The Power of Nature to Heal
On the sacred circle, the teachings of the natural world, and the love that never dies.
We are a circle
In Black Elk Speaks, the Lakota holy man Black Elk describes a great vision of the sacred hoop of his people – one of many hoops that together make one circle – with a mighty flowering tree at its center, sheltering all the children of one mother and one father. “And I saw that it was holy,” he says.
Black Elk’s words point us so clearly to the mystery, and to the circle. We are a circle, with no beginning and no end – and that is a mystery.
I receive so many beautiful questions about the shamanic apprenticeship, sound healing, private healing sessions, moon ceremonies, shamanic journey and other ancient healing ceremonies. I thought it was time to share a little more deeply.
“As we believe, so shall it be”
Everyone who knows me has heard me quote one of the rules of energy that my teacher and friend, Grandmother Pathweaver, often reminded me of: “As we believe, so shall it be.” Take a moment to consider the truth of that simple rule.
Everything in nature has something to teach us
In the shamanic apprenticeship circles, I remind my students that in my humble belief, everything in nature has something to teach us about connection:
Water
reminds us to stay in the flow of life.
The winged ones
inspire us to fly high and effortlessly inside of ourselves.
The Earth
reminds us to care for her, because she provides all that we need to live.
The wind
in the trees brings calm and comfort when we move through strong currents of change.
The four-legged ones
remind us to walk in a grounded way, with hearts filled with unconditional love.
Fire
reminds us of the passion of purpose, and to transform what no longer serves us so that we have room for Spirit.
These things cannot be measured, but they seem undeniably real to me. How do they resonate with you?
Faith beyond reason
In The Shack, William Paul Young writes that there are times when we choose to believe something that seems irrational – not because it truly is, but because it makes sense only when we see a bigger picture of reality. “Maybe that is where faith fits in,” he suggests.
When I have questions in my life, I have tremendous faith that Spirit and nature will give me experiences that bring me back to what I consider truth. In the doings of the natural world I see and feel unmistakable authenticity. I may go to bed in the dark feeling uncertain about the mystery of life – about what I cannot see – but when I notice a stunning sunrise in my window, I feel certain of the circle of life. In that moment, I know I am okay.
And if I start churning about the past or the future (believe me, I can do that with the best of them), something in nature will stir and bring me back to that perfect sunrise – a bluebird, a lovely song from a finch, a squirrel performing acrobatics to reach the bird feeder. The happenings of nature connect me to Spirit and give me a constant example of the dance of surrender and allowing.
Energy never dies
Hence my unwavering belief in the power of nature, and of loving vibrations, to transform my life, my family, my community and ultimately the planet. Consider another of Grandmother’s rules of energy: “Energy never dies.”
When I play my drum with love in my heart, the energy of my love never dies – and the vibration of the people on the planet is changed by the inclusion of my love in the flow of energy.
Cyndy Paige
Cyndy “Snake Dancer” Paige
Cyndy “Snake Dancer” Paige received her name from Great Spirit in a profound vision quest, and knew it was a call to a healing path. Snake is regarded as a healer and teacher in spiritual traditions throughout the world, and holds a special place in the Native American medicine tradition.
Cyndy is of Muscogee Creek and Choctaw heritage and is a long-time Council member of the Buffalo Trace Society, founded by the late Grandmother Pathweaver. Over three decades she has completed multi-year initiatory apprenticeships with many medicine teachers, a master drummer, a Grammy-nominated sound healer, a pioneer in past life regression, and numerous healers.
She founded Rhythm of the Earth in 2013 to share healing and earth-based spirituality through her private healing practice, one- and two-year shamanic apprenticeships, vision quests, solstice and equinox retreats, and workshops. She is a guest speaker at conferences and independent schools, and she creates – and helps others create – personal medicine tools such as drums, rattles and medicine bags. She humbly honors her teachers, both seen and unseen.
Feel the circle
Come to a drum circle, a retreat, or walk the Medicine Wheel.