Money was tight and December was rushed this year, which paradoxically meant that Solstice was very nice -- just family, quiet, darkness and fire. We are in our back-woods house with no internet or TV. I made a big fire in my newly rebuilt firepit. It is great to be able to have a real, big fire, burning actual logs instead of bits of branches!
The blazing fire of peachwood from our old house and aged oak from our new house was beautiful on the cold night, and drew out Athena and the kids to sit around and talk, and roast marshmallows. Too much mist and scattered clouds for stargazing, but a gorgeous almost-full moon sporting a huge ring - at least 35 degrees wide, fat and silvery, lasting most of the evening.
Athena sat with me a while, then Aurora came out and talked with me and we shared stories about shamanic journeys. We played some with the bells and drums, Cercatore and Aurora made smores, and we all sat out for a long time talking and enjoying the fire.
Later, after the others went in, I sat by the fire and beat a steady rhythm with the bells Athena had bought, and drifted into non-ordinary reality. As I listened to the bells jingle, I started to hear other bells, like harness bells approaching and jingling across the fire. I could very clearly hear them come close and settle near the fire. The visitors felt like travelling Sidhe, riding some kind of antlered steeds, attracted by my fire. I welcomed them to share the fire, and put out some of my snacks and offered them freely to share. I offered, as my part of the nights tale-telling, for them to watch the spirit journey I was about to undertake.
I took a journey to find a spirit animal to help me in the coming year. The seaside was dark and cold, but the sea looked like clear glass and reflected the flames of my fire; as I walked into the woods I could still feel the warmth of the fire. As I passed the ring of trees and entered the meadow, I could see the sun and moon above bathing everything in light of mingled silver and gold. Oak and I embraced, and I thanked him for his support and strength. Spider met me and I thanked her for her gifts and aid in the past year, and I greeted and thanked Barn Swallow. Then I walked on to the crystalline, tumbling stream and sat beside it, looking across to the edge of the woods beyond, and waited for someone/something to emerge.
After a bit, I could feel something hesitating just beyond sight, unsure if it should appear - apparently because it was not sure I would believe it it. To try and lure it out, I tried asking it what it was, and tried a number of animals without getting a firm response - some recognition at snake and bird, but still not quite right. Next I asked about its element; definitely not earth or air, positive response on both water and fire.
It finally crept out from the trees into the stream, and let me see it - it was a water-drake, a small dragon; a creature of fire and water, very snakelike, standing about 3-4 feet on two hind legs. It said that Water had been a good friend to me and helped me a lot this last year with adaptability and acceptance of change as I moved and started a new job, but that for the challenges in front of me now I will need to add Fire to my gifts. I thanked it, and admired its beauty; it was sometimes transparent, disappearing into the water, sometimes blue and white, curling its neck. I could tell it could also breath flame when it needs to!
I look forward to learning more from Water-Drake, and learning to use its gifts. What a surprising patron!
After returning to my fire, my visitors had moved on. I doused the fire with many thanks, and left my food as a free gift to any that passed that way, and went inside.
Showing posts with label moon ring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moon ring. Show all posts
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Monday, February 1, 2010
A surprising and eldrich journey
Soaking in the bath with a bad headache, my mind wandered for a while and then I found myself walking the beach by the ocean.
It was a cold night, dry, with a bright moon touching everything with silver. The waves were splashing and receeding, and I was aware that they were full of life, as was the sand beneath my feet and the air around me. I started walking up the path, through the sea grass into the woods.
I saw a branch of the path go off to the right; I followed it, even though it was narrow and lined with dark trees and black undergrowth. It led through the trees to a small black pool, of murky dark water, filled with roots and black mud. A tiny rivulet of water ran in at the left and another ran out on the right, down to the sea. I could tell the water and mud were filled with living things that seemed nasty to me, with too many legs and squishy bodies; they were creeping and wiggling in the mud. But I knew that they were not evil, just living things different than I who only wanted to live and raise their children.
I knew that I had been called down a dark path for some reason, so I decided the surrender to it and see where it led, trusting in my guides to not lead me astray. I laid down in the black, brackish water, on my back, and crossed my hands over my chest; I sank into the water and down into the mud.
A very large, wet tentacle came out of the mud and wrapped around my chest, and pulled me down into the dark wet earth. I was drawn down, surrounded by earth and darkness, towards what I sensed was a huge tentacled creature with a gaping mouth. This cthonic lord of the under earth did not speak, but simply swallowed me whole.
I slid down its throat and emerged in its cavernous water-filled stomach, swiming in a limitless void of dark water. I remembered the silver moon-ring that had been gifted me by the Smith, and draw it out of my mouth. In its silvery light, I saw that there were many things swimming around in the distance, looking like pale insects and deep sea fish.
A large creature approached, who looked like a giant scorpion make of bone, with a face like an old man made of bone and chiton. He smiled somewhat cruelly and said "So you have arrived." I said something about wanting to know the way out, and he said "Its too late, you are dead already." Then he touched me and I saw that my flesh was peeling away and leaving just bare bone. In moments I was just a skeleton. I felt no pain or fear, just wonder. Afraid of losing my moon-ring, I put it on my left wrist.
He looked over my bones, then produced a large quartz crystal. He said "Here is a new heart for you," and placed it in my ribcage. I looked at it, and felt it beat with soft pulse of light, then asked about the way back. He replied "The only way to be reborn is to die again."
I saw a large, blind snake-like thing coming up towards me. It found my feet and started swallowing me, until I was completely within it. As I traveled down its throat, I felt my flesh grow back over my bones, until I was alive again. Then the flesh of the snake split open, and I found myself laying on the ground under the trees, lying in a stream of cold clear water running downhill, with my head downward and the water running past it. I could feel the moon-ring still around my wrist bones, under my flesh, now invisible, and I could feel the crystal in my chest just behind my heart, pulsing with my heartbeat.
I called to the scorpion-man and asked him what his name was. I heard his voice, "You can call me Yaah-waah, bacause that is the sound people make when they die and are reborn. I am the midwife of this rite of death and rebirth, you are lying now at the birthing-place of the earth."
I thanked Yaah-waah, and the guardians of the directions, and my guides for taking me on this journey.
It was a cold night, dry, with a bright moon touching everything with silver. The waves were splashing and receeding, and I was aware that they were full of life, as was the sand beneath my feet and the air around me. I started walking up the path, through the sea grass into the woods.
I saw a branch of the path go off to the right; I followed it, even though it was narrow and lined with dark trees and black undergrowth. It led through the trees to a small black pool, of murky dark water, filled with roots and black mud. A tiny rivulet of water ran in at the left and another ran out on the right, down to the sea. I could tell the water and mud were filled with living things that seemed nasty to me, with too many legs and squishy bodies; they were creeping and wiggling in the mud. But I knew that they were not evil, just living things different than I who only wanted to live and raise their children.
I knew that I had been called down a dark path for some reason, so I decided the surrender to it and see where it led, trusting in my guides to not lead me astray. I laid down in the black, brackish water, on my back, and crossed my hands over my chest; I sank into the water and down into the mud.
A very large, wet tentacle came out of the mud and wrapped around my chest, and pulled me down into the dark wet earth. I was drawn down, surrounded by earth and darkness, towards what I sensed was a huge tentacled creature with a gaping mouth. This cthonic lord of the under earth did not speak, but simply swallowed me whole.
I slid down its throat and emerged in its cavernous water-filled stomach, swiming in a limitless void of dark water. I remembered the silver moon-ring that had been gifted me by the Smith, and draw it out of my mouth. In its silvery light, I saw that there were many things swimming around in the distance, looking like pale insects and deep sea fish.
A large creature approached, who looked like a giant scorpion make of bone, with a face like an old man made of bone and chiton. He smiled somewhat cruelly and said "So you have arrived." I said something about wanting to know the way out, and he said "Its too late, you are dead already." Then he touched me and I saw that my flesh was peeling away and leaving just bare bone. In moments I was just a skeleton. I felt no pain or fear, just wonder. Afraid of losing my moon-ring, I put it on my left wrist.
He looked over my bones, then produced a large quartz crystal. He said "Here is a new heart for you," and placed it in my ribcage. I looked at it, and felt it beat with soft pulse of light, then asked about the way back. He replied "The only way to be reborn is to die again."
I saw a large, blind snake-like thing coming up towards me. It found my feet and started swallowing me, until I was completely within it. As I traveled down its throat, I felt my flesh grow back over my bones, until I was alive again. Then the flesh of the snake split open, and I found myself laying on the ground under the trees, lying in a stream of cold clear water running downhill, with my head downward and the water running past it. I could feel the moon-ring still around my wrist bones, under my flesh, now invisible, and I could feel the crystal in my chest just behind my heart, pulsing with my heartbeat.
I called to the scorpion-man and asked him what his name was. I heard his voice, "You can call me Yaah-waah, bacause that is the sound people make when they die and are reborn. I am the midwife of this rite of death and rebirth, you are lying now at the birthing-place of the earth."
I thanked Yaah-waah, and the guardians of the directions, and my guides for taking me on this journey.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A walk in the dark
Another spirit journey, after months of being too busy or tired or worried to do so...
I said to them, You seem kind and friendly, but are there not things down here to fear? What of the terrors and monsters of which I have heard? And in response, they showed me images of the creatures that prowl these tunnels fo night, and which destroy all they encounter.
These creatures were misshapen, some glowing like hot fire, others dark as shadows and as cold. They seemed to rave and mutter to themselves. The gray folk told me that there things were once people as themselves, who lost their center and their balance. Having lost this and the sustenance that the Earth gives with it, they have turned to stealing the life and vitality of other folk. They try to find other people and strike them, to try and get them to respond with fear or anger so that they can snatch it away as their food. The more they do this, the more twisted they become, until they love nothing more than anger and spite and causing hurt.
When such things come around, the gray folk have learned to disappear by drawing themselves into the stone. They showed me how to do this. Then they told me that, once in the stone, I could follow it up to the sun-world and find my way home.
I walked on the seashore, it was dark and quite chilly. The sea was calm. I was having some trouble staying on the dream side, so I took a little time here to focus on the pale sand, the dark sea, the phosphorescent breakers, the tough sea grass rising up to the edge of the trees. I splashed my feet into the water (it was very cold!) and splashed my face, to wake my dream self up and see clearly.
I walked up the path through the grass into the trees, and up the winding path among the trees. There was a lot of moonlight, and many of the trees seemed white or silver, as if there were many birches. The sand on the path glimmered pale. As I approached the edge of the clearing, I could see sunlight through the trees; the clearing was bright and warm, but I was still outside the ring of trees that surround it.
I hesitated for a moment before entering. Several journals I have read have spoken of the terrors and trials of spirit journeys, and I have wondered if I have not delved deeply enough in my journeys to really find the truth, but just stayed in the light and avoided facing the darkness. I don't know; but I said that I was ready to see more and learn more, even if it was dark or frightening.
Then on my right, just outside the clearing, I saw a narrow dark path with branches handing low. I ducked down and started following this path. It was winding and narrow. often low with interlaced branches above. I followed it for a time, and it twisted down and turned into a tunnel into the ground. I kept going. There was still some light coming in behind me, and it was not too dark to see. The tunel was wide but uneven, of packed earth and stone, with tree roots showing. As I kept on, I touched the tree roots for reassurance.
Just as the light behind me faded, I started seeing a flickering red glow ahead. As I approached, I saw that the tunned swelled into a small room and ended. At the far side of the room was a smith, working hot metal over a huge red glowing fire. He saw me but kept working. He was large, and seemed to have a helmet crowned with stag horns, or possibly he had antlers himself. I approached him cautiously. He nodded to me, I was not unwelcome, but he had work to do and kept at it. He was working something in a silvery metal like a very short sword with elaborate hilts.
I asked him what I was there to learn. He laughed and set the sword aside, and said that I would know what I was to learn when I learned it, of course. He showed me the sword, which he explained was not a weapon after all but a tool to split the rocks, made for those down here who did such things. Then he showed me that there were two small tunnels leading off the the left and the right, The left tunnel bent down and was very dark. The right tunnel bent upwards and looked lighter and more inviting.
He asked me, which path was I going to take? The time to choose was now. I answered, Is not the choice false? For don't both paths lead to the same destination? He responded that they did in fact both lead to the same place, but that the path one took often had more impact that the place of arrival. He said that he knew that I had walked much in the light so far, and that I could learn more by walking in the dark for a time. I agreed, and turned towards the left passage. He called out, "Wait! Take this with you, there will come a time when you can use it." and tossed me a thin ring of silver, about two or three inches across. I caught it, and continued down the tunnel.
It immediately became pitch black, I could see nothing at all. I moved forward by feel, trusting my feet and my hands to know where to go. th passage sometimes became so narrow I had to go sideways, and sometimes so low I had to crouch down, but I kept moving forward. After an interminable time, I started to hear water ahead.
A moment later, I felt the passage open out slightly as it ended at the edge of a narrow but briskly running underground stream. I felt a small reed coracle or basket on the ground at my feet. I set the coracle in the water and climbed in, and immediately started moving down the stream at a brisk pace. I could still not see anything, I could just feel the sides of the tunnel sliding by as the water carried my, I knew that no matter what, there would be no returning by this path. I had to put my faith in what lay ahead that I would be delivered safely home.
The river made a turn, and my coracle grounded on a sandy shore. I felt like there were a large chamber in front of me, filled with stone shapes, all hidden to my eyes. Then I noticed that the silver ring was gleaming faintly, as if the moon shone on it, but there was no moon. As I held it up to my eye, I perceived that there was bright moonlight forged into the silver by the craft of the smith, and that it allowed me to see the world around me as teh moon would see it, bathed in faint silvery beams.
I was surrounded by tall stone forms that looked like great fir trees hewn of stone, like a Christmas forest frozen in gray stone, all silent and cold. I wandered through them, wondering, for surely nothing down here had ever seen the sun on the forests I knew. I came in time to a rough stone bench set among the stone trees, and I sat for a while.
After I had collected my thoughts, I called out quietly, Who is in this place? I wish to know you and mean you no harm. And there started to appear from round the trees and stones small gray people, who crept up silently to me, gazing at me with their huge flat eyes, moving their long nimble fingers. They seemed shy, and found the pale gleam of moonlight from my ring overbright.
I sat on the ground so as no to overtop them, and asked them who they were, They said that they had always been here, had been here since the beginning, living among the stones. They seemed a cheerful people, quiet but clever, and showed me some of the marvelous things that they had made for their joy: small, fragile sculptures of silver and gold, music or song that sounded like chiming crystals and melodious drops in still pools.
I walked up the path through the grass into the trees, and up the winding path among the trees. There was a lot of moonlight, and many of the trees seemed white or silver, as if there were many birches. The sand on the path glimmered pale. As I approached the edge of the clearing, I could see sunlight through the trees; the clearing was bright and warm, but I was still outside the ring of trees that surround it.
I hesitated for a moment before entering. Several journals I have read have spoken of the terrors and trials of spirit journeys, and I have wondered if I have not delved deeply enough in my journeys to really find the truth, but just stayed in the light and avoided facing the darkness. I don't know; but I said that I was ready to see more and learn more, even if it was dark or frightening.
Then on my right, just outside the clearing, I saw a narrow dark path with branches handing low. I ducked down and started following this path. It was winding and narrow. often low with interlaced branches above. I followed it for a time, and it twisted down and turned into a tunnel into the ground. I kept going. There was still some light coming in behind me, and it was not too dark to see. The tunel was wide but uneven, of packed earth and stone, with tree roots showing. As I kept on, I touched the tree roots for reassurance.
Just as the light behind me faded, I started seeing a flickering red glow ahead. As I approached, I saw that the tunned swelled into a small room and ended. At the far side of the room was a smith, working hot metal over a huge red glowing fire. He saw me but kept working. He was large, and seemed to have a helmet crowned with stag horns, or possibly he had antlers himself. I approached him cautiously. He nodded to me, I was not unwelcome, but he had work to do and kept at it. He was working something in a silvery metal like a very short sword with elaborate hilts.
I asked him what I was there to learn. He laughed and set the sword aside, and said that I would know what I was to learn when I learned it, of course. He showed me the sword, which he explained was not a weapon after all but a tool to split the rocks, made for those down here who did such things. Then he showed me that there were two small tunnels leading off the the left and the right, The left tunnel bent down and was very dark. The right tunnel bent upwards and looked lighter and more inviting.
He asked me, which path was I going to take? The time to choose was now. I answered, Is not the choice false? For don't both paths lead to the same destination? He responded that they did in fact both lead to the same place, but that the path one took often had more impact that the place of arrival. He said that he knew that I had walked much in the light so far, and that I could learn more by walking in the dark for a time. I agreed, and turned towards the left passage. He called out, "Wait! Take this with you, there will come a time when you can use it." and tossed me a thin ring of silver, about two or three inches across. I caught it, and continued down the tunnel.
It immediately became pitch black, I could see nothing at all. I moved forward by feel, trusting my feet and my hands to know where to go. th passage sometimes became so narrow I had to go sideways, and sometimes so low I had to crouch down, but I kept moving forward. After an interminable time, I started to hear water ahead.
A moment later, I felt the passage open out slightly as it ended at the edge of a narrow but briskly running underground stream. I felt a small reed coracle or basket on the ground at my feet. I set the coracle in the water and climbed in, and immediately started moving down the stream at a brisk pace. I could still not see anything, I could just feel the sides of the tunnel sliding by as the water carried my, I knew that no matter what, there would be no returning by this path. I had to put my faith in what lay ahead that I would be delivered safely home.
The river made a turn, and my coracle grounded on a sandy shore. I felt like there were a large chamber in front of me, filled with stone shapes, all hidden to my eyes. Then I noticed that the silver ring was gleaming faintly, as if the moon shone on it, but there was no moon. As I held it up to my eye, I perceived that there was bright moonlight forged into the silver by the craft of the smith, and that it allowed me to see the world around me as teh moon would see it, bathed in faint silvery beams.
I was surrounded by tall stone forms that looked like great fir trees hewn of stone, like a Christmas forest frozen in gray stone, all silent and cold. I wandered through them, wondering, for surely nothing down here had ever seen the sun on the forests I knew. I came in time to a rough stone bench set among the stone trees, and I sat for a while.
After I had collected my thoughts, I called out quietly, Who is in this place? I wish to know you and mean you no harm. And there started to appear from round the trees and stones small gray people, who crept up silently to me, gazing at me with their huge flat eyes, moving their long nimble fingers. They seemed shy, and found the pale gleam of moonlight from my ring overbright.
I sat on the ground so as no to overtop them, and asked them who they were, They said that they had always been here, had been here since the beginning, living among the stones. They seemed a cheerful people, quiet but clever, and showed me some of the marvelous things that they had made for their joy: small, fragile sculptures of silver and gold, music or song that sounded like chiming crystals and melodious drops in still pools.
I asked how to you live? Where is your food? And they showed me that they receive their life directly from the Earth itself, as a free gift. They showed me how to sit quietly on the stone, and allow the grace of the Earth to rise within me, filling me and satisfying all my needs. They said that anyone can receive this, as long as they are calm and centered and keep a balance in their hearts.
I said to them, You seem kind and friendly, but are there not things down here to fear? What of the terrors and monsters of which I have heard? And in response, they showed me images of the creatures that prowl these tunnels fo night, and which destroy all they encounter.
These creatures were misshapen, some glowing like hot fire, others dark as shadows and as cold. They seemed to rave and mutter to themselves. The gray folk told me that there things were once people as themselves, who lost their center and their balance. Having lost this and the sustenance that the Earth gives with it, they have turned to stealing the life and vitality of other folk. They try to find other people and strike them, to try and get them to respond with fear or anger so that they can snatch it away as their food. The more they do this, the more twisted they become, until they love nothing more than anger and spite and causing hurt.
When such things come around, the gray folk have learned to disappear by drawing themselves into the stone. They showed me how to do this. Then they told me that, once in the stone, I could follow it up to the sun-world and find my way home.
I thanked them very much for all that they had shown me. I put the ring in my mouth to keep it safe, and slid into the embrace of the Earth. I moved upwards, and felt the warmth of the sun striking a ridge of stone in my clearing. I emerged there, and after thanking the Earth for all its aid, I came home
When I awoke, I could still feel the ring inside my mouth. I know it will be with me, ready to shed light in the darkness.
When I awoke, I could still feel the ring inside my mouth. I know it will be with me, ready to shed light in the darkness.
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