Of Women and Water

When you and a heart-conscious friend drive around with the intention of joyfulness and offering blessings for the Waters and all Beings, you get led to a spiral circle of stones near the River.

You feel the miracle of Life itself unfold as you let go of thinking about ceremony and just move into it, setting up fresh blessing Herbs from the garden and making offerings to the Land for holding space for you.

Then you pull out your singing bowls with an open heart and start playing, allowing the music to move through you in deep gratitude for this day, this circle of Stones, this life, all Life. You find yourself asking forgiveness from the River that was recently contaminated by an oil spill, and you open to receive teachings on how we humans can come into right relationship with all that is.

The flow of music and gratitude near the River draws the attention of a group of young women, intrigued by the sound. Their whispers of wonder carry on the wind from the bridge above, but they do not interrupt. They stand and listen and wait.

My friend and I finish our meditation and prayers and invite them to join us - and they do.

They are curious about the bowls, the herbs, and our prayers, and we learn a little about each other. They are from around the world, living and learning together in a nearby school. Despite our different spiritual paths and cultures, there is an air of respect and reverence in our exchange. We offer to share our singing bowls with them, and they receive them, enthusiastically wanting to play.

I show the first young woman how to play and she quickly entices the bowl to sing. When her song is done, she is beaming and her eyes are lit with joy. She passes it to the next woman, who needs a bit more time to feel her way through. I show her how to hold the bowl, guide her hands to sense the movement around the rim, and encourage her to listen with her heart. The music moves through her and the bowl sings for her too. She makes a long, deep sigh of contentment at the end of her turn, and I talk a little about the pitch of the bowl and how different sounds are felt in different places in the body. Everyone is in agreement that the sound from this bowl reaches our hearts.

Then she passes the bowl to the next woman and SHOWS HER HOW TO PLAY. And so it goes. . . each young woman takes a turn, learning from the woman before her, and then teaches the next woman. My friend and I watch in wonder at this natural exchange, and we joyfully receive their songs.

This was a completely serendipitous experience.

Women showed up in the same place at the same time with heart-centered curiosity, gratitude, and a willingness to learn from one other in the presence of a River.

No planning. No formal teaching. . .

Women flowing effortlessly from curious student to gracious teacher, held by a circle of Stones and bonded by willingness, wonder, and gratitude.

Nature re-members our belonging.

If you have lost hope, sit with this story. Go to the River. Offer Gratitude and ask for Forgiveness. Sing, dance, drum. Find the Women; we know a way home.

Gestating

Welcome to my new blog and developing heartwork. 💜

Whether there's a developing human inside our womb or a new project in our life, there are similar cycles of heightened activity, required rest, wild emotions, and lingering doubts opposed with absolute certainty. 

And of course, needing-to-wait-because-some-things-are-out-of-your-control-and-who-knows-how-or-when-it-will-all-come-together. 

The universe seems to have a great sense of humor over the human notion of "time".  😆

A few months ago, I felt a strong urge to delete my previous websites, and more significantly - stop focusing on plant medicine teaching. I could feel something very new wanting to come in. . . it wrapped itself around me and I could not ignore what it was offering. In order to accept this incoming gift, I had to let go of who I thought I was supposed to be. 

Releasing those old versions of myself was the sacrifice/death required, and I experienced the panic, grief, and roller coaster of thoughts and emotions that ensue when something you knew and loved is gone. And then I went on a cross-country road trip to help some family members move. 

A journey changes you. 

If you're wise, you'll allow it. 

If you're human, you'll keep stumbling over your old habits until you realize they're in the way of what you want. < le sigh >

I'd been back home a week when I asked the same question that I've been asking for months: "What's the name for my next creative container to serve from?"

After working through a handful of ideas for a few hours, something finally shifted. 

My thoughts softened to wondering, and then the alchemy began. I heard my soul speak and was able to discern how I want and am willing to express that voice in the world. I recalled a lesson from my road trip. . .

If I want to know the answer that will be for my highest good, I need to let go of any expectations of how that miracle will arrive. The more my mind gets tangled in the process, the less likely I am to recognize the gift when it arrives.

When I stopped trying to "figure it out" and asked from an honest desire to know the truth, the name came. . . Medicine Mothers. 

A palpable sense of belonging settled into my body, heart, and mind, and I knew - that's the name I've been waiting for. 

This sacred container is a place of sharing medicine stories from the perspective of divine mothering:  diverse and deep approaches to healing. . . paths for discovery and expansion . . . a nod to the past and bow to the future. . . a synergy of stories and offerings from the various Medicine Mothers who wish to share their wisdom. Grace and Gratitude have opened the door to welcome us in.

If I'm being honest about it, I have no idea where things are going yet. 

And it's kinda freakin' meow-t (as my grandcat Pabu would say). 

But my curiosity and faith have the better of me at the moment, so here we are, at the beginning. 

If you stick around long enough, you'll discover my love of puns and probably some sarcasm. If talk of death and the divine feminine makes you uncomfortable, feel free to pull up a chair and see what you can learn about yourself as you walk the medicine path with us. 

This blog will be the working space while I build the website container and connect with my kin who are part of this creation. 

I know plants and animals have wisdom to share, along with the mountains and waters. I know there are humans whose medicine work resonates with mine and we'll come together when things are aligned for the highest good of all. 

And I'm sure there are Medicine Mothers to meet along the way who will terrify the bejeezus out of us because facing fear and ego is transformative. Medicine is truly everywhere.

Are you a Medicine Mother? Let's connect! Email me and let's see what flows. . .