Our Connection to Grandfather Tobacco
Connecting with our Grandfather Tobacco through different cultures and our own Middle Eastern roots…
I love it when worlds collide, when dots connect and when things tie together serendipitously in unexpected ways.
I happen to be writing this share from beautiful NYC, where my childhood friend and I decided to do something that we don’t really do so often anymore… but that we used to do all the time.
Growing up so close to New York City, when we were in high school, my friends and I used to frequent certain hookah bars… That was one of “our things.” We loved it so much that at one point, my best friend and I called a serious meeting with our families to pitch the idea “if we should all open up a hookah bar together.”
Realizing now, and connecting the dots, that I have been in reverence to and connecting with our Grandfather Tobacco since a very young age… Knowingly and unknowingly, in various different forms.
Psychedelic Santa: The Origins of Santa Claus, Amanita Muscaria and Shamanic Traditions
The classic figure of Santa Claus that we know and love, with his red-and-white suit, flying reindeer, coming down our chimneys, is one of the most recognizable symbols of Modern Christmas.
However, beneath the layers of American commercialization and consumerism lies a fascinating and lesser-known origin story that intertwines sacred plants, ancient traditions, and shamanic practices…
At the heart of this tale is the Amanita Muscaria Mushroom, a red-and-white toadstool with hallucinogenic properties, revered by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic and Siberia…
Our Divine Sister. Healing with the Power of Roses.
The Rose is a potent symbol of the feminine, associated with beauty, intuition, nurturing, and the cycles of life. Its petals are often seen as embodying the layers of the Divine Feminine, representing the different stages of Life… Birth, Growth, Maturity, Death, and Rebirth.
The Rose is revered as a symbol of Feminine Wisdom and the strength that comes from embracing one's authentic self.
The spiral shape of many rose petals is said to reflect the Golden Ratio or Phi, which is found throughout nature and believed to be a symbol of divine harmony. This spiral shape is often considered to represent the cyclical nature of the universe, the unfolding of life, and the balance between material and spiritual realms…
Infinite Freedom. A Jungle Poem.
In a car that “fits 5”
With 13 people
The only traveler amongst locals
3 in the front
5 in the back
5 in the trunk
Packed in like sardines
I hold on tightly to my drum to keep her safe…
The Sacred Number Four
Today is November 4th, 2024.
I recently completed my 4th year of Danza de Luna.
Tomorrow is Election Day here in the United States where we are closing a 4 year cycle and beginning a new one...
Due to all of these synchronicities and alignments, not only spiritually but also politically, I have been meditating on the Number 4, it's meaning and significance and how it repeats and shows up in various different cultures, traditions, cosmologies and religions.
Visions vs Projections. Intuitions vs Illusions.
Visions verse Projections. Intuitions verse Illusions. What is the difference? And how can you tell them apart?
Recently, a friend reached out and asked “if her visions of the future would come true?”
It’s a valid question and a hot topic. People are coming to the medicine to see what they can’t see, right?
Well, unfortunately that’s not always exactly true. Some people come to the medicine to get high. To replace one addiction for the next... To chase a "peak experience." Or simply just to see what in the heck it's all about.
Salt of the Earth. Spirit of the Air.
Why do we abstain from Salt during our dietas? Why do we make certain agreements before, during and after diet?
Recently, a friend reached out and asked “Is it necessary to give up salt during dieta? And if so, why?"
I will share from my own experience…
The Sacred Mosquito. Protector of Madre Selva.
A friend is going to the jungle for Dieta. She asked "if she can use essential oils to prevent and/or treat mosquito bites?"
My reply: Traditionally speaking, you are advised not to use anything at all that has a scent. This means no essential oils, soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, etc....