Chapter 21 The Sacred Area and Protectors — from my book Changes

Chapter 21

The Sacred Area and Protectors

This chapter and the next two chapters ought to be before the question at the veil chapters, and I will put it there later.

Once we had learned to go to our medicine place in the spirit world, Tom had us set up a sacred place there.  A place of light and healing for others.  A place where we can pull healing light from the spiritual earth and use it for healing whoever or whatever the Creator sends to us.  Tom said there were other places for self healing or healing of one’s family, but this particular place of healing, in the sacred area in the medicine place, was for others, therefore, healing there would be a service beyond self — which is extremely important when working in the spirit world.

Tom also emphasized more than once that the best way to heal yourself is through healing others, which made sense later.

Tom had us each find a place of light in our medicine place that felt especially good to us, and set up a circle that would be our sacred area.

Once we had that area defiined, he had us stand in the middle of it, face our favorite horizon, and walk out of our sacred area a short distance.  Then he had us turn around and stand there, looking back at the sacred area we had previously been standing in.

From there, Tom had us send roots down deep into the ground; strong, big roots, that wound around rocks and spread out into the spiritual earth to anchor us securely.  Then he had us fill ourselves with light and expand that light out all around us, to create a large bubble of light up over us and down beneath us.

While standing there, within the bubble of light, where we had rooted ourselves, he had us listen for the footfalls of a huge wolf with yellow eyes approach us on the left, from behind, to stand next to us.  He had us acknowledge the wolf and make it real.

Next, Tom had us listen to the heavier footfalls of a great bear coming from behind, past the wolf, across in front, and stop to stand by us on our right.  We were to acknowledge the great bear and make it real.

Then we listened for the soft trotting footfalls of a coyote coming up behind us, to trot around us in front, from left to right and behind us from right to left, clockwise to the Creator.  We acknowledged the coyote, watching and protecting, in constant vigilance around us, never tiring, never resting.

Next, Tom had us hear the cry of an eagle flying in from above.  The eagle landed on top of the bubble of light, with it’s far seeing eyes watching for danger, and protecting us.  He had us look up and acknowledge the eagle as a protector.

“These,” said Tom, “are the protectors of Grandfather Stalking Wolf’s lineage; and now they are your protectors.”

Tom had us stand there, in the rooted self for a few moments, to feel how that place feels, full of light, surrounded by protectors, so we can always shift into our rooted self when we are in need of protection.

Then Tom had us step out of the rooted self, and walk back into our sacred area.  Looking back at the rooted self, we could see ourselves standing there, rooted, within the bubble of light, and with all the protectors around us.

Then Tom taught us to shift.  He had us practice shifting into and out of the rooted self.  He would say, “Shift into the rooted self.  Shift to your sacred area.  Shift into the rooted self.  Shift to the archway.  Shift into the rooted self.  Shift to the top of the stairs.  Shift into the rooted self,” etc.

Shifting is a way to get somewhere instantly, without the cumbersome action of walking, flying, or traveling in any way more slowly.  Something like shifting seems so obvious once you know you can do it.

After shifting many times, Tom had use walk out of our rooted self, accompanied by the coyote, and the eagle flying over us, to the archway.  He had us bid the eagle and the coyote farewell, with thanks to them for their protection, and take another look at our medicine place and give gratitude for all we can do there.

Then Tom had us walk through the archway, shift to the top of the stairs, and back to the physical.  We slowly opened our eyes, stretched, and took a break for journaling.

Anytime we felt afraid in the spirit world, or in meditation, or anytime really, we could shift to the rooted self and be protected.  It was an ultimate safe place within our safe medicine place.

Shortly after that meditation, Tom had us set up protection for our families and loved ones, as a group, in an open empty space during meditation.

At that time, Tom told us that when he offers a Philosophy 1 class, he always sets up that same protection for the students that will be coming.

I hesitated to write about this part because there are protectors from Grandfather’s lineage involved, which is why this chapter came later than it should have. But in order to continue with this book, and record my journey, I decided to make it complete with this chapter and the ones that follow.  To do this, I had to teach as I was taught and follow Tom’s example, and root those of you who choose to do these meditations.

I appreciate the protection that was set up for us students, and the care Tom took in warning us against doing anything for self serving purposes, and how it would give the dark side an opportunity to attack us.

It’s interesting, however, that when I have been attacked, I never remember about the rooted self and instead I always call on God to save me, and I am saved.  I guess that is the lineage I grew up with and always think of.

I don’t fully understand why a wolf, bear, coyote, or eagle are the protectors, and they may be symbols of something, like my Lion turned out to be a symbol and a protector for me.  And that is a story that will unfold as my journey continues.

If there is a Trackerschool Philosophy 1 student reading this and remembering it differently, please let me know.  I will double check this against my notebook when I find it, but this is how I taught the small groups in the past when I led them in the Philosophy 1 meditations.

Michele Ballantyne

Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Artist

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Chapter 20 Practicing at the Veil on my Own — from my book Changes