Monday, May 11, 2009

Shamanic Assignment



DISCLAIMER: I try mostly these days to keep my shamanic activities off the blog, because really my spiritual path, in this time and place, is so weird. I apologize, in advance, for giving any of you the willies. Sometimes I try to think of what I do as performance art, though the Sufi acupuncturist has told me it's disrespectful to diminish my spiritual path, no matter how far out of the mainstream it may be. The bottom line is, my shamanism doesn't hurt anyone or anything. I don't think others should (or even could) follow the same path since it's so idiosyncratic. Best of all, I maintain a sense of humor about it most of the time. I know, I perhaps do not always have both oars in the water. Oh well. --end disclaimer--

Here's how it happened. First, I became entranced with the sound of Huong Thanh's voice. I can't stop listening to her music. I used words like "haunting" and "eerie" to describe it. I even said "It's like the ancestors are talking to me." (See sidebar for my exact words.)

A couple of days after, when I sat down to post to the blog - that was yesterday - out came a few paragraphs about ghosts. Even as I was writing, I was thinking, "This is weird. Why am I writing about ghosts in May?" A couple of hours after I posted, I remembered Memorial Day is just around the corner, a holiday that celebrates dead soldiers. The dots were beginning to connect, but I still didn't get it.

At the very moment I began to wonder why they chose the end of May to celebrate the Dead (shouldn't Memorial Day coincide with late fall?), about a hundred motorcycles sped past my window. There were so many of them it was impossible to ignore. I thought, Hey, it's too early for Rolling Thunder. (Rolling Thunder is an event put together by Vietnam Vets in celebration of Memorial Day. They parade all over DC on their Harleys and then gather at Maya Lin's incredible, powerful, heart wrenching Vietnam Memorial.

Indeed it is too early for Rolling Thunder, and as I love to say, you can't plan for the timing of all those motorcycles rumbling past just as I was thinking about dead soldiers and Memorial Day.

Finally it all came together in a narrative that my consciousness could understand. The Vietnamese ancestors ARE speaking, whispering, gathering. I can "hear" the whispers because it's what I do, and because I've practiced listening to the subtle energies for so many years. I believe the ghosts of the Dead from the Vietnam War are stirring a lot more than usual. I could feel it but my mind was unable to articulate what I was experiencing until yesterday when, looking at my blog, I noticed the juxtaposition of the sidebar with the post, and remembered the motorcycles. Finally the pieces fell into place.

And so you see this is how I "decide" to go on shamanic assignment. Clearly it is not a rational process, but then mysticism by its very nature is never rational is it?

I'm looking forward to visiting the Vietnam Memorial tomorrow or Wednesday. I'll take my rattle, listen to my theme song on my ipod or in my head where it is running like a tape loop. I will open my mind and heart to the energies there, probably dance around a little bit. Who knows?

Now, finally I am conscious that Something Is Happening, that I'm being called to dance in shamanic alignment with whatever that Something is. I am a shaman, for whatever that means, but my goodness sometimes I am so dense when I'm being called.

My mind is always the last to know.

21 comments:

Mary said...

Yikes - and very cool. Will you share the experience at the memorial?

Unknown said...

No willies here, & I agree with Mary that this is very cool. It seems that all the spiritual journeys are see going on around me are very idiosyncratic-- even Eberle, who's a Catholic, & her Catholic friends, all have very singular journeys that really aren't duplicates of each other. As far as my own odd mix of belief/disbelief somehow articulated thru poetry & music-- in many ways it's just as off the beaten path. & your Sufi acupuncturist was right, tho I always think truly serious things shouldn't be taken too seriously.

Chris Wolf said...

Have you noticed how many of your pictures have been pointed down at the ground lately?

Kat Mortensen said...

The last line of your post is so telling. It is so truthful. I was at another blog earlier this morning asking if we'd had the chance to dance over the weekend. (here: http://swanofdreamers.blogspot.com/) I don't think I did physically dance, but in my mind I'm sure I did a few turns.
I think there is a designated path that each of us must follow - call it fate, destiny or what you will...we are all on a path to somewhere.

Kat

Butternut Squash said...

Hi Reya,

I get so much depth out of your posts. They often spark a story for me to write. Sometimes they help me to make sense of the spirit that I encounter but can not decipher. Or you answer questions, that I was just about to ask. Your Shaman self is very cool.

Janelle said...

you go dance, baby! love these posts...also love the synchronicity of the unseen...all the signs...blisses me out. lots love x janelle

Nancy said...

Keep us in the loop, as we are always interested in what you are up to. I have felt for some time that energy is building all over the world. I can't explain it, but maybe we will get to the point in our evolution where what you do will be as normal as looking at shared energy cycles. (I have no idea where that came from - shared energy cycles?)

Ronda Laveen said...

A-HO! Dance, dance, dance. Dance until the message is clear.

R.L. Bourges said...

Everybody's always best doing what feels right to them. Those who get it, get it - those who don't, don't, but that's their problem, not yours.

Loved the song, by the way. Couldn't help thinking of Robert Olen Butler's A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain.

Washington Cube said...

I have been debating writing about ghosts all weekend..and what to call the piece..Willie Nillies? Heebie Geebies? Ghost With The Most? And when I am reading and you write, "Ghost." I swear to God, Reya, you freak me out.

Washington Cube said...

And yes, I have felt ghosts stirring and moving around for weeks now, and I'm still dealing with them.

globaltoll said...

Can't wait to hear about your trip to the memorial!

tut-tut said...

That music was ethereal. You're in many worlds, Reya.

Meri said...

The veil must be thin at the Wall from all the prayer and ceremony offered there, straight from the heart. Dance, Reya, dance. The spirits speak to us of peace and bid us not engage any longer in madness toward the earth and those who walk upon it.

Reya Mellicker said...

I will definitely share my experience, with pictures, of course. Thanks for your graciousness, all of you.

And you, Cube ... if you're feeling them too, then wow. Something IS happening.

Reya Mellicker said...

John thanks for all your words. Yes, yes, YES.

Reya Mellicker said...

And YES Ronda, dance until the message is clear. THAT's why I dance! Thank you!

Lover of Life I too feel the gathering energy and somehow know what you mean by shared energy cycles.

Poetikat - wow.

And Meri and Butternut and all the rest of you, YEAH~!!

Anonymous said...

The Vietnam Memorial is one of my favorite places to stop when I'm in that part of D.C. I have always found it to be a haunted place, full of so many lost souls.

I was so glad that they chose that design because it's perfect: it cuts into the ground, but it reflects outwardly, much as the war did to many people.

Good luck on your sojourn.

Squirrel said...

look forward to hearing about your trip to the memorial

Barbara Martin said...

Reya, it is a case of synchronicity to help you see the path. Not a willie in sight for me, either. I understand perfectly what you are trying to say. There is a path unfolding before you and the destination will come clearer at each step.

Lani Vento said...

Now I see what you meant by "connecting the dots" on FB.

I appreciate your openness about your exposing something you say you don't usually talk about. I've been starting to question my own blog. It's a journal, but is starting to feel shallow and I think, "what is it you're afraid of that you won't talk about things of more depth?" Now I feel like wading in a little deeper. Thank you1