Shamans, healers, sages, and others on the spiritual path often wish to assist to bring harmony to difficult situations through ceremony, prayer, energy work, etc.
In these challenging times we often desire to assist in addressing extreme weather events – drought, fire, storms, cold/snow, etc.
Admirable and necessary work.
In order for a practitioner to be effective it seems to be essential that they are in right relationship with the elements that they wish to work with.
Practitioners can’t be effective if they are part of the problem. (This is the main reason indigenous people would often call on a shaman from an adjacent village rather than their own village)
The first step of any effective work of this kind is to identify what is likely the root cause of the problem (imbalance).
Then have the community involved stop doing whatever is causing / caused the imbalance. Thus the energy work can proceed without counter action.
Next make reparations for what has been done – via offerings, ceremony, etc.
Then “pray” – holding the intention for the specific aspects of whatever the problem is to come into harmony and working with the elements and energies to bring this about. Once the non-balancing activity has ended, nature seems to have a natural tendency to return to harmony – the practitioner just helps things along.
This seems to apply to most healing, change activities.
The source of the extreme weather situation seems to be carbon imbalance.
Human caused climate change and rising temperatures result in extreme weather events.
Storms, drought, lightning, fires, etc.
It’s global. There are no (or very few) shamans from other villages not involved to call upon.
So, as a shaman, healer, sage, or earth keeper, what can be done?
The first step could be to move toward being in right relationship with nature – by radically changing our behavior and thus reducing our individual carbon footprints. This would also be a symbolic gesture of good will to the elements.
For those of us in the “western world” there is also the need to recognize that we have been and are, the problem – we are culpable of contributing to carbon imbalance over our lifetimes.
So, action to offset our lifetime contribution to the problem is also an option.
Radical responsibility.
Unfortunately folks often want to focus on the “big spenders” in the carbon cycle and get them to stop doing whatever they are doing. For example, “get China to stop burning coal” – not realizing that most industrial activity is “feeding” the desires of regular folks in western countries – you and me. The coal is being burned to create energy to power the production of all the things people in the western world use and consume.
So, what would a new model look like for shamanic / healing work?
All ceremony and gatherings of shaman, healers, etc., could be carbon neutral, acknowledging to pachamama that the group recognizes their personal culpability as well as the problem at other levels.
And all folks involved could make a commitment for radical personal carbon reduction. Thus creating the possibility that the group was moving toward being in integrity regarding the work they are doing and having the possibility of working effectively with the elements.
Driving or flying to attend gatherings or in daily life, using consumables, etc. etc., would all be off the table until legitimate carbon offsets or carbon neutral means of travel are implemented.
Ironically this would be in line with the traditional “sacrifices” that shamans and healers were called on to make in order to serve their communities – different forms of sacrifice, but similar in intent.
But there are all kinds of ways that we rationalize our continued contribution to carbon imbalance – especially by insisting that we are doing important spiritual work and therefore the action is justified.
Or, that we are working at a higher level, so these mundane things are not relevant.
Extreme times call for extreme measures / action. And shamans, healers, sages etc. can provide leadership and example in terms of the “sacrifice” of moving to right relationship. Ironically by making the changes required, many other issues may shift and the “sacrifice” may turn out to be a great blessing on many levels.