Mary Novak
PathoftheDreamer
@gmail.com
Middle West, US

“When my own hands were free from all cuts, it was then I could handle poison wisely.”

Welcome to my website, I am a Black Jaguar Shamanka and in my collective work I am a Death Shaman. Out of respect to all world indigenous elders I have only been initiated by the Consciousness of Mother Earth, Spirit, Animals and Avian, Animal and Avian Spirit and the great teachers of all teachings on earth in both the dreaming fields and those who have pushed through to visit me in this world. I have studied and practiced all but belong to none and so too my apprentices.

In my work as a DreamKeeper I dream with the wisest of elders who dream and prepare the children of paradise's return to the great Mother, the Divine Mother and the Primordial Grandmother's return. We come from all nations, gender and colors from our own inner unity of healing and our message is through the action of our dreaming. We are the negotiators through vision between the worlds, independent of belief systems that were and are based in separation, illusion and fear. Because of our insight and compassion we resonate with all beliefs core truth and connect with each other through sharing and peace.

I walk three paths: My collective work for shifts beginning 2013 to 2026 and with my apprentice dreamkeepers; Second, is my work with individuals in dream circles, group shamanic visions, soul retrievals, seer and clairvoyant work; and third always being mindful and practicing being healthy, grounded, respecting my family, and being a woman who dreams well. I was born into this beautiful world to experience the Shamans eight death and rebirths and to train the female apprentices for the future.

I am completed in my initiations that began in 1987 and finished last year with one full year of rest. I now teach FEMALE DreamKeepers of the DreamKeeping Mysteries: Visionary DreamKeepers; Warrior DreamKeepers, Oracle DreamKeepers ; Astral DreamKeepers and Animal Spirit DreamKeepers.

All the articles with no name are mine and the rest are from those who I value their sharing.

The Living Insights Center, 7:00 - 9:00 pm, Donation: $20:
I have very high ethics and responsiblity around Dreamkeeping for my dreaming does not solely belong to me but humanity as well. Please join in our dream circle every second Friday of the month, along with my Apprentices, to bring a disciplined practice of Dreaming into a Circle with Intention. We sharing personal healing, dreams, dream practices, lucidity, world dreaming symbolism from every teaching, dream awareness, astral travel, dream walking all through healing the self. I have lead Sacred Moon Circles working with the 28 day lunar cycle with the depth of the "Art of Intention." This internal practice focuses and aligns with the 28 Day Cycle of the Moon for greater internal awareness. It is an open circle, just bring an Intention and a Dream. For Directions call the center at 314-721-4455

2 Day Rattle Workshop 10 - 2 pm with
Drum Maker and Musician John MacEnulty and
Shaman DreamKeeper Mary Novak
$55 RSVP Place: Apprentice Kathy's House
RSVP John at 314-664-1400

Come join the group, as we discover the art of Rattles and Spirit Rattles. Rattles dispel dis-ease in any form and element, some use them in ritual and celebration to build energy in spaces. Some use them to clear space from negative spirits or negative energy and still, some use it clear their healing or personal spaces from thoughts and previous action. Rattle is power in a sound form and is empowerment, inside the Rattle made from your own hands are the sacred intention for its power as an extension of the self.

In this workshop, we will discover the significance of Rattles, as well as respect for Rattle and its uses. You will then create and birth your own Sacred Rattle charged with your energy. Your personal prayers and intent will give it life. You will select the elements of your Rattle honoring all or one of the Spirit directions. The body of Rattle is made of animal hide and bringing us together with the spirit totems. The handle is made of wood, touching us to the Tree People. The contents include sacred plants (corn, tobacco, and rice), crystal chips, sea shells, sea salt, glass, beads, etc... Please bring anything you may want to include in your Rattle or share with others. Each Rattle will be made the natural way and blessed with sage and sweetgrass in ceremony and painted by you.

RATTLE: The basic Rattle is for those new upon the path. Those who wish to begin to work with medicine tools of sound with intention. The Rattle has two sides on hand stitched Animal Hide with a two-sided head, on which images can be painted, a balanced handle wrapped in good quality natural leather to give an excellent grip and feel and embellishments of items that are special to you and your path. Walking your path with inner power can be assisted by the basic Rattle which is uncomplicated and simple, holding a simple resonant sound created by adding tiny pebbles or beads or natural seeds from Nature. Though this Rattle is designed for those new on the healing and spiritual path, it could serve your purpose for a long time as your path deepens.

SPIRIT RATTLE: A primal, earth connected Shamanic Rattle for those who undertake ceremonies and rituals with Nature, those who work with beyond the Veil will seek a Spirit Rattle which carries power. Listening to the voices of Spirit or the Spirits of Mother Earth, speaking to them when you use a Spirit Rattle. Depending upon the depth and spirals of your own healing journey, it will be mirrored in strength that reflects equally your own. A two sided, hand sewn Animal Hide, the head of these ancient styles are the shapes of Journey Animals of Ocean, Land or Air. Depending upon what you are working with, to Ground [Land], to learn from Spirit [Air] or to delve into Mother Earth [Land] and heal, this Rattle surmounts you searching a special piece of wild wood with a particular, evocative shape that you are called to carry. These Rattles inspire and carry the wild power of the land, air or water and also reflect Avian [Air], Animals [Land] or Water [Ocean] which includes Water Image Patterns, Dragons or Mythical Imagery]. They often have feathers or aspect of some animal totem hanging on the stick. A Spirit Rattle has feathers attached to the handle and partially covering one face of the head, and so it is only possible to decorate the other face. Find or gather or ask the Avian to bring you feathers specifically for your Rattle. Spirit can guide you to whatever feathers you need. What you put inside the head ensures that the sound from this Rattle is strong and clears around your energy space, and can be filled with small flint pebbles, tiny river pebbles, mixed with healing stones from local sources and helps spirit voices speak through your Rattle. Animal hide with stitching so it is durable, holds image and strength.

DREAM SERPENT RATTLE: Serpents are linked with Feminine Wisdom and Power and are the oldest Rattles connected with the Neolithic Grandmothers or Great Goddess Medicines of Primal Cave Dreamers. For those whose path is Rainbow [Many Traditions] the Wisdom Serpent represents the power of nurturing, of healing yourself, of love and unity of both your male or female sides into wholeness. Asking Spirit or your Higher Self to show you Sacred Images to paint on your Rattle is suggested before the workshop in which you Dream with your Rattle before it is manifested. Serpent Imagery painted on the handle is to represent your Life Force Energy connected to the Earth [Grounded-ness] and the Spirit of Life on Earth and also to Dream with Sacred Souls who have similar paths at the collective level. Rattle handles also should be decorated with Spirals, Images of Serpents or any Night Symbolism.

MEDICINE RATTLE: For those who are working on a healing journey and atonement or work with the world Indigenous or Native American Medicine Wheel, creating a Rattle to mirror your own personal journey of healing is the foundation of a Medicine Rattle. It is directly inspired by the Native Plains such as the Cheyenne, Cherokee and Mohican. Medicine Wheel colors of Red, Yellow, Black and / or White and the Images of your personal Totem Animals or Spirit Animals such as the Wolf, Hawk, Raven, Eagle, Buffalo, Bear, Owl, Vulture, Jaguar, Cougar or Cave Human Spirit forms are brought into Image as you work with the specific Medicines of Clearing, Boundaries, Dispelling negative Emotion such as Anger, Jealousy, Envy, Control, etc. putting the intention to clear those in the Rattle.

The Visions I lead are for Medicine and personal Vision. My circles carry the Shamans power and my next journey for the group, limited to 8 will be the Summer Solstice Dream Vision Journey in June 2008. In the Tradition of Female Shamans I lead journeys according to Mother Earths natural cycles, which reflect my own cycles as a woman ....

SPRING EQUINOX and SUMMER SOLSTICE: "Middle World" Journeys
In Spring and Summer I lead journeys that are filled with a time of growth, celebration and inner abundance through our fertile imagination. There are three levels to Shamanic Journeys, the Upper World, Middle World and Lower World and each one has specific experiences and levels. The Middle World connects us to levels of the dreaming across the veil, to the dimensions of ourself and of Mother Earth, to our Guides, our Visions and abundance and fertility. Dream Journeys into the Middle world is seeing our own mirror of self in a more positive visionary way. We have two sides to us: Spirit in a material world and a Physical human in a spiritual world, visions and journeys help us connect with the duality of human experience and this is why we needed mirror reflections of our higher self such as Deities, Gods and The Goddess. As a Shaman, I keep my journeys protected, sacred, and everything you experience is perfect for you and we share in a taking circle afterwards to bring the medicine out in a open and respectful communicative way. Not everyone wishes to share, but in my circles I encourage this because this is how we connect to perspectives and perceptions in a mirrored way, through others experiences and our owns in an open manner.

FALL EQUINOX and WINTER SOLSTICE : "Underworld" Soul Retrieval Journeys
In the Fall Equinox and then the Winter Solstice there has been a two million year tradition with Grandmother journeys to the Underworld which have gone into all shamanic work. I lead Soul Retrievals where you travel to the Underworld or the Lower World of self to touch the pain or separation of our Soul, of your past in your emotional body this lifetime and in the collective Soul to reclaim that which you have lost. These journeys are more intense and touching than the Middle World, and everything in the journey is a reflection of you, even if it is your shadow. Many shamans fear the female shadow self within and do not go to the depths in which a female shaman can because she is an emotional feeling being at deep levels. Those who are not ready to let go of the Mind, find journeying like this difficult at first. Those who suffer from Nightmares will generally have to do some pre-work on personal shadow issues that are unconscious with healers first to loosen the unconscious of the wounded self. Soul Retrievals are for healing deep personal issues and re=connected to the waking dream bringing their own medicine back. I am different than male shamans, I do not do the work for you, I believe at the depths of my Soul, that those who come to my circles HAVE THE Power to find their medicine in the vision and I encourage that. The only difficultly is symbolism of what appears, if you experience it without a feeling sensations its more of a mind journey than a soul journey. But we all must start somewhere. The Emotional Body or Soul speaks a different language than the Mind and it is non-rational and non-ordinary, so the symbolism of dreamtime must be felt through to understand your inner wisdom coming forth. I do retrievals for the very young to the very old soul.

UPPER WORLD:
I do not lead journeys to the Upper World unless its a specific Global Collective Work Journey with advanced healers and advanced dreamers who have done their intense shadow work, because it opens too many gates that are not accessible unless one has at least 8 years of underworld soul retrievals or dedicated practices of healing that is daily.

SAT JUNE 21 - SHAMANIC DREAM JOURNEY
SUMMER SOLSTICE 7 - 10 PM The Living Insights
Center Max 8, RSVP ONLY: 314-721-4455 $50
Bring your favorite blanket and pillow and
a personal vision intention to share with the
group before we start the Journey

This past Moon, beginning of March 2008, I dream walked and was shown a primal cave "Feather Dream Shield" for women DreamKeepers. Please do let me know if you are interested in this workshop, we are working out the details now.