Neolithic Shamanism: Spirit Work in the Norse Tradition - Raven Kaldera 2012

Balsamic Moon
The Silver World: Moon

During the Balsamic Moon—the final waning crescent—the lunar energy ages to become the wise old one. At this time, the Moon is stooped and old, weary but patient. He teaches us about getting past all the turmoil that so occupied our hearts, and seeing the larger picture. Will this matter in five years? Ten? A hundred? When you are long dead? The Old Moon has the collective wisdom of all the other phases, but he does not impart it unless you ask. The lunar energy at this time is quiet, serene, introverted, and as objective as the Moon ever gets.

Exercise: Labyrinth

In olden times, labyrinths were scattered all over the world, including the coast of Scandinavia. By the time the practice was written about, they had become little more than fun toys for children or wilder adults to run or pace for pleasure, but their origin goes back much further. Labyrinths have two sorts of uses: ritual/meditative and shamanic. The traditional ritual/meditative uses of a labyrinth involved walking it with Intent as a meditative process and then either leaving something unwanted behind in the center or finding something you were looking for. (Which it will be depends on the kind of labyrinth, which is explained below.)

For shamans, labyrinths are used to travel from one state to another—between worlds, between shapes, between altered states. For this, the labyrinth must be built with Intent. First, it needs to be on top of the crossing of two ley lines. You often see old labyrinths with old water pumps near them, which is a “tell” of a downward-pulling ley line. They can be two up lines, two down lines, or one of each. Having one of each makes the most versatile labyrinth, but one has to make do with what one has. An up ley cross will tend to want to send you to upper worlds, and it will be harder to travel downward (though not impossible); a down ley cross will have an affinity with the Underworlds and be harder to use to travel upward—tough, again, but not impossible. For meditative purposes, when you get to the center of a down labyrinth, you drop what isn’t wanted and then circle back out, lighter for the journey. For an up labyrinth, expect to find something new waiting for you when you get to the center. Labyrinths built on a balanced ley cross can go either way, although one way might be stronger due to the relative size of the lines.

Labyrinths come in many different shapes and are made from many different materials—turf, plants, laid stones or brick, and sod cut away and the raw ground filled with chalk. You can easily trace a round one with a large compass made of stakes and rope. (Raven built an eight-loop round labyrinth in his back field, on top of the existing down ley cross, of stones laid into the field’s dirt.) We’ve found that astronomically placed standing stones (aligned to solstices, equinoxes, etc.) situated around the perimeter of a labyrinth can add dramatically to its power. It can also add a protective ward around the labyrinth. Ironically, so can solar-powered lights driven into the earth along its pattern. These two additions bring solar energy to the innate Old Moon energy of a labyrinth, combining the two and making them stronger.

As you build your labyrinth, put plenty of Intent into it. You’ll have time to do that, as it’s not a quick job. When it is done, go out on the night of the Old Moon and stand at the entrance. There is a musical key that unlocks an eight-ring labyrinth; if you can figure out what eight notes to sing or play, you can lock and unlock the shamanic aspect of your labyrinth. This is one of those mysteries that people need to figure out on their own, so we are not going to give you the notes. If you’re really having trouble, ask the Moon and perhaps he will tell you, or direct you to someone who can.

Craft: Dream Pillow

Earlier in this book, we discussed dreaming as shamanic work, and how some people are highly gifted in that way. However, for people who don’t have that gift and would like to utilize their dreaming capabilities more effectively, you can craft a simple dream pillow for them.

Make a pillow out of any white, gray, silver, or light blue fabric, the size of your hand with the fingers spread out. Ideally it should be round. If you are a fiber artist, you can decorate it with appliqués of the Moon or knit it with a symbol or image. Stuff it with any fiber (although handspun wool of a live animal would be best), and place within its stuffing the following items:

One small silver coin (a dime will do, especially an older one with more actual silver in it)

One teaspoon lavender

One teaspoon chamomile

One teaspoon mugwort

One teaspoon vervain

One teaspoon betony

One teaspoon thyme

One half teaspoon poppy seeds

A bit of white cord with nine knots tied in it

Nine holly leaves (carefully wrapped in wool so their prickles don’t go through the fabric)

A rolled-up piece of paper with your Intent on it. (A friend of mine likes: “Let me wake up tomorrow knowing something I didn’t know today.”)

Stitch up the pillow and put it under your regular pillow, starting on the New Moon. Ask the Moon to help you with lucid dreaming, and to open a channel into your dreams for spirit to enter, but only if it has positive intent. Ask the Moon to guard your dreaming mind and protect you from those who would harm you through it.