09/15/2024
On my way to Ojo Caliente and before leaving the mountains, I made a stop at Fenton Lake. I found a quiet spot on the shore and as I dropped in I asked for an audience with the Lady of the Lake. She was surprised that I would even know she existed, let alone to ask for an audience with her. I found her to be in a state of mourning, for she shared that no one has sung her songs in many moons. This saddens her, her songs are what nourish and fortify her, they show her honor and respect and help fuel her tending of the lake.
I explained that I don't know her songs, and even if I did I'm not sure it would be appropriate that I sing them as they would not carry the same power, but I offered to sing her a song I know that is close to my heart as an offering, she graciously accepted. As I was singing I noticed dancing sparkles on the water, I know these to be water spirits, it was such a sweet experience.
Side bar... It's worth noting that this is something I have come to understand in my Earth Tending work regardless of the geographical location, there are offerings which were often song and/or rituals that were given to the Indigenous peoples of the land - by the spirits of the land, songs that fortified and nourished the relations between Nature and Human, and many of those offerings have been forgotten in many parts of the world due to the genocide & indoctrination of indigenous peoples and/or burning of sacred texts. In my experience these rituals and songs can be recovered in some form even if the living descendants don't know them. It requires working in altered states of consciousness to connect to ones personal ancestral helping spirits to learn the ways that have been forgotten. I will also note that in my experience there isn't a one size fits all approach to this, for some mediumship works, for others journeying with percussion or sacred plants whom their ancestors specifically worked with, there is also dancing, fasting, and undoubtedly other ways of establishing direct connection that I am unaware of. Often there is ancestral healing work that needs to take place coupled with personal healing work to overcome self-doubt for a method of connection to be effective. In short it takes time, support, commitment, failing, and succeeding.
If doing this type of exploration calls to you, I offer one on one support, you can use the link below to book a phone consult with me to see if we may be a good fit to work together in this capacity. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php...
Otherwise, if learning the ways of your ancestors calls to you... I invite you to pray every day to your ancestral helping spirits (even if you don't know who they are) and the Universe. Let them know that you wish to learn, to grow, and that you are ready for them to start conspiring in a way that is gradual and helpful to the overall process. Then open your ears, senses, and heart and see what signs and opportunities arise.
If deepening your relations with the land where you live or visit calls to you... Pray to the land and let the land spirits know that you desire to fortify the land and the spirits who care for it. That you welcome their kind and compassionate guidance in a way that is gradual and helpful to the overall process and supports the best possible outcome for all involved. Take a break from your devices, sit with the land, open your ears, eyes, senses, and heart get to know the animals, plants, trees, and elements who share the land with you through observation and receive the signs and messages that come across your path on the land.
End side bar...
The wind picked up and I could feel the nature spirits asking if I would bring Grandfather Fire through for them. Which I agreed to do as an offering for a short while. After merging with Grandfather he offered the Lady of the Lake some council, he encouraged her to take note of the ways in which some humans are attempting to make a mends, and pointed out that there are humans who do not know of the agreements who attempt to make offerings, even something as simple as picking up trash, singing the songs on their heart, sharing their families and laughter, and giving other gifts of gratitude big and small. He acknowledged that these are not as fortifying for her, but to try to find some comfort in knowing humans are trying and a gift from the heart is a gift worth receiving.
Then Grandfather sang one of her songs, which more than delighted her, I could feel her energy expand from this one song. I realized that although it may not be appropriate for me to ask for or sing her song, Grandfather Fire is multi-cultural and a song sang by him carries the type of power she needs. The Lady of the Lake was deeply grateful. I unmerged and sat awhile enjoying the beauty of the lake and surrounding forests. I then bid her farewell for the day.
As I was leaving the lake a black bear ran across the road in front of my car. If you know me you know how much Bears mean to me and I considered this a blessed gift from the Lady and was deeply touched. I continued on my journey East.
I made it to Ojo Caliente spent the night, went to the Hotsprings which were quite delightful! Gave my offerings to the waters, although I listened deeply I didn't get much communication which is not uncommon in more populated places. Instead of staying in Ojo I decided it was time to head back to the mountains where my heart and ears seem to be appreciated most. On the way back through the mountains to my Airbnb I witnessed a herd of Elk, as well as a few deer bucks traveling together. I took this as a sign that I made the right choice. 😉
Today I ventured out into the mountain preserve. I saw a very large round stone that caught my attention off of the road and decided to park and get closer. I sat by the stone, and gave some offerings of wild to***co and lavender (before I came to NM I journeyed to the Spirit of Place to ask what herbal offerings would be the most well received and translatable regardless of where I went in New Mexico).
It was then a large voice joined me, he introduced himself as the Mountain Spirit, a guardian of the land. We had a lovely conversation.
He asked me why I came to New Mexico, to which I replied to visit and receive wisdom from the Ancient Ones. He thought it was unusual that a human would travel all the way from California just to listen to the land and give offerings. I guess I peaked his curiosity 🙂 and I'm so glad I did! I asked if he and the land would like me to share a story (I find silly songs, and creation stories are a great way to break the ice with the land and nature spirits), after seeing a Fir cone I decided to tell the story of the field mouse and the Doug Fir (if you look at a Fir cone you will see the little mouse legs and tail, you can look this story up if you want to hear it for yourself), which greatly pleased him and the nature spirits. He then asked if I would share a recent personal story so they could get to know me a bit better, so I shared the story of the ceremony around Tipsy's passing, which also seemed to please him.
He asked me what my intentions are in my Earth Tending work, and what I know of working with the land in the ways that I do to which I explained what I know and noted that there is soooo much I don't know and suspect I will never know as I am a human and can only comprehend so much of the complexities of the layers of land spirits, their roles, and creation.) I asked if he would be willing to share anything with me that I don't know and that would be helpful for other humans to know. Here is a rough transcription of what he shared relative to Earth Tending & being in right relationship with the land:
"What humans need to remember is the best ways that they can tend the land are the instructions given by the land itself. He went on to give some context; there were agreements made between the first peoples and the lands, partnerships if you will of how the land would tend the humans and how the humans would tend the land. Those partnerships and agreements are not being fulfilled (there is no blame in this, it is just a fact), it is not to say that we (the spirits of the land) don't appreciate the ways in which humans give offerings today whether that be to***co, other herbs, the songs they know, but there were very specific songs and ways of tending the land that are no longer being carried out.
Consider a marriage between the land and a human, the human dies and the land is given a new mate who has not agreed nor made the same commitment as the previous human. Assuming this human in their heart and soul wants to be a good partner - Who else is there to teach them how to be in right partnership with the marriage but the land?
Those spirits of land who take into the account the well-being of all (there is a hierarchy among the spirits of the land) understand that there are many reasons why these agreements are not being carried out, however that does not change the need for fortification and reciprocity. New arrangements must be made, between the individual human and the land upon which they walk and/or live. They do not need to be agreements per-se but there must be an understanding between the land, the humans, and appropriate offerings made to be in right relationship. We are not saying do not continue the ways that you are giving offerings, humans are very quick to pull away if they feel they are not doing something "right", or come to us with their shame, that is not what we are asking for. We are simply asking you to take the time to listen to what we really need to be fortified. Give what is in your heart and know if you want to deepen your relations that opportunity is there and we welcome it.
Right relationship is giving as much as you receive and giving in ways that are truly nourishing and fortifying for the land. Not the ways in which humans "just have time for" with your busy schedules or the ways which humans "think" are right, right relationship is asking the land, the guardians, the nature spirits how best to reciprocate them with your heart at the forefront. In order to do this you must make time and space outside of your ordinary human lives and outside of your ordinary ways of thinking, you must get creative.
We (the spirits of the land) would be willing to give songs to help fortify and nourish the relationship between humans and the land but a partnership must first be built step by step. Much in the way that a human would build a long lasting healthy partnership with another human, it takes time, it takes strength, focus, and for humans discipline to put down your devices to unplug from the ordinary and plug into the extraordinary. In this way you not only honor the magnificence of all of creation, you are reminded of your own magnificence, and then we are able to bring out the best in eachother (the land and humans) and maintain a sustainable long term healthy relationship.
Not all humans are created equally when it comes to power, but you all have power, just as we do. Some of you have a pre-disposition to share power with the natural world much of that has to do with your ancestral connections and the relationships your ancestors cultivated with the land. What is important is that you use your power to invest in the well-being of the natural world around you, for we are very much invested in you thanks to the indigenous ancestors of the lands in every part of the world.
I will finish by saying that offerings should always come from the heart, with the intention of reciprocity, as opposed to a place within a human's heart where pity resides. It is part of the human condition to feel sadness around loss, that is not wrong, you may share your tears as an offering but do not offer your pity. In other words, share your tears, feel your grief, but do not project your grief onto us."
