• Home
• Email For Appointment
• Class Schedules
• Reiki
• Yoga
• Izigg mobile media
• vatapittakapha test
• Blog
• Calendar
• ShamanMTV
• Shaman's Questing
• Wellness
• Services
• About Us
• Contact Us
• Testimonials

Shaman M writes of Life

Understanding How to Meditate..Making it for You  

28 January 2012

If one could have knowledge to do anything, would the possible events be
questioned to suffice conditioning or fear? They go hand in hand. All fears are
conditioned. We where not born into this physical existence with any fear at
all.
As we take a journey into the steps involved for meditation we will refer to
several established stories in the societal mind. Let's begin with Buddha before
enlightenment as referenced through the stories relayed to the Sages.
According to the Pali writings Buddha was born in a considered Royal family and
a Sage had foretold that Buddha would renounce his royal birth and was destined
a Buddha. The Raja did not want his son to suffer so he surrounded Buddha with
the finest of everything. Buddha from the time of birth through adolescence and
into adulthood wanted for nothing. There was only beauty and positively
surrounding Buddha at all times.
In thinking a picture in the mind is set for extreme imbalance and when Nature
is out of balance it corrects itself. So it was with Buddha, his desire to go
outside grew and, being highly intelligent, so befriended a guard to help him.
When looking into the steps of meditation there are many aspects but one has to
begin...at the beginning. Hence, we take a position as to be sitting,
standing/walking or lying down. Sitting is the most common but all work as long
as you are Balanced. Yes, Balanced is something you may not relate to beginning
your meditative practice but it is vital. The example is the sitting position
with your spine straight and making sure you are comfortable. When you are deep
into the meditation is their some aspect that will cause imbalance? If you are in
pain or know that you may be, taking precautions to counterbalance these effects
will save you a lot of suffering and further your practice more rapidly. On the
other side you don't want to be so comfortable you fall asleep. Find your
beginning posture and adjust after that.
When Buddha was free from the palace what he witness shocked him.
Again our mind can only imagine what is about to happen in the Buddha's mind and
body. Remember he knew only good.
The story goes that Buddha first encountered poverty, then a diseased man, liken
to leprosy, and then a dead body. The experience introduces grief, sorrow, and
heartache into his being. He is so overwhelmed he renounces his royal lineage
leaving his family including his wife and child. Buddha wants answers and so he
begins his journey to self awareness.
The next step in our meditative practice is to focus the mind to become aware of
that which is always there yet it functions so we give it no attention...the
breath.
Starting simple inhale and exhale all the breath, all of it. Next breath into
your abdomen expanding into the chest deeply, slowly then exhale slowly and
repeat.
Lord Buddha was profoundly changed by his re-introduction into society. Think
about this; a grown man experiencing the ghastly negative side of his world for
the first time. His senses that have experienced smells of perfumes now smell
pestilence. His ears no longer hear the laughter of his son but the cries of
hunger from women and children. He touches the leathery face of a young boy who
has been calloused from the sun working in the fields daily. To bear witness
to all that is overwhelming as his eyes taking in information so fast that his
mind overflows with emotion into his heart.
Our thinking of what Buddha experienced is our perceptions related to our
society today. Becoming an Awakened Being is a process to remembering who we
are. No matter what awakened being it is Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, Krishna,
Mother Mary, or the like, they all had to begin just like you and me.
Placing an intent into the support of your practice by thinking of a Master(s)
of your choosing to bring the created energy of awakening, and believing it will
be, forges a beginning that allows you to deal with the five aggregates. These
aggregates are better known as the five senses.
Buddha spent years as an ascetic practicing with numbers of Masters. Five in
particular assisted greatly in his meditation practices but not to
enlightenment. Even after Buddha had spent six years in the forest eating seeds,
leaves and nothing at times exposing himself to the highest degrees of suffering
he still found no answers as to how to end Dukkha (suffering).
Distraction of the mind comes in many forms and there are just as many theories
or methods for their resolution. We as human beings have desires, cravings that
drive our conditioned mind. Such desires and/or cravings can be evaluated and
controlled when the first initial contact is made. This is self dicipline. The
response of the influence of the five senses to comfort or environment are also
maintained at contact. This is social dicipline. It is practiced to achieve as is
anything self deems valuable to progress life.
You are sitting in a comfortable meditative pose, a cross legged pose, and ether
your leg back, shoulders or some other body part(s) becomes painful. This is
initial contact. Your mind is aware of pain or we can say your mind is bringing
an awareness that there is pain. This is correct thinking and makes a difference
in the energy not only of the pain but how you resolve the conflict. Your
choices are many let's say you decide to ignore the pain. This is a viable
option for a major percentage of the time the pain will subside. You can also
breath into or through the pain and remove the emotion attached to it. This is a
more practiced method and the novice needs to be more comfortable with their
abilities. Moving on to another method such as adjustment of the body. Adjust
the body in subtle very small movements so as not to cause more pronounced pain.
If this happens then major adjustments will have to be made in your position.
Check your posture, the spine, hips, feet and then moving the legs if need be.
Now you have experienced the pain and contact has been made, the knowledge you
gained can be applied to your next meditation. Make the necessary adjustments in
order not to experience the pain again. These can be minor or major but they
are important as to keep your mind focused away from the senses. This procedure
can be applied to the noise inside and outside of the body and mind. The
dicipline you take in removing this obstacle gives you practice to apply in you
life.
We are moving to the mind focus of the breath. This is one of the first ways to
control the interruptive thoughts not reacting but observing them.
When Buddha came out of the forest and regained his strength he decided that he
would sit down under a Bodhi Tree and not move until he reached the answers to
suffering that he sought. It is written that he was tempted by the mind in dark
manners to save itself from being calmed. The battle was to gain distraction and
reaction to once again prevail but Buddha knew what the mind was doing and just
observed. The bliss came and Buddha observed then Buddha remaining in his
dicipline reached the calm realization of self, Enlightenment. He now had the
option to just watch so for twenty one days he did. He fed the body when it
needed and pondered why he should even stay. Then one of the higher beings in
that realm visited Buddha and explained how rare it was for a physical being to
reach that stage and his duty was to go teach. Lord Buddha agreed and set on the
path to share his knowledge with those who would listen.
Focus your total awareness on the breath. Breath deeply and feel the breath go
into your nose, through the throat and into your chest. Now follow the breath
back out in reverse order feeling the warmth as it passes through the tip of
your nose. Allow the space between your eyebrows to open and tingle while still
focusing on your breath. This tingling may spread through your face stay focused
on your face. There are other methods at this point that will assist if your
focus strays such as counting on inhale and exhale and also mind chanting.
You will begin to notice, after time and practice, your breath will become light
with subtle tendencies so as to barely feel the sensation in the tip of your
nose. This is the natural breath.
These methods up to this stage are agreed upon by ninety percent (90)% of
Theology including Buddhist, Hindu, Native Americans, Catholics, Jewish,
Shamanism etc. Meditation is not a religion it is a Spiritual Science. From this
point on, the meditative practices and how they are developed all over the
world, from the higher stages of Samadhi to an Awakened Being, all differ. Some
have very ridged methods, some that involve chanting, others walk in groups, so
many types.
If you have made it to this stage the mind may begin to play tricks with images
or thoughts of distraction to protect itself. The mind knows that you are
serious and does not want to be shut down. It is conditioned to think and not
reacting just observing while you focus on the breath will ease the tension. If
you are calm and focused so will your mind be. Another fixation is that maybe
you will see a light, which is fine, except if you begin to expect that every
time you meditate. This limits your experiences once again, no expectations,
just observe.
Buddha gathered the five Masters who had taught him and made them his disciples.
He taught them and two became enlightened quickly and with practice the other
three followed suit in time.
Focus and clarity will begin to enter and become to be the normal for your body
and mind in life.
Meditation is challenging but not impossible. It takes practice and not once a
week everyday in some form or another. Life as a walking meditation is joyful
clarity.
Yes, there are some individuals that reach that blissful state continually and
wish to move no further. Weather it be that they do not feel the need or they
desire and have succumb to their cravings. It is still a choice that is made.
There is a calm past the bliss as stated in the Pali texts of Buddha. Many who
are serious meditative practitioners agree that there is this state and when
reached true self realization is achieved.

Blessings in your practice...Shaman M

Deja Vu in India            12 January, 2012

Coming into India from Thailand was a shift in energy once again and I felt prepared or at least more prepared than the last visit in 2010. One of the things I have learned is that things change and no two experiences are the same, even if the players involved are still in the process. All change...place, environment, players, and of course the self.

The Ashram has evolved and grown and the Advanced Course challenges the body directly associated with the focus of the mind. The focus is on living the higher ideals of a Yogi, or Yogini in my case, which was truly an eye opening experience. I have chosen the path of the Spiritual Sage. As a Shaman I have known that the life I lead is to gather information to pass on to those who would listen, who would find truth and light for their lives. But as a Yogini I also look at the higher responsibilities to self and the process furthers the spiritual existence of a different ego experience. The ego, from the conscious experience you stand in, is drawn then from the infinite thoughts flowing..in all.

We have so much control over our bodies when our minds are conditioned to listen to what we are relaying in thought. Deep focus is a state of total knowledge. I have been in a meditation of flow for six weeks now and I realize that I am the observer. The more I believe in this place of energy the more it enters as fully sanctioned into my physical existence. I can watch the physical process from the sidelines and watch the positive flow expand my process. So much wisdom has been afforded to me from the abundance of the universal flow which is answering the energy that I call to stand in. The use of I here is not the physical for that is impermanent, it is the I that is ...

Through the next few weeks challenge yourself to new heights of self awareness. Break a cycle that has trapped you in suffering and allow the emotion to stand aside when you come into contact with the event. At that moment of choice do not justify your actions just stop and observe WHY you are reacting...nothing more.

The  10 day Retreat in Thailand             14  December, 2011

 Thailand...ruled by a King who is strict in tradition. The Thai people are very
nice and helpful. They believe in creating good Karma for themselves. There are
interesting aspects about men and women here especially in the monastery. The
ladies inside and in some of the shops outside have lost their husbands to other
women. Apparently when men make lots of money or have high rank they have lots
of girlfriends or more than one wife and may abandon there wives and kids and
still stay in good standing. This has and is creating a lot of strong business
women in Thailand. Now in the retreat we were taught about suffering (and I have
calluses on my tail bone to show the power of this theory) and the varying
degrees but also to view others without involvement and show compassion. I
watched, listened and understood the impermanence in the physical life thinking
about the society I live in and what some might say about the aforementioned
Thai way.
There are many steps that lead to suffering in life. It arises following the
feelings after contact and becomes suffering when the craving is fed. I know
this well as I have learned for myself when I am to stop and back away. The
situations can be simple like chocolate or complex such as Love. Meditation aids
in this focus with the combination of Yoga and a good diet. This diet would be
to know the physical body, that your conscious ego calls you, as in Ayurveda.
All of which lead your life into the least state of suffering or Dukkha as the
Buddhist call it.
If you are in a place in your lives were life seems unbearable know that the
craving that is driving your suffering is impermanent...it will end if you do
not feed it and there is no past or future only now. We've all heard this time
and time again but do we realize it is, no matter how we attempt to control it
we are just fooling ourselves. Think about two rivers one of the mind
consciousness one of the physical and both flowing side by side. The choices the
mind makes draws from a great sea of consciousness and thus affects the physical
illusion created experience driven by ego. Each experience is a different ego
driving the experience. Thus making each experience different even if you are
doing a repetitive event the consciousness you draw from creates a physical
experience that is never the same ego event. Set your goals and live in kindness
working toward them day by day and allow the universal consciousness to surprise
you. For you can only imagine to the end of your mind...there is so much
more...Blessings
The education that has been brought to my awareness has improved clarity
immensely. With the additional six weeks the wisdom which the conscious mind of
me will draw from may give those who wish a further understanding of self, or
the lack of, upon my return...Save the dates 3-20-3-27 2012 on the Oregon Coast.

The Shaman's Quest Continues                                                November 26, 2011

In the morning I leave for another Spiritual Quest, a Shaman's Quest for knowledge for not only the evolution of self but for all those who are connected to me and will gain from this journey. It is from this vantage point I see as a human being excited with anticipation of the unknow and yet I think "this is what everday is for me". I enjoy the Life experience of the flow of Now. I will keep those who have opted into my 90210 updated of my adventure. Simply text  the keyword 'ShamanM'  to the short code 90210 and you will receive updates when I can. I will be in the jungles of Thailand and India but I will send that energy to your experience when reception is available. An Itinerary is below with fascinating links to where I have planned the journey...We shall see where and what Spirit actually has in mind...Many Blessings

Greetings,

Below is a schedule of my flights. When I arrive in Phuket I will be boarding a bus for 5 hours to the Surat Thani where the Suan Mokkh http://www.suanmokkh-idh.org/ ; is located. I will be here  in silent meditation for 11 days and then staying in the main Monastery until 16 Dec exploring the Wat's in the jungles ( sacred temples that usually house monks and hold very ancient energy and knowledge) of the area and then taking a bus and ferry out to Ko Samui http://dipabhavan.weebly.com/index.html this silent retreat is 20-27 Dec. In the times between I will be exploring the secret Buddha gardens, http://samui.sawadee.com/attractions/magicgarden.htm and the Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai http://samui.sawadee.com/temples/big_buddha.htm among the waterfalls and caves in the higher areas of the Islands and of course the stunning beaches. Then catch a 12 hour train to Bangkok and fly to India. When I arrive there I will be taking a 5 hour train into Nasik where the Drs Yardi will be receiving me and they have agreed to spend New Years taking me around through the caves and catacombs around the Nasik/Mumbai area. Then I begin the advanced course at the Ashram on 4 Jan http://www.yogapoint.com/university/advance_course.htm until the 31 Jan. Back to the Train to Mumbai then fly to Bangkok then home. Enjoy...

 

How do you know when?                                                                                                             October 28, 2011

How do you know when you have manifested one of your dreams to take an unknown journey? Is it when the plane tickets are purchased? Is it when the goal is met of connecting with the abundance to meet your education? Is it standing in the one place you were imagining and wrapping your mind around the belief that you are there? Maybe it's sitting in contemplation looking at all the conformations in front of you and the date of your departure that reality sets it in...You're Going...and the Dream that you have manifested into a Great Journey of self will Change Everything! How much more exciting can life get as a creator of your own destiny then...to Know When? Thailand and India await my arrival and the rest is a mystery guided by the Spirit in your Heart...Enjoy the Journey... whatever your dreams may be...Blessings

 

Thoughts In The Rain                                                                                                               October 11, 2011

It's October in the Mountains and the rains begin to pour down. I listen to the sounds on the roof and the erratic but rythmatic curl of the drain pipe as it is being struck by the water flowing down from the shingled shelter we call our home. I begin to think of all the times I have heard the rain, the different forms, different countries in various coverings, some man made some of nature. As my mind wanders it begins when as a child I would hear the rain and rush to splash and dance and feel the wonder of such a gift of nature. I would take this feeling into my young adult years as the snow would melt and the mountains were accessible again at the end of May. These days in the rain were in a tent or trailer and usually accompanied cold fingers and toes. Then as I traveled this red white and blue Nation I experienced the various directions and forces rain could stick at you. In Ireland it was a mist, fine, gentle and Scotland was similar breaking to sunshine in the afternoons' to end the days in serene beauty.  Monsoon season was when I chose to visit India. There was so much water at once you could not breathe. It was like being under a waterfall for ten minutes and then someone up top dammed it off...it left as quickly as it arrived, unannounced and with fury.

 Indeed, the rain has lead my consciousness in a flowing dream away from my original thought of being unable to walk the path I love so by the river. It is the path that I spent the summer piecing on the blackberries and playing with the dragonflies as they darted back and forth across the trail.  The same path where the raptor babies would cry for food as I watch the parents so skillfully pluck a trout from the river to feed their new generation and the Blue Heron who honored me by keeping me company as I would  ponder solutions for life. The smells...the sounds...the ever stimulating knowledge of being in the beginning of new growth daily will stay embedded in my energy as clarity and nurture my being when called as thought.

My experiences on this path have shifted once again and I am taken into new lands on our Mother. The rains will be different there also but the reality is that I am able to walk any path in the rain... so are we all...Blessings

Shaman Melodie McBride

 

September 21, 2011                                                                            

What you are passing onto our next Generation

There are times when I wonder if the fears that are being fed in our society will ever change. Let me reinforce a proven fact that what you feed...grows. By this I mean that the universe knows only the vibration of the frequency, it does not know good or bad, so if you stand in the vibration of fear, THAT IS what you draw to you! Having said that I recently have listened to people in the past few days speak of girls and young women not being able to dress and be beautiful because of the negative attention it might draw to them. The girls were not thinking in that vibration, they were feeling wonderful and happy but because our society carries those who are of a lower vibrational conditioning now these young female beings are feeling guilty and in fear of being the beauties that they are. The fear will draw fear and that is what people in that vibration feed on. Is it not more intelligent, and safer to instruct our young women and all children for that matter, that to stand in your power of beauty as an individual so being the best they can be. Teaching them to educate themselves about their surroundings and give them to tools too make good choices so their self esteem is high and such vibration is drawn to them instead of passing on the fears that were fed to us by prior generations. It is an awareness that if is incorporated into our society will take hold in a positive lift for the next generation. If we do not, then the cycle that has produced women who are abused, insecure, and squashed in their creative abilities will continue.

If it brings fear into you when you say it, think it, or feel it...THAT IS what you are feeding...change your vibration into the better feeling, thoughts, and inspiring words...and not only you but all who you know will feel the Love...Blessings

Shaman M

 

May 29, 2011                                             If you are Given a Seed

If you are given a seed and told it will feed your being... what would you do with it? You can choose to throw it away or plant it in the ground. You decide to plant it and then you want to know what will grow from it. You do not know but you do know it will need sunshine and water. Now you have to wait and nurture the seed every day if you want it to grow and it becomes a habit. You have accepted that if you tend the seed it will grow. You cannot be sure of this and you could worry that it may not. Instead, day by day...water and sunshine...positive thoughts of how good this plant will be for your being and it breaks through the soil. What are you imagining? What could it be? You look at it and try to figure it out according to what your conditioned perception is and place a label on it. It grows more and more every day until one morning you look at what has sprouted to feed your being is a beautiful vibrant flower. What do you do?

We, as human beings, tend to place judgments according to what we are told, dealing with similar past experiences, and conditioned perceptions. If we do this over and over again we will always get the same results and get angry or hurt if we do not. If you have faith, and feed the positive with no expectations, there will be growth. If there is progress to be made in change it must be practiced and nurtured. It will not happen overnight but it will happen and you can rejoice in the beauty of feeding your being.

Remember...Others are Growing Their Own Seeds...Blessings

Shaman Melodie

 

 

May 21,2011                                                   We Are All In This Together

There are times when you know that life has given you many blessings and times when you don't see them. For life always gives you exactly what you have asked for whether it evolves you is up to you. In the past few months I have been involved in many different events. Through Mercury Retrograde it was about preparing, reconnecting and letting go. I have watched brave individuals love life through their process of cancer and found new strength in my own. I found that people will evolve if you nurture them through and I have also found that at this time the evolution is extreme. People who have been together for years are finding it difficult because its about releasing the past and some do not want to let it go. Those who are in relationships may need time away from each other to separate energies so they can work through their individual  past issues. It will work out if the allowance of compassion is there and judgement does not pull the energy back into past behaviors. That's what we do when we cannot let the past go that does not serve us any longer or we are attempting to control. We pull those we love back into the energy we will not evolve from because of fear of evolution ourselves or they fall back into it themselves. It is not an intentional action , it is a reaction and it is not done maliciously. This is usually very easy if the other individual has not experience their new found energy in this relationship. There can be great feelings of hurt and anger associated if this happens. All in time and patience. Stay in the moment and let each day be new. There is a great understanding that if can be allowed. all will process through. Remember that we are all in this together and Love and Kindness will get us through. Blessings

 

 

 

 

 Race for A Cure May 7, 2011

Christel Muller, Shaman Melodie McBride, Stephanie Brooks-Downing

 

 

 

 

 

February 3, 2011

Today I write for the gratitude that is within and around me. My life has been so blessed to work with the healing powers of Reiki and to be able to listen to spirit and combine this with the knowledge that I hold to allow the formulation of herbs to heal, on an individual basis. The cancers have been the most wide eyed experience for me. I look at people that have cancer and I am in awe. I think to myself "Do they know what profound manifestors they are?" Then I touch them and I allow Reiki to flow through me and I ask that I be the clearest channel to run the most divine source through me to heal this human being for their highest good. I feel my heart open wide and love fills my being. It always brings an awareness to me that I listen to and incorporate into the persons healing. Today I had to share the awareness. Cancer....It's just like everything else, it just wants to be Loved.

Whatever is holding you in one space that you keep feeding...Let It Go...and choose to feed the better feeling.

When you practice, you will begin to hear the Music of Life

January 23, 2011

Remember there is Always at least Two sides to Every Story

I have been on a journey, a pathway with many hills and valleys, twists and turns, and sheer cliffs with flowered meadows in the distance. India was my starting place. I was educated to teach a lifestyle that I had only just begun to scratch the surface of and as I did so my life in the USA that I knew fell apart and eventually away.

My decision after ten days to stay and finished my education was to be one of my life's greatest gifts but also one of my hardest lessons. I was completely cut off financially from my business and had no return flight home. I didn't make one because I didn't know which city I was going to fly out of. I worked hard for the month I was in the Ashram and graduated with high merrits. Now, how was I going to get back to the US? I begged and borrowed for two weeks as I made my way from the west to east coast and finally raised enough money to come home. Home was no longer friendly though and no-one wanted to hear my side and so I left and headed for Boise. There were some trials when I first moved here and some emotional manipulation back home I almost allowed myself to be drawn back into but I took a stand for me and so it ended. What I still own sits in a small storage unit 4 hours from the room that I live in. It is in the top of a kind couples home with my herbs, drums, books, and of course Buddha.
I am working with cancer patients, teaching Yoga and Reiki, and enrolling in the university here to finish my BS in Applied Sciences to major in Physics. This is my plan but I know if the divine calls it different I will go.
I have forgiven those that through my conditioning I have allowed to hurt me which I understand is from their perceptions based on their conditioning. I live as spirit guides me in the moment and when I feel those  past feelings I remind myself of the bigger picture, the flowered meadows. and utilize the right way teachings to sift through my conditioning and form new perceptions. I feel good about the healing I am bringing to others and self. I find love and joy daily in everything and everyone I meet. 

The lessons we set for ourselves is so we can evolve. The individuals behavior you do not like is mirroring your own in some way and look at self before you make judgment on another . To recognize in ourselves that change will bring in more positive energy, people, and circumstances is evolution.

Be kind, hurt no-one, and Love One Another

 May Miracles be a part of you daily life, Believe in this and it will be for you

I am back from India and have had an experience of a lifetime! There is so much to tell.

This was my first week in India! I will continue to post after this has sunk in.