On The Farm
Well, we can tell that spring is trying hard to come through. The fluctuations in temperature make me impatient—those blossoms that have the courage to peek out may get frozen. The daffodils have gone through a number of resurrections in the past couple of weeks. I’m at the point where I take my coat off if it hits 45 degrees!!
For me, spring is here when I can hang my prayer flags in the magnolia tree. Prayer flags are colorful, rectangular pieces of fabric, often strung together, and are used in Tibetan Buddhism to convey prayers and blessings to the world. They are typically printed with mantras, prayers, and symbolic images and come in five colors representing the elements: blue (sky), white (air), red (fire), green (water), and yellow (earth). They are believed to carry prayers and blessings on the wind, spreading them to all beings and benefiting the environment. Traditional disposal involves burning them to carry the blessings to the heavens.
I started making them as part of the wind shamanism I was studying with Renee Baribeau. Although I draw my wind guides for each month in February, I am amazed each month that the wind I drew for that month is so on target with guidance. When I make the flags, I review the powers of each wind (see WINDS OF SPIRIT by Renee Baribeau) and draw symbols of that power on each flag to bring it into my life and into the world. I trust that each wind has exactly the guidance I will need at the time I need it.
You can make prayer flags with any theme that you want to manifest in your life or blessing you want to give to the world in the coming year. It is a creative way to manifest your intention, your trust, and your gratitude. TRUST AND GRATITUDE—you can’t go wrong with those as a beginning. The whole process of making the flags is a ritual that begins for me at the spring equinox in March and goes through a year until the next February. It’s not too late to make your own prayer flags—what do you have to be grateful for? What would you like to see in your life this year?
SPIRITDOGTRAINING.COM
My best friend, Rachel, just got a new dog member of the family, Hazel. Hazel is a beautiful soul, but a bit reactive. When Rachel found SpiritDog Training online, she and her husband were curious, never having done online training before. They watched the videos and followed the suggestions for training. Hazel began responding really well!
When Rachel told me how good the program was, I had to look. I ended up buying both the reactive program and the regular training program so I could have the resource for my clients’ information. It is really good. I’m using it to engage Stitch—he’s the opposite of reactive.
From the organization itself, here’s what they want you to know. SpiritDog Training is an online dog training resource that offers positive and effective dog training courses accessible anytime, anywhere. Their programs cater to dogs of all ages and training levels, addressing common behavior challenges. With a focus on step-by-step, science-based methods, SpiritDog Training empowers owners to become their dog's best trainer, fostering better relationships and lasting results.
I found them affordable, creative and effective. I think you will, too.
JUST FOR YOU
Spring is a time to think about getting outdoors with a stripped down version of ourselves—winter coats off, heavy sweaters off, shorts on, tank tops and short sleeves on. How many times have you done this, looking at your body and saying “I don’t like what I see! Gut too big, flab everywhere, pasty white or dull darker skin that hasn’t seen daylight in awhile, weak muscles and I need to lose 10 pounds (or more).”
If your body was a friend you were telling this to, how do you think they might feel on hearing it? You’re right—they’d feel really bad! Guess what? When you judge your physical body, it DOES feel badly. Research has shown that positive statements helped to heal persons with chronic illness or physical dysfunction. I’ve had my share of bumps and bruises—no decent horse person hasn’t. When I find the point of gratitude, I heal amazingly well and quickly, astounding doctors and surgeons with my healing timelines, even in my 70’s.
In shamanism, each one of our body parts has a soul of its own. Just think, if we respected our body and its components, if we made friends with them, if we supported them and did some positive acknowledgment of the gifts they give us every day—“thank you for still being ALIVE”—how would they feel? If we made them laugh or filled them with joy, how would that feel?
A good first step toward reclaiming your body is the following body prayer that I have taught to many people who have suffered abuse and are dissociated, and it works for everyone. Say it aloud 6-7 times or more, and say it like you mean it. Feel it in your body. You will notice a subtle shift to feeling whole, connected and good. I say it as a mantra when I walk, so I might be repeating it for 1/2 hour or more. Choose to say either ‘womb’ (a powerful statement for women) or ‘heart’. You may choose to have a sentence for both. The important part is that you FEEL it in your body as you say it. Enjoy.
THIS IS MY BODY
THESE ARE MY BONES
THIS IS MY BLOOD
THIS IS MY WOMB/HEART
THESE ARE MY WOUNDS
THIS IS MY TEMPLETHE BOOKSHELF
THE BOOKSHELF
DRUMMING THE SOUL AWAKE by Jaime Meyer
Jaime Meyer is a shamanic practitioner and teacher of Celtic shamanism. He is the president of the board of directors for the Society for Shamanic Practice (SSP) and has written books and articles on shamanism. I personally love the seasonal ceremonies he offers through the SSP—the man’s laugh is infectious. He also was ordained by the United Seminary of the Twin Cities and worked in theater as a playwright, director and street performer. His eclectic background is reflected in his writing form and is as entertaining as it is profound.
I loved this book. I think I read the whole thing in less than a week. It is funny, irreverant and sacred all at the same time. His humor leads the reader in a subtle shift to shamanic wisdom, connected with the natural world and gently forgiving and compassionate toward human nature as it is. I enjoyed the surprises in text, the poetry much of which he wrote, and the casual, conversational tone of his writing. The last chapter brings everything together in a play script, which can be performed, and has been in many cities.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.
Upcoming Classes
Find full descriptions and costs of the classes and events on the website - https://JudyRamsey.net. Registrations are on the website. Please note: “Repeat Student” means that you have already taken a particular class once. If repeating a class, you will be eligible for reduced tuition in most cases. Once registered, a Zoom invitation will be sent to register to receive the meeting link. If you want to attend a journey circle, please contact Judy at info@judyramsey.net. Journey circles are held the first and third Thursday of each month. All classes and journey circles are recorded for your convenience. All class times listed are eastern time.
MAY 1 & 15, 2025
Journey Circle—Journey circle meets on the first and third Thursday of each month, exploring themes that support your inner work. Your first circle is free. Pre-requisite: shamanic journeying skills.
Held online via ZOOM
$25 per session or $40 per month
7pm-8:30pm est
Contact Judy for registration and payment.
MAY 3-4, 2025
Ancestors: The Power Within—Ancestors can be powerful allies in your practice, and healing our ancestral lines can help us heal ourselves and our families. Deepen your connection with the grandmothers and grandfathers in ceremony, in initiation and in the shamanic journey. Prerequisite: basic journeying skills.
Held online via ZOOM
$200 per person, $100 for repeating students
9am-4pm each day est
MAY 6-JULY 1, 2025
Shamanic Healing for Animals I—Explore unique perspectives for animal healing that draw upon core shamanic practices. Students will develop a toolkit of techniques within a supportive, interactive, and experiential learning framework of instruction from a professional animal communicator who also practices shamanism. Prerequisite: journeying basics. Knowledge of animal communication not necessary.
The class is taught via ZOOM
$425 per person, $225 for repeating students
Tuesdays for 9 weeks
7pm-9pm est
MAY 31, 2025
Shamanic Gardening—From vision to harvest, take steps to manifest your life dreams and goals through shamanic gardening. Learn how to work with blocks and challenges so that everything contributes to your growth and synchronizes with your own pace and flow. Prerequisite: journeying basics.
The class is taught via ZOOM
$150 per person, $75 for repeating students
9am-4pm est
JUNE 21-22, 2025
Basic Shamanic Journeying— The shamanic journey is an easy and powerful tool we can use to access spiritual information. In this class you will meet and begin to develop a relationship with a compassionate spirit or power animal who is coming forward to help you at this time in your life. You will learn techniques to help you develop a self-directed practice of empowerment, allowing you to move safely, intentionally through the world in a balanced way.This class is a prerequisite to ongoing and more advanced shamanic studies.
The class will be taught online via ZOOM.
$160 per person, $80 for repeating students
9am-3pm each day (consideration will be made for west coast students with starting time at 10am-4pm)