Hungry Like the Wolf

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I remember when I was “24 and there’s so much more”, while visiting my uncle and family out in San Francisco, being really into Beat poetry at the time and contemplating moving out to the Bay Area.  One evening, we ventured out to North Beach, ate at a place where Francis Ford Coppola reportedly liked to eat that featured a garlic & basil pizza to die for, then went across the street for a brew at Vesuvius, followed by getting lost for a while in City Lights, the worlds largest independent bookstore.  While On The Road, I felt the spirits of Jack Kerouac, Neale Cassidy and Allen Ginsberg with me howling at night, feeling like one of the ’10, 000 Maniacs’ in this “world of 10, 000 things.”

“Wolf . . . teacher, pathfinder, moon-dog of my Soul.  Howling, singing teaching how to know new ideas who returns to the clan to teach and share medicine.”  I can relate to the Wolf in me as I venture out into the woods, away from the pack and my den to commune with Nature and be with my solitude.  Although I am loyal like a dog and a faithful family guy, I really need to just be with myself sometimes (don’t we all?).  As such, I set the intention and choose to follow through with creating that space for myself down wit my Nervous Woodland Creature (NWC) peeps, Straight Outta Woodland, Ma Chucka.  Moreover, the cumulative effect of staying in alignment with this energetic action plan, is that I am noticing that I am becoming the change I want to see in the world.  And though I firmly Bee Leave in the ancient wisdom that asserts, ‘heal Thyself’, I also understand the awareness that there is no substitute for good therapy.  In the spirit of healing Our Selves, sometimes it takes letting go and trusting a gifted professional to allow Our Selves to tap into Our power in a way that has been cloaked in the Darkness of the subconscious Underground, due to Unseen fears within the individual and Collective Consciousness.  Although this is important for all of Us, it is especially paramount for those of Us that are healers and helpers, as We have a responsibility to elevate Our vibrations to Our Higher Selves.  I strongly encourage all of You to spend some time alone out in Nature and/or a quiet Sacred Space that allows the teacher in You to come about.  In doing so, You will evoke and share great truths that will help lead Us to a perceptual shift in the consciousness of Humankind and beyond.  “Mister I ain’t no boy, no I’m a man and I believe in the Promised Land!”

In conclusion, I remember hearing an old Native American story of Grandfather that is teaching his grandson about controlling his emotions and keeping his power without auctioning it off by reacting without reserve.  Grandfather relates to his grandson that there are two Wolves always fighting with each other inside his head.  One wolf is quick to anger and will rage in its desire to tear everything he sees into tiny little pieces.  The other Wolf understands Temperance and is very wise, stays in control of himself, knows when to assert his power and when to yield.  After hearing Grandfather tell this story, grandson asks, “which one wins?”  Grandfather responds, “whichever one I feed.”  Remember balance between authentic Self and respectful family/community is key.  Please enjoy becoming the Full Moon during the wee hours of January 9th, shapeshifting into its energies and the hearty digestion process thereafter–as We breathe fire into the Chinese Year of the Dragon on January 23, 2012. 

I Hopi You are Well,

Ari

2012: Birthing into a New Age and Paradigm

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I remember when Our ancient ancestral wisdom spoke of 2012, give or take–albeit in the grand Cosmic scheme of things in this “world of 10, 000 things” right Tao is but a speck and yet paradoxically eternal.  However, here on Mothership Earth, We are in an exciting time of transition in Our classroom.  Yes, We are coming out of the birth canal and experiencing the labor pains that accompany this transition.  I’ve heard it said that a mass exodus of souls and energies are flooding our planet right now to facilitate and co-create Our transition into a New Age and Paradigm.  We are leaving behind an era of gurus and Messiah’s and moving into a time of individual authenticity and global community, a la Unity within diversity.  We are saying, “peace out” to our addiction to raping Our Mother, fundamentalist allegiance to the Almighty Dollar and totalitarian control by the ‘minority of the opulent’, or the powers that were.  My spirited Uncle Tom dance and plea to the top dawg 1% is quite lightheartedly detached and simple.  In much the same ways as a Chinese doctor friend sometimes angrily asserts, “in West answer is always to kill . . . don’t always have to kill everything.”  We are not your enemies and We welcome you to join Us too.  Moreover, the Rabbit in me is on the hop in saying, “lettuce all take the quantum leap in consciousness and share the carrot of an Aquarian Age together as We swim away from a Pisces Age.”

Additionally, they built wireless technologies in sweatshop on other shores and they built the satellites that helped the empire win the wars . . . Here in Yourtown, here in Yourtown . . . My sweet Eartha I’m sinkin’ down, here Buddha in Yourtown.  In the spirit of that, technology is not the Messiah that it has been propagated to be, nor is rampant consumerism and gluttonous consumption of Our Mother’s natural resources that She has so liberally and freely given Us.  May You imagine with me technologies that work in harmony with the human factor and all other creatures that live on earth and the greater Universe?  I like what Noam Chomsky has to say about “the same systems that oppress can liberate” and it can change on a dime, in much the same way as Barry Sanders used to cut back to open space on the playing field.  Couldn’t Wal-Mart have greenhouses atop its structures that produce clean energy open to the community, pay their employees a livable wage and take care of their healthcare needs?  I might actually start shopping there if they were to do something like that.  Instead of a sweeping Big Governmental 6 hundred billion and change spent on a War pre-emptively determined to lose, We ask that you shift Your mind-set to more equitably redistributing that toward free healthcare, education, childcare and eco-friendly, true free-market business policies that are equitable and sustainable for all of Us whom inhabit Our planet.  You can still be on top of the pyramid, but the triangle will simply look like an equilateral triangle that floats more buoyantly than the sinking Titanic We are on right now.

In conclusion, there is an old story regarding how the Dragon lost its power of the art of magic by getting caught in its own master of illusion.  However, Dragon lore speaks of a time when Dragon was full of wisdom via bringing light with its fiery breath, while soaring like an Eagle in flight during the darkness of night.  In the Chinese-Lunar calendar, it is the year of the Dragon.  Further, shamans of the Americas have spoken of Quetzalcoatl–a snake-like god. I see Quetzalcoatl’s prophetic return as a powerful metaphor for a Collective shift in Cosmic Consciousness as our old world dies and a New Age awakens, a la ‘out with the old, in with the new’. In venturing out with a community of men around the fire and Clubhouse recently, a brotherly friend reminded me that it’s not necessary to have the ‘Midas Touch’ and turn everything into gold.  Aren’t We all mirrors for One another?  The way I see it, the more of Us gaze on One another in the spirit of Love and Light, then We will naturally disarm the internal and external weapons of mass destruction that pollute Our daily lives.  Do We really need to see World War Three light a fire under our ass to effectively transition into Aquarian Unity, in the once Fertile Crescent where Abraham birthed the Big Three?  Forget about probability and tap into Unity possibilities a la Han Solo, whose famous quote still resonates in the form of  “never tell me the odds.”

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

Counting Crows

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I remember talking with a fellow pack member recently, whom was howling about a significant Crow encounter. Some moments thereafter, I glanced out our window with my child and our cat as we noticed a Crow gazing at us, while hearing the lyrics, “When I think of Heaven, deliver me in the belly of a black winged bird.” Although Crow might offer Us an empathic glimpse into the realm of ruling in hell rather than serving in Heaven, We are also remedied by its medicine show of seeing through the veils of this “world of 10, 000 things” into the everyday magic and creation of Life.

Crows are intelligent and wary creatures, whom always have a sentinel posted in a high perch atop the treeline. In meditating on Crow medicine, We may acquire and access their traits of sound communication skills, wariness, intelligence and magical knowledge. Moreover, Native American myths speak of Crow being seen as a teacher. In the spirit of that, Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother saga includes two Ravens that play a significant role in guiding the two adolescent shaman apprentices in their quest to help return balance to Nature so that the clans may live harmoniously once again in alignment with Divine Will. We humans have strayed from the Original Blueprint in Our consciousness, given the devilish programing by the powers that were, in their desire to manipulate and control Us. However, a massive awakening is happening and the ‘Flowering of Consciousness’ is cross pollinating across the fruited plains and beyond.

In traditions of the ancients, Crows were seen as guardians of magical secrets that signaled Us to stay alert, begin a new study and/or welcome an arrival of an important message. In the darkness of the passing Winter Solstice, the Black Crow symbolizes the Womb of Life and Creation, raw and full of unmanifested potential. In becoming the Watcher of Our Selves, We become the change we want to see in the world. Further, Crows have been known to predict Climate Change and also effectively adapt to the changes in weather patterns, both internal and external. “Crow . . . are you cawing, so I may know, the secrets of balance, within my Soul? Or are you sending your sacred “caw” just to remind me, of Universal Laws?”

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

Purring With Cat On The Winter Solstice

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I remember when 2012 seemed so far out back in 1984. At that time, many folks had cut their Hair, stopped singing the ‘Age of Aquarius’ and STAR WARS gained popularity in the realms of fiction and non-fiction. However, in this ‘world of 10, 000 things’, the powers that were are still fomenting lustful desires of infiltration  and resisting movements that carry leveling impulses to challenge the status quo. However, in dreaming a New Dream, Our sea of consciousness is oscillating toward equilibrium. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, We turn yinward, being Our own Boss when caroling a chorus of Darkness On The Edge Of Town. Tis the season for Us to let go and express Our gratitude during Our darkest day of the year on Wednesday, December 21st, the Winter Solstice. Our ancestors knew the power of the energies of this time of year and remind Us to get in touch with it Now.

Although it is tempting to sing “Manic Monday” this week before the tail end of the Holiday Blitzkrieg, I’ll think of my cat purring on my neck like a warm winter welcome. Is it a synchronicity that I write about Cat this week as we enjoy the magic and mystery of the dark? Like Cat, We might sleep with one eye open, while ever ready to pounce into the New Year as We welcome the Light of Days. I remember a comic strip that showed a Grandmother figure feeding her dog and cat in separate captions. From the dog’s perspective, he had a think bubble that said something like, “she feeds me, takes care of my every need . . . she must be a god.” Juxtaposed below that, was the cat’s perspective that varied slightly in that she said something like, “she feeds me, takes care of my every need . . . I must be a god.” Isn’t that the difference between cats and dogs? Cats remind Us to access and acquire Our independence, curiosity, intelligence and playful sides–as well as seeing effectively in the dark. Cats are naturally gifted martial artists and meditation gurus and they guide Us toward an understanding of the mystery and magic available in everyday Life. When my cat gives me good energy at the end of the day, I remember, “These are the days we have waited for . . . This time in history is the time that every experience, each relationship, within every lifetime has prepared us for. Without doubt, without hesitation, the events occurring right now, within these days, are the reason that we have come to this world. We are living and witnessing a rare event by any standards, the birth of a New World. The events in our lives are the labor that is enabling this birth.”–Greg Braden, Awaken

Finally, I remember the spirit of this season is about giving and receiving and being Our Higher S(elves). It is a time to be thankful for Our time here, to let go and let God. I know We become comfortable with Our securities, but it is good medicine to gently let these securities pass in Our consciousness. The old world is dying, while a New World is birthing. I know We feel the labor pains, but in this waning year of the Rabbit, lettuce be reminded of a carrot of Light at the end of the tunnel as We venture out of Plato’s Cave. As I gaze upon Our global village, I remember an old saying that, “good fences make good neighbors”. I say We Venture out to flock among like minded birds, reinvent the wheel and let those old fences rust in peace and/or burn them in a ceremonial fire ritual.

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

While Gazing At A Blue Moon, I Behold An Ivory Tusk

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I remember being in the company of men recently, when a fraternal friend spontaneously felt inspired to give me a ‘item of power’ in the form of a small stone elephant carrying a baby elephant within it. While the Elephant’s presence was unknown to us at the time, I could foresee a future blog entry, as I allowed myself to receive the gift. Native to Asia and Africa, Elephant’s are intelligent, emotional and have strong feelings to other members of the herd. What’s more, I’ve heard that One may borrow and acquire Elephant traits of intelligence, strength and loyalty.

Additionally, it is said that Mothers of great teachers and masters dream of White Elephants, in much the same way as Native American myths speak of the significance of the White Buffalo. Moreover, in Hindu mythology, Ganesh was a god to help humans overcome Life’s trials and tribulations. I don’t know if my daughter knows something that I don’t when she calls me “Da Da Buddha”, but there is a story that tells of Buddha’s Mother dreaming of carrying a White Elephant. I never asked my mom about her dreams while she was pregnant with me, though I suspect some fancy Jungian analyst might have a stampede with the possibilities. And I’m sure a Doubting Thomas might give birth to a god of opinion asserting, “don’t ever pay attention to your dreams while pregnant.” Elephant may encourage Us to focus on developing our mental faculties rather than fixating on the physical. Also, Elephant might urge Us to help those whom are less powerful to rise up and press on. Ah, what a long, strange trip it’s been . . . but We keep on truckin’. Further in the festival of Life, We just might tap into ancient wisdom that unearths fundamental truths. For example, it is good medicine to let go of someone or something that has served as security in One’s consciousness. When We allow Ourselves to let go, we let God and co-create win-win solutions that breathes clean energy that We all share as One.

Finally, when I time travel to childhood, I remember gazing at the clouds and noticing them change into different formations. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I now realize this powerful meditation stimulates psychic energies. When my wife was pregnant, I remember seeing my unborn daughter in the sky that helped me develop a psychic connection with her and nurtured a way for me to carry her with me during the pregnancy. Moreover, while at my Reiki 3 Attunement recently, we were asked about how we felt on the morning after 11.11.11. In a roomful of women, I shared that I felt like I was pregnant, gave birth and felt a powerful sense of release and relief. Perhaps synchronisticly, Elephant symbolizes sexuality and discernment, which aromatherapy may stimulate. Elephant’s ivory tusk reminds Us to stay rooted and shift Our perceptions into Higher Consciousness, a la “as above, so below”, staying present with the Self, family, community, etc. Enjoy the energies of the Full Moon glow on Saturday, December 10th!

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

Quiet Coyote

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I remember feeling proud of my daughter teaching me the prosocial skill of ‘quiet coyote’ that she learned from her school teachers recently. However, after the fleeting emotion passed, I found myself flirting with frustration as she flipped the script by making the ‘quiet coyote’ sign on her dad somewhat akin to a classic Beavis and Butthead move in balking at an adult authority figure. Thankfully, I remembered to breathe and cut back to Inner Peace, kind of like Barry Sanders used to do on the football field, before he walked out on top. And while I’m not getting paid for faking the socks of guys bigger and stronger than me, like Barry I remember to politely hand the ball off to my wife when I need help from my teammate. It’s not always easy to give peace a chance instead of reacting without reserve.

Ah, Coyote . . . “you devil! You tricked me once more! Must I sit and ponder, what you did it for?” I can hear an old teacher saying, “Ari why is it that sometimes you’re a perfect little Angel (pause-look) . . . and other times I just want to strangle you?” Alas, the Universe might not always give Us what We want, but It does always give Us what We need. And while I might not like the bitter taste of our child’s unwelcome rejections at times (and other rejections as well), I am learning to adjust my palate to the taste of digesting bitter. Perhaps it’s in the cards that I return to the innocence and wonder of a child as I meditate on The Fool in the Tarot. Coyote reminds Us to lighten up and remember to laugh at the big Cosmic Joke, in much the same way that Jimmy Buffett reminds Us that “if we couldn’t laugh, we’d all go insane.” I picture myself embracing the Batman and Joker in me giving each other a big hug and moving onward to New Frontiers. If it wasn’t the for that roaring laughter, there would be no Tao. Further, in Our Judeo-Christian culture in the good ole US of A, We like to think of Ourselves as One Nation under God. But I know many market driven zealots that worship a bigoted god of a dying old world, with a fear-based belief that hell is a physical place where you’re damned and Heaven is an exclusive country club in the sky that discriminates against those deemed not to deserve to stick around.

Finally, I’ve heard stories that Our Christ, while having a Divine intellect and Being a serious thinker, was also playful like a child with a sense of humor that lit up a room.  I Bee Leave that He came here to teach Us to honor Our own power and see the God “as within, so without.” He wasn’t trying to be cryptic when speaking in metaphor and parable. Rather, He was trying to water a seed that was already planted in Our subconscious that would grow so that We could see the Kingdom of Heaven all around Us and understand our co-creative powers to amplify Our world together. For example, when reading spiritual texts with both an open heart and mind, we open up our inner state of Consciousness in a way that sets Us free. When We see in this Light, We become the change We want to see in the world and build the New Earth and co-create Heaven on Earth as One. In the eyes of the Universe, We are moving into an egalitarian age of unity in diversity, where humans, nervous woodland creatures, all other sentient beings and machines share space in the spirit of mutual aid . . . I can hear R2D2 becoming a Public Enemy #1 by sampling Chuck D spittin’, “just like dat.”

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

If I Should Fall Behind, Please Leave Me Alone . . .

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Autumn is my favorite time of year, although Mother Nature’s indecision right now makes it difficult to know when to put on or peel off, pun intended . . . “how do you like them apples?”. “A time when darkness overtakes light, and nights grow longer than days. It marks the second station of the year. It is the time of calling, ripening of the harvest, a prelude to a wakening at Samhain. If it is warm at the autumnal equinox, the season should be fine. The goddesses Carpo and Carman are deities of autumn and poetry, respectively.” What’s more, Fall is a time of energetic alignment, somewhat akin to spring equinox, though in this case, beginning to rest, rather than awakening. At this time, We balance Our Selves as We prepare for rest and inner work. Turning Our clocks “yinward”, so to speak.

I remember an anthropology class I took way back in college that included a required text-book entitled, Other Fields, Other Grasshoppers. I remember leaping right into the open view that book espoused for warding off Our tendency to become ‘ethnocentric’ in one’s fieldwork with diverse cultures. Moreover, Carl Jung always struck me as in alignment with this kind of energy as a psychologist and a therapist and inspired me to follow suit by laying my cards out on the table. I’ve heard it said that one should “write about what you know.”  In the spirit of that, I’ll focus on what’s going on with the weather (dialectically pronounced weathah) around the way in the neck of the woods I sit. However, I would also like to acknowledge that I’m not reporting on merely what I see through my physical eyes, as I practice letting go of identification with my humanity, while awakening from my own slumbering ‘inner space’. In fact, as We officially transition from Summer to Autumn here in Our Northern Hemisphere on Mothership Earth, I’m inspired to Fall back and trust that the dying leaves will catch me in a gentle and loving Gaia safety net. Ah, the ‘Web of Life’, as Chief Seattle once spoke of in His wisdom. Wilting flowers, falling leaves, watching children playfully running and jumping through piles of leaves, temperatures waxing and waning (perhaps conjuring up sneezing), as Light and Dark are equally One, albeit diverse expressions of that Oneness, in the Great Cosmic Wheel.  I hardly think Steve Perry could hit a note as High as D Sharp in a Harmonic Convergence of acoustical journeying. Paradoxically, I heed Chuck D spittin’ a Public Enemy number one message to the Military-Industrial Complex, “don’t treat my highs too high or my lows too low” . . . Doesn’t Mr. Miyagi’s martial arts wisdom strike a chord when he says to ‘Danielson’, “balance is about all of life.”?

On this Autumn Equinox, I am reinvigorated into Bee Leaving the forecast may be dimming, though when I keep my ear to the ground, I can still hear Summer whispering to stay light on the feet and drink in the nectar of life. Although the subsequent funeral procession that accompanies Fall might be the death of me, I am also fairly certain the changing tides won’t be the last time I commit suicide–from the Shamanic death of the old self perspective. I wonder if Kafka’s main character in The Metamorphosis would have come out of his shell if had he embraced a Groundhog totem in learning a ‘death without dying experience’ and realized We are not as alone as We might feel from time to time? In every moment of breath, there is death and re-birth–a trumpet sounding its call sure, but a new star shining brighter on this New Morning. Maybe it’s just a little more colorful during this time of year, especially in Northern New England that showcases my favorite time of year that welcomes “leaf peepers” trotting from around the Globe. In fact, I look forward to the Fall, Halloween, All Soul’s Day and All Saints Day–especially given the “thinning of the veils” and watching them lift so that it’s a more open time to commune with Our human family members whom have passed on. It is a great time to honor Our ancestors and thank them for their sacrifices in clearing space for Our evolutionary impulse toward “walking in a Heaven that We can finally see.” And that Heaven on Earth happens when We are present with Our Selves right Tao, as We gently let pass any devilish fixed ideas and egoic attachments to future projections.

In the remembering and forgetting, I try to remind myself to focus on the positive aspects of life, to see the ‘silver lining’ and remember the Sun and Moon are merely hiding when We can’t see them dancing with One another. Moreover, I know the ‘Voice of the Trauma’ quite intimately and realize how easily seductive it is to pay attention to the doom and gloom scenarios that accompanies the unfolding human drama. However, I agree with the ancient wisdom that says, “know Thyself” and also Master Yoda’s understanding in self-awareness when He said to Luke, “you will know, when you are calm”. When We give Inner Peace a chance, We co-create Heaven on Earth, one step, one moment, one individual at a time. When We take this step toward Our True Self, We step in alignment with Nature, with the Universe and We know Oneness.  When I observe the Nervous Woodland Creatures going Straight Outta Woodland, this time of year, I think they can dig on what I’m saying–especially since they seem quite present being so nuts. Perhaps Red Squirrel is really just saying, “G’Day Mate”, merely cloaked in His sentinel bravado? I know I am my own Boss when I sing to myself, “Tomorrow Never Knows.”

Finally, in recent meditations on Turkey medicine, I remember to give thanks for the shared blessings and harvest Turkey brings to Us–especially during Autumn. What would happen if our “senators and congressmen please heed the call” of Turkey to offset “rampant consumerism” and realize that “there’s enough and we can all win.” So, maybe 28 billion is slashed for yet another weapon of mass destruction, followed by yielding on blowing it up to see if it’ll produce a mushroom cloud. Now, maybe I’m just being a fun-gi, but I don’t think it’s too much of a sacrifice for the Military-Industrial Complex to cut some of that spending and reinvest that savings into healthcare and education and more importantly, a more balanced systemically oriented budget that values Universal capital. What would happen if the pyramid on the Almighty Dollar looked more like an equilateral triangle than the sinking ship that it looks like right now? I see Turkey’s medicine as somewhat akin to “birds of a feather, flock together” as We transition into a New Age and Paradigm. Now that’s a Sunny harvest I can digest . . . especially when Full from a Moonshadow.

I Hopi You Are Well,

Ari

Staying Rooted

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As I write this week’s journal entry, I’ve got my feet firmly planted on the ground, like a Wise Old Tree. While concentrating downward into the Earth, I breath in and pull Her energy upward through the soles of my feet, feeling nourished from the energetic pulsations through my Being. In the Spirit of “as within, so without”, I remember reading about Ged, in Ursula La Guin’s Earth Sea cycle. In much the same way as a True Wizard sails with the Mage wind at his (or her) back, Turkey Vulture uses minimal energy of its own. With the eclipses pouring in on Thanksgiving and December 10th, what a good time to use their energies to ride the thermals to help You shift with the winds of change. Ever resourceful, Vulture uses what’s available, a la Doc in the last scene in the film ‘Back to the Future’, when he loads up the DeLorean with trash for fuel . . . “roads, where we’re going, there are no roads.”

Additionally, I take my recent experiences with Turkey Vulture as friendly reminders for Us to pay more careful attention to what We consume, as “you are what you eat.” Merely paying attention to our thoughts and feelings can empower Us to replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts as a walking meditation, if you will. Moreover, aromatherapy is a powerful tool in connecting with Spirit and stimulating Our sense of smell to assist Us in discernment when things don’t smell right. If you are smoke sensitive, then please consider playing with adding a couple of drops of essential oils to water in a pump spray. Although I love the healing properties of smoke, I also enjoy using lavender and sage mist as an alternative when Spirit calls for it. Similarly, paying attention to how We feel after We consume food and drink also helps Us notice what to say “what up, G” and “peace out” to. But please stay away from going ‘Rocky Balboa’ on yourself, as through the suffering, Divine Will yields the possibility of a Higher Purpose and perhaps a more colorful life.

Finally, it was in the cards recently that I heard someone recommend eating more root vegetables to strengthens One’s connection to the Earth . . . keeping Us, as we say in the T’ai Chi community, “rooted”. Has anyone ever heard of “eating for the Chakras?” It kind of fits into the KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetheart) politics of living. Simply picture the various colors of your Chakras and eat foods that correspond accordingly. When eating a more colorful variety of foods, as a mindful eating practice, perceive your Chakras feeling nourished as you eat. Even if it’s initially bitter to the taste, I am wishing You all a sweet after taste and ease in Our digestion process in the gourmet dinner of Life! If you would like to boost your Chakra’s, please see blog date 7.18.2011 in the archives.  And I’ll be posting a hearty Thanksgiving blog entry on November 24 to mark the Spirit of the Season.

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

Turkey Vulture

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We were especially excited to see a family of Turkey Vultures flock to our yard this past week. Although we have enjoyed our feathered friends circling our ‘hood plenty of times, this week was our first time welcoming our Turkey Vulture friends as new neighbors.  Given the time of year, I don’t think it’s any coincidence our new neighbors symbolize purification, death-rebirth, new vision and connections to the mythical Griffin, which symbolizes Heaven and Earth, spirit and matter, good and evil, guardian and avenger, particularly of nature spirits. 

Admittedly, I get a rise out of watching Turkey Vultures riding the thermals with minimal effort.  In fact, seeing these graceful creatures soaring through the heavens adds color to Our world by increasing Auric vision. If you don’t bee leave me, just ask my Earthy wife, whom has been seeing auras for some time now and has strong intuitive gifts that can even be gut wrenching at times. What’s that about a woman’s intuition? Although it might be tempting to view Turkey Vultures as homely and their act of scavenging disgusting, how about gazing on them as natural environmentalists by maintaining Life’s balance by preventing the spread of diseases and redefining dead weight? If only Big Government, Big Business and the Healthcare industry would align with Turkey Vulture medicine. Just imagine the organic possibilities and capacity to levitate above paralyzing red tape! In this process, perhaps We might release and defy the laws of the material realm, as We leave a dying old world behind and transition into a New Age and paradigm. Given that Turkey Vultures are survivors and have thrived longer that We humans, doesn’t it behoove us to regulate Our arrogance and learn from their free and spirited teachings? If you would like to enhance your own Auric perception, please see the rainbow meditation on blog date 7.8.2011 in the archives.

Finally, in staying True to the Self, please consider using Turkey Vulture’s plumage to feather your ripple after walking into another person’s energy field to stay grounded, dissolve any negative energies and connect with ancestors whom have passed on.  I am reminded of old Native American stories that venture in the direction of, “one foot in spirit, one foot in ground” and Buddhist wisdom that speaks of living life on the “razors edge”, without getting too swayed in any direction. Go ahead and enjoy that black cup of coffee, just don’t get too attached to it as part of your identity! Easier said than done.

I Hopi You are well,

Ari

Soaring With Hawk

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I remember getting some Thai food to go recently and while chillin’ wit my peeps at the crib, I read my fortune aloud, “to remember is to understand.” In the spirit of that, I observed some experiences recently watching mobs of Crows chasing away a Hawk soaring above, merely getting a bird’s-eye view in their neck of the woods.  It is true that Crow represents magic, shapeshifting, darkness and the womb of life. Moreover, their communication skills are effective and impressive to say the least. How many skilled politicians have abused Crow medicine in their rise to power? And while it is tempting auction off the Self to become a demon ruling in hell rather than serving in Heaven, “when the trumpet sounds its call”, Blue Jay reminds me that I’d rather be “in that New Morning” by staying True to the Self. Yes, the little ego’s trickery enjoys stifling the evolving personality, but that doesn’t qualify allowing it to happen. For then it becomes a conscious choice to squelch One’s spiritual growth and the evolution of One’s personality. “Hawk . . . Messenger of the sky, circle my dreams and teach me the message as we fly.” Akin to Mercury, the messenger of the gods, Hawk’s medicine remedy’s Our powers of observation, watching, noticing and paying attention to Life’s signals. Did anyone else out there hear Bruce Springsteen plea for Us in this light after 911?

I remember when Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream that “We shall Overcome” and like Hawk, inspired Us to rise to the occasion and transcend life’s circumstances, regardless of how daunting and challenging Our Life’s obstacles may appear. But wisdom speaks to Us as we understand “when the doors of perception are cleansed, things will appear as they truly are.” Moreover, Hawk asserts, “you are only as powerful as your capacity to perceive, receive and use your abilities.” What’s more, Hawk reminds Us that awareness is the intuitive capacity to discern fact from fiction and “perceive, receive and use (Our) abilities”. I hardly think Fox News can compete with Hawk’s ‘Fair and Balanced’ view from the perch Hawk sits. Unlike a restless and nervous Mouse, whom sees from a mircrocosmic orbit and zones in on details, Hawk observes the big picture and takes in a holistic view, as Hawk “flies close to the light of Grandfather Sun,” while carrying a “keen eye and a bold heart.” I wonder if folks like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi had a Hawk totem to help them rise to the occasion against all odds, as they BOLDLY faced the Monster of Fear with a gentle heartfelt gaze? In my experiences with trauma, I’ve called on Hawk’s energy to help me rise up and feather my ripple, even when I wasn’t conscious of it.

Finally, Hawk’s talons are strong, even offering protection from a normally lethal snake bite. Moreover, Hawk can take out a Snake without a Snake ever knowing what hit Him. Alas, with great power comes great responsibility, so it is important to be mindful of speaking One’s truth, with the understanding that One’s words, with Hawk medicine, can be rapturous and deadly. Further, Hawk’s energy allows Us to tap into Our Root Chakra and Kundalini, as We remember the power of staying grounded in Our journey, even when soaring above the Clouds. I wrote a letter to someone whom I care deeply about this week, expressing heartfelt sentiments that might be bitter for the receiver to digest. However, I know that I expressed myself authentically, respectfully and coming from a place of Temperance. In carrying the energy of Temperance, We invoke Archetypal forces that temper beauty and harmony, access Higher Consciousness, transcend the ego and actualize Our True Soul purpose. Paradoxically, in my letter, I released old hopes and dreams and at the same time, opened up New Space, a la “out with the old, in with the new.” Happy Full Moon in Taurus later on this week. Can You hear the Scorpions singing “Winds of Change”?

I Hopi You are well,

Ari