Christianne

How does one survive in a violence filled world?...

From GoddessVision, submitted by Christianne

" How does one survive in a violence filled world?...Which, like it or not, has now become our world.

Shamans from so-called primitive cultures, world wide developed remarkably similar practices to stay grounded, keep balanced and remain apart from the swirl and fury of combat. Yet, with it all, the Shaman was a warrior, supreme.There are two goals. A. How to stay apart, how not to get caught up in the violence swirling about you. B. How to retain a warrior stance and remain a being of love and Spirit.Shamanism is not a theory, merely to be read, or thought about, or talked about. Shamanism is a practice you can only experience, by doing, again and again and again. Here are some tips and hints for staying apart from the furor and the fray.

1. Get in touch with your death. In Native American spiritual practice death rides our left shoulder. Journey to the other side as a way to understand that there is no death and likewise to enable you to lose your fear of death.

2. Face your fears. Let go of fear. The primary fear is the fear of death. Once the fear of death is accomplished you are much more able to banish other fears. Fear promotes violence. Fear also promotes insecurity, which also promotes violence.

3. Practice non-attachment. Non-attachment and desires lead to greed and greed leads to violence. There are two primary forces of attachment. (a) attachment to possessions and (b) attachment to ideas. Attachment to ideas takes the form of expectations, shoulds and ego. Attachment is a force. Hard to dislodge. It takes will power.

4. Expand your powers of observation and awareness. In Shamanic terms become a "stalker". The Shaman's term stalker derives from the Jaguar, who stalked his prey in the jungle. The enhancement of observation and awareness apply to two specific arenas. (a) your environment. As in home, work, driving, being out in the world. Know, be aware and observe everything that is going on. (b) Observe and be aware of yourself. Who are you and what are you thinking, at any time, at any moment.

5. Control your thoughts. Banish negative mind tapes, either about others or yourself. Find the spiritual side, the loving side or the bright side of people and circumstances.

6. Be here, in the NOW. Live each moment. The past is for learning. The future is only a speck in eternity. When you are fully aware and in the NOW, there are very, very few surprises.

7. Find some beauty, in nature, even a postcard will do. Beauty and anger cannot occupy your mind at the same time. Focus on the beauty of life all around you.

8. Understand and think about, or meditate on, how all forms on earth are interconnected. Sometime ago theoretical physicists came to the same conclusion. We are, indeed, all brothers.

9. Find some time during the day to breathe deeply. This aids in centering and balance. It is remarkable in providing control in times of emergency.

10. Explore the concept of Journeying, whether to your own secluded, imaginative garden, finding a power animal, or reaching one of the other dimensions. Journeying is Spirit filled and encompasses your connection to "the Eagle", God or the Universe. The quiet of your garden is enriching and energizing.

11. Love ... is healing energy beyond all energy. Send love to people, the planet, groups, and individuals. Every time you send love it also passes through you. And love is a kind of sticky energy. It can't pass by without some staying around.

How do you survive in a violence filled world? Well, first off you take a look at all the ways violence manifests, besides the proverbial punch in the nose. One of your survival jobs is not to be a participant in the many, many forms of violence.
Then, you eliminate fear from your being. Fear, attracts fear. And fear is a root cause of anger. Get rid of fear and anger and you're now in a different world. We all create our world.
Shamans are peaceful warriors. Once you've conquered fear and anger you can work on will power. All it takes is will to control your thoughts and send loving, healing energy to the world and all your brothers in it.
And in this process, not only do you become a survivor, what is most important, is that the world becomes a beautiful and loving place towards you.
You have the control. You have the ability to create your world. You are an emanation of "the Eagle", of God or of the Universe.

You are love and you are loved."
... Christianne