Medicine shield

In our urban lives a medicine shield is mainly used for spiritual protection and strength.

It carries the energies and strength of the totemic animals and birds represented in its decoration. A medicine shield can be used or hung where one requires strength in a spiritual sense. Little hawk has had positive results from students having one above their study area to help them recall and continue on when they have been given assignments or are studying for exams. Others in their personal work spaces and healing spaces. They can also protect you from psychic attack and negative draining energies.

Each medicine shield is a very personal creation. Its creation involves days of fasting and solitude where one honours and prays to all spirits for a vision of their guides and protectors. Sometimes visions of animals or birds present themselves and sometimes symbols.

To create a Medicine Shield is similar to partaking of a vision quest, and often they are an integral part of grounding the wisdom one has received when they have been on a vision quest.

Crazy Horse made the shield above on the right, to take into battle with him after he had spent many days chanting and praying to the spirits. The shield on the left is one little hawk made to help her whilst working with a woman with terminal illness and to help her embrace the spirits that were waiting to guide her home to the spirit land and to release the negativity and fear associated with letting go of the life she no longer was forced to live.

A medicine shield can only be made by the person whom will be using it, as we all have different guides and energies that work with us and watch over us. A medicine shield is a constant reminder of those in the spirit world that we are connected to at that particular time. They can also move on over time as we grow, so they step aside for other spirits more suited to help us. So if you feel that your medicine shield is no longer working for you perhaps it is time to release it to the spirit world once again and prepare to make a new one.

It is wise to learn as much about and partake in, as much spiritual teaching and connectedness as possible before one endeavors to make their own medicine shield, as one may be disappointed in the experience of its creation when they have only connect with one spirit guide or none at all.

So please keep this in mind if you wish to partake in a medicine shield workshop.

A medicine shield workshop takes two full days and one night. This will involve fasting and spending time alone in nature, meditating, chanting, drumming, whatever helps you connect with the spirit world. Once you have complete your spirit time you will sit in your own sacred space and create you medicine shield.

If you have any sacred items you wish to use on your shield you are asked to bring them along, they could be feathers, furs, bones, crystals or ochre collected from a spiritual place you have felt empowered and connect to.

You will need to bring warm clothing, and a warm blanket made from natural materials, the more personal and natural the better.