196 SECRETS OF SHAMANISMconjunction with the invocation of the medicine wheel, the
sacred circle that honors the spirit world and gives power to
the event.
In many of the rituals we describe here, we suggest that
you use the rattle, an ancient shamanic tool. A rattle seems
like a strange device for adults to use because in modern-day
Western culture, we usually associate them with babies and
their teething toys. Yet rattles have an ancient history and
have been used by shamans on every continent of the world.
They must therefore have a powerful significance in the
world of shamanism.
Rattles are usually made of dried gourds with beans or
pebbles placed inside for sound. These may have been col-
lected at a sacred site or passed on from a powerful shaman.
The gourds themselves are attached to a stick and decorated
in every way imaginable. Often they are made to resemble
animals or creatures from the spirit world, because shamans
believe that the sound of the rattle aids in opening the door-
way to the spirit world. Rattles are used to call forth the aid
of allies and guardians. So, whereas the drum is used to carry
the shaman himself to and through the spirit world, the rattle
brings the spirit world and its inhabitants closer to ordinary
reality.
Rattles are also used as a kind of directing device, much
like the magician's magic wand. Energy can be mentally sent
through them and out into the environment. The rattle can
describe a sacred circle or distribute healing energy within a
sick person's body.
The sound of the rattle creates a high-pitched frequency
that helps invoke an altered state. In our experience, it is
hard not to respond to the sound of rapid rattling. It creates
an atmosphere of imminence, that something out of the ordi-
nary is about to happen. We recommend the use of rattles in
ceremonies because they have proven effective tools for set-
ting the stage and opening the doorways to power and crea-
tivity.
SIMPLE OPENING RITUAL
Smolder some sage and use it much like the cleansing
ritual described in Marian's story. If you are in a group, you
can simply pass it around, allowing each person to clear
themselves with the smoke, using their hands to do so. (A
feather is nice to use also.)