Thursday, 4 May 2023

Storyteller

June 18th, 2012

Opening the sliding door to the balcony off my bedroom, a warm gush of air brushes my face. The fresh air invigorates me.   I look at the Dark Mother in her pot – she has two seed pods forming, and a new flower.  Her energy is multiplying.

I have not been to the Sacred Grove in what feels like a very long time.  My heart has been yearning for the connection. It is time… The walk itself is soul-food.

As I enter the Grove, I greet each Guardian and the other Ma's, and feel an immediate shift in my heart.  Turning to Guardian, I respectfully begin to speak my intentions.

She politely interrupts.  "Ground yourself first, child. Make offerings to the Adorned One, then myself, then Storyteller, and seek answers to your questions in that order."

I offer sage and cedar to each Ma, and sweets as animal offerings – in gratitude for their help and protection at the Grove.

As instructed, I approach the Adorned One, and she, in turn, directs me to her companion.  I ask the companion for specific practices to help clear my channels and strengthen my journey with this medicine.  She “speaks” more in feeling and image than in words.  I am shown four practices: one with breath, one with sound, one with meditative silence, and one with body movement.

I watch my ego rise – I wanted something fancier as a practice, more esoteric.  She scolds me. "Simple is enough – do what keeps your channels clear!"

Then she chides me. "What are you doing in your diet?  What is this eating of sweets??  Be diligent in all your practices at ALL times."

"It feels so rigid at times..." I complain, feeling like a small child.
"There are times and places to let go – choose wisely.  That is part of the diligence of your practice."

I return to the Altar Guardian to ask the second question: insight into a dream from two nights previous.  The dream portended a dramatic change of circumstances and dynamics in my life – I was worried my life was about to become more stressful.

"It's all for your own greater good.  It's not an easy lesson.  Let it all flow through...  Let it all flow through... Let it all flow through... 

As circumstances change, as the story shifts, let it all unfold...  Let it all unfold...

Let yourself be seen as you are, in your practice.  Do your burnings, do your work as Mol’farka’s apprentice.  Hold your centre."


"Is there anything more I could or should do?"
"Do the practice you have been given [breaths, meditations, physical practice].  Let it all go, give everything away.  Be diligent at all times. For now, this is enough."

Finally, I approach Storyteller for the last teachings.
"Go take a bath with a candle.  Wash your hair, listen to the wind, and create your story."

“What do you mean, ‘create my story?’  I understand what it means to create a story – my stories, the ones that run through my mind – playing out assumptions, fears, needs…  But what do you mean??”  Ugh, sometimes I truly feel like a little child trying to understand the simplest of teachings with these beings…  My mind wanders to a video of a Korean Medicine Woman I had seen earlier in the day.  In my heart, I wanted to understand how she does her healings – it was so powerful to watch her.  I felt her presence was deep and complete with the person she was working with.

Reading my thoughts, Storyteller speaks: "She listens to their stories and dances them through her body.  Not the stories of the surface-body with its surface-personality – she listens to the soul-stories of the ones she works with, under and beyond the surface complaints and presenting needs. We all listen to and create our own surface stories – these are easy to get caught up in.  One day, child, you will hear the deeper stories of others just like you hear the stories of Ma, and the deeper medicines for that moment and that person will indeed be revealed.”  She pauses.

“Now, go have your bath and create your story."




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