A Drum Beating Freedom

The compelling mass consciousness movement, initiated by the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada has grabbed me by the Soul.  'Idle No More' began as a protest of Native Treaty Rights with the government of Canada.  It has grown into a full-blown uprising of Native People around the world, environmental activists and individuals standing in solidarity.  To me, this movement stands for Paradigm Change on many levels. It is a Petition for Indigenous People to be fully recognized by the government of Canada.  And  it is a calling from our Indigenous brothers and sisters to each of us, to remember what is important. They, who live with the land, with the memory of unity in their blood, are calling us to come back into alignment with our Humanity.  They are asking us to move past our conditioning and social mores, and settle into a deeper knowing of who we are.  And, to act according to this knowing.  For many of us, the priorities in Life so far, may have been taken up with going to school, learning a trade, getting a degree and working to earn a living. We may keep working to maintain the staus quo, make improvements, and 'succeed' in life.   Idle No More has shattered the mainstream perception of life, reminding us that we and the Earth are one Being, bringing us sharply into focus for the work ahead.  For the first time in a long while, the voices of the World's Indigenous Peoples are rising, and being heard.  If we are able to listen with our 'whole selves' we begin to feel the resonance, and the truth of this movement.  It is a cry to each of us to come back to our true nature, to remember what feeds us, nurtures us, bathes us.  We are being asked to remember our Mother, on whose soil we live out our days.  How could anything else have greater priority?  Idle No More brings us face to face with the Indigenous World View — something the western mind has termed "primitive".  Aboriginal People close to their traditions, hold wisdom more powerful than our greatest inventions.  Knowing themselves as Nature, they have access to the infinite, unified field.  Their message to all, is that we, too, can live this way.  For the West, it is a new Paradigm.  For Native People, it is the Wisdom of the Ancients.  It is time for us to drop out of western mind perception, and become humbled in the presence of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters.  Their voice is the voice of the Heart.  It is the sound of Humanity's true recognition, and it is the song that will sing us Home.

Visit:  http://www.idlenomore.ca/

Winter Solstice, 2012

On Maui, we were experiencing a few days of wind and rain storms.  December 21st, however dawned with clear and beautiful skies.  I got up around 5a.m. to see a pale blue sky with puffs of bright pink clouds, lit by the soon-to-be-rising Sun.  It was one of those days you could feel the 'intelligence' in everything — the wind seemed to be imparting ongoing wisdom with every breath and shudder of the bamboo, and light particles seemed to permeate each molecule of air.  I paused to greet the day, marveling at its clarity.  I could barely believe we had reached this moment in time:  the end of the Mayan Calendar, and the great alignment of 3 suns, and many significant planets, with the Earth.  

About an hour before sunset, a few of us gathered at the fishpond in Kihei - at the Marine Sanctuary for Humpback Whales.  There were a few workers in the park, relaxing on the picnic benches, and no one but us on the beach.  The ocean was calm and the wind was mild.  Three of us started to 'fly' - rhythmically moving in the motion of the Infinite - and one by one, more gathered and joined in the flight, some for the first time.  Flying on the sand made us aware of our foundation, the undulating ground, and increased our ability to pay attention to how we meet the unexpected, how we insist on our way, or yield to what is.  It is a practice of 'changing in flight' and accessing the 'ground' of our being.  We flew for about an hour, attentive to the setting sun, changing winds, colors, feelings, and sensations.  It was an opportunity to let go of what we think is here, and be with what is. 

Near the beginning of our flight, a Kupuna and her husband came onto the beach, and settled onto some beach chairs to enjoy the sunset.  Her's was a powerful presence and I remember feeling her with gratitude.   After the sun set, some of our group wanted to fly in a circle, so we gathered, circled up, and again began to fly.  After a few minutes, a woman in our group left the circle and approached the Kupuna.  She introduced herself and asked if she would like to join.  The Kupuna nodded with enthusiasm.  We invited this lovely woman into the centre of the circle.  She began to chant, speaking, crying and gesturing to the unseen that were present with us.  When we had finished, we offered our Aloha and Mahalo to this wonderful soul for joining us.  She told us:  "Those who had been away, have now returned."  "This is a new day for the children of Hawai'i", and that this was not the last we would see each other. 

The next day, my friend who had invited her to the circle, called me to let me know that this precious Auntie had never been to that beach before, but the night previous, had a dream that told her to go there, and there would be a group of women........Sometimes you don't know why you are where you are, but there is always a greater plan.

  We were blessed to participate in this spectacular alignment of Suns, this open doorway, and transmission of New Light.   Mahalo to our Ancestors, Kahuna and Kupuna in Light.  Mahalo to our Lineage of Light. 

The House of the Sun

For weeks now, the stones, wind and spirit of the Sacred Site, Haleakala, on Maui, have been calling to me.  In the ocean, I have been smelling the crisp air, and whenever I close my eyes, I am lying on my back, gazing up at the crater's edge, a night sky full of stars, and the wind whipping and rolling over the rock.

It was an effortless motion — to answer the call.  I found myself making a simple decision to be in the Holy Embrace of Haleakala Crater on the alignment of 12.12.12, doing the the most Sacred practice I know — Ka'alele 'Au, or in English, 'Flying'.  The invitation went out to students, colleagues, friends and strangers and this morning, our dream became a reality.  Again with effortless motion, I awoke a full hour before the alarm, ready for the journey, the adventure, ready for a new beginning.  Filling up on hot kicheree, tea and hot chocolate, we made our way to the summit, picking up fellow pilgrims along the way.   Half way up the mountain, I had a funny feeling — a simple breath that seemed to have infinite space, a 'lift' in my heart and a 'butterfly-like' feeling in the pit of my stomach — an excitement for something I could not yet see.  We drove through thick fog, driving rain and finally, as we neared the top, the weather completely cleared and we were amongst the stars, with not a breath of wind.    

After taking a deep gulp of warm 'car air', we ventured out into the darkness, 10,000 feet above sea level, grabbed our flashlights and headed down the Sliding Sands Trail to a flat spot.  The Crater stretched out below us, full of undulating shapes of slowly moving white cloud beings.  A soft glow was coming into the sky, and after a brief explanation of the movement for those unfamiliar, we began to Fly.  This movement incorporates each part of the body moving in the shape and rhythm of the infinite.  Embodying the endless flow of the figure 8, it is a continuous movement meditation / dance which both imprints the nature of the Infinite on the body, and calls the Infinite — that which actually animates Life — from deep inside the body's innate intelligence.   Anything that is not in harmony with our true nature is immediately and powerfully brought to the surface.  In the crucible of this sacred movement all of our resistance is transmuted into forward movement in our lives.  Ka'alele 'Au is a mystical movement which brings us into alignment with our Essence, and therefore with our infinite potential in this Life.

I'm not sure how long we flew, but I'd say it was at least 45 minutes.  People experienced whatever in themselves was 'up' for healing in that moment.  Reports included:  sadness, frustration, fear, anger, aching for a 'better life', and self-criticism.  As we flew, bringing into the sphere of our experience every emotion, sensation and thought, these resistances re-calibrated in our systems, to strength, flow and lightness of being.  The aching arms and unstable legs became free and strong and sure.  The movement became effortless, and our spirits were free to soar.  As the rays of the Sun broke into our consciousness, over the edge of the clouds, I could feel the Light, deep in my cells, rise to meet it.  We were blessed this morning to be welcomed into Haleakala — The House of the Sun, and uncover the Source of Light in ourselves.  The Light of Spirit infuses our cells, and has the power to heal and transmute anything in the way of our Highest expression.  It is up to us to call it forth, awaken what has been ignored, and pay attention.  Ka'alele 'Au provides this sacred opportunity. For me, there was the sense of a new freedom in my system, sudden space for new possibilities I haven't even imagined, both for myself and for the Planet.  We stopped just as the sun was halfway emerged and stood quietly in it's presence as the rest of the star blossomed over the horizon.  It was a moment that stretched into eternity.  A time where the edges of my body and consciousness were nowhere to be found, but instead there was an endlessness that stretched through the crater, deep into the Earth, merged with the Light and expanded out to the stars. 

Making our way out to the top of the trail, we were greeted by a pure white rainbow, something i had never seen before.  As most of the group went on to the parking lot, four of us stayed back, entranced by the rainbow.   It seemed to pulsate with Light and both ends which touched the earth remained, glowing, even as the rest of the rainbow disappeared and appeared again a few times.  It was completely alive and communicative, although I have no words for the communication.  I have taken to calling it a 'White Spirit Rainbow', as that is what it was:  pure and full of  Spirit.   The four of us remained in awe until the rainbow disappeared. I knew that the 'new possibilities I haven't even imagined', had begun to appear in this moment.  For the rest of the day so far, I have been inhabiting an uncontrollable joy.  I am forever grateful to my teacher, Kahu Abraham Kawai'i for the Grace of this work.

Mahalo Nui Loa, Haleakala.   May the blessing of this Sacred Day, 12.12.12, continue to expand in myself, and in all beings.

The Heart of Living

Have you ever felt that there is something stirring under the surface of your life - that there may be something more to life than the job, the relationship, or hanging out with friends? If so, it's quite likely that this elusive stirring is the Life inside of you, waiting to be lived. We all come into this existence with a unique combination of gifts. And our purpose, according to some, is to allow them to grow. When these gifts are submerged, blocked, or unrecognized, something inside of us becomes unsettled.

Even though we may 'have it all,' we develop a feeling that something is missing from our lives. What may be missing is 'you,' living the life you were meant to live, on a path fueled by your own unique gifts. The opening, development and sharing of our gifts causes us to wake with excitement, alive with eagerness, passion and wonder at what this day will bring. Our innate gifts are part of the foundation of our expression in this life, what we came here to offer. Without our foundation, life becomes insubstantial and at worst, meaningless.

Ancient Hawaiian Wisdom offers us the tools to break through the status-quo and discover who we truly are underneath all the conditioning, patterning, trauma and programming. Shedding these allows us to be in touch with the essence of Life flowing through us, and uncover our innate gifts.

Discovering and exploring our gifts not only benefits us, but has a profound effect on our families, communities and world. In this time of pivotal change, we are each called upon to bring the fullness of Life inside of us into being. Our gifts from God / the Universe / All That Is, become our gifts to each other, the planet, and to humanity. This is truly a life worth living.

—by Jody Soltau Mountain.  Published:  Maui Vision Magazine 05/11, © 2011 Ancient Hawaiian Bodywork

Body of Light

Light
Will someday split you open
Even if your life is now a cage...
Love will bust you wide open
Into an unfettered blooming new galaxy...
......A life-giving radiance will come...
From a sacred crevice
in your body
A bow rises each night
And shoots your soul into God...
- Hafiz

This beautiful, arresting poem by Hafiz, speaks to me about the dynamics of Transformation. It is this life-changing process that is inherent in the Wisdom Teachings of the ancient Hawaiians.

What we speak of today as 'Spiritual Light' and 'Divine Love', was known to the Ancients through the miracle of the body. Their inner and outer harmony with all that surrounded them, allowed them to access the Light that lives within our cells. Today, science has measured at least an aspect of this light as 'biophotons' — packets of electromagnetic frequencies emitted by each cell. Divine Love was perceived in the Spirit of Aloha — in one definition: the pure acceptance of all that is within us, and compassion for all that exists.

The deepening awareness of this Light and the movement towards Self-Acceptance and Total Compassion, is a process which leads us to come face to face with every resistance we have either learned or constructed. As we open ourselves to all of who we are, we expand the connection to the Spirit that lives within and become our own vehicle for transformation. Resistance, patterning, trauma, imbalance and dis-ease are transformed into vibrancy — as Hafiz says: 'a life-giving radiance' — in the alchemy of this process.

The Ancient Hawaiian path is one which by-passes the mind, working directly with the Light and natural harmony of Life that lives in each of our cells. It is said that 'the body gets it first, and the mind catches up later.'

The galaxy that Hafiz speaks about is within. To the Ancients, it is the limitless Life that animates us. Our system is constantly in the movement of Union, of dynamic Balance and blossoming Harmony. We are not just minds seeking for God. We are all of it: Body, Mind, Emotions, Spirit, Hopes, Dreams, Memories, Sensations, Vibrations, Awarenesses, Fears, Regrets, Love.....all of it, in One seamless Whole. The voice of this One, from deep inside, is the bow that 'rises each night, and shoots your soul into God.'.

—by Jody Soltau Mountain.  Published: Still Mountain Retreat Guide, April 2011 © 2010 Ancient Hawaiian Bodywork