Being a slob is an art - I am convinced of it. You have to be really crafty to be a good slob. Sometimes I revel in it. Donuts and daily vitamins: breakfast, lunch and dinner. That was my Friday. We were completely out of fruits and veggies and someone made the mistake of putting a big box of donuts unattended on the table! What's a poor girl to do?

As I am an Aquarius, I notice that my horoscopes always prescribe to my dilemas a day late and a dollar short ~ Todays read: Watch out for the donuts. Thanks.

Last weekend I went to a Shamanic Journeying session conducted by Dr. Esther Geitner, shamanic practitioner & Hyptnotist (maybe she can help me with my donut problem?) Esther was a student of Michael Harner, founder of the foundation for Shamanic Studies. While there we bundled up and carefully placed eye pillows over our eyes and laid back while listening to drumming rythms. About 220 beats per minute to be exact which is meant to bring the meditator to a 'shamanic state of consciousness'. I'm very interested in this idea of natural living and healing - but I cannot brag about being very disciplined. I was spoiled when I was a child, I guess. I feel I've seen the long term effects of what could be called Un-natural healing & it's just not pretty. Let me think of a few examples, hmm, Elvis.... Liza Minelli... Jackson's (your pick)...

Very creative these shamanic practitioners. The don't prefer to call themselves *shamans* because they say this is an aboriginal word best left defined by those who are decendants of past shamans. I looked into this. It seemed to be quite controversial: a little shamanic drama I reckon. Not even shamans can escape the tabloids.

So I listened and relaxed and was told to travel into an imaginary garden and wish for an animal spirit to visit - it was very clear and very beautiful - there was sagebrush and desert and birds - and depending then on how this animal spirit felt it could be what the core shamans call a power animal - the power animal is the animal guide. It's pretty cool actually. I like animals - they're cute and and cudly and live purely. The idea is like that of finding a 'totem' - that the attributes of this animal are your attributes. Mine was the coyote. I didn't really know what that meant so Esther told me to look it up - Here's what I found:

Coyote is the antihero whose antics make it easier to see ourselves.

Coyote's Wisdom Includes:

Understanding that all things are sacred--yet nothing is sacred
Teaching that only when all masks have fallen will we connect with the Source
Intelligence
Singing humans into being
Childhood trust in truth
Teaching us how to rear our young
Brings rain
Ability to laugh at one’s own mistakes
Placing the North Star
Shape-shifting
Teaching balance between risk and safety
Illumination
Stealth

Well, I didn't really get the part about 'singing humans into being' but the rest brought words to the way I'd been feeling lately. It's fun anyway. I wonder if coyotes eat donuts?