bout nine years ago, I becameafflicted by a degenerativeeye condition in my right

eye which quite rapidly diminishedthe sight in that eye, causing myvision to be distorted as if I was

looking through the thick glass ofthe bottom of a beer bottle. Iwas referred to a local Welshhospital and then subsequently

to Bristol Eye Hospital inEngland, where I

came under thecare of a

professorrenownedfor his

expertise inthe field.

In an attempt to save myeyesight I was prescribed thepowerful drugs given to transplantpatients, as the hospital diagnosedmy problem as an inflammation atthe back of my eye caused by myimmune system, which in effectwas rejecting my eyes; just as anew heart or other organ isrejected by the transplant patient.

The drugs turned off myimmune system in an attempt toturn off the inflammation and so

save my eyesight. They also gaveme considerably unpleasant sideeffects including weight gain, joint

stiffness and pain, nauseaand occasional periods

where I effectively lost mysight for days on end.

I of course worked withthis problem shamanically,asking and receiving healingfrom my human shamanic

teachers and friends, a TibetanBuddhist lama friend and others

across the planet, and wasextremely grateful for this, theirhelp and support. I also journeyed

on the problem on a regular basisand received healings andinstructions of things to do for itfrom my spirits.

Eventually the conditionstabilised, and the professorasked me if I was doinganything else ‘alternative’ for itas he noticed I was getting

better the less drugs they wereprescribing. I explained about allthe shamanic things being donefor it and he told me to keep it upas something seemed to behappening.

I suffered some residualdamage in my one eye which hasgreatly impaired the vision in it, butthe inflammation eventually wentand I came off all the drugs.

However about two years laterthe condition returned, and thesight in my left eye, which had

been unaffected until this timebegan to deteriorate.

Again I was referred tothe local hospital and

again to Bristol EyeHospital to thecare of the same

professor, and the same round ofdrugs and side effects started againas they battled to save the sight inmy good eye.

I knew that if I suffered thesame degree of sight loss in mygood eye that I had in my bad eye,I would be unable to work on thecomputer, paint, read a book, or dobeadwork; all of which were dearto me, so I was potentially facing amajor readjustment of my life - oneI did not wish to have to face.

JOURNEY ON THE PROBLEMEvery time I had done a shamanicjourney to the spirit worlds to talkto my helpers about the cause ofthe problem - a journey I had donemany times during flare-ups of theinflammation - the journey hadbeen vague. This seemed almost ametaphor of my eyesight whichhas areas of the image missingand other parts blurred.

I never got clear answers, Iswam in a sea of fog and wouldoften fall asleep, returning duringthe journey, none the wiser.

I did other journeys withdifferent intents, and thesejourneys were often very helpful. Iwas introduced to the spirits of mymedications and given ways tohonour and work with them toreduce the side effects, I methealer spirits who did physicalhealing on me, and the spirit of arattlesnake bit me to prepare mybody to withstand the small, butpossibly life-threatening riskassociated with the injection of a

theKillingofDemons

Healing with a Tibetan Phurba Ritual DaggerNicholas Breeze Wood

Top: gilt iron phurba, reputedly owned by Padmasambhava,brought out of Tibet by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Left: statue of Padmasambhava at Samye LingMonastery, Eskdalemuir, Dumfrieshire, Scotland

A

toxic chemical dye used to revealproblems in the blood vessels atthe back of my eye, a dye whichturned my vision, my skin and myurine a glowing orange-yellow.

But I still had no real idea as towhy it was all happening, andwithout that I felt I could not reallygrasp the problem and fight iteffectively.

MEETING THE INFLAMMATIONEventually I did another journey toask about it. I told my spirits I didn’treally know why it was happening tome on a physical level and askedthem to teach me about it.

They showed me my eyesswollen and inflamed and said thatwas the problem. Then I askedwhat on a physical level wascausing it. They told me it was likean allergy, making the soft spongymaterial at the back of my eyesswell up.

I asked what could be doneabout it and they told me I shouldjourney to the spirit of theinflammation, but it would be avery difficult and potentiallydangerous journey.

My spirits explained to me that ajourney to the spirit of theinflammation would disorientate mea great deal, and that before I did itI needed to ask my partner, Faith,to do a journey to ask how shecould protect me on my journey.

Then they gave me some extraenergy to help me cope with it andto get my intent together for thework I had to do. They also gaveme healing and put ice and othercool things on the back of myeye to reduce the swelling, butexplained they were onlytreating the symptoms and Ineeded to tackle the cause byvisiting the spirit of theinflammation.

Up until then I had neverthought to journey to meet thisspirit, and so I was both keenand apprehensive about doingit, to see what would happen. Itold my journey to Faith andshe went off to do her ownjourney about how she had tohelp me. Her spirits told hershe had to sit as a point ofstability for me, holding a rattlewhich all the spirits on herjourney had blessed. This rattlewould be an anchor for me if Ilost my focus on my journey, Icould connect to it and it wouldrestore my focus and intent.

MEETING THE INFLAMMATIONLater that day, while Faith satwatching over me, I began myshamanic journey to meet the spiritof the inflammation.

In the Lower World, my spiritstook off all my clothes and rubbedme all over with grease and coveredme in a fur robe. I understood thiswas to hide my real identity fromthe spirit of the inflammation.

Then we went to meet thespirit. When we arrived, I didn’thave a sense of what was there –there was nothing solid, no floor,no up or down, and I found it veryhard to stay focused, so I thoughtof Faith holding the space with herrattle and when I did it helped.

I asked my helper spirits what todo, as I felt vague and couldn’tfocus, it was like being in a yellowfog or cloud; the spirit had no shape,no solid identity, but I realised it wasall around me, that I was in thespirit, that the fog was the spirit.

Then I gradually realised I neededto talk directly to the spirit of theinflammation, so I asked it what itwanted from me and it said ‘a placeto live’. It’s voice was very loud andit echoed all the time as it spoke, itwas actually physically painful tohear it speak, and I felt I had todefend myself from its sound.

I asked if it was trying to teachme anything but it seemed mystifiedby the question. Then I realised itwas simply not in the right placeand wanted me as a place to live,and that made me angry, as I felt itshouldn’t be inside me. As I gotangry I felt my willful intent get

stronger and I told it to leave. Ireally felt my will engage and pushit out. When I did that my helperspirits joined in and we all chanted‘out-out-out’ to it, banishing it.Then the spirits of my drugscame as well and we alljoined together to really forceit out. This continued forseveral minutes, all of us pushingout the invader.

My helper spirits then tookthe furs from me and told meI had to focus my will ondriving the spirit of theinflammation out permanently,using whatever methods I couldfind to generate a strong intentto not be invaded. I returnedfrom the journey, thanked Faithfor her help and thanked all the

spirits and gave an offeringof vodka to them.

PHURBA INSTRUCTIONSome months before thishealing journey for my eyes,my spirits had instructed meon how to perform a healingceremony with a phurba formyself or others. A phurbais a ritual dagger made ofmetal or wood, which comesfrom the Himalayas, and isused in both Nepalese andTibetan shamanism andTibetan Buddhism. I feltstrongly this was what Ineeded to do now toreinforce the healing we hadjust accomplished.

In this previous journeymy spirits had not onlytaught me the ceremony, butgiven me a ‘shopping list’ ofvarious items of ritual

SH ISSUE 69 2010 37

Left:iron

phurbafrom

Nepal C19th

Left: a Nepaleseshaman performing

a dance with twowooden phurba

In an attempt tosave my eyesight I was

prescribed the powerful drugsgiven to transplant patients, the

hospital diagnosed my problem -in effect I was rejecting my eyes

equipment I had to gather before Icould perform it. In the monthsafter the journey I had collectedthese items, and so was ready toperform this healing ceremony.

Preparing for the phurbaceremony that my spirits gave mewas quite involved, but each part isimportant so I will relate it all.

Firstly I had to get two smalliron or steel triangular frames,which needed to be joinedtogether on one side by a simplehinge, to enable them to open likethe wings of a butterfly. My spiritscalled this a ‘demon trap’. I madetwo suitable triangles from ironwire, and wrapped a thin sheet ofcopper around one length of themto make the hinge. Once I had thisI could perform the ceremony.

Next I had to lay out an altarcloth, and place upon it a bowl forvodka offerings to the spirits, a litcandle, a bronze incense pot Ihave, some juniper for smudge,the demon trap, a pair of tongs,seven pieces of paper, my phurba,a small double sided drum called adamaru, a ritual sword, a toli(metal shaman’s mirror) with aglass of water placed upon it, aTibetan bell and dorje set, and myshamanic frame drum. Once all

this was arranged I was to performthe ceremony they had given me.

PERFORMING THE CEREMONYMy spirits told me to prepare forthe ceremony by singing songs,with my drum to my spirit helpers,as this would help to put me intoan altered state of consciousness

I lit the juniper in the bronzepot, offered vodka to thespirits, had a smallmouthful myself to drinkwith them, and flicked alittle to each corner ofthe room, the ceiling andthe floor.

I then placed the first ofthe seven blank pieces ofpaper in between the two irontriangles like the filling of asandwich, and began to buildmy intent to turn the paperinto the spirit of theinflammation.

With each out-breath, Ibreathed out the spirit ofthe inflamation, forcing itwith my visualisation betweenthe two triangles which Iknew would trap it, and oneach in-breath I breathed inwhite light to fill the space thespirit of the inflammation had left.

This continued for some timeuntil I perceived that thepaper had turned from asheet of white paper intothe pink inflameddisgusting spirit of theinflammation.

During all this time ofbuilding the intent I heldthe phurba, and when myintent was ripe, I stabbedthe spirit of theinflammation with thedagger to kill it, stabbinginto the centre of thetriangular demon trap, intothe paper that had nowbecome the ‘demon’.

When I had killed the‘demon’ I used the tongsto pick up the papercorpse (so I did not touchit with my fingers), and putit into the bronze incensepot where I placed burningjuniper over it andcremated it, offering a fewdrops of vodka to theflames as it burnt.

Then I picked up thesmall damaru drum andused it to break the intent ofall I had done (a bell wouldhave worked just as well

here) and then repeated the wholeprocess again with the second of theseven pieces of paper.

I did this for all seven pieces,each time finding that the intent Iwas building increased and thevision of the paper as the spirit ofthe illness became more intenseand real.

At the point of stabbing thespirit of the inflammation for the

seventh time, I picked up mysword, and as I struck thedagger into the demon I swungthe sword down in front of myface to cut any fibres of energy

which connected me, my eyes,and the trapped spirit in the

demon trap, and then finallyburned its body.

Next I drank the glass of waterwhich had been sitting on theshaman’s mirror on the altar during

the ceremony and let itsempowered, blessed quality goto my eyes to empower themand clean any toxins away from

them.

The ceremony took about twohours to do, and as it was long pastmidnight when I had finished, Icovered the ashes of the cremateddemon in the bronze pot with a redbrocade cloth, on top of which Iplaced my Tibetan dorje to sealthem in, and went to bed.

In the morning I took the ashesoutside and scattered them on anearth altar in my garden togetherwith more offerings to the spirits.

My vision seemed better thenext day, but I felt that wassubjective, and so took it that whatI had done was just a part of thehealing process and I would needto keep working on it.

Three days later I went toBristol Eye Hospital where thespecialist took photos of the backof my eyes and upon looking atthem was quite visibly shocked.

She exclaimed that it was trulyamazing as all signs of theinflammation had completelyvanished. She repeated thisseveral times, adding she had notexpected to see any realdifference from the last time shehad examined me, but that theinflammation had completely andutterly gone. Her sense of aweand amazement was palpable.

The doctor reduced mymedication there and then andasked me to return in six weekstime for a further check-up.

Above:moderncastbrassphurba

Right:bronzephurbafromEasternTibet.C15th

Below:Tibetanthangkashowing the‘spirit’ ofthe phurba

SH ISSUE 69 2010 38

GURU RINPOCHE TEACHINGSI knew that the phurba ceremony Ihad been given by my spirits hadsome similarities to traditionalTibetan ceremonies, but it wassome months later, while reading abook with information about phurbasthat I found the English translationof a tantra (teaching) about phurbasgiven by Padmasambhava (GuruRinpoche) when he came to Tibet inthe C8th.

In the tantra Padmasambhavateaches about trapping demons in atriangle and using a phurba to‘liberate’ them from this life (i.e. killthem) so that they do not collectfurther bad karma by their causingof suffering to other beings.

If this liberation is done from aplace of compassion, it is seen assometimes quite acceptable in someteachings of Tibetan Buddhism.

The killing of the spirits of illnessor other harmful ‘demons’ not onlyliberates them from the negativeexistence in which they are currentlyliving, but also can be seen as aspeedy and efficient way of sendingthem through a doorway to theirrightful place (and their nextincarnation too).

But the teachings stress it isimportant to do this liberating froma position of compassion for theunhappy demon.

The book goes on to givefurther details about the use of thephurba ceremony as a way localshaman-lamas perform healingceremonies for sick members of

their communities based on theteachings of Padmasambhava.

KEEPING FOCUSIntent is the key to any ceremony,and also knowing the way into thekernel of the problem. I could nothave done the phurba ceremonyeffectively and built the right intentfor it, if I had not made contactwith the spirit of the inflammationthrough the help of my spirithelpers. It was only theirinstruction to talk to the spirit ofthe inflammation and Faith’s helpto keep me grounded, thatenabled me to actually see and soface the problem and gave me thetarget to engage my intent.

Some years on from thishealing, my eyes remain stablewith no inflammation, and I havecheckups only every year or so atthe local hospital.

I was on a minimal‘maintenance’ amount ofmedication for some time, butabout a year ago I graduallyphased that out. On my lasthospital check up, my surgeon wasconcerned I was no longer takingany medication, and surprised thathe could see no sign of infection inmy eyes. He told me that as I hadalready withdrawn medication forsuch a long time before I had seenhim with no ill effects, I may aswell continue to live drug free. Iwas advised to seek medicalattention immediatly if I notice anydeterioration in my vision - which

of course I will. I am surethat the healing processwith my eyes is notcompletely over, and Ido not take it forgranted at all - evenwriting this article hasmade me worry if I am‘tempting fate.’

I need to ask my spirits how Ican repair the residual damagethat my eyes have suffered, so asto improve my sight, and I havealready journeyed to find out howthe spirit of the inflammation wasable to invade me in the firstplace, and done things to stop itreturning again. This is all - likeany healing - an on-going process.

The phurba ceremony which myhelper spirits gave me, and which Ihave subsequently read and learntmore about, has become a part ofmy shamanic ‘kit bag,’ being usedto ‘liberate’ the spirits of illnessthat live within other people.

I have already performed itseveral times for other people,either with them present, or as aform of distant healing. I hope thatfrom my account of it here, it willbe possible for others to adapt andmake it their own to put into theirhealing kitbags also.

My sense of gratitude and awe atthe sophistication and down-to-earthnature of the teachings andinstructions I receive from my helperspirits continues to amaze and delightme, as I deepen my relationship withthem as the years go by.

Above:the top ofan antique

Hayagriva, horse-headed phurba

Below: an altarlaid out ready

for a phurbaceremony, with

butterlamp, bronzeincense pot, bell

and dorje, irontriangle, bronze

arrow-shapedfire tools, silver

tongs, phurba andwooden triangle

shaped stand,damaru drum made

from two humanskulls and a C17th

ritual sword

Nicholas Breeze Woodis a shamanic practitoner

and editor of SacredHoop Magazine. He has

made a life-long studyof sacred objects

www.3worlds.co.uk

SH ISSUE 69 2010 39

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