Thursday, 4 May 2023

Dream Medicine from Dark Ma

Oct 21st, 2012

I am knee deep in water.  Two people are with me in the water.  Objects are strewn all over the shore – my computer, both of my sons' computers, all of our belongings.  The clouds in the distance look ominous, and I have the strong sense that a cyclone is coming.  I am quickly trying to gather things up.  The dream shifts...

I am in a bed, and a friend is in another bed in a nearby room.  A spider is spinning a web between us.  The spider begins to float down toward my bed and I gently blow on her to try and push her away – only to cause her to come down near – almost on – my face.  I wake up suddenly.

I lay in my bed, playing the images through my mind.  As I do this, I remember a dream from a week earlier.  That night I had asked for directions on my path as Mol'farka.  I dreamt of my brother – I don't think I have dreamt of him at all for the past 2 decades.  In the dream, he was not his current age, but sort of half-adult, half-child.  He kept flipping ages.  There was a poisonous Amazonian green frog that we were trying to capture so no one would get stung by it.  The frog climbed a pole – my brother had not seen it climb, and he backed into it.  The frog tumbled onto his neck and stung him.  It hopped away and I was frightened someone else would get stung – we were still chasing it when I awoke to the sound of an intense wind-storm outside.

I am uncertain what each of the dreams is pointing to – they have each shown up on nights when I specifically asked for guidance.  I have also been sleeping with a dream-bundle under my pillow – a small satchel of herbs intended to be helpers in the dream-realm.  A stick of Ma that I had rubbed on Dark Ma for her scent also resides within.  Perhaps Dark Ma is trying to reach me through the dream realm? Images of harnessing and facing destructive energies, poisons, fears – there is medicine in them that only the clear-seeing heart can know.

~*~

I enter the forest making gift of obkuryuvannya and prayers to Corner Guardian, Little Ma and Forest Ma.  Pausing to breathe for a moment, I hold Forest Ma, letting her know my intentions with the prayer-water, and asking if there is any part of her or this stand of Ma that could act as a gift to the medicine.

“Listen to the whisper of the winds,” she says in return.
“See the birds, trees, this forest.  We are your friends.
This is love.”

As if penetrating an empty space in my heart, her words echo inside me.

She directs me to Little Ma, who simply offers the words, “Whispers of the winds.”

At that moment, the gentle breeze that has been blowing becomes a gentle wind.  I turn to face it.  I sense it carries messages from afar, and as I peer into the sky, I see it carries clouds too!

I return to gathering medicines for the compresses – giving thanks and offerings to each plant that gives of itself. As I reach toward one of the Salaal plants, it speaks: “Deeper, child, go deeper into the forest.”  Stepping off the main path, I follow an old and over-grown path toward and around a small knoll.  Kneeling to pick more Salaal, I see two people and a dog walking around the bend of the main path.  I am well hidden, and do not actually feel like interacting with people.  I remain quiet and crouching.  The dog, playing with a stick, decides to enter the over-grown path.  He bounces to a place where he might easily see me (especially in my purple shawl), but does not.  He bounds back to his caretakers, and together, they quickly move past me.  I silently give thanks to Salaal.

Proceeding uphill to the Sweet Everlasting, I see she is now beginning to mold from the rains.  The skies grow darker and heavier with moisture.  Requesting a gifting of a few branches to take to a burning tonight, I know I must work quickly.

Eventually, I find my way to the Counsel of Trees.  Entering the circle, the I See You Cedar tree has shape-shifted once again.  I am astounded each time we meet how his antennae-branch rises and falls.  The first time I greeted him, the branch was at the level of my forehead.  The second time I greeted him, it was at the level of my heart.  Now as I walk toward this great tree, the branch is well-above the crown of my head.  I am humbled by his movements.

People continue to walk by on the main path as I remain hidden at the Counsel.  Visiting the two emanations of Ma, I ask Many Roots, One Path if she is willing to gift some part of herself to the prayer-water.  My eyes fall on a broken branch of her near the ground that is well-twined around a fallen dead-piece her companion-tree.  I understand this is her gift to me.

I ask One Path, "Are you also to be included in the prayer-water?"

She replies in image – a vision of her vine twined around a clear glass jar within which is the prayer-water.

“I am here to empower the prayers and you as apprentice.  It is not my place to be a part of the water itself – that is why Sweet Everlasting was given.”


I thank Ma, and begin to walking home to prepare for the magic of the prayer-waters.

~*~

Completing tasks for the day, I finally feel clear.  It is time to make the prayer-water!  There will be no interruptions I can foresee – phone is off, and I have gathered everything I need.  My intention and actions must remain clear, and impeccably concentrated. 

I prepare for two prayer-waters.  Though it was not my original intent, the balance feels needed.  The first will be to generate love – within me, around me, and in particular, in intimacy.  I must have no attachment to when this will come to pass. Just create it with absolute clarity.   Sweet Everlasting – I so love this plant – will represent the energies she is named for...  Fern, one of the oldest plants on Gaia, will represent enduring and timeless love.  And Cedar, offering cleansing and purification, will counteract any negativity and will also represent interdependence within community.  Thinking of I See You Tree, I feel his soft and wise benevolence wrapping around my heart.  Ma will be there to empower the formula as Teacher.  I will intend clear-heart-seeing in this way.

The second formula will be made of Ma, Dark Ma, and Cedar in order to honour my connection to and respect for the Ancient Ones.

I take a few moments to quiet my mind.  Such a simple set of actions, yet how easy it is to wander and disconnect… With as much presence as I can muster, I place the plants into two separate jars, and then pour waters from my well (which runs deep into Gaia's belly – I think of this water as sacred and wild).  I cap the jars and gather all of the burning-offerings to proceed outside.  My mind remains focussed and clear – no wandering thoughts.

The fire is a little slow to start, though as it begins to burn more intensely, I make offerings of Sweet Everlasting, a twig of Ma, a branch of fern, and a dried piece of cedar.  The jars sit before me.  Uncapping the first, I hold the clear jar up to see the orange-red flames reflecting in the waters.

Holding a bundle of herbs, I ignite obkuryuvanya.  Wisps of smoke begin to rise and I blow prayers and intentions slowly and steadily into the jar, across the surface of the waters, 3 times.  This I carefully repeat with the second jar, and after all is complete, I rise and walk with the prayer-waters to Life Blood Tree.  Dipping my fingers in, I splash Life Blood’s base 3 times with each formula, again repeating the prayers and intentions.  I place my free hand on her and ask for help and guidance – to take these prayers to the roots and branches, Earth and Sky.

Finally, I make the same offering of waters at the side-garden – the place where I connect to the greater community of Gaia and all her peoples, and to my duties as apprentice Mol'farka.

The rains have waited.  I pause, feeling both elation and also the efforts of exertion.  Looking up, the night sky is dark and starless.

Entering the house, I walk upstairs and place the Mol'farka prayer-water next to Dark Ma, nestled into her pot outside.  “Please protect and empower these prayers.”  The Love prayer-water is placed in Ma's pot, snug against the base of her vine.  The remaining branch from One Path is placed next to the jar.  “Please, Ma, protect and empower these prayers.”  I glance above the jar to the hanging Eagle feather and bones, and send them heart energy.  The ritual is complete.


Oct 23rd, 2012

I am outside a house in a suburban neighbourhood.  There are many people here.  A band is about to start playing inside, and while I wait for the music to begin, I am twining yarn into a shape that is intended to call a mate into my life.  As I twine, I am singing, my heart and voice vibrating strongly in my chest.  I feel the sound generated in my mouth – a very palpable sound.  "Naag Deluche...  Naag Deluche.  Naag Deluche – I tell you, that's what it is!"

The dream shifts.  I am in the house, in the bathroom.  A green budgie is on the ceiling, holding onto the cover of the ceiling fan.  When I step near her, she flies to my extended finger right away.  I feed her a piece of apple and some water.  She is thirsty, needing attention and this food.  I awaken.

Immediately I remember the dream introduction to Dark Ma.  This was the last time I dreamt of budgies, and the message at that time was to Decongest, Protect, Nourish and Hydrate as preparation for my work with Dark Ma.  The budgie of this latest dream seems to indicate internal dampness – yet a simultaneous need for fresh food and water.

I spend time researching the words "Naag Deluche" and variations of them.  Nothing of meaning shows up in the searches.  Somehow, those syllables or sounds have meaning – I am certain.  They are so very potent that they continue to resonate in my mouth and body…


Regardless of meaning, I feel clear in my heart – I am moving in the right direction.


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