The Tree Of Life And Allies

By Author: Robert Bruce Baird
Total Articles: 190
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There are names in many languages and cultures or even within each culture, separate cults with different names for 'forces of nature'. Allies, guides, elementals, fairies, elves, gnomes, leprechauns and so the list would grow into the thousands. How many different dimensions or M-branes we might interact with at some level of our 'cosmic soup' is part of the question? There are different ways to access and varied levels or degrees of access. Not all are reliably replicable by the same techniques. Some element of consciousness exists in these ethereal forces which chooses not to communicate according to factors beyond the control of the soul or human who wishes such contact. Certain times are more propitious for such contact according to most beliefs that seek to relate with these forces. The differing brain wavelengths of people make separate variations of ritualistic methods necessary. A medium, sensitive, or psychic will have their own biorhythm to control and 'center' or 'fix' if they want to commune with any of these endless variations of force. At one level or dimension a force might appear a certain way but it too may ...
... be impacted by forces from another dimension. The shamanic 'Tree of Yggdrasil' has similar ethnic relatives such as the Hebraic 'Tree of Life' and though this universal 'tree' is more than the simple primary forces that constitute 'allies' it is necessary perhaps to know a lot more in order to see the nature of forces in general. We have the words of a 'practical guide' that uses few ritualistic or cultish prerogatives to guide us a little in this trek beyond the world we see that seems so important.

"According to some shamanic traditions of the northern peoples, the Upper, Middle and Lower 'worlds' comprised nine realms of existence and these could be indicated on the Tree of Yggdrasil.

At the top of the vertical column was a 'heavenly' realm, sometimes called Asgard, where celestial beings existed. Below it was the 'Place of Enlightenment' - the realm of the Mind, the Abode of Thought, and the fertile birthplace of Ideas. In the middle was the realm of material manifestation which was conditioned by Time, the Home of the personality self and of ego-consciousness {With conditioning galore and little ease of escape to find the essence of other more inclusive 'realities'.}. Below was a subterranean realm, related to subconscious activity, where shapes were formed from thought patterns

{N.B.-creativity and hallucination are closely connected. Right Thought or integrating the purpose of the creator with the created is part of the dynamic.} In the matter of using the primary forces with their North, South, East and West locations and Wind, Fire, Water, Earth expressions we must remember our perceptual starting point may limit these forces ability to allow their conscious reality to meld with our INTENT! Nothing is more important than intent to a practitioner of what has been known as 'black arts' to those who priests sought to keep ignorant of their own use thereof.}.

At the base of the column was a realm of inertia - the Place of Potential. It was sometimes referred to as 'Hel' - a Germanic word meaning 'covering', because it covered the deepest areas of the unconscious. It had none of the associations attributed to the fiery 'Hell' of the myths of later religions. {Plagiarizers and ridiculing epithet hurlers.}

On the horizontal plane were other aspects of being and of experience, which similarly formed part of the 'hidden' knowledge of the shamans.

The Runic shamans of the ancient northern peoples acquired 'hidden' {Trans. 'occult'} knowledge by the use of angular symbols (Runes) which could easily be carved on wood or chiselled into stone. Contrary to modern belief (based on the conjecture of some anthropologists), Runes were not simply a secret code whose characters were used as substitutes for letters of the common alphabet. It is likely that the majority of Runic shamans could not read or write their own language, or Latin, which became the language of the scholar after the Roman influence. Runes actually represented patterns of manifestation and the laws responsible for shaping forms {N.B.AGAIN!} into which energies could find expression. They were - and are - symbols of a Cosmic language, and are valid on all levels of existence.

In the Runic 'alphabet', known as the Elder Futhark because it is considered the oldest of known Runic systems {Divinatory systems have been around since man first thought. The sticks of the I Ching and the black and white painted sides of coconut shells used by 'Orisha' worshippers such as voudou and Santeria, are probably far older than any European hominid, and certainly any white man.} and because the word 'f- u-th-a-r-k' is made up of its first six characters, there are twenty-four Runes. There are also just twenty-four possible paths between the nine realms indicated on the Tree of Yggdrasil. So the Runes can serve also as 'travel permits', enabling the Runic shaman to explore Inner Space, and as 'passports' to these other realms of existence within the Cosmic Web.

Shamans of Britain and Northern Europe were thus aware that the Cosmos functions at different levels of existence, and that these broadly correspond to various aspects of the mind. Such a concept was fairly widespread among indigenous peoples, and can be seen represented on certain tribal artefacts, such as the totem poles of the red-skinned Indians of western North America {Actually not red-skinned but'-the use of ochre as a spiritual protection among the Beothuk of Labrador led Europeans to ridicule all Indians in this manner. The same can be said for how the Kelts were portrayed as tattooed 'savages' by Caesar.} and the brown-skinned Maoris of New Zealand, {Who with British help in the 19th century wiped out the last Kelts on the Chatham Islands.} or the specially carved crystal wands used by some American Indian shamans. {The sceptres of European royalty and popery.} These artefacts often depicted three principal 'spirits' on top of one another, supported by an animal-like figure at the bottom. On a totem pole the top figure usually had wings to suggest an ability to travel far and wide. These figures could be used to symbolize aspects of the human being, of principal levels of awareness, and of conscious, subconscious, superconscious and even unconscious aspects of the mind.

Although these various states of the mind were not recognized by modern psychology until the end of the nineteenth century, shamans had personified them as 'spirits' {Or aspects.} for hundreds of years. Kahuna shamans of Hawaii (once part of a mighty prehistoric continent called Mu, which disappeared under the Pacific Ocean during an ecological disaster when the Earth was pulled into a new and slightly longer orbit of the Sun) likened the subconscious to a 'hidden' spirit within the human entity which although it was not able to talk, experienced emotion and secretly and silently served the consciousness of the individual to whom it was attached. (4)

There are many flaws in the argument or assertions about the lost continent or continental polar shift and ecologic or cataclysmic events. We shall deal with them later but at this juncture it is worth noting that the Mungo Man and other evidences of great antiquity to support Churchward's theories of Mu have been proven archaeologically. He does an excellent job of deciphering the totem poles of the Haida nation in his book 'The Lost Continent of Mu and I have found a stele at Chichen Itza that supports his Greek to Cara-Maya story of the destruction of Mu. There are many statues and artistic works in the area to support it as well as other esoteric symbols on the stele. My efforts almost landed me in a Mexican prison with no 'rights' as a Canadian or American resident. The author of this particular piece is right to focus on Hawaii and he might be amazed to know that the highest 'northern' (Hyperborean according to ancient Greek scholars) shamans, or the Druids have their most adept members in Hawaii. This was from a credible source, I trust. So just because he tried to make sense of the facts and made many mistakes does not diminish my respect for the passion and courage of Col. James Churchward. He tried to give mankind a truer picture of his roots and cultural footing. We must try to establish what relevance our past immoral behavior has for people of the future.

"The inspirational and creative level of the mind which operated at a higher state of consciousness was recognized as the province of a 'higher spirit' - a 'High' Self - which was immortal and which motivated the individual towards spiritual aspirations and noble deeds. It was considered to guide and inspire the 'human' self, for it had divine-like qualities...

Among shamans of northern traditions, however, was an oral teaching {The Bardic Tradition of the Bairds by which my genes do instruct.} that recognized a fourth intelligence - an instinctive and automative one which controlled and maintained the physical body, and which was responsible for its protection and survival. This intelligence operated at deep levels of unconscious activity {Partially, perhaps, the 'history book' of our genes according to Dr. Collins the head of the Human Genome Project.} and was likened to an animal spirit because its action seemed largely instinctive. Since it normally disappeared when the human being suffered death it was not regarded in the same way as the other 'spirits'...

Each technique has been effective within its own culture, but has derived from an earlier universal system of prehistory. By recognizing the parallels and integrating the principles into a single harmonic system in the spirit of the travelling shamans. I hope not only to get closer to the original system, but also to provide modern people with a clear path to the Cosmos of the shaman, thus securing a firm foundation from which Inner Space may be explored and the benefits shared.

Travelling shamans who went beyond the limitations of their own tribal customs recognized that no single group possessed all Truth {Thus the Kelts were into 'Brotherhood' rather than racial purity or ethnic ascendancy.}, and so journeyed from tribe to tribe and place to place seeking knowledge, gaining new insights, weaving what they learned into what they already knew, and imparting wisdom." (5)

It is good to see that there are many people in every age who see that Inner Space and travel offer much insight. Despite the prevailing attitudes of the last 5,000 years that have sought to homogenize, enslave or create class hierarchies, and manage us for their benefit, the shaman's road has borne wondrous fruit. In recent times the quantum (once derided as 'atom-mysticists') physicists and people like Lovelock, Campbell, Chopra etc., are our adept cells. The past had the De Danaan or their 'brothers' of the race of hominids we have just found near Lake Mungo.

The Pre Ragnarok Viking Gods.

This section was inspired by Erik Linklater and the legends of the Orkney Islands, guided by Thor, and tested in meditation. It contains no material of German origin. Written 1989.

The Sagas were written by shamans and other leaders to define the social, spiritual and psychic objectives of the race. Where an image produced inspires Man and is acceptable to spirit guides, then those spirit guides will use the image as an interface and bring it to life, thus creating an archetypal God. The fossilised Gods of monotheism on the other hand are just political, mental or psychic control mechanisms stuck in time until dismantled. Spirit guides do not have a brain and need you to do their thinking and meditation for them. If one serves the Gods, then they will serve you. There are no free lunches. (Note written February 2000.)

When man can generate enough energy and responsibility for his actions, he will no longer need God or Gods. Until such time he needs a first rate energy source. The Viking Gods provide a first class source of energy, suitable for propelling man through enlightenment (as in Zen). They will help conquer the Zodiac and the Akashic Elements (Fire, Air, Water and Earth), and other Frost Giants of emotion. (6)

These wise people were often called 'messengers' among the natives of North America and 'gods' among lesser ethnic groups who sought to create Olympians or other gods they could interpret for. When the last Mungo Man went to whatever planet or end they sought, we do not know. Was it when the genetic viruses took all the large animals like Mammoths and saber cats? No, because there were still mammoths on Wrangle Island 4,000 years ago. I don't think the more advanced humans of the Mungo strain would have allowed US to do what we've done to our native 'brothers' and our own mothers and sisters. Perhaps I'm a dreamer or an idealist, maybe I'm like Heraclitus of Ephesus who shunned his position and power for the pursuit of some ludicrous and intangible 'knowledge'. Maybe I'm an extreme individual and 'neurotic' or just a naive cultist of some kind. I've been called many different names or labeled a witch, agnostic, atheist, alchemist, and other things I probably am, as well. It would be difficult to put me alongside many others in a pursuit because I value and respect so many different people and approaches. Krishnamurti (sans Theosophists), Yogananda before he reached out to normative religion and even as the ecumenicist, Jung and the philosophers of 'cell diffusion' like Campbell. I hope you put me alongside these people or simply with those who wore my name so proudly in pre-Christian times - BAIRDS! These are my ancestral 'allies' or 'guides'.

About the Author Author of Diverse Druids
Columnist for The ES Press Magazine
World-Mysteries.com guest writer