The Magic of the Medicine Pouch
What is a Medicine Pouch?
Many cultures and religious groups hold beliefs of the benefits of the medicine pouch (or bag), including: Native Americans, Australian aboriginals, pagans and shamans in various cultures.
These benefits are typically for guidance, luck, protection and healing in some form and purpose.
Traditionally, they can include: feathers, herbs, oils, stones, ashes, salves, animals parts like teeth or bones, and souvenirs from meaningful and special experiences.
The description of a medicine pouch I use is, (Talisman) a small, hand-made pouch, either sewn or knitted with protective and enhancing items inside. To be carried on person or kept close by.
By using visualization, energy transfer, sacred space, and partnering with spirit, the pouches are created as an effective and purposeful tool, modified to the individual’s current needs.
Each person’s pouch
I find it’s important that the person receiving and carrying the pouch (carrier) has something to do with the creation of the pouch. This contributes I believe, to the part of the process energy exchange. For me, it helps me to tap into the person’s energy when visualizing them as content empowered, clear-headed, protected and inspired while mixing the ingredients and filling the pouch. Or if the pouch is a gift, the gifter can be a part of the creation if the gifter knows the carrier well enough to pick up on needs and therefore the necessary energies. The gifter picks out the specific ingredients and tells me the reasons.
What speaks to you?
A large part of the creation process is letting your inner guide pick what is most meaningful to you, even if you can’t explain why. By paying attention to your inner reactions without judgment, you can get in touch with your needs. If you can’t get in touch with your needs, you can choose ingredients based on your personality. If you are highly sensory, react to smells and enjoy aroma therapy, you might want to consider adding ingredients such as cinnamon, thyme or lavender for their aromatic properties, as long as other properties don’t conflict; for example, cinnamon may provide a little boost in the libido, so if you’re not into getting frisky these days, thyme or lavender might be more fitting (yes, I’m giggling while I’m typing this). Over time, you can add to your pouch as needed.
The pouch itself
You can choose a store-bought pouch, homemade by someone else who understands energy exchange, or learn to make one yourself. Positive energy exchange simply means the ability to create something while having a positive experience, consciously taking the heightened vibrations resulting from the positive experience and sending them from one’s mind and body, into the creation in process, causing the creation to consequentially pass on positive energy to anyone who comes in contact with it and pays attention to it. I create my pouches while either watching comedy on DVD, listening to my favourite music or having a positive and stimulating conversation with someone else.
When using a medicine pouch
I have found that the most effective way to use a medicine pouch is to use it only when needed. To keep it on you all the time would be like taking Tylenol all the time; you would become desensitized and immune to the Tylenol after a while. This is similar to a medicine pouch in that its contribution to your guidance and wellness would minimize due to a gradual immunity to the ingredients. When you do feel the need to use it, bring to your heart chakra as the core issue is within you -- your emotional reaction to the situation at hand -- like a pebble in the water causing ripples. You calm and balance your heart chakra, you calm the waters within you and around you. Your medicine pouch will contribute this this. For women, I often suggest to tuck it in the middle of their bra.
It’s all in your head
Well, a lot of it is. Above all, it’s about your beliefs. You can read all of this and your reaction can be, “ya, right” and that will reflect how much the pouch will be of assistance to you. If you take the leap of faith and decide to believe that crystals, herbs, oils and other meaningful objects and ingredients have special properties that can shift and adjust energies that will contribute in meeting your present needs of purpose and authenticity, then your medicine pouch becomes a talisman of power. The true power, above all, is your mind. Your medicine pouch works in partnership.
Many cultures and religious groups hold beliefs of the benefits of the medicine pouch (or bag), including: Native Americans, Australian aboriginals, pagans and shamans in various cultures.
These benefits are typically for guidance, luck, protection and healing in some form and purpose.
Traditionally, they can include: feathers, herbs, oils, stones, ashes, salves, animals parts like teeth or bones, and souvenirs from meaningful and special experiences.
The description of a medicine pouch I use is, (Talisman) a small, hand-made pouch, either sewn or knitted with protective and enhancing items inside. To be carried on person or kept close by.
By using visualization, energy transfer, sacred space, and partnering with spirit, the pouches are created as an effective and purposeful tool, modified to the individual’s current needs.
Each person’s pouch
I find it’s important that the person receiving and carrying the pouch (carrier) has something to do with the creation of the pouch. This contributes I believe, to the part of the process energy exchange. For me, it helps me to tap into the person’s energy when visualizing them as content empowered, clear-headed, protected and inspired while mixing the ingredients and filling the pouch. Or if the pouch is a gift, the gifter can be a part of the creation if the gifter knows the carrier well enough to pick up on needs and therefore the necessary energies. The gifter picks out the specific ingredients and tells me the reasons.
What speaks to you?
A large part of the creation process is letting your inner guide pick what is most meaningful to you, even if you can’t explain why. By paying attention to your inner reactions without judgment, you can get in touch with your needs. If you can’t get in touch with your needs, you can choose ingredients based on your personality. If you are highly sensory, react to smells and enjoy aroma therapy, you might want to consider adding ingredients such as cinnamon, thyme or lavender for their aromatic properties, as long as other properties don’t conflict; for example, cinnamon may provide a little boost in the libido, so if you’re not into getting frisky these days, thyme or lavender might be more fitting (yes, I’m giggling while I’m typing this). Over time, you can add to your pouch as needed.
The pouch itself
You can choose a store-bought pouch, homemade by someone else who understands energy exchange, or learn to make one yourself. Positive energy exchange simply means the ability to create something while having a positive experience, consciously taking the heightened vibrations resulting from the positive experience and sending them from one’s mind and body, into the creation in process, causing the creation to consequentially pass on positive energy to anyone who comes in contact with it and pays attention to it. I create my pouches while either watching comedy on DVD, listening to my favourite music or having a positive and stimulating conversation with someone else.
When using a medicine pouch
I have found that the most effective way to use a medicine pouch is to use it only when needed. To keep it on you all the time would be like taking Tylenol all the time; you would become desensitized and immune to the Tylenol after a while. This is similar to a medicine pouch in that its contribution to your guidance and wellness would minimize due to a gradual immunity to the ingredients. When you do feel the need to use it, bring to your heart chakra as the core issue is within you -- your emotional reaction to the situation at hand -- like a pebble in the water causing ripples. You calm and balance your heart chakra, you calm the waters within you and around you. Your medicine pouch will contribute this this. For women, I often suggest to tuck it in the middle of their bra.
It’s all in your head
Well, a lot of it is. Above all, it’s about your beliefs. You can read all of this and your reaction can be, “ya, right” and that will reflect how much the pouch will be of assistance to you. If you take the leap of faith and decide to believe that crystals, herbs, oils and other meaningful objects and ingredients have special properties that can shift and adjust energies that will contribute in meeting your present needs of purpose and authenticity, then your medicine pouch becomes a talisman of power. The true power, above all, is your mind. Your medicine pouch works in partnership.