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

[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 :)