It was a good day today… the completion of my first plant dieta in the jungle. This completion is truly an accomplishment of the body, the mind and the soul. Early each morning for seven days I have drank tobacco juice with pinon blanco or pinion negro. This regimen is one to strengthen my energy matrix and lay down the energies of my plant allies. Tobacco is a male spirit and brings the energy of protection. This is important for a variety of reasons. It is excellent for anyone doing energy work with others, or for someone who is highly sensitive. It is great at strengthening ones health and ones ability to work with plants from an internal understanding of their energies. The other two plants bring the matrix of extraction, which is also beneficial to those who do healing work.

The first time I learned of this dieta was almost two years ago, when I began crying when someone else was receiving a healing.  I could feel everything they were experiencing in their grief and suffering. I received a healing from the shamanic practitioner next and told her I could not stop crying after the other woman’s healing. I did not know if it was my own suffering or the other woman’s. The shamanic practitioner grinned compassionately and told me I needed the tobacco dieta to help me not take on the energy of others so much. Being empathic has its challenges and I must say that the plants and their healing energies profoundly assist in healing these patterns.

I have been working with tobacco in other forms for the past few years as a sacred, ceremonial healing plant. It has already worked with me as an ally teaching me how to hold a healing, compassionate space, but one with fierce protection from energies that are not mine to have. This is very interesting since I grew up with a mother who smoked and died from related health issues. In learning more about the tobacco from the jungle, I have learned about restoring a sacred relationship with tobacco that is used as a sacred plant to heal, rather than to suppress. In the process of the past seven days, I can also assure you that this dieta has offered up a healing to my family members who mis-used tobacco and caused harm to their own bodies. Somehow I am assured I have healed some of my own dna.

The spirit of tobacco was clear and present today on this final day of the dieta. It came into my body as a powerful energy… high frequency is another way to describe it. I could immediately sense it as a great grandfather presence… and answer to a prayer this morning where I asked the tobacco to show its spirit to me clearly. This loving presence has great power and strength. It moved immediately to my hands, showing me how it would be present when I used my hands to do healing work on others. Then a friend of mine showed up in this vision, and I began to use my hands on my friends heart and back in a similar style as the Shipibo shaman demonstrated to us for their shamanic massage.  My friend received a healing through the ethers all the way from the jungle. After this was complete, another friend arrived in my vision and again my hands were lit up with the healing energy of the plants.

The day was one of continued vision and instruction that was beyond my intellect. It was more of a download of energy that was filled with knowing and wisdom. Somehow I trust whenever I need to call on my plant allies, they will be there to work with me.

My time here has been touched by more than the regimen of the plant dieta each day. It has been touched by the gentleness of the people I have had the great fortune to work with. The shaman has each day arrived with a great heart and dedication to the best experience we could have. He has prepared our plants with much love, then sings prayers into them each morning before giving us our drink. Then while we lie in hammocks and are quiet, he watches over us in the malacha each day until the day is done. We are in this silent ceremony all day, from 8am to 3pm. And he is there, holding a sacred vessel for each person to receive the most loving experience possible.

This is an example of how the Shipibo shamans are. The wise ones know that there is no need to create pain to grow or heal. They believe in gentleness in the process of growth and taking time. Though this is no walk in the park and requires some courage and tenacity, it is not about pain to get the healing. There is nothing but love and strength surrounding us. This is truly an example of the divine masculine birthed of the divine mother.

For the jungle represents the Great Mother, and the Divine Feminine. The jungle is the dark, moist feminine womb that all is birthed from. It is the void of all possibility. Even the male spirit of tobacco born of this mother brings healing through gentle strength.

There are many more teachings and notes to share. Yet, there will be another time where I can sit in quiet in my home… where I am NOT sweating bullets… and where I can ruminate a little more to write stories rich of this place I love. I hope you have enjoyed this so far. I look forward to writing more soon. I will be home in two days… and I am sure there will be more adventures to tell by the time I land in front of my own computer! Until then, ciao!

By: Katherine Skaggs
Katherine Skaggs is internationally known and respected as a visionary artist, intuitive, author, teacher, spiritual counselor, shamanic practitioner, reader of the akashic records and painter of souls. Katherine is also the artist of the Mythical Goddess Tarot, the Pocket-full of Goddesses: a Blessing Oracle, and both the art and inspiration of the Pocket Blessing Cards… including hundreds of soul portraits and channeled paintings of goddesses and divine beings of light. Katherine travels around the world to study with shamans in the jungles of the Amazon basin, the mountains of the Andes and Mexico, and other sacred sites with wise ones who will have her! Katherine is artist of the Mythical Goddess Tarot Website is http://www.katherineskaggs.com
Website: http://katherine-skaggs.wildirismarket.com