The Graxean Way

New Articles in Progress

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:03:10 -0400

I know it's been a while since new articles have been posted. I've had a minor health issue over the past few months that I'm starting to get under control and will be featured in one of the upcoming articles! Please be patient and stay tuned. There is a lot coming up!

Ceremony--Midwinter Gratitude to Animals

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:09:47 -0400

Materials:

Red glass candleholders
Tea lights
Hay or other vegetarian animal food
If snow is not available, then a white cloth or surface that will hold the candleholders
Meat, eggs, or if vegetarian, some other significant protein source
The winter tale of gratitude

Preparation:
If possible, fast the day before the ceremony which should be performed at night for ambiance purposes (to bring out the light of the candles.) If that is not possible, eat vegetarian during the day. It is best to cook fresh meat over an open flame if possible to represent the moment when the meat returned, which also meant light returned to the people. If not possible, try to cook the meat fresh in whatever way is available after the ceremony. Previously prepared meat will suffice if there are no other options.

Performance:
After setting up sacred space, preferably outdoors (though you can start indoors and move outdoors for the candle and feed portion of the ceremony,) announce the intent of the ceremony:

"We gather in this space at this time to show our gratitude for the animal beings that give their lives so we can continue ours. We recognize the sacredness of life and the sacrifice of that life so that we can go on living. May this ceremony put us in touch with the heart of the act of giving life so others may live and what has been given up for us."

Next, read the tale. Afterwards, select who will represent the female principle and the male principle. Those representing the female principle should gather the hay/feed and place it somewhere accessible to wildlife (but not where that wildlife can damage property or others.) They should then repeat the line from the tale:

"We the women who transform death into life offer this sustenance to you beings whose flesh keeps us alive."

Then those representing the male principle should set down the candleholders in the snow or on the white cloth or surface and light them one by one in a single direction. They should then repeat the line from the tale:

"We the men who transform life into death honor your sacrifice with this display. Your life is precious as beings of the Earth. Your flesh is sacred to us because it keeps us alive. From here on out, every winter we will light the light of your blood and give to you of our supply so that you may be sustained. We are grateful for your sacrifice and honor your gift and your life."

Take a few minutes for personal reflection on this topic. Then bring out the meat, prepare it, and serve, eating each bite with the deepest of gratitude, lest there be a day when there is no more!

Graxemicu Tale--Midwinter Gratitude to the Animals

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:01:44 -0400

It had been weeks since the hunters returned with meat for the families. The winter had been a long, cold one, and now, without fresh meat, it was becoming a desperate one. The food stores were growing low, and the community was growing concerned.

Finally, they came to the shamans to ask them to find out what was going on. After all, the hunters were very capable and never let their families grow hungry. Something far bigger had to be at hand.

A shaman named Spirit Diver offered to enter the Spirit World to talk to the animals of the forest to find out what was wrong. She dove into the depths of the Spirit of the Earth and entered the Spirit Dimension of the forest where her community hunted their food. There, she asked to speak to the elders of the different clans of animals. Elders of the rabbits, geese, ducks, groundhogs, beavers, turkeys, and deer stepped forward, as well as the coyotes, foxes, raccoons, owls, mice, rats, bears, opossums, hawks, eagles, and other birds, for though they were not commonly hunted for their meat, they still had a stake in the situation.

�Thank you for meeting with me,� Spirit Diver said. �I am here because my human clan is growing hungry. You have been kind to give of yourselves to us so that we may live, but now it seems you have abandoned us. Why is this?�

The elder of the deer, a large buck with a head full of horns, said, �Yes, we have been kind to give you our sick and our weak so that you may live, and we as a clan may continue to grow strong. But unlike the other hunters of the forest: the coyote, the wolf, the eagle, and the others, your clan is not even grateful for our sacrifice! There are those of you that don�t even realize they are consuming the bodies of once living beings! You go to a merchant to obtain pieces of our bodies and never even recognize that it was once part of a living being. Why should we give up our lives when you can�t even be respectful of what we give up to you?

�My deer clan is angriest of all, for the God of the Sun was reborn as one of our people. We are to bring him to strength so he can resume his rule over the land and lift the spell of winter, bringing forth the plants. But you do not respect us. Therefore, not only will we hide ourselves from your arrows, but we will not nurture the Sun God! The winter will continue without end until we are honored once again!�

�What is it that we can do to heal this rift between our clans?� Spirit Diver asked.

�I will only tell you this. Until we are honored for our sacrifice, your human clan will not taste our flesh again!�

The animals returned to the forest, and Spirit Diver was approached by the Lord of Water, Xinon. Xinon had been watching what was happening and had his own interests. For as long as it remained winter, his season, he could be with his love Irosa, the Moon Goddess. At the same time, he wanted to test the human clan to see if they could truly understand what was expected.

Xinon said, �Would you like to know what to do to appease the forest clans?�

�Yes!�

�Well, they want you to show that you understand their sacrifice. As their blood has spilled for you, you must spill blood in return. That is all I will say.� He purposely left it vague. Either they would understand the symbols quickly, or they would take long until they figured it out, which would lengthen his precious winter. He was secretly hoping they would misinterpret the message.

Spirit Diver returned from her vision and told the other shamans what had happened. They sat in a circle and discussed the symbols and how to appease the forest clans so they could eat again.

�Xinon said we must spill blood in return. Does this mean we must sacrifice one of our people? Spill their blood? Death for death?� one shaman asked.

�I don�t think Xinon was speaking literally,� replied another. �After all, what good would killing one of our own do for the animal clans? The creatures we eat do not eat our flesh.�

�But others may eat of our flesh. Perhaps it will spare one of the animals we normally hunt from being hunted.�

�No, that doesn�t seem right,� said yet another. �What the elder deer wanted most was appreciation, gratitude. They felt we were taking them for granted. So perhaps we should honor them and what they give us.�

The shamans took the symbols and the information they had gathered and brought them to the priests and priestesses. With that information, the priests and priestesses developed a ceremony to put the people in touch with the message, connect with the Spirit Realm, and heal the rift between the clans.

Upon the night after the next snowfall, the community gathered together at the edge of the forest. The priestesses came forth carrying hay within their arms and left it at the edge of the forest.

�We the women who transform death into life offer this sustenance to you beings whose flesh keeps us alive.�

Then the priests came forth with red colored glasses containing candles. They lit the candles and set them upon the snow. The bright red light was a stark reminder of the blood spilled onto the winter snow in the success of the hunt.

�We the men who transform life into death honor your sacrifice with this display. Your life is precious as beings of the Earth. Your flesh is sacred to us because it keeps us alive. From here on out, every winter we will light the light of your blood and give to you of our supply so that you may be sustained. We are grateful for your sacrifice and honor your gift and your life.�

A grand buck stepped out of the forest. He stood there for a while, watching. The humans could have shot him and fed of his flesh, but they did not, for they knew he was the elder, the physical embodiment of the spirit with which Spirit Diver had spoken. He nibbled on the hay and seemed to nod. Then he turned and ran back into the forest.

From then on, the hunters returned with game, and every mid-winter, the community gathered together to honor the spilled blood that kept them alive and offer a sacrifice of their sustenance in return.

As for Xinon, he smiled and nodded, proud of the people for making the right choice. Though this meant that his winter would end on schedule now, he knew it was for the right reasons. The different clans of beings rectified their differences, and life would now move forward.

Sacredness in the Small Things with Small People

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:16:43 -0400

It was a typical evening. I had just brought the toddler in from outside, and we were getting ready to prepare dinner. Then the light of the almost-full moon caught my eye. The little guy had just learned to say “moon,” and so I brought him into the temple (aka the enclosed back porch) to look at it.

I turned off the lights and sat with him facing the silver disk as she rose from behind the hill of the small valley that makes up my backyard (sounds impressive, but we’re really just in the middle of a busy suburb and happened to get a hold of some really neat property!) He looked outside and said, “Moon!” I said, “Yes, that’s the moon. Pretty moon!” Then he repeated over and over, “Peedee moon.” The still golden-laced silver light poured through the window and lit up his face. Those round cheeks were aglow, and it was as if I were looking at the human embodiment of a young moon. I looked out to see the light was dancing off of tiny puddles that collected in individual leaves in the woodsy space. Hundreds of silver reflections danced back at us.

I didn’t bother to concern myself with the very bright orange lights across the creek lighting up the soccer field. Nor did I pay attention to the street lights in the distance, the occasional headlights of the neighbors’ cars, or the grating jake-braking of trucks on the nearby highway that sound like mechanical flatulence. Right in that moment, there was naught but the silver moon, the woods, and my little woodland sprite.

He looked at me and then nuzzled onto my chest. He lately does this thing were he just rolls his face over mine repeatedly. It’s a bit painful, but sweet at the same time. So we’re nuzzling and face rolling, all the while lit only by that sacred light that warms my being every time the moon is bright like this.

Then the little guy caught sight of the rattles. Yes, they’re technically for spiritual purposes only, but what precisely was this? Could we get any more spiritual in this sacred moment? So on we went rattling, trading and shaking, giving it a try with our toes, keeping the beat that only the two of us felt. The silver light lit a smiling, round face while sacred rhythms danced in our ears.

It was not planned, orchestrated, or prepared. We were in our dayclothes, sitting on a couch, having a moment before the chaos of dinner preparation took hold. Together, without many tools (and even those were spur of the moment,) we had a little ceremony honoring the sacredness of the beauty of the bright, moonlit night.

You can plan, prepare for, and deliver an elaborate ceremony that takes months of development and feel nothing. You can also drop what you’re doing and take those sacred moments as they appear and make the most of them. In the busy lives of parents, these little moments are just as powerful as the most elaborate ceremony imaginable. After all, Spirit has already delivered the right materials. We just have to take that moment to open to what seems so small in order to be delivered larger than we can ever imagine.

Incidentally, he was quite the gentleman the rest of the night, especially for a 1 year old! Seems the impromptu ceremony made an impact on the usually rambunctious little guy, also!

Women's-blood Healing Ceremony

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:59:49 -0400

A woman’s sacred, monthly, moon time is a wonderful opportunity to return the gift of life given by Mother Earth back to Her.

A menstruating woman sheds the sacred blood and tissues of her body monthly. Though we have been conditioned in this society to see the menstrual blood as dirty or gross, it is actually a very sacred, natural act that is one of the pivotal expressions of a woman’s power. The uterus, the sacred womb of creation, creates a nourishing, soft place for a baby to grow. When a baby does not utilize this holy space, that nourishing fluid and tissue is released back into the world.

Returning this life-affirming fluid to the Earth is a very healing act. Generations of women past would return their life’s fluids to the Earth by way of soaking and washing their blood-cloths. In recent generations, we have relied on disposable products that then sit in a landfill, never truly breaking down or returning to the Earth (in order to biodegrade, organic products need air, water, and sunlight in order for the microbes to break down the material; inorganic products can take hundreds to thousands of years if they ever do break down [1].) Cloth pads are not only reusable and compostable (if made of 100% cotton,) in this author’s opinion, they are far more comfortable!

For those who use cloth pads, you can use your pad soak-water to drench the Earth with life-giving nourishment. Simply place your used pads in a bucket of water for a few hours, squeeze the pad to release as much material as possible, then wash as normal. The contents of the soak-water are beneficial to plants, providing nitrogen and other nutrients [2]. For sanitary purposes, you may want to use the soak-water on ornamental plants rather than edibles as blood can contain pathogens. If you have a high-heat composting system, you can probably add it to compost since potential pathogens will be destroyed by the heat [3].

The pouring of the soak-water upon the Earth is a ceremony in and of itself. Without much effort on your part, you are returning powerful energy to the Great Mother who has provided for you. As you pour the water, say a prayer during this blessed, healing time. An example:

To the Children of the Earth
Especially the sacred line of mothers and daughters
Including the Great Mother Herself
This life-giving essence that has been given to me
I now return to you imbued with my own sacred energy
Heal and grow healthy by my gift

This act is very simple yet very powerful. It doesn’t require more materials than you already are dealing with and only requires minimal extra time and a space outside to spill the water. Not only will you benefit from the connection to all women and the Great Mother, the Earth will benefit in return, and your plants will look lush and green!

Recommended cloth pad resources: http://www.manymoonsalternatives.com/

Sources:

[1] Article “Do Biodegradable Items Really Break Down in Landfills?” http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/biodegradable.htm

[2] Blood meal as a nitrogen amendment to soil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_meal

[3] Most pathogens are destroyed at temperatures of 131 degrees or higher. See section on composting in the following article: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI8544.html

Music Choices for Spiritual Practices

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:26:33 -0400

Music is an amazing creation. Even if there are no words, or you don’t understand the words, you can feel the intent of the song within your very being—that is if the tune is a powerful piece of art rather than a manufactured, mind-numbing blabfest with a catchy back-beat.

At the same time, one person’s art is another’s garbage. Therefore, the point is not to tell you what to listen to but to guide you in finding pieces that work for you, ones that lift your spiritual practices to a higher level.

Music using instruments constructed with loving care from natural materials is always a good choice. If your spiritual practices are rooted in Nature, this is the best route to go. However, just because the flute is made of wood and the drum from skin doesn’t mean it’s the right music for you.

There is also a difference between ambience and actual musical power. Ambience music keeps the tone and theme of the practice. An example is Christmas music. Listening to Christmas music sets the mood for fresh-baked cookies, hot mulled cider, and gathering around the fireplace next to the decorated tree (or grouching about having to spend money on obnoxious Aunt Millie, nauseas about the commercialism and degradation of a once magical holiday—depending on your views.) In this example, Christmas music sets the mood and the backdrop for the gathering, but it doesn’t actually make your spirit soar and vibrate at a higher level.

Powerful music, on the other hand, you can feel within your very being. It tugs at your heart not by words but by notes. It sends chills up your spine it so encompasses your being. It brings tears to your eyes, makes you thrust your arms to the sky, compels you to dance and express your inner core. It takes you out of this world and pitches you out until you connect with the spirit world with your eyes still open to this one.

There is a piece by Dead Can Dance called “Cantara.” The version of the song that really gets me is the one off of the Toward the Within album. It is a live version and differs from the original in that there is an extended ending. Lisa Gerrard’s voice begins to absolutely soar with power and majesty. You feel as if you are being caressed by the hand of Spirit in musical ecstasy. Every single time I listen to it, when it finally ends and the cheering starts, I am in tears. I have no idea what language she is singing in or what the song is about, and it doesn’t matter. That is the type of music to which I’m referring. It is powerful and separates your consciousness from the everyday world.

That said, music used in your spiritual practices does not have to be “spiritual” or “New Age” in nature. One of my other favorite pieces for spiritual work happens to be “The Sign of the Southern Cross” by Black Sabbath. Ronnie James Dio is famous for writing mystical-themed songs, and this is no different. It starts off soft and mysterious, like walking through the dark hallway of an old temple. Then it explodes in absolute power, reminiscent of a fire dragon awakening and spreading its majestic wings made of flames, lighting up the night sky. The rest of the song feels as if you’re riding that dragon through a dream landscape, and ends with a guitar wail that sounds like the scream of the beast beneath you. In this case, the words help with the imagery. My small group once did an energy weaving to this song, and it was amazing. One of the gals remarked later about how awesome it was to work to that song.

Another personal favorite is “Frozen” by Madonna. In this case, the words don’t jive with the feeling I get, but the video does. Set against a black and white landscape, a dark goddess arrives dancing upon the air, diminishing into ravens at one point, separating into her three aspects in another. When I hear the song, I remember the imagery, and in meditation, I am transformed into my own Shadow Goddess dancing in ethereal bliss.

Who could forget “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin? Though I grew up thinking this song was about drugs, it turns out Jimmy Page was huge into mysticism, and this song is directly from those views. I once drove home from the store listening to this song and stopped in my driveway. The sunlight was spread in sprays through the spring-green trees, lighting up the jovial grasses and flowers. The area was glowing with the sacred light of the Otherworld while the artistic melody of the guitar sprinkled upon my ears. I felt as if I had just arrived upon a party of the Fae people and they were giving me a glimpse of their sacred fun.

Finally, a personal favorite of a friend and I is the entire Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album from Iron Maiden. It’s a concept album (and their first to use synthesizers) based upon a book of the same name about a seventh son of a seventh son with the gift of prophecy who is trying to warn others of impending danger. The album has an eerie feel to it, and you get sucked deeper and deeper into the heart of the songs. Once you hit “The Clairvoyant”, you can feel your higher energy centers hum and almost feel like the mythological wizard of the castle gathering the forces of the unknown.

This is just a sampling of my own power songs, and you may hear them and wonder what in the universe is my issue finding such spiritual ecstasy in these tunes. Obviously, my power songs are not always going to be yours, but I highly recommend finding and using pieces that lift you up and pitch you out.

To truly be effective, the song:

¯ Must be felt deep within, make you tingle even

¯ Evoke strong emotions regardless of the words

¯ Feel as if you are cast into a space between the physical and spirit worlds

¯ Compel you to respond through emotional release, dance, laughing, singing, wielding energy, journeying, and/or other states of spiritual bliss

Music is an absolutely amazing gift bestowed upon us humans, and with the right choices and intent, it can be yet another powerful tool to enhance your spiritual practices.

The Promises She Made

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:06:10 -0400

For a while I had been losing my connection to the Gods and Goddesses. In my efforts to fully understand my path, my place, and how it all fits together, my views of spirituality was becoming more and more secular. What was once a prayer to a higher being was now considered a psychological boost for what was going on internally. I also have to admit that a part of me wanted to make it more palatable to those that didn’t understand my ways, including close family members who would either label my spiritual practice as Satanism or call it a crutch for the weak. If I could present everything scientifically, I could both appease and oppose those who wanted to slap those labels on me.

That’s one thing about living a spiritual life. You will often find yourself falling off the wagon, but it’s a necessary thing to strengthen your path and your connection to Spirit. I’ve fallen off the wagon many times. Often it was to appease others as this is a learned flaw of mine that I’m always trying to work on. Sometimes it was because something new came about that made me question my path. This is a good thing because this is how we refine our practices. And sometimes life just got too busy, painful, tiresome, and chaotic to dedicate the time and energy toward my spiritual practice. After all, that’s the whole point of the word “practice.” You have to work at it in order to do well with it and in it.

I found myself at that bitter, empty crossroad where I wondered what on earth I was doing. Was I praying to an actual spiritual being or was I just convincing myself and making myself do what I wanted subconsciously? Did the Gods and Goddesses really exist or were they a strong figment of my wishes and imagination? And if they did exist, what form did they take? Seriously, I didn’t know anymore. I got swept up in a lot of clutter and lost what I believed in.

And then we went on vacation. That in itself was a chore and a half with a new baby to travel with. We packed our entire house to travel an hour away, and it was full of busy moments, gathering friends and family, trips back home to feed the pets, and let’s not forget the baby not sleeping in this new environment. I was overtired, overworked, and running on empty. My bitterness was growing. I felt so abandoned by everything and everyone as so much of this I did alone, sacrificing my own need for rest so others could enjoy themselves. Yes, another flaw of mine I’m working on.

On the cusp of feeling like giving up on life, just forgetting my dreams and tossing aside all that makes me who I am to just do what I have to do and then spend the rest of my time vegging in front of the TV, I caught a quiet moment at night. The moon had been making its appearance and was lighting up the wooded grove behind our rented room. I ventured outside and caught a feeling I had forgotten for a long time between diaper changes, night wakings, business clients, and everything else. The next night, after a long, tough day, I did something I felt I hadn’t done in ages. I spoke to the Moon Goddess.

The day before I had finally grasped a mental visual of how Spirit enacted in our lives and wrote it down. I realized/remembered that Gods and Goddesses may not be “matter” but they are as real as we want them to be. Some may chalk this up to imagination, but realizing how Spirit fit into all life, I realized that wasn’t the case. Spirit, though not measurable by tools, exists. It must exist because I have seen too much synchronicity to be considered coincidence. Coincidences shouldn’t number in the thousands.

So I prayed. I spoke. I stared at that just about full moon and talked to my Matron Goddess Irosa, telling her of the pain I had been feeling lately. I needed her help. She responded, speaking through my heart, speaking through the channels of Spirit. She promised that I would be presented with joyous moments to come and I had to embrace them as much as possible so that when I was feeling pain and bitterness, I could remember those moments and let them carry me through.

We had a fun day visiting waterfalls, and I caught a few glimpses of that joy, including positive identification of a black raspberry. Then a very difficult car ride back from taking care of the pets made me forget most of them. The next day we visited another waterfall with family. This trip was different. Though I realized what bad shape I was in when it turned out I thought the sign said something completely different and made us go the wrong way (for days I had been reading the sign wrong…days,) there was something extra special about this moment. Besides the passing storms, the first thing I noticed was all the purple flowering raspberry. I finally made a positive identification. Next was the walk through the moist forest toward the waterfalls. It was like a trip through a tropical rainforest. Then the waterfalls themselves were gorgeous.

Fast forward to the night. I was itching for a romantic bath with the hubby, but my parents were staying with us and I didn’t know how to tactfully work that in. So as I’m trying to plan all this, I got stuck watching the baby while the others played a game. Feeling that bitterness again, I finally said I was going to take a bath. They said no problem.

I had some flameless candles surround the hot Jacuzzi bath (big tub, super cool!) As I sat there boiling, I opened the blinds on the nearby window. The clouds from the day of storms were finally starting to clear, and the full moon wanted to make her appearance. Lightning still flashed across the sky, lighting up my bath beautifully. Finally, as I relaxed with the first quiet downtime I’ve had in ages (well, with the jets on, it drowned out any shenanigans,) the full moon slipped out from behind the clouds and appeared before me. In this moment was the purest of amazing ceremonies. It was unplanned and came together with beautiful synchronicity. There I was floating with a hint of light inside and the glorious full moon lighting from outside. She danced in and out of clouds, and I finally saw a true silver lining as a dark, black cloud would have an illuminated outline of silver. I was in bliss. Joy. Utter personal ecstasy. It was less than an hour, but it was such a healing moment in many regards.

Irosa had come through. Though the skies were gray and stormy all day, in that moment I decided to relax and take a bath, she showed up to give her blessings. She said she would present joys before me, and now she did, clearly and obviously, so that I knew it was coming from her. I asked and she responded. If that is not confirmation of Her Gracious Goddess, I don’t know what is.

You can try to explain it all away with rationality and skepticism, but I really don’t care. I cannot quantify, explain, or truly document the feeling, the connection, the pure bliss of connecting with Spirit. If you do not believe, if you do not want to believe, I cannot make you and I really don’t care to try. Those who have felt it know what I’m talking about, and those who want to feel it can use my words to help guide them towards their own spiritual bliss. All I know is that I asked and I did receive. I can no longer live in doubt without dishonoring the gifts given to me this day.

Graxean Community Structure

Thu, 14 May 2009 18:36:53 -0400

As individuals, we take on roles throughout our lives. We have roles in relation to ourselves, family, and our community. With each role is a persona, a part that we play in relation to the role at hand.

In our spiritual practices, it helps to have roles clearly defined so that we bring the proper persona to the task. It also helps to have structure for interacting in these roles. The purpose of community structure is most relevant when practicing in groups. However, it also helps to differentiate between the roles we take on in our practice and why it’s important to separate oneself from one role when taking on another.

For instance, just as you probably wouldn’t go jogging in your pajamas, you wouldn’t carry the warrior (Kagara) persona role into the priest/priestess (Kiminia) persona role. You leave one behind to engage another if you want to partake in it fully, reap the rewards, and bring your best to the experience.

These roles are not static, and those who are a part of one role can very easily be a part of another. This isn’t meant to say, “Well, you are part of the warrior (Kagara) circle, so you can’t be a part of the shaman (Gasue) circle. That’s your job, now accept it and quit banging on our door.” Rather, the point is to differentiate so that you bring your full attention to the role that you take on, even if it’s for a few minutes.

There are also going to be those that excel in one role as opposed to others, or in many roles but not some. This structure gives those a chance to say, “Look, I’m good at doing these things, but not really this part, so could you take up the position in this area? You’d do a far better job than I would.”

This role structure also gives the opportunity for intense focus in a particular area. If you know you’re getting together for study in one particular area, and can define that area beforehand, you have deeper focus. Also, should the study or conversation steer in another direction, it can be redirected based on the set role decided beforehand.

Structure is especially important when starting out because the beginner needs more intensive practice with clear focus to build the best foundation. Bringing a beginner into a circle to learn and practice sets him or her with those of varying experience levels but one goal and focus. It’s better for the beginner to understand the separate roles so that he or she can integrate them properly. When a beginner studies a blend of roles with no clear definition, it makes it harder for him or her to clarify where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie. I have personally experienced the confusion that results when the shamanic, warrior, and priest/priestess practices are lumped under one heading and practiced without study and focus in any clear direction. The results were frustration when certain people were pushed into areas they did not understand or were never apt to excel in anyway, poor results in energy workings because there was no “pro” in any one area (almost like jacks of all trades getting together to build a skyscraper,) and a lot of misinterpretation of symbols by those not well-practiced in understanding them. The result was a lot of pain and despair.

It is in looking back at these situations that I found the need for the community structure. With a visual view, you can see the different areas of study and interaction. There are specialized studies, practices, and interactions based on the self, the immediate family, and the community of like-minded individuals. The community then has its own specialized roles, which includes the Gasue (shamans,) the Kiminia (priests/priestesses,) the Sangawe (artists,) the Kagara (warriors,) the Filare (healers,) and the Togoe (administrators.)

Again, anyone can be a part of any specialized role. It only requires setting aside all other roles for a period of time and focus on the role at hand. It can be tempting to want to switch to another role while still holding onto the other, such as donning your Kagara weapons to learn some herbal healing with the Filare. It’s important to not identify yourself with role. You are not a healer, warrior, shaman, etc. These are roles we become a part of. The individual you is separate from any defined role. Consider this Graxemicu tale:

Fireblade, an elder in the warrior circle, felt a calling to start studying with the Priests and Priestesses. She asked the elder priest, Calling Wind, if she could begin studying and practicing with them.

“However,” Fireblade said, “I will not leave the warrior circle. That is my primary place. I just want to learn with you also now.”

“That’s fine,” Calling Wind said. “You are welcome to be a part of both. However, when you come to our circle, you must wear this costume as we all do.”

“No,” Fireblade said. “I am a warrior and these are my warrior clothes. I have no interest in wearing your costume.”

“This is the way of our circle. Each of us may individualize the outfit, but we all typically wear the same thing regardless. If you want to join us, you must wear this also.”

“That’s not me. I’m a warrior first and foremost and I always will be. Therefore, I’m not leaving my outfit behind to wear yours. Why does it matter what I wear to your circle? I can learn in any clothing!”

“Tell me, Fireblade, would you go to the theater in a beautiful dress and then go swimming in the ocean wearing the same outfit? Of course not. You dress to fit the situation and the role you will be playing. You do not wear shorts in winter or a heavy coat and hat in the midst of summer. You outfit yourself according to the appropriate situation. The truth is, these clothes are not you. This outfit is not you, and that warrior outfit you wear is not you. You are you. Your pure being is what it is, and now this pure being wants to be a part of our circle. Just as you could not enjoy the snow if you were shivering because you were in sandals and shorts, you will not get the full effect of our teachings if are not 100% focused on what we are doing. Wearing our costume separates you from the other circles, the other roles, the other duties, and puts you right here. In reality, it’s not about the clothes, but about the focus you will have. Do you understand?”

Fireblade took a few moments to let Calling Wind’s words sink in. Then she nodded and said, “Alright, I understand why you’ve asked me to wear this, and I accept your costume as you have accepted me into your circle. Now, do you have it in green?”

In this tale, Calling Wind is asking Fireblade to wear different clothing, but at a deeper level, it’s about changing personas more than it’s about changing clothes. The clothes are a metaphor and a physical symbol of changing and shifting personas. It’s no different than going to work in your suit and tie and speaking politely then going home to throw on a heavy metal T-shirt and speaking with heavy slang. You have your job persona and your home persona, and underneath both is the pure you, that which is at the center of all of these circles, the pure you surrounded by family (whom you show more personas) and community (which brings about even more personas.)

The point is that this structure gives you the opportunity for the full experience when you leave one behind for the other and also lets you return. It also asks that you bring all of you to each role so that the experience isn’t lacking. The ultimate goal, after all, is that experience which gets us in touch with the mystery of the Universe.

The following is a description of each circle and role. Also, view the corresponding image to understand how it all relates.

The Self: The self’s purpose is to be true to our pure essence of being, to be who we really are, not what others want us to be. In being true to that pure expression, we offer to our families and communities what Spirit is enacting through us.

The Family: The purpose of family is to provide a strong foundation for growth, comfort, and security. A well-functioning family cares for, takes care of, uplifts, and honors one another for our uniqueness and similarities. They are each other’s soft place to fall and those who lift each other back up again to face the world. They do not always agree, for each person is an individual with their own likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. However, though there is inevitable conflict, they resolve it in a healthy manner that benefits all.

The Community: The purpose of community is to assist, coexist, and progress as a species in accordance with the laws and guidance of Nature and Spirit. Each individual and family brings something unique to the table that can benefit another. Within the circle of community are all aspects of day to day life. When you go food shopping, pick up the mail, take out the recycling, etc., you are participating in the functions of community, just as the merchant, the farmer, the letter carrier, and the recycling collectors. When you gather friends and extended family for a party, you are participating in what it means to be community. When you lend out a saw or help move firewood for a neighbor, you are participating in community. Whereas the self and family are the inner world, community is the outer world.

Within community are the following specialized circles:

The Sangawe (Artists): The purpose of the Sangawe is to trigger acknowledgement of the connection to Spirit. They are masters of aesthetics. Through paintings, literature and storytelling, music, crafts, dance, theater, and similar, they create images that spark within us a sense of connection and awe for the greatness of the Universe. A colorful painting could cause us to look inward and experience the feelings captured in a memory of a swirling sea. A musical piece could bring forth our primitive connection to the Earth and cause us to find release through dance. A theatrical piece could stir emotions that make us redefine our relationships with others. The Sangawe are in touch with the symbols of spirit and their expression. When their work is displayed, we have a need to reconnect. They are also the creators of the mythological tales. They interpret the symbols and display them in a way a typical person can understand and related to.

The Kiminia (Priests/Priestesses): The purpose of the Kiminia is to connect the people with Spirit. In day to day living, though we are aware of our connection and perhaps have a strong feeling of it, through ceremony and rituals, the Kiminia pitch you out into the realm of Spirit for a high dosing of that connection. It’s like going from snacking throughout the day to having a great, gourmet dinner in the evening. Where the Sangawe trigger that need to connect, the Kiminia assist in making that full connection. The Kiminia receive the symbols of Spirit and use methods to apply those symbols to others in a meaningful way. While the Sangawe may relay a tale of how the sun is reborn and grows stronger every day, the Kiminia have the people take part in feeling and living the story and the symbols so that the awesome way of Nature and the Universe are experienced deeply, to the core of one’s being. They counsel those in crisis to help them through their processes and help them keep in touch with their own connection to Spirit. They perform and lead ceremonies of rites of passage and holidays. They also lead and provide comfort and direction during times of community crisis. They are the assistance of connection when all is going well and the pillars of solace when things are falling apart. The Kiminia will often work with and consult the Filare for assistance with those in crisis that may need physical, mental, or emotional healing methods. They also often work with and consult the Gasue to obtain messages and symbols of Spirit needed for any task at hand.

The Gasue (Shamans): The purpose of the Gasue is to delve into the depths of Spirit to retrieve guidance and answers. They are adept at interpreting the symbols that Spirit uses as its form of communication. They typically seem on the outer edge of society because Spirit is always speaking to them in one way or another, calling to them in ways others would view as mundane. They assist healers by finding the parallel spiritual cause of illness that complements the physical, emotional, or mental cause. They assist the Kiminia by bringing forth messages and communications from Spirit and all its Beings so the Kiminia can develop ceremonies and other methods to get the community in touch with that message. They assist the Kagara by letting them know of any dangers or obstacles they have become aware of when contacting Spirit. They also inspire the Sangawe to create pieces that will in turn inspire the community to connect with Spirit. The Gasue are more often born into the role, often without knowing it until the calling becomes so strong they can’t ignore it. Their methods can still be taught to those interested, but those born into it have almost a natural knack for the work and can access the Spirit world with greater ease.

The Kagara (Warriors): The purpose of the Kagara is to protect the community and address any obstacles in the way of progress. Their work is broad and can include martial arts, energy work, knowledge and execution of the legal system, investigation, building structures such as fences and walls, weeding dangerous plants from a common area, keeping situations from getting out of hand, removing chronic troublemakers from community activities, testing residual energy in an item or a place, rescuing during a disaster and moving the community members to a safe place, obtaining permits, etc. Their training is intensive because they have to face danger head on whether it is physical, verbal, legal, emotional, mental, or spiritual. Not only must they be willing to stand up to danger or conflict, they must be trained to deal with it appropriately. They also enforce the boundaries and limits set by the Togoe.

The Togoe (Administrators): The purpose of the Togoe is to organize and set boundaries and limits for the community so that all can live in harmony. They also provide services to the community. Their duty is to make sure the community as a whole is running efficiently and any problems, conflicts, or issues are dealt with for the benefit of all. They have an amazing ability to connect everyone that needs to be connected, make sure tasks are completed, and follow up to make sure everything is resolved. They keep records and refer to them as necessary. They hold the people in the community accountable for their actions or inactions and address the necessary consequences.

The Filare (Healers): The purpose of the Filare is to restore harmony in an individual, family, or community when it is knocked off track by illness, trauma, abuse, illusions, and stale energies that are no longer useful. They use various methods of healing, including herbalism, conventional medicine, energy work, counseling, massage and relaxation therapies, homeopathy, nutritional guidance, art and music therapy, physical activity, etc. They also assist in rites of passage to help ease the transition. This includes midwifery and doula support. The Filare may consult with the Gasue for some healing methods or perform shamanic types of healing themselves, depending on the healer and the situation. They assist the Kiminia in dealing with those in crisis to address healing needs that are beyond spiritual. They are also often assisting the Kagara both to take care of damage during conflicts and to restore and rejuvenate them as the warrior world can take its toll after a while. They also work in conjunction with the Sangawe for those that would benefit from art and music therapy, as the Sangawe can offer a specialized perspective and assistance.

Ideally, each group activity (excluding specialized role meetings) should contain an individual from each role in order to make things run smoothly, especially someone of the Togoe, as there’s nothing quite like a well-run and organized event. However, no one should be shoved into a role in which they do not excel. A Gasue typically isn’t a very good Togoe, for example. The Gasue probably can do it, but not nearly as well as perhaps a Kiminia could in a pinch.

These distinctions are an excellent method of focus and training. Use them to help develop yourselves and your spiritual community.

Mythology--Graxemicu--A View of the Creation of the Universe

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:53:24 -0400

This is a mythological view of the creation of the Universe. It is not meant to be taken literally. It is a metaphor based on Dragon Li’s mythology she refers to as Graxemicu.

Before the beginning as we would understand it, Order in the Great Energy of the Universe began to dissolve into Chaos. When all Energy had been reduced to its core existence, the cycle began again. Positive and Negative Energy began to cluster, forming physical matter in the form of structured atoms and spirit energy that was ever-shifting and constantly changeable. Physical and spirit matter grew in and around each other, but also remained somewhat separate in their growth. Hence, the Spirit Realm and the Physical Realm were born. The sacred Oneness became the Duality.

Though they were separate, they were also equal. They mirrored and interacted with each other. The Spirit Realm took root within the manifestations of the Physical Realm. Though the manifestations of the Physical were separate and apart from each other, the Spirit within stayed connected to all other branches of its being. As the Physical Realm moved to grow apart, to separate, Spirit was the return to Oneness and continuously reeled the Physical back in.

Energy in both Realms began to form masses, some small, some great. As stars and planets formed in the Physical Realm, Great Spirit Beings (Gods and Goddesses) and other Spirit Beings formed in the Spirit Realm. At this time, they began to take control of the Order of the Universe and began directing the continued formation of Spirit and Physical Matter. They also laid claim to the planets and stars that had formed to act as their representation in the Physical World.

It is said that the God of a Star and the Goddess of a Moon became attracted to each other. As they joined together, a mix of Physical and Spirit Matter began to fill a cold, empty planet that as of yet was not represented by God or Goddess. The Star God and Moon Goddess gave birth to a new Goddess to rule over the planet and provide for its future inhabitants.

However, the combined force of a powerful God and Goddess created a being that had too much energy to remain stable. Chaos—instead of life—engulfed the planet, and the new Goddess split into five separate spirits: Lord of Fire, Lord of Wind, Lord of Water, Lady of Earth, and Lady of Storm. The five spirits were powerful enough to be full-fledged Gods and Goddesses, capable of ruling their own planets. However, they chose to put half of their energy together to recreate the Goddess of which they once were a part.

This act had an unplanned but welcome effect. Not only was the Goddess of the planet recreated, but a God of Sky had also been formed by the dust scattered in the initial split. The God of Sky formed a shelter around The Lady to protect her and any inhabitants from the harshness of surrounding space.

Thus was the first solar system created; thus was ours created.

Graxemicu Defined

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:46:37 -0400

The Graxean path is a system of tools and a structure for finding your own Path with reverence for Nature and the Universe. It does not subscribe to a particular culture or mythology. However, mythology itself has a strong influence in the Graxean Path as it once did in the culture, lives, and times where it was once popular and used appropriately (as a metaphor for life and the ways of the universe, not to be treated as historical fact.)

With the way our world is, it�s extremely difficult to have a mythology that drives people and ignites passion in their hearts on a mass scale. We�re both connected and very distant at the same time. Therefore, for a mythology to work, it has to apply to us personally. Therefore, mythology can take many forms.

My mythology has been with me from the beginning of my start on the Graxean path, but I knew that it would not apply to everyone or ignite their passion, their �Yes! That�s it!� as it does for me. However, I also knew that some would find inspiration in it or could indeed embrace it. In order to put forth the Graxean tools and structure without imposing my mythology on anyone who partakes of the tools and structure, I�ve decided to refer to my mythology as Graxemicu.

This allows me to share my metaphors with others without requiring them to accept them. It also allows others who have developed their own mythology with reverence for Nature and the Universe to share their tales. Therefore, when I reference something from my mythology, I will refer to it as Graxemicu.

The name itself stands for Graxe followed by the first letters of Myone (Sky God,) Irosa (Moon Goddess,) Cori (Sun God,) and Ukaye (Graxean for Universe.)