Returning to the Great Mother Goddess

Shamanic Drum Jounrey - Returning to the Great Mother Goddess...

I call in Kali Ma and the Shakti energies. I call in Snake, Jaguar, Dragon and Cockatoo.

I call on Artemis. I call in my guides and teachers and I call Jeanine Pervati Baker.

Artemis slips into the vortex and finds herself deep in a lush forest. Her strong impulse is to run. She runs fast….then faster and faster without hesitation or fear. She runs so fast, as if nothing can stop her. Nothing CAN stop her.

She arrives at a cliff and hurls herself over the edge and feels the cool water as she dives into the deep still below.

The water is clear and as Artemis plunges down into its depths,there to greet her is Shreiga, the water dragon. Shreiga encourages her to mount his back. He lifts his great wings and begins to fly out of the water. Alongside Artemis are the serpent, jaguar and cockatoo. They are lifted high into the night sky. Whoosh…………….. ! The wind blows their faces from the force of Shreiga’s great wings. The moon is full and visible in the night’s sky, beckoning them to her. Shreiga takes his friends on a journey to the moon. With her great white beauty mirroring all the light that they are, Shreiga lands Artemis and her friends gracefully on the moon. They are guided to a crater in the moon that spirals down deep within her core. Down they slide down, down, down spiraling on an enormous moon slide. At the bottom of the slide Artemis is let down gently by dragon into the core of the moon. A beautiful goddess with long, flowing hair wearing a beautiful dress with a cape over her head, meets her. She beckons for Artemis to follow her. She says to Artemis “there is something that needs to be returned to you. Artemis is taken to a beautiful , clear stream. She sees her reflection in the water and the moon goddess encourages her to drink deeply from the belly of water.

“Drink deeply Artemis…drink”

And as she does the water fills all the gaps within her soul. The water heals all the missing pieces of who she is. The parts of her she has lost through pain, hurt and trauma. As She drinks she feels light swirling within her. She feels whole, complete and held. She is touched by the beautiful goddess at the heart and gifted with the magic to take this healing water back to all other women. To have THEM drink deeply from the water and to be healed too.

The moon goddess whispers in Artermis’s ear….. “Artemis make an essence this full moon. Place it under the light of the full moon, invoke the goddess within you, the magic in your heart and make a potion. This potion will be a reclaiming essence, one that has the powers of one to drink deeply and to be the healed. The essence of who they are. This potion will bring the drinker back to the true essence of themselves & the goddess within. It will be used for the times when one may feel stretched & overwhelm, especially in the role of mother”.

The goddess guides Artemis away from the stream saying that there is someone who needs her help. She takes her to a baby lying in some laurel. The baby is a newborn and she has been left by her mother and is all alone. Artemis takes the baby into her arms and cradles her. The baby nuzzles into Artemis and begins to suckle her left breast. The baby is sustained by the milk from Artemis’s breast . And in the same way Artemis drank deeply from the stream, this baby drinks deeply from her breast. As she holds the baby Artemis sees the baby’s cord is still connected to its placenta and the placenta is still attached to its mother……THE EARTH. There is an infusion and illumination of light as the earth, the baby and Artemis are connected eternally as one. There is no separation. And Artemis sees herself in this baby and cries as she realizes that the baby is she. A part of herself that she let go of having mistaken that her mother had left her. Artemis holds the baby and reclaims this tiny soul back into herself. She feels the vibration of life pulsating through her and knows no separation from the great mother, the baby and herself.

As Artemis looks around, she notices that the moon goddess has gone. She is nowhere to be seen. Artemis smiles for she knows that this goddess was infact an aspect of her own self. The moon goddess has gone but the wisdom and essence that was forgotten has been returned back into herself, now remembered.

Shreiga lifts Artemis and her baby onto his green scaly back As Artemis seats herslelf on the dragons she notices she is now wearing the flowing white gown of the moon goddess.

They fly away from the moon and travel back down to the earth, through the stars. The baby is nestled close to Artemis’s heart in a snuggly sling. Back at earth Dragon lets Artemis and the baby down gently and they both journey together alongside Snake, Jaguar and Cockatoo back to their mother - hOME.

Vision Quest -Vigil Night

Friday 28^th May after 7 am sometime.

Well I have completed Vision Quest and my vigil night. I have been out here in the bush in Kangaroo Valley NSW, since approx 4.30pm Tuesday. I’ve not eaten anything since lunchtime Tuesday.

Here I share with you some of my insights from vigil night, where by I cast a sacred circle and sat in it with my fire, all night awake. The moon was full and shone over me all evening. I had some beautiful insights gazing at the moon and at one point I saw doors on the face of the moon beckoning for me to come on in. (Go within) The thought that came to me when I saw the moon was some lyrics to a Waifs song I had sung on the first night questing. Those lyrics were…

“Find your mirror and go look inside”

What I understood from this is to be completely in my essence. Be the pure reflection of who I am on the inside. Find in life all that reflects the mirror & vibration of who I am and be that in every way. For being who you completely are is what you are here to do. And in being who you truly are only encourages others to do the same.When you stop being the essence of who you are, it interrupts the natural flow of all things.

During vigil night I kept thinking I wasn’t going to get a vision. I kept imaging that I would be the only one back at base camp saying that I didn’t get a vision.

I had drummed for a vision on sunset. Being more of a passive person I decided I would take the active approach to calling for a vision. So once I had re-erected the tarp once more to give me shelter in my sacred circle I drummed for my vision. It felt good and I loved feeling the vibration of my drum permeate through me. Also the sounds of the drum in the valley echoed giving the illusion that I was the only one there questing.

So on dusk I lit a natural insect repellant stick. I knew it would burn for 2 hours so I kept relighting them one after the other so that I had a guide to what time it was in the night. I got to about 3am and I couldn’t be bothered lighting anymore and it was here that I also let the fire die down. I was starting to get sleepy…

Jaguar visited me in my circle. She lept from the tree tops and landed in my circle. I had a distinct feeling that she was with me for the lost courage I felt I was struggling to find. It was such a powerful and comforting moment. Her guidance was to practice shapeshifting into her at times I felt I needed courage. But I have to say Jaguar has been with me since vigil night.

All through the night I continued to doubt whether I would actually get a vision. As the sun rose I got my vision. It came to me so naturally and it was like it had always been there. And of course it had, I just had never believed it before to be able to see it. I could see my life with immense clarity.

I realized the depth and brilliance of who I am and what I have created in my life. I felt my amazingness. I saw myself in the role of mother and recognized my talents within this role. I could see the amazing life I have created for my children and how this will hold them in great steed for their lives ahead.

I reflected on my life and the difficult decisions I have made. And I saw the fruits of my labour. I saw the pillars that I have erected and how they are holding me strong and tall. I saw the honouring of myself and the example I am for my children. I knew it in every fibre of my being and I could taste it.

The intangible had become the tangible.

I was able to see people in my life that had hurt me for who they truly are. I saw their true beauty and essence. I realized that the aspects of them that I thought I didn’t like, was only my feelings of being let down. But those wounds have become the greatest catalyst in the evolution of who I have become.

Pregnancy Workshop Meditation

12/11/09

When I was in the cave and deep within the womb of time, I could smell and feel the deep depths. It was there that we were given gifts to help us on our birthing journey. A stave appeared as one of my gifts. I realized the need for me to make a stave to carry with me on my journey. To use to anchor my strength and my power. I saw a stave with rainbow colored material with bells and tassels hanging off it. After receiving my gift, I was being birthed from the cave. I felt the pressure on my third eye and my head and just saw violet light. I emerged from the womb and I was birthed easily, gently. I naturally slipped out. It was a calm, gentle emergence. I went to the side of the lake in my boat to climb back up the hill. There was a hand outstretched to help me out of the boat and on my journey up the hill. When I arrived at the top of the hill I connected with who was at the end of that hand. It was an ever expansive energy. It was vast and wide and light. It was all that is…the hand of the Divine…from birth...for now...for always.

18/11/09

In the week after the pregnancy workshop, I experienced a situation where I really felt I was lacking courage. After some journaling time and calling on the divine wisdom my memory of the meditation above came. And I knew what I needed to do. I have learnt over time that to have anything manifest in your life you need to bring it from the energetic realm and into your physical existence. Everything that has ever been created was an impression of some kind before it was made into a tangible form. I needed to anchor my courage and power with something physical.

I created a stave. My power object. I weaved it with strength and courage. I asked that the stave kept a watchful eye over me so as to protect me from harm. I then planted my stave in the earth beside a tree on our property, which seems to have become my ceremonial tree. A beautiful Japanese maple. As I earthed the stave I weaved the intention to anchor my courage with the earth mother and for it to be grounded.

"I am strong, I have courage. This stave keeps a watchful eye over me protecting me from harm. I can plant this stave in the earth any time I need to anchor more courage. For Divine wisdom & guidance."

School of Shamanic Midwifery Opening Ceremony

Sat 10th & Sunday 11^th, October 2009.

I feel as though I have just transitioned from a beautiful labor into an amazing birth! What a Journey! There have been tears of happiness, tears of uncertainty, then more tears of absolute joy and bliss. There has been laughter and the bonding of 16 unique and beautiful women, all through the opening ceremony and birth of the school of Shamanic Midwifery.

What a bond. What a powerful energy that we have co-created. I have no doubt in my soul that our bond through this journey will carry through many lifetimes and it is the foundation for women ahead of us to continue this powerful journey we have begun.

I feel so strongly that we have taken a stand. A stand for a new consciousness, a new way of being in relation to all aspects of pregnancy, labor, birth and beyond. A new consciousness created by the synergy of 16 very powerful women. It is the anchoring of the divine feminine. And I breathe in deeply as I sign with relief that this time has come. I feel as though the universe and the mother are dancing alongside us in true delight.

As the weekend unfolds I see the incredible and important journey that lies ahead. Through my transition I have found a peace and acceptance of what I have promised to our humanity, to women of this lifetime. I feel a deep knowing that the call has been answered. And in the answering I have been gifted 15 other incredible women. The bond that has been created feels amazingly solid. There is an honesty and integrity in all of you that you have shared so openly and for this I am grateful. For in your honesty you have enabled me to see aspects of myself and allowed me great clarity.

My Drum Journey

Yesterday we had the privilege of making a ceremonial drum. Jane took us on a beautiful drum journey. I had no idea the depth and nourishment and power of such an exercise.

When I begun my drum I felt very unsure. Was double-checking everything because there was a memory in me that I had done this before. And I had been told I had done it wrong. I felt I needed some support. I felt a whole energetic process unfolding for me and a need to be midwifed through it. But underlining this I knew that this was my journey, my drum and I should be able to do it alone.

Threading each hole of the Hyde I could hear the drum speaking to me. Telling me to trust the process, giving me insights, unlocking ancient knowledge. But as I looked around me and saw the perfection of other women's drums and how quickly they were working, mine suddenly dulled into comparison. I begun to doubt the process and in reflection of this my drum begun to be threaded in a very unique way. Not at all in the way we were being directed to thread. I saw this as me doing it wrong. So, the moment I stepped out of my drum and compared myself, it changed the essence of my drums integrity.

It soon came to a point where it all became so overwhelming and I realised that I was actually facing the extent of my Lilith chart and my commitment to what I have promised to all women. At this point Jane arrived at my feet and she spoke to me and it all came rushing out. How much I felt confronted by my destiny and how I didn't really know if I could do it. Did I have enough courage? Do I have what it takes? Speaking to Jane my wisdom told me that it would be okay. Jane told me “One step at a time.”

Jane asked me how were my births with my children. And I lit up as I thought of Lucy's birth, as it was amazing. And then Jane said "you are in transition... what did you do when you were in transition with Lucy's birth?" (WOW even as I retype this writing I realize the shamanicness of Jane's approach with me while I was in transition. Jane helped me access a time and space of consciousness where I had instinctively known what was needed next. She had allowed me to access the time and space of Lucy's birth experience to enable me to know what I need to do in my drum journey.)

I said, "I got up out of the pool and I moved around." Jane said to me "get up you need to move, get up and move around."

I had to move I needed to assist this intense energy and pain. As I got up I realised I could feel the same pressure that I experienced in Lucy’s birth in my pelvis & back. So as I move around Jane continues her midwifing and says to me, "What you are in your birth is really who you are. It is the extent of what you are." And with that, all the understanding came rushing in. The understanding that I hold a great strength and inner knowing. Gifts that are needed for this journey ahead. And that your level of uncertainty matches the level of your gift that resides within you. The enormity of the gifts matches the enormity of the fear.

So in the understanding I was ready for my birth. My entrance into shamanic midwifery. And as this happened a weight had lifted from me. All the pressure had gone. The gentle massaging of the Hyde had allowed an easy entrance for the completion of the drum. The Hyde was ready and the weaving begun. It was so easy. All of the strings came together in their own unique way. I had groups of 3, 6, 4 and five. But it didn't matter because what evolved was still beautiful. It was amazingly symbolic of how I live my life. It seems as much as I would have liked to, I have never done anything in the right order. But I have learnt that the orders & rules I was trying to live up to was societal laws that were not governed by me. Following rules greatly inhibits my growth.

The physical manifestation of my progress was my drum.

For on completion there in the Hyde on the reverse of my drum was the shape of the Divine Feminine. The way I had threaded it had unknowingly created the shape of a womb, the cup, a symbol of the true feminine beauty. There for me to look at every time I play my drum, but also to remind me of my journey and the role that I have accepted.

School of Shamanic Midwifery

The School of Shamanic Midwifery (SSM) is a Women’s Mysteries School for midwives and doulas, a gathering of wise women, a year long Earth based ‘religious’ experience. It will awaken in you a deeper connection to the cycles - the way of life - and enable in you a range of ancient and traditional skills and tools to serve women and the birth process.

Commencing in the Southern Spring of 2009, SSM will offer a program run over a year or so.
The aim of the program is:
* to awaken the Shamaness in you so that you may take this to your practice as midwife or doula and serve the women, their process and the birth process at a deeper, healing level.
* to learn ways of ‘being with woman’ that best facilitates the transformation possible for women, and their families, during pregnancy and birth.

This is a program designed to develop shamanic skills, a connection with the Earth, the Goddess and self-awareness.
Besides offering you further tools for your practice, the program aims to provide you with the opportunity to see who you really are and why you do the things you do the way you do them.

The School of Shamanic Midwifery is based in Australia and is given and co-ordinated by Jane Hardwicke Collings, Homebirth Midwife, Mother, Grandmother. Jane has apprenticed with many great teachers – Maggie Lecky Thompson, Blackbear James Harvey and the late Jeannine Parvati Baker. She brings the experience of 25 years of homebirths and shamanic practice together and, as requested, presents what she has learned and commits to helping facilitate those who are interested on their journey toward being Shamanic Midwives.

SSM1 October 2009 - November 2010, to held in a combination of Southern Highlands, NSW and Melbourne venues - fully booked (15 women), waiting list. Fee: $2000
SSM2 October 2010 – November 2011, to be held in a combination of Southern Highlands, NSW and Northern NSW/Queensland venues. Taking bookings now. Fee: $3500


What is Shamanic Midwifery?
Shamanism is humanity’s oldest 'religion' and healing art. It is universal across cultures. It involves working with the cycles, in alternate dimensions of reality with guides and powerful subtle energies, episodes of visionary states and serving others as a gatekeeper and a guide. It is about facilitating transformation and healing.

Shamanic midwifery is midwifery working with the energy of healing and transformation. Childbirth is a transformational experience what ever happens. The practice of shamanic midwifery facilitates for the mother - personal growth and development, self awareness and positive change. This happens by asking the appropriate questions, accessing inner wisdom, practicing intuitive listening and mindfulness. What arises for a pregnant woman in her relationships, in her day to day life, as her fears, her concerns, are not random occurrences. In the same way that her cravings for various foods are her body calling for a specific vitamin, mineral or nutritional content - what arises are the ‘tips of the icebergs' of the issues she has the opportunity to be with and deal with at that time, as she travels toward wholeness and balance in her being. Pregnancy and childbirth provide this opportunity, shamanic midwifery is the art of facilitating that.

The time commitment required for the program is attendance of the following:
Opening gathering - 2 days plus overnight camping
Moonsong workshops – weekend workshop, attendance at a second Moonsong workshop later in the year as well if possible. Attendance at two preferred.
Pregnancy Workshops - 3 days. Attendance at each scheduled Pregnancy Workshop over the year is encouraged, but at least two.
Vision Quest - 5 days away, 3 days and 3 nights solo
2 1-2 day camping retreats around particular moon phases (not necessarily on weekends)
Closing gathering - 2 days plus overnight camping

Besides these gatherings together you will be required to stay in email contact with me and do specific reading and research and engage in a meditation practice.

For inquiries and to enrol please contact Jane.
Jane Hardwicke Collings
janecollings@bigpond.com
www.moonsong.com.au