Greetings,

Another wonderful Shamanic Workshop attended. Another insight I would like to share with you. Now, as I know it, all insights are memories. So, in the event you, (like me) have forgotten, I hope this insight will help you remember.

First, the story:

An assignment that was given us was to go out into the woods and create an altar from the fringes of our consciousness. An easy task, right? (Ops, let me wipe up some of that sarcasm). I was not happy about this task. I was, one might say, “disinclined”. However I’d paid good money for the workshop, and so, out in the woods I went.

Now, if one is to select things from the fringes of ones consciousness, it seemed pretty obvious to me I’d be best off not paying attention and just pick the first thing I tripped on.

It ended up being a rusted-through can, full of dirt. So I picked it up and put it on a flat rock. "And there", (in a Ringmaster's voice), "My Altar".

Now the second part of this assignment was to sit and meditate in front of our altars... [sigh]. I thanked the moss for its presence, the rain for its absence, and I prayed that there was some large moose in the vicinity for all the bugs to gravitate to.

And then…. I sat there. And sat there. Every day of the workshop we were asked to go out to our altars and meditate. I cringed… those fringes, they’re sure way out there sometimes. What was I suppose to find? To be honest, I didn’t get much out of these sittings other than a bit of a tan.

Then, on the last day, as it started to drizzle, I looked up from my “meditation” and noticed the can, and a memory came to me.

I was seven, (or eight), living near some woods. One day in late fall I noticed a dead bird on the ground. I was so touched by the forsakenness of this little one, I immediately ran home and fetched an empty coffee-can. Bringing it to the woods I carefully filled half of it with snow, then gently placed the bird on top. More snow, a painstakingly constructed wooden cross from twigs, a prayer and a blessing. Stepping back and looking at my creation I was pleased with myself.

Spring comes and I am again ambling through the woods. (Love that word. It means; “to walk without hurry”. I should do that again sometime :) I notice the can, long forgotten, now rusty and full of… water! With apprehension I get closer, wanting to see and not wanting to see. Then there it is, the consequences of my actions; a small bird, bloated and floating belly up in the murky water, the cross now some rotting sticks floating beside it ... What had I done?!

So what is the lesson? What did I pick up there at the fringes of my consciousness?

I knew then, with certainty; all is well, and nothing and no one ever needs to be fixed.

I protested of course. I mean, the whole purpose of the workshop was to learn how to help fix people. How silly for everything to be alright…

As I thought about it some more, it came to me; A flower fixes its position to be better aimed towards the sun. A wolf fixes its hunger by going hunting. Looking to improve ones situation is the driving force of change, the driving force of life! It is well that we fix things. It is also well to remember that nothing, ever, is wrong.

Be well,

Maia