ADVICE FROM A TREE

Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots deeply into the earth
Reflect the light of your true nature
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The energy and birth of spring
The growth and contentment of summer
The wisdom to let go the leaves in the fall
The rest and quiet renewal of winter

Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view!
~ Ilan Shamir

And another one that sums up me....

Says it all really....

Your and My family.....

Game Changer?

This article was taken from http://shamanscircle.com/archives/2271

 The word from a friend in the UK is that the entrenched wet weather pattern finally shifted to the longed for and prayed for drier, sunny weather conditions – and just in time. People are elated and hopeful that the opening Olympic Games ceremonies and the next few weeks of games in London will carry on without the constant need for umbrellas.

Meanwhile on this side of the ocean the Midwest continues to profoundly suffer from extreme heat and drought – with no hoped for, longed for, and prayed for game-changer in the offing. Last night and today, however, there is a strong front of extra-large Thunderbeings stomping around and handing out deluges here and there.

To borrow from the wisdom of people in another part of the world, the Australian Aborigines, original humans of their realm, with a residency of at least 40,000 years – and who are no strangers to drought conditions:

These are a people who have deeply rooted spiritual relationships with their homeland, and an understanding of its workings that challenge our consensual view of the world. Much like the traditional peoples of the Americas, Europe, Siberia, Asia, Africa…  These indigenous Australians recognize the existence of the “subtle worlds” (see David Spangler’s book The Subtle Worlds, www.lorian.org) and the non-human beings that essentially share the planet with us – many of whom are responsible for the co-creation of the Earth and its continued viability.

One of the primary spiritual beings is the Rainbow Serpent – a powerful serpentine spirit and cultural creator deity of the sacred Dreamtime and who, along with his “lesser regional manifestations” is in charge of the balance of water and weather for the country. For thousands of years this great being has been an integral part of Australian rain-making rites.

Interestingly, Rainbow Serpents appear in the cosmologies of original peoples of the Southeast and Southwest regions of our country as well.

In China, where the serpentine spirit shows up as Dragon, there are Water Dragons who are associated with waters and weathers.  And both the Water Dragons and Rainbow Serpents are capable of unleashing storms, droughts, and general havoc when “interfered” with or crossed. (info from essay, Rain Magic by Alanna Moore, 2004 – see www.geomantica.com)

Can we suppose this means that when we humans mistreat the land –  and waters of the land – we provoke the ire of those Nature spirits who also live there? Traditional knowledge warns us that all of these beings require proper and caring treatment of those realms where we all live. In other words we humans and our wants are but a part of the whole story.

There’s a worthy baseball metaphor out there reminding us that “Nature bats last.”

Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr writes in a paper entitled “Dadirri” that,

“Many Australians understand that Aboriginal people have a special respect for Nature. The identity we have with the land is sacred and unique… All persons matter. All of us belong…

What I want to talk about is another special quality of my people. I believe it is the most important.  It is our most unique gift. It is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to our fellow Australians. In our language this quality is called Dadirri.

It is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for.  It is something like what you call ‘contemplation.’

… A big part of dadirri is listening… The contemplative way of dadirri spreads over our whole life. It renews us and brings us peace. It makes us feel whole again…

In our Aboriginal way, we learn to listen from our earliest days. We could not live good and useful lives unless we listened. This was the normal way for us to learn – not by asking questions. We learnt by watching and listening, waiting and then acting. Our people have passed on this way of listening for over 40,000 years…

Quiet listening and stillness – dadirri – renews us and makes us whole.  There is no need to reflect too much and to do a lot of thinking. It is just being aware…

Our Aboriginal culture has taught us to be still and to wait. We do not try to hurry things up. We let them follow their natural course – like the seasons. We watch the moon in each of its phases.

We wait for the rain to fill our rivers and water the thirsty earth…”

What would happen, could happen – to us, to our lives and doings in the world, to our realms – if we practiced this ancient wisdom?

____________________________

Perhaps the real game-changer that we seek in our struggles with drought is already here – and staring us in the face – the drought itself.

What is this Game-Changer-Drought calling for? The Dust Bowl era was unforgettable in its severity and transformation of lands and people’s lives – displacing and impoverishing many families as well as stripping vast areas in the Great Plains of their formerly rich soils. The dust storms of that time were legendary.

We did learn from this horrific experience. We learned to not take the bounty of the land and the weather for granted, we learned more about wasteful farming practices – but did we remember what we learned?

Perhaps like the Aboriginal way of contemplation we can quiet ourselves – as best we can – putting our concerns, worries, even issues of financial survival aside – at least momentarily – and wait, get quiet, listen to whatever there is to hear, to understand about this time. (Even the act of writing this brings up the urge to squirm with fearful thoughts…!)

(Gratitude to Kim and Shaun Leyland, Foundation for Shamanic Studies Faculty in Australia for sharing their research)

________________________

Keeping Quiet (Pablo Neruda)

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth

Let’s not speak in any language.

Let’s stop for a second

and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment, without rush, without engines;

we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.

Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm the whales.

and the man gathering salt would look at his hurt hands.

Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, with fire,

victories with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their brothers and sisters in the shade,

doing nothing.

What I want should not be confused with total inactivity:

Life is what it is about.

If we were not so single minded about keeping our lives moving,

and for once could do nothing,

Perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves

and of threatening ourselves with death.

Perhaps the earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead in winter,

and later proves to be alive.

Now I’ll count up to twelve

and you keep quite

and I’ll go.

Friendly Winds at your Back!

‎*Prophecy of Chief Crazy Horse*

Taken from a posting on Facebook.

"Upon suffering beyond suffering; the Red Nation shall rise again and

it shall be a blessing for a sick world. A world filled with broken

promises, selfishness and separations. A world longing for light

again. I see a time of seven generations when all the colors of

mankind will gather under the sacred Tree of Life and the whole Earth

will become one circle again. In that day there will be those among

the Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among

all living things, and the young white ones will come to those of my

people and ask for this wisdom. I salute the light within your eyes

where the whole universe dwells. For when you are at that center

within you and I am that place within me, we shall be as one." 

***This is a statement of Crazy Horse as he sat smoking the sacred pipe at Paha Sapa with Sitting Bull for the last time, four days before he was assassinated (Sept 1, 1877)

Prayer to The Four Directions. Chief Seattle

Great Spirit of Light, come to me out of the East (red) with the power of the rising sun. Let there be light in my words, let there be light on my path that I walk. Let me remember always that you give the gift of a new day. And never let me be burdened with sorrow by not starting over again.

Great Spirit of Creation, send me the warm and soothing winds from the South (yellow). Comfort me and caress me when I am tired and cold. Unfold me like the gentle breezes that unfold the leaves on the trees. As you give to all the earth your warm, moving wind, give to me, so that I may grow close to you in warmth. Man did not create the web of life, he is but a strand in it. Whatever man does to the web, he does to himself.

Great Life-Giving Spirit, I face the West (black), the direction of sundown. Let me remember everyday that the moment will come when my sun will go down. Never let me forget that I must fade into you. Give me a beautiful color, give me a great sky for setting, so that when it is my time to meet you, I can come with glory.

Great Spirit of Love, come to me with the power of the North (white). Make me courageous when the cold wind falls upon me. Give me strength and endurance for everything that is harsh, everything that hurts, everything that makes me squint. Let me move through life ready to take what comes from the north.

From http://www.starstuffs.com/prayers/fourdirections.html  I love this form of prayer/ceremony so much. I find it empowers me for when I am doing a healing or just for my own time of refecltion.

They tower over us yet we do not hear them....Or maybe we do...

A Message from the Trees

By Megan O’Connor

A tree reaches deep into the ground and up again for light, and flowers leaves to clasp the suns rays into itself for nourishment. It is profoundly beautiful unto itself, perfect from its conception, but maybe it has a bigger purpose by giving all of life a message

In all its gentle grace and stillness it communicates notice how peaceful life can be see how the sun nourishes all of us. It stands, swaying in a strong wind, leaves dancing.

Look closely and you will almost see them waving hello. It has witnessed many days gone by.
The tree renews itself with the changing of seasons. Trees  give a gracious home for other living beings and is a kind servant to mother nature, and in return is rewarded with a  long, life.

Yes, there are lessons to be learned from trees. The greatest of all can be seen between the leaves.
If one looks between the leaves, a matrix of infinite unique spaces can be seen, a place to contemplate eternity, a place to feel peace, a place to listen to the wisdom of the tree, a partner and reflection of the great spirit shared by all.  

Our friends speak these wise truths in their being, which could be translated into a metaphor for human life.Live your purpose with grace and stillness of heart. Gathering light from above nourishes your core.
It is wise to sway in a strong wind. Know when to rest, regenerate and begin again fresh in the spring.
The space between things seen is where infinite creativity lives.

The wise ones tell us it is easy to see to eternity when reaching into an endless sky, which sooths the soul; or while reaching into the fertile grounds of life, rejoice in what is really important, a warm sun on your face while being grounded in mother earth.

The next time you drive by a group of trees, slow down.  Watch the wind blowing them, see if you can feel the wind in your hair, and remember, light is your source.

This is the gentle message of the trees.

Native American Proverbs & Wisdom

We need step away from our hectic modern lives and spend some time mediating with the wisdom from those who were very connected to Spirit.

Here is a selection of very wise sayings. Wisdom from American Indians. May these find a place in you heart and soul and bring you closer to who you should be.


- All plants are our brothers and sisters. They talk to us and if we listen, we can hear them. - Arapaho
- Our first teacher is our own heart. - Cheyenne
- Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children. - Tribe Unknown
- When a man moves away from nature his heart becomes hard. - Lakota
- To touch the earth is to have harmony with nature. - Oglala Sioux
- Regard Heaven as your father, Earth as your Mother and all things as your Brothers and Sisters. - Tribe Unknown

We human beings are our own worst enemies at times.........

Of all the beings on this planet. Both seen and unseen. We human beings are our own worst enemies at times. We hate ourselves. We put ourselves down so much. We hurt ourselves so much. I have been reading through this blog 100 Day Walk With A Shaman Her update from Day 22 I think would help us all...... 

Day 22 – You are Perfect Just the Way You Are.

I have had the honor to sit at the feet of many of the worlds greatest teachers and one time I asked Lama Zopa Rinpoche, “ What is our main problem?” The lama answered, “It is that we think, "I am the worst person in the world. I am full of hatred, desire, and ignorance." These concepts are totally negative, and you have been carrying around this self pitying view all your life. Cry, cry, Fear, Fear, emotion, emotion. Obsessed with your own shortcomings, you put tremendous pressure on yourself. You punish yourself by regarding yourself as ugly and worthless. Other people may think you are beautiful, but still  you project yourself as ugly.”

“Right now just stop whatever you are doing and visualize a beautiful blue light, which is like clear blue sky all around you. See yourself just being in this clear blue sky color with nothing else but the color blue around you. As you just experience this beautiful blue light notice how your dualistic thoughts start to break down. You no longer believe in those self deprecating dualities. They no longer exist, really. This radiant blue light helps us to touch reality, which is the most important thing in the world. This is no longer an fantasy world of projections and self deprecating thoughts and judgments. This place you are experiencing in this sky blue light is inner and outer reality. There is no self judgment in this place. Can you feel it? See yourself as a being of sky blue. You are perfect just as you are. You only need to realize it. “

Lama Zopa knows this truth and we need to know it too so that we can experience our own natural perfection.

Aho
Shaman Elder Maggie

Native American Prophecy....

“When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear,
when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them."—Chief Sealth (Seattle), Suquamish

The thought manifests as the word- Buddha

As I have been dwelling on the first principle of Huna I came across this quote. Seems to elaborate this ever so much.

“The thought manifests as the word; 

the word manifests as the deed; 

the deed develops into habit; 

and habit hardens into character. 

So watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.”

~ Buddha~  

Rights for those who also inhabit this earth with us.....

"There is a hue and cry for human rights -- human rights, they said, for all people. And the indigenous people said: What of the rights of the natural world? Where is the seat for the buffalo or the eagle? Who is representing them here in this forum? Who is speaking for the waters of the earth? Who is speaking for the trees and the forests? Who is speaking for the fish, for the whales, for the beavers, for our children? We said: Given this opportunity to speak in this international forum, then it is our duty to say that we must stand for these people, and the natural world and its rights; and also for the generations to come."

-- Chief Oren Lyons, Chief of the Onondaga Nation and the Iroquois Confederacy, in his account of speaking to the United Nations in Geneva