Welcome to Spring!
As the energy started to build toward the Equinox I recalled a story I heard a long time ago about a council of all beings where the humans had forgotten their purpose. That’s all I remembered of the story and the freshness of spring inspired me to imagine it in my own way.
I shared an oral version on the Equinox with a small group of people out on the land and I’m happy to offer it here now. It’s a story about remembering, about realignment.
May it help you align with your purpose and with Life.
How the Humans Remembered their Purpose
On an Equinox afternoon, a long time ago, a council of all beings was held. This was in the time when all the animals could communicate with each other with ease.
In the inner circle was one representative from each species and outside of this inner circle all the many tribes gathered to listen, the ravens and the wrens, the badgers and the beetles, all of them were there in all shapes and sizes.
They came together to celebrate the return of the strong sunshine — the rising warmth and the longer days. They also gathered to honor their losses, those who didn’t make it through the winter and other kinds of losses that called out for mourning.
They began their ceremony by honoring and expressing their grief. Then they began a round of sharing about the unique gifts that each species brought into being. They did this because such sharing helped them feel their aliveness and kindle their power, and stir the sexual energies that keep life going.
So they went around the circle, speaking from the heart, listening from the heart to each other.
Deer started by saying, “My keen hearing and sensitivity make me the leader of the animals, when I feel safe all the others know they can feel safe too.”
Mountain lion went next. “I show how to walk in the world with great stealth and concentration.”
Moose followed, “I model great integrity in my way of being. I show that it’s okay to be big and take up space.”
Hummingbird spoke, excitedly as always, “I represent joy and the vivaciousness. Seeing me, everyone forgets their problems, at least for a little while.”
They went round the circle, each species speaking their most special gifts. Even though the plants were not physically in the circle, they were not left out, nor were the rocks and mountains, nor was the soil. The special gifts of each were given voice. Nothing was left out.
Eventually all had shared but one. All eyes turned toward the human being in the circle. She spoke, with some embarrassment, saying simply, “we have forgotten our special gifts and purpose.”
All were silent and reflective. There was also a tangible sense of relief for they already knew that the humans had forgotten. They all felt it, in their own ways, as a dark cloud hanging over the earth, heavy and ominous, threatening the lives of all.
Deer broke the silence:
Yes, we know, and we’re glad you’re here so we can remind you. It’s not too late.
You, you are the bridge between heaven and earth. You are the Earth come into full consciousness. You get to tell the story of ALL OF THIS. The sweet smell of spring, the glory of sunrise and sunset and all of the seasons.
You see ALL OF US, how beautiful we are, and the way we are together, and how wondrous the world is. You write the poetry and sing the songs and make beautiful, intricate music. Your love and care, your gratitude and ceremonies, help hold the world together.
We all know that you carry shame. We all know that the predicament we face is daunting and dangerous. And we need you now. We need your gifts, your conscious awareness, your ability to choose. We need you to choose Life.
We want you to know that you are never alone. Like Arthur, who could only pull the sword from the stone and become king once he remembered his animal powers and felt the support of his animal teachers, we support you—now and always. You are never separate from any of us, never separate from the earth.
After letting that sink in for moment, and seeing that the human had heard it well, Deer spoke again: “It is good, thank you all for your sharing. Now, let us celebrate the return of the light and the heat, the life force rising from the Earth and the Sun. Let us express our natural joy through movement, thru joyful noises, gestures, however you are moved to express the Light.
And they broke into exuberant gladness and celebration. And today, all we need to do is remember what we already know and let that be our guide.