Saving a World/#Book Preview

 

In these most trying of times I am working to finish the book that seeded itself in my heart and soul over ten years ago.  I wanted to share a bit of the story with you today.  Never give up hope, don't wait for someone else to do the hard stuff and remember you are never, ever alone....

From: Forever Never/Dawn of the Dream

Images, and words Copyright of CKP 2020/since 2007

***

Round and round the circle goes

but where it ends no soul can know

Eternity, no boundary,

by whim or whit

Life’s flame is lit.

though flesh may rot

the soul will not

and so the circle spins..

In the heart of the Realm Bandia made her case for the humans of Inion’s world, imploring her mother to turn once more to her first Creation and heed their call for help.  

“What they have done on their own is more than commendable, Mother Inion.  From the ashes of ruin, the humblest of them took what was left and made it beautiful again.  Their hearts have healed and resilience has been their support and friend. Can you not see the color that once more blushes the face of Domhan?”

Inion conceded that she did, indeed, feel the vibrance of living essence returning to her beloved Domhan, the first of her creations, the one that had been the catalyst of all other creation to follow.  Still, it seemed to be lacking the heart that once defined the core of its brilliance.  Inion wanted to believe her daughter and allow herself to hope, but there was still the barrier that kept its inhabitants from reaching out, from turning to those in the Realm for the help they needed. 

“And what of the Light Ones, Bandia?” she asked quietly.  “They were so broken by my brother’s dark creation that they scattered to their own hiding places, forgetting their vows of stewardship on M’na’s world.  And what of your daughter, M’na?  She has abandoned her place as Keeper and remains in hiding.  What kind of loving Mother does such a thing to her children?”  

Bandia hesitated thoughtfully, “The same kind of Mother who does not answer the prayers of her children because they cannot communicate as they once did.  Perhaps M’na is as cut off from her children as you are to your world, Mother Inion.  Your vision for Domhan has never died.  It has been kept alive by its First Son, born of the flesh by M’na and her companion, Fireann.  Amhain has never stopped searching for his mother, has never given up hope that his brother still lives; and now he has awakened that hope within the hearts of the Light Ones.”

Inion was silent, considering the truth of such possibility.  So many eons had passed since her young soul created Domhan, so many more balanced and stable creations spun throughout the realms that she had given up on its survival.  There was no such thing as time in her existence, and memory was merely a wisp of ether. 

“And how is it that you know these things, daughter?” She asked. “When A’rtine tainted my world with his dark magic, we had to close all the portals, leaving the humans to fend for themselves.  We told them to look for the signs that we were still with them but they grew silent and pitiable.  I longed to hear their voices and to feel their love, yet their pain created a barrier too dense for counsel.  Do not the birds still sing?  Do not the rivers flow and the mountains rise to the heavens?  Do not things grow and walk and give them sustenance?  Our voices are within all living essence on Domhan, and yet they need physical proof that we, their Creators, exist  and that they are not alone?  Where is their faith?”

“It has been beaten down by Mac’s son, A’rtine!  He continues to speak to them, perpetually digging for those cracks in the souls of the broken, working to destroy all that we created, all that we loved…that I love still.”  Bandia stopped, fearful she had said too much too soon.  She knew that time on her Mother’s world was speeding by and if they did nothing, it could mean the destruction of such a perfect creation. “They are special,” she continued softly.  “There is something divinely perfect in their soul’s imperfection.  None in this Realm is perfect but for Mor. Isn’t it our purpose to love and to teach?”

(In that moment Bandia greatly pleased the thought of Mor.  There was always room for growth in The All That Was, thus Its essence of Love would be increased. )

“Mother the portals have once again been opened, by love and the desire to survive!” she blurted out, all at once.  She waited but Inion was silent.  “Please take a look Mother Inion and see for yourself.  Domhan itself is slowly dying because M’na is missing; but the humans..I can still feel her.  She is somehow separated from Domhan but no one knows why-or how it happened.  A’rtine has become ruthless in his search, thinking she will be the key to his power over your world.  Total power if he possesses her. All are seeking her out, with her son being the most persistent of them all.. until now.” 

“What do you mean, daughter?” Inion was listening.

“The Hunter,  the Warrior, and….” she began.

“And what of our Sorceress?” Inion knew she held the true power of the Realm within her being but refused to accept its responsibility. 

“She is with them as well!  She and the Warrior are together now-as one.  Their combined power could be the one thing which drives A’rtine from your world.  

“Together?  You mean, joined in the physical?  I thought the Warrior had chosen a human companion.”

“He did, but their union was not strong enough to survive their loss after Damanta’s reign of terror.  In the battle she fought bravely but lost her unborn child.  She detached from Laoch, but he did not abandon her, Mother Inion.   She helped the Hunter to raise Eagna’s daughter and now lives with him.   Eolas grieved endlessly when Eagna was killed by the fire breathing beast that stole your dream of perfection on Domhan.  Where is Eagna’s soul now, Mother?  Has she been reborn on other worlds? And what of Fireann?

Inion didn’t want to answer the question for it would only encourage her daughter’s idea that Domhan was somehow more special than her other creations.  It would cause her to question the very idea of perfection, for there was no darkness and no violence on those other worlds.  They were beautiful and balanced, harmonic and peaceful.  How could Inion admit to the goddess that neither soul, even after so long, would move on?  They waited and watched from the Realm, always thinking of those they left behind.  It was remarkable, their devotion after being human. She needed more information to make her decision.

“Who opened the portals?” Inion demanded.   “A’rtine was forbidden to use them ever again as well as all others within the Realm.”  

“It was the Sorceress, along with her Warrior…and the children, even though they were separated from their parents.  The children used the power stones.  Agean is very bright and Saol devoted to him.”  

Inion was drawn into possibility beyond turning back, her soul’s youthful essence rising once again. Hope did, indeed, remain for her first creation. 

“They were very careful with the power,” Bandia went on.  “Well, they tried to be; but the dark son of Mac lives for the slightest opportunity to impose himself on your world.  He exists to wreak havoc.”

 “You mean…” Inion began

“Yes, he knows the portals are open and he, too,  searches for M’na.”  This was the part that was most difficult to share.  “He  has….a human helping him.”  Bandia was saddened to share this information most of all.  Inion and Mac had grown closer as the  twin souls they were created to be during the time that Domhan had fallen silent.  This would surely test that new relationship. 

“He knows much but not all,” the goddess continued.  “In focusing on only that which he wishes to control, he forgets that the humans are resilient, wise and very devoted to the Realm.  You may not have heard their prayers, Mother Inion, but I heard every one.  I never left them alone even though they could no longer hear me.  I never gave up hope that they would trust I was with them and someday recall their true purpose. “

Inion was proud of her daughter’s love and the way she had changed from the arrogant, self absorbed Goddess she had once been, born of Inion’s own sense of loneliness and desire to create.  That desire was what powered Existence, after all. Perhaps there was hope for the humans if those within the Realm could evolve, could become more…Mor. The thought of pleasing her Father made Inion smile.

“Come with me, Mother Inion,” Bandia implored.   “The Jinetes are nearing the heart of darkness in the Black Mountains. Already A’rtine’s servant has tried to stop them.  Domhan itself is dying and losing its ability to sustain them.  It misses its Mother, M’na, as the land grows cold and cruel.  A’rtine’s magic is strong and he is not afraid to use it.  We must assure the Light Ones that their power is greater than his, that we are with them and trust them to use it wisely.”

Inion hesitated no more.  “We will go to them, but it has to be in the right moment, for our time there is always short.  The physical plane is simply too dense to sustain us.  Bandia, do they have help from others on M’na’s world?” 

“The Hunters and Warriors of Juntos go there now.  And, Mother Inion, they were drawn there by the smallest among them-the same children who used the stones to open the portal, those whose love has not been tainted by judgment or doubt.”

“Who are these children, Bandia?” 

“One is the son of Naofa and Laoch.  The Sorceress and Warrior have always shared a connection and were drawn together long ago, when A’rtine was toying with the Sorceress.  He had his own selfish agenda for seeing them together, with their power joined.  He is a foolish one to not consider that such power could be used to stop him. From that interference a child was born. ”

“So, you harbor no more affection for the son of my brother, Bandia?”  Inion never forgot the Goddess’s constant excuses and forgiving nature towards A’rtine in the beginning. 

“No more than Mor loves us all, Mother.  How can I continue to love him in any other way, he that does not value love at all?”

“Who is the other child, then?”  

“Saol, the daughter of Eolas and Eagna.  The children have become quite close.  I can see a lifetime of companionship between them…if such a lifetime is allowed to continue its path.”  Bandia was very happy to think of it.  

“It is good, then.  M’na’s world will need strong unions to survive once she is found. “ 

“Oh yes!” Bandia agreed and added,   “Agean, the son of our Sorceress, seems to have inherited her ability to transform.  We did not expect this, did we? The children slipped away from their village with Eolas’ daughter on his back-Agean transformed himself into a horse! It’s not exactly a white tiger, but it is brilliant wouldn’t you say?”

“Have you seen this transformation yourself?”  Inion’s interest was piqued.

“Oh yes, Mother.  As I said, I have been keeping watch over your children all along.  They know I am there.  They do pray, they meditate and commune.  Perhaps now you can see it once more for yourself.” 

“I look forward to seeing them again,” Inion answered.  “And, Bandia, do what you can to awaken the rest of Domhan.  Tell them to go to the Black Mountains-as many as you can awaken.”

“Yes, Mother.  The Cave Dwellers have already begun the journey.”  Bandia assured.

“Why them, of all the others?” Inion asked. They were simple workers, not the like the tribes of Hunters and Warriors.

“It was one of their own who was taken the night of the Devastation, stolen from her home and family amidst the smoke and flame of destruction.  Damanta carried them into the mountain caves.”

“What do you mean ‘them’, and for what reason, daughter?” 

“Why, to care for the Realm’s great hope-Dochais, the second born of Domhan’s Keepers.   He is just as we hoped he would be, Mother.  That is why we have to find M’na to join her sons once more.  We have to help them now. This female of the caves-she also cares for A’rtine’s flying beast.”

“It still lives?” Inion asked.  “And what of As’me?  Does this human know the soul of A’rtine’s daughter is trapped within its body?”

“Yes, Mother, she knows.  I advised her to try and draw As’me out before the beast is driven to destruction again. Perhaps this time she will be stronger, her will to live giving her the determination to overpower it.”

“As soon as they open another portal,  daughter, we will go to them….” 

Stay tuned......🤗

May you be the Light you seek in the world, for some day you may be the last and only hope.  

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

If I had a hammer....

 

Sing it Little Man!

Can we get a backup please?

You can change the world

Shedding

 Let me begin by saying I know how the general population (and more than a few of my friends) feels about snakes.  While I personally have a general healthy respect for them and prefer to keep my distance, I also understand their value in the chain of life.  Most of us who live or grew up near natural habitats were taught at some point how to tell the difference between deadly and non poisonous snakes. We have all learned some form of rhyme associated with such distinctions, although I am quite certain that in a face off with a snake I would be at a total loss to recall such a thing and would likely away-quickly! 

Here is one of those rhymes: “Red and black, friend to Jack, Red and yellow kill a fellow.”

Of course some of the most deadly snakes have none of these colors.  I prefer to adhere to the more common assumption that a friendly,  non poisonous snake will have a more rounded shape to its head with its eyes on either side, while a diamond or pointed snout with eyes on top of the head indicate a venomous variety.  There are certainly some exceptions,  but generally speaking this is usually the case.  

Anywhere I have ever lived there was the possibility of a snake encounter, whether garter-or garden-snakes to deadly cotton mouth in Louisiana, rattlesnakes in Texas, and a variety of snakes in Florida.  Most commonly found in Florida is the Southern Black Racer, a very pretty black snake with a white underbelly.  This is a harmless snake, which is important to know because they are everywhere.  I understand the trepidation one can feel when seeing or happening upon any snake unexpectedly; but it is important to understand their value in the chain of living things.  Snakes cull out the rodent population, and if you are finding them hanging around your home you might be in need of extermination services if you want the snake to find other hunting grounds.  They also eat lizards who eat mosquitoes-the dastardly biting bloodsuckers which I hate worst of all.  Their bites are annoying, cause allergic reactions in many people and are carriers of some pretty nasty diseases. As far as I am concerned the tiny vampires are only good for feeding my lizard friends and that is why I allow my porch to be a small Jurassic Park.  If you feed birds a lot you might want to also watch out for snake visitors.  They do love to snatch eggs.

We need to talk about the phobia so many have of the lowly and oft maligned snake.  I feel much of the aversion to snakes is as psychological as it is intellectual, due to the evil disposition assigned to it in religious history as the reason for the fall of Adam and Eve from God’s grace.  Actually, that was a talking serpent which was more likely a metaphor than an actual snake, but I am not here to argue theological histories.

In Greek Mythology, the God of Medicine was Aesclepius and was represented by two snakes climbing up a rod,  a symbol long used in the design of the Caduceus which is printed on medical degrees and associated with healing.  

No, this is not a Black Racer.  This is a Boa Constrictor, one of the most common snakes found in jungle areas. This particular snake lived in Costa Rica, a country which is largely protective of its wildlife and is actively conservation minded.  One day while on a walk back up the hill from the beach, we spotted this beauty and stopped traffic so that it could safely cross the street.  These snakes don’t pose a threat to the local population and no one seems overly concerned with their presence. One of the most admirable things about Costa Rica for me is the balance between humans and nature there.  

According to spiritual lore, the appearance of snake in one’s life can point to a time of healing; and since they are close to the earth, are connected to the life force that guides us all.  They represent primal energy and our unconscious drives. Snakes can appear during a time of life change and transitions, either physical, emotional or spiritual.  If you see a snake,  be sensitive to your own healing abilities for yourself and others, for they represent healing power and opportunity.  

If you are in a time of transition, the appearance of snake can be a sign of personal growth and moving into the unknown with the support needed to stay grounded.  

Why all this interest in snake symbology,  you may ask?  Well, aside from the fact that in our area we often see Black Racers here and there when hiking or in the neighborhood, it was just a few days ago that the hubs came in with his famous, “You’ll want your camera for this.” I never question this statement, only grab and go, for often the subject of interest is fleeting.  In this case it was very stationary and certainly not common. I have seen lizards and snakes molting, half in and half out of their old skins.  But this was unique.  After one of our palm trees had been trimmed, there was-wrapped around the trunk-the discarded skin of a snake, which means it had to have been there molting for bit of time, completely unnoticed by us.  We walk by that palm every time we go somewhere in his car!  

This was the head end, its exit point

This skin wound all around the large trunk, indicating a good sized snake.  You can see in the first photos where its exit point was at the head.  I think it is beautiful.  It definitely urged me to explore the meanings of snake and skin shedding,  as I do all natural energies which come into my life.  It is especially profound for me at this time because, not only is there change and transformation going on in my life that requires healing for family members; but this is also a time of immense change in our world at large.  Things have literally been turned upside down from what most of us know as normal and it is so frightening.  At times it feels as if the ground has dropped from under my feet and I am in a perpetual free fall with nothing to hold onto.  Yet, if we are wise, we can use our energy to transform during this time as a society, as a human race and as our living world.  

Shedding of snake skin can represent rejuvenation and new life.  While I am certainly facing this right now and it is scary at times, it is also exciting to pull out of a deep rut I have been in.  We often get so locked into what we consider ‘normal’ that we ignore possibility and the promise of a better life unless we are catapulted into it.  Once our old life is shed we can emerge stronger, healthier and larger than our former selves.  Native peoples believe snakes know the secrets of death that lead to rebirth and that the old must be shed before the new can come.  The ancients believed that change required a resurrection after crucifixion to be rid of a planned life for the new life that was waiting.  

I found a nice quote on this blog from Will Barnes’ Expansion of the Soul:

“Overcome that which has weakened your state of mind and conquer the thoughts and actions that you have let lead your life.”. 

I like this because it reminds us that our true limitations lie within our own psyche and that we so often hold ourselves hostage to the familiar which is causing sorrow for fear of breaking free into the unknown.  

I hope, as a human race, we can find a way to emerge from our current shedding of the old with a fresh and hopeful vision of the future for ourselves, our countries and our planet.  Otherwise we will die unchanged and suffocate in the old skin which we have outgrown.  

I will keep you posted on the changes I have coming and will continue to send healing thoughts to everyone during these most difficult of times.  I will leave you with a photo of another of our friendly neighborhood links in the chain of life.  I think the photo shows they know their places in the continuity that is Existence... 

Monday Moments

 I haven’t had a lot of spare time, or brain cells in the past few weeks. I’ve been trying to keep up with everyone’s posts because it warms my heart to connect even for the briefest moments. It is painful when the people you love so much and who held the highest places of honor in your hearts and minds begin to fail mentally. 

The truth is that everything moves on, whether we like it or not, and the best we can ever hope to accomplish is being part of the flow of life and accepting its unfolding. No amount of tears, anger or denial will stop its movement. Sometimes struggling can cause one to sink and face drowning in sorrow. I find it is best, in those moments, to let go and just drift with the tide, release the struggle to control anything-including my own perceptions-and just look up. Cloud watching is very meditative. Sometimes there are wonderful surprises to be found in those deceptive puffs of tantalizing white delight. Happy thoughts, amusing imagery, fond memories of lying in the grass alone or with a friend and just imagining....

As I am wont to do, I turn to the constant things in my world, those creatures that are always about the busi-ness of living, oblivious to me watching, absorbing and appreciating their diligence and beauty. It is in these moments that my pulse slows (an actuality now that I have my trusty Garmin wrist buddy to confirm it 😉), my thoughts fade into the scenery and my heart knows peace and tranquility. For these moments I am thankful.

I hope you have all had some good days, good moments and peace and tranquility, in spite of society’s best efforts to rob us of this. In case you missed any good ones or didn’t find enough, I’d like to share mine with you. 

One is a lonely number for a Lovebug

This is an Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp

And it’s huge as wasps go. They are an integral part of the natural order of cicada population control. 

And they don’t normally bother people. They are so beautiful. 

Meet Stubs, our newest back porch resident. I'm sure the story of his tail Loss is quite interesting. If only we could chat...

Another shot of the wasp. The bees, wasps, and butterflies simply love our Sweet Almond.

How about these two cuties? Born on the same day, a year apart, they share a birthday. Two of my many precious treasures. 

Happy Birthday! 

And finally....welcome to clouds. I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now...

From up and down..

and still somehow...

A promise of the end to sorrow.

It’s clouds’ illusions I recall.

I really don’t know clouds...

Aat all.....

I’m Alive

Happy Labor Day, I suppose, for today is the day set aside to honor those who toil every day of their lives to make the world go around or just to make lots of money which also makes the world go around. Truthfully, commerce has became so entangled I’m not sure what is beneficial or detrimental to our mental health and bank accounts. What once seemed to be a necessity for survival has become, more often than not, a battle over wealth.

Once upon a time humans had to scratch the earth, take up weapons and struggle to survive every day they wished to live. While in these modern times there are shinier prizes and fancier clothes, housing and more things to entertain us, I feel the struggle is no less real. The difference is that while too many humans are still working themselves to death to eat, to live and provide for their families, all too many are doing it not just for themselves but so that other humans can enjoy lives of ease, comfort and abundance. Wealth has become a disease in modern society, infecting the hearts and minds of humans to the point of theft, murder and callousness. 

Are things better than in the days when the wealthy thought it proper and reasonable to have slaves, sharecroppers and land laborers paid merely enough to get by? While I say yes, I have to add that, by the dictates of modern society, too many people are still indentured servants to the upper class who are gaining greater numbers every day. The saddest part about this unfolding is that humans have done this to themselves in part because of want, the desire to acquire more stuff, to ensure their children ‘have better lives’ and to secure a fortune for their retirement while many never see that time due to illnesses brought on by the stresses of a life of overwork and too little relaxation. 

What defines a better life? One in which there is less work? I have felt all my life that a job well done is the greatest reward a person can know. The unfolding of a wealthy society at large has changed that sense of pride into pressure to do more and expect less, to feel ashamed when quotas are not met, goals are not achieved or there aren’t enough ‘Likes’ on the company social media page. 

But, hey, there is always Labor Day, a paid holiday to make up for all those other days sacrificed to the gods of finance. 

We have always had a garden in the Summer and nothing tastes as sweet as something you have grown with your own hands. Planting, nurturing, protecting and harvesting that which sustains us leaves a true sense of accomplishment. Perhaps that is what is missing in much of today’s working environment. Too many laborers do not see or reap the benefits of their hard work. Incentives, bonuses, and company benefits are dwindling more and more while large companies get wealthier every minute. 

I am fortunate to work in the field I do because I can see the value in my work in the end results of what I contribute. Not everyone is so fortunate. Even without monetary bonuses, one can be content in knowing they have helped to enrich a person’s life. For this I am grateful. For many things I am thankful.

I want to thank every single person who has had to go out during this pandemic and risk your life so that you and your families can eat. As someone who has had to do the same thing, I appreciate the stress, anxiety and weight it puts on your shoulders. And to all of you who have made it safely to retirement I say a very hearty,  “Congratulations!”. Don’t look back, don’t worry about that job you left. Enjoy what you worked so hard to achieve. Nothing is promised in this life. Step outside and breathe the air. 

(If you stay away from crowds you don’t even need a mask.🤭) 

I am alive today. That shall be my great accomplishment....today. 

The sun has risen,

get out of your prison-

breathe, believe

you deserve 

life’s abundance,

still free

to be..

you. 

(And if you look closely you will see your traveling companions)

Always a hitchhiker in the photo, as my hubs pointed out. I almost missed the little guy. Talk about toiling without end. Behold...the humble ant! 

My How You’ve Grown!! #1linerWednesday

 One day pecking cautiously out of porcelain shells...fuzzy balls of pure innocence.

Then you blink....

And they’re all grown up! 😞

Five weeks later there’s a family reunion at the house! And they say kids and cats grow fast! 😀💕