Mythic Homework 101
What is Mythic homework? The short answer is that it’s an important, and required, component of doing shamanic energy work. Mythic homework enables each client to integrate the healing from each session at the level of the Soul, the Mythic, which helps you change unhealthy habits, beliefs and blocks as you do so. The Mythic affects everything - energetic, symbolic and literal. Without working at the Mythic, it would be much harder and even impossible to heal ourselves and our Mythic Map.
Below are some fundamental aspects of Mythic homework that you’ll practice and use. There are many more, but these are the essentials. While Shamanic work is very much experiential, I teach all my clients how to do the homework so they have a baseline. The more you use these tools, the more you will find them invaluable.
SANDPAINTINGS
I’m often asked if sandpaintings need to be made out of sand. It’s an understandable question, but the answer is no. For me, sandpaintings are a wonderful way of experiencing the concept of reciprocity. Stone allies and Pachamama (Mother Earth) work with you to help you shift and release heavier energy, and Pachamama can use that energy as mulch. When your “stuff” is up after session, or for you have a challenging day and feel a variety of emotions, doing a sandpainting helps you release that energy and shift it. All you need is some earth make the painting on and some stones or rocks. Open sacred space, open your weiracocha and create a solid boundary that frames the painting. I usually do a circle with stones, or a square if I’m using small branches or twigs. Make sure that all stones are touching, and all sticks are as well. In otherwords, make sure you’ve created a solid border that will hold the energy you place inside it.
Take some additional stones and blow all your heavy energy, emotions, fears, and imprint work into the stones. You then place the stones inside the border in whatever way you feel they want to be positioned. Tune it and take stock. Then walk away and visit as least once a day. The stones may show you images, want to move around, or even come out. Or you may add more in. Working with sandpaintings help you release hucha, or heavy energy so that you can be clearer and continue to shift, If left unchecked, hucha can make you sick and also affect what you create for yourself. Think about walking around with all your anger or fear projecting everywhere and driving what your perception and choices. Why not work with the sandpainting instead? So, bottomline is that sandpaintings are an essential tool to use as part of release work after session, or anytime you feel triggered or a charge.
When you visit the painting and there is no more energy left, or it feels totally quiet or empty, it’s done. Scatter the elements back to nature, or if it's inside in a pot, you can clear the stones you used with florida water, candle flame or leave them out in the sun for a while setting the intent to clear them. Make sure to check your potting soil from time to time and refresh it, composting the old. For more help with sandpaintings, just ask me.
ALTAR
Altars are another wonderful Mythic tool. Altars are used for many purposes including integrated the healing from a session and helping to manifest heart's desires. Many people are now are familiar with things like vision boards. Altars are different, but capture some similar energetics.
For this post, I’ll use an example of an altar following a session. After a session, I sometimes bring back a soul part, a power animal and a gift. As part of the homework, I ask that you create an altar to help them integrate what returns. It's critical that you work with the soul part to ensure that that part of you reintegrates and becomes one with you again. All the healing, knowledge, wisdom and ability comes with that soul part and is directly related to the healing that took place in session. Whereas the soul part is 100% you, the power animal and gift are energies that you didn't necessarily have access to naturally up until that point. Exploring how the power animal and gift can be useful to you, how you work with that medicine, is really important.
Creating a solid border of sea salt or kosher, or in some cases depending on the issue or session it may be something else, you'll place a representation of the soul part, power animal and gift within the circle. These can be literal images, or in the case of the soul part, can also be abstract to represent the energy of that soul part that returned. As long as you can look at each representation and feel immediately, "That's my soul part" or "That's my power animal" then it's a good fit. I also recommend using a tea light or white candle, along with key words or written beliefs that came back as part of the new contract. I feed my altars with various kinds of fun and beautiful confetti also. Think of it as feeding your soul, feeding the integration and the healing. Remember it’s about feeling, so the altar should feel like the healing that happened in session,
There are many other types of altars and each client explores this through their session work. You could create an altar to manifest a new job or a new home. You can create a family altar that you can light with your significant other and child, for example. If you have any questions about creating altars, I’d be happy to answer them.
SALT BATHS
Salt baths and salt water next to your bed are two key tools you'll use while doing energy work. I recommend using kosher or natural sea salt for both - and if you like you can throw in some baking soda. Salt baths help pull the heavy energy off your field to rebalance it. As you get into the bath, ask to be released from whatever it is you're working on, be it imprint or someone else's stuff. If possible get the 8 chakras into the water, don't worry about the 9th and on. Try to soak until you feel more grounded. If the water changes colors, such as a darker gray, don't be surprised - that's just the salt doing i's job. I sometimes add herbs to my salt bath including calendula and other plants.
Having a small thing of salt water on your nightstand or under your bed where you sleep really helps absorb energy that you're releasing during sleep. This can assist with dreams and sleep patterns during release work. Make sure to replace it every day with fresh salt water, Otherwise it won't do it's job and it's like sleeping with psychic toilet water next you. And who wants to do that?? Salt can also be used in other ways, including altar borders, space clearing and in doorways for protection. These are all tools you learn through session work.
FIRE CEREMONY & MORE
Fire is an integral part of this shamanic tradition and an essential tool for healing. Fire is a fast transformer, so is a wonderful way to help shift old energy. As a client, you may do fire ceremonies using a real wood fire, alcohol fire or candle. Clients learn how to work fire as well as other types of ceremony through working with me. Fire ceremonies will vary depending on the healing work, and we'll always go over it in session.
Ceremony and ritual are also important and very personal. I often support and help my clients create ceremonies or rituals as part of their healing work with me.