Knowledge that Works

For many ancient peoples, hair symbolizes knowledge. “Twisted Hairs” refers to those who take knowledge from all sources and weave it together to formulate what is true and valid for themselves. True knowledge is self-knowledge, tested, felt and integrated into a way of life that always leads to a change in one’s behavior and an effectual change in one’s substance health.

This knowledge is not linear, but rather circular in nature and aligned with the very structure of creation. It is knowledge that has been tested to ensure that it works regardless of person, place, culture or historical time.

Do not believe a word you read.

Rather apply these teachings in your own life

and test to see if it is knowledge that works —

knowledge that brings you pleasure and beauty!

Great Vision Quest of Life

Have you heard the call?

Are you seeking some way to become self-reliant and self-actualized?

Yes?!

You have embarked on the Great Vision Quest of Life. The teachings of the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path are presented to assist you in becoming a Rainbow Warrior. They teach you how to align with Nature and how not to be at the effect of anyone, anything, anywhere, at any time and in any way. They are an invitation to learn how to be at cause in the center of your own circle, awake, aware and alert to all that is around you. In this way, you will be able to make decisions that count. From this place, you will be able to choose how to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem we have created on this planet.

Reflections: Seasons

Life moves through four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.  Life itself and all living things on this planet move through these four seasons.
Ecclesiastes 3, verses 1-8, read in this way:

“For everything its season, and for every activity under heaven its time:
A time to be born and a time to die
A time to plant and a time to uproot
A time to kill and a time to heal
A time to pull down and a time to build up
A time to weep and a time to laugh
A time for mourning and a time for dancing
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing
A time to seek and a time to lose
A time to keep and a time to throw away
A time to tear and a time to mend
A time for silence and a time for speech
A time to love and a time to hate
A time for war and a time for peace.”

There is a season.

You are invited to journey into the mirror of seasons.  Engage, reflect, and find your own connection to each season.

It does not matter what time of year it is – these reflections can take you into yourself as a season.  It does not matter what stage you are in your life, each season has an invitation for you.

Each stands alone.  Each invites you to journey into the mirror of self-reflection to deepen your self-acceptance and encourage your self-expression.

 

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Journeys into the Mirror: A Journal for Women written by Janneke Koole, Illustrated by Mukee Okan, you can find it at DTMMS.

Elemental Balance: South Energies

South energies teach us how to give with our emotions with tenderness, which is a means of “energy motion” or “E-motion.” Emotions are meant to be expressed, to flow freely. In other words, if we are angry, we give our anger; when we are happy we give happiness; when we are sad, we cry and give with sadness. Our emotions are a part of our beauty that we have to give away. As long as we are giving our emotions with tenderness, our emotions are true, clear and clean expressions of what is happening with us. We are in balance.

When our emotions are out of balance, we can go to Nature’s waters and ask for a reflection of how we can move back into balance.  We can also look to the south energies of each of the worlds.

The sands (and soils), which sit in the South on the Mineral World Wheel as holders-givers, dance with the fluidity of water. Watch how the sands dance when waves crash the shore.  They are the skin of Grandmother Earth, holding everything in place.  Sands and soils absorb and hold the light and heat from Grandfather Sun, eventually transforming it and giving it as nourishment for plants.

The grasses and grains sit in the South of the Plant World wheel, which, like Grandmother Earth’s skin, hold the sand and soil in place.  They are like her hair, protecting her skin and preventing erosion.  They are the double givers, in that they hold nutrients, water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide, and give all that as nourishment for other life.

The swimmers move through the waters as the receiver-givers, sit in the South of the Animal World. Fish receive through the water whatever energy is present and hold it in their flesh.  The highest incidents of food poisoning in the world result from eating seafood contaminated by pollution in the water.  The cetaceans – dolphins and whales – are the greatest receiver-givers and holders of genetic memory on this planet.

As an incarnation into the south race of humans, we have the opportunity to align with the energies of the South – learning how to flow with the waters and be as the plants to give of our self in life and in nature.  We learn to align with the heart and fluidity of emotions and our heart connection with Nature.

Check out the Song of the Deer by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi if you would like to learn more.

Five Reflections: Five Elements

Let us begin with the five elements of nature – water, wind, earth, fire, and the void.  These are simple building blocks of creation.  When all else fails, we return again to the simple basics.  When we find no entry point into the experience life places on our doorstep, these five elements give us at least five entry points.

We can go to the water and let it cleanse us and open our heart.

We can go to the wind to clear our head, to release the mindless chatter and to find new perspective.

The earth is our home.  But, how frequently are we aware of the earth beneath our feet?  Since we go to the store or restaurant rather than tilling the earth with our own hands to produce our food, we forget and disconnect.

Fire is an entirely different matter.  Fire burns until all fuel is devoured.  It is worthy of our respect and health fear.  Fire irresistibly beckons us and we are drawn like moths to a flame.  Paradoxically, it calls us to go within to find our vision and inner passion.

The fifth element, the void, is not one we are as familiar with for it cannot be handled in the same way as the other four elements.  Because of this, some would say that it does not exist.  “It’s nothing,” they say.  Yet, it is out of this “nothing” that “everything” is created.

It is true that the void is invisible to the normal or naked eye.  It appears to simply be empty space.  Yet, this emptiness contains the mystery of life, the forces of creation, the magnetism of spirit.  Religions formulate entire belief systems to explain it, scientists do endless experiments to understand it, and seekers quest for visions to make the unknown known.  Look into this mystery and feel its pull.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Journeys into the Mirror: A Journal for Women written by Janneke Koole, Illustrated by Mukee Okan, you can find it at DTMMS.

Mirror of Self-Reflection

We begin this series today to alert you, inspire you, and support you to see, to feel, and to know yourself.  Each post will be an invitation to look into the mirror of nature, of life, or your own being to catch glimpses of beauty and know you are blessed.

What do we mean by the ‘mirror of something’?

We look into the mirror often – several times a day.  Some are compulsive, worried; few are admiring, endearing; and many look without seeing.  We spend an inordinate amount of time, energy and money concerned about our external beauty – without apparent satisfaction.

We fix our hair, check for wrinkles, pull unwanted hairs, and for goodness sake, let there be no streak or smear or embarrassing messes.  Most gaze only at the surface appearances.  Most are concerned only about what others will see and what they will think.

Some look to see themselves – without this look, there is little self-awareness of how they are present in the world.  Few of us actually gaze a little deeper – few take time to connect to who is really looking into that mirror.

It has been said, “The eyes are the mirror of the soul.”  We know this depth when gazing into the eyes of our beloved.  We recognize this truth when we hold a young infant and feel the wisdom of eternity gazing back at us.  But, do we see it when we look into our own eyes? Do we dare SEE our own SOUL?

So often, we blind ourselves with projections of expectations, emotions held over from unresolved past experiences and false beliefs that cloud our perceptions.  When we look in the mirror, our eyes are glazed over, veiled so we cannot see / feel the Truth.  We glance when no one is looking.  We turn away when the reflection is objective and clear.  And so, we into our day with our burdens intact and our old beliefs unchanged.

The upcoming posts are taken from Journeys into the Mirror written by Janneke Koole, one of the leaders on the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path.  Each post will invite you to look and see – to really see and get to know who it is that is looking in the mirror.  You will be invited to look into nature as if it were a mirror.

Nature, our Great Mother, is calling us.  As you read the posts, take a moment to stop your busy-ness and listen.  Open your heart and let the smile of recognition nourish your inner beauty.  In this way, you will be blessed this day – and you will be a greater blessing to others.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Journeys into the Mirror: A Journal for Women written by Janneke Koole, Illustrated by Mukee Okan, you can find it at DTMMS.

Human World: Red/Brown Humans

South energies teach us how to give with our emotions with tenderness, which is a means of “energy motion” or “E-motion.” Emotions are meant to be expressed, to flow freely. In other words, if we are angry we give our anger; when we are happy we give happiness; when we are sad, we cry and give with sadness. Our emotions are a part of our beauty which we have to give away. As long as we are giving our emotions with tenderness our emotions are true, clear and clean expressions of what is happening with us. We are in balance.

As an incarnation in this race, we have the opportunity to align with the energies of the South – learning how to flow with the waters and be as the plants to give of our self in life and in nature.  We learn to align with the heart and fluidity of emotions and our heart connection with Nature.

Check out the Song of the Deer by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi if you would like to learn more.

Connecting with the Plant World

A little child learns about the world through observation – miming, mimicking, and copying.  In Nature, we are the child, and the plants, animals, minerals, and spirit are the teachers.  Plants, animals, minerals, and spirit always communicate openly – no mind talk, no chatter – resonating in the various chakra centers of our body.  We can learn to hear by feeling their voices inside ourselves.

To start learning this new language, get into Nature away from noise and confusion.  If you can’t do this, a large city park with lots of trees will do.  Take an opportunity to wander in this place.  This is actually a walking meditation.  Don’t decide where to walk.  Quiet your mind; just walk and listen.

Walk as though you are playing a game in which an invisible friend is pulling you gently by a slender silver thread connected to your navel.  Follow it!  After a while, you may feel “drawn” to a particular place or stone without knowing why.  Take the time to send energy to that plant, appreciating its beauty and its give-away.

Be aware of thoughts and insights that come to you that are not your thoughts.  You may suddenly know something, but don’t know how or why you know it.  Just accept it.  Don’t let your mind kick in to question your sensations, feelings or hunches.  If distracting chatter intrudes, just let it pass through you and move back into your inner silence.  Communication will come through your body sensing and your chakras, through your intuition, and through your heart, not through your mind.

You may begin to feel delight and the joy of discovery.  The dictionary definition defines serendipity as an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.  There are no accidents.  Serendipity happens when you open up and let yourself be guided by spirit and by that innate inner connection to all things around you.

Check out the Song of the Deer by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi if you would like to learn more.

Strengthening Your Connection to the Mineral World

A little child learns about the world through observation – miming, mimicking, and copying.  In Nature, we are the child, and the plants, animals, minerals, and spirit are the teachers.  Plants, animals, minerals, and spirit always communicate openly – no mind talk, no chatter – resonating in the various chakra centers of our body.  We can learn to hear by feeling their voices inside ourselves.

To start learning this new language, get into Nature away from noise and confusion.  Take an opportunity to wander in this place.  This is actually a walking meditation.  Don’t decide where to walk.  Quiet your mind; just walk and listen.

Walk as though you are playing a game in which an invisible friend is pulling you gently by a slender silver thread connected to your navel.  After a while, you may feel “drawn” to a particular place or stone without knowing why.  Take the time to send energy to that stone or rock, appreciating its beauty and its give-away.

Lie on your stomach on a large boulder.  Spread your arms and legs out, and focus on your navel.  As you breathe through your navel into the rock, experience the energy flowing between you and the rock.  Be aware of thoughts and insights that come to you that are not your thoughts.  You may suddenly know something, but don’t know how or why you know it.  Just accept it.  How does it make you feel?  Don’t let your mind kick in to question your sensations, feelings or hunches.  If distracting chatter intrudes, just let it pass through you and move back into your inner silence.  Communication will come through your body sensing and your chakras, through your intuition, and through your heart, not through your mind.

You may also want to take a class from someone who is an experienced practitioner in the use of crystals for balancing energy in the body.  Learn how to use crystal energy for your own healing.

Locate a Zen garden in your community to visit.  These gardens are arranged so that there is an instant communication that speaks as a wholeness.  A Zen garden has impact because of the artistry of the arrangement, to be sure, but it also communicates strongly because of the alchemy, because of the consciousness of the essence of the rocks and plants.  This environment stills your brain chatter.  You feel a part of it.  Everything else outside is eclipsed, and the rest of the world falls away.  So, what is it doing to you?  It is actually shifting you into an altered state of awareness and consciousness, letting you feel more connected.  Very often, you may feel a need to goo inward; you will feel your body relax and let go of stress.  The plants and rocks are speaking to you through pure energy-to-energy translation.

Check out the Song of the Deer by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi if you would like to learn more.

The Language of Nature

We can learn to unlock Nature’s voice, the language of life, inside us.  For most of us, however, this process entails a serious attitude adjustment.  The original Dr. Dolittle is not just a fanciful, make-believe character.  He is a role model to emulate.  As part of our attitude shift, we must be willing to become students of Nature.

Next, we must discard all the paraphernalia we drag with us that separates and insulates us from Nature.  Many of us spend our vacations in national parks and beautiful areas, but we are not in any way connected or aligned.  We are afraid of insects and snakes, startled by animal noises in the night, or irritated by both hot and cold weather.  To feel safe, we feel we need our Airstream trailer or our superdeluxe tent.  Surprisingly, even many of those adventuresome folks who trek in the wilds with just the minimal needs on their backs, while enjoying the scenery, often pass through unmentored because they are not aware that they are the student passing through the landscape of the teachers.  A disease of our society is that we have forgotten how to get below the surface of things.

To learn more, check out the Song of the Deer by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi