Spiritual journey of letting go and allowing oneself to receive guidence

Last night’s dream was still fresh in his mind.

Ziron had dreamed of an eagle with fire in its eyes, followed by the number twelve which spun in a circle. A large hour glass appeared along with a strong wind which whispered something about changing shapes. As Ziron looked deeper into the sands of time he could see two silhouettes among the sand grains falling and changing forms back and fourth again and again from eagle to an owl followed by a huge ball of fire. It all left Ziron frustrated, shaking his head, trying to understand. He looked up saying “what!, what!, what!”. He then brought himself out of his drifting thoughts and back into reality, putting the memory of his dream aside. He knew in his mind that when he needed to know something, it would just happen. He decided not to fight it. Instead, he chose to refocus himself on the remainder of the day. It was getting close to dusk.

The summer months came and went very quickly, and now October was near its end. Soon the daylight will get shorter. Ziron looked at his watch. Its only 8:12 pm, he thought, on such a beautiful night. So he pondered for a moment deciding what to do. An idea popped into his mind like a light bulb going off. The beach he said to himself.

Suddenly within that moment and out of nowhere a brisk wind surrounded him. He could swear he heard it whisper “the beach”. That was odd, it was almost as though the wind were reading his mind. Then it died out, gone as quickly as it came. And again the dream flashed into his mind.

Ziron hopped into his car and headed for Jones beach. A little sand between his toes while walking along the waves will be relaxing, he thought.

Once Ziron reached the beach bridges he had a perfect view of the water tower and outdoor theatre. His anticipation and excitement increased as he got closer, he knew that at this time of the evening field 6 would be the only parking field accessible to the beach.
Once there, he parked up front and headed for the sand. Tonight’s full moon kept the pathway nicely lit and the sky was littered with diamond-like stars. He could feel a warm gentle breeze coming off the ocean. Nights like these really can cast magical spells, he thought as the moon’s reflection bounced off the ocean. Ziron could hear the waves churning as tiny white caps broke at the waters edge. A seagull passed in front of him looking for food, then scurried away. In the distance he could see a camp fire burning on the back of the beach, just below the line of the dunes, with a group of people around it. As he got closer he could see that there were twelve people sitting around the fire, just hanging out watching it burn, enjoying the night and each other’s company. He also noticed a blue illumination surrounding the group, but didn’t think anything of it. Some of the group members waved to Ziron. He waved back, but then another called out his name. Or at least Ziron thought he did. The man waved again, inviting Ziron to come over and sit with them. He made his way over. “Hello, nice fire you’ve got going here,” he said.

“Thank you, please join us we’ve been expecting you,” the man said. Ziron looked at him a little surprised and perplexed.

“Expecting me?” he repeated still confused. “Yes,” the stranger repeated. Then Ziron had another flash back: the eagle, the number twelve; and began to sense some kind of an unusual connection.

With a reassuring tone the man again invited Ziron. “Please, have a seat around our circle”. Ziron nodded and slowly sat down accepting the invitation with a smile, all the while staring with perplexity gazing from his eyes.

“Have we met before?” he asked.

“No I do not believe so”, the man said and just smiled.

“Then how do you know my name?” asked Ziron as he then looked at the group from left to right waiting for an answer.

A woman then spoke up, “I am Quetzal and we are known as the Counsel of Twelve as in the number you’ve been seeing. It is a transformation number, it represents a new level of awareness for you. That is why you keep seeing it in your vision. We are the gate keepers for this transformation. We are here to teach you how to shape shift”. “Excuse me, shape shift?” “Ziron asked”.

“Yes, the ability to change one’s physical shape as you were shown by the eagle and the owl within the hour glass. In the indigenous cultures on this planet traditional shamans practice shape shifting as a way to connect with the animal kingdom as well as the spirit world. It’s a way to get guidance. Those flash-backs of dreams and visions you’ve been experiencing are not by accident, they are a gift of awakening and communication. Your vision of the eagle is very symbolic. The eagle knows of your visionary abilities and is trying to teach you how to use and expand on them. That is why we are here”.
Ziron didn’t exactly know what to think or how to respond especially since he never told anyone about his visions. “But, how could you know about the...?” But before he could finish saying Eagle, another council member finished the sentence for him leaving Ziron with questions of puzzlement upon his face.

“I am Curandero and I represent the eagle spirit. We realize this may seem a bit overwhelming for you, but we really are here to help you remember. All of us represent the aspects of a particular animal. As guides, we allow people like yourself, who are open enough, to actually see us. We help them, here on Earth, to connect with the animal plane and become more in tune with their abilities. We know you’ve been trying to piece together all the synchronicities associated with your visions. Some of them we have provided in directing you here-subtle hints like the whispering wind. We are here to give confirmation to all of your impatient thoughts, to confirm that everything that’s being shown to you is related. Look not with your eyes, but with an inner awareness.”

Ziron took a deep breath. “But before we go forward; he continued we need something in exchange for this confirmation.”

“Ok, what would you like?” said Ziron.

“Just a willingness from you to trust from this point on what is being shown to you rather than trying to figure it out. Just let go. “

“Well, with all the things that have been occurring since last night to this present moment I know something is happening”, said Ziron. “So if you are asking me to have faith, yes, yes, I do”.

Then, almost as if saying “faith” was a magical word or even its intension, Ziron watched and listened as Quetzal instructed everyone to join hands. They linked the circle and she continued to speak offering gratitude and thanks to Ziron for allowing them to witness and be a part of his transition and initiation. She then nodded to Curandero who leaned over and asked Ziron to follow his guidance in doing a special exercise in preparation for his transition. Ziron agreed.

Curandero first had Ziron relax, then helped him re-focus his breathing and finally to visualize in his mind’s eye a sphere of energy, and to see that energy move slowly down to his eyes then to his mouth, his throat, his chest, his heart and his stomach and then to loop that energy back up and repeat the process. As Ziron did this he could feel his body getting hot.

Curandero then asked him to visualize the eagle in his mind’s eye. As he did this he nodded his head, ok. While Ziron maintained that focus, Curandero asked him to create a statement of intension and to embrace it for his own. Ziron thought for a moment, then the phrases seemed to just roll of his tongue. “I am the fire. I am the light. I am the seer, with true inner vision. I have true inner sight. I am the messenger. I am of the flesh and I am of the spirit”.

Curandero nodded and smiled. He asked Ziron to repeat a prayer and explained that it is a guidance prayer. Ziron proceeded. “Through the cycle of life may our actions stand as our convictions allowing others to see their own path-light, May a universal connection of consciousness awaken in all life.”

The other council members began to speak in unison; they called out to Gaia, grandmother earth and grandfather sky, then to the ancient guardians and protectors. Curandero then asked Ziron to call fourth the spirit of the eagle from within his vision. And again Ziron did as guided, calling out to his eagle spirit the winged messenger. He also announced to the eagle of his vision that he was with the Council of Twelve as he had been guided to meet.

Curandero invoked assistance from the guardians to open a doorway between the spirit world of the animal kingdom, and the earth plane to allow Ziron’s vision the ability to manifest before the circle. Curandero and the other gate keepers called out loudly three times, “Spread your wings, embrace the wind and allow us to hear your voice break through. Show yourself”. All was silent for a moment. Not even the crackling of the fire could be heard, but then the fire began to grow and all eyes watched as one flame burst high and freed the silhouette of an eagle rising like the phoenix from the flame

Ziron watched intently and a sense of disbelief rose but quickly faded with the proof of what he was witnessing. The eagle shrieked its call, echoing as it launched itself into the night sky. Everyone around the fire gazed in awe as the eagle circled around the group four times before allowing itself to be suspended by the wind, holding itself steady while floating six feet above the fire. It faced Ziron and from that moment on, everything suddenly appeared to be moving in slow motion. It was as if time itself had slowed. A blue hue began to emanate from the eagle and as its glow increased, everything went motionless. Flames from the fire stood high, caught in mid air. The eagle appeared to be frozen like a picture, with its wings spread hanging above in mid flight. Ziron looked into its eyes and could see a fire burning deep inside. He became transfixed and could feel something pulling him in deeper. He began to hear the eagles shriek within his mind. And as he stared transfixed into its eyes, he began to feel a transition happening to him. There was a tingling sensation occurring through out his body that he could not explain. The fire intensified and seemed to leap invisibly to Ziron embracing him, He could feel a sudden exchange of energy which ignited the serpent energy within his spine. He began to feel his spirit reaching out and taking on the embodiment of the eagle. He then found himself hanging above the camp-fire looking down and the Counsel staring up, holding their hands in prayer. He looked over at his own body and in his own eyes he could see the fire rising and intensifying. At that moment another flashback of his vision occurred and he suddenly began to understand its message. He began to realize that these particular visions where more about connecting to his own inner awareness and guidance, how the visions were a part of that by showing him he is more than what he appears to be. Once the realization occurred, everything began to speed up which triggered what sounded like a sonic boom. It echoed around him. Ziron was propelled high into the sky soaring on the air’s current. He could feel a new motion to his arms as he slowly realized that he was transformed into the eagle. The ability to fly just seemed to come naturally and, as he looked down, he new the experience was real. His human form was no longer there.

Then a shriek from above-the eagle from the fire was calling out. It glided down along side of him. Curandero sent Ziron a message telepathically from the Council. ”You now have the ability to shape shift with the eagle as your guide. The eagle will assist you in further developing clarity and intuition”.

Another council member known as Cherokee stood up and he too communicated telepathically to Ziron, “I am Cherokee the Owl Wisdom Keeper”, he said. His eyes appeared larger than normal and had a light blue glow. “When you call upon the owl for guidance you will have sight even when darkness fills the night.” Cherokee then raised his hands high and called fourth the owl spirit. Everyone’s attention was again brought back to the fire as it again began to expand and the image of a sphere began to materialize from the center of the flame. Its color changed from a burnt orange to a bright red before it released a sudden burst of light, freeing an owl into flight. It too circled around the group. Cherokee then lowered his right hand half way and summoned a staff to rise up and take form from the sand and created a perch at the top where the owl landed. Ziron looked into the eyes of the owl as he had done with the eagle and again a fire appeared. But unlike the eagle, this time the fire turned to a blue glowing tint which engulfed the owl and like the grains of sand its life force then turned into tiny particles and leaped up to Ziron. It became absorbed into his energy and Ziron’s eyes began to glow. And this new sight enabled his eyes to pierce the night sky. It was as though he were looking through a spherical glass, everything was magnified. While he glided to and fro by the thrust of his wings, Quetzal cupped her hands together and whispered “it is time to return”. She took a deep breath and released it by blowing into her hands and tossing it into the air. A brisk wind swirled around the Council and then came up under Ziron’s wings. Quetzal’s message rode the current up and around Ziron. He shrieked in response as the wind whispered into his ear “it is time to return”. He rode the current back down until he was again floating above the fire. Curandero again sent Ziron a message, “in order to shift back into human form you must do the same process as before you changed. Embrace the serpent within. Allow your self to see the fire deep within yourself and believe in it that is the key to transformation”.

Ziron focused his energy and began to feel a tingling sensation rising up his spine and once it reach his head a sonic boom again went off around him a vibrant bright light expanded in front of his eyes. He closed them for a moment and within a blink, as he opened-them, he found himself back in human form sitting around the circle again. As he looked around the blue hue was again present around the group. One by one each member congratulated Ziron, his mind reeling as he tried to comprehend every sensation and feeling he had just experienced. He spoke a-loud “what just happened”? And in a synchronized response, the council members released a gentle sigh of laughter. Curandero answered his question. “You shape shifted, you tapped into your power. Use what you have learned here tonight wisely for it is a transition of responsibility and trust your visions for they will always lead the way.”

“It is getting late and time for you to go home”, said Curandero.

Ziron looked around beyond the barrier of the group for a moment and could still see people walking the beach. He brought his attention back to the Council, looked at each one from left to right, took a deep breath, released it, smiled and gently nodded. “Thank you”, he said.

As Ziron walked away he turned around one last time to wave goodbye. But to his surprise there was no one there. Ziron stopped and looked around. He was now truly questioning himself as to what had just happened.