Energetic Forecast
February 8 – 22, 2016
Today I’m going to share something naughty and rambunctious.
Because that’s the energy of this week’s moon!
Aquarius is the futurist sign, and the New Moon on the 8th is a rebel futurist moon.
Just ask David Bowie (I know you’re kinda psychic and can talk to dead cool guys)…he will agree.
Rebellion is the mark of an artist. And who wants to be normal when you can be an Artist of Life?
So, anyways, about Smoking with God.
Here’s my fun story… I always thought Smoking was bad bad bad bad bad. No exceptions. Picture me in my Catholic Schoolgirl outfit. (Not as hot an outfit as the movies make it seem BTW) I am wigging my No-No finger at all those dirty careless addict smokers out there. That was me for like 34 years or something.
And you know what? Every time I create a rule like that, God/dess plans some shenanigans to make sure my religious-like zeal for righteous condemnation gets turned on it’s pretty little ass.
This is one of those things.
See, I HATED smoking. Judged smokers. I made yucky faces if I even glimpsed a sign of cigarette or a tobacco ad or any number of such things.
Then, I met Maria Yraceburu, my half-native, half-french, half-smartass teacher/auntie/mentor/friend. And she introduced me to the sacred pipe. Oh. Right.
So, turns out, smoking has been a way of prayer for like… Ever.
And in the pipe, turns out, there was a mix of lots of herbs.
And one of them was organic tobacco. One of the freakin 17 herbs in the pipe. Tobacco. And the other ones? Some of them were LUNG herbs like Mullein, healing herbs like Mint, like Mugwort, and even… Melissa. Yes. My namesake herb was in the pipe.
And when I smoked it (after getting over my damn self) I cried. Not cause my lungs hurt. Not cause my eyes burned. Not cause of the guilt. 😉 I cried because I REMEMBERED this ritual in every cell of my healthy body. I could feel my prayers breathing with me. I could feel these herbs, like a little community of spirits in the bowl, conspiring to help me find balance and health, peace and connection, power and strength.
And I was BREATHING in this help.
I was communing with sacred herbs through sacred smoke in sacred ritual. Whoa.
Afterwards, my lungs were open, clear, and my breath was deeper.
It was obvious.
The Truth I had to now swallow. This smoking was GOOD for me.
AAAHHHHH!!! Yet another thing I was so certain of is NOT patently true!!!!
So here are some interesting things I learned from Maria about an indigenous attitude about smoking:
1. Nice to Smoke a Mix of Herbs.
Instead of just smoking Tobacco, which is a very intense herb, it’s nice to make a mix of lots of herbs. Consider that the herbs grow in diverse groupings. So they like to be smoked in community, too. Smoking only tobacco in great quantities is kinda like mono-crop farming. Wouldn’t you prefer a food forest?
2. Smoke is breathing… with intention and support from the herbs, fire, and pipe.
Focusing on the breath, and honoring the breath, is a super holy super cool thing to do. Smoking includes that part. This is not the “don’t think about it – do it to escape” type of chain-smoking thing. This is an awareness exercise cause it’s holy. Holy breath. Maria calls this ceremony “Holy Smoke.”
3. Smoke with God.
When we smoke with the pipe, sometimes we point the stem of the pipe up at the sky, or at the directions. It’s like we are inviting Spirit to smoke with us. And the deal is this – we smoke the sacred herbs and we pray/talk to Spirit at the same time. Consider how different that feels than smoking with an intention to check-out, numb the emotions, and get a buzz on.
Mind you, I’m not saying that a “cigarette break” is a bad thing, if that’s what you’re into. I learned my lesson on judging smoking, for crying out loud! But I do like this attitude that if I’m smoking, I’m praying.
I’ve shared this re-frame of smoking with several friends who were “trying to quit” smoking, holding a lot of shame and even self-disdain because of their habit. And my advice was NOT to quit (since they weren’t able to quit so far anyway) but rather to re-frame, re-create, and re-energize their smoking into a sacred ritual that helped them face the cravings and avoid demonizing themselves. And some reported that really helped them.
So there ya go. Holy Smoke.
Yet another turnaround of whatever we righteously demonize and judge. Bam.
Let me know what you think about this Holy Smoke ritual in the comments below. Share with your smoking friends!
And meanwhile, enjoy this Aquarius New Moon and the Chinese New Year of the (Smoking) Monkey Hee hee!
Mellissa, this is a wonderfully honest and genuine and NEEDED share. For so many, smoking is a secret shame. Certainly, there are ways to do it that are could potentially be out of balance but, I’m glad to see the discussion of how to use the plants and the smoke in a more sacred manner. In fact, a good way to quit smoking large quantities of cigs is — two things — first, start hand rolling them. It will definitely s-l-o-w you down since its so easy to fire up multiple cigs when they are so readily available. Second, start incorporating the herbs, as you say, into the tobacco. This way, one can eventually choose to wean yourself off of the tobacco if you so desire by gradually decreasing the amount. Hugs!
Ooh yes Dawn – slowing down is so key for all of us to act more consciously. Yay!
Dear Mellisa, I asked for sign that I am on the right path, that I am safe, protected, championed by Divine Mother/Father, beings of light who only come in love. I begged in fact. I am facing a career change as the health centre I work in will be closing down within months and the repercussions (which out of my control but nevertheless I have insight with wisdom that thousands of patients registered with us are going to be shocked and feel let down, but I cannot rescue the situation but ensure that I SHINE light by my just breathing well and being). I come home late and read this. You amaze me how you have broken a deep taboo, just like at work the taboos are all being broken about being there as a rock solid health centre caring for the patients) – and you channelled light and now I know there is light in all the changes happening at work affecting thousands of people as customers including for me. How’ve I made the connection……. taboo of smoking has meaning to me. A massive deep meaning which I can’t understand nor fight to understand. You have added light that adds to healing and consciousness. You have just shown me a powerful sign that prayers are heard and answers given, that I am loved, protected, championed and supported for all that I am and the future is deeply meaningful and full of potential like prayers are. You may not understand this contribution, it is not coincidence – who would have thought Mellissa would post about smoking ever!! – but I know my prayer for a sign has been answered in such an unbelievably unexpected way – from your openhearted sharing of transformation. I am quietly stunned with faith that new beginnings are to bring better things as taboos are being shattered. Oh woW Mellissa, the power of your intent to share light did. Yes I do know you are not condoning smoking tobacco cigarettes and nicotine addiction before any readers contribute that way. This is spiritual intentions. With love, from me to you, so much love for what you do. May I remain anonymous but know that I AM blissfully serious and real and DE-LIGHTED ( me chakras are delighted ;0 !!!!) , if shy.
Oh I love being a Messenger for Spirit to give you what you need right now, in the midst of such a big transition. We are in this together!
I love this!
Where do I get this mix of herbs???
HI Sandra, look for an herb store in your area if you don’t know how to identify and gather the herbs yourself. Or ask an herbs-lover to take you out and help you harvest herbs in your local area appropriately. It’s delightful to connect directly with the plants.
Oh, and a pipe.
Oh Mellissa! How we call for the answers and how they are provided. I have been struggling with smoking for years! I don’t know why I was drawn to it but I have had the desire to smoke since I was a small child. I remember when my mom busted me behind the garage smoking oregano rolled in who knows what I found in the house to roll it in!!! I have been recently praying on this addiction and help to break it. I decided to give it up for lent in hope of breaking the attachment knowing how bad it is for my divine body but not really wanting to let it go for some reason. I struggled today, but found that now cigarettes are starting to make me sick. I laughed as I thought of how we ask and God provides, even if we are not ready for his method of provision. Then, I see this!!!! What a way to re-calculate the brain!!!! I now think back to the oregano and wonder if my young self knew more then that I realized. The thought of healing herbs in my lungs makes me happy!! Mother Earth told me to take it slow and be patient and little did I know how she would help me along the way by providing such wonderful sisters in light to help me with this journey. I appreciate you Mellissa, Thank you. Bless you.
Whoa, Cool! I wonder what medicine Oregano brings to the smoke mix… The rule I heard about what to smoke says that Anything a Bunny would nibble is safe to smoke. So Oregano likely fits that description, though it is a powerful oil medicine and I’d use it sparingly in the mix… 🙂 Welcome home to sacred smoke.
Melissa thanks for sharing this. I smoke the Chanpu at Sundance and embrace praying with visible breath as the buffalo calf pipe woman taught. This is not specifically my medicine in my medicine society we hold tobacco in our hands and pray with it then burn it asking our prayers would rise to Creator as the smoke rises. I belive it is for all people to develop their own rituals. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Melissa thanks for sharing this. I smoke the Chanpu at Sundance and embrace praying with visible breath as the buffalo calf pipe woman taught. This is not specifically my medicine in my medicine society we hold tobacco in our hands and pray with it then burn it asking our prayers would rise to Creator as the smoke rises. I belive it is for all people to develop their own rituals. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I agree, Patrick – it’s our birthright to create lots of ways to relate with Creator! Let’s all be creative, share the old ways, and make the new ways too!
I love you daughter of the heart. You always keep me smiling.
I am so grateful for the wisdom, love, and ceremony we’ve shared for 12 years and more, much more, Shima!
I quit smoking 10 years ago and have never had one since and ttllaoy agree with you chloe when you say everyone who does those nasty habits should quit them today.