The fall (and spring) equinox is here! The sun's balanced light can help unite and illumine humanity. The Solar Wave global meditation can accelerate this light.

 

There is an interview with Donata Ahern about divination and the Mayan 20 Count. I've also included articles about druidry and the role of the ancestors in Samhain, All Saints Day, and the Day of the Dead.

 

September 22-December 21

 

Gift: Malachite/Will
 
This ally is about acting and manifesting with divine will.   It creates freedom from victimization and power struggles.  Malachite clears blocks out of the way by aligning the personality and higher self through action.  While Dioptase helps heal the anger associated with abuses of power, Malachite creates healthy empowerment.
 
Collectively, we are exploring action based on divine guidance.  We're beginning to trust institutions that inspire others and don't control through fear.  Individually, you will release old ideas about power and control.  You will no longer swing back and forth between giving up or pushing too hard.  It's much easier to solve problems and go with the flow.

 

 

Lesson: Kyanite/Inner Bridges
 
Kyanite is challenging us to evolve by creating community.  It is a storm element ally and demands evolution and change. Kyanite allows us to tap into the akashic records and know without learning.  Dreams and spirit guidance will be extremely helpful at this time.  This ally also heals pain by helping us to keep the lines of communication open between each other, the spirit world, and the environment.
 
Collectively, if we want to manifest with divine will, we need to work together.  This also includes working with the spirit and natural worlds.  Powerful institutions and people may present obstacles through unclear communications or by withholding important information.  We will swing back and forth between idealism and survival fears.  One minute we will feel like we're changing too quickly and the next we will worry we are running out of time.  This is because our soul is helping us to harmonize with evolutionary energies.
 
Individually, you are aligned with this ally when you network with others to build community.  Use your spiritual guidance to reach out to others and new opportunities will be created.  This ally can work miracles.
 
Overall, fire and storm element allies energize one another.  The inspiration, empowerment, and action associated with the fire element will liberate many soul gifts this fall.  On the planetary and personal levels, we will experience transformation and creativity.
 
Fall is a time when we reap the benefits of our actions and also begin to let go of things that are no longer working.  In some cultures, it is associated with the West, healing, and mysticism.  Energy work will be especially powerful during this time.  It will help to balance our emotions.  We're all learning to channel this high, intense energy into creating more evolved institutions and interactions with each other.

 

Yes, to some extent. I've always been drawn to nature, and am fortunate that my childhood was spent in the country, where I could roam freely. We were in an isolated area, so I had no neighborhood friends. My friends were the animals and trees. I've always had a deep nurturing connection to trees! I moved to a home in the woods of Western New York in the early 80s. The nature spirits of the woods soon introduced themselves and  became an active part of my life. Friends also heard them drumming and saw them when we did ceremony among the trees.
 

I've been drawn to the Medicine Wheel from childhood  It became a serious study over 25 years ago. At that time I became aware of my Animal Guides, especially Coyote and Wolf. They have guided me steadily and generously ever since.
 

 

I came across a book about 18 years ago that presented a different form of the Medicine Wheel, using numbers. This was my introduction to the Twenty Count. Later I found it referenced as the Child's Count, which is an ancient Mayan teaching tool.

 

In the mid 90s I was approached online by the hereditary High Priestess of the Mayan Temple of the Deer, who asked me if I would like to study with her. This came at a perfect time for me! I had just completed my shamanic apprenticeship (which taught yet another form of the Medicine Wheel) so had the time and desire to dedicate to this study. She no longer offers teachings, so this was a synchronistic opportunity. I studied with her, with amazing lessons and experiences.In 2001 she invited me to come to Mexico for Initiation into the Temple as a Priestess. That was a transformative journey, only a week after 9/11. We stayed in a small complex in the jungle, and did ceremony in ancient Mayan ruins and by an amazing waterfall. My shamanic totem Jaguar roared at night, we were surrounded by vivid colored birds and flowers - it was intense and overwhelming.

 

The Temple of the Deer teachings are deceptively simple, very shamanic in their worldview, and profoundly transformative when lived daily. Basically the teachings are summed up as living in total honesty and impeccability; humility which leads to service to others; respect for all beings, which requires a non-judgmental attitude; and an openness of heart expressed as compassion. 

In addition we support a Mayan teacher financially who trains children in the old ways, and teaches people to be Day Keepers of the calendar. We've benefited as he shared lessons on the Mayan calendar with us.

A long answer! From the book:

"Medicine" means "power" This is your personal energy, and how you use it for your own good, and the good of others.

The Medicine Wheel is a symbol of your life, with birth in the East, adulthood in the South, maturity in the West, and Elderhood, or old age, in the North. It can also be a symbol of the life of your organization or business, or any project, from its inception, to its maturity, and its established stage of recognition and leadership.

The Medicine Wheel is a circle made of stones. It can be large or small - the size doesn't matter. The Wheel represents the universe. All beings, humans, animals, plants  and trees, are represented on it. The center of the Wheel is the place of Great Mystery, the Creator, God or God/Goddess, Source, Great Spirit, or by any other name you choose that expresses this sense of the creative energy and wonder of the universe. Each stone on the rim of the Medicine Wheel is equal-distant from the Center. This illustrates the equality of all beings.Each being, mineral, plant, animal, and human, shares in the universal energy, the Life Force that animates us all. This is a major difference in the shamanic worldview from that of western modern societies. When you recognize that we're all one, all related, you don't see one life form as superior to another; only different in its expression of the one energy of the universe.

The Medicine Wheel, when fully built, takes the form of an encircled cross. The encircled cross is a universal symbol found among the indigenous earth-oriented peoples of the world. It is common to the Celts, to other European peoples and their descendants anywhere who practice any form of Wicca, or Paganism, and to the Native peoples of the Americas. It is a common symbol among shamanic peoples worldwide.

 

The circle represents the earth, which is seen as a round sphere. Ancient peoples knew the earth is round by simply looking at the horizon, and watching the apparent movement of the stars in a great circle overhead. The cross within the circle represents the solstices and the equinox. This is a way to order and understand the world. The encircled cross developed as a means of ordering and understanding the world by dividing it into quarters along the horizon, usually based on astronomical observations of the solstices and the equinoxes. This helps you to understand your space. The quarters are assigned to the four cardinal directions, and these in turn, represent times of the day, of the seasons of the year, and of a person's life. There is a remarkable agreement on the meanings found in the encircled cross all around the world in most cultures. The Medicine Wheel is truly a multi-cultural image.
 
  
What is 20 count?

The 20 Count, or Child's Count, is an ancient Mayan teaching tool. It teaches the story of creation, and illuminates our own lives. My book expands on the 20 Count and adapts it in a personal way to be a guide in our lives. 0 through 10 is:
0 is Center, the place of Great Mystery and the Child's Fire. The Child's Fire corresponds to the heart chakra, each person's center. Thus, the place of Great Mystery (God/Creator) and the personal center are the same on the  Wheel. Thus we are part of Great Mystery and Great Mystery is within us.

1 is the Sun and Fire in the East - place of determining, or choice.
2 is the Earth, in the West - place of the Body, and reflecting.
3 is the Moon and Water, in the South - place of the emotions, and of giving
4 is the Planets, Stars, and Air in the North - place of air, the mind, gathering wisdom.
5 is south of Center, and is the Human Family (all races)
6 is the place of Childhood, learned beliefs, Ancestors at south east.
7 is dreams and goals, at south west
8 is cause and effect, as in karma
9 is purposeful movement
10 north of Center is the Great Family (humans, animals, plants, minerals - all beings)

I meditated with the Medicine Wheel and Child's Count for years, and developed a personal understanding of 0-10 as a practical and useful method to aid with spiritual growth and daily mundane problems and questions.

11-20 is my own interpretation of the expansion, or higher octave, of 1-10. This is not based on traditional teachings. I wasn't able to find information for 11-20, so I allowed my meditations with the Medicine Wheel to become my teacher. 
 
Is it related to Mayan spirituality?

 

The 20 Count or Child's Count grew out of Mayan spirituality. It is a system of dots and lines, drawn on the ground, to teach children the deeper truths. It has universal application and is not tied to one culture or path. Anyone can find it helpful.
 
 
How did you create a divination system based on these teachings?

As I wrote the book I meditated on each number. These meditations are an integral part of the book. It was a logical step to create a daily guide based on the Count. I first developed a pack of  cards to represent 1-20, with a blank card for 0. I later developed a set of 21 small wooden disks (20 + 0)  that can be tossed or pulled like runes. Both systems are helpful as a guide. You can randomly choose a card or disk daily as daily guidance. You may also use either as a divination system to illuminate the patterns in your life, and to offer options for positive change. Both methods tap into the universal deep wisdom of the Medicine Wheel, and can aid anyone on a spiritual or personal growth path. Others have also found them  profound and helpful.
 
How is this type of divination performed?

1-3 cards can be pulled for yes/no answers or daily guidance. They can also be laid out in the basic Medicine Wheel form of the encircles cross, one for Center, and one in each of the cardinal directions (5 altogether). In this method the querent examines each card in a particular quarter for guidance that corresponds to their personal life: East, fire, will - creativity and clarity, the place of choice. West, earth, the physical, body - health, intuition, place of going within, reflecting. South, water, emotions - place of giving, thus a place to check how we serve others, if we take care of ourselves as well, how we express/deny our emotions, etc. North, air, mind - place of gathering in wisdom - learning, organizing - also the place of  the  Buffalo Nation, the great providers, so the  place of abundance, gathering in the material as well as the wisdom of the other directions.

The disks are a recent development. So far, for myself or others, I've pulled 1-3 disks, and tossed them onto a cloth representing the Medicine Wheel Shield (on the cover of the book). I notice where a disk falls, and interpret it accordingly. More disks can be pulled if greater clarity is needed, though in my experience 3 is usually enough. The circles of the Shield allow for a more expansive or deeper interpretation than a simple Medicine Wheel cloth.

Both methods have a universal application, as do the Tarot and I Ching. Anyone can benefit from them. They are separate from the book. Currently the disks are available only from me.

Can it help promote physical or emotional healing?

The Oracle,whether in card or disk form, reflects the current state of the querent, and  may clarify their current patterns of behavior and belief and offer options for positive change. The choice, of course, is up to the querent. The Oracles do not determine or cause any outcome - in this regard they are similar to a weather forecast that shows the likely future based on the present, but in no way cause it.

Anyone who chooses to work with the Medicine Wheel and meditate with it can definitely advance their physical and emotional healing, on the spiritual and mundane levels.

The Medicine Wheel system is in no way in conflict with any other spiritual path. It is a universal system that is complementary with all spiritual paths.
 
Can this type of divination be used to assist groups of people?

Yes, the Medicine Wheel itself and the MW Oracle can be used as a practical application for use in organizational or business problem solving, which can improve the physical and emotional well being of both the individuals working there or the overall organization. Again, this approach is one of personal empowerment and growth, not one that is specifically spiritual, and not one to use to control or dominate. It can be viewed solely as a practical tool, and worked with successfully that way. The application of the 20 Count for business is outlined in my book, not as a divination system, but as a practical tool, including helpful exercises. The 20 Count Medicine Wheel Oracle can be adapted for any purpose - individual, groups, organizations and businesses.

 
It will be 2012 in a few years.  Do you ever do readings concerning the destiny of humanity?

That's more global than I care to do! Individuals can  change their own lives. We are all connected on the web of life, and thus, if a critical mass of humans awakens to their inherent spiritual being this will cause a shift in global consciousness. I do readings to help and guide an individual or organization. I firmly believe that anything that benefits the spiritual development of one person aids in planetary growth. Whatever energy each one of us sends out on the web of life, whether forgiveness and compassion, or hate and vengeance, circles the planet and benefits or hinders all of us. This is a universal belief found in all spiritual paths.
 
Thank you for sharing your insights with all of us.  How can people find out more about your work?

I'm available to present  workshops on the Medicine Wheel, and the Path of the Heart. I've presented workshops regularly since 1990 in the US and Canada and gave the keynote speech, on the Medicine Wheel, at Druidcon in Glasgow in 1995.

My email contact is here

 

For more information see my website.

 

My book is available through www.Amazon.com or www.Lulu.com Paperback is $19.98 USD, and download of e-book (Lulu only) is $9.98 USD

 

Thank you for this opportunity to share something of the Medicine Wheel with your readers!

Donata Ahern/ Ixchell (my Mayan  name -  goddess of the Moon & Healing)

 

 
The ancient Celts venerated learned and powerful teachers called druids.  They were famous for being accurate diviners.  The Romans outlawed their traditions in the first century AD, but some survived.  A female druid foretold that a soldier named Diocles (Diocletian) would become the Emperor of Rome. 
 
Although they were persecuted by the Romans, druids and divination continued to thrive in Ireland and Wales.  Some of their divination practices were described by ancient and mediaeval writers.  Some survived as folklore.  Modern druids have been attempting to revive and maintain these traditions for over 100 years. Some examples include: consulting the ogham - an alphabet and tree oracle, interpreting animal omens, and fire or water divination.
 
The Ogham
 
This was a type of alphabet where each letter was associated with a sacred tree.  Robert Graves, author of "The White Goddess", developed a 13 month calendar based on this alphabet and the mystical powers of the trees.   This controversial calendar was my introduction to these symbols. There are ogham cards or they can be made from sticks of the different sacred woods. The sticks can be used like runes.
 
There is also a more involved, nature-based system called Crann Ogham.
 

The Frith of Brigid
 
This is a type of divination that was done the Monday after solstice or equinox.  A person would recite a special prayer to Mary and Brigid. They would walk sunwise around their house, looking through a tube made by curling their hands, noticing the first remarkable omen that they saw.  Each one of these symbols had a special meaning, like a tarot deck.  Many involved animals or birds.  In the Hebrides, a dove, skylark, or a bird flying towards you was considered a good omen.  A crow was a bad omen.
 
Fire and Smoke Divination
 
Sacred fires were consulted by Irish druids. Ciothrue, a druid mentioned in the Book of Leinster, made a druidic fire.  This was a type of smoke divination to determine the outcome of a battle.  If the smoke blew towards the south, his lord would lose. Druids and royalty were so confident in this method that the two opposing camps tried to influence the direction of the smoke with sorcery.
 
Scott Cunningham describes a traditional practice of asking yes or no questions of the wind. This works well with smoke from a fire or incense.  In this practice, a wind blowing from the west towards the east or from the north to the south means no, a wind blowing from the east or south is a yes.
                                                                                                                                                    Some cultures associate the winds with the cardinal directions.  These directions are often associated with important areas of life and even colors.  They create a type of medicine wheel.  For the Irish and possibly for the ancient Celts, the winds were part of the prayer to the directions.  Many cultures have some association between the directions and the winds.  Here are some common themes:
 
Winds blowing from the south -prosperity, renewal
Winds blowing from the east -new beginnings, blessings
Winds blowing from the north -purification, ancestors, trials
Winds blowing from the west -magic, conflict, endings
 
Water Divination
 
There's a long tradition of holy wells and sacred waters that are associated with the goddess Bride or Brigid.  The sacred waters often had an animal spirit that was associated with them, like a fish or insect.  It would appear as answer to a question. I have used a simple version of this type of water divination.
 
I work with of body of water that has great power for me and that I go to often.  If a fish jumps out of the water, I have learned that is a "yes" reply.  Even when you think you can predict this type of behavior with your logical mind, the universe will surprise you. 

This three day holiday is celebrated by people from all over the world.  It usually occurs in cultures where there were festivals honoring the dead that were incorporated into the Roman Catholic church calendar.  Modern earth-honoring traditions also celebrate one or all of these days.
 
There are three ideas that seemed to be important during this holiday: making an ancestor altar, sharing food with the dead, and divination.
 
There are different forms of ancestor altars.  The simplest idea is to go to a grave site of the departed loved one and decorate it with flowers and other ritual items.  My grandmother used to do this a lot for her relatives' graves.  She'd love to plant flowers or shrubs and tend them several times a year.  In Mexico, this simple practice becomes a ritual on The Day of the Dead.  People make beautiful altars at the graves of their loved ones, filled with flowers and offerings.
 
Many Pagans and druids celebrate Samhain by spending time with their ancestor altars.  They may decorate them with photos, keepsakes, or offerings.  Some compose beautiful poetic chants naming their ancestors' accomplishments. This is a special time to deepen these connections. In the nineties, I was keeping a Mayan altar.  On the Day of the Dead, I would leave food and burn copal resin for my ancestors.  It helped me a great deal with some family members I had difficult relationships with.  I began to have helpful dreams about these ancestors.
 
Sharing food with the ancestors is ancient.  Romans observed people having picnics for the graves of their dead relatives.  They often left food offerings on the graves.  People in Europe and Mexico still leave the favorite foods of the relatives who have passed on as offerings.  There's also the tradition of the dumb supper.  This is a ritual where everyone is silent and enjoys a meal with a single chair draped in white or black cloth.  A place is set in front of this chair for beloved ancestors. 
 
Ancestor worship is very powerful form of divination.  When my grandmother tended the graves of her relatives, she would always spend a little time talking to each of one of them by herself.  We were not to be near her during this time.  When she could not decide what to do about a situation, she would pray to them, and they would send her an answer.
 
There are many stories of druids in the British Isles going to the burial place of an important person, to see visions or receive answers to questions.  There's a tradition of building a bonfire at Samhain and either scrying into the flames or leaving marked pebbles in the fire.  Unfortunately, the pebble divination was usually to determine who would survive the next year.  There's also a wonderful pebble divination from "Witchcraft and Second Sight in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland" by John Gregorson Campbell.
 
Three Pebbles Samhain Divination
 
Go to a "boundary" stream.  Pick three stones between your thumb and forefinger.  Put them under your pillow after saying the following prayer:
 
I will lift the stone
As Mary lifted it for her Son,
For substance, virtue, and strength;
May this stone be in my hand
Till I reach my journey's end.


Then pray for a dream.