"Wopila Mitakuye O Yasin"
Many times I've ended conversations, letters/emails, chats, messages, this blog and other things with that phrase. For those who wish to read further... This is Why.
These are some very awesome words and phrases that I was introduced to many years ago. They were taught to me through "Lakota" teachings and ceremonies. They were not necessarily introduced in that order, however, I have come to use them in this order because of what they have ultimately come to mean to my 'self'' separately, and together.
Separately each word and/or phrase stands on it's own. Wopila, simply means "Thank you"; and Mitakuye O Yasin, means "For All My Relations". As you can see, apart they hold strong, however together, they become huge!. There is infinite gratitude in this phrase. Simply because I am saying, "Thank you for ALL my relations".
"All my Relations". Think for a second about that. It doesn't simply mean your brother or sister, or father and mother. It doesn't just mean your friends and neighbors or plants and animals. It even goes further than just talking about the earth and planets, solar system and universe. It means Every Last thing your mind could possibly imagine; or not imagine. It includes the beginning to now. It includes the math that explains or theorizes all that! It goes so far back and so far forward that your brain can start to hurt which then makes you want to "Live in the Now"! I'm kidding about your brain hurting, however I hope you're starting to get the picture.
From the beginning of my teachings, even before I was introduced to the Lakota way of being, all the way to the teachings I continually learn today (almost on a daily basis), this is one of, if not the most powerful phrase to me. It holds within it, the power of the "Oneness" so many talk of. And it holds the appreciation for that oneness. Gratitude in and of itself is so powerful that we forget what it truly means.
Yes, I and many are grateful for much; however, when we think of that phrase "Thank you for ALL my Relations", it begins to help one understand how we are not alone. Even if you don't believe in anything other than the fact that you exist, you can at least begin to realize how "You" might not exist if it weren't for "all your relations". You start to realize that the word "God" IS "You & Every Last piece of Time, Space, and More!". And you begin to realize how IT IS ALL connected.
Please don't misunderstand. I understand that there are words and phrases in other languages and cultures that say the same thing. I have complete respect and reverence for that.
For myself, this was what I was taught. In and of itself, it reminds me of remaining humble. Of being grateful for every last bit of " " that I can think of. It tells me that it is not just about 'Me'. It keeps me balanced much of the time. Even just writing it, will take my thoughts to a place of gratitude; because it reminds me that without 'All my Relations', imagination might just be worthless. And your imagination fuels the journey.
From the very thing that "Just Is" to the very depths of "What has always Been", for all the teachers past, present, and future, for every human be-ing in my life or those that are about to enter into it, for every last bit of energy, imagination, belief, and the opposite, for the 2 sides of the same Coin, and for nothing less than the fact that I am GRATEFUL that I was taught this phrase and have become comfortable with describing what it means to me ,,, I say,
"Wopila, Mitakuye O Yasin"!
All works and photos by: clt/gypsy-chris (C)
Friday, April 17, 2015
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Believe to Believe
I wrote this a time ago. Thought it a good time to share.
“I believe to Believe”
I believe in a path of mellowness, peaceful bliss,
In the One that is, togetherness;
Never beat down fellow man,
For we belong to the same clan,
From the place where it all began,
The center of the energy ball;
And on it goes with ebb and flow,
Another piece of the magnificent whole,
A newer soul made from new and old,
A brand new tale starting to unfold;
Father sperm and Mother egg,
Combine their love and open the gates,
To the hall of the souls,
For one to come through,
Into this world,
As a beautiful baby boy or girl;
A child of the earth from the moment of birth,
To live and to grow and slide with the flow;
To touch and to feel the mystery of life,
To laugh and to cry and be a part of time;
To enjoy what is and what is soon to be,
To never forget…that no matter what,
The soul is born and can remain free;
The body is the temple, the castle;
My souls kingdom within spaces kingdom;
Treat it with respect and treat the ones we meet the same,
For we all have a name,
Instant fortune, instant fame,
Depending on the way we want to view it;
Some are born into a painful hour,
To a house of sorrow,
Sacrificing the great light’s power;
To show others all they have,
Not what they lack;
The fortune that surrounds,
In the mystical magical playground;
These sacrificial ones can show us not to be greedy,
For we are not needy…but lucky;
And then in turn the others may show the unfortunate,
That there is a light, Not to give up the fight,
Use their might, for we all have inner sight;
Today is as special as tomorrow can be,
As long as we see,
As long as we breathe;
As long as we remember,
That what brings us together,
Is as real as forever;
Not the forever that we know
But the one that is so;
The one that spawns new beginnings,
New realities, new life, new moments in time;
So much more to say,
But I’ll leave it this way,
That is not to say,
This is the one and only way;
This is just… for now… what I believe to believe;
I believe in a path of mellowness, peaceful bliss,
In the one that is….
Togetherness;
All works and photos by: clt/gypsy-chris (C) 4/2000
“I believe to Believe”
I believe in a path of mellowness, peaceful bliss,
In the One that is, togetherness;
Never beat down fellow man,
For we belong to the same clan,
From the place where it all began,
The center of the energy ball;
And on it goes with ebb and flow,
Another piece of the magnificent whole,
A newer soul made from new and old,
A brand new tale starting to unfold;
Father sperm and Mother egg,
Combine their love and open the gates,
To the hall of the souls,
For one to come through,
Into this world,
As a beautiful baby boy or girl;
A child of the earth from the moment of birth,
To live and to grow and slide with the flow;
To touch and to feel the mystery of life,
To laugh and to cry and be a part of time;
To enjoy what is and what is soon to be,
To never forget…that no matter what,
The soul is born and can remain free;
The body is the temple, the castle;
My souls kingdom within spaces kingdom;
Treat it with respect and treat the ones we meet the same,
For we all have a name,
Instant fortune, instant fame,
Depending on the way we want to view it;
Some are born into a painful hour,
To a house of sorrow,
Sacrificing the great light’s power;
To show others all they have,
Not what they lack;
The fortune that surrounds,
In the mystical magical playground;
These sacrificial ones can show us not to be greedy,
For we are not needy…but lucky;
And then in turn the others may show the unfortunate,
That there is a light, Not to give up the fight,
Use their might, for we all have inner sight;
Today is as special as tomorrow can be,
As long as we see,
As long as we breathe;
As long as we remember,
That what brings us together,
Is as real as forever;
Not the forever that we know
But the one that is so;
The one that spawns new beginnings,
New realities, new life, new moments in time;
So much more to say,
But I’ll leave it this way,
That is not to say,
This is the one and only way;
This is just… for now… what I believe to believe;
I believe in a path of mellowness, peaceful bliss,
In the one that is….
Togetherness;
All works and photos by: clt/gypsy-chris (C) 4/2000
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
"A Statement of Logic"
This is not a political nor a religious statement. It is rather simply,,, a statement of logic.
It has never been about guns, money, religion, race, or most of what the world as a whole has bought into; or rather created through various channels and ways. It has always been about dividing each other from each other and our 'selves'. Letting us choose our own little boxes we want to live in. Make no mistake though, WE CHOOSE. And continue to choose.
Peace will never come through fighting, wars, and such things; although it may seem so. True peace will only come from peace. Peace within, Peace of the Mind and Peace in the Heart individually, will create Peace in Whole. And both Peace in the Mind and Heart are already there... If we choose it.
There is one problem though,,, it is hard to imagine this, and therefore it becomes hard to believe. Much of the time we're too busy pointing fingers and laying blame, whilst continually being programmed or programming our selves to do so. The greats of existence knew this.
There will always be pain, suffering, fighting, and so on; because there are some who believe in this. And, it is the other side of the same coin. But maybe the biggest question to ask our self though now-a-days, is not, "what causes this?", but rather... "Do I wish to be of this mentality/ paradigm/energy, etc... (or whatever you want to call it, anymore?".
And there is no wrong answer, there is only "One's own answer".
Maybe an even bigger question is... "Will I let these self created/inflicted reasons divide me from a Real but mostly forgotten Truth? (And this quote comes from a great band called 'The Luminaries') Peace World Wide Starts From Inside".
It will only matter what media, history, and fear dictate if we let it.
I guess the big paradoxical question here though is,,, "Do I have to fight for a peaceful harmonious world... Or can I Believe it into existence?".
It is our choice as an Individual to become a Peaceful World.
All works and photos by: clt/gypsy-chris (C) 12/4/2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Vision leads to Searching leads to Vision; A New Paradigm
Wow!! Where does one start? I guess I'll start first off by saying this... "To all my friends and family who know me well, and/or those I have had interesting conversations and experiences with, Thank you! From every part of my heart and soul! I have had, and continue to have, both young and old, human, animal, natural, electrical, unseen, and unforgettable Amazing Teachers. You are a big part of 'All my Relations', and I appreciate 'Who You Are'.
To the rest of my relations whom I may not have yet really met; I am a simple person who lives in the desert half the time about 70 miles away from the nearest town. I live off the grid except for this internet connection, and the nearest place is about 20 miles away.
There is always much more to someones story, however I'll keep the intro short and sweet. Suffice it to say... "Itzzz Great!".
Now,... Onward with the story...
I have finally allowed myself to slow down, grab a cup of coffee and sit with the silence here at my home base. It is a beautiful place with much history and much energy. I get to sit on my porch in the morning and watch the sunrise and sip my coffee whilst watching life awaken to the new day. At the end of the day, if I am here, I can watch and feel the sun set as the colors on the surrounding mountains change and slowly become a silhouetted darkness, or a blue and grayish color during a bright moon. My nearest real neighbor (who is fantastic) is probably a good 20 or so acres away, and as I write this I have to admit, these surroundings do help one to be with that silence. I almost forget what it is like when I am not here, and have to practice being with that silence even when I am surrounded by constant noise. I have been on the road for quite a while now, and just returned home. I don't have it down to a science yet, however I have discovered my own tools and helpers. Quick shout out of Appreciation to All of them.
You see, most know me as a guide. That's my job, or better yet, what I do. I spend much of my time in other places, taking others through areas, courses, or more precisely... Guiding them through experiences. Whether it's outdoors etc..., that's my persona. My nickname is gypsy, and I spend a lot of time living like one. Like most of us though, that's not the complete story. In fact, it is but a smidgen in the biggah picture. Here's where it gets interesting though if you wish to keep on readin'. Not about me so much as it is about "A Bigger Picture". ;-)
You see,,, We are not our jobs, we are not our skills, we are not our paths, or our age, status in life, wardrobe, race, color, creed, hairstyle, love life, home life, or even our name. Those are identifiers or labels. We are in truth, limitless consciousness hangin' out in skin and bones for a while, called Human Beings, making choices. And let's pause for a bit and reflect on some words "Human and Being". Many secrets and answers do lie within the language. Truly we are "Hu-man Be-ing". And don't get riled anyone, Hu-man is genderless; or more specifically, all encompassing. Look it up an check it out. Anyway, we are THAT, while we learn to get around in what we have been taught forever and a day, is a 'limited life with rule upon rule upon rule placed on us'.
Now I won't get into rules and laws and the like. Everything has it's role to play, including us, and nothing is without outcome or results. Some may be labeled bad, and some may be labeled good. Let's just say, there is goodness that comes from order, and there is goodness that comes from chaos. Complete destruction leads to beginning, and beginning will lead to complete destruction (or ending). Doesn't matter what your belief system, it's kind of a "Universal Law". What is in the middle of that beginning and destruction (or end), is what we make rules and laws for; And probably so we can be on somewhat of the same page. Lest we run around with no real cohesiveness never allowing the beginning to be more than the end. In short, we sum all this up as saying, "Change is inevitable, and it helps to be together on it in order to have a middle.". In fact, in all honesty, we could simply refer to the whole enchilada as "Constant Change". One of the biggest paradoxes ever brought fourth when you think about it. "The one thing that is constant,,, is change.". If ya get what I'm layin' down.
The "Being together on it" is the tricky part though as we know. And what I wish to concentrate more on. There is energy that likes to keep us all continually separated. It is easier to control the masses through separation, as many of you have heard in the past. Keeping people in fear is also another good controller. But more importantly and deeper to the truth is something called "Ego".
You see, we all have one, and it does have to be involved; however it continually gets lost in the game and personal gain.
Small Note here: Some things will evolve us, and some will not. (quote from "What the Bleep Do We Know") We might have to compromise to find what the true evolution is. Our egos can help us get there, or they can move us further and further away. It will always be our choice.
Whether it's gain for an individual, or a family, gain for a corporation, or even gain for a country, the ego has to have a part in it; and "The ego" has an opinion, and the opinion can be quite strong. If power is added behind that, then there is much that can be accomplished. However, as the old saying goes, "Our biggest assets, are also, Our biggest liabilities.". I mean hell, arguments and wars are constantly started from it. However, without our ego, we could not interface with one another and learn in this existence; or at the very least there would be a loss of imagination and opinion, and probably not much growth.
But buyer beware, the ego is not here to lead us, it is here to be one of the tools that help us. And it can quickly turn on us and help cause much pain and sorrow for us, and others. Mind you, we do not control it, we just manage it. That is where words with the meanings we've given them like,,, kindness, compassion, love, generosity, appreciation, thankfulness, helping, courage, strength, integrity, forgiveness, humbleness, and oneness, etc... can come into play. WE agree upon there meaning (I hope), and they are more tools to help manage our egos; or where big institutions are concerned, maybe we can call it "Big Ego Power".
When all is said and done, it could be simply stated, "I have to have an ego to write about it, however, I will hopefully manage it with those words and others, and through my true intention, which is to inform and gravitate more towards a newer paradigm (already in existence) that includes awareness of ego, and it's power.
The ego's power to hurt, and it's power to help.". Two sides of the same coin.
It can often times, only help when some of those other words such as, humbleness, kindness, love, integrity, thankfulness, and appreciation are in play.
For instance, I am aware of, and very grateful to all the people, places, and experiences that have helped me get to where I am. I am thankful for it all, including that which has continually shown me humility. I will continue to use things such as integrity and commitment to continue following the path I have been led down and have chosen through free will.
I think you get the picture.
Truth be told... without those that I mentioned in the first paragraph, I wouldn't be writing this. It is one of many reasons why I thank you. Ya'll have shown me another part of the path that I can no longer ignore. God Help Us All!! LOL
If we could all just realize that we all have a gift or gifts; Every Last One of Us! And we could all just allow others to bring these gifts to the table; then We would honestly see why "We ARE Limitless Beings". It is our birthright and our challenge to truly understand what that means. We are born sovereign, and together, We are capable of moving mountains and so much more. "Coming together" and "Realizing our Oneness" is "Inevitable" at some point (Dead or Alive)! We could choose to see it during our "Alive stage on Earth". However, it will truly be When we as "Individuals", Finally Choose to see it "As a Whole". Or more simply put "A New Paradigm"!
For now, keeping it simple by becoming more aware of our 'selves (and our ego)' and continuing to help each other in our own tiny little circles may be a good step as we move into the new paradigm. The veil was lifted December blah Twenty-blah. That was the apocalypse many talked about (quote from The Luminaries).
So some of us can think of it this way... "The shift has occurred. What role do we wish to play? And how much are we ready to believe into existence?". As the Hopi and others have stated lifetimes ago... "We R the One(s) We've been Waiting for.".
More to come I hope. Till then...
Peace, Good Vibes, Love an All that Jazz R w/ U,
Wopila Mitakuye O Yasin (Thank you For ALL my Relations)
gyps
All works and photos by: clt/gypsy-chris (C) 11/2015
To the rest of my relations whom I may not have yet really met; I am a simple person who lives in the desert half the time about 70 miles away from the nearest town. I live off the grid except for this internet connection, and the nearest place is about 20 miles away.
There is always much more to someones story, however I'll keep the intro short and sweet. Suffice it to say... "Itzzz Great!".
Now,... Onward with the story...
I have finally allowed myself to slow down, grab a cup of coffee and sit with the silence here at my home base. It is a beautiful place with much history and much energy. I get to sit on my porch in the morning and watch the sunrise and sip my coffee whilst watching life awaken to the new day. At the end of the day, if I am here, I can watch and feel the sun set as the colors on the surrounding mountains change and slowly become a silhouetted darkness, or a blue and grayish color during a bright moon. My nearest real neighbor (who is fantastic) is probably a good 20 or so acres away, and as I write this I have to admit, these surroundings do help one to be with that silence. I almost forget what it is like when I am not here, and have to practice being with that silence even when I am surrounded by constant noise. I have been on the road for quite a while now, and just returned home. I don't have it down to a science yet, however I have discovered my own tools and helpers. Quick shout out of Appreciation to All of them.
You see, most know me as a guide. That's my job, or better yet, what I do. I spend much of my time in other places, taking others through areas, courses, or more precisely... Guiding them through experiences. Whether it's outdoors etc..., that's my persona. My nickname is gypsy, and I spend a lot of time living like one. Like most of us though, that's not the complete story. In fact, it is but a smidgen in the biggah picture. Here's where it gets interesting though if you wish to keep on readin'. Not about me so much as it is about "A Bigger Picture". ;-)
You see,,, We are not our jobs, we are not our skills, we are not our paths, or our age, status in life, wardrobe, race, color, creed, hairstyle, love life, home life, or even our name. Those are identifiers or labels. We are in truth, limitless consciousness hangin' out in skin and bones for a while, called Human Beings, making choices. And let's pause for a bit and reflect on some words "Human and Being". Many secrets and answers do lie within the language. Truly we are "Hu-man Be-ing". And don't get riled anyone, Hu-man is genderless; or more specifically, all encompassing. Look it up an check it out. Anyway, we are THAT, while we learn to get around in what we have been taught forever and a day, is a 'limited life with rule upon rule upon rule placed on us'.
Now I won't get into rules and laws and the like. Everything has it's role to play, including us, and nothing is without outcome or results. Some may be labeled bad, and some may be labeled good. Let's just say, there is goodness that comes from order, and there is goodness that comes from chaos. Complete destruction leads to beginning, and beginning will lead to complete destruction (or ending). Doesn't matter what your belief system, it's kind of a "Universal Law". What is in the middle of that beginning and destruction (or end), is what we make rules and laws for; And probably so we can be on somewhat of the same page. Lest we run around with no real cohesiveness never allowing the beginning to be more than the end. In short, we sum all this up as saying, "Change is inevitable, and it helps to be together on it in order to have a middle.". In fact, in all honesty, we could simply refer to the whole enchilada as "Constant Change". One of the biggest paradoxes ever brought fourth when you think about it. "The one thing that is constant,,, is change.". If ya get what I'm layin' down.
The "Being together on it" is the tricky part though as we know. And what I wish to concentrate more on. There is energy that likes to keep us all continually separated. It is easier to control the masses through separation, as many of you have heard in the past. Keeping people in fear is also another good controller. But more importantly and deeper to the truth is something called "Ego".
You see, we all have one, and it does have to be involved; however it continually gets lost in the game and personal gain.
Whether it's gain for an individual, or a family, gain for a corporation, or even gain for a country, the ego has to have a part in it; and "The ego" has an opinion, and the opinion can be quite strong. If power is added behind that, then there is much that can be accomplished. However, as the old saying goes, "Our biggest assets, are also, Our biggest liabilities.". I mean hell, arguments and wars are constantly started from it. However, without our ego, we could not interface with one another and learn in this existence; or at the very least there would be a loss of imagination and opinion, and probably not much growth.
But buyer beware, the ego is not here to lead us, it is here to be one of the tools that help us. And it can quickly turn on us and help cause much pain and sorrow for us, and others. Mind you, we do not control it, we just manage it. That is where words with the meanings we've given them like,,, kindness, compassion, love, generosity, appreciation, thankfulness, helping, courage, strength, integrity, forgiveness, humbleness, and oneness, etc... can come into play. WE agree upon there meaning (I hope), and they are more tools to help manage our egos; or where big institutions are concerned, maybe we can call it "Big Ego Power".
When all is said and done, it could be simply stated, "I have to have an ego to write about it, however, I will hopefully manage it with those words and others, and through my true intention, which is to inform and gravitate more towards a newer paradigm (already in existence) that includes awareness of ego, and it's power.
The ego's power to hurt, and it's power to help.". Two sides of the same coin.
It can often times, only help when some of those other words such as, humbleness, kindness, love, integrity, thankfulness, and appreciation are in play.
For instance, I am aware of, and very grateful to all the people, places, and experiences that have helped me get to where I am. I am thankful for it all, including that which has continually shown me humility. I will continue to use things such as integrity and commitment to continue following the path I have been led down and have chosen through free will.
I think you get the picture.
Truth be told... without those that I mentioned in the first paragraph, I wouldn't be writing this. It is one of many reasons why I thank you. Ya'll have shown me another part of the path that I can no longer ignore. God Help Us All!! LOL
If we could all just realize that we all have a gift or gifts; Every Last One of Us! And we could all just allow others to bring these gifts to the table; then We would honestly see why "We ARE Limitless Beings". It is our birthright and our challenge to truly understand what that means. We are born sovereign, and together, We are capable of moving mountains and so much more. "Coming together" and "Realizing our Oneness" is "Inevitable" at some point (Dead or Alive)! We could choose to see it during our "Alive stage on Earth". However, it will truly be When we as "Individuals", Finally Choose to see it "As a Whole". Or more simply put "A New Paradigm"!
For now, keeping it simple by becoming more aware of our 'selves (and our ego)' and continuing to help each other in our own tiny little circles may be a good step as we move into the new paradigm. The veil was lifted December blah Twenty-blah. That was the apocalypse many talked about (quote from The Luminaries).
So some of us can think of it this way... "The shift has occurred. What role do we wish to play? And how much are we ready to believe into existence?". As the Hopi and others have stated lifetimes ago... "We R the One(s) We've been Waiting for.".
More to come I hope. Till then...
Peace, Good Vibes, Love an All that Jazz R w/ U,
Wopila Mitakuye O Yasin (Thank you For ALL my Relations)
gyps
All works and photos by: clt/gypsy-chris (C) 11/2015
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