Back from Sundance 2008
Posted by msterilinn on Jul 10, 2008
After an incredible two and a half weeks of camping, we are back to our residence near the city. We have had such wonderful experiences, and just too much to give due credit in one post, so I will just summarize it as best as I can for now. My son J helped us load up and get to the land up above Goldendale. We camped in our usual spot beneath the beautiful Oak tree, to enjoy much needed afternoon shade. As the temperatures reached above 109 degrees in the shade, we were lucky to have such a sweet place to rest upon occasion. The hottest day during the Sundance brought a welcome rainstorm, with much fanfare from the Thunder Beings, the Wakiyans. If the little girls I was caring for were not so terrified of the storm, I would have been dancing in the rain. As it were, I was able to reach out with my feet from the shelter I provided for the children to get a nice soak.
The Isnati Lawanpi (girl to young woman) Ceremony was beautiful to behold. It brought tears to many eyes to see these young girls step forth with such grace into young womanhood. What a gift it is to see this Cermony celebrating such an important time in a young girls life. It is very important to honor these steps in the lives of our boys and girls. Sometimes the events in our world move us much too rapidly to truly enjoy each moment as it unfolds.
As for the Sundance, I feel doubly honored this year. First of all, I was moved to tears to see and feel the grace of our lovely little Sundance tree. She swayed so sweetly in the breeze as she carried the prayers of the people amongst her branches. Such an image of Beauty shall be held within my heart forever. The sound of the drum and the prayer songs full of Love and Hope, as sung by the people as we danced around the Tree of Life, is a memory I shall hold dear when times in the faster world threaten to bring me down.
The greatest gift I recieved during this ceremony, was brought to me through the Children. I had the honor of caring for three young girls, besides my little S, as their mothers were otherwise occupied. The other children invariably navigated towards our little circle, and one girl in particular spent much of her time with our group. Amazingly enough, I had not even a single problem arise with these little ones for companions! Such fond memories of stories, songs, and laughter are treasures of my heart which gives such Joy to think upon. I shall miss those little ones! Although I missed the mothers of these mischievious little girls, as they are my very dear friends, this was a gift and an honor I shall never forget. My little S was such a great help in those busy days as I rose before the sun, and did not rest my head until well after the sun went down.
It truly felt good to hold my family close, as we all live so far away from each other. For two weeks we were able to catch up, sharing this time with Songs, Dance, Prayers, Laughter, Tears and Feasting. Enjoying the fellowship of our Brothers, Sisters, Aunties, Uncles, Elders and Children just seems to fill me up with courage to re-enter the world that moves much faster and is filled with uncertainty and danger. For a short time we held each other close and reaffirmed our love for the Earth and all her bounties, bringing forth hope for the present and future of our children. We must move forward in a good way, honoring and respecting the Earth and all living things, until the time comes for us to gather once again when it is time to go Home.
My little S and I had an awesome Sundance, with so many memories of friends, family and walks through nature to find new magical places to sit and enjoy together. And the nights when we summed up our adventures of the day, along with silent moments of star gazing, will be held dear to our hearts forever and always.
Pilamaye,
Teri
~
Celebrate Father’s Day in Charter HD
Posted by msterilinn on May 24, 2008
There is one thing a lot of fathers really seem to love, and that is watching their favourite sports, movies and nature channels when they get the time to kick back and relax. And wouldn’t it be just great for those deserving souls to have the opportunity to celebrate Father’s Day in HD sitting in front of a giant HDTV? And if the wonderful fathers in your life were gamers, imagine their delight if they could enjoy playing with such a large viewing screen to add to the excitement!
Well then, if you think your Dad is the greatest and you just so happen to live in the area which serves up Charter Digital Cable® you may wish to enter a fantastic contest that is giving away a giant HDTV as the Grand Prize. Just head on over to the site at Charter Communications. This page will allow visitors to register with their own and their father’s e-mail address and other personal information. After registration, visitors can submit a brief essay answering the question: “Why does your dad deserves the nation’s biggest HDTV?” Submit a brief story telling us why your Dad deserves a giant HDTV with the best Charter HD service and The Charter Bundle™ FREE for a year—and you could win it all for him. One Grand Prize Winner and four finalists will be chosen. Finalists win the Charter Bundle + HD–FREE for one year! Winners will be announced on Father’s Day, and listed on this same web site - Charter.com/HDdad. You may enter to win by June 8th.
So just imagine the suprise and joy of the lucky Dad who will be able to Celebrate Father’s Day in HD!
Today is Earth Day… Celebrate Life!
Posted by msterilinn on Apr 22, 2008
Although I am mindful of this wonderful and beautiful Earth each and every day, today is as fine as any to create awareness. As folks celebrate world-wide, I send out my heartfelt prayers for the healing and preservation of this Sacred planet.
We lost a Great and Ancient tree to the machinations of modernization, just recently. My daughter and I have loved to walk a path through the trees near a river by our home. Along this path lived a beautiful Cottonwood tree, the largest I have ever seen, standing watch over all the smaller plants and trees nearby. Each time we passed this Ancient Spirit we would stop and touch it, giving a prayer of thanks for the air we breathe and the wonderful shade provided during hot days. Although we love all that is green and natural, this Ancient One held a special place in our hearts. It had been here for much longer than the ugliness of some places nearby, and brought a timeless beauty to this place.
Last week we were walking across the river from this favourite tree, and I stumbled when I looked to see this tree. I could not seem to catch my breath and tears came to my eyes. My daughter grew concerned and asked me what was wrong. When I could speak I pointed across the river with a heavy heart. Our dear and beautiful tree still stood, yet all of it’s branches had been cut off. This still-living tree was about to be cut down, for no reason that I could see. It was still healthy and strong! I felt the pain of this quite deeply, and was so sad!
We crossed the river the next day. I truly dreaded approaching the part of the path where this Great tree had lived for so long. It still stood, and I swear I could feel the pain of this poor tree as it stood, with all of its branches full of new life, lying in piles around it. My daughter was very sad as well and asked me why. Why had they done this to a tree in a place where nothing was to be built and the tree represented Life, and was no danger to folks walking? I do not know why… so I approached the tree and offered tobacco to the spirit of this Ancient One. I cried and prayed and asked forgiveness for man’s folly. We said goodbye to this wonderful tree that had given us such pleasure and comfort on our many walks. This place no longer brought me pleasure, and I am not certain we shall return. I prefer to stroll in the wild places that man has not touched.
Each day it is good to take time to honor Life, and all living things. We do not own this planet… we are just here for a little while. The Earth is Ancient, and generous in her gifts. It is only right to be thankful for what we have been blessed with, and to teach our children to be caring and thankful as well. This is part of the great Balance. So each day, let us promote Life by planting seeds, and nurturing our gardens and forests. Let us care for each other as well.
Here are a few helpful tips to get started…
Reduce - Reuse – Recycle; bring your reusable grocery totes. If you must buy disposables, buy paper products rather than plastic or Styrofoam. The manufacture of Styrofoam depletes the ozone layer.
Conserve water, waste not and fix leaks.
Use fewer harmful chemicals and pollutants, and dispose of them properly.
Try to use phosphate-free laundry and dish soaps.
Don’t use electrical appliances for things you can easily do by hand.
Save your kitchen scraps for the compost pile.
Boycott tuna or buy only “dolphin-safe”
Use Seafood Watch to choose seafood that’s good for you, and good for the oceans.
Volunteer your time to conservation projects.
Participate in stream and beach cleaning programs.
Become more involved in marine environmental issues.
Vote for candidates that share your sentiments.
Write your legislators when you have an opinion about pending legislation on environmental, land use and other issues.
Plant native, insect resistant, trees and shrubs in your backyard to provide food and shelter for birds and other creatures.
Pull weeds instead of using herbicides.. Learn about natural insect controls as alternatives to pesticides.
Use public transit.. Ride your bike or walk instead.. Drive a more gas efficient car.
The Gift of Giving from the Heart
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 12, 2008
Amongst our People, the Lakota, we have been taught that to Give is to Live. Giving that which is dear to us shows our Love for our fellow human beings. Our possessions are not meant to hold onto, as we do not truly belong to this Earth. We are just here for a little while to learn. In our way of Life, we have giveaways to celebrate important events in our Lives, such as Weddings, Coming of Age Ceremonies, Vision Quests, Hunkas (adopting a relative), as well and for those who Cross over to the Other Side, etc. We give to those who help us through emotionally trying times, or have been there to help us through a particularly difficult Life lesson. The Joy of Giving is like no other, and holds special meaning for both the giver and those recieving the gifts. The only thing we truly possess in this Life is our bodies, while we dwell upon this beautiful planet, and these we must care for with respect and Love. When we give, we become more. I would like to share more thoughts about Giving… Pilamaye.
Thoughts On Giving
by Kahlil Gibran
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city? And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?
There are those who give little of the much which they have–and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome. And there are those who have little and give it all.
These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty. There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism. And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving. And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall some day be given; Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors’.
You often say, “I would give, but only to the deserving.” The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish. Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you. And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.
And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving? And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving. For in truth it is life that gives unto life while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers… and you are all receivers… assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.
Ancient Tradition of Herbs on Winter Solstice
Posted by msterilinn on Dec 22, 2007
The shortest sunlit day of the year, the Winter Solstice, is the day when the sun is farthest away and light is most remote. Celebrated the world over, and most profoundly in areas where the winter is very dark, and very long, the longest night and the shortest day of the year is when the sun who seems to be weakening and dying, is reborn, and begins to grow in radiance and renewal. Rebirth is the essence of this celebration.
At the time of the solstice on or near December 2lst seasonal plants are brought into the home to assure the woodland Spirits that they will find safe refuge during this period of darkness and cold. In many parts of the world this celebration included lighting giant bonfires to lure the sun back to earth keeping the fires burning through the night or through the dark times. Considered a sacred rite, the Yule Log is still burned in fireplaces today honoring the spirit of rebirth and regeneration.
To honor the ancient tradition in your own home try placing holly, ivy, rosemary, evergreen boughs and pine cones in areas where socializing takes place. Hang a sprig of mistletoe above a major threshold as a charm for good luck.
An ancient magical herb known for it’s life-giving powers the Mistletoe grew from the sky on the limbs of sacred oaks. Known as all-heal to the Druids, its green leaves represented the fertility of the Mother Goddess and its white berries symbolize the seed of the Forest God.
Historically Druids harvested mistletoe with golden scythes. Maidens would gather beneath the trees with bolts of white linen stretched out between them. The cloth prevented the falling mistletoe from falling to the ground. If by chance the mistletoe should touch the earth all sacred energy from the plant would pour back into the ground.
The symbolism of holly and ivy together represents the struggle for balance between the waning and the waxing Sun. Often thought a representation of the Holly King reverence for the Holly tree is much older. It was not lost on early societies that to enjoy the beauty of the lush red berries one needs both a male and female tree, only the female yields the lush fruit. The tree itself became associated with the Mother Goddess and with fertility rites.
Wreaths of holly and ivy were originally used during Yuletide - Saxon geol, meaning wheel, their circular shape symbolizing the Wheel of the Year with its completion and continuity. Holly was regarded as the resting place for elves and fairies who would lodge within the leaves and keep the house goblins from doing mischief. In a similar way, planting holly outside the home brought protection for the inhabitants. Ivy in turn was especially used for the protection of flocks and domestic animals. Wreaths or magic hoops of ivy with rowan and woodbine, were woven and placed near milk containers to protect the contents from invading sprits. Rosemary was spread on floors at Christmas as people walked over the herb releasing the fragrant scent filling the home with blessings and protection. The name rosemary is associated with the Virgin Mary, as is the Rose.
Evergreens were known for their supernatural powers as they remained green and alive during the dead of winter. Pine was used in abundance during the solstice season, and still is. The pine cone represents the continuation of life in its spiraling form, the basis for the divine mean, the essential matrix for all Life and assurance of rebirth and regeneration.
This holiday season take some time to remember the ancient traditions as you collect your seasonal plants from nature. Remember too, when you cut a live plant you are transmuting its life force. Do this with reverence. Whenever possible offer something in return by sprinkling tabacco, cornmeal, sage, or sweetgrass as an offering of your gratitude.
A very cool site about Winter Solstice.. School of the Seasons
The Days of the Dead… A Mexican Holiday
Posted by msterilinn on Oct 29, 2007
As All Hallows Eve approaches, I am given to reaquainting myself with the different beliefs and traditions surrounding this time of the year. Today I wish to share how the Mexican’s celebrate…
Los Dias De Los Muertos
Celebrating the Mexican Holiday
The Days of the Dead
Every autumn Monarch Butterflies, which have summered up north in the United States and Canada, return to Mexico for the winter protection of the oyamel fir trees. The local inhabitants welcome back the returning butterflies, which they believe bear the spirits of their departed. The spirits to be honored during Los Dias de los Muertos.
Los Dias de los Muertos, the Days of the Dead, is a traditional Mexico holiday honoring the dead. It is celebrated every year at the same time as Halloween and the Christian holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day (November 1st and 2nd). Los Dias de los Muertos is not a sad time, but instead a time of remembering and rejoicing.
The townspeople dress up as ghouls, ghosts, mummies and skeletons and parade through the town carrying an open coffin. The “corpse” within smiles as it is carried through the narrow streets of town. The local vendors toss oranges inside as the procession makes its way past their markets. Lucky “corpses” can also catch flowers, fruits, and candies.
In the homes families arrange ofrenda’s or “altars” with flowers, bread, fruit and candy. Pictures of the deceased family members are added. In the late afternoon special all night burning candles are lit - it is time to remember the departed - the old ones, their parents and grandparents.
The next day the families travel to the cemetery. They arrive with hoes, picks and shovels. They also carry flowers, candles, blankets, and picnic baskets. They have come to clean the graves of their loved ones. The grave sites are weeded and the dirt raked smooth. The Crypts are scrubbed and swept. Colorful flowers, bread, fruit and candles are placed on the graves. Some bring guitars and radios to listen to. The families will spend the entire night in the cemeteries.
Skeletons and skulls are found everywhere. Chocolate skulls, marzipan coffins, and white chocolate skeletons. Special loaves of bread are baked, called pan de muertos, and decorated with “bones.
Handmade skeleton figurines, called calacas, are especially popular. Calacas usually show an active and joyful afterlife. Figures of musicians, generals on horseback, even skeletal brides, in their white bridal gowns marching down the aisles with their boney grooms.
The celebration of Los Dias de los Muertos, like the customs of Halloween, evolved with the influences of the Celtics, the Romans, and the Christian holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. But with added influences from the Aztec people of Mexico.
The Aztecs believed in an afterlife where the spirits of their dead would return as hummingbirds and butterflies. Even images carved in the ancient Aztec monuments show this belief - the linking the spirits of the dead and the Monarch butterfly.
Love, Light and Blessings this May Day.. the Earth Renews
Posted by msterilinn on May 1, 2007
Handfasting couples
the great marriage
the uniting of spirit
of all things combined
I dance for the earth
I dance for the air
I dance for the fire
I dance for the water
I dance for the Goddess and the God
I dance for the universe that we share
I danced for you my friend and wished you were there.
…Let the winds lift your banners from far lands
With a message of strife and of hope:
Raise the Maypole aloft with its garlands
That gathers your cause in its scope….
…Stand fast, then, Oh Workers, your ground,
Together pull, strong and united:
Link your hands like a chain the world round,
If you will that your hopes be requited.
When the World’s Workers, sisters and brothers,
Shall build, in the new coming years,
A lair house of life–not for others,
For the earth and its fulness is theirs.
Walter Crane, The Workers’ Maypole, 1894
Well, it is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world’s principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.
For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.
Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today’s customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.
May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn’t have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.
The tradition of Maypole and greeneries:
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently.
The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. The changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.
Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the “Tree of Liberty” and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.
Maypoles and trees:
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James’ description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome’s Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.
Roots of May Day celebration in America:
The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States as in Great Britain. But the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks — are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.
