The Beginning of the Time of Great Change

AWE!!

This is one of the most unique of human experiences … it can arise from any number of sources or events spreading out before us … it can be emotional, it can be Spiritual, it can be physical; or it can be a combination of all of these.

There is an old story that the Teachers would tell about the turtle who lived within his shell. Of course, living within his shell is similar to the way in which we organize our lives – our shells are our personal patterns of daily living. Laughing, I like to imagine the turtle as a cartoon character sitting within the cave of his shell, oblivious of anything happening outside. We could even see him roasting a marshmallow over a warming fire, safe within his shell.

Then a knocking happens, not at the doorway, on the fabric of the shell – it reverberates throughout the structure of the shell. Our turtle has choice: He can be like a Hollywood movie character and assume that anything outside his shell – new or unusual must be evil, and hide in fear or dress for battle.

Or, he might choose curiosity … he might open to the possibility of communication with this knock that seems to reverberate through his world, through his pattern of living.

In one of the legends of the Hopi; when it was foretold that the third world would come to an end, those who opened themselves to communication were able to hear and be guided through their Kopavi – known as the soft spot on their heads. The legend is that the skin of our skull is drawn taut across this area, like the head of a drum; and that if you listen through your Kopavi, you can hear the tapping of Great Spirit on your own drum head. In the legend, those who listened were guided by their perception to a place of safety, while the third world passed into the fourth.

Of course, the message being passed through the Kopavi, can be received in many different ways – the analogy is that we can be open to Infinite Potential manifesting in our lives in any way. In fact, the world around us is supportive, providing many opportunities for us to see beyond our ‘shell.’

On the 19th of June is the celebration of the Beginning of the Time of Great Change. The story of how the physical world manifested in the manner foretold by the ancient Hopi tradition, can be found in Chapter 5 of The Gospel of the Stone, written by Swami Ramananda. We have also spoken of it in a radio program.

Certainly, this is a very dynamic, Awe Inspiring, physical manifestation of Infinite Potential – a knocking on the shell of our pattern of living. Yet the message beyond this majestic happening, is that there is a knocking every day. If we listen and wonder, perhaps we can emerge from our shell and discover Newness – an abundant, creative and supportive world around us. This is a world from which we can draw inspiration, a world that can inspire Joy in our Hearts.

May Blessings Surround You

Annual Cycle of Life

The end of August is nearly upon us. Yes, I too am surprised at how quickly the events of summer have past through our lives. Here in this fourth week of August, we have a natural phenomena taking place with which we can align ourselves.

When we align some of the actions of our life with the flow of natural phenomena, we gain a bit of the power which is being manifested in this phenomenon. Thus, we see that ancient, indigenous cultures the world over, have ceremonies that celebrate the four seasons of the year. With the Hopi on the Mesas of Arizona, ceremonies are aligned with each cycle of the moon.

We, ourselves, are Natural Phenomena – the actions of our body, both internal and those in our environment – are all a part of the flow of nature. By aligning our manner of thought and actions with the flow of nature in the Annual Cycle of Life, we gain an energetic partner – energy beyond our ability to produce, which can add to the direction of our Heart’s Desire.

With the end of August, the summer growing season is completing itself; the Time of Harvest is beginning. It is a time of welcoming the abundance of the Gifts we have and are receiving. I urge each one of you to dig deeply into your present reality, find the gifts which are actually at your fingertips.

The habitual patterns of our brain may offer confusion, perhaps denial that we have received abundance – look more deeply into your life, open your heart and accept the gifts that Life is offering to you in this moment. In the Present, Life is Immense – take the opportunity to touch this Immensity.

The natural flow of Nature, of the Time of Harvest, is tapping on your window; you can draw upon this energy and enliven yourself; with this additional energy, you can enhance your expression in a Life of Joy.

Celebrate the Flow of Abundance in this Cycle of Harvest.

Blessings to each one of you.

Summer Solstice Celebration

On the 19th of June, I celebrate a remembrance of the Beginning of the Time of Great Change. On this day, as foretold by ancient Hopi legend, the stars in the sky formed specific symbols that signified a release from the old and an opening to the possibilities of the new.

On this day, in 1973, I sat with my Teacher, Swami Ramananda, listening as he would predict the next symbol that the stars would form, and watching in astonishment as the stars proceeded to create that very form. As he shared with me the legends about what all this meant, I was filled with uncertainty and delight. That day started a journey that is continuing through today.

Swami Ramananda passed away on June 30, 2004.

This year, on the 19th, I set up a shrine room in my house. My tradition is to wait 24 hours after setting up a shrine before performing a ceremony. Yet, I wished to touch that uncertainty and delight from so long ago. I sat by the newly placed altar, reading Chapter 5 of The Gospel of the Stone. The room seemed filled with others, I almost glimpsed them as I looked around. Using Ramananda’s writing as my springboard, recalling the events in their unfolding. I chuckled, hearing once more the ‘Ranger Talk’, remarking to my friends in laughter about how many times the National Forest Ranger had said to ‘look to the Watchman Mountain’.

Foolish child that I was, Ramananda was secretly smiling to himself – the Hopi legend had told him to ‘look to the Watchman’. As we returned to our campsite, without pause we sat looking at the Watchman Mountain. Later Ramananda would predict the forms that the stars would make above its peak, and share the meaning with me.

This night, I wept as I read his words of how the legend had foretold one would sit beside him as this event unfolded – knowing it was I.

After finishing the chapter, I sat in quiet for a while – Feeling and Listening – wondering what might be in store. A strength from an unknown depth within, arose and became the surface of my being. A gentle impression came forth: “The time is right, completion is at hand; your yearning to walk the Path of the Ancients is before you – Walk.”

In Joy I arise, In Joy I am sustained, Into Joy I journey.