The Earthkeepers

Tobacco has been abused in our culture. It is a powerful plant that drinks in the Sun. It has been used as a medicine in different forms.

When it is used in a ceremonial way, it is obvious why it has been used to make offerings and to convey the sincerity of our purpose. It is a very good energy receiver. As we hold the tobacco in our hands, it begins to take on the energy of our prayer. Our prayers combine with the energy of the sun to radiate out into the world. When we leave the tobacco, when we let it out of our hand, the energy departs and is magnified by everything around it. It is a very synergistic (sacred) act.

Tobacco is often left when something is taken such as wood or water. If game is killed or even if a beautiful moment is shared with the land around us.

Used in ceremony, the tobacco offering is made to the fire or to a container at the center of the circle. It allows everyone to become involved in the ceremony by bringing each of them in their own way and in their own turn to the center of the circle.

Nonviolent Communication

The Seven Fires Prophesy explains the history of the people in terms of the keeping of seven fires. During each of the fires the people faced different kinds of contraction and expansion. Each time the changing of the fire lead to a world which was different than the one of their ancestors. Each time some of the people would get stronger and their spirits would soar, while others found only sorrow and grief at the passing of the old and familiar. We live in the time of the seventh fire. It is a time when the history of the people will change forever. 

• It is said that a new people would come. They would be wise in many ways, but like children in the ways of the Earth. But, it is said, they would be willing and eager to learn just like the curious children of the Mystery that they represent.
• It is said that the keeping of the fire would be passed to them, because they would cherish and understand it in a way that had been lost to many of the people.
• The ways of the fire will change in their hands. It will be different, but it will be strong in a way that it has not been for many many generations.
• The fire will flare up suddenly and then will be understood. The new people will share it with all who come to them with the same respect and curiosity that they came to the fire.

And it will warm the hearts and souls of many.

-John Armbruster

 Peak Oil News: A Sign of the Times

Tonight is the full moon, and a lunar eclipse. Here in Sedona, we have rain. Very grateful for that.

 Here’s what our friend John Armbruster had to say about the February full moon:

This is the moon of great preparation. The first glimpses of productivity coming out of a time of reflection and introspection. 

In this Moon we see the light of the sun having some power. There is revival and hopefulness. Begin the spring celebration. Give thanks for the days of darkness and diminishment for this time of quiet. 

The Evening before Christmas has a strange an delightful mix of energy. Expectation mixed with stress and anxiety… the deep quiet of Christmas Eve Services and the hustle and bustle of last minute shopping.

The Poem “The Night Before Christmas” has shaped our perception of Christmas Eve and has immortalized Father Christmas into a legendary and symbolic representation of Christmas that, in many minds has supplanted the image of Christ. 

It is interesting that Christ’s birth came out of the night and was heralded by the mystical powers of the universe, took place during an oppressive time of Roman Government, and emphasized the humility of spiritual birth.

The celebration was moved to the time of the Roman Saturnalia. This was a weeklong celebration of the Winter Solstice and the Sun’s greatest distance from the Earth. The 25th of December is the point of least light. The Christ, bringer of the light, represents the return of the Sun.

For every Christian this time is a time of inner understanding and quiet contemplation of the order of life, the gift of life given by their creator to each and every living thing. In Christ, the divine became human… or was our divinity simply revealed to us…?

The National Audubon Society compiled a list of ways to improve our planet. Based on conversations with America’s top scientists, the society is encouraging individuals to make simple changes in daily routines to minimize human influence on the Earth’s environment. “If each person who reads Audubon (magazine) does just one of the resolutions, that will be 450,000 people who will have acted in some way to preserve what we have and they will be more aware of how their actions (or inactions) affect the planet,” says Audobon’s Lisa Gosselin. Below are Audobon’s top 10 recommendations. Read carefully; some of the suggestions may surprise you.

1. Say “no” to exotics. To help the plight of endangered species, don’t house exotic pets or purchase products that are made using animals at risk.

2. Go veggie. Vegetarian diets put less strain on the environment. Livestock guzzles nearly 50 percent of all water consumed in the United States and eats nearly 16 pounds of grass and grain for each pound of beef produced. Eat vegetables for personal health and the health of the environment.

3. Coffee in the shade. Buying shade-grown coffee supports the preservation of rain forests and safeguards the habitat of many species.

4. Be picky, not fishy. When choosing fish to eat, avoid over-fished species such as swordfish.

5. Be heard. Voice your opinion by supporting local and federal legislation to protect the environment and its endangered species. Every person at your town’s planning-board meetings can make a big difference.

6. Pay your dues. Some states offer the option of contributing part of your income tax to fund the protection of non-game species. Look for this option on your next form.

7. Buy the plate that pays. Some states donate revenue from special license plates to wildlife conservation programs. License plates with a conservation theme also help spread an important message.

8. Conserve energy. Buying energy-efficient appliances can significantly decrease energy use at home. If every US household was equipped with the most energy-efficient refrigerator available today, 10 power plants would quickly become obsolete.

9. Don’t be afraid of the dark. Electricity used to generate light produces a large amount of carbon dioxide, which in turn contributes to global warming. Use timers or movement sensors to minimize electricity use. Fluorescent light bulbs outlast incandescent bulbs and yield significantly lower levels of carbon dioxide.

10. Stay cool. Make sure your furnace is working at optimal efficiency and keep the temperature as low as possible. Decreasing the temperature by even a few degrees lowers carbon dioxide emissions by hundreds of pounds over the course of a year.

Bonus Tip: Be gentle on the earth; substitute synthetic animal fur for the real thing.