Thursday, 4 May 2023

The Naming

Jan 20th, 2013

Work has been full and demanding – leaving before first light and returning home after dark with evening preparations and tasks still before me – time feels compressed.  Weekends are filled with marking, preparing, tidying up, doing errands and chores… I long to reconnect with Heart Ma. Rather than walking to the forest at this late hour, however, I decide to visit one of the Young Ma on the property – one whom I have not visited in many many months. 

Kneeling to touch Young Ma's base and connect with her, I feel my heart open with a sense of the familiar – the meeting of an old friend.  And through her I am aware that I am now connected to all Ma.  My heart is appeased.

Immediately she begins to chatter at me.  "Take care of your heart. Do not compromise it. Honour the teachings in all you do. Weave them into every action, no matter where you are, no matter what you do, from the most mundane to the most ceremonial. Be clear about who you are and why you do what you do – be clear about your core and foundation.

Trust this new flow. Trust the shift. Something will open. Trust." 

Images of what seems like skeletons made of branches and moss arise – I am uncertain what they mean.

I look at her closely, and a shock runs through my body.  Both she and her neighbour (who is approximately 6 feet away, growing on a different companion tree) are cut in half, part way up the vine.  Oh, my heart… What happened?? They were thriving last year!  The cut is perhaps 8-10 feet from the ground – it seems odd that both are cut at the same height, and there is no other sign of interference with the growth of the plants in the area, no scars on the trees.  These Young Ma's are on a protected part of the property.

Sensing my concern and questions, she replies, "Do not worry about it. All is as it needs to be. Your energy was severed, our energy was severed. We are one unit, we carry you."

"Ma, I am sorry. I do not even know how or when it happened..."

"Shhhh... Do not worry. You must take care of yourself and your health. It is imperative. Reconnect. Reconnect. Reconnect..."


Jan 27th, 2013

It is a cold and grey morning.  The day ahead is full and long.  Having walked to the Sacred Grove, I take a moment to connect with old friends and simply "be" with them as I wander my way to Heart Ma. Passing Turn-in-the-Road, I pause to momentarily connect.  My heart suddenly expands and drops the feelings of constraint. I breathe.

Lovingly, she says, "All will be well."

Appeased, I walk over the small animal trails, noting moss and plants, rabbit droppings, the small hills and knolls and green-covered winding roots...

As I approach the Deeper Grove, I look carefully at the various Ma's who hang in guardianship of this place.  Some trees are heavily laden with the twining and wild Ma's.  Other vines are graceful companions to the trees in a shared ecstatic embrace.

I arrive at Heart Ma, offer tobacco and burn sage. Raven "barks" in the distance.  The air smells clean today.  And yet, my heart feels constrained again – a lump sits in the middle of my throat.  Many images pass through my mind and heart. I just pour them out to Heart Ma, asking counsel and guidance.

"All that you have taught has helped many people. And now you have an opportunity to create something new. Trust that this new offering will be rich, because you will create it as such. Plant-Spirit work is your heart. You will create something new and powerful.” As she speaks, images of community, connection, fires, and sacred time arise in my heart and mind.
 
I pause and ask, "And what of the transition?"

Her reply echoes Young Ma's words.
"Act in impeccable integrity – in all situations and with all people. Hold your centre, hold your centre. Embody your values and the teachings, and believe and act in accordance with your deeper vision and heart.

Now, go to Ancient Ma.  We have many months to deepen our relationship."  

It has been a long time – I eagerly anticipate my time with Ancient Ma as I pass by the Hanging Ones and the enormous mass of wild Ma whom I have not yet befriended.  Arriving and offering formal greetings, I reach out to hold Ancient Ma in my hand as I lean my forehead to her in that perfect curve that fits just right against the shape of my skull.  The wind picks up and moves through the trees with intention, carrying a blast of chill with it.

"Listen to the story of the winds," she says.

I rest quietly in her caress, and feel the energy of the wind – I can sense and feel it has traveled from up north, across ocean waters on its way to here. The trees around me begin speaking to the wind.

"You are included in their story," Ancient Ma whispers.  "We are all One in this story."

The wind moves with intelligence, telling a story I can only hear the surface of.  I feel a familiar energy arise – if I let myself, I would feel fear, as I have in the past encounters.  A being moves on the wind, one I have met only twice before in this forest, but have had too much fear to open to.  This time I allow myself to ride the energy that is arising, and remain open to it. 
A Molfar, adorned in a cloak of black crow feathers that covers him from head to toe, blows in behind me. I cannot see his face.  He is behind me, yet I see him in perfect clarity.

I have long known crow as an ally.

Ancient Ma speaks as if conveying a message from the Molfar to me.
“You are Vorona Mol'farka. To us, this is your ceremonial name from now on. We will teach you our ways. Next time, and from now on, when you return, arrive as Crow."

An image of an acorn is given, though I do not know its meaning.

"Now go," Ancient Ma says.


I turn to look behind me where the Molfar had been standing. A large tree stump with young saplings growing out of its base stands in the same place.


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