Tobacco Medicine

[darkpieces.livejournal.com]

I've noticed that whenever I smoke american spirits the animals always crowd around me. Could this hold some truth, the Native American spirituality? Maybe I can continue smoking, can someone teach me the right way to smoke for ceremonial purposes. I am reading all about Native American Medicine and Shamanist ways. I have been practicing eclectic pagan ideas, but I am leaning towards honoring the Native Americans, believing in Animism and Celtic Recon. I love religions that honor the earth. I love animals and learning from them.

So, I was wondering what is considered alive with spirit as opposed to stagnant....energy? thanks.

Comments

[valkyriur.livejournal.com]

Many tribes used tobacco to help get in touch with the spirits. Other than that, I don't have much to offer. I would definitely stay away from the "native american" spirituality and look at what specific tribes believed for answers. I'm not suggesting you take from their tradition; I'm suggesting to learn from it. Compare it to your own experiences.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

I second this. While tobacco and animal spirits have featured in many Native American cultures' spiritual practices, both these things can work together outside of any indigenous context. I have used sage(brush) for purification for over a decade, not because I'm trying to imitate the Indians, but simply because it works. Same thing goes for animal totems and spirits; my work with them has been original from the start.

As to what "has spirit"--that depends on who you talk to. Some people say only animals have spirits, but it's perfectly okay to kill and eat plants because they don't have spirits. Others say anything technically alive, from bacteria on up have spirits. Still others maintain that anything natural--but nothing manmade--has spirits. And I know a number of technomages who work with spirits in computers, cars, etc. So you'll have to figure out for yourself what "has spirit" in your experience.

[cloversix.livejournal.com]

Granted I am far from an all-inclusive source on native american spiritual practices, but I can give you this little nugget of information.

I worked with a Seneca spiritualist, who happened to be my karate sensei. (Ex-marine, all that.) He was generally a completely typical guy, which I bring up because a lot of people seem to think of some hokey, painted dude. Nah, he was awesome. Anyways, he showed me some of the things he did with the dojo, and one of the things he used was tobacco. But he didn't smoke it, he prayed to the spirit of the tobacco, and then scattered it in a ring around the building. It was supposed to be a protective measure.

However, for purification, he burned sage, specifically sage that he had picked himself with the proper prayer and respect to the plant. He also hung sweetgrass over his exit doors (more prayer!) to keep bad things out. He bought the sweetgrass at the local pow wows he danced/attended, with the general assumption that they pick the same way he was taught (mindfully).

I pass this on because I've used these methods and they've seemed to work for me. But I fully and utterly urge you to listen to the advice above and research what you learn. It'll be doing yourself a favor :)