Posts Tagged ‘Spiritual Development’
The Wonders of Bear Medicine
Grizzly
The Animal Spirit; the animal Soul, is that part of a person that is deeply connected to the earth . It is a definitive energy in the human energy system and is the cauldron which provides the fire to transform the body and emotions into a spiritual God being. The genetics are complicated. In simplicity, interferon; that genetic material that is left after the human body is formed, contains the genetic material to identify an animal. That animal defines our animistic nature. The indigenous folk describe the Animal Spirit as an ally, a guide to help the individual to maneuver through a life of lessons and spiritual development.
Why Do a Purification Lodge?
I am often asked, why do people do sweat lodges? The purpose of the lodge, better known as a purification ceremony, is just that, to purify the body, mind and spirit. Modern health advocates have long recognized the effectiveness of steam in helping to release toxins from the body through sweating. The process of heating, steaming, cooling the body in progressively longer periods provokes a rapid release of toxins from the body core. The intervals of heating and cooling the body over several cycles has also been proven to boost the immune system. The process of going in and out of a hot tub or sauna, progressively heating then cooling the body, has similar effects.
The ceremony, because of the heat and steam, causes the body to release endorphins; the “feel good ” hormone. I recall reading studies in my earlier years that Native American clientele had higher success rates of recovery from alcohol addiction when they regularly participated in traditional purification ceremonies. Success was, in part, attributed to higher self esteem due to reclaiming cultural identity. Also critically important to this success was that the stimulated endorphin release gave a natural chemical alternative to alcohol.
