Part Two: Feminine Rage and Dancing with Power
Feminist Shamanic First Aid for Dealing with Intense West Emotions
Last Saturday I shared a journey with you about my personal experience of feminine rage, during which the feminist shamanic archetype known as She Who Dances with Power taught me a shamanic dance for containing and transmuting feminine rage into creative energy.
Feminine rage is not the only intense emotion that arises in the shamanic West, so today I want to share some additional feminist shamanic teachings and practices that can be done to mitigate the intensity and unbalancing nature of overwhelming emotion, which are taken from my little handbook, "Shamanic First Aid for Today's Woman," which is currently out of print. Here's the first practice you can engage in to help yourself handle intense or overwhelming emotions.
INTRODUCTION
West issues often arise suddenly and dramatically, leaving us in a state of painful shock. We are generally left feeling like we've been gobsmacked; that the issue has come out of nowhere. Our sense of reality is often seriously challenged. The situation or person triggering the issue may suddenly appear to be quite otherwise than we had previously believed. Confusion may set in, accompanied by the "spinning" thought patterns characteristic of a West reaction to the sudden painful realization that things are not at all what we had thought them to be. This kind of mental "spinning" is the result of our poor ego trying to make sense of things it is not equipped to comprehend.
Because of the dramatically painful nature of suddenly arising and overwhelming West issues, it is especially important that you practice the following West visualization regularly, which will not only help you attain emotional balance, but will also provide inner guidance for the kinds of West issues that you may be prone to experience. It will also help you to recognize and quickly deal with them.
When faced with a person's sudden or unexpected behavior or a situation that may trigger intense West emotions for you, because it's dangerous to your well being and self esteem in some important way, you will first receive a physical warning sensation that you're in danger, usually somewhere in your torso. This sensation may be different for different people, but it's a fear response from your body that usually occurs before your ego - or everyday, ordinary consciousness - is able to take in, analyze the situation, and begin trying to understand it. When you feel this sensation, pay attention to it, and immediately remove yourself from the person or situation triggering the issue. Otherwise, you're very likely to find your emotional upset and shock escalating out of control and that you may soon become unable to respond in a way that's in your best interest.
Once you're safely away from the person or situation triggering you, and have privacy, you can do this West visualization. During the visualization, there are four critical things you need to ask:
1. What is the nature of the illusion I harbored which led to this upset?
2. What is the reality that was hidden beneath the illusion?
3. What did I do or not do that led to my being in triggering situation?
4. What can I do to avoid more such upsets?
The shamanic West is the place of introspection, which leads to freedom from illusion. In asking and contemplating the guidance you receive from She Who Dances with Power in response to these four question, you will have begun the process of shamanic introspection. If entered into deeply enough and often enough, these questions will eventually lead you first to shamanic humility (seeing yourself as you actually are), and once you achieve that elusive state, you are on track to eventually achieve genuine personal power and psychic ability.
THE WEST VISUALIZATION
1. Stand or sit facing West, arms at your sides, or palms down on on your thighs, your gaze directed at the earth or floor about four feet in front of you. Breathe in and out deeply a few times, all the way down into your abdomen.
2. With your eyes open, visualize a vast desert autumn landscape in the distance, just beyond the veil of your everyday vision. The desert autumn landscape is crackling with electrical energy. Breathe in and out deeply a few times as you contemplate the mysterious beauty of the desert autumn landscape of the shamanic West.
3. See that the time of day is twilight, and that the sun is setting beyond a range of Dark Mountains at the center of the landscape, washing it in its deep, rich light. Breathe in and out deeply a few times as you contemplate the mysterious beauty of the desert autumn landscape of the shamanic West awash in the deep, rich light of the setting sun.
4. Gazing into the desert Autumn landscape of the West, you see a bank of towering thunderheads above the range of Dark Mountains at its center. You watch in wonder as lightning flashes over the mountains and thunder rolls over the landscape. Breathe in and out deeply a few times as you contemplate the mysterious beauty of the thunder and lightning of the shamanic West.
5. A dark feminine figure dances towards you across the desert plain. She is wild, unkempt, yet strangely beautiful as she dances in perfect harmony with the wild energies of thunder and lightning. You recognize her as She Who Dances with Power. Breathe in and out deeply a few times as you contemplate the mysterious beauty of She Who Dances with Power at home in the desert autumn landscape of the shamanic West.
6. Now respectfully greet She Who Dances with Power, and ask her your four questions, followed by a request for guidance for dealing with the specific situation that has upset you and sent your mind spinning.
7. Now make yourself responsive to the guidance she offers you. You may hear it, sense it, see it, or feel it. When she has finished advising you, thank her, and offer her a gift. This gift will appear in your hands.
8. Gradually return to your ordinary state of consciousness. You are now prepared to deal with whatever West challenge or situation you may be facing.
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This is a free example of the feminist shamanic teachings you’ll receive when you sign up for my additional newsletter, Slow Thunder Feminist Shamanic Teachings, which will be available soon. These teachings are meant to support women who oppose patriarchy, and will be related to various tales of shamanic adventure you already enjoy for free here. Visit my web site to learn more about Slow Thunder feminist shamanic teachings, trainings, and counseling.