THE 13 CLANMOTHERS - THE CLARITY OF GREY

The Clarity of Grey

When 2015 arrived it seemed world events would ease a bit. But the geopolitical  predictions for the year pointed to more turmoil with extremists and terrorists of various persuasions running roughshod over others. How can this be? All over the world there are groups praying for peace, for a change in human hearts, or for a better way of life. Yet, their sparks of light get lost in all the dark and dreary events in the news. What can we do?

Reflecting on it one morning in meditation I heard a voice say, Summon the Clanmothers.  It seemed like the answer! Especially because this month is the Equinox - the seasonal point when the earth is covered with equal hours of sunlight and darkness. It's a cosmic point of balance for the earth, where extremes are harmonized. At the midpoint everything that is black or white becomes a neutral gray. In that moment The Clarity of Gray appears. It simply blends and neutralizes both extremes of black and white.

So, if the ancients considered the Equinoxes holy and sacred why not us? The word went out and the Clanmothers were summoned. One was a peacemaker. Three led  spiritual centers. One worked with the oceans and her inhabitants. A few taught "earth ways" in their practices while others led meditations. All of them responded to the call, knowing that on this day, in this season of balance, the sound of their prayers would fill the ether, and the discerning would hear it. They knew in this brief moment of balance, the extremes of black and white would neutralize for a few days, and they would influence the outcome.

The 13 Clanmothers represent aspects of the Divine Feminine - aspects ignored for 3000 years. The Divine Feminine kept the wisdom ways, told the stories, acted as a healer, counseled the afflicted, weaved and spun, prevented war and honored the visions. Each of the 13 Clanmothers was a matriarchal elder in ancient tribes. Each matriarch held the truths of the aspects. They performed the rituals and ceremonies, presiding over births and funerals. They were keepers of the names, dispensing them at birth and returning the name at death.

The Clanmother was not just the wisdom keeper but also the dispenser of justice. She would remove a Chief who did not follow the guidance of matriarch. She negotiated and harmonized all tribal disputes. Wars could not begin unless the Clanmother approved. She rose above the petty arguments and extreme positions, using her skills as peacemaker and mother to keep everything in balance. She was the epitome of The Clarity of Grey.

Each Clanmother is aligned with one of the 13 moons of the lunar. It's more natural because it acknowledges the feminine and lunar cycles. It logically assigns thirteen months of 28 days to the lunar calendar. This totals 364 days of the solar year. The extra day was one of celebration, honoring the year past and welcoming in a new year.

On the Equinox, the Clanmother acts as harmonizer for the earth and peacemaker for the people of extreme positions. She will take all extremes of black and white and blend them into the clarity of grey. She will insist that weapons of war and the voices of hate be sheathed as she summons peace upon the land. She sees far and weaves a web that raises humankind. For her duty is to hold a vision of hope, ease, and grace. But most of all she sees to the children who will live the vision of the 13th moon.

Jo Mooy - March 2015  

MT Shasta On It's Own Terms

Mt Shasta On It's Own Terms   

Stories abound that 14,000 foot Mt. Shasta in California is "the" place to visit if

Mt Shasta

you're on a spiritual quest. Many consider it akin to a sacred pilgrimage to go to the mountain because on the mountain one is sure to experience UFO's, Ascended Masters, Lemurians or Atlanteans, the White Brotherhood, Elders, Crystal Cities, Vortexes and every New Age idea you can imagine. And so, we did our own research about Mt Shasta, called "spiritual leaders" and tour guides living there, then investigated everything we were told. 

Some of what we were told felt prickly; a few were clearly selling tours; and some we talked to were downright incorrect. One person gave us useful information about dry conditions and fire hazards and said, "Go to the Visitor's Center before doing anything else."  That was worthwhile!

Panther Meadows Springs

For decades we've read all the stories about sightings and vortex energy spots and "beings" appearing here and there on the mountain. Those things are still very important to many who visit the area as they clearly want to see or feel that which they've read about. But we left all that behind as it was no longer relevant to what we wanted to experience. We decided to visit the mountain without guides or any preconceived ideas and allow Mt Shasta to speak to us On Its Own Terms. This is that story.

The town is about 7 miles to the trail-head of the mountain which dominates the skyline. The town is very small with not much to show for such a major destination. We used the Best Western as a base for the surrounding area because of its location and convenient restaurant. Especially as most restaurants in town were closed by the time we came down the mountain. 

With the map provided by the  Visitor's Center and a small guide-book created by local shops as a form of advertising we set off on our own expedition.  After passing

Grandmother Ponderosa

a few campsites we walked well-marked trails leading up the mountain. Its year-round snow covered face looms over all approaches like a watchful guardian. 

The climb is demanding but spectacular. At 7,500' the trail opened to an extraordinary meadow filled with brilliantly colored flowers. The border of the meadow was surrounded by tall firs and pines. It was like stepping into an Impressionistic painting and becoming part of the scenery. With no one else around we reverently breathed the serene pure feelings of Panther Meadows in homage to the mountain. Then we heard the sound of running water and soon discovered it was a spring bubbling above and below the meadow. The Native American Wintu tribe believe humans first bubbled into creation at this spring. It was easy to agree with that because the meadow made us feel we'd stumbled upon the water kingdom in the Garden of Eden.

Everything on the mountain felt immense, historical, grand in scope, and waiting to tell a story. As we continued to climb the mountain we entered groves of towering 180' Ponderosa Pines. They grew in circles with the long dead great-grandmother tree stumps standing witness to the newer growth of daughter and grand-daughter trees. Respecting the burnt out shells of the ancient trees, we placed stones found at their base into a circle and entered a meditative communion with the trees. The sweet smells of the trees carried on the winds of the air kingdom as we gently chanted to the glory of what they had been and what they'd left as a legacy.   

Spring Source

We continued to climb above the tree line, meeting only one or two people on the trail. Eventually we entered the domain of the lava fields of volcanic stone deposited over centuries of eruptions. Here the mineral kingdom was displayed in its most base condition. Fire and explosions had formed the mountain with the deposits of rocky stones leaving a visible imprint of the power of earth, creation, and destruction. The now cold stones left a crunching wide path across the face of the mountain begging for visitors to reflect on what the fire kingdom had created there above the tree line. We did.

This visit to Mt Shasta was a reverent tribute. So, what did it share  with us during those days on the mountain? As if aware that someone was really listening, it conveyed its 593,000 year old life story. Observant of what it was showing, we

Lava Fields

experienced its extremes in temperatures - warm below and cold above. We felt the heat retained in the enormous boulders we leaned on even as the air cooled us. We drank ice-cold water from its pure springs while butterflies danced around us. While walking its many trails it shared its violent volcanic past while regaling us with its present peaceful beauty. In its groves and meadows and lava fields it told us stories of death and resurrection and death again. It reminded us of the ever changing cycles of nature and that nothing is permanent. And it suggested that in this natural cathedral, all the history of the earth could be found, including the arrival of humans from its watery depths.

We met the mountain on its own terms and were well served in what she revealed: The majesty of life, death, rebirth and continuity!

      

Jo Mooy - May 2014