Roger Pye wrote:
> In October last year I suddenly found I was reacting physically to
> external energies. This had never happened before. When I walked over
> land bursting with natural life and vigour, I felt great, but if the
> lushness came from chemicals, I got sick. The last time the sickness
> happened (earlier this year) I sought and received help from shamanic
> and other practitioners and influences.
For the uninitiated, Landcare in Oz is a community natural resource
management initiative funded by government and, to a degree, corporate
sponsorship. I am the secretary of a regional landcare association and
the treasurer of one of its members, a district landcare committee which
had a half-million dollar turnover in 2001-02. Quite a management challenge.
Upper Snowy Landcare (my committee) has a 'trial' project running at a
small village called Dalgety on the banks of the Snowy River in SE NSW.
The land is 60 hectares of a travelling stock reserve which has received
atrocious treatment over the last century or so. The soil is compacted
and weed-ridden, very little grass, some erosion, one intermittent water
source. The project is comparing side-by-side revegetation by biodynamic
agriculture, 'alternative' (ie compost-assisted with the compost being
made from organic materials which would normally be sent to landfill),
and conventional agriculture (chemical). The outcome we want is a
benchmark 'best practice' method (no prizes for guessing what I
personally would like this to be).
I visit this site regularly. It isn't far from the one which caused the
last lot of sickness. It was plainly obvious I could not go on in that
way. Like it or not (and I do like it) it seemed the rest of my life was
going to be involved with agriculture so I mentally resolved to seek out
help.
It wasn't long in coming. A week or so later I was 'troubleshooting' at
a natural health fair in Cooma (not far from Dalgety). As I wandered
past the indoor stage on a routine pass, I glanced up and saw a seer's
tent with spangles and stars and devices twinkling at me. Feeling
tempted, I walked up the steps. The tent was empty so I kept going. A
little way on a younger woman than I glanced up and our eyes met.
Something 'clicked' and I went to her table and sat down. She was a
medium, she said in answer to my query, what would I like? Tarot cards?
Reading? What?
"Do what you will, whatever you think is best," I answered. She nodded,
clasped my hands and bent her head. A moment later she began to speak in
a lower tone and didn't stop for a quarter of an hour. I sat there
mesmerised as she told me the story of my life. My present life, the one
with energy and trees and soil and environment and bd and flowforms,
nature spirits and devas. And sickness.
At that time all I had told her was my first name.
"Do you have a question for me?" It was the first time she had looked up.
"How can I protect myself from the sickness yet still receive the message?"
Her head went down again. Silence for a moment. Then "Before you enter
in, ask permission of the natural custodians. Be sure they are aware of
your reasons for being there. Always ask them what they want to be done,
do not impose solutions upon them. Tell them if you become sick you will
be unable to help. They will listen."
There was more. Plus questions - what the sickness had entailed, colour
and consistency of the output and so on. "Stomach-related both times,"
she said thoughtfully, head bent. "Digestive problems. You need to do
something along those lines, perhaps. Ask on your next visit but go
soon. Is there another question?"
"How do you know all these things?"
"It is not I," she said, looking up again. "It is my channel. That will
be thirty dollars. Here, this is my home number. I don't generally give
it out. If you need more help any time, call me."
In all I consulted two mediums and two shamans. Basically they all said
similar things - ask permission, ask what needs to be done, allow
yourself to be guided. In terms of practical protection - wear a crystal
or something similar, burn aromatics in a 'cleansing' ceremony and
breathe in the smoke, give the nature spirits presents sometimes,
usually tobacco and wild sage. There was more I can't talk about.
The first medium didn't touch on my past and only mentioned my future
once. The second said I had been an Aboriginal at some time. One shaman
concentrated on healing and protection, the other responsibility. Except
she didn't put it quite like that. According to her, I was once a native
american tribal Elder and am again an elder-in-training. "With
response-ability," she says very firmly. "That is, the ability to
respond positively and helpfully." Also to act responsibly - did I ever
catch it from her when I 'rolled' a utility (pick-up truck) a month or
so ago. Fortunately it was in the paddock at the stock reserve and I
wasn't hurt except for bruises.
I've
