As you know, thunder is usually accompanied by lightning, a most powerful and deadly force. What most people don't know is that lightning can also bring about a healing of the spirit, by the spirits. Lightning has also been known to be the initiate of many shaman, psychic, priestess, priest, healer, seer, and spirit walker, of many cultures and religions. Even in ancient witch-craft, there are many potions and elixirs that come from lightning. One is the use of water found in the trunk of a tree that has been struck by lightning.
In Thunder Medicine, many of the formula's in healing are the same as with those of the craft. Any herbal medicine requiring water should always be taken from a clear running stream while facing up stream. The water taken from a fresh lightning struck tree trunk is even better. Of course there are always exceptions to every rule. You should never use the water from a pine or other tree that is abundant in tar. Water from these trees are used for other than healing.
Have you ever seen the melting and fusing of earth or sand from a lightning strike? These "ornaments" carry great spirit medicine. A crystal that has been stricken by lightning becomes a hundred times stronger. A persons chakras too are affected by the mere presence of a lightning storm. The soft rumbling of distant thunder has a calming or soothing affect on infants and pregnancy.
In the beginning, there was no fire. Mother Earth was in her infancy, though she was still thousands of years old at that time. Mother Earth was dark and cold until the Ani'-Hyun'tikwala'ski (Thunders) who lived up in Galun'lati, sent their lightning and put fire in the hollow of a sycamore tree. The sycamore grew into an island. Seeing the smoke coming from the top, the animals knew that this was a good thing and that they too would like to have light and heat. Because the great water was so big, they could not get to it. (see The story of The First Fire).
It is the Anisga'ya (The Little Men) who we hear talking and casting spells and magic that make thunder as they talk. The Great Thunder and his two sons, the thunder boys, live far to the West and above the great sky vault. The lightning and the rainbow are their beautiful dress, which also carries great medicine. To touch the lightning or the rainbow is to obtain great medicine.
Many men have tried throughout the history of the man tribe to obtain this power without the calling from the Great Thunder. They now walk the spirit world never to return to this world. The Great Thunders medicine can be learned by one who has been called, but only by someone who has demonstrated great respect for Mother Earth, and all others.
The More!
The term "Shaman" is actually a Russian term. The Native American medicine person is called by many names depending on his/her tribe. For me, Quiet Thunder, the term used by most tribes that I work with is "Spirit Walker". Regardless of the term used, each depicts, in one way or another, the Shaman's ability to enter into altered states of consciousness usually induced by a continuous and monotonous drumming or other percussion sound. Often the sound is patterned after the sound of a heart beat. Then there are those of us who prefer the sound of thunder or perhaps even both.
We spiritually ride these sounds to other worlds called the Upper Worlds and the Lower Worlds. Also utilized in these travels are animal spirits or the spirits of others who have volunteered to act as assistants, guides, and or agents of protection against unforseen evils. These spirits offer their wisdom, give advice, assist in healing, and other deeds as well. By utilizing these spirits, the true shaman becomes doctor, healer, psychologist, counselor, spiritual guide, mediator, arbitrator, Priest, history keeper, teacher, confidant, seer, herbologist, and translator between this world and the spirit worlds.
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