Monday, December 8, 2008
Webs
After my conversation with Oak, I turned and saw Spider. I asked her what she though of what Oak has said about the different ways in which animals and plants relate to the Tao. She said that spiders have a different perspective. Spiders live within the currents of what is, but in an active, not passive fashion. Spiders flow with the Tao, but they also spin webs. The webs stretch across the currents, interacting with the flow but without disrupting it. Spiders never make useless webs. Wherever you see a web, it was put there because a spider knew that some creature's destiny would bring it to that place at the right time for it to die. Webs stretch across the Tao, through space and time, both responding to and revealing its flow to those who can see. Across these unseen connections, the spiders dance.
The view from the trees
Continuing on my spirit journey...
The impetus that I had to make this journey was concern about a news story I heard on the radio, that oak trees across much of North America were not producing acorns this year. Acorn production naturally varies from year to year, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, but always some. But this year huge numbers of trees are producing no acorns at all. What was wrong? I resolved to ask Oak about it.
When I arrived in the clearing, I saw Oak standing tall and full, vibrant and alive; I immediately felt relieved. I expressed my concern to Oak, and asked what was happening? Were the trees dying? Was is global warming, parasites? Is there anything I could do?
Oak told me not to worry. Yes, many trees this year were not producing acorns. This was not something that they chose, nor was it something that they were forced to do: they just perceived that this was the right thing to do right now. This confused me somewhat, so Oak drew me into its awareness, so that I could to some extent see the world the way trees see it.
Trees are intensely bound up with the natural flow of what is, something I can only compare to the Tao. Animals have intentions and make choices, and can act either in harmony or opposition to this flow. Simpler animals generally follow the Tao spontaneously, and live their lives in harmony. More complex animals may act in response to fears or desires that pull them in different ways, and can get out of sync, moving against the flow. Humans are the worst at this, often not even being aware that their choices and actions continually make life more difficult and stressful.
Plants cannot move against the Tao. At each moment, a plant simply does what is right for it to do, without plan or intention. An animal lives within the flow, and can move with or against the flow; but a plant IS the flow. It is a spontaneous expression of what is at each moment, unbent by intentions. Plants do not fear or desire, they simple dwell in awareness of what is, was, and shall be, and their growth and life is a dance expressing this. Only humans ask Why, or If.
Are the trees dying? They don't know, and it doesn't worry them. They know that time flows in ever-repeating cycles, that winter follows summer. Across the rhythm of the seasons there are larger rhythms of growth and waning, and that nothing stays the same, that there will be a time when the trees will wane, just as there is for all things. They will pass when it is right, without fear, whether in a nuclear winter or the slow death of the sun.
Oak did reveal something of what the trees perceive of what will be. They are withholding their acorns this year; the energy and vitality that would normally go out to them is being pulled inward and concentrated. This is building a huge reservoir of energy, which they will use for some important purpose in the near future. The trees don't know what the purpose will be. They just know that when the time is right it will be used, to the benefit of all. I asked for more details, what is this great plan of the trees? What will they do? They don't know. Being trees, they have no plan, no intention, they just perceive that there will be a time soon when they will act.
The impetus that I had to make this journey was concern about a news story I heard on the radio, that oak trees across much of North America were not producing acorns this year. Acorn production naturally varies from year to year, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, but always some. But this year huge numbers of trees are producing no acorns at all. What was wrong? I resolved to ask Oak about it.
When I arrived in the clearing, I saw Oak standing tall and full, vibrant and alive; I immediately felt relieved. I expressed my concern to Oak, and asked what was happening? Were the trees dying? Was is global warming, parasites? Is there anything I could do?
Oak told me not to worry. Yes, many trees this year were not producing acorns. This was not something that they chose, nor was it something that they were forced to do: they just perceived that this was the right thing to do right now. This confused me somewhat, so Oak drew me into its awareness, so that I could to some extent see the world the way trees see it.
Plants cannot move against the Tao. At each moment, a plant simply does what is right for it to do, without plan or intention. An animal lives within the flow, and can move with or against the flow; but a plant IS the flow. It is a spontaneous expression of what is at each moment, unbent by intentions. Plants do not fear or desire, they simple dwell in awareness of what is, was, and shall be, and their growth and life is a dance expressing this. Only humans ask Why, or If.
Are the trees dying? They don't know, and it doesn't worry them. They know that time flows in ever-repeating cycles, that winter follows summer. Across the rhythm of the seasons there are larger rhythms of growth and waning, and that nothing stays the same, that there will be a time when the trees will wane, just as there is for all things. They will pass when it is right, without fear, whether in a nuclear winter or the slow death of the sun.
Oak did reveal something of what the trees perceive of what will be. They are withholding their acorns this year; the energy and vitality that would normally go out to them is being pulled inward and concentrated. This is building a huge reservoir of energy, which they will use for some important purpose in the near future. The trees don't know what the purpose will be. They just know that when the time is right it will be used, to the benefit of all. I asked for more details, what is this great plan of the trees? What will they do? They don't know. Being trees, they have no plan, no intention, they just perceive that there will be a time soon when they will act.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Ancestor
I took a spirit journey the other night. It was clear and cool at the shore, the sky was clear and the stars lucent; Jupiter and Venus in conjunction with the crescent moon were brilliant. The sea was crystalline and dark. I walked up the path into the trees.
I was well into the woods when I saw a man standing beside the path ahead of me. He was an Indian (Native American) man, in traditional plains attire with feathered and beaded boots. He smiled at me, and took a few dance steps/stomps, and guestured for me to do the same. I did, and he smiled and did a few more; for a few minutes he danced softly with me, encouraging me to stand pround and strut in the dance. He said that he was proud of me, and that I should be proud of myself.
I am a quiet, gentle, soft-spoken person, uninterested in sports. Although I am a tribe member, I know practically nothing of my tribe's traditional culture or language. He said that this does not make me less of a man, or less of an Indian. Although I have not followed the traditional paths, and have never been made a man by the traditional rituals, I have found my own paths and have earned my manhood and my place by my own experiences, wisdom, and gifts; and I need apologize to no one. Strength is shown in gentleness, and wisdom in tolerance. He is proud to claim me as a descendant.
With thanks, we parted and I continued up the path.
I was well into the woods when I saw a man standing beside the path ahead of me. He was an Indian (Native American) man, in traditional plains attire with feathered and beaded boots. He smiled at me, and took a few dance steps/stomps, and guestured for me to do the same. I did, and he smiled and did a few more; for a few minutes he danced softly with me, encouraging me to stand pround and strut in the dance. He said that he was proud of me, and that I should be proud of myself.
I am a quiet, gentle, soft-spoken person, uninterested in sports. Although I am a tribe member, I know practically nothing of my tribe's traditional culture or language. He said that this does not make me less of a man, or less of an Indian. Although I have not followed the traditional paths, and have never been made a man by the traditional rituals, I have found my own paths and have earned my manhood and my place by my own experiences, wisdom, and gifts; and I need apologize to no one. Strength is shown in gentleness, and wisdom in tolerance. He is proud to claim me as a descendant.
With thanks, we parted and I continued up the path.
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