The Shaman's HorseFOUR OF WANDS
I’ve recently, slowly….. been making rattles amongst my other activities.
These rattles are powerful tools which can be used for a number of Shamanic or Animistic activities and purposes – meditational journeying , clearing energy from spaces or people and for healing…These are multi use power-tools! They can certainly be used musically and ceremonially too and for sure can make people dance.
When I make theses rattles I keep things slow. It’s nice to work in time with the universe and when things occur naturally. As a results they take ages to make .Each piece of wood is ‘quested’ which means I go out with the intention to find a piece of wood which I can make something out of- when found gratitude and offerings are made.As a result each wood comes from a different source here there’s driftwood from Pembroke , Yew from Wiltshire , Beech from Ireland.
The deer hide is surplus from drum making – here three of the four rates are going along with drums.It is great to have a rattle made of the same skin as the drum itself.
The skins are carefully sourced from the U.K I but from from the keeper and have visited and spent time in the woodland the Deer roamed in.
The ‘rattles’ (the little objects which make the noise are equally quested) and come from a variety of sources too diverse on any cosmic customs form.
It’s a slow process – each stitch, each binding, each rattle and winding is imbued with intention, blessings and magic for the end user and just for the process itself.I may not necessarily share this with the owner as I fear it may disempower them in some way – its up to them how they use them. That said I can’t help adding intention or blessings or magic in as I go- these are ‘power’ tools .Powerful objects deserve respect and good powerful intentions.AS I said the magic is also in the process itself and in that process there’s so much magic healing and lessons which I am gifted – I guess this is my payment for which I’m so grateful for.
To give you one example one of these rattles took a whole day just to punch the holes in – so thick is the hide – it became a warrior tool – if I was using it it would be used to clear spaces and remove obstacles. On the handle I placed the Ogham symbol for Holly -Tinne in Gaelic. My personal meaning for Holly in this context is as an energy which aids in a war over negativity.
So…I wonder how this tool will be used?Well I know to whom it is going and through our initial talks and consultations I know this will be used with the drum to do great things.
Three of these will go with drums but I was minded to make one extra rattle using some red dear hide and a yew handle.As it became the fourth of these ‘wands’ I was of course minded of the tarot card which for many represents celebration , homecoming and harmony.So there’s my intention for whoever receives this one which will be given , gifted to someone/ f.o.c who may need it . I wonder where it will end up ?
The Shaman's Horse 