HOMO LUMINOUS! Slowing down to shine...........

~  The Pinion Pine Dieta ~ Tew-wåp ~

Piñon Pine  is our next glorious dieta exploration into the personal teachings of the plants and trees of our local environ.  This dieta was called out over a year ago by my brother Michael Larson who has had "Big Daddy Pine" as a guardian plant for years in his shamanic journey.  Thank you Shaman Michael for this invitation. It is our extreme honor to be starting this dieta with so  much gratitude to you.

Before you read further here is an important reminder: the plant dieta fuses the wisdom of the plants as teachers and guides into our own energetic systems, transforming us body mind and spirit, strengthening us energetically for service, purifying, refining and perfecting our own personal structure. This dieta is defined to grow within us like the plant itself lives inside us, to expand, amplify and illumine in the wisdom and teachings of truth so that we can access them in our everyday life.

Just as it was with our exquisite Osha dieta #1, which was a diet of love and connection, here we are again exploring a dieta with a previously undieted plant.  Our #2 diet, (which is not for everyone) brought the excellence, strictness, purification of thought and honesty of the Ajos, a known protective tincture of the Mestizo Amazonian shamanic tradition.  And now, our diet #3 of Pinion or Tew-wap is to be another new discovery in alchemical experience and expansion.  This dieta is turning us180 degrees the other direction about many old belief structures we've had, even good ones.  It contains within it,  a bright vibrant invitation to SLOW down, to rest in ease to find the magic in what moves slowly and is grown to last, to survive harshness with dignity and respect to alchemise what has been abused into the wisdom to tend and care for ourselves and our planet, Pachamama, Madre Tierra Gaia Sophia..

This dieta will amplify and potentize the experience in our lives making us more emotionally intelligent, receptive sentient beings. Our native Ute ancestors seem to be very excited about this work we are doing (from dreams and visions) The powerful and resilient reality of this clear tree spirit who is to be our next teacher, is downloading profound and brilliant realisations many of which seem counter intuitive to our old ways of thinking.  The information will translate beautifully into every day life.  New tools and paradigms to live by. Illumination.

If you haven't already, please read everything on the blog: 

 "What is a Shamanic Dieta" at: http://dietamama.blogspot.com/2013_01_01_archive.html'

Remember please before you continue further that  the time of dieting is to be a time when one treats oneself in the same manner as if getting well.  Lots of intentional rest, lots of meditation time, little stimulation, lots of slowing down, letting go of the hard old rigid outdated stories which loop in our heads.  Facing fear with confidence that fear itself can be alchemised to become an ally, allowing a space for vulnerability and moving towards it instead of medicating with activity, food, sex alcohol, drugs, talking, working etc.  

The Nature of the Pinon (Tew-wåp in the Ute language):

The natives of the southwest have a rich tradition of relationship with the piñon pine.
 which is quite pervasive around the whole southwest.  Juniper trees, are often found side by side with Pinon,and are mythologically related as
 sister trees by some native peoples.

Nature and Medicinal Qualities of the Pinion

The Pinon is an elegant, strong tree which thrives in harsh conditions, with deep roots which, even in the desert find the groundwater and sustenance to survive and thrive.  It  has been a fundamental part of sustaining life for human beings in many ways.  We burn it for heat, use it to build.  Much of the tree is used medicinally and as a food source.  The pine nuts in particular, given their high fat and protein content were, and still are invaluable for survival here.

 Medicinally, the needles and the inner bark have been used for their anti-inflammatory, and anti-parasitic properties.  The resin or pitch has been used topically for a wide range of skin irritations and for wound healing, it is an excellent sunscreen and makes delicious candy. It is resilient, beautiful with a perfume in every part of it so intoxicating, just to smell it is medicine and creates an altered state. It is an evergreen,food, shelter, fire producer, used to celebrate Christmas and the Solstice, a gift to the earth spirits as an incense in ancient tradition. In exploring the spirit of the Pinon, it has come strongly to our attention that it has a much wider range of medicinal uses that are not so well known or have been, for the most part, lost for a while in the cultural clash between the native populations and the Europeans after the white man came to North America.



Known Spiritual Uses of Pinion

The spiritual uses of this powerful tree include being used for energetic smudging,  energetic cleansing and purification using the smoke from burning the sap, it is used as an incense, as a gift and offering to the benevolent nature spirits, guardians and ancestors and is known to be effective in exorcising demonic spirits.  Because the shamanic dieta is not a North American tradition, our experience dieting it will be entirely new. We are clear the spirit of this tree is powerful, strong,  protective, straight, clear, useful in waking us up to our higher sensibilities, and will work with us in developing our own spiritual, mental and emotional gifts.  Pinion, Tew-wap, a guardian, a grandfather spirit, a professor of epic proportions. 

Alchemy of Pinion Medicine

The old growth Pinion forests have been abused for the needs of man in this and other countries. As we strip the carpet of flora from the earth, disease begins to creep in to all sentient beings and living things.   As we connect with the Pinion it in it's wild nature, we will likely experience deep insights into healing and alchemising man's relationship with the plant kingdom. Our need of this plant to live,  means their natural habitat has been often taken advantage of, misused and abused.  The world of the plants have many parallels with our own existence.  We have used this tree in ways which have polluted the environment and damaged the ecosystem. The pine beatle responsible for wiping out so many evergreens is known to be a result of the climate change and pollution associated with stripping the forests and polluting the atmosphere, thus changing the climate, creating drought, weakening the trees, allowing for parasitic infestation.  The parallel here is with our human condition.  Within this diet will be much opportunity for healing for the whole, us and our relationship with the planet, the mother.  This tree will teach us of this.  Benevolence, innovative thought straightening of the mind and profound wisdom are major spirits within this teaching plant.  

Western culture does not yet fully recognize the spiritual gifts of teaching and awareness, the very beingness of the plants, trees or other aspects of the physical/nonphysical world that surround us.  This is an area where we are, as dieters and explorers, are on a journey of rediscovery and awakening.  Things learned in the diet will crystalise within our beings and reshape everything if allowed.

 In Craig's connection with the Pinon over the last couple of months (he harvested it) it has become very apparent that it wants to have a close relationship with humans and has much to teach.   Similarly, during our engagement as a community dieting  with Osha, there is a treasure trove of spiritual medicine to discover and cocreate with.  The Pinon tree is just pining   :-) for the opportunity to live in wholistic harmony with us!  Thank you for joining us on this exploration at whatever level you choose to engage.  It has become clear that we are moving beyond definition of being Homo Sapiens and now are becoming Homo Luminous. Pine and Pineal....it's no accident that the gland responsible for connecting us to higher awareness, expansive and balanced states of being is named after the Pine and shaped like a pinecone.  Amazing right?

 In our quite lengthy and glorious preparation of the plants, Jay, Craig and I were all blindingly aware of the quality of light and water working as co creative elemental spirits within this Pinion dieta. " Luminous Epinoia" came to Jay as he played sacred Pinion/Tew-Wap songs over the plants, "Luminous Epinioia" in this dieta  is,  to use the imagination in a creative and alchemical way through the plant's teaching in songs and knowings. We are directed to slow down to dream and vision in the world of the plants. This is how they teach.  It is expected and suggested we take the necessary time to listen. Give our perceptions space to amplify out of the confines and restrictions of time and percieved lack of it.   Jay received some very important information regarding how we will raise our conciousness by slowing down how we speak.  To do so is to allow the movement of conciousness,  like the sap of the pine tree, to move slowly, rich and thick.  Pine=Pineal they are indeed parallels and we suggest meditating on having our Pineal functions reset. We burn out our glands/chakras by moving too fast and then we become energetically exhausted.  We slow down to receive the necessary time with the plant medicine, we rest for our journey (thank you Dan of Intentionalresting.com).  Healthy pineal means healthy upper chakras, healthy mind, clarity, good feeling alive.

The Pinion medicine spirits showed us (Craig, Jay and Kellee as we sang and listened watched and learned) what Craig called a "Prana Tube" or column of white light, known to us in  the Mestizo tradition Kellee has been apprenticed in, as the "shungoini"  In this tube of white light all the chakras, energy centers, spinal cord, heart, truths are contained within. The "Prana Tube" is the channel for ascension to our higher selves.   I saw saw this "Prana Tube"  being totally illumined with the light which came shining through the pure water moving up through the deep roots of these trees. The inner bark of the tree itself is actually quite white when harvested yet when you cook it you will see that with the needles, it becomes red, almost as red as blood.   We noted that water has both an ability to easily move upwards through the tree, and yet also has a surface tension which carries the power of fluidity and buoyancy the ability to float. Jay and I shared a vision where an angel of water with enough surface tension to hold us came to start this dieta with us one early morning.  It was profound  being held by a water angel.  We pondered "surface tension" and its ability to carry  or float (cunayar in qechua and  the carrying by spirit is a shamanic practice all traditions share, to be carried by the spirits is to be moved into the dimension of love, knowledge and healing within one's journey/dieta) We were shown how the spirit of water contrasts and helps  create the thick sticky sap of the pinion (which is profuse)  In this dieta the sap draws into it, deep seated tension and stagnation which afflicts our lives.  Stagnation stops all flow of health, love and growth.  This dieta, this Maestra plant, will alchemise and make fluid that which has stagnated, the pine sap will suck into it,  toxicity and stagnant energy, pulling it from the center of the dieter so that the "Prana Tube" of your being will shine and your energies be straightened. Where before sticky energy caused stagnation, with this plant the stickiness of its sap sucks out the stagnation.  We had no idea this tree would be so generous, genius or gentle in it's teachings and we are just starting!  If you are led to this dieta, prepare to be turned the other direction in your understandings,  illumed in love, knowledge, grace and strength.  Be prepared to slow down and rest, be prepared to imagine, create, be purified and cleared of confusion.

The structure of the Pinion diet, Directions for Preparation:

How we engage Pinion will be somewhat similar to the other diets we have been done over the last year or so but there are some distinct differences so please read carefully.

Before you prepare the tincture,  first  take the pieces of the inner bark, needles, piece of pine cone and sap and smell, hold, feel them for as long as you like, get to know them, they are alive with spirits.  Connect intimately in your heart with them, you cannot do this wrong.  Their scent will tell you much about their spirits right away.  Take some of the sap to use as incense (see below), the smell is divine. Sing, drum, talk to them, put your intent into them, honor them as a welcome part of you, receive them as your teacher. If you like ritual, do a ritual with them (a suggested one is attached at the end of this) , let them tell you what they want, trust your imagination, the "Luminous Epinoia" Jay felt, allow the spirit of the plant to guide you. It may feel like you are making it up if the plant "talks" to you or you have knowings while being with the plant,  but the spirit of the plant is living.  Allow yourself to connect with it. It will help you in ways you may not yet know so open your imagination, sing and trust, don't censor. Keep a journal, sketch pad, post on the blog site to speak of your experiences, dreams and discuss them with other dieters or us please.  You cannot do it wrong. If you have nothing to sing, just speak or whisper your intent your needs, what you wish to transform, show gratitude and willingness to connect.  Be open to receiving guidance as though it is coming from your own mind.  You are fusing with the nature of the plant in this process. 

 We live in a time where the spirit of manifestation is moving according to the thoughts we think, the dreams we create from the purity of our hearts.  This dieta is defined to purify that we might allow ourselves to be the homo luminous beings, manifesting love and creation in everything, spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, material.....all are one, whole, intact proactive in co creation.  Expect this, trust,be strong in saying yes when the purging of the mind is happening. Even if you feel funky during the dieta say yes to letting go and trust.  Remember this please.

Pinion Dieta Preparation Instructions

Your dieta medicine of the raw inner bark and needles (NOT SAP) are to be made lovingly into a strong and concentrated tincture (2 cups of water simmering on very low heat till reduced down to a very fragrant red liquid, keep heat low, cook slowly for several hours, be careful pan doesn't go dry,  allow to cool, put in container and put the pieces of bark and needles in the container too as the tincture will be more potent and fragrant)

 Because the inner bark being removed afflicts the tree, Craig took the minimum necessary from the trees.   Thank you so very much Shaman Craig.  There is so much love in these plants from you!

Consume just one or two teaspoons each day for 6 days (followed by 2 more days of strict dietary restrictions without drinking the plants making a total of 8 days). You can take the tincture straight or add a few ounces of hot water to inhale the vapors which are also very good for  taking deep breaths and opening the lungs to receive freshness. You will have lots of extra tincture so please rub it in your hands and rub it over all your chakras as a cleanse,  a sacred annointing perfume, and to end each of your meditation and song times with the plant. Moisten the base of your skull with it (where the pineal gland is deep inside the brain)  After you have drunk the tincture, take a tiny pinch of sap roll it into a ball and put it in your mouth and suck on it like a candy while you meditate with the spirit of the Pinion. Allow a raw open heart,  open your throat and mouth to sing as the plants teach through sound, write, draw, record your thoughts, visions, imaginations. Flow like water, breathe, tone, lay down.  The plants will literally direct you if you listen.

 Burn the highly fragrant sap over a small burning charcoal briquette (can be bought at Dancing Crane or other stores selling resin incenses or Hookkah products) when you are drinking the tincture and meditating and any other time you like.  The resin will ruin anything it drips on so please assign a disposable plate to burn it on and be careful with clothes and furniture and know that the hot resin can burn if it touches the skin.

 The traditional time to injest the medicine is 4pm but feel free to do it before or after as your life dictates (work etc). The evening is better since usually there is more stillness in the evening. 

Everyone will receive their plant medicine at different times, so on the day and time the plants arrive, begin the dietary protocol at that time or the following day unless you've made other arrangements with us. Please be ready for this by way of having appropriate foods purchased, by having your personal life and routine organized as best you can to support this dieta integrating into your body. Remember, keep yourself to yourself as much as possible during the 8 days of the strict part of the diet and stay mindful that during the rest of the month this will be a good time to focus on yourself as much as possible. Not a good time to embark on anything too adventurous, new, demanding, stressful including time with family or relationships which challenge you. Please don't change jobs, relationships or move.  If people in your life don't understand simply say you are taking personal retreat time for your health and well being.

Recap of Dieta Instructions

6 days of drinking the tincture, burning some of the sap as an incense, meditating and listening at the same time,  and ingesting a tiny ball of sap in the mouth after drinking the tincture  
 keep strict dieta protocol around all the restrictions (see below) 

2 more days of strict dieta protocol for a total of 8

(Use all salt to swish in your mouth to break the strict part of the diet upon waking day 8)

under no circumstances should you break the diet without consulting Kellee, and salt must be used to break the diet .  As a shamanic dieter you must be accountable for keeping all restrictions unless for medical reasons. Please no taking shortcuts, it results in a very turbulent experience. The sacrifices we make are gifts that will give for the rest of our lives.  28 days is nothing! :)

20 more days of restriction from here with the no sex, pork, alcohol, refined sugars restrictions (see below) but your regular diet with salt may be resumed.  I highly recommend trying to eat clean and with alot of green during the whole time.  No refined sugars. This entire dieta can be used as a much needed early spring cleanse.

This makes a total of a full moon cycle of 28 days from start to finish

Dietary Protocol: READ CAREFULLY

Meditation and Song:

In the connection with Pinon in preparation for our diets it was stated very clearly that meditation and song or toning is an integral part of how we can ground what we are learning.  In fact, Pinon spoke that the diet would be as deep as the quality of our meditation.  These meditation sessions were to be engaged each day for the whole moon cycle.  The particular type of mediation and the duration were not so important as the quality.  In other words, 30 seconds of deep, present, mindful meditation with Pinon would be much more affective than 30 min of half hearted, distracted effort.  The how is up to you but please give yourself fully to the process. 

Strict 8 Days

Sexual Restrictions:

Total sexual abstinence is required the entire duration of the dieta in order to keep your energy pure and uncomplicated.  This will keep the teachings of the plant straight and clear. This includes self pleasuring and sex dreams. Please get in touch with Craig or Kellee if you have questions about this issue or if you break the diet.  You won't be in trouble but you will need to see us or talk to us if it happens. It is very important to not deviated from this criteria. We often realise we don't relax so well without sexual stimulation so meditate and sing, journal and create instead.  Cheating on the sex restrictions can create alot of emotional and mental turbulence. Certain spiritual definitions may allow for exception in very rare situations, this will be determined by Craig and Kellee before the fact not after.

Food Restrictions

Avoid all salt, alcohol, drugs,  vinegar, caffeine, animal fat, sweets or sugars (including all fruit but 1/2 a tart green apple a day and lemon, lemon zest is great),no red meat, dairy, strongly spiced foods for 8 days (also abstain from sex for the entire  whole moon cycle of this dieta). Foods without salt can be very disappointing to the palette at first. Be prepared to have strong emotional withdrawals from food if you are a real foody. Keeping the dieta will be worth it.  Breaking the dieta by cheating, even a little can really screw you up.  Please don't do it.  Dietary blunders you had no control of will not do you any harm.   Eggs have a little salt, grilling fish or chicken creates a slight salt flavor, organic celery and potato broth replenishes mineral salts so if you must exert physically during the dieta the broth can be made and taken in small amounts.  Lemon juice and olive oil on vegetables is delicious, toasted seeds and raw nuts in small amounts are good and add flavor (go easy on heavy foods). During these cold winter months, oatmeal, squash cooked with 1/2 chopped apple, sprinkled with nuts and baked can be warming, cooked quinoa with vegetables, boiled or grilled green plantains, will have satisfying texture though I won't fib and say food without salt is good but the more you diet, the easier it gets.. On the morning of the 8th day you will wake and swish a teaspoonful of the prepared salt in your mouth for 60 seconds, spit it out with gratitude and from this point on the strict part of the diet is over.

Protocol for Dieta Remaining 20 Days

After 8 days all dietary restrictions are lifted except for sex, alcohol and pork and refined sugars which are to be avoided for the full moon cycle of days. As a good rule of thumb during the 8 days, just eat foods which would make good compost (no fruit besides  ½ apple, a little lemon juice for flavor, avocado and small amount of coconut oil/coconut milk or cream unsweetened, a little ginger, turmeric, garlic will help with flavor but try to keep foods on the milder side as the strength of the spices can interfere with your communication with the plants cooked green plaintain which is not  a fruit, is very starchy and  good if you get hungry, no pre prepared foods or condiments no fast food, nothing with salt including crackers bread chips. Go easy on medicinal teas during your dieta, no coffee products, not even decaf. Ask the Pinon what plants it harmonizes with. It is not good to complicate the energy of the Pinon with any other medicinal plants or vitamin supplements during the first 8 days.

Cost:

The suggested donation per person which includes your prepared plants  a portion of treated sea salt with which to end the dieta will be $200-$300.

The amount you choose to invest  in this range  ought be determined by your heart.  We have some people who require far more attention than others.  A shamanic dieta with a shaman in the jungle will run you approx $60-$100 per day of the strict part of the dieta so this will give you a point of reference to decide from.  If you need to diet and genuinely have financial issues please speak to either Craig or I.  If you need the materials shipped to you there will be an additional $15 fee to do so.  Please furnish a personal check, cash in person, paypal prior to or on the day of your dieta. My paypal is yogagroove@paonia.com. 

2 Personal Sessions:

 Each of you has included with your dieta 1 x 1 hour or  2 x ½ hour personal sessions with either Craig Caviezel or Kellee Morris either via Skype, phone or perhaps in person if you are here in SLC area. We will be available during regular business hours, some evenings and weekends if necessary. Appointments recommended, emergency calls available if you find yourself truly needing it at any time. Please feel free to text me Kellee @970-618-0007  and Craig @ 801-631-1101 we will respond asap.  It is probably best to connect with the person you got your dieta from but if one of us is not available, the other may be.  Texts are better for initial contact Should you not be able to reach one of us , I would like your permission to connect you personally with other dieters. Several of you have done dietas before and your support to others may be part of your training by the plant. Please furnish your number to my phone if I don't already have it (unless you prefer not to in which case let me know this)

 In the event anyone wants more than the 2 x 30 minute or 1 x 1hr sessions, we have availability for this and do it for $1 per minute. unify and integrate this new Maestra Plant teacher, Pinon into our vegetalista mesa, our teaching circle and growing community

If you choose to do this dieta you make a committment to be personally and respectfully a keeper of all the protocols contained herein.  Please only do this dieta if your heart gives you a yes. For the sake of clarity this work we do with the dietas must be known as an athropological study only and pursuit of knowledge. You may experience healing from your personal experience,  but we do not promise nor present it as anything medical or nutritional for the record. We make suggestions based on our experience alone.  The insights contained herein come through ancient traditions of tribal peoples. The dietas are personal explorations and studies and are not presented as scientific nor medical facts.  In participating in this dieta you are agreeing to the above definitions.

With Joy in the magic of becoming Homo Luminous (or perhaps Slowmo Luminous, please slow down, feel to heal instead of squeal the wheels)!

Mun-Yaki (I love you in Qechua)

Kellee (aka Dieta mama)

Sample of Dieta Opening Ritual

I light one candle as the embodiment of my devotion to my journey with the Pinion, that I am whole and one with Pachamama.  I take this challis of water I have blessed and in reverence to the unity of all things, I hold the water close to the flame of the candle, seeing the energy of this flame as the igniting of my love for myself, this plant, this life, all beings, with the Mother.  I hold my challis of water abouve my head and offer these words:

Great Mystery, I offer my love to the healing of my relationship to all of life especially my relationship with the blessed plants, the Glorious PInion that it may teach me and inform me of it's medicine so that I may enter into harmony with it and all the living world.  I ask that the veil which creates separation between us be lifted that I may see and participate in the beauty and perfection of this world with the ease of pure love and a heart of awe and wonder.