Moth Medicine, The Dance of Transformation

We are walking through a very important point in the transition from the 7th to the 8th Fire times and many of us are facing a time of great decision for ourselves, our families, and our community and country.

This is a time of the Moth – that fluttery, ethereal flyer whose medicine teaches us to be brave and dive down into the very deepest crevices of our hearts to find our truth. To bite the bullet and make the descent to find our truth and best vision for our lives. And to open ourselves up to going through the process of healing and learning that will help us get there.

Once we make the decision to commit to the path of our heart, we will find that our lives begin to change and we meet many different kinds of helpers along the way.

This is such an important teaching and many of our Indigenous Ancestors offered wisdom about this truth of the path of the heart – which many of us know as The Red Road.  The Omaha Elders teach:

“Ask questions from your heart and you will be answered from the heart.”

Visit the fantastic Native Proverbs page on the Legends of America website for more of this timeless wisdom.

Many people who have not yet awakened – and even some who have – are focused on the negative energy that is being hurled around the planet at the moment. Focusing on dark issues of division, exactly like the evil ones at the top want us to do.

It is true that there are many injustices being revealed at this time, and it frustrating for those of us who must sit and wait and watch while our cities are burning and our fellow citizens lives and businesses and homes are being destroyed by lawless rioters and criminals.

There is no excuse – no reason that justifies destroying and stealing the property of innocent people, that justifies getting on a bus and taking money to travel to another city to do nothing but cause harm. People who believe this is an authentic and powerful way to protest would do well to recall the work of the great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior who taught the path of love and peaceful protest in accordance with the teachings of Jesus.

As we sit and watch the many dramas unfold, many of us are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by it all. That’s why it’s so important right now to take a lot of breaks from the media and computer. Get outside, breathe fresh air and do whatever we must do to keep our hearts untroubled and our Spirits light.

For this is a spiritual war that is being fought over the control of the hearts and minds of the people. Will we the people allow our hearts to harden against others and blame one another, fall into despair and misery and depression through the victimization narrative that is being pushed from the left?

Or will we rise to the beat of the Heart drum, step out of our cocoons, and join in the dance of rebirth for the New Earth? The dance of joy and personal freedom.

Many Native communities have an ancient Butterfly Dance to teach the story of life-death-rebirth that we all experience many times during our walk here. Read about the Shoshone legend here, and the Cherokee Butterfly legend here.

When we are on a Spiritual path (and actually even when we aren’t) we dance around a spiral and return to the same issues and challenges over and over until every last bit of resistance is illuminated, addressed, healed and released.

We do the life-death-rebirth dance many times in one lifetime.

And this is good for it is the only way we can move forward. We must face those deep fears, use our time in the cocoon to dive deep into the depths of our psyche to learn the lessons of Moth (some of whom live with the Night Eagle, Owl in their nests). The lessons of this time are deep and dark and not for the faint of heart.

My guides and the Ancestors have really gotten after me lately because I have been alternatively overwhelmed or stuck. So many great ideas to sit with and figure out if they will lead me to the greatest dream for my life, The Cherokee Moon Workshop. I have carried this dream of a farm with a B&B, Farm Store carrying food, plant medicine, Native art, crafts, medicine bundles, and a little cafe. And that’s just the beginning!

The dream is a long-term one and the deepest one in my heart. I have roamed many years trying to find the right place for it, and have reached the point where I have a pretty good idea. All that remains is for me to focus, finish the business plan, figure out a step by step process to get there – oh, and find the $$ (your prayers and support are always welcome).

But, getting there means walking away from the work with the downtown Street Community I have been doing for these long years. Letting go of an old way of being and connecting, and going in a different direction.  Walking apart from some very dear people for awhile.

And it scares the C#$P out of me!

So – the Ancestors used a little tough love this morning and said to me:

“You can choose to stay in your current circumstances, surrounded by poverty in the system of poverty – or you can listen to your heart, take the leap of faith (and do the hard work) to reach your dream.” – The Ancestors

Well, that was a pretty big jaw-dropper of a statement because it really does get right to the heart of the matter, doesn’t it?

And it applies to many of us who are feeling stuck and frustrated waiting for circumstances or the people in our lives to change. The Great Spirit has never intended for his precious children to live in a place of poverty.

And the state of poverty is a different situation for each of us. We must each examine our lives and our needs to learn what we need to feel prosperous, for it is only through our prosperity and abundance that we are able to give to others.

I have personally struggled with this issue for a long time because I believed that being a Spiritual person who followed the teachings of Jesus and later began walking the Medicine path, I should be poor. But, my guides are showing me that this is an error in my thinking because it is this poverty that limits my capacity to do the work I am truly called to.

So, looking my own situation square in the face, I hit a place of fear and resistance – and that’s no surprise given what is going on out in the world and with the planets. In working through these deep pockets of fear (about money, success, my true worth), I have learned to feel blessed to have this time out, to spend more time understanding these blockages about success that are always based in our Root Chakra issues.

And slowly, through my work with my guides and the Ancestors through a lot of walking and prayer, writing, list-making, . . . the questions I needed to ask to find my way become more and more clear.

Eventually, after we have wandered around in this state for awhile and are focused on finding our way, Moth floats in and lights up the darkness, causes our hearts to flutter and tremble as she asks one simple question:

“Will you remain in your needy, dependent state, waiting for others to invite you, to help you, or will you be a Magnet for the people to come to you?” – Moth

And that, my friends, is the core issue for leaders. How worthy do we believe ourselves to be?

Whether we are going to lead our town, produce and sell the invention we’ve been thinking about for years, shoot for that big promotion, or start our own business, we must each face all the fears that are embedded in the call and explore every facet of what we’re called to do. It is through this process and taking action that we gain the strength and grit to make our dreams into reality.

It takes courage, and calming the beating of our scared hearts enough to be able to hear what our Heart – the messenger of the Grandmothers – is telling us.

We just need to be like the Moth and stay close to the light. Follow the light.

It is my honour to be your messenger.

Bird Clan Messenger 

It is my honour to receive and share these teachings from my guides and the Ancestors. These are messages received and written to the best of my understanding. If I have made mistakes, I would be grateful for your input. If these messages don’t resonate with you, that’s okay. I wish you well. And if these messages do resonate with you  – welcome to the family.

— kandace keithley, namadaki aandeg miimiiwe gekek kwe  ~ Tsa-La-Gi

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