Visions:

Message from the Mythic Forest:

Today is February 1. 2010 , day before Groundhog day. It is snowing.
You all know, that during my free time this winter I have been studying the Greenwood Tarot and its images, lore and legends, its Mythic Forest.
Since almost the beginning of this process I have been "visited and instructed" - in dreams and in trance journeys, by a “Deer Woman”
She has Huuuuuge antlers very much like the ones I know from Scythian artwork and Tu’van tapestries. Her dress is mad up of green “Buxbaum“, purple and white blooming Heather and twigs of Mistletoe, with its ripe white berries. She smells Great!
So: Last Friday was Full Moon, beautiful and very bright. After an enchanted snow shoe hike through our forest and snow covered wetlands - by -23 centigrade - I was all set for my monthly private Full Moon ritual. I did my prayers, drummed and chanted and went on a journey to find some answers to solutions of / for 2 of my clients, who had requested I do so.
At the end of the journey, when I thought I was returning to the here and now, the “Deer Lady” appeared - in my living room!! Only - it was daylight, sunny and bright. !
Oh! Maybe I was not “back” yet after all!
The Lady of the Forest went over to our calendar at the wall, ripped of of 1 day, so it now said “Sunday, February 1” ; then she went to the radio and turned it on. Its clock, - - that never works(!!!) showed 3.05 !!! Listen, she “transmitted” wordlessly and you will know the truth about Mark...... “ Mark who”? I was wanting to ask, but she had dissolved and I was standing at our Family Altar in the living room. It was still just after 1.30 am now Saturday. Ok, I thought I will listen and on Sunday the 1st at 3.00 I turned on the radio. I thought I could do some “10 of Wands” work, namely sow in a new zipper into one of my winter jackets and just listen....The zipper quickly zipped out of my mind;
The program that came on was “ writers and company” and the lady interviewed a man that had just written a book about England in the 11th and 12th century and the legend of Robin Hood - AND had done research in all the relevant historical records and revealed, that Robin Hood was in truth a rather nasty villain of ill repute...... He had then written a sort od historical / fiction novel about the real “Hood“.
What kind of a message was that??
I since went onto the net to see, iffff I by chance can find out more about the author and his book. So, look here:
It has a podcast and it runs again this Wednesday!!
http://www.cbc.ca/writersandcompany/

PLEASE NOTE: WRITERS & COMPANY NOW HAS AN ADDITIONAL BROADCAST ON WEDNESDAYS AT 2:00 P.M.on CBC Radio One

You can now also listen to Writers & Company as a podcast. The Writers & Company podcast is updated every Monday. Please note: podcasts are archived for 4 weeks only.

COMING UP on WRITERS & COMPANY:

WEDNESDAY 3 February 2010): Adam Thorpe

From the Middle Ages to the 21st century, the legend of Robin Hood has fascinated us. England’s Adam Thorpe subverts the myth in his new novel, Hodd.

Why do I get the feeling 'Mark' is Mark Ryan. He played in a Robin Hood production - and wrote a comic book - and the Greenwood is supposed to be based on Sherwood stories? An article: http://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/ryan1.html

Bat Chicken said:

Why do I get the feeling 'Mark' is Mark Ryan. He played in a Robin Hood production

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I also thought of that immediately... I'm curious about the podcast now - is it worth listening to, Mi-Shell?

And thanks for the link, Bat Chicken. I had that somewhere in my bookmarks already but re-read the interview just now. I don't know. For some reason, that guy gives me a not-so-nice feeling, although I couldn't even say why that's the case... I get that feeling from his Greenwood book, too, but it's a lot more obvious in the interview. I don't know... *scratching head*

Cat* said:

I also thought of that immediately... I'm curious about the podcast now - is it worth listening to, Mi-Shell? *

Click to expand...

Well, ifff you need some leads to uncover the real Robin Hood it might be a start... Maybe we will need that in the year 2011..... when the Wildwood comes out....

Interview in link from BC said:

And he has designed the Greenwood tarot which uses some Robin Hood imagery..........
and:
Besides designing a tarot deck around Robin Hood themes *

Click to expand...

Are we now in 2011 getting a "Wildwood of Robin Hood deck" with a shaman thrown in?????????????????????????????
I have a sinking feeling .....
He seems a nice guy - as long as he is front and center ...
He seems - hmmm - how to say this and still be polite- -?- superficial - !?

Interview in link from BC said:

M. Ryan: "So I was quite interested in all that kind of stuff".*

Click to expand...

Sooo! Not any more??
And then I had another loooook see at the 2 scans we already have of the new deck.... !!

eddited to ad url for the book from Adam Thorpe:
here

Mi-Shell said:

Are we now in 2011 getting a "Wildwood of Robin Hood deck" with a shaman thrown in?????????????????????????????
I have a sinking feeling .....

Click to expand...

Put that way, it really sounds like a disappointment in the making!

Mi-Shell said:

He seems a nice guy - as long as he is front and center ...
He seems - hmmm - how to say this and still be polite- -?- superficial - !?

Interview in link from BC said:

M. Ryan: "So I was quite interested in all that kind of stuff".*

Click to expand...

Sooo! Not any more??

Click to expand...

I think you really nailed that guy...
Now, I myself have been using vague terms like "shamanism and that sort of stuff" more often than I like, but if I were to publish a book in that topic area, I'd certainly make sure I have more precise language to talk about "that kind of stuff," even in a transcripted and very little edited interview!

And why does the term "greenwood" suddenly appear in the book review you linked, Mi-Shell? (It says "The testimony of the monk Matthew describes life with the half-crazed bandit Hodd in the greenwood.")

This is getting curioser and curioser - and I am, too!

Hmmmm?? Cat* I do not know.
Maybe "THE GREENWOOD" is sort of a catch phrase in England???
We may have to ask Millie and Wendy.

Mi-Shell said:

Hmmmm?? Cat* I do not know.
Maybe "THE GREENWOOD" is sort of a catch phrase in England???
We may have to ask Millie and Wendy.

Click to expand...

Greenwood (as opposed to green wood) is a noun or name given to the place where, traditionally, Robin Hood lived.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/greenwood

As with the Green Man and the evergreens we bring into the home at midwinter, it may well be a metaphor for the evergreen mystery which keeps the spirit of Robin Hood alive through the ages.

.... maybe something to learn from for more than me, my client and a student....??

watery conversations with a rather scarrrrry Spirit:
I was on a trance journey on my beloved Reindeer fur, searching for advice concerning one of my clients and among other things, input for her about her latest, rather volatile relationship, when this Spirit appeared. He was mostly blue/ green/ gray dripping wet, curly gray/ pale yellow ringlets for hair and beard, all dripping wet and the words he - not spoke emerged out of his mouth as blobs of water. He was basically just a head and a mermaid like fish tale, all scaly like a fish or - rather a snake. On his head he had a watery- reddish tri -tippy hat/ crown that reminded me of a trident. When I sketched that Spirit onto paper, that was just laying around Peter said the hat looked like a starfish! was rather gruff in his demeanor, letting me know in no uncertain terms, that he is boss and I am – just the scruffy little nothing I know myself to be......
Concerning my client he transmitted in water bubbles, that as a young teenager she never had a “first love” affair a' la' he loves me/ he loves me not..... teenage angst/ up and down / on and of and on again.


But this kind of relationship we all need to experience, in order to grow, move through a possessive puppy love stage and onto to the ability to sustain a more mature relationship.

Then however he tossed / blew me rather unceremoniously backward into a cluster of Stinging Nettles, that previously must have been behind me, indicating, that she had been “stung” several times already, because THAT kind of relationship stepping stone was missing in her experience so she fell backwards all the time.......
Aside from the message concerning my client he also had something to say to one of my students, who is currently encountering some difficulties with journeying:
He “mouthed” the following in bubbly water- pictures:
“She has to go to the water's edge – a place on the beach where a huuuuuuug modern structure/ complex is build – it looooooked somewhat like a hotel/ resort thing, laaaarge, looooong white building – somehow abandoned ???? or previously abandoned??? or empty right now???
There she has to find a sea shell. Then she has to go make Stinging nettle tea and fill the shell with it.
She had been “stung badly” just recently by some of her previous human teachers and by the way she “walks”
Now she has to journey = float in spirit “across 9 waves” out to an Island a ways out to the West or North/ West of that location and bring him the fresh Stinging Nettle tea as an offering of her sincerity and a sign, that she now is willing to learn directly from the Spirits of the Land and of the Place as well as from the local Plant teachers......

This Spirit seems to be really fond of Stinging Nettles!
That at least was, what I “thought” while disentangling my naked body from the pile/ nest he had tossed/ blown/ washed me into.
My body was covered in little red welts of the Nettles, but it did not itch and disappeared within seconds.
I well respect Stinging Nettles ans Plant Spirit Helpers and miss them here in Canada.....
I used to work with them in Europe.
I also was rather pleased with the outcome of this journey, understanding exactly, what he meant and had a pretty good idea, just who he was....

Recently I went looking in the otherworld for information on the Lionman Statue from Germany which is supposed to be around 35'000 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_man_of_the_Hohlenstein_Stadel

Since more pieces have been found and it feels much more female to me than male, it was suggested that explore this in a journey so I did.

On a long run through a narrow cave we came out into a green landscape but were immediately I see in front of me a large building, with arched windows and it looks late 19th century yet inside it is very modern. We go down a corridor and in a quite large room there is work going on. All that fades and it is dark again, then out of the darkness comes an image of the statue . . . There are dots and arrow lines incised.

All I know is that the restoration work is being done at the state conservation office near Stuttgart but I had no idea what the German name for this was so couldn't find it. I asked a Friend in Germany how to find out about this place and she kindly sent me links to their website which shows the exact same arched windows yet the building has recently been modernised . . . .

Shamanic journey:

Dear reader:

Before you tackle this sad story, please read first my post: Ice Age anyone.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=3062049&postcount=697
Otherwise this here narrative will not make sense.

And a little warning:
This is a tough read….

Luckily you were not there…
But I “was”……
................................................................................................................
I decided to go on a trance journey to find out more about Rhinos.
What we thought of them.

How our Ancestors regarded them, what Medicine they associated with them.

Shamanic Journey:

I am in the journey cave. The fire is out. Only Nishia is there, grooming her feathers. One, a medium sized flight feather comes loose and flutters in my direction.
(Not a good sign. )
I pick it up, and the minute I touch it, the ground beneath me opens and I sink down.
I followed the sound of the drum deeeeeeep into the sandy ground beneath my feet.

Down and further down.
It smelled of time and – Earth. I am a little sad, that Nishia is not coming with me. But this is not a journey for a client where I need to find a cure for something….

Even Fretty had decided, that this journey into the distant past should only be undertaken by me.
I see light ahead of me, yellowish milky beige light; I move towards it. I find myself to be in a landscape of wide grasslands, tall grass, not the kind people have on their lawns, but hip high pale greenish yellow grass that waves in the wind like waves.

There is movement in that grass. Gray movement. 2 shapes, one humooooongouse and another one, small and light afoot. I recognized a Mother Rhino and her small calf. She is grazing, the little one still too small to graze, still nursing, is nuzzling its mother’s belly. What a peaceful beautiful sight!

I hunker down, covering myself in the tall grass, watching the 2 majestic animals.
Then, there is more movement! Calls and screams too! The mother Rhino lifts her head, ears flicking, tail raised she turns into the direction of the sound.
Humans.
Humans are coming.
They are running!
Fast through the tall grass. Not the slightest attempt to hide their approach they yell and wave long spears! The Mother Rhino snorts and turns, as if to face these nuisances. A spear flies in her direction, falls short, gets stuck just next to her calf.
Danger.
Danger she does not need. Snorting she turns and starts moving off, in my direction!
The screams and taunts of the hunters increase, She starts running, the calf by her side.
I have to get out of the way! She is whirrrrling up dust and bits of dirt and grasses and the ever present flies…..
I hear the loud stomping of her massive feet and am engulfed in a cloud of dust. The grunting snorts of the Mother Rhino roars closer, I can smell her, the wave of heat and dust and flying pebbles and bits of grass race by me, make me step back. Then just as the huge gray mass had passed I hear a thunderous crash and an otherworldly grunting roar woven out of pain, anger and frustration.

I am still vaguely aware that I am still holding Nishia’s feather in my hand….

As the dust settled I recognized what had happened:
A trap!

The hunters had dug out a deep pit and just barely covered it with thin branches and grasses. Now the giant gray mass was caught in it, stomping grunting trying to wiggle itself upright in the tight confined space. -tried to escape. Tried, but did not succeed. The animal woefully tried to rear up, front feet scratching to reach the rim of the pit, finding purchase but not enough to escape the trap. The sound was awful. The stench too. In her fear and stress she lost her water and dung. Farting and grunting mixed with the higher pitched screams of her calf. I had forgotten the little one. But the hunters had not. They allowed the calf to approach the pit, that held its mother and then, as it whimpering lowered its head, nose touching up-stretched nose the spear struck. Blood squirted everywhere. The calf whirled around, wanting to flee, the spear in its throat gurgling whines, gushing red blood. The screams were awful, the Mothers frantic grunts and the babies pitiful wails as it suffocated falling forward, impaling itself deeper into the the spear, its shaft now broken of. Another one stuck in the spine, the little one faltered, legs gave way, flailing in the air in last spasm of nerves.. …. the mother roared, fought the pit with all her might – to no avail, the little one now still, but soon the hunters arrived, struck it once more, the proceeded to break open its steaming body, flint knifes in fist cutting into hot flesh, disregarding the trapped mother feet away from the blood bath of butchery.

I felt my own heart screeeeeeeeeeeaming in horror and pain! But there was no sound – of mine, just the brawly laughter of the hunters as they worked on their kill and the roars from the tormented mother in the pit.

The vision changed and it was night.
A small fire nearby. A youngster sitting by it whittling a spear tip in the dim light.

Grunting snorts from behind me. The pit. The mother! What were they doing? Letting her die there? Coming to kill her in the morning?

Again and again she reared up, as much as she could, pawing the rim of the pit.The youngster got up, checked, but returned to the fire, as if all was in order. Next day – or the one after. The light rose in the sky, the heat and the flies – arrived and – as the sun sank again so they disappeared. The Rhino in the pit stomped and snorted and grunted. Then grew silent for hours, just to start yet another senseless attack at the rim of its death trap. Day and day and day and day….. the sloooowly the strength of the animal waned, her attempts at escape grew weaker and weaker….. day after day after day. The rim of the pit was wearing down, but so was she, her left hind lake now broken and useless, she could not rear up anymore… day after day after day. Then – after 12 days it was over.

Her Spirit did, what her body could not:
Rise out of the death trap and flee the scene of the carnage. The smell told it all. The youngster left to get his Elders. They dug open a sort of slope into the pit and widened it somewhat and proceeded to heave her onto her side and carefully cut her lifeless body, from the center down and out, taking meat out of the pit to be cut into slabs and hung over a long fire pit to dry in the smoke of wet grass. The bones were piled to the side and shortly thereafter transported of to camp. More and more people arrived, baskets on thumb-lines were filled with meat and carried of, others brought twigs and wet as well as dry grasses for the fire. The scene was abuzz with flies…

Then the men emerged from the pit with a tremendous burden:
The hide of the Rhino mother. In one continuous piece!unblemished by any lance or spear. That was, why they had not killed her, ended her suffering.
They wanted the hie whole.
For what? It was soooo huuuuge, it took 4 men to carry it ?

The scene shifted again.

Cooooooooold!
Soooo cooooold!
Bowing wind whipped a nasty freezing rain-sleet mix into my face.
Up ahead near the furt across the river I saw a bump in the landscape and stumbled towards it.
A hut. Sturdy branches, saplings, woven together to erect a low dome, over which – the cured hide of the mother Rhino was stretched. And it was not the only one.
It took 2 of these huge hides to cover the hut.

Voices inside.
The people.
My Ancestors
Your Ancestors.
A mother, holding a newborn to her breast…….

I am still holding the Owl feather.

I stick it between the rocks that weigh down Mother Rhino’s hide………