Romani Roots

My spiritual journey started when I was a child. I showed signs of having what we Rom call 'The Gift' at a very early age.

I was always a dreamer and when I was old enough I put my dreams into reality.

My family living in rural areas gave me the opportunity to spend lots of time in nature and this is where I learn to many of my gifts -direct from the voices of natures spirits and my ancestors.

I was a very sensitive and empathic child, picking up on vibrations, sounds, emotions. So I was very understanding of others because  I could feel what they were feeling.

My intution was very accurate and I had the ability to hear what was not being said behind the words spoken, I found I could read thoughts, see pictures that were significant to the lives of those around me and sense and see what others could not.

But this made my life quite difficult as I was growing up living in Gorja society, as not many would understand these gifts  - instead I was the weird or mad one. They could not understand the wild, passionate Gypsy spirit, or the magic that was all around waiting to be noticed. But instead the Gorjas were wrapped up in the material world of money and possessions, too busy in their man-made, built up world to notice the abundance and beauty that nature provides snd instead of being grateful, man just takes, takes, takes, and gives nothing in return.

I felt I did not fit into the Gorja world,  although at the same time , many were fascinated by me and my unusual ways and I became a leader.  I seemed to inspire people and made them think and gave them strength to be who they truly were. I even stood up to bullies, standing up for those that couldn’t - I was a warrior even back then.

I did not care what others thought. I knew my path and truth, and I was not afraid to question, speak my mind and stand up for myself.

This led to me getting a reputation for being a troublemaker but in fact  was just looking out for others and expressing my birthgiven right to be who I am and not what others would suppose me to be.

It seemed like a bad thing to be who you are and to question, that's why so many became something else and that's why I set out to set us free.

Gorjas seem to like you to agree with everything they say and when I did not, I was told I was a bad person, which I am certainly not!

But I had my own mind and thoughts, what was wrong in that?

I feel Romany people are very misunderstood and even the Rom, themselves, have forgotten the old ways before our way of life died, a life of being one with nature and all life upon her, only taking what was needed.

As my elders always said, being on the road was a hard life but a good life -  better then the Gorja way - as we were free, now we are like caged birds!

I am my clans record keeper/bard/Shuvani, meaning wiseone/seer/story teller, which has extended out and I am a councillor and guide to many, I did not go out to get this role myself, I was chosen and it was given to me, whether I liked it or not.

You do not argue with the spirits!

We each have a role to play in our clans and in this great web of life and in the old days it was the Shuvani that a clan turned to when in need. They did not need doctors for they had all they needed from nature, and they knew how to use well what nature provided, which plants to use to soothe and heal.

Much has survived in my clan and it is my job to preserve it and to pass it on so that it is never lost again.

Many Rom are Christians and I want to make it clear that I have no problem with any religions, but I am not religious myself - I feel that religion is the biggest cause of un-necessary wars.

I am a peaceful and spiritual being, walking on my path lightly, harming no one, whilst I go about my business, I follow no one way but many.

I want to point out that we all have to find our own path and way in life and just because someone chooses a different path from you does not make you wrong or bad.

All I ask is you question and research that little bit deeper into our past and you will see the corruption.

I do the work I do and believe what I do as I have experienced things for myself, I have seen, listened, talked and known other worlds and spirits, and just to make clear -  I am not in to Satanism, Black magic and do not invoke demons - I am a light worker, which means I work toward the good of all and only wish to help others and pass on what I know.

I don’t mind if you don’t agree and I don’t mind if you think  I am mad, all I ask is that you listen, consider, feel, love, respect all living things; for they are all the creatures of our creator, who ever you believe your creator to be, it does not matter - to harm another living thing purposely is unforgivable!

 Remember this -

 All you throw out shall return to you, for good or ill, so beaware of what you do - there are no exceptions - this is the law of karma.

 You reap what you sow.

I mean no harm to anyone with my words, they are spoken from the heart and with love.

I know I may offend some people but know that I am only trying to make a better world and show people that whilst there is many good things in the modern Gorga world - don’t forget who you are.

 We are travellers with our own culture and beliefs - don’t let it die out.

 Talk to your elders and they will tell you of the good old days and the magic.

 Talk to them before it is to late.

I am keeping alive many ancient arts such as scrying,dukkering/fortune telling, palm and tea leaf reading and Romany healing arts,dance, songs, music, stories, drama, crafts, language and much more.

We are still one of the most mysterious, unknown and misunderstood peoples to walk this earth and we are scattered lost as a race,we need to remember who we are and take into the future that knowledge for without  our ancestors we would never be here, so we should give thanks and honour them by remembering and preserving our history.

Our history was not written  down, we carried and passed them orally  through stories, songs, dance and poetry etc, this is the old way and this is how I keep it all alive - today in the visual and performing, creative arts.

We are seen as dirty, thieves, cruel, violent bullies and it's time to show that we are not all bad - and it is time to show those Rom that have lost their way in to a path of cruelty, thievery and violence - that it is not the way of the old Romany - it is a corrupt way!

To be a warrior is to walk a path of honor.  To go out fighting for fun is to bring dishonour and disgrace to our people. To bully and pick on those weaker then yourself makes them weaker then the weak person.

I feel, because our ways were destroyed, its like putting a wild animal in a cage - it goes mad. Well that is what I believe is happening to the people - we are caged in the Gorja world  and our people are going mad.

I was led  to set up what we now know as the kuramengro drom from visions I received in 1999, a very significant and transforming time for me.

This is one way to help others, not THE way or the ONLY way, but 1 path of many.

The words Kuramengro Drom mean warrior way in Romany. The word conjuors up many images but in this instance it represents the spiritual and peaceful warrior and the strength that comes from within. Walking the warriorway is about reclaiming our power and our right to be who we truly are, not what were conditioned to be.

The warrior learns to overcome fears, conditioning andlimitations. She learns the use of tools to help aid her journey to herself.She learns the lessons of courage, strength, trust and truth that pierces through all. She learns to face and battle inner conflicts, negativity and restrictions imposed by the self, others and society, overcoming them and becoming her own conquerer. The way of the warrior is a path of self knowledge and healing.

The true warrior finds no joy in violence but learns to fight so they dont have to.

A true warrior does not have to prove their self and a warriors enemy is not others but lurks in side the self - it is hate, envy, jealousy, greed, anger etc which the warrior must combat and defeat.

A true warrior goes within and faces the self with courage.

A true warrior takes responsibility for there own actions and does not blame another.

A warrior is not a soldier as soldiers act on another's authority and therefore do not take responsibility for those actions - a warrior excepts all responsibility.

So my work is all about preserving & passing on of the old ways, empowering the self, education, whilst progressing and moving forward a new, showing people a way of honor once more.

My work is mainly dedicated to women as I believe women are the leaders of the future and because women have been pushed out in the past in favour of a male god & male rulers only.

There  has been no balance look where man has got us.

We need femmine energy, compassion, nurture, love; we need to call the goddess back into our lives.

She is returning!

How can a male god give birth to all - life comes from women.

I believe in a goddess and a god, this is balance  - Ying and Yang, sun and moon, light and dark  - one with out the other  would be no life or balance.

My work is dedicated to all life.

I am a wild Romany and proud – not wild as in destructive and chaotic but wild as in a free spirit and thinker.

I live a shamanic life style it is not just a weekend affair it is part of me and apart of my daily life. I am interested in many tribal cultures and our own British pagan past - which I must add Pagans were and are not evil,demon/devil worshipers - but healers and seers & they were murdered for their gifts.

They loved nature and believed in harming no living beings and  worshiped all life but like the Rom their untamed magical ways were misunderstood and  so destroyed.

I live by the 1 pagan rule Harm none - do what thy will as longs as it harms none

They believed in a goddess as well as a god, as did many cultures across the world -  why was that a crime?

Lets all join as 1 tribe with a single mission to protect the earth, to remember who we are and where we came from, our ancestors and the reality that is the fact we are floating in space on a giant rock!

Its time to wake up and get real.

I run many different workshops, psychic circles and development groups, Romany magic, dance , drama, charity events, talks and much more;Also Clairvoyant Readings which I have been doing for over 13years and for people across the globe; I am founder of Rocca, Shape shifter productions and The Kuramengro Drom, have been on sky tv about my work with Rocca and many radio broadcasts on Rocca Shamanism, aswell as The Kuramengro drom,and I am in the process of writing a book on Romany and Celtic Shamanism.

For more info please go to www.kuramengrodrom.co.uk

I'm friendly and helpful and always open to others & our differences.

I believe all paths have value and if you honor my way it shall honor yours and may be together we can show others that we can all get along -  no matter what our beliefs - that we are all one and the same , all humanbeings with a heart; we all cry and bleed and die the same, live and breath;lets share our beliefs in hope we may grow in knowledge and wisdom and live in peace together - is is not just a dream - we can do it if we all dream the same dream.

Don't teach your children hate for other races and culrures - teach them respect and love and the joy in learning.

Don’t allow your children to harm any living creature - teach them  to honor and respect them as all has an important  purpose on this planet, none is insignificant.

The trees are the lungs of our planet, the air we need to breath; the sun and moon warm and guide our way the earth feeds us; water cleanses us and quenches our thirst; animals and plants feed us  - so you see - we need them all if you destroy them you destroy us all.

Look at the damage we have done to our planet!

What a world we have made for our children.

Lets work together toward a better future, we owe it to all the things we take for granted and to the future generations.

This is what it means to live a life in the light - to see, to be mindful and awake and work to heal and evolve our selves as spiritual beings, those light workers live to guide and help others on their earth walk and work together to make a better world.
 

If you want to care for the environment and the future of our planet, start seeing it as a living being and start seeing all the beings who dwell here as our close relatives.

This is my dream, A Shuvani's Dream.

Many blessings,

Laura  (Sakara) Marshall

(previously known by her spiritname Vixen Dreamstalker )

©2008 Laura(Sakara) Marshall