(^80) SECRETS OF SHAMANISM
- Assistance with a test, growing plants, repairing your car
or keeping it running. - Getting along with relatives, bosses, or improving commu-
nication with an antagonist.
Power animals can assist with all these things and a myr-
iad other tasks that you might need help with. They love to
serve you because they learn by helping you with your chal-
lenges. Spirit animals are not static things, but beings that
are interested in evolution and growth. Just as you like to
help someone in need, so do they. Yet just like you, they like
to be acknowledged and treated with respect. If you don't
treat them well, they will simply go to someone who will
treat them better.The Power of Plants
According to shamans, plants too have their spirit es-
sences, potential allies to be communicated with and cooper-
ated with for mutual benefit. Plants, like rocks and animals,
have unique spirit frequencies that can help or in some cases
interfere with your health. In every culture, shamans have
gotten to know plant spirits and their properties in order to
harness their power for healing, treating the sick, and assist-
ing in other tasks. They have discovered which ones can be
consumed in the proper quantity to aid digestion, strengthen
blood cells, or soothe the nerves.
Shamans have learned which ones can be boiled and
made into teas and which ones must be burned to release
their beneficial odors. For example, sage is a powerful me-
dicinal plant that can both be made into a healing tea and
also burned for its cleansing and balancing properties.
As with power animals, the greater the number of plant
spirits shamans have as their allies, the more powerful they
are regarded to be. Harnessing plant spirits is a specialty,
however; only shamans who are interested in the world of
plants pursue contact with them over and above the usual
shamanic sensitivity to them. You can decide for yourself
whether you have talent that lies in this direction.
GETTING TO Know PLANT STOUTS
To become acquainted with plant spirits you need to exer-
cise a great deal of patience. Plants are stationary beings
used to experiencing life at a very slow pace. It takes a great
deal of time and patience to tune into their frequency. That is