Learning to Sing

There is a brokenness out of which comes the unbroken, a shatteredness out of which blooms the unshatterable. There is a sorrow beyond grief which leads to joy and a fragility out of whose depths emerges strength. There is a hollow space too vast for words through which we pass with each loss, out of whose darkness we are sanctioned into being. There is a cry deeper than all sound whose serrated edges cut the heart as we break open to the place inside which is unbreakable and whole, while learning to sing

Rashani (via sacred graffiti)

Dancing with muddied Feet

Himself ~ by Brian Froud

*

"The living bond between all life, Himself is

the breath that moves, the atom that dances,

and his magic is in pure being~living Loving.

He has the magic of procreation , of dancing

the spark into being. He is the one who dances

the great dance of life and death.

Dances upon the gate between the worlds

so that the dead may pass beyond.

It is also he who is willing to sacrifice himself

when that is necessary, for the sake of those whom he protects.

Even as our hearts beat within us,

we learn to mediate the life force through

Joyful being and action.

Expressing the power through healing

and love and trust,

we become more like Himself"

P84~85 The Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud and Jessica Macbeth

*

***

*

A friend shared that yesterday she went to a posh party in shoes that she had bought after not trying them on. She had been to shoe shop after shoe shop trying countless shoes. None of them would fit. On arriving at the party she lost her shoes in the mud and went with muddied feet.

I exclaimed that she was a living faery tale.

Where upon I remembered a dream i had when I was in my twenties where I arrived at a posh party and was introduced to Pan who was dressed very smartly like everyone else ~ accept he had not trousers. He was not hiding his fur legs and hooves!

My dear friend also had shared how like me she has felt at odds since a child. Different. I have had dreams of trying in vain to force myself into ill fitting shoes. And as I write this I cannot pass on without being reminded of thousands of women who have had their feet bound...

This is an old poem I wrote in my twenties when I recalled a time I held memories of the Old Ways when I was in a Convent from 7 - 9 years old. I was young and so closer in my memory of the gateway between life and death. I remembered living as a daughter of Himself. Needless to say I did not fit into the Convent way. And this was not the last time I was told by a Christian authority figure that I was under the influence of the devil.

*

***

*

Miraculous Transformation of Our Lady

*

Stone reclusive, built for ten foot giants.

Hidden behind thickly interwoven ivy

Creeping cunning plant with

dark evergreen leaves

*

Seeping supernatural shine.

No light between the gnarled arms

bending into mouths

tasting of deep red earth.

*

A tunnel of conifer and yew smelling thickly

of red fluorescent berries

touching tantalizing the tip of my tongue

Screaming stomach pain and death.

*

"Come along girls'' is lifted from

billowing stiff black skirts.

A chain of grey bobbing hats are

led to a ghostly circle of

*

Silver birch, ash and beech

Sheltering a small crumbling arched wall.

Crouched, solitary a female figure with

pearl white hollow eyes

*

Thin silenced mouth hovers over

stone drapes. Fingers shimmering

then sighing in the silence

I gasp She "Queen of the Faeries"!

silver fox

*

Inspire

Inspire:1. to exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon a person or invigorate. 2. To arouse, stir. 3. To prompt or instigate; give rise to. 4. To guide or arouse by divine influence or inspiration. 5. To take or draw {air} into the lungs. 6. To breathe into or upon. Collins Concise Dictionary.

I went to a talk by Richard Olivier on Ethical Leadership at Alternatives Piccadilly yesterday. He truly embodied what he works for and was inspired. At the start of his talk he posed these questions;
Are you taking Leadership of your own life? Are you empowered and powerful?
What is the territory you can appropriately manage?
How connected are you to Stewardship?
Are you working holistically {ie integrating Mind/Body/Spirit or 3 Souls/Huna} ~ in Shakespeare's term your 'Single State'?
What is the territory you can appropriately manage?

From this place of being our own Authority, Richard then made the link to Leaders. He made reference to the Sacred Kingship role of being able to walk around his/her territory/Ambit. Ambit is the root for Ambition. Sacred Kingship acknowledges the role of channeling the energy focused onto/channelled/directed by the community/people. Sacred Kingship is about Service and Stewardship. Sacrifice to the greater good. Being a pagan I naturally am familiar/have an interest with the 'old ways' of our land which are connected to Sacred Kingship/Queenship; that acknowledge the natural cycle in myths of Gods and Goddess who died or were sacrificed only to be reborn again in Spring. {For a well researched comprehensive history of customs and beliefs of Britain I recommend: Ronald Hutton 'The Stations of The Sun'.}

Richard talked of stages of Leadership the first one being Drive. This is needed for initiating projects. Expansion.
After the initial stage came a time for Transition and withholding ambition. Taking a breath.
It is at this stage that it is useful to pose these questions such as;
Am I in the right ambit? Am in the right place? Am I doing what I was born to do/Living my Life's purpose? Where I find myself is this where I thought I was going? Such questions are therefore also vital for groups joined in a shared venture to ask not just for themselves but also for the group.

The first stage of Leadership is very easy to get addicted to as it creates and needs a lot of energy. Individuals and groups can become obsessed with this energy and heightened adrenalin. Become narcissistic. Individuals in the Leadership role can mistakenly believe this focused energy directed towards them, is not part of an integral interconnected system in which they are service to. But was created by them and for their needs and are no longer are humble. Such leaders are like Black holes.
Unfortunately it as that time that Leaders can only bare people who flatter and agree with them. Who do not question or challenge. But surround themselves with 'Yes men' who in turn need their Leader to stay in order to safe guard their own positions. So the dysfunctional system is perpetuated.

To illustrate an alternative model to our western power-over {Dreaming The Dark ~ Starhawk} structure Richard referred to Transition Town Projects {which I've referred to in a previous post and is included in my Links} who as part of their structure have it that people who take on Leadership roles have to stand down after a year. So hopefully limiting unethical leaderships.

Ethical Leaders give out more energy than they receive. Are as Shining Suns. And as Crowns worn by Kings & Queens; Leaders symbolically have antenna which connect to the higher good.

" A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral" Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

http://www.oliviermythodrama.com/

bearboyravenfatherfox

by Jackie Morris

http://drawingalineintime.blogspot.com/

To my Arctic Sisters

*

The time for me spent with you all was precious and powerful

where we were mirrored in the land.

*

Where the stars at our feet were light when I fell deep

I feared I would drown in their softness.

Where the white was not white but reflected the rainbow.

Where Spruce trees as black stars

reaching up to twinkling eyes,

draws life from deep in the earth.

Where the sleeping bear dreams

a laugh that rumbled deep in our bellies.

*

Where I could feel thunder crack of ice

as my feet dared to walk naked and bare,

Upon black waters hiding silver flares

and black wings that sliced the blue sky.

Where the stillness held my grief and gave eternity to joy.

Where as I embraced the cold that cut

I connected to our brightest golden star.

Where I fell into a Vast Love.

silver fox

*

Land of the Bear Jan~Feb 2010

Spruce

The breadth of space and

The depth of the Earth

Stream through the eye of the needle

The secret of living

Penetrate each other and below

And create life

The meeting is perfect.

If you look at Spruce from directly above, the star-shaped patterns of the branches will remind you of a snowflake...The power of the Spruce is there to facilitate the creative act between Heaven and Earth. Spruce is an important antenna for the cosmic forces. The Earth catches these forces with the help of trees, and mirrors the harmony of the universe and the music of the spheres deep into the crystalline structures of the rocks, among other places" The Tree Angel Oracle by F Hageneder & A Heng.