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Balancing with Beauty.

From my journal.
I woke up this morning watching the sunrise in the horizon. The colors in the sky were mirrored on earth by the autumn trees. I found it incredible: Yellow, orange and red swallowing up the Full Moon of Reason (11th moon on the Wheel) and an infinity of stars. Thoughts and insights bubbled to the surface. For a moment I couldn’t tell the difference between my dreams, and the mix of thoughts and emotions moving through me.

It was surely a moment of perfection.

On the Medicine Wheel it’s the Moon of Drama (3rd moon), which teaches us about the wisdom of beauty. I remember learning this lesson through my daughter. At three years old, she imitated a myriad of people, things and situations. KT loved the way I talked on the phone. Soon she had my mannerisms memorized and was showing me how I looked when I did my babbling... By watching my toddler copy the world around her, I was able to learn more about her and about what she loves out of life. As they say: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

I've learnt through my shamanic journey that it takes walking in someone else’s moccasin for just a moment to see what beauty others see.

Since last week just before the Full Moon and Thanksgiving weekend (in Canada) the theme of beauty has been repeating. It started on Thursday when our family home was literally infested by Lady Bugs. I wish I had taken a second to take a picture. They were gathering by the thousands all over the front yard wherever the sun touched the house. The weather was so nice it brought them out; just as the good weather brought us (humans) out as well.

It was definitely the perfect weekend for sight seeing: To enjoy the beauty of nature.
Did you know our First Nation ancestors often shared stories about the Lady Bug? This insect is re-known for teaching great lessons about the wisdom of beauty.

The destruction continues next door. They’ve buried the pond and ripped out the trees. My heart swells painfully each time I remember the 50-year-old Weeping Willow; which used to hang over the road. I still don’t understand why they had to drag it out of the earth by the roots. If there’s a creature in our World that lives by the laws of dignity it’s trees. We certainly didn’t do justice to this old one…

A neighbor stopped by this weekend. We’ve lived in this neighborhood for close to a decade and we don’t personally know most of the people who live around us. We respect privacy: Ours and the privacy of others. In many ways we are like the trees in our region. We stand amongst the people and watch. We know what is going on; but we don’t intrude.

For the first time this weekend, we were approached by several of our neighbors because of the situation with the townhouse development next door. It became clear that not too many people approve of it. It was nice to see mirrored in others this sadness and anger I’ve felt towards the destruction of a few dozen trees.

“I can hear the traffic now,” said one of our neighbors “when before I couldn’t hear a sound.”

Trees are generous: Healers and Dreamers. They filter pollution: germs and noise. Plus, they produce oxygen. It’s strange to watch so many people (including me) marvel over the trees in brilliant colors this fall and yet, every day allow developers to cut them down. How hard is it to build our homes around them?

“What can we do? Right?”

These people are land owners; which gives them the right to do what they want with their land… When did WE become all about money more so than our vocation to protect this planet? Whatever happened to our “contract” with God or Creator? Weren’t we supposed to be the Keepers of this World?

There no doubt there should be stricter laws. We should protect our trees: Our Planet!

This weekend I sat on the porch watching the Full Moon hide behind the trees while in broad daylight. It was huge, ghost-like and low, sitting on the horizon. I imagined this moon in Goddess form and there she was a young woman hidden in a tree; spying on us. For a split moment I saw her smile and wink at me just before she ballooned back into the sky where she took up her throne: Just like the Queen she’s always been…

“Not every Full Moon does this,” I told myself, “these details certainly reveal personality.”

I’ve been teaching for years, that in Shamanism we have phenomenal experiences with Gods and Goddesses through connections with nature and cosmology; but it’s often difficult to share these stories especially with people who have a completely different perspective on life. Yet, this weekend it felt like it was as clear as water. It couldn’t be missed. This Full Moon, the Goddess of Reason crawled out from the underground and pointed a finger at darkness and destruction: Human absurdity. She handed us a scroll, a copy of an old contract and called us back to our original commitment.

“Are you not the Keepers of this World?” she asked without any reprimand or judgment.

Suddenly, I remembered how JZ shared a dream with us at breakfast. He said in this dream I was teaching him the five steps to some kind of process or journey. Unfortunately, he couldn’t remember all of the details. For a few hours this morning I wondered about the dream. I even went for a walk with the dogs and took a moment to ask the Dream Time to reveal to me the missing parts.

On Facebook so many people have been asking me to write a blog entry on how to become a better Dreamer. This morning after JZ shared his dream it was clear he needed to work specifically on “memory.” We live in a society, which has computers and phones to remember dates and calculate money. People no longer pay attention to their surroundings. Most of us can’t remember faces or events, which occurred around us during the day. We are busy, we’re in a hurry and we’re focused on tasks. It’s not for nothing that Alzheimer is an epidemic amongst our elders, these days. We no longer use our minds to remember or even to reason.

I would suggest JZ and many other dreamers to work on “memory”. Pick up books on the topic and read about the powers of the mind. Do everything in your power to keep your mind active and strong. Do memory exercises. With time you’ll see an impact on your dreaming. You’ll slowly be able to remember more of your dreams and even interpret them better.

With the help of synchronicities all through the day I was able to decipher the message the Full Moon was sending our way. I understood that in JZ’s dream I was actually talking about the 5 steps of consciousness; which are:

• the acknowledgement of life (animals, plants, water, stars, rocks etc….);
• the acknowledgement of movement or change (adaptability, migration, walking etc…);
• the acknowledgement of reason (practical, rational, and realistic understand of life);
• the acknowledgement of intuition (knowing beyond instinct and emotion);
• and finally, the acknowledgement of God/Goddess – a higher force.

It seemed clear that the Moon of Reason is calling us back to “reason.” She's asking us to take time to look at the consequences, imagine the implications and consider the future end results relating to our actions. She's bringing us back to the notion: "We are responsible for the next 7 generations." With the lessons on beauty whispering through reason this weekend, I couldn't help but interpret this phenomenon as team work: Two sisters (two moons) coming together in a quest for balance. It was only after looking closely at the Medicine Wheel that I realized these two moons actually share the same axis: Mirroring each other literally.

"WOW! The Wheel is a living force; which never ceases to amaze me. It shows us the natural and cosmological realities at play. All we need to do is listen."

We should always be attentive to synchronicities; but even more so this month. They will be flooding our lives like never before -- mark my words! The Moon of Reason will be showing us how important synchronicities are to "reasoning."

“I’m a Keeper of this Earth,” I told the Moon, on Thanksgiving Day, “please teach me what this means in the 21st century.”

No sooner had I sent out my prayer I watched Bella and Murfle roll themselves on the grass just a few minutes after giving them a bath. I giggled at how easy it was for them to express themselves on how they feel about soap and perfume. Dogs judge solely by the knowledge they collect through smells. If we come across anything that doesn't smell too good we're disgusted and repulsed. Animals come up with a whole other perspective. For a moment I wondered what "my odor" said about me.

“What’s my basic smell? (basic nature, basic ME)" I whispered to them as they slobbered all over me.
“Trust, playfulness and pack mate,” they seemed to say.
“All three of these attributes I can definitely live with,” I replied, knowing that by the end of the month I would intimately as well as empirically know what these words mean...

I understand that this Moon of Reason is asking us to weave meaning into our actions and to be beings of beauty -- people who live with dignity. How will this message manifest into your life?



P.S. I promise to keep you posted on this story unfolds in my world. I'd love to hear about how it takes shape in yours.

Comments

RavenWolf said…
This was very interesting. looking forward to learning more about these loops of conciousness. I can see myself coming back to this again. I'll definitely try and work on memory in the sense that you've said; it makes so much sense!
Unknown said…
Thank you for this blog Lisa, I am definitely seeing the need to work on MEMORY and will try some of the things you suggested.

This Moon is bringing me many gifts of beauty and abundance. I feel so much gratitude for the love and support from you and the community towards my new business. I am committed to carving a place for me, us in the world with our sacred objects. I am already making great connections. Indigenous Designs is more than just about selling aboriginal arts and crafts, it is about teaching about sacredness and more....

MaryRose
Rose said…
I have been trying to think of something to write ever since you posted and I have come to the conclusion that all I really know is that it is different in the UK. Just around the corner from us there was some old garages and they applied for planning permission to knock them down and put up some houses. My street successfully appealed to have the houses faced with the same sort of stone all the houses around here are made of. So I can't imagine what this is all like for you, I really can't.

I am sending you and your land my best thoughts...
Lili said…
Hi Lisa,
For me, since coming back from the Gathering I have found little time to re adjust. I have so many activities that keep me busy I just jumped straight in and got to work. I need more balance. So today, even though Al is working, We all went out for a walk with the dog to Llansteffan. It felt great to be in nature and amongst the trees. As I sat on the castle wall I thought how natural and untouched this place is. How beautiful and blessed we are to be living in this place, the only sadness is how many electricity pylons are dotted on the landscape in the distance and yet how would we survive without them in place? I realise that I have no answers as such, yet I have a dream...To live within nature, be self sufficient and to be more present within this place.
I understand that in order for me to find balance I need to be out and about in nature regularly. I also need to be more aware of what my body says to me. I have to listen to it and respond appropriately.
What I found in my silence is that I must come from a place of truth if my children and I are to grow.
I dreamt we are Keepers of truth. We have it within us, we just have to learn how to apply it and use it. Lisa, You taught me that when interacting with my children if there is something I do not know how to explain then use my life as an example and share the truth. I never really looked at my experiences with any such beauty before. It is a great tool for teaching.
DJ started talking to ghosts in his dreaming and was questioning about things, saying how he was a bit scared etc and what were my thoughts...I used the truth, my own experiences. He grows, he benefits and he learns from those things, which I see as only beneficial for the generations to come.

Rose, You live in a beautiful part of the country. Good to see a fellow Brit in here!

Love
Leanne
Rose said…
Hey Leanne, yes it is lovely to see a fellow Brit here! And I do live in a wonderful part of the UK. Do you have a blog, because I would love to visit you!
Lili said…
Rose,
At this point in time I don't have one. Though I have listened to Lisa suggest this and just need to create time for me to do one. I don't know how easy it is to begin, I need to investigate.
Leanne
Rose said…
Well I hope you do begin a blog! Blogger has made it pretty easy to set up which helps!
Anonymous said…
Full Moon of Reason (11th moon on the Wheel) and an infinity of stars.

Is the Moon of Reason is the 10ht moon of the Wheel, instead of the 11ht??

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