But I
go specifically on the morning of the longest day of the year.
The
sun rises over the top of the rock wall, and an annual miracle occurs. Bands of
light pass between two rocks and illuminate specific points in the figures
permanently etched in the stone. The petroglyph art is positioned so that when
the sunlight hits a specific line carved in the rock, it coincides with the
start of the planting season.
For the Sinagua Indians living in this arid land
nearly a thousand years ago, this was their calendar.
The growing season was tricky. Plant too soon
and the corn crop would shrivel and dry before the monsoons. Plant too late and
the kernels would not have time to ripen.
Timing
was everything.
My
visit to V Bar V on the day of equal light and dark reminds me to keep a
balance in my own life. To resist wasting my time auditioning for others:
parents, teachers, employers, lovers, strangers, and friends. To stay true to
myself and to Nature.
I
yearn to balance dark and light, the way the earth balances day and night. The
shadow has its reasons and seasons, and brings us important lessons to learn.
We must know when we are way out of balance, have had enough, are stagnated, or
need emotional rescue of a practical nature.
Maybe
you are oriented on your path by a set of rules you didn’t make. Or maybe you
coast along because it’s so difficult to change course, regardless of what
strongly held beliefs that course is violating.
Can
you can recall a moment when you stood at a crossroads, a point where opposites
met and a choice was required: dark or light, joy or sorrow, right or wrong, be
silent or speak out. Fight or flee. Do--or don’t do.
According
to Goddess Mother Nature, we are now standing at one of those crossroads. Next
week, the world will literally begin filling with darkness, as the wheel turns
toward winter. Today we stand at the world’s still center and survey which path
to choose.
The
Sinaguas had their map, revealed to them at the proper time. Like the ancients,
I don’t look for paths, they will seek me out. That’s what is so exhilarating
about these in-between days. They are the creative nexus at which vision and
craft come together.
Feel
your power! Create. Let your poetry, song, art, new love or inspiration uncoil
from its hidden domain and fill your core.
The
between places are not horrible or frightening. They are thresholds for
awakening, if the soul is alert and watchful for omens of change.
And
yes, timing is important.
So
look in the mirror. Meet the eyes you see there directly, because they belong
to the only person in this world you can truly change. Be attentive to
the thresholds and boundaries of your life—the places where metamorphosis
occurs—and find the lines you should erase and re-draw.
How
will you transform in the remaining year?
_______________________________________
Sandy Wright lives in Arizona with her
husband, a super-smart Border Collie/Aussie mix named Teak, and two huge black
panther cats (18 pounds each), named Salem and Shadow Moon. Their daddy,
Magick, was even bigger! He's featured in her debut novel, Song of the Ancients, the first book in her paranormal suspense
series, Ancient Magic.
Her debut novel involves witchcraft and Native American medicine
magic. It's set in the energy-laden town of Sedona, Arizona.
Sedona is but one earth "power site" in the world. The
Ancient Magic series will travel to unravel mysteries at other sacred sites.
The second book, tentatively titled Stones of the Ancients, takes us to the
ancient standing stones of Scotland, where the author gets to trace her own
heritage next month while researching the book. The series continues to Hawaii to
learn about Pele, the Goddess of fire and volcanos. Book four will conclude the Ancient Magic series somewhere
along the ancient icy land bridge of the First People, either in Newfoundland
or Alaska.
Book 1, Song of the
Ancients is available now on Amazon, in both print and ebook. Book Two,
Stone of the Ancients, will be available early 2018.
5 comments:
What a lovely post!
Loved this post, Sandy. So much to think about. This phrase really hit me: "wasting my time auditioning for others". I've never thought of that before. Finding balance in our lives is so important. I have to really work on that. You've packed this post with so many great observations. Definitely a post to reread.
Thanks Sandy for this post filled with good insights on balance in one's life and relationships. Choosing a path in this mortal realm determines our life story start to finish. Wish life came with a map for Italian mothers and her offspring. Wonder where I'd be...
Loved your post, Sandy. :)
Thank you for the comments. These days I catch myself beginning to slip into "auditioning for others" and say, "stop that!"
If you live in AZ and have a chance to visit the V Bar V, it's worth the trip and the short hike. The glyphs were on private land until about 6 years ago, so the experts are still studying them for interpretation. There is a "sun" wall and a "moon" wall. And it's all well-preserved and clear. On weekends there's a docent lecture.
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