oshun spirit living light!: December 2009

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Oshun, so often in my mirror.. gratitude and reflections

Vanity? I think not.

It is true that one of Oshun’s symbols is a mirror, but do not be mislead!

Many are mistaken thinking that Oshun represents only external beauty, adornment, jewels and finery. I once read a quote and kept it for a long time upon my altar, but I cannot find the author now –

"When the Void looks into the mirror It sees Us.
When We look into the Void, We see the Mirror.
When We look in the Mirror We see the Void.
When the Mirror looks into the Mirror...
It laughs!"

Oshun is the playful spirit of the awakened observer! Creative potential, realized! Oshun is that quality in a woman which emanates beauty in such a way that vision is not necessary in order to appreciate it. She is the idea of excellence as reflected by refinement, taste and delicacy. By reflection.

By reflection...

OSHUN by Rio Corazon

The other Powers did not know what to make of her. None of them had ever seen anything like her. Oshun was often in her mirror, fanning and adoring herself. They paid no attention to her and left her out of all the rituals and celebrations. So, Oshun, ignored, left and went to comb out her hair on Venus.

Back on earth, things weren't going so well. For many moons the rains ceased. All the rivers and lakes disappeared. The insects were confused. The bees quit pollinating. All the crops suffered.

The powers went to Olodumare and asked, "Great Spirit how can we provide for Earth's children when all of nature is so out of balance?" Olodumare thought for a moment and then asked, "Where is Oshun?"

Everyone looked at each other in dismay, and then finally someone said, "Oh, her.... We left her to her mirror. She is not concerned with practical matters."

Olodumare got very serious. "Come closer and listen closely. Without Oshun's Law of Attraction, nothing in nature can work. If you want to prosper, take time out to enjoy the sweetness of life."

So they called for Oshun. On Venus, Oshun pretended not to hear them. They continued to call for her to join them, but Oshun ignored them. In desperation they all got together and created a beautiful place for her and had a celebration in her honor.

When Oshun finally arrived a cosmic sigh of relief was felt by all. She spoke saying, "Yes I will come and the nectars of life will flow once more, but only if you promise to never let this happen again." Some say that what is going on in the world today is that we are allowing Oshun to be forgotten again.

This is why it's so important to respect the fresh waters of the earth, to take time out to celebrate Oshun, to give thanks each time we drink of her, to do whatever is in our power to protect and not pollute her. No one is a stranger to her for without fresh water none of us could survive. As our planet evolves fresh water for all is humanity's future challenge.

Oshun is the Law of Attraction; she is what causes the molecules in atoms to come together. It is said that Oshun can heal with fresh water and honey where doctors fail. Her medicine is that of Love, and she wins her battles with sweetness. She is the mother of divination, with cowrie shells given to her by Obatala. Oshun is also the goddess of wealth, luxury, creativity, sexuality, and sensuality.

Oshun is fond of the arts, music, and beauty. Her altars will often have a jar of honey, a mirror, decorative fans, ornate perfume bottles, peacock feathers, and brass bells. Her number is five, her colors are yellow, gold, orange, pink, and all shades of green. Her herbs include burdock, cinnamon, raspberry, yarrow, chamomile, lotus, uva-ursi, echinacea, and myrrh. Parrots, peacocks, hummingbirds, vultures, salmon, bees, spiders, and butterflies all belong to Oshun. Her offerings include roses, oranges, papayas, and mangoes, pumpkins, sunflowers, champagne, and honey wine. She is akin to Aphrodite, Venus, Hathor, Our Lady of Charity, Lakshmi and Saraswati.

It is said that the only teacher you will ever need is in the mirror!

Iba se Orisa Oshun!

May You Be Blessed in 2010 and Always!

Take time out to enjoy the sweetness of life...

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Oshun Spirit Earth Friendly Goods Gift Certificates are sent via email and may be used on our website and Bonanzle storefront

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May your holiday season be filled with love, blessed with peace, and be joyful for family and friends!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Meditations on the standing still sun

"...We come to the portal that separates darkness from light. Standing in this arch of time where Earth takes a breath before facing us back towards the sun, we too, take a breath, turn inward, pause in this pregnant moment and let darkness reveal its gifts..."

December 21 marks the Winter Solstice.

This is the time to look back at the year gone by, with gratitude and humility, gather its lessons and put them into stillness. It is time to silence the inner voices, the judgements, the fears, the what ifs... and listen to the beating of your own heart. It is time to breathe slowly, and linger here.

It is the time to savor the sweetness and silence of the dark.

There is nothing to fear. Millions of years of Earth's turning away and then back, away and then back towards the light has created this sacred link, where Earth's veil thins, the unseen, seen. Images of ancestors and ancient roots threading back beyond time. Back to first humans, their fires still burning to call back the light. Hearts and drums beating.

I hold them sacred. I honor their struggles and their triumphs. I reflect on my life in this moment. This is the time to let go of all that burdens. Let bygones be bygones. It is time to find the ancient rhythym, and sing my life in that way.

I forgive and begin again.

Winter Solstice is indeed a fertile time, a time to ready the womb; a time for pregnant possibility. A time to sow seeds of imagination, and love, to germinate in the darkness.

I pause in this pregnant moment and let the darkness reveal its gifts...

As the shortest day meets the longest night I celebrate the dark and greet the light.

May you be blessed!

image credit: www.flickr.com/.../Wellington?q=sunrise

Sunday, December 13, 2009

It's all about Love.

On November 1, my good ol' dog Chelsea passed away at the age of 18. She was an amazing wise being, a profound spiritual teacher, a healer, and a soul mate for sure. She was pure love, and she touched many lives in her years of service.

My 4 year old black Lab Skooter and I have been missing her terribly, and there has been a hole in the fabric of my practice and our entire family that I knew that only another dog could begin to mend.

Trusting that my simple prayer would be heard, I knew that the right dog would come into our lives at the right time, "Calling all dogs, help wanted. Love and be loved."

I put out a classified to the Universe.

"Must enjoy people, other dogs, and the wind-in-the face experience of riding in a convertible and boat. Long hikes and fresh bones daily. Will train."

Enter Harley and Duke, two five month old Labs (brothers) who suddenly found themselves looking for just such a set up. At first I thought," No, I can't take two."

But then I got it. The world needs a lot of love, and it's more than a full-time job to see that it's being shared unconditionally, with grace and joy. No one dog could take up Chelsea's space. That's a lot of wagging.

So she sent two.

Love, and be loved.

May you be blessed!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

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Thursday, December 3, 2009

A parable and a prophesy...

Well, you know me... I'm an observer. And I've been watching eager turtles stacking, and stacking, and stacking... metaphorically of course. Good turtles working for the community, as civic turtle citizens, to benefit the pond.

Today I witnessed the actions of an seemingly out-of-touch leader, and I was reminded of this classic tale by Dr. Seuss. In the story Yertle the Turtle King commands the other turtles to stack themselves beneath him so he may expand his kingdom. They do, quite willingly. However, in time, a turtle at the bottom of the pile named Mack asks Yertle for a respite... tired, hungry, he has needs of his own...

Ignoring his request, and demanding "Silence!," Yertle commands more and more turtles to add to his throne, until the little Mack burps, shaking the stack of turtles and tossing Yertle off the stack and into the muck, leaving him "King of the Mud" and freeing the others to their own pursuits.

As art follows life, I predict life also may soon follow art if the trending currents in the pond are not re-channeled in the direction of the hard-working turtle community members. I hope that Dr. Seuss' story will serve as a gentle reminder... let us all be humble, and let us all be grateful to those whose shoulders carry the load. Lift the little ones up my king, and you shall be lifted even beyond your own grand imaginings! Ignore their needs and you shall have your silence indeed. Thank you, Mack. Thank you, all.

I'll share the story now:

On the far-away island of Sala-ma-Sond,
Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond.
A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat.
The water was warm. There was plenty to eat.
The turtles had everything turtles might need.
And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.

They were… until Yertle, the king of them all,
Decided the kingdom he ruled was too small.
“I’m ruler”, said Yertle, “of all that I see.
But I don’t see enough. That’s the trouble with me.
With this stone for a throne, I look down on my pond
But I cannot look down on the places beyond.
This throne that I sit on is too, too low down.
It ought to be higher!” he said with a frown.
“If I could sit high, how much greater I’d be!
What a king! I’d be ruler of all that I see!”

So Yertle the Turtle King, lifted his hand
And Yertle, the Turtle King, gave a command.
He ordered nine turtles to swim to his stone
And, using these turtles, he built a new throne.
He made each turtle stand on another one’s back
And he piled them all up in a nine-turtle stack.
And then Yertle climbed up. He sat down on the pile.
What a wonderful view! He could see ‘most a mile!

“All mine!” Yertle cried. “Oh, the things I now rule!
I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!
I’m the king of a house! And, what’s more, beyond that
I’m the king of a blueberry bush and a cat!
I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!
For I am the ruler of all that I see!”

And all through the morning, he sat up there high
Saying over and over, “A great king am I!”
Until ‘long about noon. Then he heard a faint sigh.
“What’s that?” snapped the king,and he looked down the stack.
And he saw, at the bottom, a turtle named Mack.
Just a part of his throne. And this plain little turtle
Looked up and he said, “Beg your pardon, King Yertle.
I’ve pains in my back and my shoulders and knees.
How long must we stand here, Your Majesty, please?”

“SILENCE!” the King of the Turtles barked back.
“I’m king, and you’re only a turtle named Mack.”

“You stay in your place while I sit here and rule.
I’m the king of a cow! And I’m the king of a mule!
I’m the king of a house! And a bush! And a cat!
But that isn’t all. I’ll do better than that!
My throne shall be higher!” his royal voice thundered,
“So pile up more turtles! I want ’bout two hundred!”

“Turtles! More turtles!” he bellowed and brayed.
And the turtles ‘way down in the pond were afraid.
They trembled. They shook. But they came. They obeyed.
From all over the pond, they came swimming by dozens.
Whole families of turtles, with uncles and cousins.
And all of them stepped on the head of poor Mack.
One after another, they climbed up the stack.

Then Yertle the Turtle was perched up so high,
He could see forty miles from his throne in the sky!
“Hooray!” shouted Yertle. “I’m the king of the trees!
I’m king of the birds! And I’m king of the bees!
I’m king of the butterflies! King of the air!
Ah, me! What a throne! What a wonderful chair!
I’m Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!
For I am the ruler of all that I see!”

Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack,
Came a groan from that plain little turtle named Mack.
“Your Majesty, please… I don’t like to complain,
But down here below, we are feeling great pain.
I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,
But down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.
We turtles can’t stand it. Our shells will all crack!
Besides, we need food. We are starving!” groaned Mack.

“You hush up your mouth!” howled the mighty King Yertle.
“You’ve no right to talk to the world’s highest turtle.
I rule from the clouds! Over land! Over sea!
There’s nothing, no, NOTHING, that’s higher than me!”

But, while he was shouting, he saw with surprise
That the moon of the evening was starting to rise
Up over his head in the darkening skies.
“What’s THAT?” snorted Yertle. “Say, what IS that thing
That dares to be higher than Yertle the King?
I shall not allow it! I’ll go higher still!
I’ll build my throne higher! I can and I will!
I’ll call some more turtles. I’ll stack ‘em to heaven!
I need ’bout five thousand, six hundred and seven!”

But, as Yertle, the Turtle King, lifted his hand
And started to order and give the command,
That plain little turtle below in the stack,
That plain little turtle whose name was just Mack,
Decided he’d taken enough. And he had.
And that plain little lad got a bit mad.
And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing.
He burped!
And his burp shook the throne of the king!

And Yertle the Turtle, the king of the trees,
The king of the air and the birds and the bees,
The king of a house and a cow and a mule…
Well, that was the end of the Turtle King’s rule!
For Yertle, the King of all Sala-ma-Sond,
Fell off his high throne and fell Plunk! in the pond!

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,
Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.
And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free
As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

May you be blessed!