14-Days of Samhain: Day Five

Image:Mystic Sisters Oracle by Emily Balivet

Deep in the Bones

October 29.2022

Today is Day 5 of 14-Days of Samhain posting. In keeping with the numerology* of the number “5”, let’s stir things up and create a deeper connection to the wisdom of our bones….

A popular theme for Samhain is that of skeletons. These represent those who have shed their corporeal forms and moved beyond the veils. They are meant to be spooky and mysterious and although of this manifest plane, also somehow animated by the ephemera of the subtle realms. Today, I would invite you to move deeply into your bones and their wisdom as a living being.

Let’s begin our explorations acknowledging the power and strength of our skeletal foundation and the wisdom held in this organic scaffolding:

My bones echo the clarity defined form

My bones uphold the beauty and grace of my manifest form

My bones power my steps and actions of momentum and rhythm

My bones carry the gnosis of what my heart has experienced

And, when I discard this corporeal form…

My bones will be an imprint of my physical existence

……The Power of Five is Re-Membered in my Bones

The Low Down on Bones

Here is the science of bones excerpted from: Fun Facts About Bones and Joints

•      The human skeleton is composed of around 270 bones at birth – this total decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. 

• Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen.

•     Bones function as the skeleton of the human body, allow body parts to move and protect organs from impact damage. They also produce red and white blood cells.

The skeletal system is the body system composed of bones and cartilage and performs the following critical functions for the human body:

• supports the body.
• facilitates movement.
• protects internal organs.
• produces blood cells.
• stores and releases minerals and fat.

The Spirit of the Bones

In spiritual beliefs, bones symbolize many aspects of the individual, both in life and beyond. Bones are the last remaining vestiges of the body after death-thus giving them a sense of immortality of that life despite its no longer being physically present.  Bones serve as the foundation of the human form and so are necessary for the re-animating spirit, should it choose to return. Animal bones can be used as divination tools and……

            …. The use of bones for divination is a common part of many shamanistic rituals. Shamanism is, as Mircea Eliade calls it, an “archaic technique of ecstasy.” Since bones can be reanimated, they play a critical role in the ritual of the death and rebirth of the holy man. Eliade describes a pattern that is found in several cultures:

The skeleton present in the shaman’s costume summarizes and reactualizes the drama of his initiation, that is, the drama of death and resurrection. It is of small importance whether it is supposed to represent a human or an animal skeleton. In either case what is involved is the life-substance, the primal matter preserved by the mythical ancestors. The human skeleton in a manner represents the archetype of the shaman, since it is believed to represent the family from which the ancestral shamans were successively born. … A similar theory underlies the cases in which the skeleton—or the mask—transforms the shaman into some other animal (stag, etc.). For the mythical animal ancestor is conceived as the inexhaustible matrix of the life of the species and this matrix is found in these animals’ bones. One hesitates to speak of totemism. Rather, it is a matter of mystical relations between man and his prey, relations that are fundamental for hunting societies. ^1.

To complete the process of rebirth, the initiate must experience a mystical vision in which he imagines his body stripped of its flesh and names and numbers his own bones. The shaman cannot experience rebirth until he “becomes” his skeleton…. ^2.

So, how might we access the wisdom of our bones?  Our ancestry is held in our bones. The memories of our physical form engaged in every action, reaction and movement is held in our bones. The shape, form and ultimate scaffolding of how physical expression in this lifetime are held in our bones.  And, just as we may take a calcium supplement to support and bolster bone health, there are contemplative exercises that can be used to enliven, strengthen and awaken the inherent magick in our bones.

The mind and states of consciousness are powerful agents of transformation. The medical community now has data showing the effectiveness of the mind-body connection, contemplative and meditative modalities to heal and maintain health and the profound changes that can occur when we send thoughts and feelings of gratitude into our physiological system. As weavers of magick we have known this to be true for aeons, and as weavers of magick we often neglect the most manifest aspects of our being in using this mind/consciousness-body connection.

Calling to Our Manifest Form

With these “thoughts” and knowledge in mind, I invite you to join me on a journey into our bones. Find a space where you will not be disturbed for approximately 12-15 minutes. Use headphones (for the best experience) and settle in holding the intention of ….

30-Days of Samhain Pathworking: Day Five

Awakening the Bones

Please note that you will be directed to my Bandcamp site for this pathworking:

Teachings on the Path with Robin

* Want to know more about the number “5” and numerology? Check it out here:

0-9: The Esoteric Meaning of Numbers

Numerology: The Art and Science of Numbers-Part One

Resources:

1. Mircea Eliade, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1972), pp. 159–160.

2.  Mark C. Taylor, PhD. (Religion), Mystic Bones (Chicago:University of Chicago Press, 2007)