Saturday, November 25, 2017




SIXTH BLOG ON THE HERO/INES  JOURNEY



So how do we find our unique archetype in complex world with so may options? When I left school many years ago it was much simpler. Trade or Profession?? And then you could count each category on the fingers of both hands. 
It was easier still for indigenous peoples for whom there were basically four main archetypes. There still are these basic four but now each has numerous confusing possibilities. Just as there are four archetypes, there are four directions (actually six if you include up and down.) It is convenient to think of an archetype in each direction as below (Angeles Arrien.) According to some Native American traditions we go from the;

 South (the child - Healer archetype) 

to the West (the adolescent - Teacher,) 

to the North (the adult - Leader or Warrior,) 

and eventually
to the East (the elder - Visionary (guru, priest,) Shaman, Artist, Musician.) 

The wounded child of the South often became a healer, the adolescent of the West needs a wise teacher, the North, the place of ice and snow in its season Winter, required a strong leader-warrior to survive and eventually the elder of the East becomes the visionary or crone. This may be the equivalent of the yogi/ni who in the last third of life goes walk about in the forest to find enlightenment.
It is important to realize that the directions belong to everyone. A Peruvian curandero (medicine man) I knew saluted the four directions by spraying chicha (an alcoholic beverage) in each direction as a sign of respect and gratitude. 
Isaiah the biblical prophet had a vision of the six directions which in Kabbalah also fit into the sephirot of the Tree of Life. We need to find out what the directions mean to each one of us and glean any knowledge we can from the ancients with respect and humility. The directions in the Southern hemisphere will be different to those in the North and the power animals to call upon in each direction will also differ. Furthermore in addition to an archetype, each direction also may have; a color, a season, a power animal, a chakra, an element and anything else that is important to the quester. In Kabbalah there is also a wind, a river, an archangel, a sephira, a Hebrew letter and so on. Devise your own and make it meaningful to you. It helps to get ideas from indigenous and other cultures.




Native Americans traditionally went on some form of a vision quest to find out who they really were as did most indigenous peoples who initiated before reaching adulthood. Van Gennep described his phases of initiation as being unique to indigenous initiation. In Africa the Threshold phase often involved circumcision depending on the tribe. There are schools in North America and now elsewhere across the globe following Native American traditions and usually embarking on a solo fast in wilderness for four days (one for each direction) in order to help the seeker find her true purpose. 



David Cumes (Inner Passages Outer Journeys)

Nature is the best place to encounter the opposites and learn the lessons blocked by our limited left brain form of education and the often spiritually inhibiting temptations of Western sophistication. When we balance the polarities of up/down, hungry/satiated, thirsty/quenched, terrified/tranquil, hot /freezing, day/night, sun/moon, masculine/feminine, cognitive/intuitive, love/fear we can reach greater equilibrium and insight. When we focus on the "Soft Fascinations" of wild places such as sensations, sunsets, scenes, smells or aromas and the sounds or mantra of nature we can see more clearly. The "Hard Skills" which tempt us so often are usually a deterrent. Nature is a room with many windows and doors to spirit and countless metaphors to apply to our daily lives and find meaning in a world overwhelmed with technological gadgets many of which we don't need. Nature demands we attend to needs and not wants if approached with right inner intention.
In this manner as Westerners we can design our own solo vision quest that does not need to turn into a Near Death experience although if it does it may be all the more powerful. Often the harder the quest the more benefit but the opposite can also be true. However, fear is frequently a great facilitator of change.
Aldo Leopold a wilderness psychologist said; 
"It must be a poor life that obtains freedom from fear."


At the end of the day the Hero/ine's journey is about reconnecting with the planet and its four beings in a giving way that has meaning. It is not about separation but connection, not about duality or a Lone Ranger complex but unity.This will mean leaving behind old ways to accept the new. The journey is not an easy one.




To those interested in the story and rather prolonged hero's journey of dreaming, finding, building, manifesting and leaving an indigenous healing center in remote South Africa (THE SOURCE - TSHISIMANE) please go to my web site davidcumes.com
Here is a song inspired by the experience 

Click on the link to highlight then play





Saturday, November 18, 2017



THE FIFTH BLOG ON DESTINY IS ON THE SEPARATION PHASE OF THE HERO/INE'S JOURNEY




The Hero/ine's Journey is a tool for becoming congruent with ourselves, for being true to our real Self, our unique archetype and our destiny mission, where soul, heart and intellect are in sync.
This requires surrendering and giving in to something bigger than ourselves, trusting, letting go and leaping off a proverbial cliff.
There are three phases to the journey as described by Van Gennep; Separation, Threshold and Incorporation which fit in well with what Campbell describes...



The hero/ine must separate from family and friends for the journey. In the typical archetypal journey she is give an object of power to "defeat the dragon" and fear must arise to take this leap of faith. Today it is likely to be something other than a sword of old and more likely information, an inspirational encounter, a book or a trip to an exotic land.

Once the message has been received there can be no turning back or something will die inside the soul of the would be hero/ine. This is called "The Fall."
                                       
This discernment is choiceless, there is no staying the same, no time for complacency, one needs to go where the growth is. Fear is an integral part of all aspects of the entire journey of Separation, Threshold and Incorporation. In the succeeding weeks we will talk about the latter two aspects of the experience.





The venture also requires releasing from old habit patterns and if needed close connections since others will try to dissuade you and tell you are undertaking a fool's errand. This may well be because at a subconscious level they are jealous or too fearful to undertake their own journey. They will tell you that its not safe, you will suffer financially and possibly even risk your health or even your life. The opposite is more true. There is a greater inner danger if you do not respond to the calling. 


The gateway to the "Field," the spirit world and your true purpose requires passion, courage and strong intention. As Shakti Gawain said;
"The universe will reward you for taking risks on its behalf."

and...

so...


Click on the link of Never Leave Your Self
Then play









Saturday, November 11, 2017



THE FOURTH DESTINY BLOG

The biggest challenge is knowing who we are and then getting out of the way of ourselves and allowing our destiny to unfold with our unique gift/s. Most of us take a life time to find out who we are - in the last third of his or her life the proverbial yogi goes walk about in the forest to find "enlightenment" or who she or he truly is.

As the Ancestors teach; 
"All is a journey and not a destination, a continual arriving done for its own sake."
We never quite get there - we never quite make it. There is always another level, a higher vibration to attain.
The good news is that when we reach a certain karmic vibration we do not have to be reincarnate but to get there the other rules of karma from the last blog also pertain. We have to fulfill those too in addition to our destiny agreement or promise. 
As Kabbir said: "Friend there are very few who find the way."
There are few things that can help us:

Subordinating ego to the higher  Self
A spiritual practice
Opening the heart
Our spirit guides and ancestors 

These can enrich our instructional dreams and intuitions from within (the higher Self, the Third Eye) and from without (those scripted by our spirit guides.)

The Hero/ine's Journey
is the template for this to happen
There are four yoga paths and the Hero/ine's journey is the path of service to others - all "Four Beings" - with mindfulness or Karma yoga.

The Ancestors

In the next blog we will look at what that may look like for us in our current state of chaos and confusion.

Click on the link to highlight then play - we are really here for others - still, growing, wild and/or talking beings.


_-_MP3s/08_Here_For.mp3


Saturday, November 4, 2017



THE THIRD DESTINY BLOG


When we look at the law of Karma - Cause & Effect we see that apart from; 

Doing no harm 
Subordinating ego to the higher Self 
Finding joy and love in service to healing the planet

We are also accountable for fulfilling our destiny or God given purpose

Very few of us are sure of what this might be in a complex world with so many options. Having a regular, enjoyable and meaningful spiritual practice will not only put us in touch with our intuitive abilities but also facilitate access to our guides who can help us especially in dreams. 
Because of the cosmic law of free will we have 
"to ask to receive."

"The Ancestors or our spirit guides cannot save but only alert and only according to your openness and willingness. They cannot change or deter you from your own insistency no matter to what it is due. Only you can change!"

A recurring dream might be hinting to us that we are off track. 
A car dream usually has to do with how we are "driving" our life path. If the car is out of control, or someone else is driving and especially if we are in the back seat, the spirit world may be sending a repetitive warning that we need to pay attention.

Looking at what we wanted to be as a teenager may sometimes be a guide to what was, and still might be really true to our hearts. We may have been dissuaded by parent, peers or other pressures (especially financial from following our dreams.)
Once we know what we really want to do we may still have to keep our day jobs to pay the rent and if necessary even do what we love without pay.
It is not easy to find congruence with our true Selves.

The power of imagination can assist us. Because of free will the spirit world responds to precise requests so the rules up there are...

First set the intention 

Second pay attention to details.
This is where imagination is crucial.

Third take action 
We cannot just think it for it to actualize. Free will in the Field is in the present moment and since there is no time "up there" our guides exist in the present moment. Hence ...

The fourth step is affirm, maintain, sustain. 
They need to know if your intention lives on. The Ancestors affirm the importance of belief which goes along with the details of your imagination. Be clear! Many folks ask for a partner and then get the wrong one because they were not specific. Detailed imagination might narrow the options but it is more likely we will get what we really need and want. Its not easy to truly believe but faith, belief and trust are the catalysts for manifestation.
The Ancestors 


One way of doing this is ...

 Get into a meditative state. 
Sensory driven meditation, for instance with music, is encouraged.

Put your intention into the field with imagination
 especially of what you need spiritually putting your wants second or even aside.
If we can get the "I or Me" out of the way and ask it for the greater good the intention will carry more weight in the spirit world.

Without any attachment to outcome 
release your imaginative intention into the Field
(attachment has a stickiness to it that blocks things flowing to you.)
Let the spirit world handle the details which might turn out very differently to what you expect.

The Spirit world responds to passion which has to do with being heartfelt. 

The Ancestors 

At the end of the day we alone are accountable to our own destiny, fate and soul needs.


Click to highlight and the play