Corn Spirit : The Use of Corn Meal in Ceremony

If you're like me, I have always been taught (both as a child and as a shaman today) that whatever we have need of will always be around us. We must simply cultivate the eyes to see it. That in mind, I've always been the kind of person that enjoys practical and thrifty means to accomplish most tasks. So naturally, one of the very first things that I learned to work with in my practices was Corn Meal.

If you go into the pantry of most American homes, somewhere between the cans of green beans and the 5 lb. sack of potatoes. you are sure to find a bag or canister of Corn Meal. And in truth, I find it comforting as well as interesting, that the presence of Corn Meal in the home has not changed much at all through the years. The earliest evidence shows that corn meal was being made and used in familial dwellings as much as 9000 years ago in Southern Mexico. And because of its centrality to the livelihood of cultures on the American continents, Corn has long been used as a sacred substance, performing a variety of ceremonial functions for shamans throughout time.

When using Corn Meal in ceremony, it is wise to set aside the portions that you will be using for sacred work from the corn meal that will be used for cooking. Once they have been seperated, I typically spend time praying over the corn meal, speaking to its spirit. Fostering a relationship with the Corn Spirit is essential since you are in fact calling upon it whenever you use the corn meal. To bless your corn meal (and to begin working with Corn Spirit), pour it upon a plate or cloth in a tall mound. Place your finger into the top making a small impression, it should look almost like a volcano. Sitting comfortably to the south of the mound (this is the place of Maize and Earth), offer prayers, gratitude and blessings to the corn spirit. Below is one of my prayers that you can use if you wish:

Prayer to the Corn Spirit

Xilo, Great Haired One,

You are the spirit by which we live,

Yellow Earth, Staff Of Life,

Preparer of Roads and Great Pollen Star,

From the Ant Mountain you came,

Bless your child, and walk with me,

When Prayers are offered, give offerings to the Corn Spirit, tobacco and copal are suitable gifts. After you have finished blessing the the corn meal, place it in a special bag or container to be stored with your other power objects. It is now ready to be used in ceremony.

In my own traditions, Corn Meal plays a vital role in many ceremonies. It's four basic functions are: The Blessing, The Offering, The Transformer, and The Bridge. Each of these functions can overlap or occur within the ceremony depending upon its nature. The following is a brief description and use of each of these four faces of Corn Spirit.

The Blessing:

Corn, by its very nature is a sacred and vital plant. Its presence allows the people to live, thrive, grow and prosper. Because of this role, Corn Meal can be used to bless people, places, and objects. Imagine that whenever corn meal is used in this capacity that it is like a blanket of energy. It surrounds and marks the intended target with its powerful spirit, lending it gifts of vitality, fruitfulness, and rejuvenation. Keeping the idea of this blanket in mind, you can also see it as a mantle of sorts. When it is sprinkled over a person or object, that mantle is shared and covers the object, making it sacred as well. You can use corn meal to bless your sacred space, prepare ritual ground, consecrate power objects, ready participants for a ceremony, and to bless a family or their home.

The Offering:

The role of Corn Meal in this function is relatively self-explanatory. Whenever humankind views a resource or "good" as crucial to survival or a pleasure to behold, it typically is seen as being suitable for offerings made to spirits or deities. We give up what we treasure because we desire to share the best, most beautiful or essential things with these beings. It is a way of saying "You are important and I honor you." In the modern world, we can pick up a bag of corn meal for $2 - $3, however it is the nature of this substance and its place in our history and daily lives that make it sacred. Similarly, most of us don't need to see how much a wild rose costs in order to value it's beauty and meaning. So when using corn meal as an offering, take a moment to reflect on the nature of the substance you hold.

There are many ways to offer corn meal, the simplest of course is to offer a small amount in a bowl or plate to whatever spirit you are honoring. Other methods are rubbing it over the face of your drum or power objects, throwing pinches of it into the air for the wind to carry or for spirits to feed on. You can even use this corn meal to make sacred cakes or tortillas that are meant to be shared only in spiritual gatherings and as offerings wih spirits or deities.

The Transformer:



Staves of Life Design - Original Artwork-

From planting the seed to harvesting, to the drying and milling of the corn. The entire life cycle of Corn is in a constant state of change. This movement and shifting of form makes Corn Meal a powerful container of transformative energy. This energy is clear when we look at the history of the people from North to South America. Corn literally transformed these ancestral traditions and lifestyles. The plant itself transformed from the small bushy Teosinte into the tall stalks we know today. This energy of transformation is carried on in the corn meal that we use in our ceremonies. To access this energy I typically create a hoop of corn meal on a plate or flat surface, this circle can be any size that works for you so long as it is a continous line. Within this hoop, "draw" a symbol for corn using the corn meal. This can be a glyph or symbol that is traditional to your practices or you can create one for yourself. (See my Transformer diagram below, using a traditional "Staves of Life" corn stalk design.)


The placement of the Red and Black stones.
Arrows on the left and right show the upward movement of energy from the earth
.

After you have created the Transformer, you can choose to use its energy in a variety of ways. The method I use most is to place two objects inside the hoop. The first is a representation of the energy I want to change, for instance If I am having issues of self-doubt I would make or find something to represent this energy for me, perhaps a black stone or picture of the cowardly lion. This is placed or "planted" at the bottom or southern edge. Then we select an object or symbol of what we want that energy to be transformed into. In this instance I want to become confident, so maybe I would choose a red stone or picture of a strong  looking ballet dancer, whatever represents the idea of what you want to transform this energy into will work. This is then placed above the central design in the Northern realm. Looking at the diagram above we can see that we are mirroring the process of growth and change that corn undertakes. In the same way we are creating growth and change in ourselves by planting this seed and transforming its energy into what we need to survive and thrive. When using this method, it is best to only use the corn meal once, afterward return the corn meal to the earth, thanking it for helping you in your work.

The Bridge:

Corn when growing, mirrors the vertical axis that shamans draw on time and time again in their work. This axis is the tree upon which we climb to access and connect with the otherworlds. Corn rises from the earth and reaches skywards, it is this action that creates the connection. We can use this energy to connect to the otherworlds, to specific energies, and to spirits or deities. In this capacity, the corn meal is the "preparer of the way", it becomes the road for these energies and beings to travel upon. from their world to our sacred space. Like the roots of a corn stalk, the corn meal acts as an anchor for the energies we choose to call upon.

I mainly enact the corn meal bridge in two ways, both can be used to achieve similar means. For either method you will need a plate or a flat surface on which to work. The first method, I refer to as the Shining Mound, you can think of it like a Helipad lit up with flashing lights. Depending on what energy you are trying to connect with or call upon you may choose to incorporate corresponding tools accordingly. First place a heap of corn meal into the center of the plate, using your hands to shape it into a mountain. Around the Mound I typically place crystals that will acts as a beacon and condenser, however you can use objects or herbs that you feel relate to the particular working. If you are connecting with an energy that you feel is unfriendly (in the case of illness, etc.) it is wise to place a circle of corn meal around the Mound to act as the barrier. When ready, the energy called upon "jumps across" to the mound, which acts as a seat or "island" for the energy to stand upon.

The Mound Method, The Spirit crosses space to stand on the Central Mountain or Island.

The second method, one I tend to use more often, I refer to as the Bridge. To use this method, once again we begin with a plate or flat surface to work upon. Next we "draw" out a symbol for the energy that we are working with. I typically use this method when I am working with the energies of Day Signs or Deities whom I am comfortable with. This symbol can be as complex or as simple as you like, so long as it has meaning to you. This method works similarly to the Mound method, in that a spirit or energy crosses to the corn meal. However I do not recommend using this method to work with spirits that you are unfamiliar or at odds with as in the case I mentioned above (for these spirits I suggest working carefully with the Mound Method if you feel comfortale doing so, and only after you have a feel for the techniques used here.) I find that this method works well when you want to connect with a specific known energy, such as calling upon ancestors, inviting health or balance into your life, or even connecting with cultural archetypes. Like the Mound Method, once the "drawing" is created, we can call upon the energy to cross the bridge created by Corn Spirit. This energy will rest upon the design created, however unlike the Mound Method, this energy is free to interact within the space we are working in.

From the times of our ancestors to the modern age, Corn has stood with the people as a powerful ally and sustainer of life. Inviting its energy and guidance into our lives can bring about great changes within and around us. By choosing to foster and understand the relationship between yourself and the Xilo spirit, you take the first steps in picking up the trails that those who have gone before us have travelled.

In Lak'ech

-Kurt Shoopman

　

　

　

　

The Medicine Wheel : A Sacred Hoop of Learning & Living

Original Design - 'The Great Shield'- By: Kurt Shoopman

Perhaps the most easily recognizable symbol of shamanism in America today. The Medicine Wheel, has been used by many modern shamanic pracititioners as a symbol of the four directions, the seasons, and a representation of countless other forces in nature. While this definition serves a basic function, the true nature of the medicine wheel is far deeper than the average diagram. At its heart, the medicine wheel is a living map, and like all maps it is an invaluable tool to those who know how to properly use it.

The Medicine Wheel, also called 'The Sacred Round', has been used by shamans across the American continents as a means to understand and actively engage in the primal processes and cycles of nature. These cycles not only pertain to the material (outer) world but also allows the individual to explore the rich depths of their inner (spiritual) landscape. But in order to pick up this ancient tool and invite its ageless wisdom into our lives, we first have to understand how to approach such a formidable force.

An assumption that many people make when they first begin to study the Sacred Round, is that it exists seperately from the shaman. This outlook is not only limiting to the partnership, but it does a great disservice to the actual nature of the Wheel. Unlike the road maps we pick up at a gas station, the Medicine Wheel is a powerful construct that we live our lives in. Although it performs innumerable functions, perhaps the greatest gift it gives us, is the ability to see and participate in the movement of energy in our world, both seen and unseen.

When we approach the Medicine Wheel, it must be done from a place of openness and a true desire to understand ourselves and the world. In adopting this attitude, we allow ourselves to pierce the veil that shrouds these teachings. The medicine wheel has been referred to as 'The Great Shield' or 'The People's Shield', because it is the shield that all People can choose to pick up. Not so long ago, it was a rite of passage for a shaman or warrior to create their Medicine Shield. It was their spirit face and it contained their power. The medicine wheel is the only shield that contains the power, the essence, of all things. And so, it is with this knowledge in mind that we should not only be honored to carry such a precious gift, but it would behoove us to truly understand what we have chosen to pick up.

Now that we understand what the Medicine Wheel is and the general idea of what it does. We can begin to dicuss the parts that make up the Sacred Round. At first glance, the medicine wheel is a circle that is divided into four equal parts by a equal-armed cross. Simple, right? Each of these parts has a purpose and a meaning:

-The Cross -

At the center of the medicine wheel is an equal-armed cross, each point of which is aligned with a cardinal direction (South, West, North and East.). Depending upon what culture or what kind of wheel one is working with, each of these cardinal directions takes on a different aspect or energy. The cross also acts as an axis that the entirety of the wheel spins around. You can think of this axis like the spokes of a tire, acting as a source of support and strength to the outer wheel. The axis is typically divided further into two parts. In my tradition, the vertical line is called the 'Sky Tree' and the horizontal line is simply called 'the Horizon'. The sky tree represents the movement between the spirit world and the material plane, it is the essence of stability and order. The Horizon, conversely, is a respresentation of transitory energies. Like the sun and moon that pass across the sky from East to West. At the heart of the cross at the place of intersection is what can be refferred to as the vortex, the source, or the well spring of power. At this center we encounter the sacred void, the place from which all things come. It is the place of coalescence between all the energies that live within the Sacred Round. It is Quintessence,

-The Circle-

Around the outside of the cross is the circle, which in my tradition is called 'The Sacred Hoop'. The circle is not only a symbol of continuity and the endless procession of cycles, but it is the reminder that the Medicine wheel is indeed a container of power. Without the Sacred Hoop, the Medicine Wheel is a only gathering of four energies, it is the circle that generates movement and interaction between these Four realms of energy. Just like the wheels on a bicycle, if we remove the tire and are left with spokes, we would lose the seamless flow of motion between the spokes, making for an uncomfortbale and ineffective mode of transportation.

　

Although the Medicine Wheel has distinguishable features, it is important that we do not view each of these parts as seperate, just as we designate parts of our body like our head, arm and shoulder, each of these parts are joined together and work as a whole. To further explore the Medicine Wheel and understand how to use it, let's take a look at one of the simplest wheels I use in my tradition.

　

The Sacred Hoop pictured above is the "Wheel of Manifestation", This wheel governs everything from starting an art project, writing a paper for school, to taking a vacation. For the purpose of this article, let's say we are working on a painting. We begin this wheel in the North, the place of Spirit. this is where inspiration comes from. It is in our communion with spirit that we are given new acts of power, new endeavors to accomplish in this world. For this example, we go on a nature walk, and are inspired by the beauty of leaves. So we are given this sense of wonder and we begin to dream. This inspiration will stay formless and unrealized until we bring it into the East.

In the East is the realm of the mind, of wisdom, intellect, and memory. It is here tha we will being to formulate a plan of action. Drawing on what we have learned and the sheer power of imagination, we begin to bring this formless concept into focus, We take that beauty and wonder, and we say "I want to paint those leaves on this size canvas, I want to use these colors, and I see it with such and such lighting.." Then we plan how to make this happen. We decide that we've enjoyed the supplies we've bought from a particular store. Or we remember a cool technique we learned in Art Class in High School that would make this project interesting and beautiful. Now that we've formulated a plan and drawn upon our experiences, we now have a clearer picture of what we're going to do. And so we take this plan to the South.

In the South is the realm of physical and material energies. It is the body, the sensation of doing and being. It is in the South that we put our plan into action. We take this plan and we go buy our art supplies, and perhaps we set aside a space in the house for us to work. Then we sit down and we start painting. We lose ourselves in the process of DOING. It is the action that is sacred here. We manifest our dream into this world, giving birth to something that stirs our spirit, this is an act of power. After we have made the painting we step back and realize, this is done. It is in that moment that we to move to the West.

In the West in the realm of death and rebirth, it is the place of the giveaway. It is the act of completion and release. Now that we've created our painting, we can admire it for what it is. It is no longer something inside of us, it is now a fully realized form seperate from us. And so, we must honor and acknowledge this seperation. Alot of times, this where people have issues. In our culture, we don't know that everything must be finished. This is true of our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and even our household projects. We have to realize that everything that we give live to has to released in order for it to become whole. If we choose not to release something that we've created or experienced it will continue to draw on your energy to sustain itself. It is important to note that just because we complete or release something, does not mean that it is no longer a part of our spirit. We remember it and it leaves a lasting impression upon us. The other important process that occurs within the West is the necessary period of rest. When we finish something, we must take a moment to gather ourselves and recuperate. It is in this period of stasis that we heal and become ready to move back into the North to begin our journey again.

Taking what we have just learned about the Wheel of Manifestation, we can see the movement that occurs when we undertake any project or act of creation. It seems like common sense right? That we are inspired, we plan, we do and then we let go. But like anything in life, it is easy for us to become lost and confused while we are in the thick of it. The medicine wheel exists to help us see past our own limitations and truly look at where we are in a process and what we need to do in order to live balanced and productive lives.

Think about it, how often do we try to move directly across the wheel instead of around and through it? The following are some of the conditions created when we try to move in this fashion:

(North to South)- We try to make something happen without any foresight or planning, and it ends up with unnecessary complications and headache.

(East to West)- We create a plan but decide its finished before we even enact it, never getting it off the ground in the first.place.

(South to North)- We end up with countless unresolved experiences or unfinished projects as we constantly seek new dreams without ended those we've started. This movement often pushes us to burn-out.

(West to East)- We find ourselves bored and uninspired, unable to come up with any original or interesting ideas. This is the gateway for living life as a robot.

Besides trying to generate movement along the axis, we can also become stuck in areas. When this occurs its important to take a moment and realize where you are in the Wheel. Once you've discovered your location, figure out the next step in the process and make whatever adjustments necessary to move you in that direction. When you're stuck it can feel like all the wind has been let out of your sails, and something that I've found has helped me during my stays in the quagmire, is that small changes can help generate enough movement to help get your gears unstuck.

In the end, the Medicine Wheel is the swiss army knife of many shamans. And in truth there are as many Hoops as there are problems in life. In the future I hope to share many of the wheels I have come to know during my time upon this Red Road.

Written By- Kurt Shoopman