A Beginners Guide to Spiritual Growth
It is wonderful to observe First Nations People learning about their culture especially the spiritual side of culture which is all but lost because of Western assimilation; people like you can help revitalize our near-lost culture regardless of your native background. As “Eagle Catcher” I have watched many aboriginal people grow into a spiritual role and I feel that it is now time to help you further this growth with an appropriate gift of generic knowledge about spiritual things. All you need are some transparent or semi-transparent rock tea-lights. Four would be the ideal number for ceremonies. These would be available at local rock-shops like Meyers Minerals in Pasadena, NL. If rock tea-lights are not available simple tea-lights will suffice for starting your journey.
These Tea Lights are very symbolic to aboriginal people as they exemplify the four elements [Fire, Air, Water, and Earth] given us by the Creator and can be used to help in a person’s spiritual development. Use these tea lights as you see fit; they will give you guidance and strength and will allow you to grow mentally and spiritually over the next number of years. When you can no longer use their strengths please pass on to another for the same reasons I am giving you this information. It is your choice to use these tea lights for your own personal spiritual development or to share with others within your aboriginal community during ceremonies.
The Fire from the tea-lights [Fire Element] will assist you when mediating during singing, drumming or other times when you are seeking knowledge, guidance, or personal power. You and/or others will learn much as you gaze into this earthy light emitting from the bowels of Mother Earth which is represented by these four tea lights. Learn from watching the light, thinking while you watch or gaze, and most importantly while feeling the light with your mind’s eye. These four tea lights will form the East, West, North, and South boundaries around your individual or group ceremonies. Over time, you will eventually feel the appropriateness of assigning different directions to the four tea lights but for now the Creator will be satisfied with you just randomly selecting directions for the four tea lights.
The four tea lights represent the four wind directions [Air Element]. I nearly make the mistake of wanting to name particular tea lights with a wind direction but the Sprit intervened and told me that this naming must be performed by individuals and/or others at individual ceremonies. The wind direction assigned to each tea light will differ each time since Mother Earth is in constant motion and winds are no exception. I will only tell you the following information to help start you off on your spiritual knowledge quest and possibly towards becoming a knowledgeable, respected spiritual person or healer within your community.
Go out into the country, along a beach, on a high building/balcony or into a vicious windstorm and feel the different winds on your body; let your body get to know the features of each wind. This will take some time [years actually] but be patient with yourself as you become familiar with the properties of different winds. Brisk walks in the morning or lazy walks at evening or in the darkness of night are excellent places to learn about wind. Visualize the winds’ different effects on your body, mind, and sprit when you mediate using the tea lights. It will take practice but is well worth the effort.
The North wind is usually strong, difficult to handle or predict but can be also gentle and soft. The North wind is powerful and will allow this trait to encompass and pass into a person’s mental and spiritual persona; when you meditate/gaze into the light emitting from a particular tea light mentally visualize a strong North wind passing its persona into your body, mind, and sprit giving you the courage to say No or maybe even YES about most difficult decisions. A soft North wind allows people it has entered to make rational, logical decisions about things like career changes, money matters and other decisions related to long term goals or objectives. North wind will give you strength, guidance, and the courage to move appropriately in your life pathway. If you develop a strong affiliation with the soft side of North wind please learn to temper this with other wind direction especially West wind.
The South wind is soft, warm and full of world knowledge. It is a wise wind but when upset can be very dangerous causing much physical and mental grief. This wind is old, and at times very tired. Please be careful if you meditate often with the South wind since some of its effect on a person’s sprit can be negative. Using the South wind will help a person sleep better, decrease stress; help them think through pressing personal problems etc. but as stated before can be dangerous if used in excess.
The East wind is a young, inexperienced wind; very quick, unpredictable, and sometimes naughty. It is the wind of youthful life expectations always starting on a new endevour. It is a lovable wind but use it only at times when great personal change is necessary. The East wind will show you many possible pathways but will give you little knowledge past the initial stages of a new direction or pathway since it possesses little worldly experiences. But like all winds it is necessary for different situations. I strongly suggest that you use the East wind for spiritual awakening, spiritual maintenance, but most importantly spiritual rebirth after periods of mental stagnation, recent family sickness or death, and following personal sickness or near-death experiences.
The West wind leads us into maturity, contentment and finally old age followed by death. It is the most predictable of the four winds but it is used very little during meditation because one has to understand using “retrospect” to fully appreciate this wind. If you are not far along on your spiritual life passage the West wind can be very dangerous for you to visualize during meditation since it can make you depressed, isolated and lonely. However it is a powerful tool when you are ready to use its strength.
This is all I will say about the different winds because your mind, spirit, and body has to learn these things by themselves with my instructions to be used as a starting point only.
The rock portion of these tea lights represents [Earth Element]. The “feel” experienced by rubbing each tea light with your hand will give the person holding this element the personal, spiritual power that is to be discovered within Mother Earth. A person will feel which tea light is most suited for them at this particular stage of their spiritual journey. There can never be an inappropriate choice since the Creator is actually helping with the person’s choice.
I suggest that you spend time lying on some lonely rock outcrop or rock ledge so that your body, mind, and spirit can come to better understand this power emitting from within Mother Earth. While gaining knowledge about Mother Earth your body will also learn the different features associated with different winds. Remember that each trip into these sacred places are learning experiences for your body as well as your mind and spirit. There are many places of extreme personal power where you can learn about this Earth power; you will eventually find these places on your own but to start you off may I suggest a familiar lonely rock ledge, isolated areas of waterways especially rapids or falls in brooks or rivers and even a quiet sea shore. If none of these areas are available to you because of barriers beyond your control learn to concentrate about some natural area you have previously visited. Over time your mind’s eye will allow you to mentally visit this spot without having to leave your residence.
After a ceremony where an appropriate direction has been assigned to a particular tea light a person can then use the power of “Earth” and that particular wind direction found in the feel emitting from the tea light to give them mental and spiritually strength or guidance. This is a very therapeutic practice with the tea light even used to help you or others fall asleep at night; almost like a security blanket. In addition, the particular tea light can be held for long periods of time while a person thinks about or ponders her/his life situation. A small special stone or other natural object given to a person by a spiritual person [or even a person who cares] can have immense therapeutic power for the receiver of this gift.
If a particular tea light from your set of four is used by a person in this way [as a therapeutic object] no other ceremony can be initiated until that particular tea light is returned to you since you would need all four tea lights to start a different ceremony. This is necessary because wind direction for individual tea lights could possibly chance during the next ceremony. But be mindful not to rush the return of a loaned-out tea light since the person using it may be spiritually harmed if the tea light is returned inappropriately and still holds some personal strength belonging to that person.
The last element [Element Water] is to be found in air, rocks, and fire. Mother Earth needs water to live. It is the glue that makes all things equal in our universe. While our People [the MiKmaq] borrowed water ceremonies like sweat lodges and water cleansing from other Peoples our culture holds water in high esteem realizing its universal importance. Water is locked within the tea lights and is part of Fire and Air. You will get to know Water better by sitting beside a rattling brook, gazing at a dead-still pond, or facing the surf of a raging ocean. Eventually after years of exposing yourself to Water it will become an integral part of your “feelings” and will be easily experienced by your mind’s eye.
In all aspects of your spiritual growth you eventually will come to the realization that all earthly things are equal. We humans are equal to the four elements; the tea lights are equal to water lilies, which are equal to caribou that are equal to birds and insects. The Creator sees no difference between any of us since we are collectively comprised of the four elements. In this way there is no death but only life, eternal life. When your body dies your mind and spirit lives on in other forms. When you can look at the rock that is “Tea Light” and know that it is your equal because both of you are part of Mother Earth and neither of you will ever really die them you have reach a place in your spiritual growth that will allow you eternal peace.
You are a good person, reader of this passage and you have the potential to become a better person by learning about all that Mother Earth has to offer us; may the Creator be always with you. I leave you with a recent poem I wrote to try and explain my world view about the universe.
Wela'lin thank you.
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