windwalker, our ayllu community sacred drum - our heart of hearts....

It has certainly been an interesting journey thus far - these past 6 years.........

- windwalker as sacred healing drum for anyone open to engage spiritually....

what does that mean for you - for us....?

a big learning that has been revealed to me is that windwalker teaches and engages each one of us in her own unique, beauty way... i feel this is significant and powerful.... i honour this!!!... 

- i welcome ALL to honour this ... 

i guess that's why i started this blog... because i invited those of you within our ayllu to perhaps share the healings and the teachings that you have experienced with windwalker over this past 6 years... a few did engage in the beginning writings here.... i know i have contributed much here as i personally found documenting windwalker's journey important and a significant herstory for our beautiful ayllu.... this gives me much joy which also honours our grand drum...

i still welcome you to share your journey and sacred relationship with windwalker here if you wish - anytime... as i know others including myself would love to hear... as your personal journey with her helps all of us... and those of us who listen....

- windwalker as 'ayllu-community' sacred drum.... our heart-beat as 'one'

with being a part of windwalker's journey and witness ....what i have found the most deep is when we gather 'as ayllu' together 'as one' with windwalker as an equal member along with us within mindful sacred circle...this is when the biggest medicine and healing has come through spirit....... 

- and holy wow... is the healing up even to this day!

it is through these sharings/healings expressed through the heart during ayllu sacred circle of all present that we can all heal together 'as one'.... 

- in these sacred moments there really is no 'leader' or 'facilitator'... 

during these times as we offer mindful intent... we merge.. as one 'being' - fulfillment of 'ayllu' perhaps?... isn't this what we all yearn for? ...and, what we are perhaps evolving to?... .... windwalker has shared this with us many times - right from the beginning even before she became a physical drum.... when she was a cored-out piece of sitka-spruce tree... there are many sharings here on this blog....

and those of us who were present together during that wonderful weekend when we skinned and birthed windwalker... i was guided throughout that gathering to simply get out of the way, to allow spirit to completely direct that special weekend and what an amazing time we had....! ...we all felt much and learned much and witnessed the possibility of what can happen when we work together as ayllu-community... as one body...one mind...one spirit.... i know many of us shall never forget that experience... i know i have not....

- many of us know this and honour this connection...

that is why i feel strongly deep within my soul that windwalker is an 'ayllu-community' drum - this is her path and why she birthed herself into being - we as ayllu responded to her call... and if no others step up to continue this, her 'ayllu' journey - well... i guess we'll have to listen to what's next - with what she may have to say regarding that....... i know i am open to what is possible... to continue dreaming along with her...

"...listen, listen, listen to my heart's song...

...listen, listen, listen to my heart's song...

...i will never forget you... i will never forsake you...

...i will never forget you... i will never forsake you..."

windwalker was originally dreamed into being as an ayllu-community 'sacred' drum... that is what we 'heard' through spirit, responded to, and envisioned 'together' 6 years ago....

it is my dear hope (and the hope of others) that we can continue to say yes to what we all said a great big 'yes' to in the beginning.. that we honour the medicine/spirit of this vision...  
back then we said yes... stating together we were ready as ayllu, as community to take on the responsibility to care-take and carry this sacred drum into the future dreaming of our ayllu...  

i know personally when i come to be a part of the white drum mesa teachings that are sourcing through those of us who gather together twice a year... the deep healings and honourings i have experienced over and over including sourcing the white drum rites, etc., and i know others have during our ceremonies together, that there have been truly significant and moving healing(s) - for us individually tho most important for ALL of us - as ayllu....

- and this deep healing continues...

perhaps windwalker is possibly reflecting and teaching us a new way to 'be' within 'being' as true ayllu - as one... as we evolve together in this brand new grand age since we moved through the portal of 2012....?

- 1,000 days + 8,000 sacred drums....

it was a grand pacha moment - those of us who stepped up and chose to mindfully 'sound' windwalker every day for 1,000 days in a row which was completed at summer solstice 2012... but does that mean that because that ceremonial pacha is done that windwalker is done.... ? ...some have thought so and some have not... this has been a deep question those of have been asking for awhile now... again... we all have our own unique relationship with windwalker and all are honoured.... it's also been very colourful - the refections that have emerged and shined out...

- sooo... are we done? ... some of us don't think so... 

windwalker reminds us... "are we all on a path of beauty....?"

a path never ends - like circle with no beginning and no end.....

the Otomi elders of Mexico who shared their ancient prophecy.... that when the sounding of 8,000 sacred drums are sounded all together at one time that an intense healing of our blessed earth mother will 'commence'...

- apparently, this ancient prophecy has been fulfilled...

however.... i feel that one word in this prophecy, 'commence' is quite significant and mega-important.... think about the meaning of the word 'commence' for a moment.... don't you think that perhaps.... and what comes is that classic song line...

- we've only just begun...... ?

i don't mean this in jest - it's a-given that there is sooo much more work to be done for the healing of this, our dear planet, pachamama and all of us who are her care-takers.... how can we be done?... i know we've really only begun....

- the north teachings of the wise ones.....

over 12 years ago.... when i sat in front of my north solo fire in the pouring rain - mindfully attempting to make that decision i was asked to take... or better said, to say 'yes'.... to become and commit to be a steward of pachamama........ i admit that i did hesitate for a moment... to place my stone in the middle of the sputtering flames was the final decision - the commitment - a life-path......... i remember asking my self numerous times if i was up to the task... can i commit?.... can i even do this?... WILL i do this?...

i did choose to do it - many of us have... something from deep within my heart told me that i HAD to do it.... i went for it - knowing there was some kind of destiny thing going on... and believe me there have been times when i have wondered why or wtf.... though... when i sit within sacred circle with others who have also said 'yes' is when i truly know why..... and it's sooo good to know i'm not alone... even tho sometimes i forget that......

we are all leaders.... leading each other - let us honour that and each time we come to sit together within sacred circle.... to mindfully be open to a whole new way of be-ing together... allowing each equal space to become as ayllu-leading-ayllu...

not sure if i've got the exact words here... though i know i 'feel' this much as we continue to evolve together....

windwalker showed up and is committed... she's here in her physical form to help us re-member all that... she has this very cool gift of reminding us to express our joy in the ever present moment... with her we can re-member that we can co-create together as 'one'....

each of us are like single drops of water falling into the ocean of unending love - emanating our concentric circle-pulses which eventually connect us as one pulse of 'one' flowing together......... and it's a beautiful ride downstream if we so choose it...... :o)

frankly, i'm quite tired of 'trying' to swim upstream...... aren't you?

i always welcome your feedback, comments and engagement here...

bright blessings always...
in mucho munay...
weaver x (((o)))

As Ayllu – Will We Listen to the Heart of Our Mother?...

Dearest, dearest beautiful ayllu...

Happy Summer Solstice to you all...!

First off, I wish to thank Michelle for hosting our Solstice day at her home at the lake this past weekend – thank you Michelle for being so flexible with the shifting and changing weather... it was wonderful to be back at the lake again...

Numerous times through our day, the great thunder-beings, the 'drummers of the sky' abruptly clapped their enormous wings which sparked the unending falling of the blessed rains – they certainly had their way on our day... we had began outside and had to quickly move under shelter as we just had opened sacred space and then later again -  this time promptly moved inside the house because of the torrent of rain, wind, thunder and lightening...

I also wish to thank Joey and those who assisted her to prepare a shelter for us all...  I learned a lot about attachment to form and to just go with it... what a wonderful day!   Also, thank you to all who also helped out and to all of you who attended... it was great to see you and be in sacred circle with you... thank you!

Thunderbird constellation
which sits above Scorpius

I believe our day’s weather was very significant... when I dig a bit deeper into the symbology and meaning of the thunderbird...  I found there are several myths about this being that vary throughout First Nations cosmologies including many other cultures/history – right back to Zeus’s time.... 

This symbol is also very present in our constellations, the star nations... where, many ancient rock petroglyphs re-print what has been seen in the stars.... 'as above so below'...

“....The thunderbird has been a significant ethnic and mythical symbol of the past and a popular artistic icon and motif through the present day. 

Portrayed as a giant bird whose giant flapping wings make the thunder, while lightning comes from it’s opening and closing eyes, and sometimes with a lake on it’s back from which the rains come....”

The Shuswap - spirit of the lake...

Reading this, I believe it was no accident why we chose to meet at the lake to celebrate the 2012 Solstice this summer... and to acknowledge and honour the completion cycle of 1,000 Days of Sounding with our sacred ayllu (community) drum, windwalker.

We are certainly living in an auspicious time right now... and I know many of us have been experiencing many abrupt shifts and changes – usually when we least expect it - much like a sudden thunderstorm... I know I don’t feel alone in how I have been feeling... sometimes exhausted and sore with also many moments of immense joy and celebration to be alive at this time... "Wow!" is all I can say - it's been up and down and all around.... and, apparently, our next full moon on July 3rd is known as a "thunder moon" too... 

During our day together in ceremony, we all shared what this year's “Solstice” meant to us personally and we spent some time sharing windwalker’s journey - with also exploring what’s next for her... We also drummed and chanted together and shared a wonderful abundant potluck lunch.... Yum-a-rooni !

Letting go of the past - dreaming in the new...

We also offered prayers of letting go of the past – of that which no longer serves us through the loving help of the stone people and also offered our dreamings and intentions for our future through a flower despacho – both offerings were ‘drummed away where they needed to go via the spirit of sound” through our voices, drums and rattles and they were then offered to the dear lake at the end of our day... 

The spirit of the lake lovingly accepted our past give-aways and welcomed our humble dreamings and they floated away - a beautiful moment...

We were disappointed that we were not able to sound and play windwalker this day because of the immense humidity from the last few weeks of intense rains which meant she was quite flat - really flat... There were also sharings where folk felt that she was quite tired from her 1,000 days of drumming....and she needed to rest... so, we respected that.

Those present who had been a part of caretaking her and sounding her during this time... shared about the deep healing and teachings that windwalker gifted them and how grateful they were for that... and how windwalker was and still is a significant part of their lives...

I appreciated hearing your stories... and so did windwalker...

I also would have liked to have heard more about the initial intention of why a call was initially put forth - as to why windwalker was to be sounded for a 1,000 days ending on this Summer Solstice 2012.

My recollection, and please... I invite anyone to please add to this or correct me (in comments below) if I am inaccurate... What I remember was, that... a dreaming came through one of our ayllu members that windwalker was to be sounded for a continuous 1,000 days to assist the coming of the shift of 2012 – for ourselves, our planet and the spirits...

1,000 days was a long time (approx 2.75+ years)  to commit to sounding and caretaking our sacred ayllu drum through this process... 

I honour and applaud all of you who stepped up to the call...  As far as I know not one day was missed... "Good on you all" is all I can say... This is huge and important work that you all did.... and, congratulations!!!  This was no small undertaking...

...with much gratitude to you all!

I wish to acknowledge the time and energy spent to all who participated in these immense 1,000-days... 

On behalf of our allyu I also wish to extend so much gratitude – to all of you who lovingly and willingly invited windwalker into your homes to sound her each and every day... to those of you who hauled her in your vehicles back and forth to the many homes and our weekend events... to Joey and Rick including those who assisted them to tend to her and repair her when she needed it...

Hi-yi-yah to you all – Thank you!!!

If i can assume... that, those of you who stepped up to this call and participated, that you all may be feeling pretty tired and possibly some relief that the 1,000 days ceremony is now complete.... or...?  We welcome your continued sharings and reflections on how this process was for you so we can all learn from you and windwalker...

I myself was not able to caretake windwalker during this time – mostly because of the distance living away down on the coast... Tho’ I did have the wonderful opportunity of being in ceremony with her during our weekend gatherings and not long ago when members of our ayllu (Laurie, Pamela and Maggie) brought her down (the WW field-trip) to us here in Vancouver and Victoria during Spring Equinox – thank you dear sisters!!!  Personally, wish I could have been closer to be more of a part and assist... Although, I hope you know I held space for you all...

It was when windwalker was in Victoria that a respected medicine woman heard a dreaming from windwalker and made the suggestion that she be drilled with 3 holes to assist her with releasing much needed built-up energy she showed – she saw that she was in a gestation period of ‘being pregnant’ from the spirit of her male/female hides (moose/buffalo) - including the amount of energy she was putting out from the continuous 1,000 day soundings... that she also needed to release to continue... and then transition through to her next pacha (time) of her being in service to our ayllu...

A few of us felt that this felt right, trusting her message and a few of us did not... and........ so, there has been some discussion around this as to the why and how this decision was made to go ahead.... there was a trusting that this was a plea from windwalker.... 

There were hopes that doing this would assist her to sounding more true and others now feel that this has diminished her sound...  there is also discussion that we may perhaps did not pull her skins as well as we could have from the beginning... 

When her lacings broke (way back even before the 1,000 days) and they have broken a number of times... it seemed she didn't play or ring true as she originally did... and I wondered back then if we may need to re-lace her to pull her hides tighter again... So, I can't help but wonder if the reason why she is not playing as well and goes flat more often is more of a technical issue...

We also know that she initially came from her birth place of the wet west coast and to come to live in a very dry arid land has been also a major factor – extreme changes for her and us...... We have learned a lot!!!

We will never truly know – though many of us have chosen to ‘listen’ for windwalker’s own knowingness of what to do next regarding this – we await her choice(s) while she rests.......

Also, during our Solstice day this past weekend... we heard the telling of a beautiful story called The Legend* - sourced and written by ayllu member Katina... we learned and were reminded about our original ayllu vision and birthing of windwalker - and who she truly is... 

I thank you sooo much Katina for sharing this story, particularly at this time, as I believe you helped us all re-member why we first responded to that call - her vision... our vision... (this story is eventually to become a children’s book)...

The Seven Sisters - The Crystal Pleiades

And for me, hearing the essence of Katina’s sacred spoken words moved me and others deeply – many of us cried tears of great love for our dear windwalker and her journey to becoming a sacred big drum...

This story revealed that the dreaming and creation of windwalker significantly marked the birthing of the sacred medicine of the ‘white ray’ rainbow teachings for us all – our beautiful ayllu... she has supported the beginning sourcing and sharings of  “The (Crystal) Teachings of the White Drum Mesa” facilitated through our ayllu sisters and mentors Valorie, Mary Anne of the New York sister ayllu and Valerie from our own ayllu...

I wish to share an excerpt from Katina’s story The Legend.... if I may...

“.......All around the Sitka Spruce, her brothers and sisters were cut down making space for her destiny....... The Standing Ones called to the spirit of the wind …and the wind came blowing fierce and strong from out over the ocean....  

The Sitka Spruce spread out her branches and allowed the winds to lift her as she fell forward to kiss the earth, her heart breaking open and her spirit soaring into the crystal center of the Milky Way.  

The Standing People saw her beautiful spirit transform into a white crystal ray of light...”

Windwalker has been the sacred ‘voice’ of this crystal medicine since day one... I myself had forgotten this and I was very grateful to be so beautifully and gently reminded... I believe many of us were on this special Solstice day...

Since windwalker’s completion of the 1,000 days there has been some discussion of what’s next for her on her journey... some have wondered if she is to be dismantled and put completely to rest - that her time is "done".... others share that she is a legacy for our children’s children...

I acknowledge and honour that the 1,000 days of sacred sounding are now 'done'...  Hi-yi-yah!!! 

We have heard your voice - Amen!

All I know and deeply feel is that windwalker is a spirit that came as a loving gift from our blessed earth mother – that she represents and embodies our mother’s heart living-pulse and her sacred voice... she has much to teach us and share with us – if we will only listen...

Back in 2007, when those of us traveled to Read Island to search for her – to respond to our calling (thank you Rick... Ann...Valerie... Richard... Pamela... Joanie... Sunbreak)... 

it was the spirit of a little frog who eventually showed us the way..........

The medicine of the sacred frog teaches us about cleansing... it is the totem of water – windwalker came from the wet west coast and traveled over water and land to come home to us.... 

Frog’s voice calls forth the rains...

Emotions are associated with water... frog can help us to get in touch with our feelings... 

Frogs can cleanse the negativity from an environment. 

Sachamama...

It’s interesting to note that a small frog jumped in and near our circle this last weekend at the lake... 

The circle completes itself........?

When we first approached the windwalker** fallen tree - a grand sitka spruce... We could feel that this tree had fallen hard in the wind-storms... She had been completely uprooted and her roots were rudely exposed high in the air for all to ‘see’ - if we chose to ‘see’... she had been sawed into large long pieces - her severed pieces splayed on the ground.  

We all felt an immediate reflection of just how devastated our earth mother is feeling from the continued rape and dishonouring of her body by us, her children... We immediately sensed that she was the ‘one’ to become our ayllu sacred drum... and we also knew that we had to ask her... and after some offering of healing and connection, she replied quite quickly with a very strong "Yes!...

I will never forget how elated, excited and sooo honoured we all felt......... !

The Standing Ones - Our Elders

The sacred drum can teach us if we are open – she can clear the way for that which needs to be cleared - so healing can occur.... she connects us to our mother – she connects us as ayllu-community – she ‘entrains’ us...

She also teaches us how to have fun!

Our sacred drum reflects our healed state – very much like our mesas do... windwalker is in essence, a mesa for our beautiful ayllu and she will reflect and teach us what is presently going on for our community – as long as we continue to listen... she has and continues to teach us much...

At the beginning she revealed many cracks in her body while she was in the drying stage and not yet a complete drum – at that time we were experiencing many ‘cracks’ in our community... some folk chose to ‘split’ from our ayllu community and they moved on... 

Now, during 2012, she is showing us we are tired and spent and rightly so... We are at the half way point – at the Solstice threshold of 2012...  We have been through hell with so much change and shifting – humanity and our planet...  and the sacred sounding of 1,000 days......

There is a great prophecy from the Otomi elders in Mexico that states....

"When 8000 sacred drums sound together, an intense healing of Mother Earth will commence.”  -  500 year-old OtomiProphecy

eagle condor wing-to-wing

Many of us believe that windwalker is one of the 8,000 – we all are part of the 8,000... and by our sacred intention and soundings this healing of our dear planet has only begun – We still have so much more work to do... 

Are we up for it even though we are tired and spent?...

The ancestors/elders sent us a message through their prophecy that states...

“We are the ones we have been waiting for...” 

Both prophecies give me hope – hope that we can dream our dreamings of what we want for the healing of our blessed earth mother and ALL her children... It is up to us...

The pacos/elders recently sent us all a Solstice message that reads....

“We have just passed into a very unique period of time during Solstice on June 21st of 2012... that we will officially step across the threshold and enter fully into the Time of the New Beginning.

This period of time, which is occurring after many millions of years, as the Great Pachacuti (the turning over of time) - is a time of deep earthly, worldly, and energetic shifting.... that, as we cross the threshold into the New Beginning, we are stepping into a new frequency:  the seed that we each carry within us as a human will expand and grow and there will be a new, higher level of energy vibrating within us.”

What will we choose to 'step into' – personally... as ayllu... as a planet.... as ‘one’...?

And so, I welcome and invite us all to continue to connect with windwalker who gave her life (the grand standing elder sitka spruce) as did the two dear animal spirits (the buffalo and moose) who also gave their lives for us... 

She came into being to support us and to give us sacred voice for our ayllu - our blessed earth mother and all her children... She only asks us to mindfully listen and simply connect – even while she rests for this time being...

She asks us to not forget her.... for in essence, forgetting her is to forget and neglect our blessed earth mother, Pachamama...  I feel if we were to dismantle her would be to take the easy route out... to give in and give up... to buy-into the norm-collective of the old ways of ‘beating’ up and bashing the feminine, disrespecting and humiliating our Mother...

I humbly ask - who are we to decide?... 

What do we choose to step into?...  the new or back up into the old....?

Windwalker showed up for us for a reason – It was us - our ayllu who called for her spirit and she came to us - it was her destiny... 

She is a member of our ayllu... she came from spirit... she is a spirit  - as we are.... we all are ‘one’... Will we continue to show up for her – show up and stand up for our Mother?

We are all connected...  (((o)))

From our wonderful weekend back in 2008 when we gathered to complete windwalker - on the last day, as an ayllu, we stood up for her and honoured her with a dedication ceremony... 

We also stood up with her for a 1,000 days...

It my hope and the hope of others that we will continue to stand up with her - whatever that is to be... I am confident that windwalker will teach and show us...

To end this musing, I wish to include our ayllu’s dreamings*** that came forth that special day – it was a visioning for our then, newest ayllu member and who is now our elder and teacher, dear windwalker...

We all chose to stand together to honour her and each one of us spoke aloud our dedication of what she meant to us.... and then after, we sounded her for the first time together as ayllu and celebrated her birth with much joy and laughter...

And so... I invite you to also explore what your dreamings and visions are now?

- concentric circles in the lake... 

- the white ray.. 

- her sound... excitement.. 

- 8000 drums ceremony and the grandmother drum... 

- five whales... heart connection... out... 

- windwalker... connects with ayllu... 

- sometimes comfortable... sometimes not... 

- new life... 

- it doesn't matter anymore... 

- allow abundance and to slow down... appreciation... 

- listening... 

- being in community... windwalker will teach us... 

- we are wounded healers to share compassion and love... 

- "she" is a new member of our ayllu... healing... understanding... 

- cougar... cat... bear... west.. eagle is vision... 

- protector... windwalker is okay... 

- forgiveness... 

- to connect with a community of healing... 

- aware of sacred space... 

- circles... wider circles... to be held... 

- in the circle of rebirth... 

- vibration and rhythm... 

- shifting of our bones to a chrystaline structure... 

- to witness the dimensions in the divine feminine and masculine... 

- there are no goodbyes... 

- the tree people know this divine presence... 

- i see you!... 

- manifestation of the collective and... 

- will shift the greater collective... 

- it's okay to touch me... 

- gratitude in my heart represents love... 

- she is the center... 

- to stop being opposite sides we get to become one... 

- carry the vision out to the world... 

- now is our opportunity... 

- lake... water... tree... 

- vessel for love, healing and peace... 

- step up to the plate to be the caretakers...

Hi-yi-yah!!!

I welcome your comments and musings please...

With much love and light all ways.......

In munay, weaver x (((o)))

windwalker, our sacred ayllu community drum...

* Excerpt from "The Legend" by Katina O'Neil © 2012

** A "windwalker" is a tree that has taken root on top of an old stump/nurse tree - there have been many legends and stories told that a windwalker will walk in the wind on it's roots...

*** Above source/reference:  From the windwalker blog posted on September 9, 2008 titled, “as ‘all-you’... we vision”...

.

windwalker has awoken...

dearest ayllu...

"I hear a drum in my soul's ear
coming from the depths of the stars!"
...Jelaluddin Rumi

Good News!
...Windwalker has awakened from her deep winter sleep and calls us...

Our Ayllu Sacred Drum Project Gathering...
September (4) 5, 6, & 7, 2008
@ Sorrento Centre...

• The time has come to gather together as ayllu to fulfill the dreaming-creation of our sacred community drum, windwalker...

• We welcome those who wish to assist us in this project in all aspects... come help pull hides... to build a drum stand... to create mallets with the tree people... to sew a cloth honouring cover... or come hold space with your prayers, despacho, drumming, singing, your voice... and whatever else might need doing... we welcome everyone...

• this event can only happen with you... with ayllu... windwalker calls us to gather... as one...

• Tentative Schedule... subject to change as spirit directs... please check here with this blog site for updates to this schedule/updates...

• Two Hides will go into Shuswap Lake... for soaking early in the day on Thursday, Sept. 4th and we welcome all to come join us in an opening "letting-go" water ceremony to acknowledge and honour the "Deva of the Lake" that evening at 7:30 pm lakeside at the Morris residence... remainder of the weekend will continue at Sorrento Centre...

• Friday starting at 9 am... we begin with a stone people ceremony... and then we will spend the day in sacred space completing the drum - this process will continue on through to the next day on Saturday until we finish... We will hold a sacred fire/despacho ceremony Saturday evening while the drum's new hides continue to dry and process...

• Sunday morning air & breath ceremony... together, with one-voice, we will welcome and dedicate our new community drum by celebrating in devotional chant, song, singing and drumming together in mesa-mestay... and we will end our gathering with a feast/lunch...

• What to bring... your mesa... your prayers, talents, tools, drums, instruments, a crystal or amythyst, or lake stone to represent your-self and your prayers which will be embedded ceremonially into the inside windwalker's belly/frame.

• Facilitated by... *ayllu members... this weekend is an ayllu-spirit event... please join us in community... as one...

*Please contact weaver at... stardrum@yahoo.com if you're interested in helping facilitate any part of this event...

i.e... leader(s) for... mallet buiding... drum stand... honouring cover... crystal/stone gathering... despacho/fire ceremony... video/photographers/artists... musicians... dancers... etc... this weekend is our ayllu's dreaming...

• Information/updates... about the journey and dreaming of this sacred drum is being journalled here at... www.drum4mum.blogspot.com

• To register for this saced event... please contact Michelle Morris...
by email at... trackersoflight@yahoo.ca
...suggested sliding scale - pay what you can... $35 - $80 to cover costs of the room at Sorrento and some material expenses - we will not turn anyone away because of money... please join us...
.....................................

• Meals/Accomodation available for additional cost at Sorrento Centre...
Please contact Sorrento Centre directly (asap) to arrange your needs...
...the cut-off date for booking both with Sorrento Centre is Friday, August 29th!
• Phone: 250-675-2421 • Toll Free: 1-866-694-2409
• Email... info@sorrento-centre.bc.ca • www.sorrento-centre.bc.ca
@ Sorrento Centre

with much light and love...
and hope to see you all there... weaver (((o)))

Note... above photo was recently taken at the last Dialogues weekend in Sorrento - where windwalker joined us... and was honoured as our central altar... and held space for all of us... it was truly a beautiful experience sharing sacred space with her all weekend... photo taken by Rick Ellis (c) 2008

we go forth!

Happy Lughnasadh* today... to you all of you, dear ayllu...

just want to share a wonderful Celtic poem (below) i came across for this special day... guess i'm feeling an urge to acknowledge our dear drum who is becoming into being... from where she came... and where we are going together... and to honour the "shining one"...

*the Celtic Fire Festival of Lughnasadh (sacred seasonal quarter of the Celtic wheel - what we know of as the season of Fall) describes what is happening with the light of the world in relationship to mother earth at this special time of year... the Celts have a god named Lugh (pronounced Loo), who is an important solar deity and whose name means "shining one"... he is the warrior of light who is inextricably bound with the earth mother. The earth mother at the time of Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-nas-ah), gives the fruits of the grain harvest, which she has been able to produce with the help of the light and warmth of the sun... she is honoured at this time as the great mother, giving forth of her bounty to the world. "Nasadh", the remaining part of the word Lughnasadh, means tribal gatherings for fairs and games after the hard work of harvesting is completed...

I go forth today under the
Cloak of Covering:
triumph of treetops,
majesty of foliage,
lightness of leaves,
strength of trunk,
suppleness of bark,
power of branches,
stability of roots,
penetration of sap,
energy of growth,
May no harm befall me
under the covering of this forest cloak,
this day and this night.

- Caitlin Matthews

i look forward to our time at the end of september when our blessed mother drum brings us all together as "ayllu"...

with much light and love...
weaver (((o)))

July 29th - Drum Ceremony

A grand group gathered to honour the making of this great ayllu drum on July 29th. What a wonderful response.... I feel this drum's presence in my backyard all the time. The purpose of our gathering was to both honour the drum and ask it to provide us with guidance regarding how it is going to be birthed. I have tried to capture some of the ideas that came forward from the gathering. Here are random thoughts and ideas in no particular order;

the vibrations from the drum are being connected all over the world, it is important in joining together with other drums that are sounding for the healing of the pachamama;

the power of this drum will draw our ayllu together and has already made us more powerful;

the healing of the earth will begin by healing ourselves!
There is a bear walking around on the drum.
There are two eagles soaring and flying on the drum
There is a jaguar(perhaps the jaguar was brought to mind by my hungry, noisy feline who was stalking us throughout the ceremony

The natural qualities of the wood are so beautiful; that we can make something powerful out of a fallen tree is wonderful.

there are strong vibrations coming from the drum that are already reverberating....
A great sense of peace, particularly in the centre of the drum. A feeling of energy creating a vortex in the centre.

White buffulo calf woman - the hides will be soaked in the lake because the spirit of the lake is white buffulo calf woman - she who has been so instrumental and powerful in drawing our valley ayllu together.

Windwalker, healing, vibrations, power, collective voice, world power, world healing, beyond just each of us individually,

We honoured the drum base by blowing our breath and smudge across it and said prayers for it. We burned shavings from the interior of the base on the fire and again blew our prayers into the shavings as we placed them on the fire.

we invite all to share in the making of this drum. further ceremony at the end of September at Michelle's house.
Ann

heart felt...

dear ones...
it is so good...
you have come...
to meet...

i had been...
waiting for you...

don't forget...
where i once stood tall...
walking...
dancing...
swaying proud,
bonded...
with my sister wind...

from high...
above i lived well...
with my sisters...
and brothers...
my wise ancestors...
who...
in front...
behind...
all around...
above and below...
guide me...

father sun...
grandmother moon...
the cloud people...
the star people...
the bird people...
the crystal people...
the finned and furred...
those who creep and crawl
the stone people...
the tree people...
my kin...
inform me...

because of...
a humble call...
and cry sounds...
from our dear mother...
you hear...

i freely...
willingly...
give my self...
my fallen earth body...
because i come from...
her...
like you...

please know...
i come from living heart...
sourced deep...
breathing...
from our blessed mother...
from depth of core...
from one heart...
for many hearts...
from one...
to all...

know...
sister wind's breath...
sings with me...
through me...
and through you...
all of you...
we shall soon...
sing together with...
one heart...

thanking you,
...windwalker

--sourced through weaver (((o)))

My prayers are with you...

Hello Everyone! Carol invited me to contribute to "Our Ayllu Sacred Drum Project blog" and I am honored to do so. By way of introduction, I am a Musician, drummaker (maker of carol's qilaut Laughing Wolf) and dreamer whose hands have repeatedly demonstrated more intelligence than my head (or the other centers of wanting for that matter). Nevertheless I'm going to plunge in here and hope that my words are in some small way informed by the spirit of the drum.

This business of making a drum as ceremony brings tears to my eyes every time. Each of us who does this work stands before the great spirit in our own private way, in our own time and asks, "Will you help me? Will you join me in bringing this drum into being? And the Great Spirit invariably answers,"Who is it who is asking? Who is it who wants to know?

And with that, all sense of certainty, all sense of identity in me dissolves. And when the Great Spirit says, who is it who is listening???? I thought I knew a little while ago, but I'm not so sure now....... This is how it begins for me. "And for what purpose?" is the next question that throws me into a tailspin. "Well, Great Spirit, you know, service and healing. .....?....."

It is an ageless and endless conversation I'm afraid. And ones knowledge of the process is small coin indeed. But however imperfect and unprepared we are for this co-drummaking with spirit, we forge ahead because we must.

And rest assured, the power of the drum will be bought as much by your anxiety, self questioning, fear and uncertainty as by your courage and open heartedness. It will be a marvelous and powerful drum! I salute you all and send you my prayers and good wishes.

Mitakuye Oyasin, John Millen

excited...

Hello all

Thank you for the opportunity, weaver, to join you in manifesting your vision of a drum for the ayllu. I look forward to contributing in any way I can.

I recently was priviledged to attend a gathering in Courtney to share and experience the Grandmother Drum created in Alaska. She is beautiful. To know that she has travelled across the oceans and back carrying her message of oneness and community is just awe inspiring. The sound is indescribable - the heartbeat of creation. My mesa and drums were warmed by her rhythms as all who attended the gathering drummed out their dreams for oneness.

Love and many blessings to all

thank you weaver!!

Thank you so much for moving so quickly on this weaver. Richard and I are as excited as the Wallins at this opportunity to sound our prayers for unity and peace with this drum. We are heading for the ocean the month of July and maybe we can meet them at their place to ask the great trees about the frame - a possibility anyways. There is some urgency to this so I'm anxious not to drop the ball on this.

Much love to you all!

Valerie

coming together...

Wow, Carol, what a beautiful write up and poem. goosebumps are tingling along my body, reading it. It was both fun and exciting at our gathering watching the dynamics of everyone's ideas coming together.

Rick and I have been excited about continuing on with this project and contributing in any way we can. And yes, I agree that we are hearing the call of the earth mother - there is definitely something resonating inside me surrounding this drum.

Rick and I are thinkinig that we will make a trip to Read in July and arrange to bring back some "slices" of what I lovingly call my "mother tree" (she has so graciously hosted several babies growing out of her sides.) Our plan is to go into the forest and ask permission of the tree and let what we hear guide us in our selection and decision. Rick is also going to go up Rose Hill and see if there is anything suitable for building a frame from the denim pine that is lying on the sides of the road there.

We look for guidance from everyone regarding the progression of this project - Wouldn't it be great to have a big piece of land where we could host this drum and have fire ceremonies and gather......