Cutting the Strings

Greetings from Volcano Village, Big Island of Hawaii!

I have had a good internet connection and plenty of quiet solitude for the past couple of weeks, and have watched some very disturbing videos that are easily available to anyone online.   It is quite horrifying to me that these movies can by easily accessed by children.

I have mostly stayed away from the cyberspace world for many years now, for the most part deliberately limiting my time online to uploading my creative expressions and communicating with all of you.   Recently while simply attempting to access weather information online, I had firewall alerts that I have never encountered before warning me of attempts to access my computer.  

I woke up this morning with a mental vision that I feel came in response to my concern about people who are blindly caught up in the overwhelming aspects of life demanded by current lifestyle trends which require increasing amounts of technological engagement in order to participate in day-to-day life in "modern" Western society.  I am also concerned about children who are learning most of what they know from online or televised information that is ALWAYS filtered through someone else's perceptions of reality and value system.

Rather than being out in the natural world learning from their own direct experience about how to create what they imagine and to co-create in magical ways with life itself, children today who are caught up in electronic games and electronic media are instead "in training" to become little button-pushing consumers, blindly, robotically, responding to directives and focused upon "winning the game."

The image I saw this morning was of puppets all over the world, cutting the strings that were jerking them around at the whim of some invisible puppet master.   I saw the deep need for people to wake up and make very conscious, aware choices about every aspect of their lives.  I saw them awakening, realizing who the puppet masters in the outer world are and how they operate.

And even more importantly, waking up to recognize the puppet masters within themselves that are actually holding the reins that limit their experience.  (Old limiting belief patterns, woundings, fears, doubts, etc.)

I see a quiet, peaceful revolt of each person empowering him/herself to be fully alive and Self-motivated, consciously creating rather than reacting, able to perceive the unseen strings, which - unless consciously recognized and deliberately cut - will jerk one around, resulting in unconscious, automatic obedience. 

Most of you who are reading this will have already cut many, if not all, of your own strings and I celebrate your intention to be who you truly are and dance your own dance of the expanding Heart, choosing to be awake and aware and heart-centered in each moment of life.

Here in Hawaii the magic of life -- of true organic earth-centered, heart-centered, spirit-centered life, life that is lived in relation to the natural world, to the Earth and and all her creatures -- is very strong and vital and ever present.   I find that spending time in nature, communing with Gaia and All That Is, and feeling the natural rhythms of life is so very important for those of us who are choosing to dance our own dance, living true to our most Expanded experience of ourSelves.

On this day of the Solstice, I celebrate LIFE and our freedom to BE uniquely ourSelves!

Namaste.

The Earth Re-Creating Herself

Greetings from Volcano Village, Big Island of Hawaii!

Walking through the forest yesterday, we arrived at a special spot near the crater, the site of a relatively recent lava flow.  A place of stark contrast, smooth lava patterns mixed in with explosive, random shapes and structures with razor sharp edges and rough, abrasive, skin-cutting surfaces.

In this place, incredibly hot lava flowed amongst the trees, cooling around the tree trunks, burning and totally destroying the trees themselves, while leaving behind these volcanic molds - lava castings that memorialize the death and passing of these previous life forms:

Amidst the stark volcanic rock formations, new trees are now growing, vibrantly alive and blossoming.  I feel tremendous awe as I witness the power of the Earth, destroying and then re-creating herself anew.

Happy Solstice to you all!

The Spine of My Life

Over a month ago, while doing a Creational Sounding session with someone, I “saw” as a vision in my mind’s eye, a laser-thin, vertical red line.  I recognized this as representing the energy running through one’s pranic tube, and because it was so thin and sharply defined - I interpreted it as a symbol for one’s core essence and unique life purpose.  I later drew a picture of it to remind myself, because this simple image felt very, very important.

During the session, as I continued sounding with this image in mind, it was like the threads of life started growing, spreading out from it, and I realized I was being shown how when one got clear and focused on expressing one’s core essence and purpose, then one’s life could easily form itself around this inner clarity and knowing of what was in alignment with one's purpose.

Visualizing this red line/core essence of one's life purpose makes it easier for one to stay centered, discern and calmly follow one's own unique path, sidestepping situations that cause one to get caught in the frantic swirling chaos that is happening all around one these days.

Recently, while watching Clay Lomakayu’s Medicine of One videos on Youtube (see links below), I found a couple clips where he talks about “the spine of your life,” - different words for this very same concept.  I highly recommend you watch them if you feel at all drawn to do so.  He shares his ideas in a shamanic language that truly speaks to me.  

Many years ago at the time of the summer Solstice, I was called to visit a sacred place up in the mountains on the South Island of New Zealand that is called the “Birthplace of the Gods,” and I was guided to create this sound sculpture:

This image has been an extremely important one to me, one that is still guiding my path.  In the months following the “vision” that led to the creation of the sound sculpture, I was led to work daily in creating Aum spirals, sounding continuous Aum's while visualizing spirals of energy coming down to my from the highest, purest Divine source and the purest high frequency energy of Gaia coming up into my heart from the core of the Earth.  By creating and putting myself within this energetic tube in this way, I have found that I can quickly connect to that "red line"/core essence - to what Clay calls "the spine of my life."

It took me a while to figure out the meaning of the second symbol, but over time I came to realize it was about focusing, clarifying, simplifying every aspect of my life.  Gradually, step-by-step, one release after another, I have been narrowing down, returning to my core essence and uniqueness, clarifying what is for me to do - or not, and what is best for me to release attachment to, or simply walk past without engaging.  And this clarifying process has helped me find my "red line" knowing what is best for me to allow to grow around me that supports and feeds my unique gifts and talents.

The vision for the third part of the sculpture was a pyramid with a ball of light shining out the top.  (It was interesting to attempt to depict light and the geometric shape of a pyramid when I was working only with the stones available at the site!)

So the meaning I have received from this set of symbols is that when you align with Source energies and are able to deeply connect with Earth energies, simplify your life and focus upon coming into alignment with that which is truly yours to create and experience, that you become a powerful light in the world.

May your unique light shine forth powerfully through you with great beauty and joy!

Namaste.

Links:
Clay Lomakayu’s Medicine of One videos on Youtube

Two videos that particularly spoke to me:

Its Time For You To Gift The World / Through You, Not By You ~ Lomakayu

What is my purpose? Why am I here? What is the spine of your life? ~ Lomakayu

The Sea Turtle Waves Back

Yesterday, Dec. 2, I was called to visit a beach where sea turtles are often seen lying in the sun on the black sand beach.  Looking down along the beach I didn't see any turtles, so I walked out on the boulders near the parking lot and sang to the ocean and the high winds that were creating a magnificent show of waves and high-flying plumes of ocean spray as they danced together.

No sea turtles in sight, I turned to leave, but felt called to walk down the beach anyway.  What had looked like a large stone from a distance turned out to be a very large and magnificent sea turtle.  I didn't have a camera with me, so you'll just have to imagine a sea turtle that was much larger and more ancient looking than this one:

I spoke to it, thanking it for all the many lessons I have learned from sea turtles over the years and asked it to communicate to all sea turtles my gratitude for all the important insights I have gotten from spending time with them.

The sea turtle moved his "shoulder" slightly and I felt he was acknowledging that he would pass on the message.

Many years ago, I wrote a song for sea turtles which depicts their slow, graceful movements in the water - a strong pull with their front flippers followed by a long, relaxed glide.  On a couple of occasions, I taught this sea turtle song to a few other people.   After that, when I was snorkeling, I would often have sea turtles approach me face-to-face and then turn, inviting me to swim along with them for awhile, side-by-side.

So, when this huge sea turtle acknowledged hearing me, I sang the sea turtle song for him.   Here I was on the beach, moving my arms widely as if I were pulling my way through the water, while I was singing to him, with tourists standing all around us.

As I was coming to the end of the song, the sea turtle raised one of it's front flippers way up in the air about a foot or more above its body.  Since sea turtles usually lie on the sand in almost complete stillness, this flipper-wave felt like a very deliberate and clear acknowledgement of his receiving my song to him.

I left in tears of deep gratitude for our sacred connection and communion.

I have been wondering how many of the scenes in the High Tide Trilogy movies were to be filmed. The intention is that the living creatures in the movie actually participate co-creatively.  I was filled with the knowing that this will be possible, that the creatures will "hear us" and will show up and be able to participate as needed.

Returning to the very quiet, peaceful place where I have been staying for the past couple of days (which quickly manifested after my clarity about what I needed for my own health and well-being which came out of the goat adventure), I also realized that the sea turtle had called me to remind me what to do to not only for dealing most effectively with combative situations, but to avoid creating them for myself in the first place.

I was filled with the knowing that it was time to relax and recuperate.   I now have a room that catches the sun most of the day, but I hadn't taken the time yet to simply sit still and soak up the sunlight.

My communion with the sea turtle reminded me of one of the lessons I had learned from observing sea turtles on previous visits to Hawaii:  If you want to play out in the big waves and deal with huge forces that can bash you into rocks, then you have to take time to lie in the sun and harden your shell.

So I sat still for a while, just quietly soaking up the healing rays of the sun.

The other thing I remembered learning years ago as I watched my sea turtle teachers as they rode the waves in and out of the rocks along the shore, was that thet let themselves be carried by the movement of the waves.  If they landed in an awkward position, they would simply enjoy whatever was available in the situation, munching away on anything within reach.  Then, rather than struggling and working hard to get themselves into a better position, they would simply wait for the next wave to come that was big enough to easily lift them up and carry them off and out, into the deeper waters of the ocean once again.

May we all allow the tides of life to bring us with ease and grace to the perfect place at the perfect time.   May we all remember to take the time to sit in the sun, center in stillness, preparing ourselves for dealing with life's challenging moments.

Aloha.

Close Encounter With A Goat

The phone was ringing a lot at the place where I was staying on the morning of Thanksgiving.  I felt a bit overwhelmed by all the loud, speaker-phone conversations as the phone kept ringing repeatedly and decided to go outdoors to the ceremonial circle to shift my energy and sing my gratitude to the land.  

There is a resident goat living at this place, who has been allowed to wander the property freely.  It has often practiced butting its head into any creature that it chose to focus upon and engage in this manner.  I had been warned about the goat and his particular predisposition, but although I had seen him around, I had kept my distance, and had never before had any problems with him coming after me.

On this morning, however, I was holding a very different vibration than usual.  Although I was consciously intending to express my gratitude and was singing to to the land as I walked along out to the circle, appreciating the land and the green and growing things and the creatures of the property, I now realize that I was inwardly still vibrating with irritation at all commotion and non-stop phone activity in the house, feeling bombarded by all the conversations.   I was seeking a peaceful spot outwardly to help me regain my own inner sense of peacefulness.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the goat appeared and charged me.  At that moment I didn’t know why he was doing this, as he had never done this to me before, although I had heard some stories of his going after other people at various times.  

I tried to sidestep and he immediately charged again.  

I tried talking to him and telling him I didn’t want to fight with him.  

i tried sending him love and light.

I tried doing my Aum spirals to shift my energy, but in the presence of this attacking goat repeatedly charging me, I could feel in myself that I was not making any headway as I tried desperately to get my energy to a high enough frequency to shift states.  

I repeatedly put my hand on his head as he charged to prevent him from ramming my body, trying to get him to calm down and stop attacking me.  This probably only added fuel to the fire, making him see me as a possible foe and or perhaps even as a wonderful playmate.  

At that point, after more than a dozen separate attacks, I was feeling a bit afraid, because I obviously didn't know how to get him to stop.  When I finally turned and walked away, he simply circled around me raced ahead and came at me again.

I had literally, consciously, and deliberately tried everything I could possibly think of to prevent fighting with him, but finally in an emotional mixture of desperation and rage, hauled off and hit him as hard as I could in the side of his head, in an attempt to put an end to the encounter.  

It didn’t faze him at all - not one little tiny bit.  I realized afterward that his head is incredibly strong and especially designed for this ramming behavior.  But I did serious, extremely painful damage to my hand, which today, a week later, still shows the bruising where I broke some rather large arteries or veins in my wrist and palm.  It was an experience that I will never forget.

During the night following my encounter, I awoke realizing that the goat’s name was Hero - and that this encounter with him had demonstrated the role of the Hero to me (in a very physical, experiential way I will never forget).

I suddenly saw with great clarity how I had been repeatedly playing the role of Hero (and often unwanted Hero) in certain situations and how it continuously drained my energy as I "battled with" and tried to stop broadcasts of energy around me that I was perceiving as being negative or "wrong."  The people broadcasting in these ways, may have themselves been experiencing the energies totally differently, being at peace with and even enjoying what they were involved in.  They are designed for these activities, just as the goat is designed for butting heads, so they come away with little or no damage from interactions that leave me flattened and feeling bruised and battered.

The only way to deal with Hero (or anyone who enjoys combat and conflict) is to avoid getting myself into these kinds of situations, simply allowing everyone to experience what they choose to experience.  Focusing my attention on my creative pursuits would be a much better use of my energies.  Making sure I am holding a centered, peaceful vibration before heading out into the world is also incredibly important.

I have been reading Clay Lomakayu's book, Medicine of One (available at Amazon.com) both before and after my episode with the goat.  He talks about the victim and warrior energies, and the deeply repressed emotions that keep us hooked into playing out various life patterns, repeatedly recreating our dramas and traumas in which we once again play out the roles we have come to know so well.  He also defines Soul Medicine in one of the chapters of his book.

After telling a good friend the story of the goat encounter, I hung up the phone, and suddenly remembered that during the night right before Thanksgiving, I had heard a noise that sounded like someone was ramming into the car just outside the house.  I had gone out to the screened-in porch to see what was causing it.  Hero was standing there below me, looking straight at me, not moving.  It felt a bit spooky to be stared at so steadily by a goat in this way in the middle of the night.  It was as if he was trying to communicate something to me, but I couldn't perceive what it was.

In dreams, I see a car as representing my vehicle through life, which for me is my creativity and self-expression and my EarthSong energy work.  I have been asking for help from All That Is to clear the way for my creative work to go to the next step.  This ramming of my "vehicle" is what I experience whenever I live in situations that carry a lot of (to me) upsetting emotional energy.  In trying to calm everyone down, I lose connection with my own core energies and my connection to the spine of my own life.

I now see my battle with the goat as being very important Soul Medicine.  Feeling what I felt, consciously witnessing what I was feeling as my emotions shifted in a very alive way within me during the course of our interaction gave me insight into deeply buried emotions that I had not been able to truthfully express at the time.  I now have a very intensely physical memory of the goat event, and carry a body knowing and experiential wisdom that will serve me well in situations I may be facing in the near future.  A sacred gift that keeps on giving.

Because of reading Clay's book (about creating and sitting in the Circle of one's life and bringing in all the aspects and emotions of that event and breathing compassion in, through, and around all of that) I connected with the aspect of the little girl within me who never felt that her creativity was received as being the heart and soul expression of her core essence.  

Hero alerted me to the old behavior/belief pattern and rammed the point home, and I can feel that important shifts have happened within me that will indeed allow me to nurture that creative, expressive, noisy little girl and move forward in new and very exciting ways with my journey as a creative person.

I have come away from this goat encounter with a deepened understanding that I need to be constantly aware of what I am really and truly feeling, for it is that emotional, vibrational, core energy I am radiating that are magnetizing my experiences in the outer world.  The feeling of inner peace must come first, with whatever appears to be happening, if I want to create peace in the outer world around me.

The energies of the planet and the rules of the game for living on planet Earth have been changing rapidly and are continuing to change.  Awareness of the actual vibration we each are carrying in each moment is powerful tool to use to help navigate these intense times of global purification.

Finally, although there is a lot of talk about world peace right now, perhaps peace is ultimately not the most important goal.  Perhaps it’s discovering and experiencing the feeling of deep connectedness to Life - a feeling of Oneness with all Life in ALL it’s many forms, flavors and expressions.   Perhaps it's simultaneously learning how to create and express that which I most want to create and express while here on Earth in physical form, while allowing everyone else to do the same.

Namaste.