Doctrine of Signatures
Have you ever seen a cloud in the sky that reminded you of something else? For example, one day I saw a snake rising above the canyon where we lived in Arizona. The clouds formed its head and part of its neck and truly looked like one of our rattlesnakes around the desert area where we lived at the time.
The Doctrine of Signatures is an ancient concept that states that an object that appears like or resembles another object may be trying to convey a meaning or association to us through that shape. Its use in herbalism gives us examples: Bleeding-heart flowers, which resemble a heart shape, may be good for maladies of the heart, emotional or physical. We can extend this concept to our surroundings when walking the land.
When you Walk the Land, you want to be aware of the sky and the clouds. Sometimes, when everything is ‘right’, the Sky beings will reflect something to you that you need to know. It may take a shape of something that you have been thinking about. Perhaps it will reflect the energy in the area where you are at. A guardian might appear to you as a reflection in the sky. It could also be a local Deva, those invisible beings whose “job” it is to keep harmony between all beings, seen and unseen, in a given area. Maybe it is about you, personally.
If you can, always communicate to the being that you see; whether it is in the sky, a tree that looks like a familiar form, a rock, a bush, or perhaps a land formation. I always give a small handful of yellow cornmeal where I am going to sit down, and wait for permission to do so from the area: the rock, the tree, etc. When I do sit, I want to be in a quiet, contemplative state of emotions. I ask the guardian to come to me, if there is one in the area. If no guardian comes forth to respond, I may ask the Sky spirits to bring me the message. If I see something in or on the water, I ask a Water spirit to come to me and speak to me. If it is of the earth, a tree, a rock, or a land formation that resembles something, then I will speak with that spirit and ask for the message it brings to me. Meditate and open your heart up to the area to communicate with that being.
Photograph it and write where you found it, or it happened to you, the time, date, and place. Keep good notes.
In this first image, we can see a bird in the sky with beautiful, high white cirrus clouds. Does it look like a dove? A hawk? An eagle? What does this bird mean to you? If you have a camera or cell phone on you, be sure to take a photo of it. That should go into your notes/photos on this particular land area you are walking upon.
Generally, when I see a bird in the sky, I sense that there is a MESSAGE coming in for me. Native Americans believe a bird is a messenger. It signals there is something you need to know. If I saw this in the sky, I would stop, take off my pack, sit down with a tree who gave me permission to do so, ground myself, close my eyes, and stay ‘open’ to whatever or whomever wants to give me the message.
Look closely at the profile of Grandmother Bell Rock. She is a very famous butte, and there is also a vortex where she sits. If you look at the profile at the top of the butte, do you see the Native American’s face in profile? His hair and forehead are on your left, his hawk-like nose in the center, followed by his open mouth singing, then his chin, and finally his neck. It took me 25 years of viewing this wonderful vortex and butte to see the Singer at the top of it! He is singing the energy of the vortex, and it is being absorbed into not only our third dimension, but multi-dimensions we cannot see with our two eyes. Some people have reported hearing him singing. I have not, but I can see the energy of the song leaving his lips. In this case, where you see him singing, it is a sign that the vortex is about music. And indeed, Gram Bell loves people to sing their song(s). She loves the drum or the flute being played, or people dancing with the energy of Her. She is a greatly loved butte by the people and Native Americans in the area because she has healed many people who have come to her and asked for her help.
I’ve deliberately set this horizon shot vertically instead of horizontally because I want you to see the Cloud spirit which is facing downward toward Mother Earth. This is a beautiful photo indeed, a great example of what they can look like. When working with this spirit, I would give a gift of cornmeal and mentally ask the cloud spirit if it would communicate with me. Does it have a message for me? If so, can he or she share it? If yes, I would sit down, ground myself, close my eyes, and open my heart to it. You may see a color, a shape, you may hear him or her speak to you. Ask at the end of your time with the cloud spirit if there is anything you can do for him or her? Leave a gift of cornmeal after writing down your experience and communication in your notebook. Take another photo of the cloud spirit AFTER you have come out of your meditative state. You may find its shape has changed.
Here is a tree that has fallen over and broken up over a long period of time. What do you see here? I see a green dragon with her mouth open, horns on top of her head, and her thick, muscular neck. I would give a gift of cornmeal and ask permission to sit with this tree dragon. Dragons are VERY picky about who they communicate with. If I’m allowed to work with her, I would ask her to tell me whatever she’d like me to know. I would also ask her if there’s anything I can do to help her. If she says yes, then I will try to do it for her. Then, before I leave, I thank the tree dragon and give a second gift of cornmeal. Trees often take shapes we’re familiar with, and they take on the ENERGY of their shapes. In this case, it is green dragon energy. If you love dragons, then chances are you may see one in the clouds or taking on the guise of a tree. Make no mistake, a dragon spirit is IN that cloud or tree or wherever you find it. Dragons refuse to work with most humans, but may work with very heart-centered, humble people. If you get this chance? Take it!
When Walking the Land, always be alert. See what you can see. Take photos. Give a gift of cornmeal. Ask for the message, the communication. Always write it down in your journal right away after you come out of your meditation or you may forget it. Remember to ask: What can I do for you? And leave a second gift of cornmeal before you depart, thanking that being from the bottom of your heart.
