No infrared or full spectrum cameras, no voice recorders or ghost detection devices... this is just a true, present day story of the original and still existing paranormal, testimony of which is kept alive in passed down indigenous traditions, without distortion of the drama for effect of today's paranormal reality TV shows. Many paranormal investigators have made themselves too far removed from these forgotten old ways, attracted by the lure of sensationalism of today where a quasi-reality has been created to substantiate their evidence claims.
This picture is real and was taken from a Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, U.S.A. ceremony. Details of this account are also truth with no exaggerations.
When talking about the paranormal, such indigenous locations are ripe with spirit activity. By this I mean "real" spirit activity and not the baloney you see on paranormal TV shows (no equipment needed)! Nearby in this area is the San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church, built between 1772-1816. My friend, whose name I will not use to protect his privacy, is practiced in Chitimacha medicine and sensitive to spirit energies, encountered activity of negative spirit natures in just a short visit there before attending the fire ceremony. Increasingly feeling like an outsider, he became oppressed by an entity to the point of it physically touching his chest like that of a hand preventing him to proceed further inside the church, and to the point of feeling it was acting beyond his flesh and bone, touching his soul as well. He paid heed, backed out and immediately his 'helpers,' told him to go get holy water. He went over to a nearby shop on the grounds and following his spirit guides' urging, purchased some holy water. Believing in the power of faith regardless of type of religion, he applied the holy water to himself. I will pause this story to enlighten those not familiar with a fire ceremony.
By common definition: A fire ceremony is a powerful indigenous traditional medicine practice used to release unwanted energies and attachments from the past and make space for new intentions and can be open to the general public. By releasing these old patterns and beliefs into the fire, you heal deeply at the level of the soul without having to experience them at the literal and physical levels.
At times there have been reports of sightings of demonic-like beings appearing in the flames of these and other kinds of fires. The cover picture for this article contains such an appearance. Is it really a demonic figure and if so, what is the intended message? Could it be pareidolia? The classic patterns of pareidolia in natural systems such as clouds, smoke, and fire can be interpreted in several ways by the viewer. Because of the way our brain is wired, it attempts to recognize patterns in randomness. But, that in itself, doesn't necessarily negate the possibility of some kind of entity or energy presenting itself in this primal force of the earth.
Lets consider this isn't pareidolia but instead what is known as a fire elemental. Examine the photo of the fire closely and decide for yourself about "fire people" that can appear within. They will sometimes show themselves in the fire if proper respect is shown and allow a communication with them. As the fire lighter climbs to the top of the high pile of wood, my friend carried out one traditional way to show proper respect. At the onset of lighting of the fire, an offering of tobacco was made at the base of the wood structure, accompanied by saying, "I pay my respects and please allow us to enjoy the ceremony and allow us to leave in peace." As the structure became fully engulfed in flames, he and his friends started taking pictures. At this time, a "rez dog" (a.k.a. outdoor reservation dog that could also be stray or feral, living on Indian reservations in the U.S.) which had been noticed off to the side and doing a friendly mingling to the people in attendance there (approximately 300), suddenly started to make a 'gargle' sound, not a growl, bark or howl. It appeared to make this gargle sound in a sort of submission, simultaneously lowering its head in a downward movement, moving itself slowly away from the fire and laying down on the ground. It was not a normal behavior and was peculiar in the dog's suddenly changed, spontaneous reaction. Some around the dog started to take notice of this behavior. The dog then started to manifest a howl that almost sounded painful, yet it hadn't been touched. It then reared its head down to the ground and away from the fire. As this was happening, my friend suddenly was overcome with the immense feeling of a heavy entity, not the size of a person but like the size of a large, hot air balloon, slowly hovering there. The dog was still looking away and my friend started to sing his medicine song. He thought he was singing it loud enough only for himself to hear, but he noticed a native women off to his right about 10 feet away. She was looking at him, then looking at the dog. She elbowed her husband and they quickly left the area and never came back. Many others around him seemed oblivious to what was going on. Asking him to put a name to what he was exposed to there, his reply was "an elemental." I inquired, "the fire elemental?" He replied, "yes, because it's very, very old."
So, was there a danger here of my friend being followed home? Before departing home to go to this event, he had saged the inside and outside of his vehicle, as well as himself before arriving on Pueblo land. He states "Once you make an imprint, they know you. There is a spiritual imprint, not a physical one; something they can sense and see." Once arriving back home he also sprinkled the holy water around inside his home. Why would this man of Chitimacha medicine resort to using Christian holy water in addition to his own medicine? Asking him this question he replied that the medicines of all nations holds equal power if you believe with your heart & soul, and those are the laws the unseen cannot break.
Upon further reflection of the strangeness that occurred, he decided to speak with a Taos Pueblo member who stated some of the medicine of the Taos people is not shared with the outside world. The Taos person had a name for it but would not share that word with him. Basically, he described it as an elemental that dwells with, oversees and protects the Taos people and that was what had risen from the ceremony. It's something they combine with Catholicism and Taos practice.
Are the paranormal enthusiasts out there paying attention to that last sentence? How often have you heard of combining different faith practices as a methodology of action with the paranormal? Normally, you hear how the recommended action is exclusively reserved to a person's religious faith only. This doesn't follow the norm and in my opinion is an exciting revelation in taking strides forward in understanding and dealing with the paranormal.
Discussing the dog's behavior, he was informed, "yes, the witches show up as well. The word 'witches' was used in the context to describe "those who walk on all fours - "yee naaldlosshii" as speaking the actual name is ill advised - they are attracted to the location they are mentioned. The night following this ceremony my friend was asked about them and he paid a price for that discussion, the effects being spending a rough night with little sleep. These entities are ruthless and even though they cannot enter you physically, they can affect you, disrupt you. He had to cleanse himself and his home to regain the peace in his home. An interesting note to this is that because of my contact with him, I too had an awful night's attempt at sleep and subsequently remedied it within my own faith. When a fire ceremony is conducted, the "unseen" and the "seen" both attend but sometimes a 'Wenagii' will take over a 'four-legged.' In certain ceremonies of the Dine' (Navaho), Lakota or Sioux nations, the 'four-legged' are nowhere to be found. They cannot be around the area at all and kept at a distance away. If they do come around, they are quickly escorted out and tied away from the ceremonial area to prevent their return.
Too often, the fire elemental is accused of being 'demonic' because of its appearance. However, if you had a demon in a fire you definitely would have known it before you even viewed it in the fire or your picture of the fire. It most likely would have let you know it was there. It is way too often that we ascribe to our primal fears and quickly conclude such things to be a danger to us and something to be feared, instead of something to be respected and understood.
These elementals also work with the angels of sacred sites, as evidenced by the Taos Pueblo people. Fire Elementals or spirits guard the secrets of the transformational energy of fire. They can call us towards the light and awaken our latent spirituality as fire has the ability to purify, burn, cleanse and destroy the ‘old’ so that the ‘new’ may emerge.
- MoonJoey
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