28/10/2025
A shamanic perspective of the storm.
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~ Something to think about and share with your own communities, ideally in your own words. Bring your truth in that sharing.
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The symbolism of weather phenomena is, of course, aligned with the four elements of water, air, fire, and earth and their symbolism. Water is a nourisher and a cleanser, and represents movement. Air is a life-giver and a clearer, and represents freedom. Fire is a cleanser and a healer, and represents work. Earth is an anchor and a rejuvenator, and represents survival. Now, apply this to some of the weather phenomena.
A storm. The wind howls and rips through the atmosphere; you can almost see the air. It clears and cleans the atmosphere, leaving a freshness that is a delight to breathe in and a sense of freedom in each breath. The rain falls out of the sky, battering the earth with its large, penetrating drops. It fills the earth with its nourishing energy and helps energy move through time and space in its cleansing way. The lightning bursts like flames in the sky, gathering angry energy together. Working out this energy, it expresses itself, fearfully, cleansing and healing. The thunder sounds like the planet itself is being torn apart. The noise makes humans fumble. But there is the earth, strong and stable, that anchor to which we attach ourselves, on which our survival depends, and we are stronger, we are rejuvenated.
A storm isn't just wind, rain, lightning, and thunder; it is how we understand ourselves, rate ourselves, and live in the world. The air that clears and gives life is the same air for everybody. Every breath you take is a breath that someone else has taken. Sometimes, the air becomes stale, polluted, and poisoned; if you keep breathing that air, you and others will die. What if we changed the word air to knowledge? Suppose the knowledge that you absorb is stale, outdated, or polluted by prejudice and complacency, or poisoned by hate and misconceptions. In that case, the knowledge that you are breathing will slowly kill you and others. Perhaps not right away, maybe others before you, or maybe not for many generations, but it will have a detrimental effect. The point is that if the air is not cleared, there is no life-giving and no freedom of thought or action.
When the wind comes, ask yourself why.
What do we need to be cleared?
What freedom do we need to create?
You might be saying that weather phenomena, such as hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons, happen because of the way the planet moves, the heat, the movement of the oceans, and so on, and that this is born out by the locations and times of these weather events nearly always being the same. And you would be right, but those locations are changing, as is the weather. Perhaps it is climate change, and perhaps that is due to pollution, but this is not the first time that all of this has happened; this has been a recurring pattern all throughout human time. Just for a minute, think of these windstorms as occurring because something in these places needs to be cleared. A new kind of life needs to be birthed. Freedom is required from what? Now look at the locations, and who else it affects, and ask yourself the previous questions. You might be surprised by the answer.
As a shaman, or one who is interested in the shamanic tradition and way of life, it is vital that you look at "all of nature" and try to glean its message. Try to connect and commune with all that is around you, animate and inanimate. Ask yourself why that village was flooded and not the one next door. Why did that boulder become loose and crash down the cliffside into that house? There is a message in everything that nature gives us, but the important message for the shaman is, "why did the people or person commune with nature to create this weather event?" As a shaman, if you can answer that, then you will be using your gift productively and compassionately.
Many fine blessings to you all and your communities,
Shaman Hinorayam(Brad), Caroline and Shaman Mother Sha-Riah
(c) Copyright Brad and Caroline Dunn 2016-2025
The whole article: https://wildplainsmedicine.com.au/2023/12/18/the-symbolism-of-weather/
