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Blog Posts Wanted for Carnival of Healing #224

by Rose De Dan

Neighbor Cat Buster on Roof,
©Rose De Dan 2010

I’m doubly excited today – spring has truly arrived in Seattle, and I am beginning preparations to bring the Carnival of Healing #224 to Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing Blog.

What is the Carnival of Healing?

The Carnival travels constantly through cyberspace, landing at a different host site monthly and features personal blog posts on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. Carnival founder and organizer is Phylameana lila Desy, About.com’s Guide to Holistic Healing. The Carnival was last hosted by Gina Loree Marks (who lists her impressive skills as shiatsu practitioner-deeksha giver-blogger-mom) at Grace in Gravity.

On April 3 Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing will be guest host once again, this time for Carnival of Healing #224. Now that Carnival of Healing is only offered monthly I am looking forward to having even more great articles to share, and yours could be one of them!

Got an inspirational article to share?

Have you written a new or previous blog on these topics: mind body spirit, wellness, empowerment, spirituality, holistic healing, healthy living? Carnival of Healing is seeking blog posts that feature healing articles, empowerment stories, innovative healing ideas, remedy tips, announcements of newsy health topics, etc. What are your opinions? What are you writing about in your blogs about wellness, complementary medicine, holistic healing, spirituality, and healthy lifestyles for people or animals?

Submit your blog post no later than March 31, 2010 to be considered for inclusion in the Carnival of Healing #224 appearing on April 3. I look forward to seeing you all there!

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Think Outside the Cage
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About Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing:

A pioneer in Reiki and shamanic healing for people and animals, Rose De Dan has seen firsthand the profound healing impact of this work on the lives of others. A Reiki Master Teacher, mesa carrier in the Peruvian Q’ero tradition, and animal communicator, she teaches classes, workshops and teleclasses for those interested in learning more about energy medicine.

Rose is also author of the acclaimed book Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism, and creator of Animal and Reiki Art. As an animal shaman, she views her role as a healer as one of building bridges between people and animals, and of empowering them to reconnect with Pachamama, Mother Earth.

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More here:
Blog Posts Wanted for Carnival of Healing #224

Reiki and the Harbor Seal

by Rose De Dan

Harbor Seal with Reiki Face
©Rose De Dan 2010

My dog, Puma, and I were out for a Sunday stroll along Alki Beach in West Seattle when I noticed that the area around the steps leading down to the beach and Puget Sound had been cordoned off by yellow tape. Getting closer I saw why—a seal was taking a nap. Nearby, a volunteer member of Seal Sitters kept watch, keeping curious people and dogs from frightening him, and answering questions from passersby.

I engaged in conversation with Janette, the volunteer sitter, and learned two more facts about harbor seals. One was that they mature slowly; the seal I had first thought to be a pup, because of his small size, was probably a teenager born last June. The other fact is there are a few diseases that can be passed to dogs simply by their sniffing the seal, another good reason to keep your distance.

I also learned from Janette that their organization uses photos to identify seals by the markings around their eyes. I had already been debating whether I should return to my house to retrieve my camera, and volunteered my services as photographer.

Walking back with camera in hand and faithful Puma reveling in a longer walk, I felt an inner prompt to send Reiki to the situation. I was unsure what it might be needed for, but complied. The beauty of Reiki is that you don’t have to know how it will be used, you can simply let the energy flow for the highest good. Perhaps the seal needed energetic support for physical or emotional challenges, maybe the Reiki was needed to help raise public awareness about marine wildlife, or perhaps it was something else entirely. I let go of attachment to the outcome, trusting that the Reiki would be allocated and received as needed.

Still sending Reiki, I conferred with Janette on how to get the best shot without disturbing the seal. Leaving Puma on stay, and with her permission, I slipped inside the buffer zone. She’d said that the sound of the camara shutter would cause the seal to raise his head and look at me, which should offer me the perfect opportunity to get a nice photo of his face markings. Two clicks and the seal simply slumbered on. Somehow I had to get him to raise his head, for at this point all I could see were his whiskers poking up above the steps.

Moving a little closer, and trying for a better angle, I clicked off a few more shots, and still nothing. I reached out mentally, trying to make contact with my animal communication skills. Still no movement. I could sense great relaxation…a sense of well-being…a kind of mental snore…and then, “Mmmm, that feels good.” I mentally laughed at myself — in my eagerness to take photos I had forgotten that I was still sending Reiki! Of course the seal was not going to stir. Not only did he find the Reiki relaxing, but previous encounters had clearly demonstrated to me that Reiki helps build bridges of trust between people and animals, wild or domestic.

I terminated the flow of Reiki, let a few seconds go by, and then took another shot with my camera. This time the sound had the anticipated effect, slowly the seal raised his head, blinking blearily, looking very much like someone who had been woken from a deep sleep. Taking his time, the seal turned his face in my direction. All this time I was taking shots and talking quietly to him, telling him how handsome he was. As he finally located me, he looked directly into my lens, and I clearly heard him say, “Oh, it’s you.” And with that acknowledgment, as though we were old friends, he laid his head back down and resumed his nap.

Postscript: You can read about my first Reiki encounter with a harbor seal in “At the Edge of Two Worlds” from Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism.

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Think Outside the Cage
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Rose De Dan, Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC, is a mesa carrier in the Peruvian Q’ero tradition. In addition she is also a Reiki Master Teacher, animal communicator, author of the acclaimed book Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism, and creator of Animal and Reiki Art. As an animal shaman, she views her role as a healer as one of building bridges between people and animals, and of empowering them to reconnect with Pachamama, Mother Earth.

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Visit link:
Reiki and the Harbor Seal

Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Aunt Rose

by Rose De Dan

Christmas Past
Photo: Rose De Dan©2009

It all started with my desire to give a special Christmas gift to my niece and nephew, who are two and four respectively. I saw the ad for the Hallmark recording storybook “The Night Before Christmas” and instantly knew this was a great idea. Due to circumstances I had been unable to travel to visit them in person. Aunt Rose was simply a voice on the phone or perhaps a photograph. But with the storybook their Aunt Rose could read them her much loved Christmas classic from 1823 at bedtime, and perhaps they could have wonderful dreams filled with promises of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve.

I ordered a copy, and a week after it arrived I began recording. Several hours later, extremely sad and frustrated, I concluded that my copy was defective. I cannot tell you how wretched I felt – Christmas was ruined. It was late in the month, and internet research showed that the storybook was sold out of stores across the U.S. Apparently I had stumbled across this year’s hottest item.

I did find a few copies being auctioned on the net at almost triple retail price, and seriously considered it as an option for a few moments. I had complex feelings of being a bad aunt for not being able to get a copy, and at the same time questioned whether I was becoming too materialistic. I finally concluded that it simply boiled down to seriously wanting to be some part of my niece and nephew’s life. If I could not do it traditionally by being there in person on Christmas Eve, then I was willing to do the next best thing.

Next morning I had another crack at recording, and lo and behold, it worked! Christmas was saved! By this time the store had returned my call and explained why. Apparently the sensor was light sensitive. I had been trying to record by firelight to add the ambiance of the crackle of the flames. Breathing a sigh of relief, I wrapped the storybook up and shipped it off via U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail. Since it was December 14th I had plenty of time for it to get there.

December 22 rolled around and tracking revealed that the package appeared nowhere after Seattle. More angst. Took me 45 minutes to finally figure out how to contact the right department at the post office to initiate a claim. Once again, Christmas was ruined and I felt like a bad aunt. Maybe I should have spent the additional money and sent it Express Mail?

At this point I decided that the best thing to do was to send Reiki to the situation, which I did. Half and hour later I received a notice from the P.O. that the package was in New Jersey. Christmas was saved! I figured that it would be delivered that afternoon. It was not.

Drastic action needed to be taken, and so bravely Aunt Rose took out her new Flip camcorder which she had little experience with, and decided that she was going to make a movie, something she had never done. Feeling somewhat Grinch-like toward the Post Office (after all every other package either she or someone else had sent before or after this one had long ago arrived at their destinations), Aunt Rose drafted her trusty dog Puma, and faithful cat Saqqara into the effort.

After much maneuvering of the camera on its very cute tripod, Aunt Rose finally arrived at a balance where you could see part of her face and all of Puma. Apparently the small frame of the camcorder limited the amount of scenery you could include, and moving it back made sound quality difficult. So many decisions!

Thankfully the shoot went off without a hitch in one take. Puma was a pro, albeit a somewhat nervous one, being a bit camera shy. He even made an effort at acting, at the point in the poem where Saint Nicholas comes down the chimney with a bound, Puma shot up from his resting position looking startled. And Saqqara played the part of the cat settling down for a long winter’s nap well, giving a convincing yawn before exiting.

Figuring out how to edit the portions and put them together took longer, but finally it was done and uploaded. Christmas was saved once again. Clement C. Moore’s timeless classic from Christmas Past now lives again on YouTube as The Night Before Christmas read to Dog and Cat. All made possible by the technology of Christmas Present and one determined aunt!

From all of us at Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing – Rose De Dan, Saqqara, Kiya, Cougar, Sand and Puma – Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a blessed and Happy New Year!

Postscript: Today is the 24th of December, and the package has moved closer to North Jersey but is not there yet. Package might arrive on Christmas Eve along with Santa. Or maybe not.

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Think Outside the Cage
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Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Aunt Rose

New Year’s Peruvian Ayni Despacho Ceremony

by Rose De Dan

<b><i>A prayer is blown into the kintu</b> <br />© Rhonda Hanley 2009</i>” width=”246″ height=”300″ /></a>
<p>A prayer is blown into the kintu © Rhonda Hanley 2009</p>
</div>
<p><strong>When</strong>: Friday, January 1, 2010, 6:30pm<br />
<strong>Where</strong>: Alki, Seattle, WA – directions sent at time of registration. For those with allergies please note that there will be animals present.</p>
<p><em>“The despacho ceremony was very powerful, and things are already beginning to heal. Thank you for the shamanic healing service you provide, it is much appreciated!”</em>—C.A., Seattle</p>
<p>An Ayni Despacho is an ancient ceremony that melds the assembling of consensual reality (the world we all agree exists here and now) with offerings and prayers to the Spirit World for the creation of ayni (balance and harmony) in our lives, healing and release of energies that are standing in the way of our fully stepping into who we are becoming–our limitless possibilities. It is also helps reconnect us with, and offer healing for, the earth. When the despacho is completed the paq’o (one trained in the Andean Medicine tradition) gives it to the fire and the spirits to consume, releasing the energies and the prayers.</p>
<p>The ceremony can assist with all aspects of your life: relationship, business, career, family, home, companion animals, spiritual, etc. This ceremony will also include prayers for the healing of the earth and to support All Our Relations as they deal with the challenges of climate change and global warming. The ceremony itself is approximately 2 to 2.5 hours in length.</p>
<p><a rel=

Click here to register for the ceremony.

“Thank you for a wonderful experience. This was my first despacho and it was so beautiful!”—Holly H., Seattle, WA

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Think Outside the Cage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Stress Busting 101, Not Just for Cats

by Rose De Dan

Kiya: Pretty in Pink
©Rose De Dan 2009

When my clients and students arrive for a class or session, they often take the time to look around and see where my cats are and what they are doing. Chances are they are engaged in cat naps in comfy spots: snuggled deeply into fluffy cat beds perched on toasty radiators, bodies arranged into insanely cute positions (and often snoring); bonelessly draped over the cat tree, basking in the sunshine with feet dangling; or perhaps occupying one of my comfortable office chairs (which means I usually have to find something less comfortable to sit on so I can get some work done.

And some people look at me and say, “In my next life I want to come back as one of your cats.”

Really, the cats would discourage them from that, for being an animal in a high energy intensity household such as mine is not always easy for them. But I can certainly understand why someone would want their life, for cats have the whole stress relief and relaxation thing down pat, a point noted in a recent article in Feline Wellness Magazine entitled Kitty Knows Best which lists five feline stress busters for people: take catnaps, meditate, stretch your body, get a massage, and put you first.

And they are all excellent suggestions, but I have an additional one — regular energy clearing and balancing work for you and your animal companion. All living beings have energy bodies as well as physical ones, and our external fields can pick up or hold unwanted heavy energy (hucha) that gradually works its way into our interior flow, getting stuck and resulting in slow down or interruption of that flow which eventually manifests as physical and emotional challenges.

Where does this heavy energy come from? Simply from living and moving around in the modern world. An extreme example would be visiting or working in a hospital setting, where there are many people gathered under one roof who are frightened and in pain. A simpler one would be contact with someone who is angry. In both instances our energy fields can become clogged with that energy, and then we carry it home with us to our loved ones. And heavy energy does not just come from others, when we are under stress it manifests in our energy fields. In short, being under stress or being around others who are stressed can cause us to become energetically unbalanced.

The solution is a simple one: regularly clear your energy field, your home and your animal companions. For those who work in what one woman refers to as “Cubicle Nation,” otherwise known as The Office, you may want to clear your space there as well.

To do this you could use a variety of methods. The easiest way for most people, one that does not require any special training, is to smudge. Smudging uses the energetic and spiritual energy of a sacred pIant such as white sage, cedar or palo santo wood, in the form of smoke, to clear spaces or energy fields. This method is one that I teach all my beginning students in Reiki or shamanism. You can see some of the items mentioned in the smudge kits on my Shamanic Supplies page. If you can’t use or tolerate smoke, an alternative is a product like the Clear crystal essence mist which is completely odorless.

So, take a tip from the cats, put yourself first and give routine smudging a try. You might suddenly feel that weight that you’ve been carrying on your shoulders dissipate. You will feel more relaxed and at peace, and when you are relaxed and at peace your loved ones, furry or otherwise, will feel better, too. And that’s another way that cats have mastered the art of stress busting, they have staff!

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Think Outside the Cage
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Rose De Dan, Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC, is a paq’o and mesa carrier in the Peruvian Q’ero Andean Medicine Tradition. In addition she is also a Reiki Master Teacher, animal communicator, author of the acclaimed book Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism, and creator of Animal and Reiki Art. As an animal shaman, she views her role as a healer as one of building bridges between people and animals, and of empowering them to reconnect with Pachamama, Mother Earth.

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Go here to read the rest:
Stress Busting 101, Not Just for Cats

Gifts for Animal Lovers, Reiki and Shamanic Practitioners

by Rose De Dan

When I became a Reiki practitioner the energy woke up a part of me that had lain dormant for many years, my creative side, and I began to combine my photography and graphic design background with my Reiki, shamanic and animal communication training.

The result? Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing’s Online Store featuring gifts for animal lovers and Reiki gifts created by me, Rose De Dan.. Designed from my personal art and photos, each piece evokes the primordial soul, supports healing and reconnection, and fosters a sense of joy and playfulness in this dance we call life.

It is now several years, and many designs later. Since it is the holiday season, a time when the search for the perfect gift for a loved one can become stressful, I offer an abbreviated tour of our numerous designs. And, if you purchase gifts on Cyber Monday, November 30, 2009, you can shop online and get *FREE shipping as well!

TRIMMING THE TREE with Ornaments (we have a Reiki Kanji ornament, too)

STUFF STOCKINGS TO THE BRIM with Animal Lover Buttons, Magnets, Mugs or Reiki Gifts

STAY ON TRACK with Calendars and Journals (we have a Reiki Kanji Journal also)

GREEN GIVING for Environmental Consciousness: Animal Lover Canvas Grocery Totes, Reiki Totes and SIGG Water Bottles

BEACH GEAR, GYM GEAR, YOUR GEAR: Animal Lover Carryalls, Reiki Beach Bags and Reiki Gym/Messenger Bags

DECORATE THE HALLS: Coasters, Keepsake Boxes, Framed Tiles or Reiki Gifts

POSTERS AND PRINTS: Animal Lover Posters/Prints, Note Cards/Greeting Cards or Reiki Prints & Greeting Cards

CLOTHING for the Wild Child, Tiny Tot to Adult or Reiki Spirits of All Ages (Dog T-s, too!)

DOG OR CAT FOOD/WATER BOWLS or T-SHIRTS:
Pet Gifts or
Reiki Gifts for Pets

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NOVEMBER 30th
(Cyber Monday)
Free economy shipping* on orders of $60 or more
with coupon code: MONDAYSHIP
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*Free Economy or Standard shipping for CafePress shop orders of $60 or more, excluding shipping charges and applicable sales tax. All orders must be added to cart from CafePress shops only. Excludes CafePress Marketplace and CafePress Groups orders. Delivery address must be within the United States and cannot be a PO Box. All orders will be Economy shipping unless the order is not eligible for Economy shipping (e.g., order exceeds Economy weight restrictions). Coupon code MONDAYSHIP must be entered at check out. Promotion starts on November 30, 2009 at 12:00 a.m. (PST) and ends on November 30, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Cannot be combined with any other CafePress.com coupons or promotions and this offer may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice.

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Read the original here:
Gifts for Animal Lovers, Reiki and Shamanic Practitioners

Home for the Holidays

by Rose De Dan

Panini and Truffles

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for gathering with families and loved ones, as well as a time for giving thanks for the blessings in our lives. Greeting cards often depict the holiday with images of families gathered around a table laden with delicious food. But for myself, and many of my readers, such a scene will always include at least one loved animal companion as in Jacquie Lawson’s latest heartwarming e-card, The Thanksgiving Feast.

Not everyone understands that bond, but many can become converts given the right animal partner. Over the years I have heard many stories that begin with “I never liked cats…” or “I never wanted a dog, but…” — a story that often concludes with wonderment about how much joy that particular animal brings. And it’s a magic that happens purely through the willingness of another species to offer us their trust, and to love us unconditionally. If we allow it, if we make room for it, their love can inspire us to communicate with them from the heart, and, in so doing, we become better, happier people.

Reader Gary Johnson in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, shared this photo with me of a doghouse he built for his two dachshunds. Panini (the black and tan) was a year-old on October 4th, and Truffles will be a year-old on November 29th.

Gary says, “I never quite understood your thing with pets until I got a set of dogs. I find them to be great companions and loads of fun. A set of characters to say the least. My wife had a fit when I built the doghouse. Something about ‘other things to do’ and ‘Dachshunds don’t need porches.’ The lights are solar and the sign I made.”

For someone who never had dogs before, Gary seems to be “hearing” their needs just fine. He says, “I moved the doghouse to follow the winter sunlight. They enjoy sitting on their porch watching for ninja squirrels (I think) who drop from the trees and cause mischief. The only thing they enjoy more is sitting and watching for ninja squirrels while warming their fur in a sunbeam.”

Indeed, these two charmers do not seem to have any difficulty at all in making themselves clearly understood. Gary shares, “Both have discovered the hearth by the fireplace. Neither seems to have interest in moving until spring. They are smart dogs, amazingly so at times, but they are stubborn as the day is long. Truffles has taken to staring at the fireplace and barking until it’s lit. She then proceeds to lay on the hearth until you wonder if her fur is going to burst into flames and rolls over while stretching. I should have named her Mercury after the planet closest to the sun. She is a clown.

“One day I was walking both when Panini suddenly stiffened when she spotted a cat. Truffles looked at the cat, tail wagging, thinking she found a new friend. Panini turned to Truffles and gave her an indignant bark as if to say, “You don’t wag at those.” Truff gave a half-hearted bark at the cat, but you could tell she did not mean it.”

It is said that no home is complete without a dog. Gary went for a double, adopting two. And it appears that both dogs feel that no home is complete without Gary. He says, “Since I came back from vacation in the Far East, they don’t seem to want me out of their sight. It’s like I am being stalked.”

I’d say that all parties are glad to be home, with each other, for the holidays.

Best wishes to all my readers for a happy Thanksgiving with your family, furry or otherwise!

Rose De Dan, Puma, Saqqara, Kiya, Cougar and Sand

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Think Outside the Cage
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Excerpt from:
Home for the Holidays

Been Raining Toadstools

by Rose De Dan

Okay, I know I live in Seattle, a place renowned for rainy weather nine months of the year, and should be used to inclement weather, but today I felt way overdue for sunshine.

Usually the rain is gentle. The heavy downpours I knew back East are relatively unknown here, but that pattern seemed to change recently when we endured what I would have called a Nor’easter, had I still been living in Massachusetts — several days of heavy rain, strong, gusty winds, hail, etc.

My dog, Puma, and I were forced to take our usual walk during one particularly heavy rainfall, and were soaked by the time we had gone two blocks. Poor Puma expressed his displeasure with the whole soggy mess by laying his ears flat against his head to keep the rain out. Halfway through our usual circuit he volunteered to cut the length of our walk in half by trying to drag me in the direction of home. We compromised by cutting the walk short by a few blocks.

We even had thunder, a very rare phenomenon here, unlike South Jersey where I grew up. So rare that while in session with a client I thought at first the sound I heard was a neighbor dragging out their garbage can. It was only when the volume and vibration continued to increase that I recognized it as an isolated peal of thunder.

The topper was the hail. One minute I am sitting on the couch, reading quietly, the next the peace is shattered by what sounds like stones hitting the windows. Winds were driving the hail sideways into the ancient glass, and the noise was so loud all the animals, even Puma, looked panicked.

The hailstorm picked up in intensity, and despite sending Reiki and positive feelings of safety and comfort to the animals, they were uneasily moving away from the windows and gathering in the center of the house, all the time casting glances at me for cues. Keeping up a running dialogue of reassurance, I eyed the windows with some concern (I joke to people that I think the original 1924 glass is only held in place only by the glazing pins), and tried to think what we would do if one of them gave way.

Listening to the winds I suddenly had an idea. In the course of my shamanic training we had been told that a practitioner can work with weather. Now it is my understanding that it is usually an altomesayoq that can do that, a higher level than I am, but an experience I had very early in my training made me feel that it could not hurt to make a request. There was no time to reach for rattle and Florida Water, I simply turned to each of the four directions, and very simply asked the winds to be gentle with us, and thinking of all the birds, animals and plants enduring the onslaught, added a request on their behalf. As soon as I finished speaking, the hail stopped. Completely.

I imagine that my request simply coincided with the natural cessation of the hailstorm, but I was not taking any chances. It would be impolite not to say “thank you” no matter what the reason for the end of the storm. This time, with rattle in hand, proper offerings of Florida Water and deep gratitude from my heart, I gave thanks to all four directions, all four winds.

And today I gave thanks for the appearance of the Sun, feeling the warmth on my face, watching my cats basking, I felt my spirits lift in response. Sometimes I guess you just need a reminder that the elements of nature are truly powerful, humbling and miraculous in their splendor.

P.S. This past week may not have been fit weather for woman nor beast, but it has been great for the fungi family. Toadstools have been popping up all over the place. The image appearing with this article is one that sprang out of the ground alongside the city street on which I live. In the background you can see the store lights reflected in the puddle underneath a parked car.

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Original post:
Been Raining Toadstools

Peruvian Ayni Despacho Ceremony tonight

by Rose De Dan

<b><i>A prayer is blown into the kintu</b> <br />© Rhonda Hanley 2009</i>” title=”15 Rose blows kintu cropweb” width=”246″ height=”300″ class=”size-medium wp-image-1008″ /></a>
<p><b><i>A prayer is blown into the kintu</b> <br />© Rhonda Hanley 2009</i></p>
</div>
<p><strong>When</strong>: Friday, October 16, 6:30pm<br />
<strong>Where</strong>: Alki, Seattle, WA – directions sent at time of registration. For those with allergies please note that there will be animals present.<br />
<P><br />
<em>“The despacho ceremony was very powerful, and things are already beginning to heal. Thank you for the shamanic healing service you provide, it is much appreciated!”</em>—C.A., Seattle</p>
<p>An Ayni Despacho is an ancient ceremony that melds the assembling of consensual reality (the world we all agree exists here and now) with offerings and prayers to the Spirit World for the creation of ayni (balance and harmony) in our lives, healing and release of energies that are standing in the way of our fully stepping into who we are becoming–our limitless possibilities. It is also helps reconnect us with, and offer healing for, the earth. When the despacho is completed the paq’o (one trained in the Andean Medicine tradition) gives it to the fire and the spirits to consume, releasing the energies and the prayers.</p>
<p>The ceremony can assist with all aspects of your life: relationship, business, career, family, home, companion animals, spiritual, etc. This ceremony will also include prayers for the healing of the earth and to support All Our Relations as they deal with the challenges of climate change and global warming. The ceremony itself is approximately 2 to 2.5 hours in length.</p>
<p><a rel=

Click here to register for the ceremony.

“Thank you for a wonderful experience. This was my first despacho and it was so beautiful!”—Holly H., Seattle, WA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Think Outside the Cage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive notice of future articles and events, sign up for our newsletter.

More here:
Peruvian Ayni Despacho Ceremony tonight

Halloween Fun: Ghosts at the Movies, Witch Dogs and Panther Cats

by Rose De Dan

<b><i>Panther Prowl</b><br /> ©Rose De Dan 2009</i>” title=”Cat Halloween card” width=”504″ height=”360″ class=”size-full wp-image-955″ /></a>
<p><b><i>Panther Prowl</b><br /> ©Rose De Dan 2009</i></p>
</div>
<p>Looking for some unusual <a rel=

Halloween Greeting Cards or 2010 Wall Calendars?

Panther Prowl greeting card shows the true primal nature of the housecat as reflected in her shadow (card is available in single or 10-pack.). Photography model is Jewell, a neighbor-cat of mine who is a lot more friendly than she looks in this image. Jewell adores my dog, Puma, and rushes to greet him whenever we walk by, throwing herself at his feet and rolling in ecstasy. Most of the time Puma politely ignores her, but occasionally (I think when he thinks other dogs aren’t looking) he will give her a hello sniff. Panther Prowl also appears in the calendar series Cats: Urban Tigers. Shadow art was done by artist Alex Guillotte.

Adorable Yorkie Witch Dog is portrayed by Yorkshire Terrier Cody, who has a complete closet of outfits which he was patient enough to model for in A Yorkie for All Seasons Calendar, and for the greeting cards (available in single or 10-pack). For this sitting Cody gave the cow skull a nervous glance at first, but after that he sat like a pro for his portrait.

Ghosts at the Movies greeting card combines a photo that I took many years ago in a Boston cemetery with a really humorous poem inside by Dean Blehert. Cards are available in single or 10-pack. Another of Dean’s short poems appears on Lucy Cat from the calendar series Cats: Urban Tigers.

Happy Halloween!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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