch with the earth spirit is as important as ever before. The most essential step is to ground ourselves and make connection with the earth. This can be done by simply imagining roots growing out of our feet into the core of the earth. Another way is to feel the earth's energy coming up from the ground whilst breathing in. In some spiritual practices it is called 'earth breathing' and on a deeper level we depend on it as much as we depend on air. Usually the feeling of tingling and a pleasant surge of vibration follows when we connect with the earth beat. When we are grounded, visiting sacred sites is a much more rewarding experience. Visiting sacred sites and direct commune with nature regularly is the best approach to a healthy and holistic lifestyle. Walking around springs, holywells and rivers nourishes our psyche with the most fundamental aspect of our planet; water. Water has a very therapeutic effect on our bodies and our minds. It is symbolic of the power of healing that comes from spirit. Other receptacles of the earth spirit are rocks, mountains, hills, clefts and caverns which have generally more still and introvert nature. Some of the rocks of standing stones possess quite a magnetic charge and were used in the past in fertility rites. Trees, yew in particular, were revered by our ancestors for their trance or rapture inducing quality because during the summer they secrete a hallucinogenic smell. (Jan Cisek.)

Good health and vitality depends upon energy flowing freely through our bodies. This means allowing our emotions to flow, allowing our ideas to flow, allowing experiences to flow, allowing life to flow through us - welcoming growth and change, living in the moment and trusting in the process of life. The body has seven major chakras, or energy centres, which are based along the spine - from the tailbone to the crown. each chakra is associated with a layer of the auric field, the multi-layered energy system which surrounds and interpenetrates the physical body. According to the Eastern understanding, the universal life force flows throughout the top of the head and down the Chakras, nurturing our bodies with seven distinct types of energy, each essential to our spiritual and physical development. And it flows upwards through the chakras , communicating individual insight and a conscious sense of universal interconnectedness. Caroline Myss argues that human beings have only gained full access to each chakra during different phases of our psycho-spiritual evolution. Similarly, as each of us grows from infancy to adulthood, we activate the chakra's energies and spiritual lessons in sequence from bottom to top. The chakra can be seen as a physical 'map of consciousness

The chakras are also associated with specific emotional issues, and with certain parts of the body. The energy centre of the First Chakra, (root chakra) contains the belief patterns most strongly connected to our biological family and our early social environment. The identifying characteristic of the first chakra patterns is that they are group-thought forms, stemming from religious, ethnic, cultural, social, political, business and family traditions. These patterns teach tribal members how to take control over groups or how to relinquish control to group authority figures, and thus the spiritual lessons of this chakra relate to how we manage our physical world.

Second Chakra: From group control, we move to control on a one to one basis. second chakra patterns and lessons apply most strongly to sexual relationships, friendships, business and financial partnerships, and power; and any other kind of one -to- one interaction that brings out the need to take charge of a situation.

Third Chakra: This energy centre relates most strongly to the belief patterns we hold about ourselves, including our physical appearance, intelligence, physical abilities and skills. It is the centre of our self-esteem, and as such, the spiritual challenges related to this area concern the maturation of our ego.

Fourth Chakra: The heart-centre of the human body is the generator of all emotions: love, kindness, jealousy, anger, hatred. The spiritual lessons of this chakra are to learn compassion, the value of forgiveness, and the meaning of conscious love, often referred to as 'unconditional love.' The heart can be considered the most powerful of all the chakras because it has utter authority to create, or destroy, as such the heart energy may also be the most challenging to master.

Fifth Chakra: this energy centre is the centre of human will power, a place from which we speak out the truth. every choice we make carries the power to ignite change. The challenge here is to recognise that your strength of will is not measured by how well you exert your will over others, but by how well you control yourself. Every thought you have is either a potential act of grace or a potential weapon. You need to learn to direct your life force energy to into the kinds of thoughts that will return positive energy to you.

Sixth Chakra: This energy centre runs the power of the mind. As the core of your consciousness, it carries a tremendous authority. This chakra challenges us to become more familiar with deeper levels of being and consciousness. The characteristics of this chakra can either be our biggest obstacle or our greatest assets: pride and the ability to make judgements. The spiritual lessons of this chakra relate to insight and intuition, to seeing beyond the visible.

Seventh Chakra: The energy of this centre is like a magnet that draws us upwards into divine perception. It is our spiritual conscience which reminds us that life is about more than the acquisition of material goods. If you can learn to be conscious of the subtle currents flowing throught this chakra, it will generate a the transforming spiritual quests and questions of your life and a deeper understanding of the meaning of life. failure to hear and respond to these questions can result in anxiety and depression.

The chakras also have been found to correspond in the Kabbalistic tradition, with the Tree of life, and with planetary Astrological Ages. I will be writing more about this soon! The Chakra system expresses the unity of the universe, the unity of the human being and the underlying harmony of both. Of this there is confirmation in the fundamental Hermetic wisdom: 'as above, so below.' Here are some books about the Chakras...

• The Chakras, Naomi Ozaniec, (1990 Element Books Ltd. Dorset.)
• Working With Your Chakras, Ruth White, (1993, Judy Piatkas Publishers Ltd. London.)
• Wheels of Life, Judith Anodea, (Llewellyn Publications, 1987.)
• Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness, Motoyama, Hiroshi. (Theosophical publishing house, 1988.)
  Also see:
• Colour Healing, Lilian Verner Bonds, (Vermilion, UK,1997.)
• Why People Don't Heal and How They Can, (Caroline, Myss, (Bantam, London, 1998.)

CRYSTALS

Crystals and gemstones have always been highly prized for their beauty and for their healing and spiritual properties. Healers, shamans, priests and spiritual seekers have continually been drawn to the clarity and purity of crystals and have made use of their special powers. Crystal healing as it is developing today continues this widespread tradition by exploring new ways in which the mineral kingdom can help us restore balance to our frantic and stressful lives. All the properties of crystals derive from their unique orderliness and the stability of the their atomic structure. Whenever subjected to some outside force such as heat, pressure, electricity or light, crystals are able to make minute adjustments that quickly restore their internal stability. It may be that the very nature of crystals spontaneously increases the levels of harmony in their immediate environment. The introduction of a new element of order into a chaotic, disorganised state always tends to increase overall orderliness, because coherence is a much stronger force. Placing crystals, the most orderly matter in the universe, close to an energy imbalance, whether it is physical illness or emotional and mental upset, may encourage our own healing process to become more effective. The kingdom of minerals, crystals and rocks constitutes the physical matter of the whole universe, So the energy and nature of the gemstone is a universal energy, one block in the foundation of life. Crystal energy has been shown to vibrate 'in sympathy' with human energy. Placing crystals within the auric field can work on these areas of stagnant energy, releasing them and realigning the whole subtle body system. New stones need to be cleansed before you use them. Cleansing crystals removes unwanted energy and restores them to their original clarity, so it should be carried out each time your crystals are used for healing. If you do not cleanse them they will become less effective and may pass on imbalances or energetic static. They may be cleansed in several different ways: by holding them under running water for a minute and then placing them in the sun to dry, holding the crystal within the smoke of an incense or smudge stick. Herbs such as sage, cedar, sandalwood and frankincense are used for their purifying qualities. The vibrations of a pure sound can energetically clean a stone. A bell, gong or tuning fork can be used for this purpose. Crystals may also be cleaned through visualisation, by taking a deep breath and blowing over the crystal and imagining that you are clearing away negativities.

Of the many thousands of different minerals on earth only relatively few are used in crystal healing. Mainly those that are abundant and sturdy enough to withstand regular handling. Even so, with all the different varieties and colours available it can be bewildering to try to remember what each stone does and how each stone can be used. Learning the properties of colour can will help you to identify the general functions of a crystal or gemstone...

Red stones:

stimulate, activate, energise. Red is associated with the first chakra at the base of the spine, which is the centre in the subtle anatomy for action and activity. Ability to use practice skills, movement, motivation, protection, physical survival and the use of life-energy are some of its main functions. Some red stones are: red garnet, jasper, and ruby.

Pink stones:

pink, a blend of both red and white has a gentle and subtle way of pushing things towards a resolution. It is related to the actions of the base chakra and the heart chakra, and helps to bring emotions and sensitivity into our daily actions. Some pink stones include: rose quartz, rhondite, kunzite and rhodocrosite.

Orange stones:

orange is an equal mix of red and yellow, and this combines energising and focusing qualities. It is associated with the second chakra, which deals with flow or lack of flow within the body. Creativity and artistic skills are an expression of this flow, while shock, trauma and blocks indicate the lack of flow. Some orange stones are: carnelian, orange calcite, dark citrine, topaz and copper.

Yellow stones:

yellow relates to the solar plexus chakra that regulates the functioning of the nervous system, digestive and immune systems and the ability to discriminate and identify things. Stress, fear, happiness and contentment are all linked to this colour. Amber, rutilated quartz, tiger's eye, citrine quartz, and iron pyrites are all beneficial yellow stones which can be used for this purpose.

Green stones:

green is found in the middle of the spectrum and is associated with the heart chakra, located at the midpoint of that system. Emotions and relationships are balanced here and the qualities needed for growth and personal space are encouraged. Green aventurine, malachite, bloodstone, amazonite, moss algate, peridot and emerald are all green stones which all have slightly different properties.

Light blue stones:

the throat chakra, associated with communication, works with this colour. Communication using sight, voice, colour, taste, smell - all the senses - is involved at this centre, as are inner forms of communication: the way you talk to your self, your thoughts and the ability to express yourself all come under the expression of light blue. Aquamarine, turquoise, blue lace agate and celestine are all blue crystals.

Indigo stones:

the brow chakra, the 'third eye' is linked to the midnight blue of indigo. Perception, understanding and intuition are qualities of this chakra, together with a deep sense of peace and connection. Lapis lazuli, sodalite, kyanite, azurite and saphire are all good for use on this chakra.

Violet stones:

violet and purple are linked to the crown chakra located above the top of the head, Inspiration, imagination, empathy and the sense of service to others are the energies of this centre. Violet and purple stones help to balance extremes within the systems of the body, so they can be of use when you are not sure of the nature of a problem. Amethyst, fluorite, sugilite and Iolite are all violet stones.

White stones:

are often used at the crown chakra where they reflect the qualities of universality and quality of that centre. White light contains within it all other colours, so it symbolises the potential to reflect all energies. White stones also reflect the energies around them. White stone such as clear quartz, selenite, moonstone, iceland spa and herkimer diamond are all related to the concepts of clarity, cleansing and purification.

Black stones:

black stones absorb light. Whilst white will reflect the visible, black will show you the hidden potential of any situation. Black is solidifying and manifesting. It holds all energies quietly within itself and so requires patience to explore fully. Black stones are usually grounding, acting as energy anchors helping you to return to a normal functioning state. many will also reveal hidden aspects so they can be dealt with - in this respect black stones have a purifying role. Smoky quartz, obsidian, tourmaline and haematite are all very useful black stones.

Multicoloured stones:

there are many gemstones and minerals in which a mix of colours occurs naturally. you can determine their actions from the colour combinations that they display. In general. stones which display a full spectrum of colour , or that contain rainbow fractures will be able to reflect a wide range of states and qualities and can therefore be used for a variety of reasons. Stones with a combination of two colours have specific function determined by those colours. Opal, azurite-malachite, labradorite, hawk's eye and ametrine are all multicoloured stones.

• Crystals and Crystal Healing, Simon Lilly, (Lorenz Books, London.)
• The Power of Gems and Crystals, Holbeche, Soozi, (Piatkus Books.)
• Crystal Enlightenment and Crystal Healing, Raphael, Katharina (Aurora Press.)

HOMEOPATHY

Similia similibus curentur
(Let like be treated by like.)

Homeopathy is an alternative form of medicine, which was known to the Ancient Greeks, a fact mirrored by its derivation from the Greek 'homoios' meaning 'like' and 'pathos' meaning suffering. Essentially it means treating like with like. This law of similars states that, 'cure can take place if a sick person takes a substance that can produce similar symptoms in a healthy person. Remedies are made mainly from plants, but minerals and animals are also used to a lesser extent. Examples of trees and plants are: Yew, Thuja and Deadly Nightshade; minerals: gold, silver; and animals: bees, scorpion, and snake poison. In fact it is theoretically possible to make a remedy out of anything. People are often surprised that animals are used in homeopathy to make remedies. Generally speaking however, it is only the milk or poison of an animal that is used.

In order to make the remedies effective it is potentised, (this is a process of repeated dilution and succussion.) This is where present day science has difficulty in understanding homeopathy since the remedy appears to act way past the point where the original substance can still be detected. Only an 'energy imprint' of the substance is left. All substances have the ability to produce symptoms and it is important to realise that these are not just physical but also mental and emotional symptoms. Homeopathy believes that every symptom the body displays is there for a purpose, unlike conventional doctors who believe that they can treat, (or suppress) the symptoms without getting to the root cause. However, if a disease is denied its best method of expression, it will always find another which will generally be more detrimental to the patient. The body is not our enemy, the body is always our friend. If it is ill or has physical symptoms it is generally trying to tell us something. The Western scientific view of illness is that it is a random, meaningless event. However the body is a conscious energy system and whenever our body is less than healthy, it means that there is a blockage or imbalance in our total energy system. This will throw out a specific 'dis-ease picture' which the homeopath can recognise and prescribe a remedy which covers the mental, physical and emotional symptoms. There is therefore a single remedy that is right for a single person, rather than a number of different remedies for each ailment. Generally when treating a person constitutionally, a homeopath will look for patterns that are going on in a person's life and look for a remedy that is associated with the same patterns. When the remedy is taken by the patient the patterns are released or are brought into the person's consciousness so that she or he can deal with them, thus freeing them from the dis-ease. There may be a short 'aggravation' when the symptoms get worse. This is a positive sign that the correct remedy has been chosen and usually goes along with a feeling of emotional or mental well-being and is therefore tolerable. Aggravations may last a few minutes to seven days but is actually one of the most positive signs that a cure is on the way as soon as the body's own healing force starts acting.

Very often there are corresponding changes in a person's outside world as a person changes their inner patterns and perceptions. One of the most important things is that people say after taking a remedy is that they feel better in themselves. This is as a result of freed energy. Time-scales vary, and many factors come into play which influence how long a cure will take. A very rough guide is that it takes a month for every year you have had the illness. Furthermore health is not an absolute state but a continuous process. One of the most important factors is how willing the person is to view their world differently. Fundamentally, homeopathy offers great opportunities for living a more conscious, healthy, aware, happy and useful life. The more that a person knows about the homeopathic process, the more consciously they are able to assist their own healing process. Here are a few of the many books available and a few links..

• The Complete Homeopathy Handbook, Miranda Castro, (1996 Pan Books.)
• Practical Homeopathy, Sylvia Treacher, (Parragon, Bristol, 1996.)
• The Magic of the minimum dose, Dorothy, Shepherd.
• A Physician's Posy, Dorothy, Shepherd. (1993 C.W Daniel Company, Ltd.)

NATIVE AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY

Native American Spirituality teaches us the value of living in harmony with earth, honouring each other and respecting the interdependence of all life. By looking back and discovering and rediscovering the ‘Old Ways,’ we can apply these perennial truths to our modern dilemmas.

Vision Quests.

Black Elk says ‘the real world is behind this one, and everything we see here is something like a shadow from that world.’ The ‘real world’ he refers to is the unseen world of ‘spirit,’ which can perceived through mystical and visionary experiences. The people of Turtle Island actively sought these experiences by drumming, dancing and singing; by ingesting psychedelic plants, fungi and toad secretions ; by performing long sacred ceremonies; by fasting and going on the Vision Quest. A vision may appear whilst asleep or awake. It will have clarity and meaning. It impresses itself upon consciousness and carries a sense of its importance. A vision is more fully sensual than a normal dream and is usually in bright colours. It often contains one key detail which is a message to be contemplated and lived with. The people of Turtle Island viewed these visions as communications from a shared reality that lies beyond our normal waking experiences. Because these people lived and thought as a community such dreams were discussed and interpreted by the whole tribe. It was not uncommon for more than one person to have the same dream. These communications were most often in symbols - the language of the world of spirit and would often take the help of a spiritual advisor to translate the vision. A cultivation of stillness is needed in order to listen to the voice of the ‘Great Spirit.’

Teachings can be about the past to recover wisdom that has been lost, about the present to learn how to apply the wisdom today; or future - to see into things to come. Future visions can be of three kinds, ‘walking visions,’ often experienced as ‘deja vu’ the feeling of remembering an event which is happening now. Here the vision is not remembered until it actually occurs. Secondly, ‘warning visions’ about a future event which can be encouraged to happen or avoided. The third type of future vision teaches us about our future gifts and how to use them, or something of our particular purpose in life.

The use of Peyote, (a powerful psychoactive cactus used by shamans in the south to communicate with Mescalito - a Spirit Ally,) to induce visions is a comparatively recent ceremony in North America, introduced only a hundred years ago from the south, some say through the Apache, at a time where the indigenous peoples and their traditional ways were being destroyed by the white man. Into this cultural chaos came peyote, bringing new hope for the regeneration of the ‘Old Ways.’ Peyote is said to open up a doorway into the unseen world and is said to give the gift of self-reflection. If used with reverence, it is said to give powerful visions that are not random or strange, but recognisably transcendental Many medicine people do no support the use of this substance, as they feel that it is not traditional or not a true vision. It is, they believe, heavily contaminated with projections from the personal psyche.

A vision quest was taken very seriously. When the time was right, a quester would feel called by the spirits to ‘go on the hill.’ They would seek out the guidance of the Wiscasa Wakan - someone with intimate knowledge of the unseen world. If the person is seen to be ready he would start a period of preparation that could last from a week to a year, purifying himself with fasting, prayer and the ceremonial use of a sweat lodge.

He would the ‘go on the hill’ and would commit to stay alone without food or water , exposed to the elements until he sees a vision . He has nothing but a blanket against the cold and perhaps a sacred pipe and the contents of his medicine bundle to aid him. The medicine person would be responsible for the safety of the lamenter who he has agreed to guide. he remains somewhere close and guards a fire praying until the lamenter sees a vision.

Sweat Lodge

The ‘Sweat Lodge’ is a ceremonial construction used for healing and balancing. It was often used as a purification ritual used before the Vision Quest and all other important spiritual undertakings. In this small, dark enclosure made from buffalo hide, birch bark or cedar planks, hot stones are covered in water, creating a steam bath. It is used to bring clarity to a specific problem, , to call upon helpful spirits , or to re-connect to great spirit reminding the participants of their interconnectedness with ‘mother earth’ and is sometimes seen as a type of womb where the participants emerge with the freshness of new born babies.

Medicine Wheel

To the Native Americans, the term 'medicine' means vital force - energy which is inherent in nature. A person’s medicine is their power, their knowledge, their expression of their life energy. A medicine wheel is a circle of power, of knowledge, of understanding. The medicine Wheel teaches us the balance and relationship of all things. They show the powers that hold the universe in balance. The Native American culture is a rich one. Despite all efforts to destroy it by the white man essential truths still live on. There are many good books including the ones below which can give a fuller account of the way of life of the Peoples of Turtle Island.

• Blackfoot Physics: A journey into the Native American Universe, F. David Peat, (Fourth Estate Ltd. London, 1995.)
• The Native American Sweat Lodge, Bruchac, Joseph. (Crossing, P.)
• Black Elk. The Sacred Pipe, Joseph Epes Brown, (NY Penguin Books, 1971.)
• Touch the Earth: A Self Portrait of Indian Existence. (NY Simon & Schuster, 1976.)
• The Medicine Way, Kenneth Meadows, (1990, Element Books, Dorset.)