The next step was to leave the picture out in nature for around 4 days and allow it to change through weather and animal involvement, and also to return each day to spend some time in contemplation of the issue and decide whether the picture needed to be moved around, added to or changed in any way.
Day 2
I sat with my picture at night. The stars were out the sky was clear, it felt powerful to actually see the star light with me.
I looked at the picture I had made and I noticed all the leaves of the specific had gone. I placed one more that has come to me but it was blown back to me, placed it again and it stayed.
I recognised all the corners and the earth and sky and spirit. I asked each archetype about the picture. Snake said it was as it was, things came and went. The importance is in the root not the periphery. Jaguar gave me the image of taking out the roots and planting new seeds not to be distracted by the leaves of the plant. Hummingbird said to surrender to the journey everything changes. Be with it how it is now. Eagle showed me how I can be acting shamanically. This is what I have always wanted, it is part of me. Running has led me here. The outdoors, the mountain walking, all training for this work I am to do with others and for myself in wild remote places.
Additionally I saw a rune in the tree of the west, of Jaguar. The tree of the east, of eagle is a canopy looking down on my sacred space and feels so right.
The sky was clear and stars shining out into infinity. i feel the smallness of what I do as well as the importance. The wind howls in the trees, high winds are coming and I know the power of release to the wind. It occurs to me that yesterday it was hail, a form of water, today it’s wind, the air, I wonder whether tomorrow will bring earth in some way to release things to, and finally it will be fire at the end.
The time was fehu meaning cattle. It means status, wealth, and standing in the community as well as luck and magical energy to create. This came to me from the west tree of jaguar and I was contemplating and understanding my role in the world. More on this rune can be found here http://runesecrets.com/rune-meanings/fehu
Day 3
The picture is without leaves again the night wind took them. I rearrange and place the healing cone in the place of leaves and see how the transformation by fire on Friday will remove the potentials allowing them to start to develop. Like the heat of the sun, or the rising energy in a seed starts germination. I place my stone in the picture to absorb the positive energies over the next two night s. I am drawn to contemplate the picture from all angles and perspectives so I suit and look at it from each direction and allow inspiration to come.
Day 4 and release
I gather the elements of the picture up and take them to the session in the evening. In pairs we share our stories for release and blow them into the stone. Then one hold the others head in gentle energetic witness whilst I go within and into the void to explore the pattern further and allow the issue to unhook from me. I receive the gifts from this pattern – freedom, creativity and boundaries. Then coming out of the inner work I start to bring in these gifts and blow them into my stone, I feel a blockage and know I need to release the picture to the fire for transformation before I can receive more of the gifts. I put each element of the picture into the fire conscious of its meaning and what I am releasing. Once all has been transformed I find the energy of the gifts come into me easily. I have a movement that represents this transformation. I do it and share it with my partner. I will repeat this movement every day for 21 days to anchor the transformation deep in me and release the habit of thinking the issue is with me.
In the subsequent days I notice real change in my feelings and areas where the old pattern would have been active. No longer do I feel as I did – I feel freer, more creative and indeed am more able to set the boundaries I need. Powerful working.
(This is from my experiences on the shamanic practitioner course with Katie Creuynni Http://creuynni.wordpress.com)