Gifts From Grandmother

My Nana Lady

This past year has been one of interesting trials for me and my family. My Nana became unable to take care of herself and live on her own. So by her choice she moved into an assisted living home here in town. Not even a five minute walk from my apartment!

Moving her and making sure she was taken care of by skilled persons meant having to dismantle her home and her belongings and sell what was not given out to family. A process that normally leaves family in tatters left all of us relatively unscathed. There wasn't much, if any, bickering as to who would get what and what would be left to relatives out of state and what would be sold.

During the dismantling, I found out so much about my grandmother that I had not known before. For instance, she had so many elements in and around her home that lend themselves to shamanism and magic making. I was fortunate in that no one else seemed to want any of these pieces, so no one minded my assuming possession.

One of these things was a doll that had been given to Nana when she was a child. The doll was made of delicate porcelain and cotton. She had a beautiful blue calico dress and white apron. Her hair had been painting the deepest black, and her skin was smooth and white. I had played with her when I was but a little fiend. Nana only let me play with her on the promise that I wouldn't ever throw her around or mistreat her. Thankfully I knew to respect both Nana's wishes and the doll's.



After reading and re-reading Women Who Run with the Wolves, specifically the story of Vasalisa I found that the doll had meaning for me as a reminder to listen to my own intuition. The same way Vasalisa learned to listen to her deep knowing by listening to the doll her mother had given her before her passing.

The next gift was a small cauldron. Nana had used it to put potted plants in, but anyone who is interested in becoming a magic practitioner needs a good cauldron. If only to imitate the Fates in Macbeth. ;)

Knowing I would eventually be getting white sage bundles for smudging, I really wanted to find an abalone shell to put out the herb. In the front yard underneath the maple I was in luck! Beside a large sand dollar Nana had planted a small abalone shell. There had been another larger one, but the weather had taken it's toll on it and it was riddled with holes and falling apart. Hoping that the shell would be big enough to suit my purposes, I dusted it off and brought it home to live in my kitchen. (It is just the right size, by the way!)

The last of the gifts left to me by my Nana was an owl feather. Ever since the fourth grade I had made dreamcatchers for people. Naturally my Nana was among the first recipients. I had wondered the woods behind her house often, trying to find some mystical being to make friends with. One day I found an owl feather just lying in the middle of the valley. I picked it up, washed it gently in the kitchen sink, and later attached it to the dream catcher I would present my Nana. The rest of the dream catcher had dry rotted from being in the sun, but the feather is still in immaculate condition! I now use it when I do my smudging. :)

Nana has given me many great gifts over the years- I am grateful to be among the many women who have had such intuitive female figures in their life!