Goose/Gander?

Remember to keep it civil; the purpose of this forum is to be fun and informative.

Allow the member to answer on question or set of questions before asking more...nobody wants to be overwhelmed.

All other forum rules apply.

Now, let's have fun!

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Initial questions:


1. What country, area of the US or city do you live in? Were you born where you live? If not, why do you live where you do? What do you like and dislike about where you live?

2. Are you are married? Single? Do you have children?

3. Do you have any pets? What kinds?

4. What are your hobbies and/or interests? What do you do to relax?

5. What kind of work do you do? Do you like where you work? Do you have plans for making a job change?

6. What is your favorite kind of music? Who is your favorite musical artist? Do you play any musical instruments? If so, what do you play? How well?

7. Would you rather read a book or watch a movie? What was the last book you read? What was the last movie you saw?

8. Are you an ordained minister? If so, how long have you been ordained? What is your religion or spiritual path? If you are ordained, does your ministry follow only your beliefs or do you minister to others outside your path?

9. Are there any sports that you like to watch or participate in? What are they? What is your level of participation? Favorite teams or performers? Any sports you used to participate in but don't anymore?

10. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? 10 years?
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--Steve--
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That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 255)

Initial questions:


1. What country, area of the US or city do you live in? Were you born where you live? If not, why do you live where you do? What do you like and dislike about where you live?

I live in extreme Southern Oregon, roughly 15 miles north of the California border. I was born here, though I have lived elsewhere. I moved back due to family, most of whom have since passed away. I love being about 15 minutes from being in the mountains and in the woods, and all the wildlife, great fishing, hunting, wild herbs that grow everywhere, and so forth. I don't like the politics of this area. Being the only semi-decent sized town in the entire lower right corner of the state, agencies here make up their own rules as they go, and are not consistent. They only clean up their act when the state investigators are in town. I'm looking forward to moving north about 150 miles.

2. Are you are married? Single? Do you have children?

Married and celebrated our 28th anniversary on Sept. 9. Looking forward to another 50, at least. We have 2 kids; a boy 28, with 2 boys of his own, and a girl, 24.

3. Do you have any pets? What kinds?

We have 6 cats, 4 dogs (one just had pups a couple weeks ago, but I don't count them because they aren't going to be staying here), 2 full grown red eared turtles, a ring necked dove, a parakeet, a button quail, 1 large (3') and 1 small (1') western garder snakes, a bullfrog, a pacman frog, fish (bullheads, glass cat, 2 very large plecos, goldfish) and 6 newts. I don't count our chickens, because they are our egg producers, not pets. I also don't count the deer and quail that come through our yard daily, nor the occasional raccoon, skunk, beaver, or muskrat. All of those are wild. Maybe I should charge admission to our zoo?

4. What are your hobbies and/or interests? What do you do to relax?

I write (mostly science fiction and science fantasy), write music, play guitar-piano-keyboard-trumpet-sax-organ, sing, write poetry, go camping, garden, refinish furnature, go fishing, go out to get wild herbs, teach shamanism, donate help when possible. I'm sure I missed a few things.

5. What kind of work do you do? Do you like where you work? Do you have plans for making a job change?

I work as a computer technical engineer, have my own business on the side that I really haven't promoted (also in the computer industry-consulting), and hopefully I'll be able to make more money on my published books so I can devote more time to writing. Money from ministry is used strictly to help others, not for income. I don't charge for teaching shamanism, but students usually give me what they feel it is worth to them, normally not monitary though.

6. What is your favorite kind of music? Who is your favorite musical artist? Do you play any musical instruments? If so, what do you play? How well?

I like many kinds of music; rock, new age, pop, folk, celtic, country, and I like many different artists, from Enya to N'Sync, from Peter, Paul, and Mary to the Eagles. As for what instruments I play, see #5. I consider that I have a LOT of room for improvement, but some people have said that I do pretty good, and at one time I had a band, ran a weekly jam session, and was offered a record deal. (I enjoy it too much to do it for a living.)

7. Would you rather read a book or watch a movie? What was the last book you read? What was the last movie you saw?

Read a book. The last I read cover to cover was a book on advanced astrophysics I got from the college book store, but usually I read much lighter books. The last movie I watched was The Green Mile, I believe.

8. Are you an ordained minister? If so, how long have you been ordained? What is your religion or spiritual path? If you are ordained, does your ministry follow only your beliefs or do you minister to others outside your path?

I am ordained by three churches, one Christian, one non-denominational, and one multi-denominational. My ministry follows my belief, but I do also minister outside of my path and have done a wiccan marriage, 2 pagan weddings, etc. I'm comfortable enough in myself that I have no problem relating to people of other religions.

9. Are there any sports that you like to watch or participate in? What are they? What is your level of participation? Favorite teams or performers? Any sports you used to participate in but don't anymore?

I watch football, both pro and college, and my fav team is the Seattle Seahawks. I played football in high school, but have trouble with team sports now that I've gotten older. I was also in active martial arts competition when I was in the Navy, but can't do that anymore, either. I do still hike, fish, hunt, and in general I love the outdoors.

10. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? 10 years?

I hope to still be helping people, but I hope to own my own home by then, and plan on spending much more of my time actively writing.

>>>We have 6 cats, 4 dogs (one just had pups a couple weeks ago, but I don't count them because they aren't going to be staying here), 2 full grown red eared turtles, a ring necked dove, a parakeet, a button quail, 1 large (3') and 1 small (1') western garder snakes, a bullfrog, a pacman frog, fish (bullheads, glass cat, 2 very large plecos, goldfish) and 6 newts. I don't count our chickens, because they are our egg producers, not pets. I also don't count the deer and quail that come through our yard daily, nor the occasional raccoon, skunk, beaver, or muskrat. All of those are wild. Maybe I should charge admission to our zoo?<<<



Goodness, thats a lotta animals. My daughters would love to have as many animals. They love animals and would take in the whole forest if they could. Every stray animal they see thay wanna take it home.

Charla

Rev Rex - I'd like to hear more about shamanism. Anything you can share on your own personal beliefs/experiences would be really great. Thanks!

That is a very tall order. I've been on the shamanic path for around 40 years now, and have been teaching shamanism for about 15, so there have been a LOT of experiences. In journeying alone, primarily to the spirit realm, I doubt that a month goes by that I don't take one or two journeys.

My beliefs are a little easier to describe, though complex enough that I may not be too awful clear about them. First off, shamanism is not a religion. This means that a person can subscribe to many different religions and still be a shaman. I believe in a creator, whom I call the "Grandfather" most often, out of respect. To the American Indian, age and wisdom are important, and so a grandfather is someone who is greatly respected.

I believe that the grandfather has many helpers, by whatever name a person wishes to call them. (Angels, Arch Angels, Guardian Angels, Totems, Spirit Guides, etc.) I normally refer to them as just spirits, or Upper spirits if I want to be more precise, this is to differentiate them from the lower spirits...upper and lower isn't meant to have anything to do with their importance, simply that the upper spirits are from the upper spirit realm and the lower spirits are from the lower spirit realm - three realms altogether, counting the physical realm. I think it is probably easiest to imagine a great tree. The crown of the tree is the upper realm, the trunk is the physical realm, and the roots is the lower realm. (Most of my journeys are to the lower realm.) Anyway, the Grandfather seldom meddles in what is going on, but the spirits often do. Not all spirits are benevolent, either, though many are. There is a huge number of spirits, but then, the spirit realms are so vast that it staggers the mind. To get an idea, comparing the spirit realms with the physical one is like comparing a single room in a house, to the entire planet. Even this falls short, but it gives some notion, anyway.

I also believe that the Earth is a living entity. I find it interesting that more and more scientists of various persuasions are coming to the same conclusion. Where this belief differs from some who believe the same is that while I see mankind as an important component of what I call the web of life (picture a spider web where every living creature is a nexus point on that web...each affects all of the others), I also feel that man's opinion of himself is way more inflated than his position is in reality. This is why a person might hear me speak passionately about how there is NO Global Warming, for instance. (All indications are that there might be global cooling, but I'm not sure of that, either.) For all his technical marvels and abilities to build, man still can't come even close to the power, both to create and destroy, of nature.

That is side tracking just a little. As you can see here, I could write a book about my beliefs and why I believe this way, and I'd still leave things out (in part, because beliefs are linked to experiences, which means that they are dynamic and always changing, they aren't static.)

I know that this just touches on your question. There is more, regarding my beliefs, in the Native Peoples Workshop, and I welcome questions or comments there as well as here. If there is something specific (or even general) that you want to know, please don't hesitate to ask. There is even a thread set up there for general shamanic questions: Shamanistic questions

Is this helpful at all? (I hope so.)

Hi Rev Rex - Thanks for your response - I really enjoyed your post. I find the concept of shamanism very interesting and I'll definitely check out the thread on it. The only exposure I've had is from reading some of Carlos Castenada's books (quite some time ago, too). While the idea of meeting spirits myself is somewhat frightening, I enjoy hearing about other's experiences.

I'll try to make my questions more specific (after I learn a little more, it will be easier!) Just one more quesiton for now: Have you always been gifted to sense spirits? In other words, what precipitated your interest and ability to take journeys into the world of spirit?

It can be scary and a little intimidating at first. But spirits are around us all the time, since just as we can journey to their realm, they can journey here. Each person also has a spirit guide that watches over them. Christians call this a guardian angel, but the concept is the same (well...very similar). Until each of us actually meets and gets to know the guide, though, they are limited in what they can do. Ever had a situation that you just knew was too much to bear, then something happened that changed things around so they weren't so bad? Spirit guide in action. Ever find yourself down in the dumps and very blue, then someone contacts you in some way and says exactly the thing you need to hear? Once you realize that most spirits won't interact with us at all, and that of the remainder, most are good, or at least not "bad", the fear lessens a lot.

As for how I got started, first it is important to know that everyone is capable of seeing and speaking with spirits. In fact, most do without ever knowing it. This usually happens when we perceive an exceptionally vivid dream. As often as not, they are not dreams at all, but rather what I call "unguided journeys". (Unguided, because the person isn't intentionally making it.) So it is a 'gift' that we all possess. How I got started, though, was because of a tremendously vivid dream that I only learned later wasn't a dream. I saw things and spoke to a very old Indian man who told me things that amazed me...not all of which I understood. I'd never seen the man before, and didn't know who he was. But as it happened, I knew the shaman (and chief) of a local indian tribe. A few days after the dream, I happened to run into him, and in the course of conversation, I told him about the "dream". He immediately knew that it wasn't a dream, and spoke to me at length about it. That started my learning and got me going on the path. (Since then, I learned that the old man was actually an ancestor, several generations removed, and he was a Cherokee Indian shaman. Believe it or not, at the time, I didn't even know I was Cherokee.)

Years ago, while attending a spiritual workshop, one women there (a psychic) told me she saw a being of light standing behind me as I spoke. It was very comforting. I've known other who could communicate with people on the other side - my grandmother spoke to me on one occassion, just to tell me she was OK. I've had other experiences, just nothing that comes to what you're talking about. I get messages and confirmations alot (flashes of insight, meaningful coincidences, dreams where I feel I'm being taught great truths, etc.) - on several occassions, I've gotten messages through birds. All in all, not very scary! It's been meaninful enough, though, to convince me that ours is not the only "reality."

Are you aware of your spirit guide(s) all the time and how do you communicate with them? What do you think of all the channeled material available now? Do you feel there's increased communication going on? Thanks!

When one learns to journey to the spirit realm, they find that conversing with spirits to be extremely easy. They are not constrained as we are in this realm. Sometimes you will hear vocal messages, like two people talking, but often you hear their thoughts. Mind you, not ALL their thoughts, merely those that they wish to make known. To me it is a vastly superior form of communication. The reason is that there is never a doubt about the "way" in which the thought was meant. The message itself might not be fully understandable at the time, but how many times has someone heard me say something, and thought I meant something totally different than I'd intended? We see that every day in society. A woman hears a man saying that she looks very nice...is he being sarcastic? Is he some sex pervert? Is it an honest compliment? Is he 'fishing' for a return compliment? Is he after something else? In the spirit realm, none of this would be in doubt.

I wouldn't actually say that I'm aware of my guide all the time. I CAN be, but it is sort of like being aware of your breathing all the time. Just thinking about breathing, and you are usually aware of it, but with the other demands of life, there are times you really don't think about it. It is reassuring, though, that when you think about your guide (after meeting them and becoming close to them) that you can sense where they are and what they are doing.

Much of the communication I have with my guide is one sided. That is to say that she doesn't always answer me, nor is it at all necessary. I formulate thoughts in my mind, sort of like you'd do if you were at a meeting and everyone is getting a chance to speak...you think about what you are going to say before you say it. I do the same thing when I'm communicating with my guide, but there is no reason to actually SAY anything (unless I need to hear it myself, which does happen, in which case it is verbal). It is harder to explain than it is in practice. My guide knows me better than anyone else. There is a deep connection there. So she knows what I'm thinking in a similar way that a man and woman who've been married 50 years often know what the other is thinking, at least in general. Back to the one sided part...much of the time when I speak to my guide, it is to clarify something in my own mind. She becomes sort of a sounding board, always there and always listening, but with no reason to reply, since she knows the purpose. If there is something she feels she should add, though, I hear those thoughts ("hearing" isn't the correct word, but there really isn't a word to describe it. I think those thoughts, but I'm totally and instantly aware that they are not my own, as well as where they came from. This is the same as the phenomena that most people have experienced where a sudden thought will pop into their head, with insights or knowledge that they don't possess. The thoughts actually belong to someone else.)

As for the channeled information, I don't in truth have much of an opinion regarding the validity of it. Part of it is that I haven't read much of the material, and I am loathe to disclaim or affirm a work I've not read. I can formulate an opinion regarding whether it is good or bad, though, by simply saying that assuming that the information is valid, how good or bad it is, is based on how the knowledge is used (just like any knowledge in general). There are those who follow the shamanic path that use their knowledge to hurt others and to inflict pain. Not many, but there are some. Usually they aren't as powerful as those who use the shamanism to help others (that would be a discussion in itself), but the point is that the knowledge itself is neither good nor bad, only the purpose to which it is used can be, and even then, it is often very subjective.

Do I feel that there is increased communication going on? Absolutely. It is my belief that we've entered a new era, and this one is of spiritual enlightenment. More people are becoming spiritual than ever before, though the paths may be different for different people. That is okay, though. If the goal is to reach the top of the mountain, it makes little difference which trail one uses, or no trail at all, to attain that goal. So I believe that with the increase in spirituality, there is also increased communication. I don't see how it could be otherwise.

Hi RR - I copied your post, thinking we could continue the conversation in another part of the forum, but I'm not quite sure where to put it. Do you think there should be a subcategory on Shamanism somewhere? Should we ask Lightkeeper? I read the thread on Shamanism that you posted, but I'm not sure how to get to it other than through your link.