Of Magic Circles and Territorial Markings

February 12, 2007 Of Magic Circles and Territorial Markings

The Shaman located his clearing in the woods. There was a slight hill with a knee-high stone planted at the crest. He could see to the east the mountain dawn would be late here. He could feel in his belly the spirit of this place accepted his presence. He unpacked his ritual implements. The hand drum of a reindeer skin stretched over a birch wood ring. He spread the awls and stone working tools around the rock. He pulled three dried mushrooms out of their bag, facing the sinking sun. He chewed them twenty three times each and followed them with mouthfuls from the water skin. He undid the ties on the front of his reindeer skin trousers and with a foot on either side of the stone turned urinating a ring around his mound. No unfriendly spirit would dare enter the territory he had declared.

His fingers tapped the drum, the shaking came from below his knees and he began his dance.

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