Balance, Regeneration and Rebirth

Native American Thunderbird

Many blessings in consciousness to us all.  Many apologies for this very delayed blog connection.

Finally, we are traveling well in our first year of neutrality after our covid confinement. It has still been a era of change for us.  Last month we went through the covid initiation. Marcus was well within 2 weeks, I after a month.  Despite taking a complete month of rest out of my daily life pattern, I find it has been a blessing. I have been told by my physicians that my resistance is higher now regarding the pathogens, but for me, I truly paid attention to my reflective time that the situation offered to me. It offered me a reexamination of how I was living.  (I am sure it coalesced with the 2 years of covid isolation as well).  

At present I can truly relate to our relatives the sun and the moon and their recent phenomenal journey that occurred on October 14, 2023 through North and South America. The 2023 annular solar eclipse.  We have dubbed the name that the social drama has given to their journey as the Ring of Fire eclipse.In In actuality; we observe a ring of light in all annular eclipses. A ring of "fire" is radiating out of a dark black orb.  The ring of rays are of the sun.  The dark black orb is the moon, and we as humans see it this way from the pathway of its journey on the planet we live on, Earth.  We, as humans, are very much a part of this phenomenon.

A solar eclipse happens only on a new moon. There are at least 12 new moons a year, so why would an eclipse be a rarity? The path traveled by both the sun and the moon must be in perfect alignment. Simultaneously, the moon must be on or very near a lunar node. (nodes are where the moon passes along the Earth's orbital plane). And ... the moon must be apogee (the farthest)  from the Earth for the ray/light/fire to be visible to our observation. We never see a new moon unless there is an eclipse.  

There are 3 types of eclipses: total, partial and annular.  

A total eclipse is when the moon covers the sun completely, and day becomes night. Its pathway is shorter and its pathway narrower, approximately 9000 miles long and 90 miles wide.  So it is not totally everywhere.

A partial eclipse is when the moon covers part of the sun's light. The sun, moon and earth are not in perfect alignment and the moon looks like it took a bite out of the sun. Partial eclipses are virtually unnoticeable because of the sun's brightness. 

An Annualar eclipse is when the moon covers the sun but is apogee and thus the ring of sun flares can be visible on Earth. The annular eclipse is rare since the moon, sun and Earth rarely fall into perfect alignment and the moon's distance does not always allow the flares to be seen distinctly.  The eclipse pathway is narrow and shorter as well, but varies again because of the distance of the moon to the Earth. 

The recent Ring of Fire Annular Eclipse that North and South America experienced on October 14, 2023 had a visible pathway affecting humans on Earth from Eugene Oregon, down through the tip of northeastern California, Nevada passing through Elko, south to Richmond Utah, Albuquerque New Mexico, then through San Antonio Texas onto South America. In South America: Eastern Mexico, the coast of Belize, eastern Honduras, half of Nicaragua, the coast of Costa Rica, central Panama, central Columbia and centrally swooping through Brazil. 

We were not in alignment within the eclipse pathway here in Crescent City, CA.  However, that does not suggest that we are not part of the phenomenon. 

Now that we've looked at the scientific phenomenon of the solar eclipse, I must shift gears to illuminate on how many indigenous peoples view the sacred moments when our galaxy and the universe make their presence known in our lives.

Predominantly viewed from a North American perspective, when the sun and moon and our planet come together, that spiritual conjunction is monumental and an extremely sacred moment. For many indigenous peoples, they take the moment of the phenomenon to be in an honoring mode.  

When I inject the word "honor" I mean it to be used as "reverent". When we are reverent, we take our personal pleasures and ego out of the picture. We become serious and respectful to our environment and to those who we share it with. For many of my indigenous relatives, we pray. We speak of the blessings in our lives and we offer our gratitude with thoughtful thanksgiving for being part of this magnificent universe in which we live.

There are still some cultures today that hold ceremony to honor such phenomena. And mostly, the observance is like any religious observance, fasting (no food or water) praying and, like in many Native American ceremonies, staying awake in participation of the event until the duration of the eclipse is complete. 

Many Indigenous peoples see an eclipse as a renewal and a regeneration of energy and spirit. The sun and moon are recharging and resetting themselves to what is coming ahead. There are legends within North American indigenous cultures that state that the sun, (especially in a solar eclipse) is going through a death process and the moon is supporting its resurrection. Some have ancient legends that suggest that the sun and moon are coming together to mate, a suggestion that offers creation/regeneration and a new beginning in the heavens and in our world. Both concepts suggest that the occurrence does not induce immediate effects, but ones that will develop. 

Indigenous peoples feel that conjunctive energies within the sun and moon are shifting energy on earth and in the atmosphere. Staying humble and withdrawn allows such happenings to settle before exposure to the outer environment.

It is interesting that the image of the Thunderbird comes to mind for me. The Thunderbird, for Native Americans, is a supernatural being of great power.  In many Native American legends, the Thunderbird has dominion of the weather and also the upper western world, where many of such beings of power live. The sound of its wings is thunder, and the flash of his eyes is lightning. We all know that after thunder we will find lightning and after lightning, mostly there is rain and or storm.

When I was studying and living in Ontario, Canada, my Anishinabe mentors told me the Thunderbird's significance to them. The Thunderbird warns us to be indoors and protected, as change is coming to the land. Thunderbird is a protector of life and its presence comes to help to balance evil/negative energies. Rain, thunder, lightning are all tangible symbols of great supernatural phenomena. For me, the Thunderbird reflects that image of the power and significance of the omnipotent energies of the sun and moon together, that as so significant to the earth's survival. What comes out of that conjunction just may be the Thunderbirds's spirit metaphorically.  There can be a great presence of life renewed in the coming times up to about 6 months, or there can be massive changes that such a powerful presence in weather and natural occupances take place in order to help balance life on sacred Mother Earth.

I pray that during the season of the West, traveling to the North brings us a reflection of honor and reverence so that we can heed the guidance of the Creators.

Muyye Weyya

Diveena

LUTEA: Lyceum of Universal Teachings of Earth's Ancestors

The Mysterious Powers of the East

Photo by John Towner

Spring Greetings and blessings. I know we’ve been underway in our 2023 spring season. However, Mother Earth and her nature ensemble have kept us here in California in seasonal suspense. We are slowly being introduced to a new season in far north coastal California country. However, Spring Equinox came and went without too much notice as our days have been a continuum of winter with a few clouds parting enabling us to catch some moments with our grand relative the sun. We are still waiting for more.

Many cultures across the globe observe vernal equinox as a major eventful day.  Ancient celebrations in the east, in particular Nowruz in Iran, have been a practise for 3000 years, perhaps stemming from Babylonian traditions.  In India is the Vishnu spring festivals. In the far east, such as Japan, Shubun is the spring celebration. Also, is the Korean Cherry blossom festival. Maslenitsa is a major observance that is associated with Easter in Russia and the Ukraine, even with snow presence there are always festivities.  Christians observe Easter to herald in Spring, and the emergence of blooms activates an awareness of the season’s change, i.e. tulip festivals in Norway and Canada and Lavender festivals in France. All this excitement is the honoring of an actual new year on the planet alongside all our relatives (plant, animal, mineral, and human).

For my indigenous ancestral relatives, we awaited the wild strawberries on the hills in north central California. Actually, the timing of the strawberry emergence was typically late April, early May.  Thus true spring for my ancestors was about a month after the logistical Equinox.  I was told the hills would glisten with carpets of red berries. Today, we either grow them in our own gardens or purchase them at the market.  However, before my community celebrants could eat them, we held the annual strawberry ceremonies and festival. During the ceremony, we were each given a strawberry towards the end of the ceremony and then the festivities and feasting began. The strawberry represented the emergence of a new life and the promise of a new life within all of us. So no matter what was of loss or unhappiness in the past that we traversed through the winter, we started over with a new chance in life in the spring. For my ancestors, this is the power of the East, the energy of spring.  A new beginning and birth to a new life of beauty and joyfulness.

When I speak of energy, that energy is the Life Force residing in and upon Mother Earth.  Without that mysterious (my ancestors so honored with deep respect "the Divine") gift of Mother Earth we would have no ability to live.  I understand scientists are scrambling to find other planets to sustain us human once we finish using up our Earth's resources and gifts. What I do not understand is why do we humans not take care of the perfect place that beautifully and naturally offers everything we need to survive as well as thrive? Or as my ancestors called Hinaak Towis Hennak, To live a good life.  We all could live a very good life here with no lack for anyone "if" we could hold this Divine mystery sacred.

The spirit of the mother, and her divine right as a woman to bring forth and support life is a great mystery.  My ancestors held the highest position in our community for the women.  Our women's bodies are sacred.  Yes, there are scientific methods for growing test-tube babies.  However, the fetus can not emerge into the world as a human being without living within the miraculous nurturing womb to be given the blessings of a human being.  No one can replace our women and the gifts they bestow upon humanity.  These gifts are not just a body to incubate our offspring.  There is an ability to nurture, love, care and to even sacrifice the ego for the wellbeing of others. I also believe that the spirit of the women's nurturing body and its connection to the life force of the planet as well as the emerging spirit of the child with its first breath, all are in sync to produce life together. Yes, we all have choice and we can go against such attributes.  Nonetheless, I am so very grateful that many women have chosen to support the sacred aspects of their gender.  I am also grateful that celebrating our mothers continues to take place in our exoteric colonial secularized society unbeknowest of its deepest profound mystery.

From an Indigenous perspective, I advocate that our mothers, and the women of our race are to be cherished and loved.  We do not understand the mystery of our lives coming into this world.  Yes, we may have on an esoteric consciousness to chose to come into this world on a certain day, and time and year to certain parents and place. However, no matter how powerful we may think we are, we are not the sole participants in creating our experience on our planet Earth.  There are the mysteries of others and their journey and their willingness to come together with the force of life that comes into alignment with the life force of all involved.  I find it an amazing journey, mystery and wondrous realization that we are here, now on this amazingly beautiful and magnificent planet that we can call home.  

On Mother's Day I pray we acknowledge our beautiful home on Mother Earth.  Do a blessing, be with her, and most importantly learn to honor each other, and our blessedness of being a part of humanity as we know it.  

My indigenous Eldes have told many stories that align with prophesy.  One is that our Mother Earth will be here a long time, long after we all are gone.  However, human beings have not been here on Mother Earth as long as our other brothers and sisters in the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms.  There have been other types of races, perhaps similar to humans.  But they did not last long as well because they did not honor and care first for the planet, or each other but rather foremost themselves.  How do we learn to change from our egocentric selves?

Come back to Earth, the Great mystery and the blessed honor of the mother.  

Muyye Weyya

Diveena

PS: My first powwow I attended in my California homelands brought in by outside Native Americans. (California Indigenous peoples did not do powwows or publically danced).  However, things change and if it is fun, why not?  We did not eat fried bread either.  However, at that first powwow, fried bread was sold in concessions with strawberries and whipped cream.  We easily included fried bread in that context.  Try it sometime.