Dear Friends,
Today’s New Moon Gathering was such a rich, beautiful time, a weaving of images and ideas, that I want to share with you some of the threads and textures that we touched upon.
Photo: Rawpixel Public Domain
Our opening, guided meditation welcomed in the supporting energies of Source, The Ground of Being and of the Cosmos.
Then, by considering the myths and astrological understanding of several planets, all of which have just entered Aquarius, we can become more aware of the support that is being offered to us in our individual and collective lives.
Click the image below for a video of the guided meditation
Image: Rawpixel Public Domain
Having welcomed in the energies of the Sun and Moon, of Pluto, Mercury, Chariclo and Uranus, we looked back to my last email, to think a little more about the archetypal energy of the warrior.
I feel a tension, a discomfort with mentioning and even considering embodying a warrior archetype, when there is so much war and violence all around us. So, without wishing to preach to the choir, during our gathering, we reminded ourselves of some important points.
- archetypal energies come from a deep place and relate to more collective beliefs that we all hold within us.
- they are expressed or manifested in many ways, depending on the spiritual awareness or consciousness of the one expressing them.
- Each has a shadow aspect, or a lower expression that we regularly see being played out.
As we become more aware, more conscious of the possibilities, we can access a higher octave of understanding, something to aspire to!
Another way to express this idea could be to say that the lower octave expressions are generally at a personal, individual level.
They are in service of the individual rather than being in service to the wellbeing of the people, the environment, or the Whole.
Shadow actions driven by fear, generally seek to control, to gain or hold power, to exact revenge, to gain fame or fortune.
And sometimes the energy of their intention is to do harm.
Happily, there are also higher octaves, more mature and more spiritual expressions.
Once we know that we are all interconnected, all worthy of respect and care, and all have a unique part to play in the world we can act from this higher octave.
In that sense, we could call them trans-personal.
Coming back to the warrior archetype, rather than looking at the fear-driven expressions that use violence and destruction to control and dominate – we’re looking here at the archetype of the spiritual warrior – one who is motivated by the quest for truth, justice, and equity.
The following story encourages me.
This is the story of a young girl, who witnessed horrible atrocities against her village. She lost her parents and many loved ones and was driven into exile.
In her pain and fear, she unthinkingly did what had always been done in her tradition. She vowed to seek vengeance on the warring factions that killed her family and destroyed her home.
Eventually, fuelled by the hatred she carried with her, she became a violent warlord, a replica of the childhood enemy that she hated.
In a moment of terrible clarity, she saw what she had become and actively entered a process of transformation.
She awakened and she matured!
She saw how hollow the prevailing power-over, violent paradigms were and how she had unconsciously assimilated them into her way of being.
Realising the harm she had done, her motivation changed. Rather than seeking to destroy, she started seeking to value and preserve life.
As her more conscious, more mature self, she dedicated herself to righting the wrongs of her previous crimes, making reparations and working to end cycles of violence.
She took a stand, actively refusing to ally with any group or to comply with hierarchical systems, where power was used to control, and she became an effective spiritual warrior for peace and justice.
She was a warrior for the people, for those in need, those who were in danger or were being treated unjustly.
She intervened to bring peace, life and justice and then she moved on.
Is there a word or an image that speaks to you from the story?
Or something that sits uncomfortably with you?
For me, the idea that the girl becomes a warrior for the people, for those in need, those who are in danger or being treated unjustly strikes like a tuning fork and tugs at me, at the gut level.
Of course, taking a stand and being present (guiding principles for the warrior archetype) with those in need, in danger or experiencing injustice correlate closely with humanitarian principles.
Humanity: Human suffering must be addressed whenever it is found. The purpose of humanitarian action is to protect life and health and ensure respect for human beings.
In my understanding, this recognises that we are all created in the Image of God / that we are each a unique fractal representation of Source or the Divine.
Neutrality: Humanitarian actors must not take sides in hostilities or engage in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.
We do not think in dualisms or engage in comparisons, competition or discrimination.
Impartiality: Humanitarian action must be carried out on the basis of need alone, giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress and making no distinctions on the basis of nationality, race, gender, religious belief, class or political opinions
All humans are precious and of equal worth.
(Operational) Independence: Humanitarian action must be autonomous from the political, economic, military or other objectives that any actors may hold with regard to areas where humanitarian action is being implemented.
We do not align to or ally with any societal or authoritarian power structures.
To me, it seems clear that the spiritual warrior, as described in the story and the humanitarian principles both seek to preserve and promote life.
I recently heard it said that the humanitarian principles are the closest manifestation of the Divine Feminine we have in the world (I can’t remember the name of the person who said this, but my thanks to her).
It was an Oh! Of-course! moment.
No wonder they resonate so deeply within me!
And now I’m going to digress from the New Moon Gathering for a moment, because . . . . that explanation feels insufficient.
I’m struggling to find the language. I don’t want to be guilty of polarised or stereotypical thinking. I don’t want to apportion blame or offend anyone . . .
Will you grapple with this idea with me?
The best I can do at the moment is to return to the pattern of life, death and rebirth.
In many myths, it is the feminine deity (Sekhmet, Kali, Haumea, Ereshkigal to name a few) who initiate destruction, to clear the way for new life.
The motivation driving the devastation is different though. It’s much more of an
“ENOUGH! This cannot go on any longer”
attitude. It’s not seeking power or control, territory, fame or fortune.
And of-course, regardless of our gender identification, we all share beautiful generative, live preserving and life-giving capacities.
Whilst I don’t want to make a clear distinction or to name anything as inherently feminine or masculine, we do, of-course need metaphors to help our understanding.
It is one of longing.
For me, the metaphor of the archetypal mother is easy to identify with. I sense the longing coming from the mother heart of God or The Ground of Being, longing for all her children to return to her.
The beautiful chant by Sara Thomsen strikes a deep chord. (You may listen on Spotify – here)
She sings
“Oh my children, oh my children,
come to me, come to me, come to me.
And I will hold you, I will hold you, hold you, hold you.
Come to me, come to me, come to me come to me.”
Back to the New Moon Gathering and the Hopi Prophecy (emphasis mine) that I shared in the last email.
“There will come a day when people of
all races, colours and creeds
will put aside their differences. They will come
together in love, joining hands in unification,
to heal the Earth and all Her Children.
Navajo-Hopi Prophecy of the Whirling Rainbow
I can share these ideas and invite you to reflect upon any aspects of them that resonate or catch for you.
And I can share this Prayer for Reconciliation and invite you to pray it regularly with me – calling in a world where its benediction is realised.
Prayer for Reconciliation
May all parts within ourselves be reconciled.
May all mothers and sons be reconciled.
May all mothers and daughters be reconciled.
May all fathers and sons be reconciled.
May all fathers and daughters be reconciled.
May all sisters and brothers be reconciled.
May all husbands and wives be reconciled.
May all partners and lovers be reconciled.
May all family members be reconciled.
May all employers and employees be reconciled.
May all community members be reconciled.
May all friends be reconciled.
May all women be reconciled.
May all men be reconciled.
May all men and women be reconciled.
May all religions be reconciled.
May all races be reconciled.
May all nations be reconciled.
May all peoples be reconciled.
May all creatures be reconciled.
May all beings of every form be reconciled.
May we be reconciled with the Earth.
May we be reconciled with the Cosmos
(Jack Kornfield – with additions by Annie Sempill)
And lastly, at this new moon, I can invite you to set an intention, asking,
In which areas of your life is there a need and longing for reconciliation?
What seed might you plant to bring that longing into being?