Living the life of metaphysical is not always crystals and fairies all the time. It takes a lot of study of the self and the world at large. I believe that the most challenging thing to over come is
the ego and discovering what the Spirit World and the Universe has planned for our life. We have the free will to deny our gifts and journey. Our spirit may not be ready for that path and that really is OK. With that being said life
really is one big adventure full of ups and downs. One
never knows what is around the next corner or when a life changing event is going to jump out at you. Those in the paranormal know that even death is not the end of the adventure; it truly is the next chapter in a never ending journey. Years ago a kind gentleman and his wife attended
a Native American PowWow. That gentleman was Chris Sutton; a good ol' American man with a strong chin and
gray in his hair. Chris went into the Pow Wow with little expectations and left a changed man. Never before in Chris' life had he had the sensation of being in two worlds at the same time. It was at that moment that he not only believed but KNEW that there was so much more out there than this physical world and he was eager to discover it. Thus began his journey into the paranormal and the study of Shamanism.
Chris has a reputation of being well respected and propionate in the metaphysical and paranormal world. He has earned the respect by allowing his actions speak for him instead of just words alone. He takes his work and services for people very seriously but himself not so much. When he speaks practicing Shamanism or magick one can hear the passion and excitement in his voice.
"When I practice Shamanism, to me it's like that I'm practicing magick. You are summoning the same things. You're using the powers of the Earth and everything else. So, we have these energies that can be broken down. Some people call it Chi; this power goes through all of us and goes through all things. To me magick and anything like it is important, even with all the technology we have because of all the good it can do that technology cannot do. Which is to give people healing, faith, heart, and energy to be able to become who they truly. Magick, Spirit, and the Chi is the heart. It makes us complete."
As mentioned before Chris Sutton is a Shaman; a man of medicine. His spirit is that of a wild coyote and he is guided by the wisdom of those before him. He is gifted in his craft and as a paranormal investigator and researcher. He encourages people of all ages, creeds, and backgrounds to embrace with abilities and "medicines" as he likes to say. His idea of magick or energy and how it works is beautiful and yet so simple.
"Everybody has medicine; everybody has magick and energy. We all a have a special talent which we can use. One: To cleanse and heal ourselves. Then also, after that to help others with. I think that these types of messages, no matter how you go about it is a wonderful thing. It gives us heart, it gives us life, it gives us a way to intermingle with one another in a much more special way."
I found it interesting that Chris mentions for people to heal themselves first before they then move on to heal others. I feel that more often than not that people are eager to help the people and the world they love before themselves. In my own experiences magick is much more effective when one is at peace and whole. Essentially magick is a very important part of the human experience. A Universal Web of Life and as Chris explained it is this invisible connection that allows for things like long distance healing to work. He strongly emphasizes that we are alll connected. That we, as a human race, are one.
"There are those whom use magick negatively and don't even realize they are doing it. That is very scary. There are those whom are very persuasive and very damaged people; all the want is power over other people. They are good about talking and sharing their message. They have a good flow going because they believe in what they are doing and believe that it is right. Jim Jones is a great example of that. Nine hundred people committed suicide because he said so. What a sorcerer or wizard he would have made."
Now Chris Sutton is not saying that because someone has a mental illness or are broken inside, because is a beautiful universal healer. Chris is however cautioning those to whom are having internal struggles to seek out help and heal themselves first because otherwise their magick maybe tainted. I know by personal experience that if I not in a positive emotional state or have other issues going on and I cast a spell, the spell doesn't really manifest how I envision it to. I have found that magick is very much so effected by what is in the heart of the magician at the time of the ritual. Chris brought up a book called Real Magick by Issac Bowman, whom perhaps is the only person in America to having a degree in Wizardry from California Burkly; Chris is an admirer of his work and explains an ideal from Real Magick:
"People who do not believe at all in these thing tend to not be as effected by it as others that do believe. I think we can set up blocks. I've noticed this when doing psychic readings. Some people come in and don't believe in what I'm doing and they will block themselves. They can be real difficult to read. So, I think this some how sets up a barrier to the energies."
Do those whom do not believe in magick create a shield around them to stop magick from working for them? Perhaps. It was taught to be during my Reiki classes that one can release Reiki energy to a public place and there are those whom can accept the Reiki energy subconsciously if the spirit wishes. I'm a believing that the same concept goes for magickal, psychic, and paranormal energies. I would go even farther to say that as a nurse I have seen the same thing occur in conventional medicine. If a patient does not trust the medical staff or believe the treatment will help their condition. The patients will not be compliant with their treatment, not take their medications properly, and shield themselves from any improvement. I do love the fact that I am a nurse as well as a witch that I am able to see the world in both conventional and metaphysical light; often I find that the two world are really not that different.
Like the name suggest Chris has the Coyote has his spirit animal, though he is a well oiled Shaman machine he is a bit eclectic in his work as a Shaman. He listens to the Spirits and does what they need to do for them. It at times can get him in trouble with those of a more firm traditional practice. It works for Chris though and his energy is strong. Technology often malfunctions a lot around him. Skype issues seem the most well documented. However, I will say that I've had more issues with this write up more than any other one I have done. My iPad malfunctioned, turned off, letters would spam randomly. Even the digital recorded I used to record the interview would not work properly at time. New batteries would drain minutes after I put them in. Previous interview from other files would interrupt his interview, then go back to normal. It is a mess. I am however very determined and excited to complete this write up for him since I respect him and his work so much.
Chris speaks of two theories on to how and why technology seems to stop working around him and on paranormal investigations.
"Some people believe that they a spirit is trying to access energy and drains the batteries so they can speak or manifest. That is what I have heard the most. There is another good theory that spirit enter and leave this world through portals. When a portal is left open it sucks energy."
Paranormal research and occult studies seem to go hand and hand at times; those whom are paranormal investigators have a tendency to study occult in some form or fashion. Some maybe practitioners of a magickal path or just research it for knowledge. I was interested in finding out from Chris why he thinks that is case more often than not.
"I'm really not sure. I guess a lot of times in Christianity the ideology is that those in occult studies are messing and dealing with this that are of the Devil. The occult (which means That which is hidden) its the same thing. It challenges those who study it to reach out beyond what they know or believe in."
That single statement speaks volumes. Those in the paranormal field are really seeking out hidden knowledge and reaching out in the dark (literally and figuratively) to gain understanding of something beyond their beliefs and understanding. Now one idea that seems to be tossed around a lot is the concept of demons. That any and all negative spirits are servants of the Devil him self.
"If all the demons are here then the pits of Hell must be pretty empty. Every time they look around; 'Oh it's a demon'; There are bad spirits, believe me I have seen that but I have yet to meet something like that. It could just be a bad ass spirit. Before I go to an investigation to help a family I make sure that my energy is up. I have a little ritual that puts me in contact with spirit. That's really gets me geared up and ready to go. If I feel something attached to me or wanting to come with me I try to expand my energy to help them move on."
To Coyote Chris the use of energy and/or magick is vital when he is doing a paranormal investigation. He does use some technology like just about every paranormal investigator out there but he is a man that really understands and utilizes his energy and the energy of the elements to help him help the spirits and families at a location. He is a Shaman, a medicine man, a magickal practitioner but he is no holy man. As stated before Chris is very dedicated to his Shamanic path but he is eclectic. He has a true passion for the paranormal and magick and is fascinated that magick and energy does not have a religious limitation. That magick is simply energy infused with intent. His calling is more than anything else to service his fellow man. However he did mention the controversy as to whether or not services from occult practitioners should charge people.
"If I do go out to a location to help some one I ask for gas money. I'm not going to lose money on the deal. If they want to pay more than that as an offering I am cool with that. I don't set prices. Any kind of medicine; any kind of sharing of energy there has to been an exchange. For something that is given must be returned and be what it may. It could be a loaf of bread and a pack of bologna and I get that. One has to give back in some way to show appreciation for the gifts that have been given."
This exchange of energy ideology makes me ponder how this concept would work in a paranormal investigation. The spirits that we seek are energy. It seems that more often than not they need energy from the physical world to interact with us. Be it draining batteries or the energy of a living person. Perhaps this energy exchange is not brought into an investigation often enough to manifest the evidence or closure that the investigator, family, and those in the Spirit World need. Coyote Chris Sutton is a man of many worlds and he has feet planted firmly in all of them. He may not be a Holy Man, but he is a man with a strong sense of spirit. Maybe that is why the wild coyote his he guide; where his spirit draws strength. The Coyote is wild, untamed, and sure of it's abilities just like Chris Sutton is. He reminds us that the technology in the paranormal field and our every day lives are important and needed, but that all of us as humans must maintain our sense of spirit. It is our medicine and our spirit that makes us human. It is our spirit that connects us to the vast universe greater than ourselves. It is our spirit that is ultimately going to guide us to the truth regarding the answers we all seek.