Caroline hosts film-maker Oliver Quintanilla:
“Little Saints is a documentary following six men and women from the United States who, along with Director Oliver Quintanilla, travel to Mexico to meet an extraordinary woman and take part of an ancient ritual of psychological and physical healing.
The ingestion of psilocybe mushrooms in the southern Mexico is an ancient, candlelit ritual. The lack of external stimuli creates a space that is conducive to looking inside oneself. While guided by Mazatec shaman Natalia, the patients examine their issues and find answers within themselves; thru prayer and energy cleansings, the shaman purifies their spirits.
Along with their story, the film includes interviews with scientists and researchers who share their knowledge of psychedelic medicines, Mazatec traditions, and current efforts to bring this medicine to the world community.”
Having, unexpectedly, been the *only* caller into the Visionary Activist’s program today (and I thank her for telling me that my call-ins are “always welcome”!), I had inquired of her wonderful guest, Oliver Quintanilla, about the issue of, the New Age problem of, spiritual seekers just getting it into their heads that they have to go down to southern Mexico to see Mazatec shaman Natalia and pester Mr. Quintanilla to arrange it for them. Consequentially, not wanting to buy into such spiritual “bad manners,” I asked if one had a genuine desire to be in the presence of such a great shamanic spiritual guide and healer and thus to have a chance at “healing” but didn’t want to impose oneself (“uninvited,” in a manner of speaking), contributing to a possible flood of demanding gringo seekers at Natalia’s door — then is there a way to test one’s desire (and karmic connection) and make oneself more deserving, more ready (more “pure”?), and *attract* such (in my question I used the word “invited,” but maybe this could be taken too literally) in the form, perhaps, of some outward sign that indeed demonstrates … the “calling” is true.
Mr. Qunintanilla must have thought that this was a worthy question, because he took some time in response, for which I’m humbly grateful. However, I must confess here that (since his answer was indirect and somewhat roundabout) I’m not sure I got it. (I guess I’ll have to listen to the archived show and mediate on Mr. Quintanilla’s words to determine this.)
But to the main purpose of my post here … There were actually *two* questions I wanted to ask (and perhaps I would have attempted to do so, if not for the fact that I didn’t want to take up too much time and make room for other callers). The question that didn’t not get asked — and I thought should of been asked by any “spiritual seeker” worth the name — was about Mr Quintanilla’s statement (concerning the knowledge of how to use “energy”) that a shaman (or curandero, sorcerer, magician) can use her/his supernatural powers for “good or bad”:
What do you mean by “good or bad;” can you please define what is “good” as opposed to what is “bad” way to use your powers?
Now, I know that this may seem like a stupid question to some, I mean everybody knows what they are, right? And I realize, too, that the obvious answer that would be given by spiritual or religious authority would be “good” is what furthers the well-being of everybody and “bad” is just selfish motives. Okay, but nonetheless (since I have in my experience found it’s complicated; that it’s not nearly as simple as this), I would have very much liked to have heard the answer to this morally stupid question from Mr. Quintanilla.
Anyway, what a great program! We should all be grateful for Caroline Casey and the exquisite guests she brings to the airwaves — you won’t find anything like this topic discussed on any other radio programs!