Heal the Man in order to Heal the Land

NERTM NEW EARTH RESILIENCY TRAINING MODULE

VOLUME TWO · FIRST EDITION · 2019

WELCOME TO YOUR WORKBOOK

Name or nickname

Your # of time you have traveled around the sun

Clan, tribe or house

Time of Birth

Place of Birth

1

Into the mountain inside myself In my interior justice In my capacity to receive abundance In my ability to accept beauty within I receive the opulence of the Great Spirit.

-Eros Romero

Have you ever prepared to climb the mountain that lives inside you? Where to begin with the first step, what to bring with you? You can use this book as your guide for an inside kind of journey. Start your trip with page 1 by giving yourself a new name for the journey, or start on the last page by imagining a new mission, or even on page 61 by creating your own oracle cards to draw your own map to follow inwards. No matter where you begin, this book will help you find a path to climb that is just right for your own footsteps, whether it’s your first voyage or your thousandth time mountaineering up the inside-space.

In order to write this book, Tattfoo Tan walked barefoot through the lands of his own unconsciousness, accompanied by deer-guides and spirit lights, he searched through the ancient texts from many places and times in order to find a path with many doorways. On every page of this book, you will find this path, with all its passageways that ask you to look inwards and find the teacher within.

On page 8, the artist describes one of his first trips up the mountain, in which he travels through many valleys and summits without ever leaving his studio. His adventures took him to swim through the sweetest river, to dance under the most majestic thunderstorm and fly into the deepest nadir -all inside the most sacred of spaceships.

Along the way, the artist noted everything he learned, recording every new piece of information and every new experience with drawings and charts, questions and cards. Through learning from ancient and modern teachings, Tattfoo created a taxonomy of the cosmos, a cartographic typology of knowledge about the earth and it's sacred truths. Everything we know, everything we are, everything we dream, comes from the Earth. During our journeys inward, sometimes earth spirits text us with special symbols to light the way; elders from other times come calling through images, asking us to examine every root of our internal justice, to open every chamber of our hearts to the magic of the universe.

This book is for youthful students of any age. When I was ten I started climbing my own mountain, charting the way with drawings and collections of pebbles. I continue climbing to this day, some thirty orbits around the sun later, now with my own projects and students in art spaces that I run. The exercises in this book have brought me much joy when embarking upon new travels and remembering old ones; always with new secrets and new moons full of mystery.

As you create new experiences that blossom from each page, if you hear words inside (or outside) of doubt or criticism, I invite you to think about something shared with me from the spiritual guide Eros Romero. When we get frustrated or confused by the world, we can go inside and say these words:

With great love and playfulness, I hope you will enjoy every second of the games and exercises on the following pages. Journey inside to find mysteries, doorways, windows and mirrors; fill these inside-spaces with love, hope, dance, and art.

Sara Angel Guerrero Queens, New York, 2019. c/s {con/safos}

3

MOMENT OF PAUSE AND REFLECTION Throughout this book, you’ll encounter some empty pages with three emoji symbols. These can serve as a moment of reflection on what you have learned and can help exercise your intuition. Try to write down the answers to any questions you seek. What is the message behind the symbols, perhaps from the adiguru or "first guru"?

The young Dattatreya also known as the adiguru, is famous in the Hindu texts as the one who started with nothing and without teachers, yet reached self-awareness by observing nature during sannyasi (renunciants) wanderings. These natural observations became his twenty four teachers from nature. The legend is emblematic in the Hindu beliefs, particularly among artists and yogis. It teaches that ideas, teachings and practices come from all sources. Self effort is a means to learning. The 24 teachers of Dattatreya are listed below.

Earth Steadfastly productive, the earth does it’s dharma, gets abused, heals and gives nourishment.

To be like the earth, remain undisturbed even if oppressed, keep healing even if others injure you. Exercise forbearance.

Wind Wind passes through everything and everyone, unchanged, unattached, like Truth. Sometimes it becomes a gale; disturbs and changes the world, like Truth.

Be free like the wind, yet be resolutely true to your own force.

Sky The highest; has no boundaries, no limits, unaffected even if clouds and thunderstorms come and go.

The highest within oneself, the "atman" (self, soul) has no limits.

It is undifferentiated and non-dual. Let the clouds of materiality pass; be one with your soul and one with the Universal Self.

Water Water serves all without pride, without discrimination. It is transparent to all; it purifies and gives life to everyone it touches A saint discriminates against no one and is never arrogant. Others may share impurity, but the saint always remains pure and cleanses all.

Fire Everything that comes in contact with fire is purified and reformed.

Fire energy shapes things.

Everything that comes in contact with the heat of knowledge is reformed.

To shape oneself, one needs the energy of learning.

Moon The moon waxes and wanes but its oneness doesn’t change.

Birth, death, rebirth, and the cycle of existence does not change the oneness of soul. Like the moon, the cycle of existence is a continuous eternal reality.

Sun The first fire on earth, the sun is source of light. The sun gives its gift to all creatures with a sense of duty. In rain puddles, the sun reflects and seems so distinct in each puddle, yet it is the same one sun.

The soul may appear different in different bodies, yet everyone is connected and the soul is the same in all of us. Like the Sun, we must share our gifts as a sense of duty.

Pigeons Pigeons suffer great losses in the hands of violent hunters, warning us against obsessive attachments to anyone or to any material thing in this world.

Don’t be obsessive, don’t focus on transient things such as damage or personal loss. Human life is a rare privilege; discover one’s soul and free ourselves (attain moksha).

Python A python eats whatever comes its way, making the most of what it consumes.

Be content with what you have, make the most of life’s gifts.

Bee Bees are active beings. They work hard to build and create a reserve through directly visiting flowers. Bees are selective and use discretion, in harmonious with flowers; never killing or over-consuming.

Be active, go directly to the sources of knowledge. Seek wisdom in all places but choose the nectar selectively. Be gentle, live harmoniously and leave others or other ideologies alone when you must.

Beekeeper The beekeper profits from honeybees.

Don’t crave material pleasures; don’t try to pile up treasures. Neither the body nor material wealth lasts forever.

Hawk Hawks try to grab large chunks of food, but other birds harass the hawk when they notice the large catch. When the hawk drops the food, the harassment stops.

Take what you need, not more.

Ocean The ocean is lucid at the surface, deep and undisturbed within. Many rivers run into the sea, yet it remains the same, constant and unchanging.

Let rivers of sensory input not bother who you are deep inside. Know your depths, seek self-knowledge, be unperturbed by life, achieve equipoise.

Moth A moth is deceived by its senses, it flies into the fire in misunderstanding and dies.

Seek reason by questioning your senses, question what others are telling you, question what you see, and know senses can deceive.

Elephant An elephant is fooled by lust. It runs after the smell of a possible mate, and falls into a trap set for it by elephant hunters and trainers.

Don’t lust after something or someone, don’t fall into traps of others nor into traps of sensory gratification.

Deer Deer are tricked by fear, by hunters who beat drums to scare them into hidden nets.

Fear not the noise, do not succumb to pressures others design for you.

Fish Fish are enticed by bait and so lured to death.

Crave not the crumbs someone places before you, there are plenty of healthy opportunities everywhere.

Courtesan A courtesan exchanges transient pleasure with the body, but seeks a pleasure beyond the transactional.

Many sell their time, self-respect and principles for various reasons but feel dejected with what is received in exchange (often a career and life circumstances). Seek meaning and spirituality in life, move on to do the things you love to do.

Child A child lives a life of innocent bliss.

Be a child; curious, innocent, blissful Young worker The young worker is poor yet tries best to feed family and guests. While cooking, the young worker tries to avoid attracting attention to the kitchen and poverty by breaking all her bangles except one on each wrist.

Don’t seek attention, a yogi accomplishes and shares more through solitude.

Snake A snake lives in whatever hole comes its way, it willingly leaves bad skin and molts.

A yogi can live in any place, always ready to molt old ideas and body for rebirth of the spirit.

Arrowsmith The best arroswsmith gets lost in work; fails to notice the king’s procession passing by.

Concentrate on what you love to do, intense concentration is the way to self-realization.

Spider A spider builds a beautiful web, destroys and abandons the web, then restarts again.

Don’t get entangled by your own web, be ready to abandon it and go towards your higher self.

Caterpillar A caterpillar starts out enclosed in a tiny nest but ultimately becomes a butterfly.

Long journeys start small, a disciple starts out as insignificant but ultimately becomes a spiritual master.

MĂ–BIUS STRIP This book is written like a MĂśbius strip. When you look at the table of contends, you see you can start just about anywhere . . . and finish just about anywhere, too! As in a Mobius strip, the concept of beginning and ending is illusive. You may want to start with playing with "The Case of the Five Elements", and then go back to write your answers to the questions in "The Case of Mistaken Identity". At the end, and after you have covered all chapters, you may see all ideas and concepts are one. The important thing is to enjoy your interactions with the ideas in this book.

MAGIC SQUARE

ORIGAMI PAPER GAME

BIBLIOMANCY

Galileo Galilei "Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe." Thus, math is a universal language."

Make your own unique magic square to guide your exploration of this book. The symbols and organization to form equations are the same in every country of the world. So, have fun with the digits!

See the next page for instructions on how to make this childhood game. Add color and numbers. Move the paper with your fingers until you settle on a number. Use the orange numbers on page 3 to find a topic that corresponds with your number, and complete the ritual activity on that page.

1. Use a dictionary.

2. Open to a random page.

3. Close your eyes and randomly point to a word.

4. How many letters in your chosen word?

5. What is the page number?

6. If the number is 2 or 3 digits, you can add the digits together as many times as needed until they make one number.

Continue until you have 2 numbers, 1 for the word and 1 for the page.

7. Now you have two unique numbers 8. Turn the page to find the orange numbers and corresponding topics. Use this as a way to decide where to go next in this book.

Origami paper game

This game is also called a cootie catcher, chatterbox, salt cellar, whirlybird, or paku-paku

USE THE ORANGE NUMBERS ON PAGE 7 TO GUIDE YOU IN THIS EXERCISE.

Magic Square

The Lo Shu Square is part of the legacy of ancient Chinese mathematical and divinatory practices from the I Ching traditions, and an important emblem in Feng Shui. The pattern was found on the shell of a magical turtle.

Your own magic square Design your own magic square and use the numbers below to guide you in exploring this book.

The Sator Square (or Rotas Square) is a word square containing a five-word Latin palindrome: SATOR (from serere = to sow) Sower, planter; founder, progenitor (usually divine); originator

The gray colored numbers are fixed. You only need to calculate the number in boxes A, B, C and D. (A) Think of a number between 22-99 and subtract 20

from that number. Write the number in box A. (B) Add 1 to number A, and write it in box B. (C) Add 1 more to number B, and write it in box C. (D) Subtract 1 from number A, and write it in box D.

AREPO unknown, likely a proper name, either invented or perhaps of Egyptian origin TENET (from tenere = to hold) holds, keeps; comprehends; possesses; masters; preserves OPERA (noun) work, care; aid, service, effort/trouble; (from opus): works, deeds.

ROTAS (accusative plural of rota) wheels

Dßrer’s Magic Square in his engraving Melencolia I (1514) 7

Use this page to interpret the symbols above.

Book Structure and Divination

Contents

TH E O RANGE NUM BE R IS NOT A PAGE N U MB ER .

PAGE N U MB ER S 01 Welcome to your workbook 02 To the mountain 04 Moment of pause and reflection 05 How to use this book 06 Origami paper game 07 Magic Square 09 Structure and Divination/ Contents 10 Tattfoo’s essay 13 Words are spells

IT CO RRE S P O ND WITH TH E GA MES ON PAGE 5

Does this reality spark joy? 35 Doctorine of creation through perception 32 Big G and small g 12 Ikigai 34 Life mission 17

15 Duality 16 New Earth Ceremony 18 Calling the seven directions 19 Grounding practice 20 Journeying 22 Memento Mori 23 I’m a Human of Steel 24 Body Art 25 Entrapment is an illusion

You are not the doer 22 Four stages of consciousness 14 Thou art that 27 You are the witness 2 Our feelings 36

28 Ceiling hanging with

Paper cutting 29 Floor patterns

Our multi-filtered lens 38 Meditation 38

30 Gratitude jar 31 Spiritual toolkit 32 Drum painting 33 Mandala reading 34 Aura painting 35 Mala beads 37 Portable altar 42 Oracle cards 44 Thanksgiving

How to be present 6 You are not your mind 9 Your operational manual 18 You are not the body 30

NON-DUAL

DUALITY

CREATING RITUAL INVOCATION Calling the 7 directions 26 Grounding practice 19

EXERCISE Journeying 7 I’m a human of steel 16 Memento Mori 40

PLAY Entrapment is an illusion 10 Body art 24

CREATING A SACRED SPACE Ceiling paper cutting 36

Floor pattern 20

CREATING SACRED TOOLS Gratitude Spiritual jar 28 tool kit 3

Portable altar 39

Mandala reading 8

Drum painting 1

Aura painting 41

Mala beads 33

New Earth Resiliency Oracle Cards Elements 11 Seasons 29 Celestial 4 Human growth 21

Nature 34 Phenomena 15 Bad weather 37

Monomyth 13 Cardinal virtues 5 Temperaments 25

Earthly archetypes 31 Heavenly archetypes 35 Suit 33

Tools 23

46 NEROC 47 Earthly Archetypes/Monomyth 48 Heavenly Archetypes/Celestial 49 Astrology chart/Moon phase 51 Elements 52 Bad Weather 55 Nature/Phenomena 57 Cardinal Virtues/Seasons 58 Seasonal chart 59 Suit/Tools 60 Temperaments/Human Growth 61 NEROC xerox 67 Non-Dual 68 You are not the body 72 Your operational manual 73 You are not the mind 74 How to be present 75 Meditation 76 Our multi-filtered lens 77 Our feelings 78 You are the witness 79 Thou art that 80 Blackout Poetry 83 4 stages of consciousness 84 You are not the doer 87 Life mission & Happiness 89 Ikigai 90 BIG “G”, small “g” 92 The doctrine of creation

through perception 95 Does this reality spark joy?

9

DISCONNECT FROM THE EARTH The title of this book, Heal Humankind In order to Heal the Land, is a hypothesis for the ongoing disagreement about climate change. Politicians and lobbyists present what scientists say and don't say. Believing them is the same as giving away your autonomy to a higher power. We tend to trust the label on the packaging more than we trust the earth to provide for us and teach us. We trust someone else’s authority rather than trusting our own intuition. We know the world is finite, but we fill it up with cheap gas, cheap clothing, and fast food. This way of life cannot last forever. The worst part is that someone’s labor must be exploited in order to make all of these products cheap. Ever think about the afterlife of these cheap products? Where do they go after you throw them away?

They might end up at a landfill or in another country. This creates a vicious cycle that is very clear.

This disconnect with the self or higher self is the culprit in our climate change problem. We are the stewards, the keepers of this earth. We are not to pillage the resources entrusted to us. We must not loose a sense of the sacred in all beings and things. The sacred is the invisible thread that links us together on this earth. Our body is earth based. It can never be able to travel beyond the earth for too long. The body needs water, oxygen, minerals, and even the subtle energy from the sun and moon. Instead of trying to be a space explorer, let’s try becoming a spiritual explorer. After all, we are earth-bound spiritual beings.

War, borders politics, and financial institutions are all about grabbing resources. Oil extracted from the depths of the earth pollute the land and the rivers, and finally the sea. Nuclear energy results in waste that can never be recycled back into non-harmful elements. As I write this book, we are at the threshold of annihilation. Most of the human race is still unaware of the impending catastrophe. Even those who try to save the planet resort to actions that are palliative in nature. Many pretend to take away the pain of seeing our planet destroyed while doing nothing to change the underlying cause of our destructive behaviors.

THE WAY OF NATURE AND THE 5 ELEMENTS

prepared the meal, the storekeeper that sold the produce, the worker that harvested it, the farmer that raised it. Then to the

When I started this spiritual journey 3 years ago, I began by

plant or animal that gave their lives to us. Then to the mineral,

exploring shamanism and found that it resonates with my

fungi, water, air, sun, moon and all beings that made this meal

upbringing in Daoism. The providence of gods and spirits

possible. Finally we give thanks to The All that makes all this

prevailed. Growing up, there was a deva that protected the neigh-

happen. Once we have traced back the link, we need to turn

borhood, a special spiritual tree to which we had to pay respect.

around and look forward. As we partake of this nutrient, we enter

The kitchen had it’s own god, and every lunar cycle we worshiped

into a covenant to live our life's mission to the fullest potential.

the land and the sky god. This is the idea of Anima Mundi,

This is the sacredness of life. A simple gesture that grounds us

in sync with another vedic concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

and at the same time transforms a daily mundane activity into

(the world is one family).

something profound.

When we say grace before a meal, it is not towards a traditional

Ok. That could be called ritual. When I was a kid my family was

image of God. Instead, we are acknowledging the cook that

full of rituals without knowing why we were performing them. My grandma, the matriarch of the family, had her reasons. It was because the neighbors also did it the same way. But if we don’t know why, we can’t set our intention, and the ritual becomes an empty gesture.

Why Ritual?

Ritual fosters identity. Ritual has the ability to both unify and divide. It is one of the key things that creates a group culture and distinguishes

one community from another.

suggesting they are a fundamental part of the human condition.

Ritual creates an atmosphere of trust between group members,

For eons, humans have used rituals as tools to release and express

as they frequently require a public declaration of an inner

emotion, build their personal identity and the identity of their

commitment.

tribe, bring order to chaos, orient themselves in time and space, affect real transformation, and bring order to chaos. Rituals have

Ritual can prevent and mediate interpersonal conflicts. Rituals

been used to orient people in time and space. When rituals are

of communication and etiquette create guidelines for how to act

stripped from our existence, and this fundamental human longing

towards others and how to expect others to act towards us.

goes unsatisfied, restlessness, apathy, alienation, boredom, root-

In this way, they smooth and facilitate interactions and prevent

lessness and anomie result.

misunderstandings.

The first half of the book is about hosting a ritual. In rituals, you

A key element in ritual is repetition.

have the elements of sharing, evocation, exercise, and game.

It includes ways you can set up any space with ceiling and floor

Rituals have even been called our most basic form of technology; they are a mechanism that can change things, solve problems, perform certain functions, and accomplish tangible results. Every culture, worldwide and in every era has engaged in rituals,

designs, to make sure you evoke all the 5 senses by burning incense and creating sounds/vibrations from drums, bells, songs, and chants. All these activities are in syzygy and result in equanimity felt by the participants.

WHO AM I? THE CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

are our experiences, through which we read the world. When you are angry

In this chap-

or happy, sad

ter, much of the

or fearful, try to

non-dual philosophy is inspired from Advaita Vedanta. In it You

see these emotions as a theatrical play or as a movie on a screen.

and the world are one. You and God are one. There was never two

You are just a witness.

- this is a case of mistaken identity. The path is the path of knowledge, you may be mistaken or ignorant because there is a gap in

Spirituality is about knowing our eternal self. Sifting through our

your knowledge. At first, it seems hard to comprehend, but with

feelings, thoughts, experiences, and emotions are part of the

time and with constant learning and reading books, your knowl-

process. This process creates an important awakening from the

edge of our own nature starts to become clear up. You’ll discover

unconscious. Most of our decisions in life are unconscious, and

your true nature and realize everything else is ignis fatuus.

this is dangerous. If we are aware of our subconscious tendencies, we’ll be able to step back and see our decisions within a larger

First, investigate if YOU are the body. Since you did not choose

vision from our eternal self.

this body before birth, I can safely say YOU are not the body. You were endowed with this machine that is labeled female/male,

The exercises in this book are an amalgamation of various

tall/short, healthy/sick, etc. It seems like this machine has been

traditions. I believe the syncretism of this syllabus is what we need

programmed to have certain advantages and disadvantages --

in this era. We need to use what is useful and at the same time

and even certain tendencies. Like all machines, YOU should read

respect the origins of these traditions. My curious mind gravitates

the operational manual before operating it. This machine/body

towards a lot of different religions and with some protracted

is imagined through the idea of the template. Traditionally, to un-

study, I found that some tools are really useful and some philoso-

derstand this template, people have read the position of the stars,

phies make lots of sense, as if I have known them in past lives.

time, and location of birth. Now we also have archetype analysis

This feeling of intimacy leads me to certain paths and not others.

like the Myers-Brigg Personality Test.

I think this is a good formula to follow.

One big question many ponder is, "Do we have free will?" Or

This is also a good time to loose our identity of “I’m this; I’m that.”

must we follow the template created for us at birth? Perhaps we

Religion is based on identity. It has a symbol and a set of texts

only have the illusion of free will. As we grow up we pick up more

that believers are instructed to follow verbatim. Be a seeker, seek

“colored lenses” that defuse our true nature. These colored lens

the truth and know that your understanding of the truth is based 11

on your level of consciousness. Don’t point the finger, but look within. Know yourself. Truly investigate. Be discerning. Be introspective.

Keep asking why. What is the purpose? How it can improve my life? Work on disolving the components of your identity, including your citizenship, your gender, your social status, your level of privilege.

This is a process of transformation of our ego. Be gentle and go slow.

We have many identities. Identity is something we pick up as we are conditioned to play a role in the world. By abandoning our mistaken identity, we’ll reveal our true self and compassion will arise. This is the goal of our life, to know who we are. It is the summum bonum.

In the non-dual part of the syllabus, follow the workbook style of Q & A that will lead you to sophrosyne, knowing your true self. As I embark upon my own journey, I hope you will too.

I would like to thank all the teachers, beings, and guides that ignite this quest. A big thanks to guru Eros Romero for his guidance and love. My admiration goes out to the ever-enchanting anam cara Sara Angel Guerrero that agreed to steer this syllabus together. Thank you Claudia Galván for helping to formulate the meanings of NEROC, Susan Joy Rippberger and Julie Thomson for the providing a fresh perspective and going over the manuscript.

This brings the completion of my trilogy of projects spanning two decades: (1) Nature Matching System, (2) Sustainable. Organic.

Stewardship. and (3) New Earth. It is my magnum opus.

Tattfoo Tan, NYC 2019

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Words are spells Throughout this book, you’ll encounter some new words to learn. Sometimes we will find a concept or feeling that we have no words to describe. These loanwords may be able to help. Words are imbued with power, so we need to be careful of how we speak.

Words can cast a powerful spell. Putting pen to paper, with the coordination between our hand and mind is a type of meditation; the words are our mantra.

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 ink

fountain pen TOOLS

paper

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z SAMPLE SCRIPTS

Yugen is a Japanese word pertaining to a profound awareness of the universe. It evokes feelings that are inexplicably deep and too mysterious for words.

Moonlight, snow on distant mountains, a sunrise over the ocean, and birds flying very high in the evening sky... all of these experiences feed this sensibility.

13

Use this page to interpret the symbols above.

This portion of the book is earth-based spirituality. Seeing the invisible connection of all life on the earth, you’ll realize that we are all connected. The reality we are in consists of 5 elements.

15

New Earth Ceremony

OBJECTIVES: Heal humankind in order to heal the land/world. When we know who we are and why we are here, we will be grounded and able to engage in the play of the universe. We’ll be able to see the invisible thread that links all our internal decisions (thinking, believing, feeling) to our external decisions that affect our food, job, health, housing, human rights, and environment. Through this process, we’ll transform the egocentric “i” to the love supreme “I AM”. Although participants will not be transformed in a single ceremony, a seed will be planted.

PREPARATION: Bring a personal memento to be placed in an altar centerpiece that we will be creating. Choose something that represents you, that you cherish and that is embedded with memories. This is a device to introduce yourself to the group; your interests and likes, your background, your heritage and experiences. It also shows that you are invested in spending this time together as a group).

This is a simple and small item and need not be complicated.

Participants retrieve their object at the end of the workshop.

10 mins.

ARRIVAL. Allowing people to settle down before starting the ceremony.

GROUNDING

30 mins. BUILD A FLOWER ALTAR /MANDALA COLLABORATIVELY AND CENTER YOURSELF - Explain the meaning of an altar, it’s objects and elements - Participants introduce themselves and place their mementos on the altar - Light incense to engage the five senses: cedar, mugwort, palo santo or sage - Participants work together in groups to design flower petal mandalas around the altar

10 mins. Blessing of the Seven Directions You need to know where you are, and orientation is the first step. In earth-based spirituality, each direction represents an element, a stage of life or an archetype. By evoking these energies, we are being supported in our quest for the rites of passage that mark each new chapter of our adventures in life.

10 mins. Grounding. In this modern era we often live in our heads. Our thoughts and ideas fuel the information and technological age. We tend not to connect with the planet that sustains us. We don’t work the land, nor walk on it. Use this tree visualization to ground yourself: imagine you are a tree anchoring to the earth and reaching up to the sun.

We all possess more power and greater possibilities than we realize, and visualizing is one of the greatest of the powers.

-GENEVÈVE BEHREND, AUTHOR

20 mins Know Thyself. Understand your own GPS by sharing New Earth Oracle Cards. Examine each card, try giving a reading or asking the cards a question. The cards can be found on pages 46-65 of this book.

EXPLORE YOUR BODY AND MIND CONNECTION

30 mins. Entrapment is an Illusion. We are constantly being challenged with scenarios that seem to be without solutions or that make us feel trapped. This exercise will illustrate that sometimes the solution can be found through simply looking at the same problem with a new perspective.

20 mins. I’m a Human of Steel. (This is a demonstration of the power of the mind that can control and override the physical body. Strength is in the mind of the beholder)

All that we are is a result of what we have thought.

-BUDDHA

You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

-MARCUS AURELIUS

10 mins. Body Art. A tribe is forged by shared experience. Create a temporary mark with natural paint or henna that you can talk about with your friends to share the experience. Make a free form design or decide on a symbol through group consensus.

30 mins. Archery. A movement meditation to cultivate the spirit of not giving up and learning that training and practice are the keys to success.

As an archer aims an arrow, the wise aim their restless thoughts, hard to aim, hard to restrain.

-DHAMMAPADA 3.33

ILLUMINATION OF THE MIND

2 mins Memento Mori. Calculate how many summers you have left in your life.

40 mins. Journeying. Trust intuition. Answer a friend’s question through retrieving a message with your intuition.

Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions - ALBERT EINSTEIN

17

Sacred ritual - Calling the Seven Directions

Calling the seven directions, an opening invocation, is a good way to start any ritual.

Blessings of the Seven Directions We welcome the Spirits of the East 東, the element of AIR, the season of SPRING. The direction of new beginnings, the rise of the morning sun and the direction of LOVERS. Surround us with love for ourselves, our lovers, our children, and all living things.

We welcome the Spirits of the South 南, the element of FIRE, the season of SUMMER. The direction of noontime. Grant us the spirit of the WARRIOR; warm and refresh us with courage, strength, and energy for the work that awaits us.

We welcome the Spirits of the West 西, the element of WATER, the season of AUTUMN. The direction of evening. Grant us the spirit of the MEDIAL and the MAGICIAN; be with us as the sun sets and bless us with transformation and a rich harvest. Flow through us with a cooling, healing quietness and bring us peace.

We welcome the Spirits of the North 北, the element of EARTH, the season of WINTER. The direction of night time. Grant us the sovereignty of the QUEEN and KING, joined in creation, wisdom, and passion. Be with us in the darkness, in the time of gestation.

Ground us in the wisdom of the changing seasons as we celebrate the spiralling journeys of our lives.

We welcome the Spirits and energies of Below 地, the direction of the Mother Earth, the mother of all Beings, the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy; May our hearts be home to you, May we feel your presence guiding us – May the strength and balance of your grace fill our bodies when we need it, and may we walk in your way with trust and gladness.

Welcome the Spirits and energies of Above 天, the direction of the Father Sky; Father, watch over us, hear us and make us strong.

Keep us safe from harm. Bless us with the spirits of creation, courage and exploration.

We welcome the Spirits and energies of Within 內, the divine within us. We honor the connection within us and between all things.

The connection of our hearts as one within.

Welcome the Spirits of our grandfathers and grandmothers, our Ancestors 祖先, those who have gone before us, and on whose shoulders we stand.

Welcome the spirits of the Children 下一代 yet to come, who will stand upon our shoulders.

Invite into this circle the Spirit and energy of those who guide, protect, and bless us to be fully who we are.

Sacred ritual - Grounding practice

It is essential to first understand that energy follows intentions.

To begin, stand with your feet slightly apart and your palms open and facing down to the ground. Quietly say: I’m connecting to mother earth.

Bring your palms up to the sky and quietly say: I’m connecting to the cosmos.

Bring your hands to your heart and unite these two energies together in your heart center. Prepare to receive the grounding energy of the earth and the cosmos.

At this time, you may choose to continue standing or sit on the ground. Make sure your spine is straight because in this practice energy will be travelling vertically.

Now start to slow and deepen your breath. Take a deep breath in through your nose and breath out through your mouth. Continue for 3 breath cycles.

Close your eyes and begin to imagine you are a tree in a beautiful forest deep in the mountain. Maybe it is a forest of cedars or pine trees. In the presence of these sentient beings who bridge the earth and the sky, look toward the ground and feel your connection to the rich soil, to the grass, to the moss, and the water.

Imagine a beautiful root system that starts at your waist, long roots extending to the earth. And above your waist, imagine your branches reaching far into the sky towards the sun, the moon, and the stars. Come back to your center and explore your root system once again. Imagine your roots growing slowly and deeply into the earth, weaving throughout the soil, throughout the wonderful being of the earth, the worms, the minerals and the stones that live beneath the earth’s surface.

Continue moving your roots beneath the earth. Begin feeling the subtle energy that supports you, as you go further and further down, until you have gone as far as you can go. When you reach the earth’s core, take a deep breath in and out. Allow yourself to be here at this moment, to feeling this depth and grounding.

Slowly begin absorbing the vibrations of mother earth, drinking it up through each root. You may perceive this energy as a color, as a light, or a feeling within. Welcome this presence, observe it travelling up and up, weaving in and out of each root to arrive at the center of you. Bring the energy up through your trunk until it reaches your branches and leaves. Notice any flower blossoming growing, perhaps the birds begin to sing to you and insects dance on your bark.

Sense the energy of the sun above you and pull this cosmical energy like the filament of lights into your branches. Know you are supported in this web of life. Allow this healing energy to fill every space of your being. Slowly move your awareness to the center, take a deep breath and gently open your eyes. Feel the energy and vitality running through your body, radiating out from you into the world. Give gratitude for your life and the support of the natural world around you.

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Sacred ritual - Journeying With this exercise, we entering a waking, trance-like state of consciousness, and will visit non-ordinary reality by using the beat of the drum to bring brainwaves into a meditative, or theta state.

We will explore 3 layers: the realm of the upper world, the middle world and the lower world. Beginners can start with the lower world.

EXERCISE: Pair up with a friend. Each writes down a question, sharing it with each other; your friend will be responsible for finding an answer via this journeying exercise.

PARTICIPANTS: Lay down on the floor and relax.

Close your eyes and cover them with a small pillow and bandana.

By now the room should be dim. Use extra pillows or blankets to make everyone comfortable and sink into the exercise.

Listen to the drum beats and imagine a safe place. It is good to imagine an actual place that is safe and beautiful; a large tree where you can burrow down between the roots, an opening, a tunnel, a chute that will bring you to another dimension, like Alice in Wonderland.

Once you arrived at this new realm, locate a helping friend, a guide in this new place.

When you sense something, ask if this being is your guide.

Follow your guide to explore this place and find a story, visuals, symbols, sounds, smells that can be brought back to the regular world as advice and a message.

While you are in this realm, time may feel like it’s flying by quickly or slowing down. When you hear a change of drum beat get faster and change pace, it is time to say goodbye to your guide. Give thanks and go back to the same place where you first entered this realm. Project yourself out of the tunnel or climb back up.

Trust your vision and recollect the journey and share with your partners without filtering or editing the experience.

You can write down or even draw what you experienced.

INSTRUCTION FOR DRUMMER AND CONDUCTOR: · · · · · · · ·

Set an intention Dim the lights in the room Light incense (optional) Start drumming a steady beat, usually 4-6 beats per second for 7 mins, imitating a heart beat End session with a rapid beat for 3 mins Turn on the lights gently so the eyes can adjust.

Start sharing.

Give thanks to all the helping spirits.

Hiraeth is a Welsh concept of longing for home.

Many Welsh people claim hiraeth is a word which cannot be translated, meaning more than solely "missing something" or "missing home."

To some, it implies the meaning of missing a time, an era, or a person.

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Sacred ritual - Memento Mori Remember that you’ll die

Tempus Fugit

Carpe Diem

Times flies (used to draw attention to the rapid passages of time)

Seize the day

Sacred ritual - I’m a Human of Steel

STEP 1

STEP 2

You are relaxed. You are peaceful. You are peace itself. Breath normally. You are getting rigid and stiff. You are now a piece of steel rod. Imagine a steel rod is passing through your crown all the way down to your feet and toes. Your head° is made of steel. Your shoulders° are made of steel. Your stomach° is made of steel. Your thighs° are made of steel. Your legs° are made of steel. Your toes° are made of steel. You completely relax into being a steel rod.

While you vocalize the paragraph, sync your recital with your hands, touching the body parts as you vocalize them.

Catalepsy In this state, the subject experiences a complete rigidity of all the muscle groups. The body becomes completely stiff, like a piece of steel. As a demonstration, stage hypnotists would often position the subject’s head and feet on opposing chairs, without support through the torso and legs. This created a sort of human bridge, upon which the hypnotist would sit or stand.

Hypnosis can be very powerful. The act of turning a person’s body into a rod of iron with mere suggestion is quite simply, an amazing feat. If you put your mind to a task you can accomplish almost anything.

A more subtle example of the power of hypnosis is witnessed regularly if you watch competitive athletes, like runners, as they mentally prepare for a race. Their extreme focus and concentration takes them to a place where everything else is tuned out. They are literally running every inch of that race in their mind, before it even begins, mentally planning every step.

Exercise You need 2 chairs and a blanket. You also need 2-3 assistants to hoist the subject onto the chairs.

First, you need complete seriousness and silence from the group, this will help gain trust from the subject. While they lie down on the ground on a blanket, start reciting words above words to initiate the catalepsy process. Self-trust and will power make this exercise a success. Ask the subject to imagine their body becoming a steel rod. Once you confirm that the subject is in total visualization mode, assistants hoist the subject up to the edge of the chair. The whole time the subject should be conscious and able to communicate with you.

Touch the stomach of the subject to gauge the level of control of the mind. If it is strong, another volunteer can sit or stand on the stomach. Please keep everyone in the room calm -- no giggling or laughter. Carefully carry the subject down to the ground before allowing their concentration to breaks. Be sure not to break your concentration at anytime.

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Sacred ritual - Body Art

Tools: Natural paint or temporary ink The ancients used genipa and henna to create temporary body art resulting from the staining of the skin from the dyes. It was used to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including silk, wool and leather. As a part of social and holiday celebrations, it has adorned women’s bodies since the late Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean.

from Ghana. They are incorporated into walls and other architectural features.

Today we can purchase a modern iteration of these ancient inks with natural water colors or ink in a squeeze bottle (Inkbox is one brand). Applied it directly to the skin, wait for it to dry completely, and peel it off. The stain will emerge in a few hours. This product uses the Genipa Americana plant from South America where local tribes have use it for body ornamentation for thousands of years.

spiritual liberation. There are hundreds of yantra designs related to deities, principles, and planets. Used in ceremonies and rituals, yantra designs can be found on paper or bark, and are usually created from flower petals, ash, or rice.

Adinkra symbols Adinkra are symbols that represent concepts or aphorisms. They are used extensively in fabrics and pottery among the Ashantis of the Ashanti Kingdom and the Baoules who historically migrated

Yantra In Sanskrit, the word yantra comes from the root word yam, meaning instrument or support. The other root “tra” is derived from “trana,” meaning “release from bondage.” A yantra is an instrument or tool for meditation and contemplation that supports

A Yantra is the yogic equivalent of the Buddhist Mandala. It literally means a ‘machine’ or a visual instrument that serves in meditation. It’s a microcosm of the universe. Yantra is different from Mantra in that Yantra is the body or form of the deity, whereas Mantra is a representation of the mind.

SAMPLE GRAPHICS TO INSPIRE YOU

asase ye duru

Divinity of mother earth

funtunfunefu denkyemfunefu unity in diversity

mmere dane

Change, life’s dynamics

ese ne tekrema

Interdependence and friendship

dwennimmen

Humility and strength

owia kokroko

Vitality and renewal

ADINKRA SYMBOLS

nyame nnwu na mawu Life after death

aya

Endurance and resourcefulness

nea onnim no sua a, ohu

Knowledge, life-long education

sankofa

Learn from the past

eban

akokonan

Love, safety, security

Mercy and nurturing

svadisthana

muladhara

ADINKRA SYMBOLS

ajna

Crown chakra

vishuddha

Third eye chakra

anahata

Heart chakra

manipura

Solar plexus chakra

YANTRA OF EACH CHAKRA

Sacral chakra

Root chakra

Sacred ritual - Entrapment is an illusion

TOOLS 1. Find 2 pieces of rope that are 60� long (each) 2. Make an overhand sliding loop like the diagram.

3. Complete the loop on all 4 ends of the rope.

4. End product: 2 pieces of rope with 2 loop at each end.

THE GAME 1. Find a partner.

2. Place your hand into a loop.

3. Cross the rope over your partner’s rope.

4. Place the other hand into the other loop of the same rope.

5. Now you are bound to each other.

6. The task is to unbind yourselves without taking the hands out of the loop.

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Use this page to interpret the symbols above.

Meraki is a word that modern Greeks often used to describe doing something with soul, creativity, or love; when you put “something of yourself” into what you’re doing, whatever it may be.

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Sacred space - Hanging papercuttings What is papercutting?

Papercutting has appeared as a part of various cultures, often as a way of decorating and marking space with patterns and auspicious symbols. Below are some examples.

or window papercuttings. People glued them to the exterior of windows, so the light from the inside would shine through the negative space of the cutout. Usually, the artworks are made of red paper, as red is associated with festivities and happiness in Chinese culture.

Traditionally, the Otomi relied on agriculture as a means of survival. As a result, many of their religious beliefs and practices involve the spirits found in seeds, crop plants, and ecological forces such as rain and sun. These spirits embody certain qualities that not only must be respected, but also are used by the Otomi to pass on societal values.

Intricate paper cutouts are made of these spirits by folding a piece of amate paper in half, rendering a symmetrical figurine.

Amate is made by stripping the inner bark from certain trees, then processing it into a paper. The figurines are then used by religious leaders in rituals and offerings performed to control the spirits represented in the cutouts. The rituals are usually performed to cure and prevent disease or to ensure crop fertility and the health of domestic animals. More importantly, the cutouts show how the Otomi view the world and their place within it.

Chinese papercutting is a folk art. It is often used to decorate doors and windows, and sometimes referred to as window flowers

scissor

paper knife

Papel Picado, originating with the Aztecs, made by using small, sharp knives. Common themes include birds, floral designs, and skeletons. They are commonly displayed for both secular and religious occasions, such as Easter, Christmas, the Day of the Dead, as well as during weddings, quinceaĂąeras, baptisms, and christenings.

Process Use a lightweight paper like wrapping paper or any colored paper.

You can cut individual pieces and connect all of them as a string of different designs. Everyone in the group creates a part of the banner, which will be is represented on the bunting.

Aligned with the cardinal directions Find out where the cardinal directions are located in the space you wish to decorate. Align the bunting with the direction of North, South, East and West.

paper roll

cutting board

string

glue

MATERIALS

accordion fold

OTOMI AMATE CUT

centerfold

MEXICAN PAPER CUT

CHINESE PAPER CUT

airplane fold

MONEY TREE

Sacred space - Floor patterns Floor patterns in various cultures Cultures around the world have practices to decorate the floor with various patterns. In India they are called Kolam or Rangoli, in Tibet they are Mandala sand paintings, and known as Dry Painting

by Native American and Australian Aboriginal people.

Process Reverse drawing: Pile up an ingredient and flatten it to create a surface. When you draw or trace on top of it with your finger, the space you create will reveal the floor underneath. Alternatively, you can draw on the floor by dipping your finger or brush into the ingredients.

beans

rice

Materials Try to use material that is environmentally safe, reusable and low cost, eg, sand, white/black rice, flour, cornmeal, grains, beans, salt, broken tea leaves, re-dried tea leaves or coffee grounds.

Themes of Patterns The patterns can be inspired from sacred geometry, or represent a labyrinth, yantra, or crop circles.

salt

coffee grinds

flour

sand

sacred geometry

sacred geometry

yantra

INGREDIENTS

crops circle

crops circle

labyrinth

SAMPLES OF PATTERNS

PATTERN MADE WITH 7/5/3/1 DOTS

INDIAN KOLAM DRAWING

TIBETAN MANDALA PAINTING

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL DRAWING

NATIVE AMERICAN SAND PAINTING

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Sacred tools - Gratitude jar

jars

paper

pen

box

ink

fountain pen

TOOLS

Be blessed We sometimes forget that our lives are made of blessings.

Instead, defeat and sadness can preoccupy our consciousness.

This exercise of writing down your blessings helps you to be conscious every time you are blessed.

an award, graduation, being with a loved one, a newborn, etc.

With acts small and large, feel blessed as you are living each moment. Whenever you are feeling down, unloved or abandoned, start reading the papers in the jar to look back upon all the blessings you have received.

A blessing can be a found in a small gesture or it can take the shape of a big reward. It might be a visit from a friend when you have a wonderful time enjoying each other’s company. Maybe you arrived home just in time and the next second the rain starts to pour. It could be an letter from someone who offers praise and thanks you for doing a wonderful job. Maybe it’s autumn and the leaves start to fall while you breathe in the crisp, cool air with a hot drink in your hand. Not to forget the big events in life, too:

Materials Collect paper scraps that are most readily available, upon which to write your blessings (the patterns of security envelopes work well). Fold them up in a bundle or individually and drop into a clean, glass jar. You can also fold the blessing papers into origami cranes or any other themes relevant to your spirit.

Try using a fountain pen. It will increase your intention and bring awareness to the moment.

Sacred tools - Spiritual toolkit

index cards

card divider

typewriter

pen

box

watercolor pan set

TOOLS

This spiritual toolkit is a great way to uplift yourself when you are feeling down or defeated. These words of guidance and encouragement from the wise can inspire your world.

Write down inspirational quotes that you stumble upon in your social media feed, in books or in everyday life observations.

Whether you are writing them down, typing in on your digital devices or with a typewriter, the more you repeat them, the better the idea will integrate into your consciousness.

Materials You can use an index card divider or other thicker card stock to divide the categories. Color coding them is also a good way to make them more attractive and more easily searchable.

Watercolors or markers are quick and easy.

Store the quotes in a box or wrap a rubber band around them in a bundle.

P.S. Watch out for fake quotes.

Once you have annotated many quotation, divide them into categories such as: Spiritual, Love, Self Worth, Fear, Mission In Life, Change, Happiness, Health, Loneliness, Forgiveness, Home, Art, Gratitude. Feel free to create your own categories.

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Sacred tools - Drum painting by number Why drumming?

Shamanic drumming for the purpose of inducing a range of ecstatic trance states to connect with the spiritual dimension of reality. Practiced in diverse cultures around the planet, this drum method is strikingly similar the world over. Shamanic drumming uses a repetitive rhythm that often imitates a heart beat, at 4 to 6 beats per second. The tempo induces light to deep trance states, and facilitates the shamanic techniques of journeying, shapeshifting, and divination. Practitioners may progress through a series of trance states until they reach the level that is necessary for healing to occur. When ready to exit the trance state, the practitioner changes to a rapid tempo of drumming, drawing consciousness back to normal. Shamanic drumming continues to offer today what it has offered for thousands of years: namely, a simple and effective technique of ecstasy. Your heartbeat changes depending on the type of music you listen to. Loud music has variable pitch-

es. Researchers from Pavia University, Italy, found that music with quicker tempos made people breathe faster which increased their heart rate and blood pressure. This kind of drum beat mimics your heartbeat to calm you down.

Process Remo Buffalo Drum have a synthetic skin called Fiberskyn and it is great to paint on. It absorbs markers and acrylic paints easily.

The 10� drum is the most affordable, the 16� gives the most depth of sound, while still portable.

Themes Animal ancestor, Plant ancestor, Mineral ancestor, etc.

Here are some samples of the animal ancestor theme.

wolf

owl

deer

giraffe

antelope

fox

hippo

elephant

bear

Sacred tools - Mandala reading Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning circle, representing the universe. The pattern within the mandala is usually balanced and harmonized, symbolizing how we are part of the wider universe.

Simplicity and Complexity?

The complexity of the design shows the state of your mind.

Is the mandala fully colored, or are some part left white?

Using a circular radius template, start by drawing the circumference and layering smaller circles and shapes inside the large circle.

Make sure it is a symmetrical design.

Open or Closed?

Does the design feel stifling or welcoming? Is it packed with patterns or simple to look at?

Now you need to decide how to color the mandala. Do all of this by your first gut feeling. Start from the inner center of the mandala and color in each shape, one at a time, moving outwards with each concentric circle. Do not over think. Just do it.

Stagnant or Energized?

Is the design stagnant or full of energy? Do you see a vortex or a propeller?

What does the shape resemble?

Now, does this shape remind you of a particular time, place, or aesthetic you know or saw before? Does it look a certain era, like from the 20s or 30s? Maybe it evokes a certain culture or movie.

Once complete, hand it over to a partner for your reading.

How to read the mandala below Color Color is very subjective; different cultures read colors differently. Some use the meanings of the chakra colors to interpret the mandala and use only 7 colors when creating: violet, indigo, light blue, green, yellow, orange and red. Another way to read the color is to take in the overall feeling of the entire mandala. Imagine it is a physical space, a room that you might walk into. Do these color make you feel safe, angry, busy, calm?

colored pencils

watercolor pan set

watercolor paper

Materials There are different radius templates on the market. Explore a few options to use as part of your toolset. A pen compass is also a good tool to use. Using a mechanical pencil can make the design cleaner. Choose grey, blue or red.

Cut these out using a circular cutter and use them as bookmarks or hanging ornaments.

mechanical pencil

pen compass

circular radius template

TOOLS NEEDED

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Sacred tools - Aura painting Lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Visualize your body as you breathe in and out. Try to imagine your breath as a particular color as it enters your body, another color as it exits. Visualize colors emitting from different body parts. Now open your eyes and turn to your painting tools.

Draw an outline of a body on a large sheet of watercolor paper.

Cover the inside of the body shape with masking fluid. Once dried, wet the entire paper surface with water. Then, apply colors intuitively. Using the outside space around the silhouette, create a watercolor based on your bodily state. What do these colors mean to you? Where they are densest; where they are most opaque?

Think of this as the most relaxing self-portrait you’ll ever create.

watercolor paper

watercolor pan set

Watercolor paint sets are available in tubes and pans. Pan sets tend to last longer, even more than 20 years.

Watercolor paper is available in cold press (textured), hot press (smooth), rough (tooth textured). Play around and see which textured suits you the most.

Masking fluid (or frisket) is a solution of latex in ammonia.

Once the painting is dry, masking fluid can be removed by gently rubbing it off either with your fingers or an eraser.

Sprinkle some salt on the paper right after you finish painting to add some texture to the blend of colors.

masking fluid

brushes TOOLS NEEDED

salt

eraser

Sacred tools - Mala beads We can make every aspect in our life sacred. Instead of buying a set of mala prayer beads, we can grow the beads in our garden and strand them ourselves. Purchase or barter for a few Job’s Tears seeds (also known as Coix lacryma-jobi). Plant them in the Spring to harvest by Fall. Once dry, these seeds have a hard shiny shell that perfectly turns into a bead. You do need to drill a small hole through the seed. Once you are done preparing 108 seeds, you will need a guru bead, a bigger bead. A crystal or wooden bead could be a good choice. The action of planting, waiting for a season, drying and stranding the beads one by one is all very meditative.

job’s tears

mother bead

threading needle

thread

small drill bits

scissor

TOOLS NEEDED

The universe is created by sound. Vibration or sound is a manifestation of the cosmos and the earth. You can try the mantras below or words of affirmation from the earlier Portable Altar exercise.

VIBRATION OF THE ALL

JEWELS OR THE ESSENCE OF SELF

PURE LOTUS

ENLIGHTENMENT SPIRIT

The jewel is in the lotus, or praise to the jewel in the lotus. The lotus symbolizes the profound ability of transformation: to emerge out of mud and blossom into a thousand-petaled flower. It also symbolizes the spiritual path. By invoking this mantra, we are trusting that jewels or wisdom, can be found by doing the work.

We’ll come out of the mud of ignorance and into the real.

SUN, MOON, EARTH, INFINITY, ALL THAT IS IN INFINITY, I AM THEE.

The infinity of the universe is reflected in me. Use it as a restorative meditation to send healing energy to ourselves and others.

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Use this page to interpret the symbols above.

Sacred tools - Portable altar What is an altar?

An altar is a focal point to concentrate on. It can serve to remind yourself of who you are, where your moral compass is pointed, and to remember your higher goal in life. Making an altar and having a mindful practice of prayer, ritual and gratitude can heal your life beyond anything you can imagine. It brings peace with focus through the heart. This ancient practice of prayer and altar work anchors your prayers from earth to heaven and heaven to earth.

An altar is a tapestry of woven intentions that make up your heart song. Try it and discover more about yourself as a sacred creator dreaming your world through greater love and heart-centered intentions.

LIST TO BUILD A PORTABLE ALTAR

compact tin 3.75” x 3.75” x 0.5”

mini glass vial

candle

small seashells

pebbles

feather

THE FOUR ELEMENTS: FIRE, WATER, EARTH, AIR

CONTAINER

skeletal leaf (peepul)

cedar

palo santo

mugwort

compass

crystal

loteria or/and earthbound oracle card

ancient grains

GRAPHIC SYMBOLISM

BLOODLINE

prayer beads

idols

INCENSE

ink pad

rubber stamp FOR ASHTAMANGALA

metal alphabet stamp

small hammer

FOR MARKING THE COVER OF THE TIN CONTAINER

ADD THESE ITEMS FROM HOME - Photos, hair or memento from your family and ancestors - Items related to your spiritual beliefs or special moments in life.

photos

hair PERSONAL

lucky charms

symbols

SPIRITUAL PARAPHERNALIA

Consecration: pass the entire tin over incense and blow your breath on the tin with an intention in mind.

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List of quotes (inspirational words to guide you) Write these quotes in your own handwriting on small pieces of paper, or type them using an old typewriter.

Alternatively, you can print this sheet out, cut it into strips and roll the text into a mini scroll.

Darkness cannot drive our darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. - Martin Luther King, Jr. To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty in its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.

- Arundhati Roy We create our future, by well improving present opportunities: however few and small they be. - Lewis Latimer Show respect to all people, but grovel to none - Tecumseh Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. - Buddha Everything that you receive is not measured according to its actual size, but, rather that of the receiving vessel. - Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz I am not going to die, I’m going home like a shooting star. - Sojourner Truth The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. - Albert Einstein One reason for making and exhibiting a work [of art] is to induce a reaction or change in the viewer... In this sense the work is nonexistence except when it functions as a medium of change between the artist and viewer. - Adrian Piper Arrange whatever pieces come your way. - Virginia Woolf You aren’t your work, your accomplishments, your possessions, your home, your family. Your anything. You’re a creation of your Source, dressed in a physical human body intended to experience and enjoy life on Earth. - Wayne Dyer You don’t need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfection. - unknown If someone tells you to be realistic, just remember, your reality it is not the same as theirs.

We define “realistic” based on our perception. - unknown There are seven things that will destroy us: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Religion without sacrifice; Politics without principle; Science without humanity; Business without ethics. - Gandhi Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have.

- William Arthur Ward The world’s continual breathing is what we hear and call silence. - Clarice Lispector Express yourself completely then keep quiet. Be like the forces of nature: when it blows, there is only wind; when it rains, there is only rain; when the clouds pass, the sun shines through. - Tao Te Ching The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth. - Lao Tzu There are hundreds of paths up the mountain, all leading to the same place, so it doesn’t matter which path you take.

The only person wasting time is the one who runs around the mountain, telling everyone that his or her path is wrong. - Hindu proverb The timeless in you is aware of life’s timelessness and know that yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.

- Kahlil Gibran Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little.

The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark. - Agnes de Mille Stop identifying with the world created by your mind, and a new world will open up before you. - Amma Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. - George Bernard Shaw Love one another, As I have loved you, so you must love one another. - Jesus

Words of Affirmation Handwrite or paint these words. Alternatively, you can print the texts below on magnetic paper.

I am kind

I am perfect just the way i am

I am helpful

I am forgiving

I am unique

I am happiness itself

I am truth itself

I am love itself

I am a leader

I choose my attitude

I am strength itself

I keep my body healthy

I believe in my dreams

I am smart

I work hard

I show others I care

I am a great listener

I am blessed

I am beautiful

I love challenges 39

Learn about Ashtamangala The Ashtamangala are a sacred suite of eight auspicious signs endemic to a number of Indian religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

WHEEL: Benefit others by turning the wheel of Dharma.

PARASOL: Come under the umbrella or protection of the right action and wisdom.

VASE: Become rich with inner wealth, wisdom and compassion.

LOTUS: Enjoy the purity of your mind and actions.

BANNER: Be victorious over delusions which is your enemy.

FISHES: Always be peaceful and harmonious with others.

ENDLESS KNOT: Apply great effort to attain enlightenment.

CONCH: Listen to the precious words of the dharma.

Make your own rubber stamp

Make your own adhesive sticker

Order rubber stamp in 2” square size for visitors to enjoy.

Remember to order ink pads in various colors.

It can be done professionally or using an inkjet printer.

2”

2”

Ancient grains Our bodies are sustained by mother earth. Depending on the lands of your ancestors, there are certain grains that have become a part of your history through sustaining life and the symbiotic relationship between human and plants. As such, these ancient grains run in your blood and are sacred. You can store them in a small vial as part of the Portable Altar or create a Sacred Floor Patterns.

Quinoa -Andean region of South America Kamut -Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan Amaranth -Aztecs of Northern America Teff -Ethiopia and Eritrea, Africa Barley -Europe Spelt -Europe

Sorghum Corn Wild rice Millet Bulgur

-Australia, India -The Americas -North America -China -The Middle East, Mediterranean

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Sacred tools - Oracle cards What are Oracle cards?

Oracle cards are a modern divination tool inspired by tarot, but with a simpler function and purpose. There is no one system for understanding oracle cards, but they are usually organized around a theme, and there are many derivations, such as angel cards, animal oracle cards and tree wisdom cards. You can use them as decoration, or ask a question and read the answer in the cards, as if they are telling a story through showing a scene comprised of different elements. You can create your own deck of Oracle cards with any numbers of cards you like. A good number to start with is 16 cards or more.

Process You can choose to buy a ready-made blank cards deck or cut your own from a block of art paper or blank note pad. Choose a medium that you feel expresses the idea the best. Collage might be a good option for vintage clip art style or photographic images. Drawing and paintings can be more abstract and symbolic. Staining the

of our actions. By understanding and observing nature, we can find our own human nature. Below are some keywords to start you off: Nature. Plants. Season. Animal. Extinct animals. Mythical animals. Rocks. Stones. Crystals and more.

Collect various samples of tarot and oracle cards.

Get well acquainted with the various styles and concepts on the market. For example, Austin Osman Spare’s tarot deck has elements that connect two or more cards to reveal a hidden meaning. In contrast, the Xultún Tarot was created as one large painting and cut into smaller cards. Another option to think about is whether to have a title on each card or not.

The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Deck, Kim Krans; The Druid Animal Oracle, Philip Carr-Gomm, Stephanie Carr-Gomm , Bill Worthington; The Wisdom Tree Oracle, Jane Struthers; Celtic Tree Oracle, Sharlyn Hildalgo and Jimmy Manton; Plant Ally Cards, Lisa McLoughlin Art; The Tree Wisdom Cards, Lisa McLoughlin Art

cards to have an antique feel is an another option.

Themes Oracle cards are a reflection tool. The way we feel reflects what our world looks like. The way the world appears is a direct result

cardboard pad

ready made blank tarot cards

index cards

glue

watercolor

color pencil

MEDIUM

AUSTIN OSMAN SPARE’S TAROT

magazine

COLLAGES

BASE

markers

clip art books

tea leaves

thick soy sauce STAIN

XULTÚN TAROT

VINTAGE APACHE DEER SKIN VELLUM PLAYING CARDS

salt

Sacred tools - Oracle cards samples

INSPIRED BY ANIMALS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

INSPIRED BY HERBS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

INSPIRED BY THE SHAPES OF PAINT PEELING OFF FLOORBOARDS AND WALLS

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greetings & thanks to each other as PEOPLE to the EARTH MOTHER OF ALL greetings & thanks to all the WATERS, WATERFALLS AND RAIN RIVER AND OCEANS greetings & thanks to all the FISH LIFE greetings & thanks the grains and greens beans and berries as one we send thanks to FOOD PLANTS MEDICINE HERBS of the world and their keepers greetings & thanks to all ANIMALS and their teachings greetings & thanks

and from the four directions the FOUR WINDS thank you for purifying the air we breathe and giving us strength greetings the THUNDER of our grandparents in the sky we hear your voices greetings & thanks and now the SUN for the light of a new day and all the fires of life greetings & thanks to our oldest grandmother The MOON leader of women all over the world and the stars for their mystery beauty and guidance greetings & thanks to our TEACHERS from all times reminding us of how to live in harmony greetings & thanks and for all the gifts of creation for all the love around us greetings & thanks and for that which is forgotten, we remember

the TREES for shelter and shade fruit & beauty greetings & thanks

we end our words now our minds are ONE

to all BIRDS large and small joyful greetings & thanks

We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we have lost our connection to ourselves.

- Andy Goldsworthy

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New Earth Resiliency Oracle Cards

In this chapter, I’m including my own journey of discovery while creating this deck of cards. I found collecting tarots and oracle cards to be like curating your own museum of small artworks. I especially like the historical reproduction cards, they make me feel like I own a piece of history.

I have a process of learning a new concept using index cards that is similar to the oracle card principal. I write or draw the ideas down and keep them in a bundle inside a small box. It is really easy to pull them out for future reference. Sometimes these ideas start to have a connection, an invisible thread. And that is when a new deck can be created. Each new piece of information points to another new knowledge, just follow the lead. Trust the process.

New Earth Resiliency Oracle Cards are a modern version of tarot cards and used as a divination and healing tool. NEROC guides us to look inward in order to be centered, to heal, to know ourselves, to discover both the positive and the pain. It consists of 14 sets of 4 cards: stages of human growth, elements, seasons, temperament dispositions, celestial bodies, nature, weather phenomena, cardinal virtues, monomyth, the suits, earthly archetypes, heavenly archetypes, tools and natural disasters.

Allow intuition to guide you. Your connection, intuition and interpretation will shape the reading. What is the state of my mind? What shall I call into focus today? What do I need to know right now? If you find that you want to know more about a certain topic, there are recommended exercises to follow.

Earthly Archetypes

KING POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES: Primal · Father energy · Regenerative · Conduit to the divine · Order · Reasonable · Rational · Knows own worth · Steward of nature and human society · Possess the qualities of order, reason, rational patterning, integration and integrity · Power and control NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES: Exploits and abuses other · Pursuing his self-interests · Hates all beauty · Innocence · Strength · Talent · Life energy · Hidden in his own weakness LOVER POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES: Appetite for life (vividness, aliveness and passion) · Sensually aware of the physical world and all its splendor · Recognizes no boundaries · All life is art · Touches everything physically and emotionally NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES: Lost in the 5 senses · Addictive personality · Always seeks the next adventure · Depression · Perfidy

MAGICIAN POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES: Initiates and guides others · Acquires knowledge with special training · Sees into the depth and deflates arrogance · Thoughtfulness, reflection and introversion · Archetype of awareness and insight · Observing ego NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES: Manipulator · Overthinks decisions and gets lost in a labyrinth of reflective meandering from which there is no exit WARRIOR POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES: Aware of imminent death · the warrior acts instead of thinking too much · each deed is done as if it were the last · Control the mind and the body will follow (positive mental attitude) · Concerned with skill, power and accuracy · Loyal to a cause · Ascetic: uses self-discipline to become an efficient spiritual machine NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES: Emotionally distant · Destructive · Avenging spirit · Attacking everything and everyone · Workaholic tendencies

Monomyth

ADVENTURE: Announcement · Proclamation · A calling ORDEAL: Hurdle · Challenges · Test · Temptation · Training · Process is accelerated RESURRECTION: Rebirth · The phoenix · Memento mori · Ouroboros ELIXIR: Knowledge · Secret · Insight · Bottled up · Concentrated tinctures (healing)

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Heavenly Archetypes QUEEN: Her primary ego is the well being of her subjects, who are her children. Self-nurturing is an important aspect of the personal development of the Queen ruler type.

HETERIA: The heteria is a companion, who’s priorities lie first and foremost in the subtle dynamic qualities of their relational lives with other.

MEDIAL: The medial’s primary focus is the preoccupation with phenomena related to the collective unconsciousness. They are governed by a set of natural laws that remains mysterious, even to themselves. They are sometimes gifted with a prophetic imagination and stand inbetween the bridge of two worlds.

AMAZON: The amazon is a heavenly warrior whose primary ego lies in the impersonal realm of collective consciousness. Her natural ambition for is for public achievement in the cosmic realm.

Celestial SUN: Positivity · Nourishing · Parental figure · Healing energy · Putting yourself in the spotlight · Exposure EXERCISE (1) Sun print with cyanotype (2) Sun salutation yoga pose (Surya Namaskar) (3) Build a sundial MOON: Parental figure · Emotions · Hidden desires or fears · Dreams · Circadian rhythm · Rest · Seeding time · Shadow side EXERCISE (1) Use a lunar calendar MOON PHASE New Moon - new beginnings, new relationships, new adventures, positive changes, the best time to set intentions Waxing Moon - growth, learning, creativity, healing, transformation Full Moon - wishes come true, spells work, cleansing crystals, protection, harvest Waning Moon - Letting go, cleansing, release, opening up

STAR: Direction · Get your bearings back · Heavenly body · Good luck · Turning point in a person’s life · Hope and aspiration · Clear answer · Certainty something will come · Time of magic and alchemy EXERCISE (1) Learn Astrology COSMOS: Vastness · Universe · The divine · Clarity · Enlightenment · Realization EXERCISE (1) Draw and paint a Mandala and read your partner’s psychic patterns using the mandala painting. Pay attention to the color use and relate it to the chakra.

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Zeitgeber is an environmental cue, such as the length of daylight that helps to regulate the cycles of an organism’s biological clock.

Elements AIR: Ideas · Ungrounded · Lofty EXERCISE (1) Do breath work like Tai Chi (2) Burn incense (3) Burn Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) for decluttering.

When burning cedar, the air becomes smokey and helps release any negative energy or bad vibes that may be present. One example could be when getting rid of old clothing or things associated with bad memories. Try burning some cedar as it can represent clearing the space of any lingering energy associated with the objects or the space they once occupied. Even when getting new things or antiques, you can burn cedar and wave it near the objects to remove the looming vibes of the object’s previous journey.

Burn resins for Purification Some of these resins can be frankincense and myrrh, which are used in various ancient cultures as natural purifiers. The resin is hard to burn, so light the tip of some charcoal with a match or lighter, and put it on a non-flammable surface like sand or a ceramic or clay bowl, tile, or plate. Once the charcoal gets a little flame going, put some resin on top of it but do be VERY careful so as not burn yourself.

The smog from the frankincense is believed to carry the wishes of those in this world to the spiritual realm. It helps quiet the mind for meditation and it also has an antibacterial effect. Burning myrrh, on the other hand, helps the mind focus, balances the energy centers in the body and has some medicinal effects, too.

Burn palo santo for Prosperity This sacred wood comes from the Palo Santo tree found in abundance on the South American coastlines. Native shamans used it ritualistically to spread love and prosperity by eliminating negative energy in the air. This wood burns quite slowly and gives out a forest or woody aroma which motivates positive feelings and attracts good energy.

Burn Tibetan monastery incense for Clarity This incense is made with about 38 Himalayan herbs and infusions, believed to have an in-depth purification effect in the zone where it is burnt, creating a sense of calmness and serenity like the energy in a meditation hall.

Burn sandalwood for Grounding This strong but earthy aromatic wood can be an acquired taste for some. Instantly centering the good energies of a room, it grounds a troubled mind with its mystical scent.

Burn juniper for Ease And Comfort If you’re not feeling at ease and need something to help relax your shoulders, unwind, and feel comfortable, burn some juniper in that space to help promote a general sense of personal space, solace, and energy.

Burn yerba santa for a Loving Aura Burnt to appease broken hearts. In traditional ancient cultures, yerba santa (eriodictyon californicum) was burnt inside rooms where people spent long periods of time, to help dispel any hate, awkwardness or bad blood caused by relationship troubles. Yerba santa inspires more care and love intrapersonally and interpersonally.

Burn rosemary for New Beginnings A common ingredient in traditional casseroles and roasts, the fragrant herb of rosemary has also been used to mark a fresh start in life when trying to begin something new. Rosemary can inspire the user to become more creative, form a new habit or break with an old one, go on a journey which bolsters one with a sense of confidence and assurance to go for it.

Burn mugwort for Dreams Sounding like something that came out of a book of spells, Mugwort’s effects are indeed magical, especially when burning them in your bedroom before going to sleep. It is said to induce and provoke fantastical and adventurous dreams, even lucid ones.

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FIRE: Warmth · Passion · Cleansing · Transformation · Letting go · Illuminating · Sacrifice EXERCISE (1) Light a candle or fireplace or bonfire (2) Invite the spirit of fire into your life (3) Get in touch with your inner fire (4) Burn a wand or talisman WATER: Flow · Transformative · Cleansing · Purifying · Potential of life · Sacred · Dissolve blockage or pain EARTH: Grounding · Growth · Gaia · Nourisher EXERCISE (1) Walk barefoot (2) Gardening (3) Honor the earth with sacred herbs (4) Grounding exercise

Strong Weather

THUNDER: Panic · Jolt EXERCISE (1) Try flower essences like Agrimony and Cherry Plum Gut-feelings, goosebumps, chills and tingles...

Have you ever sensed something through part of the body?

Check this chakra guide to clarify your intuition as it manifests in the body...

O Sahasrara: enlightenment, cosmic conscious (live in the present moment) O Ajna: intuition, psychic (seek only the truth) O Vishuddha: Creation, communication (the consequence of spiritual karma) O Anahata: love, compassion (love is divine power) O Manipura: vitality, power (Honor oneself) O Svadhishthana: intimacy, emotion, sexuality (honor one another) O Muladhara: security (all is one) TORNADO: Anxiety · That gut-twisting feeling in the solar plexus EXERCISE (1) Practice “Mahashirsha Mudu” mudra for overactive mind relief (2) Child pose “Bālāsana”, relaxing the third eye on the ground, calming and restorative yoga pose DROUGHT: Lost (need ideas, direction, excitement, inspiration) · Dormant · Scarcity EXERCISE (1) Create a craquelure (a network of fine cracks on the surface of a painting, caused chiefly by shrinkage of paint or varnish) STORM: Fear · Upheaval · Falling into a hole EXERCISE (1) Try “Abhya” mudra, the gesture of dispelling fear.

Fata Morgana (Italian) is a complex form of superior mirage that is seen in a narrow band right above the horizon. It is an Italian term named after the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, from a belief that these mirages, often seen in the Strait of Messina, were fairy castles in the air or false land created by her witchcraft to lure sailors to their deaths. The term Fata Morgana is also sometimes is applied to other more common kinds of mirages.

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Psithurism is the sound of wind in the trees and rusting of leaves.

Nature TREE: Growth · String · Breakthrough · Bridging heaven and earth · What is above is also below · Nature’s lungs · Shelter and home for animals · Network · Stable · Majestic EXERCISE (1) Plant a tree (2) Touch the trunk of a tree and sense it’s energy (3) Take photos of tree barks and look for patterns (4) Wishing Trees (5) Family Tree (6) Tree stump engravings (7) Yggdrasil - The World Tree RIVER: Follow the path/flow · Twist and turn · Multiple opportunities · One source · Channeling · Pipeline · Healing the mind · Being honest · Fluidity OCEAN: Lost · Voyage · Travel · Another realm · Vastness · Let go of chains that bind EXERCISE (1) Connect with the spirit of the ocean by going to the beach or even standing at the pier MOUNTAIN: Ambition · Hardship · Challenge · Looking for peace · Seeking knowledge and visions · You are protected no matter what · Strength will arrive · Look for a landmark or anchor point EXERCISE (1) Go for a hike at the nearest trails (2) Go to the highest point of your city or town

Phenomena FOG: Uncertainty · Thin veil · Secret · Dreams · Between warm and cold · The healing process · Don’t do anything yet · Introspection · Letting answers arrive after the fog · Avoid rushing the process, clarity will arrive organically RAINS: Sad · Nourishing · Cleanse · Cool down · Found emotions · Dissolving emotions through peaceful ways · Healing the heart little by little EXERCISE (1) Listen to the sound of water RAINBOW: Hope · Awe · Spectacle · Reward after trial · Fleeting · Reconciliation · Joy · Enlightenment · Strength filled with love · Victory · Hope that embraces SNOW: Hibernation · Consolidation · Invocation of your inner child EXERCISE(1) Embed leaves in a shallow bucket of water to make an ice sheet (2) Learn to see & spot animal tracks on snow (3) Make a snow angel 55

Petrichor is the pleasant earthy smell after rain.

Cardinal Virtues FORTITUDE: Courage · Forbearance · Strength · Endurance · Bravery · Valor TEMPERANCE: Restraint · Practice of self control · Abstention · Discretion · Moderation PRUDENCE: Wisdom · Knowledge · Insight · Snake: transformation · The ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason · Roman goddess of Justice: Justitia holds a mirror and snake · Clear ideas · Information is revealed· Caution before taking risks · Negative: Coward and over-cautious · Validation of the self JUSTICE: Fairness · Righteousness

Seasons SPRING: New start · New growth · New project · Breakthrough · Conception Initiation · Inspiration SUMMER: Fertility · Heat FALL: Harvest · Offering · Saving seeds · Introspection WINTER: Personal renewal · Honoring family, friends and ancestors · Death and rebirth · Sadness that cleans · Letting go

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Imbolc (Feb 1) -Also known as Candlemas and groundhog day -Marks the middle of winter and holds the promise of spring -Goddess: Maiden and Brigid -Festival of purification and dedication -Color: White and red Spring Equinox (March 19-22) -Also known as Ostara -Day and night are equal lengths -Goddess Ostara or Eostre with her basket of eggs, acorn, rabbit or hare, a manifestation of the gods -Other similar festivals: Christian: Easter, Hindu: Holi.

Jewish: Purim, Sikh: Hola Mohalla -Color: Green Beltane (May 1) -Also known as May Day and Walpurgis Night -Celebrate the height of spring & flowering of life -Divinity: May Queen & flora; May King & Jack in the Green -Maypole dance: pole signifies God & the ribbons encompass the Goddess -Festival of flower, fertility, sensuality and delight of the Goddess.

-Color: Rainbow color or spectrum Summer Solstice (June 19-23) -Also known as Midsummer, Litha, St. John’s Day -Celebrate the longest day of the year and beginning of summer -Goddess: Mother Earth and Sun King -Color: Yellow, green, blue

Lammas/Lughnasad (August 1) -Marks the middle of summer, the beginning of harvest -Goddess: Demeter, Ceres, Cornmother -God: Lugh, John Barleycorn -Color: Golden yellow, orange, green, light brown Fall Equinox (September 21-24) -Also known as Mabon -Marks the beginning of Autumn -Goddess: Bountiful Mother -God: Cornking and Harvest Lord -Color: Orange, dark red, yellow, indigo, brown Samhain (November 1) -Festival of the dead -The celebration of the end of harvest and beginning of the coldest half of the year -Other festivals include: Dia de los Muertos, Halloween -Reflects nature’s rhythm, coinciding with the end of the growing season -Exercise: Nature walk, set up ancestor altar with mementos of deceased family members and give thanks to them.

-Color: Black and orange Winter Solstice (December 20-23) -Also known as Yule, Christmas, Saturnalia -Celebrate the birth of a new solar year and beginning of winter -Divine symbol: Great mother, sun child -Color: Red, green, white

Suit SWORD ♠: Language · Words · Concepts and Ideas · Cut loose · Danger · Sharp words · Separation · Breakthrough · Connect with air element WAND ♣: Reproductive instinct · Fertility · Desire · Creative Energy · Imagination · Connect with fire element · Healing force · Overcoming obstacles through creativity CUP ♥: Loving · Emotional energy · Feelings · Friendship · Forgiveness · Generosity · Adoration · Relationship · Marriage · The opening of the heart · Abundant internal peace · Joy · Faith · Connecting with the water element EXERCISE (1) Memory jug: The Bakongo culture believed that the spirit world was turned upside down and that they were connected to it by water. Therefore, they decorated their graves with water-bearing items such as shells, pitchers, jugs or vases, which would help the deceased travel through the watery world to the afterlife. Items were placed upside-down, symbolizing the inverted nature of the spirit world. Items were also broken to release the loved one’s spirit and enable it to make the journey. The fragmented possessions, reconfirmed in the memory jug, paid homage to and simultaneously appeased the spiritual beings, encouraging them not to interfere with the lives of the living. It can be any type of vessel or container that has first been covered with a layer of adhesive, such as putty, cement or plaster. While the adhesive

is still damp, a variety of objects are embedded in the surface, including beads, buttons, coins, glass, hardware, mirrors, pipes, scissors, seashells, tools, toys and watches. (2) Puzzle jug: a form of a jug, popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Puzzle jugs of varying quality were popular in homes and taverns. An inscription typically challenges the drinker to consume the contents without spilling them, which, because the neck of the jug is perforated, is impossible to do conventionally. The solution to the puzzle is that the jug has a hidden tube, one end of which is the spout. The tube usually runs around the rim and then down the handle, with its other opening inside the jug and near the bottom. To solve the puzzle, the drinker must suck from the spout end of the tube. To make the puzzle more interesting, it was common to provide a number of additional holes along the tube, which must be closed off before the contents could be sucked. Some jugs even have a hidden hole to make the challenge still more confounding.

COIN ♦: The body · Health · Physical appearance · Territory · Needs (clothing, food, shelter) · Prosperity · Connect with earth element · Exchange · Value EXERCISE (1) Money Tree, a artwork where you cut out defunct bills into tiny trees. As you continue it will grown into a forest. (page 28) (2) Discover the meaning of various engraving patterns and icons on currencies.

Tools SPADE: Hard work · Cultivation · Digging deeper · Discovery · Unearthing · Planting ROPE: Bind · Problem · Solution is in the problem EXERCISE (1) “Entrapment is an illusion” game (page 25)

BROOM: Clear away EXERCISE (1) Annual cleaning day before Lunar New Year (2) Zen garden meditation where you are mindful while sweeping the pebbles on the ground to create a continuous pattern.

HAMMER: Forge · Forcing · Hard headed · Not learning well 59

Temperaments CHOLERIC: Nocturnal · Camouflage · Hunting · Night vision · Short tempered · Irritable · Independent · Tends to lead rather than follow · Decisive · Impetuous EXERCISE (1) Camouflage design. Using shapes and forms to create a camouflage patterns (2) Hiding exercise with dirt and leaves.

Learn to be stealthy in nature by using foliage and clay.

SANGUINE: Optimistic · Active and social · Tends to follow rather than lead · Self-composed · Cordial and peaceable PHLEGMATIC: Meditative · Slow but sure · Bringing home with you wherever you roam · Patient · Relaxed and chill · Protection · Defenses · Ancient · Longevity · Faithful · Reserved · Prone to stagnation and sloth · Water element MELANCHOLIC: Bird’s eye view · Analytical · Wise · Quiet · Earth element EXERCISE (1) Learn a bird language (2) Go bird watching (3) Build a birdhouse or bird feeders (4) Collect feathers on trails

Human Growth

CHILDHOOD: Innocence · Wonderment · Naiveté · Seeds · Potentiality · Vulnerablity ADOLESCENCE: Bravery · Sexual energy · Impulsive EXERCISE (1) CREATE BEAUTY in whatever way we can upon the Earth, beauty in our actions, beauty in our thoughts, and beauty in the way we dance with spirits, through ceremonies, prayers and giveaways, we enhance our connection to the web of life.

If we walk well with the spirits, we follow a path of beauty. Beauty can be said to be the thing which holds the universe together.

ADULT: Mature · Stable · Logical · Gathering of wealth and knowledge ANCESTOR: Wisdom · Council · End of journey · Blessings · Protection · Internal strength to get through · Health and balance EXERCISE (1) Create an ALTAR. It can be a place of healing, a place of transition between one part of life and another, a place of Oracle, a place of personal devotion, a place where you tap into the sacred, a place that helps keep you focused during difficult times.

Copy the next 5 pages to make your own oracle cards.

Feel free to add your own ideas to the deck to personalize your reading. The first 4 blank cards are where you start.

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63

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Meditate upon THE WORLD card, then rate your state of being below from 1 to 10 (1=not true, 10=true).

This is a spiritual self check up exercise.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

My personal existence is very purposeful and meaningful.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I believe that no matter where I am or what I’m doing, I am never separate from others.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I feel a real sense of kinship with all living things.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

My sense of inner peace is one of the most important things to me.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I take the time each day to be peaceful and quiet, to empty my mind of everyday thoughts.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I believe that intuition comes from a higher part of myself and I never ignore it.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I feel a sense of responsibility and belonging to the universe.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

My sense of identity is based on something that unites me with all other people.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I am aware of a connection between myself and all living things.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I see myself as being extended into everything else.

Follow this section page by page for clarity about your true nature. Ask big life questions like WHO AM I? ~and~ WHY AM I HERE? Discriminate between the real and the unreal (Viveka). What is real is unchanged what is unreal is constantly changing.

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You are not the body

Did you make the decision to be born?

Did you choose your physical attractiveness before birth?

Did you make your body before birth?

Did you choose how well this body functions and how long it will last?

Did you choose your gender before birth?

Did you realized the location, time and day of your birth to predetermine your disposition and personality?

Did you choose your race before birth?

Do you own this body?

Did you choose your social economic background or which family you were born into?

Do you have true free will?

Understanding: You are not your body. Free will is an illusion. You did not build this organic machine, It was endowed to you. It is born, exists, develops, matures, decomposes and dies. We spend most of our days taking care of this body by providing food and shelter. Some say that even when you feel older and have aches, inside you feel the same as you were as a teenager. Perhaps the true you was never born, never ages or dies. If you think of it this way, you are a spiritual being having a human experience.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.

- As you like it, William Shakespeare

LOVE OF ONE’S FATE. - friedrich nietzsche

Sanskrit meaning: big or great

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Gelassenheit is (German) for self surrender/abandonment, yielding to God’s will. Serenity, calmness.

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Your operational manual All the gadgets we buy come with an operational manual. Our body also has an operational manual. The body comes with tendencies, likes and dislikes that are based on the position of the planets at time of birth. Astrology is one modality; another contemporary modality is a test that determines your learning style or personality through a series of questions. Personality tests can take the form of introspective self-report questionnaires with the purpose of indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world around them and make decisions. There are 16 types in the Myers-Briggs test.

Do you know your sun sign, moon sign and ascendant sign?

What is your Myers–Briggs Type? Circle below.

Find out here www.16personalities.com It is a 12 mins Q&A. INTJ

INTP

ENTJ

ENTP

INFJ

INFP

ENFJ

ENFP

ISTJ

ISFJ

ESTJ

ESFJ

ISTP ISFP ESTP ESFP

You are not the mind

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How to be present?

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HERE AND NOW, FROM THE PRACTICE OF ATTENTION (PROSOCHÉ)

Meditation The goal of meditation is to be able to differentiate what you are feeling, sensing, thinking, and wanting from your true self. It is a conscious decision to see the influences and make visible the programming that is hidden from you. When we are not conscious, this kind of programming is behind most of the decisions in our lives.

Breath Meditation

Mantra Meditation Bring your awareness to the touch of the breath in the nostrils. Notice the transition from breathing as if the whole body breathes to breathings awareness focused in the nostrils. It is natural and comfortable, but it will take a few minutes to complete.

The natural rhythm of our breath is already like a mantra, which we constantly emit just by breathing. It is the natural sound, rhythm and sensation of our breath. Though usually unconsciously, during inhalation we emit the syllable “HAM”; during exhalation we produce the syllable “SA”.

HAMSA or SO´HAM is an ajapa

Patiently bring your attention back to the touch of the breath whenever the mind wanders off. Over a number of practice sessions train yourself to maintain your focus, with no break in your awareness or your breathing. Don’t expect your mind to stop thinking—it won’t. Simply maintain breath awareness.

Let the thoughts that arise in your mind come and go. Do not make them the focus of your attention, but do not turn them into your enemy, either. Simply do not give them energy. With quiet determination, continues to rest your awareness on the sensation of the breath in the nostrils. As you continue, your experience of breath awareness will deepen. Your breath will become deeply relaxing, and you will observe changes in the state of your awareness. These quiet changes are an important accompaniment to your concentration and signal that breath awareness has nearly completed its inner work.

mantra (a non-uttered mantra).

The form HAMSA (swan, in Sanskrit) signifies pure life and awareness, symbolized by the white, immaculate swan, floating over the waters. The form SO’HAM means “I am” (aham) or one with God. In other words “I am the pure, unchanging, immutable godly Subject [of everything]”.

You can also use the primordial sound OM with any of these exercises.

Observe your mind while repeating the mantra silently, see where your mind leads you. Just see it as it is, with no judgement. Just return to the mantra. Repeat a few times and continue observing the mind.

Sitting Begin by sitting comfortably erect on a cushion, bench, or chair. Close your eyes, and spend a few minutes resting your body. Soften the sides of the lower rib cage as well as the abdominal wall. This will allow the breath to flow deeply.

Notice a cleansing sensation as you breathe out, and a nourishing sensation as you breathe in. Let your breath flow without pause. Patiently allow the relaxed movement of your breathing to become smooth. It will probably take a number of minutes for you to sense that it is effortless.

Vision You can choose to open or close your eyes. If your eyes are open, fix a soft gaze just off the tip of your nose.

Timing Start with 5 minutes and slowly increase to 20 minutes per day.

Silence is truth. Silence is bliss. Silence is peace & hence silence is the self.

- Ramana Maharshi

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Our multi-filtered lens

SAT CHIT ANANDA · existence, consciousness, bliss

When you no longer believe everything you think, you step out of thought and see clearly that the thinker is not who you are.

- Eckhart Tolle

DO NOT SEE OUTSIDE YOURSELF, LOOK WITHIN. - ralph waldo emerson

Our feelings

Until you are free of the drug [of self-identification] , all your religions and sciences, prayers and yogas are of no use to you, for, based on a mistake, they strengthen it. But if you stay with the idea that you are not the body nor the mind, not even their witness, but altogether beyond, your mind will grow in clarity, your desires in purity, your actions in charity, and that inner distillation will take you to another world, a world of truth and fearless love.

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

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You are the witness

When you are angry, does it last?

When you are happy does it last?

Neti neti, meaning, "Not this, not this", is the method of Vedic analysis of negation. Through this gradual process he negates the mind and transcends all worldly experiences that are negated till nothing remains but the Self.

When you are sad does it last?

hi)

ks

(sa

What we are looking for is what is looking.

- St. Francis Assisi

All thoughts and events are merely pictures moving on the screen of pure consciousness, which alone is real.

- Ramana Maharshi

TAT TVAM ASI · Thou art that

I saw my Lord with the eye of my heart.

The Lord said, “Who are you?”

I said, “I am You.” You are The One who fills all place But place does not know where You are.

In my subsistence is my annihilation; In my annihilation, I remain You.

Are you here?

- Mansur Al-Hallaj

Contemplating the famous words of Mansur al-Hallaj (for which al-Hallaj was executed as a blasphemer) Rumi says...

People imagine that it is a presumptive claim, whereas it is really a presumptive claim to say “I am the slave of God”; and “I am God” is an expression of great humility. The man who says “I am the slave of God” affirms two existences, his own and God’s, but he that says “I am God” has made himself non-existent and has given himself up and says “I am God”, that is, “I am naught, He is all; there is no being but God’s.” This is the extreme of humility and self-abasement.

Are you here?

Are you here?

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Blackout Poetry Words Archaeology Grab a black marker and a used book that had been discarded. Looks for words that jump out at you, box them up and blacken the rest of the words. Presto you have instant blackout poetry. Have fun scribbling, Maybe you want to have another metallic gold or silver marker to link the words together, over the black page.

This exercise is like the process of neti-neti, self inquiry into the nature of reality: what is real, what is not. It will lead you to discover your true Self.

The Dzogchen or “Great Perfection� is a tradition of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism aimed at discovering and continuing in the natural primordial state of being. It is a central teaching of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism or Bon. As humans we always strive for perfection, but the Dzogchen explains that we already are in a self-perfected state of our primordial nature. This state needs no perfecting, for it has always been perfect from the very beginning, just like the sky. It is uncreated, yet spontaneously accomplished. The true Self is already there, you just need to rediscover it.

black marker

metallic marker

books TOOLS NEEDED

EXAMPLE OF VARIOUS STYLES OF BLACKOUT POETRY

magazine

newspaper

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Ignis Fatuus is (Latin) for something deluding or misleading.

4 stages of consciousness

You are conscious, but there is nothing to be conscious of. The mind is shut down.

You loose control of your physical body, and the mind generates another world. The “I” in the dream world is the same as the “I” in the waking world.

the 3 stages of waking, dreaming, ualize d vis n a silence.

M” d with “O ... en p nt e a sle Ch ep de d an

Turiya is not an attainment but a rediscovery. It is always here but we just don’t realize it.

This is who you are.

The clear light of the void.

We see, aware of a body and a world outside of the body.

We sense with hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, smelling.

The Ego “I” is present.

Perhaps one day you'll wake up from the long sleep of the shadow. And you'll wake to the fact that there was no prayer for you, there was no God for you, there was nothing for you except You. And you were the God. And you were the Self.

- Yogi Bhajan 83

You are not the doer (karta)

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. - Ephesians 2:89

Alternative name of God: Divine, The All, Beyond the Beyond, absolute, Higher Self, I Am, Yo Soy

Alexithymia (English) is the inability to express your feelings.

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Sophrosyne (Greek) is a healthy state of mind, characterized by self control, moderation, and a deep awareness of one’s true self, and resulting in true happiness.

Life mission & Happiness

Which one did you choose? 2A or 2B.

Happiness is when you are working on something that gives you pleasure, you are engaged with society, and this brings meaning to everyone involved.

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What is my mission in life?

What am I passionate about?

What did I enjoy as a child?

What did I want to be when I grew up?

How can I make money from my hobby?

What do I read in my spare time?

Who are the people around me?

What is the next step in pursuing what I love to do?

Understanding: The ultimate purpose in life is realization, enlightenment, liberation, moksha, freedom, nirvana, salvation.

It is to attain profound happiness and overcome suffering.

Ikigai - A Japanese concept meaning “a reason for being” Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” The word “Ikigai” is often used to indicate the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile. Try to fill up all the sections below and hopefully you’ll be able to locate your Ikigai.

What you love

Satisfaction but with a feeling of uselessness

PA SS I

N O AT I C

N IO SS FE O PR

V O

t you are good at Wha

N

O

t the world need s Wha

SI IS

O

M

N

Delight and fullness but not wealth

Comfortable but with a feeling of emptiness

Excitement and complacency but with a sense of uncertainty

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at yo Wh

u can be paid

for

BIG “G”, small “g” BEYOND ATTRIBUTE

sa tc

hi t

an an d

a

Write down what the word GOD means to you?

Big G is defined as: Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam Existence, Consciousness, Infinate Sat, Chit, Ananda Existence, Consciousness, Bliss

WITH

Non-separation

QUAL

ITY

The unified field cosmic consciousness Higher self The all The tao The great spirit Absolute Supreme expression Beyond the beyond Infinity Totality Universe I am

THE MATRIX

Intelligence Nothingness True reality

Understanding: If you exist, God exists.

Small g is defined as: Cosmic personality or god in religions.

All is Brahman (the big G), everything else is illusion.

Eudaimonia is often translated as “happiness�

It really means the deepest kind of fulfillment, often comprising a flourishing work life and love life.

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The doctrine of creation through perception

CREATION

SEEING

I AM A BODY THAT HAS AWARENESS - This is the “normal” way of perception.

- The world exists prior to anyone’s perception.

Is this your understanding?

SEEING

CREATION

I AM THE AWARENESS IN WHICH A BODY APPEARS AND FUNCTIONS - The seer and seen are one and the same.

- The world only exists when it is perceived.

Is this your understanding?

NOTHING EXISTS EXCEPT THE ABSOLUTE - The Absolute is not subject to birth, change and death.

- The empirical world of appearance is considered unreal.

- Brahman can not undergo alteration, so the phenomenal world cannot arise independently from Brahman. If the world cannot arise, than it has to be an unreal (transitory) appearance of Brahman. Then there is no real origination or destruction, only appearance of such.

Is this your understanding?

"Nothing is me" is the first step. "Everything is me" is the next. Both hang on the idea "There is a world". When this too is given up, you remain what you are - the non-dual Self.

You are it here and now, but your vision is obstructed by your false ideas about yourself.

-Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

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Does this reality spark joy?

If your current reality does not spark joy for you, perhaps you are looking at it unskillfully.

THE ONE THAT APPEARS AS MANY

It might be a case of mistaken identity.

EXISTENCE, CONSCIOUSNESS, BLISS

In order for this material world to manifest there needs to be a source.

Once you realize you are that eternal reality, you will be here but not of here.

That source has no name and no shape. It is eternal and constantly there.

Know that you are always that.

Time and space is transient.

ABIDE IN IT.

It is existence, awareness, bliss.

You’ll find eternal peace and well being.

In reality there are no others. And in helping yourself you help others.

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Stop acting so small.

You are the universe in ecstatic motion.

- Rumi

Everything around you changes yet the (true you) remains unchanged, perfectly still. There is no past and no future, only now.

The present moment in a continuous state of change. That means it is eternal.

“Now” transient time and space. It is always non-dual. Infinite. It is the center of eternity.

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Do you still associate yourself with the data you wrote on the first page?

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you its going to be a butterfly.

- R. Buckminster Fuller 97

With an introduction by educator and curator of social practice art projects, Dr. Sara Angel Guerrero Tattfoo Tan’s art practice responds to issues of ecology, climate change, and nutrition. His unique art making process consists of learning new forms of knowledge, practicing them, and in turn teaching others. His decade long trilogy of projects, Nature Matching System, Sustainable. Organic. Stewardship. and New Earth has been shown widely and made into replicable manuals to inspire the public to take action. Tattfoo has presented, collaborated, published, and shown his works in various venues and institutions including: Staten Island Arts, The Queens Museum, The City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for the Arts, Eugene Lang College/New School for Liberal Arts, Parsons/The New School for Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, 601Tully/Syracuse University, Macalester College, Creative Time Reports, Aljira - A Center for Contemporary Art, Project Row Houses, City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Contemporary Arts Center - Cincinnati, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Ballroom Marfa, The Pulitzer Arts Foundation, The Laundromat Project, Gestalten, Thames and Hudson. He has been recognized for his effort, service, and artistic contributions to the community, and is a proud recipient of a proclamation from The City of New York. He was given the Twenty-Eighth Annual Award for Excellence in Design by the Public Design Commission of The City of New York for his design and branding of the Super-Graphic on the Bronx River Art Center.

This publication is supported in part by a grant from the Joan Mitchell Foundation.

Climate change

Fearfulness

Ignorance of the true nature of reality/existence

All fear is the fear of death (the loss of the body)

Remedy is found in the non-dual understanding (disassociation with the physical body.)

Comprehension only comes when you are secure in your mind and body.

Realize that you are eternal, consciousness, existence, bliss.

Photography by Evey Kwong

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