Sunday, July 24, 2011

Conversations with the Elders ~ The Wind and New Wings

Conversations with the Elders
The Wind and New Wings
July 25, 2011

I arrive at the Elders’ cabin on a day unlike any previous visit, at least that I can remember.  Today, it is very windy.  The winds are not hurricane winds, nor are they gale force winds; they are winds.  I make a mental note of it being windy.  Everything at the Elders’ cabin is significant, especially if I notice it.

I stand at the edge of the road facing the cabin.  I am sensing whether to go in through the front door, go around to the back door, or possible the side entrance into the lower level.  I decide to stand and wait for a signal, while holding on to my cap.  It is windy today.

After a moment or two, I see the front door opening.  The Elder of Fire walks out and waves to me.  It’s the signal I was waiting for before taking any action.  I wave back and walk to the cabin. 

As I reach the porch, the Elder of Fire says, “I waved you in before the wind took you down the road.  I know you are still learning how to use those new wings.” 

I respond to her, “It is rather windy today.”  And I respond in my head, “New wings, she is talking in code again.  Let’s make that item number two on my mental note.”

Just in that very moment, the Elder of Fire smiles.  I know it means she heard what I was thinking.  They have that gift.

I follow as she walks to the table where the other Elders are sitting, waiting.  I see something different at the table, well actually on the table.  It is a round shallow dish two inches deep and maybe eighteen inches in diameter.  The dish is cobalt blue in color, and is filled with water.  The most notable thing of this dish on the table is that it sits in front of my chair.  I add this as item three on my mental note.   In the very moment of my mental noting, the Elders all smile.  They are reading my mind.  They have that gift.

I sit down and wait for a signal before doing anything.  The Elder of Water raises her hand, which has a feather in it.  She waves the feather gently over the shallow dish, just above the surface of the water.  Then she looks at me.  From her eyes, I receive my guidance.

I lean over the bowl and look down into the water.  At first, I see the bottom of the cobalt blue dish.  Very slowly, the blue of the bottom of the dish becomes the blue of a sky.  There are a few white clouds.  I watch as the scene continues unfolding.  I see something coming into focus, something trying to fly as it is being tossed around by the wind.  As the scene continues, I now see that the awkward something is my trying to maneuver with the wings on my back.  The wind is blowing me around, as if it is playing with me, testing me.  But I wonder if it is also helping me. 

I continue flapping and twisting and flapping and spinning and flapping and jerking.  I focus on my face and I notice something with my eyes.  A look of confusion, discomfort and doubt, is now becoming a look of certainty, confidence and clarity.  I begin to beat my wings with authority, purpose and a knowing.  I watch as I fly out and up.  I see myself riding the winds rather than fight them.  I see a smile on my face. 

The scene changes; the blue of the sky is now the cobalt blue of the dish.  The smile on my face now is the smile of my reflection.  I am smiling.  I look up from the dish to see the Elders smiling as well.  They are reading my mind and heart.  They have that gift.

The Elder of Wind speaks first, “With something new, you must give yourself time to get adjust, to get accustom and almost relearn.  But keep going, or in this case keep flapping those wings until it happens.  If you are given wings, you are meant to fly.  The question is not if, but when.  And you now know that the time is now.”

The Elder of Earth continues, “You know that saying about to whom much is given.  Well the truth is, it just seems like much until you stop fighting it.  Then you realize it is just you, and who you are.”

On that note I decide to delete my mental note.  What was a note; is now a knowing.  The Elders all smile.  Again, they know what I am thinking.  They have that gift.



Copyright © 2011 Anthony L. Farmer All Rights Reserved
Conversations with the Elders is a weekly “e-newsletter" that shares my experiences and conversations with the Elders, as I call them.  We meet on the front porch of a log cabin high in the mountains.  They share their wisdoms, life experiences, perspectives, stories, and love.  I listen, learn and share.
Please feel free to forward to others!  If you receive this from a friend and would like to receive Conversations with the Elders, sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conversationswiththeelders/

"...listening to our elders is one of the most important things we can do. I've learned a lot and have had good teachers. You always learn a lot from your elders - its important to sit and listen to them."
 Herman “TJ” Laffoon

Reverend Anthony Farmer
www.revanthonyfarmer.com

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Conversations with the Elders ~ The Sign, It Comes in Threes

Conversations with the Elders

The Sign: It Comes in Threes
July 12, 2011

As I walk into the Elders’ cabin, I say, “Now, I come to share with you my experiences.  Although, I know you will not tell me what they mean; your feedback is appreciated.”

The Elder of Air chuckles.  He always brings that Brother Coyote-trickster energy to the table. 

Hearing his chuckling I respond, “Well, I want to believe your feedback will be appreciated.”

We all laugh.  However, my laughter stops as theirs continues.

I walk to the table to sit with the Elders.  The Elder of Air, the Elder of Water and the Elder of Fire are at the table.  As I get comfortable in my seat, the Elder of Earth walks in from the back yard.  I notice he is carrying a grapefruit-size rock in his left hand.  When you are with the Elders, you notice everything.  Clarity and the connection always come later.

I begin sharing my recent experience; “I took a Mantra Yoga workshop with Andreas Mamet several weeks ago.  The workshop description was intriguing. However, during introductions at the workshop, I shared that I wasn’t clear of my expectations and that I was open to the experience.”

“The workshop,” I continue, “was about using mantras and various meditation techniques.  For one of the activities, each participant was invited to sit and receive healing from a mantra, specifically and intuitively selected for us.  The other participants, guided by the Andreas, spoke the mantra standing around the recipient.  The mantra that Andreas intuitively selected for me was ‘Kyrie Eleison, Kristos Eleison,’ which translates to ‘Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.’ ”

The Elder of Air chuckles, again.

I continue sharing, “I closed my eyes, ready to receive the blessing.  During the healing, I saw a vision.  In the vision, He was in the garden, kneeling as in prayer.  He looked up and at me, and then extended His hand to me.  I felt it was an invitation to join Him. I walked to Him and kneeled next to Him.  He shared with me the message of His prayer.  The group completed the mantra and I opened my eyes, returning to the circle."

The Elder of Earth places the grapefruit-size rock on the table in front of me.  I look at the rock, and then I look at the Elder of Earth.  He is smiling a smile that the Elders, and grandparents smile.

The Elder of Fire asks, “Are you going to share the other experience now?”

Reluctantly I answer, “Yes.”

The Elders laugh.

I start sharing the second experience.  “Last week, a friend invited me to attend a public program and receive a darshan from Amma, a spiritual teacher from India.  I accepted the invitation to have a darshan, or hug of unconditional love, from Amma.    Upon arriving at the place in Virginia, we received our numbered token.  We had to wait our turn.  When it was time our time to receive the darshan, I got in the row of chairs that lead to Amma.   The attendants ushered me, along with the others, from chair to chair.  This was the last leg of the journey to Amma.  I called it the walk of the chairs.”

I continue, “As I got closer to Amma, I closed my eyes for a moment.  In that moment, I saw the image of a cross. It was right in front of me.  I remembered seeing that cross before.  It was the cross resting above and behind my left shoulder on a photo of my aura.  I shuddered.  I then realized all of the energy in the room and wanted to pray to keep myself grounded.  As I closed my eyes to pray, I heard, ‘do not worry I got you.’  I asked who was speaking.  I sensed a response and I smiled.  It was then time for my darshan from Amma.”

The Elder of Air chuckles again.  The other Elders join him.  It is not fun to have the Elders laughing and not tell me what or why.  I know it’s connected to me.  Clarity and connection will come, hopefully soon.  

The Elder of Earth reaches from his seat and pats the rock that he placed in front of me.  He says, “It comes in threes.” 

I look at the rock, as if I was looking for a clue to confirm what I know he was saying.  I shook my head as I recall the time at a retreat center in the Bronx, New York.  This was a ministerial retreat; we were on the path to becoming ordained interfaith ministers.  I was sitting under a tree when this rock seemed to call out to me.  When I picked up the rock, I heard that quiet, yet powerful voice.  

Today, at the table with the Elders, this rock is much larger.  I did not want to touch it; what if the larger rock comes with a quiet, yet more powerful voice. 

The Elders laugh.  Again, they are reading my thoughts.

The Elder of Water stops laughing, looks me in the eyes and says, “You are invited to the garden, you see the cross again, and now there is a rock sitting in front of you.  Three signs, in addition to the many other signs you’ve received.  You are not thick of the head; willful, YES, thickheaded, NO.”

The Elder of Air chuckles once again.  I look at him.  He says, “It comes in threes.  Three is the magic number.  Need we say more?”

Trying to change the subject, I ask, “Is there any pie left?  I am a bit hungry.”

The Elder of Air says, “So you want pie with that denial.”

We all burst into laughter.  They never let me get away with anything.  I hope she cooked apple pie.


Copyright © 2011 Anthony L. Farmer All Rights Reserved

Conversations with the Elders is a weekly “e-newsletter" that shares my experiences and conversations with the Elders, as I call them.  We meet on the front porch of a log cabin high in the mountains.  They share their wisdom, life experiences, perspectives, stories, and love.  I listen, learn and share.
Please feel free to forward to others!  If you receive this from a friend and would like to receive Conversations with the Elders, sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conversationswiththeelders/

"...listening to our elders is one of the most important things we can do. I've learned a lot and have had good teachers. You always learn a lot from your elders - its important to sit and listen to them."
 Herman “TJ” Laffoon

Reverend Anthony Farmer
www.revanthonyfarmer.com

Sunday, July 3, 2011

A Battle's Brewing in the Not Too Distant Present

A Battle’s Brewing in the Not Too Distant Present

Sometimes, I call it a storm.  Other times it feels like a war.  And at other times it swirls and twirls like a dance.  Whatever I call it, it is coming.  This battle is upon us. 

It is not a battle between the haves and have-nots, or a battle between men and women.  It is not a battle between Christian and Muslim fundamentalists.  It is not a battle between the Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, or the tax-and-spend camp and the cut-and-spend camp.  It is not a battle between those holding steadfast to an entrenched religious dogma, and those who embrace an expansive and organic understanding of said philosophies.  It is not a battle between those who believe in equal rights and human rights for all, and those who believe such rights are for those who can afford them.

It is not a battle between those who preach that everyone should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and those who want to ensure that everyone at least has boots.  It is not a battle between those who believe punishment is for those who break laws, and those who believe punishment is for those who get caught breaking laws.  It is not a battle between those who believe in living in harmony with the natural world and those who believe the natural world is here for their consumption as they dictate. 
 
It is not a battle between openhearted, closed-minded people and closed-hearted, open-minded people.  It is not a battle of ideology, political perspectives, personal interests, religious beliefs, cultural aspirations or economic opportunities.  It is not even a battle between good and evil.

The upcoming battle, war, storm or dance is between love and light, and fear and the fruits of fear.  On one side is love and light.  Love being the ultimate vibration of universal energy, the essence of all that is; as above so below, as within so without.  Light is that universal energy and is the consort of love.  Light is the channel by which love flows, and love is the breath of light.  

On the other side of the battle are fear and its offspring: hatred, bitterness, despair, separation, hopelessness, and anything and all things that keep us from love and light.

We are at the threshold, about to enter into the ultimate battle for the souls of humanity.  Some may argue that this battle has not just begun, but is a continuation of the war for man’s heart and soul sense man’s inception on this world.  We may be entering in the last battle of this great war, before a victor is declared.

With this battle at the doorsteps of the hearts of humanity, we have choice.  If we believe the battle is forthcoming, we can choose our side.  Do we choose the side of love and light or the side of fear and its children?  Understand that our choice is not based on our old political views, family understandings, or cultural and societal norms.  Our choice is based simply on what kind of world do we want for ourselves, and those who will come behind us.  Our choice is based on our desire for something different then what currently is.  Our choice is rooted in the knowing that the side we select now sets in motion events of our lives, our individual life and our human collective life.  Our choice must emerge from the cosmic knowing, but forgotten truth, that love and light are the highest vibration of the divine, and it is within each of us.

If we believe that we are not in the beginning but in the middle of an ongoing drama, possibly ready to engage in the last stand for the hearts and souls of humanity, we now have the opportunity to see which side we have already chosen.  We have already made a choice, either we have chosen love and light or chosen fear and its minions.  When you take a moment to look beneath the varying and often conflicting paradigms that govern your life in order to seek the basic understanding for what you do, is your life embedded in love and light, or fear and the many faces of fear.

Whether you believe we are a few breaths away from this battle, or you believe that we are continuing a war that has been fought since man’s first steps on this earth, or you believe it is just another spin and dip within the dance marathon of life, which side are you choosing:  love and light or fear and fear? 

It is your choice, it is your soul, it is your heart, and it is your life.  What is your choice: love and light or fear and fear.    From the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the last Knight guarding the Holy Grail said, “choose wisely.”

Copyright © 2011 Anthony L. Farmer All Rights Reserved

Reverend Anthony Farmer:  http://www.revanthonyfarmer.com