Medicine people rattle. Early dancers dance with jingles, rattles and bells.
IT IS GOOD TO RATTLE! Rattling is shaking in a divine way. “To First Nations people, shakers or rattles represent rain (for prayers of abundance and prosperity) and tears, especially those of emotional release. Tears of joy signifying when the mind, body, soul and spirit connect. Ceremonially, rattles are used in cleansing and purifying, spiritual guidance work, celebration and in thanks and respect to Ancestral Spirits.”
When a medicine person rattles, their body and sound stimulate release. Our mirror neurons get shook even if we are just sitting there.
In Shaking Medicine, Bradford Keeney reveals shaking as one of the oldest healing modalities–practiced by Quakers, Shakers, Shinto priests and more.
Repressed bodies need shaking up, shaking out, and shaking down. Therapists working with TRE’s (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) support people to reset to peace by shaking out tension held in the body, quieting the mind where that held tension originates. Conditions like parkinsons, MS, restless leg syndrome, and epilepsy may relate to “an imbalance in the Sympathetic (fight/flight) and Parasympathetic (rest/digest) Nervous Systems brought about by held stress and trauma.” (see video below)
In this intense time let’s get rattled instead of rattling others! Shaking with others for brief periods happens in InterPlay! Sometimes I add a deep dog shake to the warm-up with two or three deep voiced releases.
Taking shaking on as a holy wisdom, I appreciate it when my spiritual director blesses me with a rattle. I feel small kernels fall on me, seed prayers. An energy of release comes.
Do you have a rattle? I was gifted a beautiful rattle in India during an improvisational ceremony. Everyone in the room blessed and shook it.
I also have one with Kokopele on it. At the upcoming Hidden Monastery Retreat we’ll have a rattle blessing. We might even make one.
Sandra Ingerman suggests that we all make a rattle to connect our field of energy and to call in the strength of our global community. She says, “We all know the exponential power that comes from having a strong community focus on healing for others, all of life, and the planet.
“You can make a very simple rattle by taking an empty bottle and filling it part way with some seeds, or crystals, or small stones, or corn.
Keep this rattle on your altar at home. And everyday pick it up and shake your rattle while thinking about our global circle and radiating love and light to those in our circle, practitioners who work in different ways in praying for the web of life and the Earth, and of course to the Earth itself.
just this simple act of rattling while focusing on those being in service to the Earth will strengthen the field of collective energy that has unlimited power to create change and transformation.”
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WReAjA7Nx4M[/youtube]
Here is an article about using rattles in healing.
http://www.3worlds.co.uk/Articles/Rattles.pdf
Thanks for this, Cynthia. I will make a rattle and put it on my altar; I like the idea of those of us in your community around the world shaking our rattles (and more!) every day. Feels very connecting, which I and so many of us long for more of. YES! to deep connection on all levels!
With love to all,
Claire-Elizabeth
Today I visited an Indian Store and bought a drum for a heartbeat meditation. Looked for rattles. Not to be found there. I wonder how you will make your rattle?
Shaking, shaking it off, letting go, releasing from holding in my body is a gift and tool I use so much from InterPlay.
Our dog trainer suggested that owners encourage their dogs to shake, as it releases tension which otherwise might come out as aggression. We all need a lot of shaking during election season!
I appreciate that even dogs need encouragement to shake!