Earth medicine, p.4
Earth Medicine, page 4
Just as we are affected by light from the Sun and the degree of its intensity and seasonal changes, so the light energy of the Moon has an influence. Moonlight is reflected sunlight, and the power of that sunlight is suffused and modified. The intensity of Moonlight varies greatly throughout a lunar month depending on the particular phase of the Moon and this also has relevance to the influence of the directional power.
It must be stressed that the stage of the Moon at a particular time must always be considered in conjunction with the Earth influence time as it is essential to work with the ebb and flow of the lunar currents which powerfully ‘drive’ the Earth influences.
There are four stages of the Moon, which are the varying degrees of light that it reflects from the Sun in its journey counterclockwise around the Earth – from the Dark of the Moon when its surface is completely dark, to the Full Moon when its surface is fully lit, and back again to fully dark.
The first stage is when the Moon is not visible because it is rising in almost the same direction as the Sun. At the end of this stage, a thin crescent can be seen as the Moon follows the Sun on the western horizon. The Dark of the Moon lasts for four days and is followed by the New Moon as the thin crescent appears. Applying the yang-yin principles this stage would be yin .
The second stage is when the Moon and the Sun are at right angles to each other. The Moon can be seen in the west during the first half of the night. During this stage the Moon appears to be getting fatter, so this is the stage of the Waxing Moon. This stage lasts for eleven days and is yin to yang .
The third stage is when the Moon and the Sun are opposite each other and the surface of the Moon is fully lit. This stage is called the Full Moon and lasts for three days with the night of the Full Moon falling on the third day. This is yang .
The fourth stage is when the Sun and Moon are again at right angles to each other, and the Moon is seen in the Eastern sky. As this stage progresses the Moon appears to be getting thinner and reduces to a narrow crescent. This stage lasts for eleven days and is yang to yin
The Form of Human Expression
The Moon can also be seen as representing the power that gives form to the individualized spirit (represented by the Sun) in the dimension of matter (represented by the Earth). The Moon is also related to the human personality while the Sun is related to the individuality of the spiritual ‘self’.
The twelve divisions of the Earth Wheel also indicate the twelve stages of expression and development on the ‘evolutionary’ path of the soul. This path was symbolized in various cultures and in pre-Christian times by the four faces of the Moon Goddess – Maiden, Mother, Grandmother, Hag (see Figure 16).
The seasonal path thus follows a cycle from birth, through expansion and growth to maturity and fulfilment and the acquisition of wisdom, and then through decline of the physical but expansion of the spiritual, to rest and transition. During the period of rest and transition – represented by the nights when the face of the Moon is hidden – the creative act takes place and the rejuvenation that precedes new life with a New Moon. And so the cycle is repeated – Moon, Sun, Earth and us all dancing the same tune.
We have therefore, an ever-turning Wheel of Life which is fashioned in Time’s workshop. Since there are twelve equally balanced segments, we can allocate a roughly equivalent portion of time to each, and since the Spring Equinox provides us with a ‘fixed’ entry point, we can begin our calculations there. The four seasonal ‘arms’ provide us with firm check-points.
Our Earth Wheel can now be give a web-like appearance as in Figure 16.
Thus, we have developed a simple ‘wheel’ into a basic web-like construction which more clearly indicates that all things that exist within it are interconnected through a fine network of strands or threads. We shall see later how this develops into a more complex structure.
This web-like arrangement can be related to all things in existence on Earth, including ourselves. And since existence is not merely physical and material but is experienced on emotional, mental and spiritual levels, our Web can also be a chart to other levels of consciousness, whether ‘above’ or ‘below’ the frequency of our normal range of conscious awareness.
A web-like structure also serves as a reminder that all things are part of a greater whole and connected and interrelated through the life-essence or ‘spirit’ that is within all things that have existence and which is at the very source of their identity and individuality.
This spirit or energy-force is within every human being, within all animals, birds and creatures that swim and crawl, within plants and trees, and within rocks and stones and minerals. It is even within the very elements themselves – within Water and Fire and Earth and even Air, for it is in the very winds that freshen and vitalize us and keep us ‘alive’.
Figure 16. The Earth Web and its relationship with the solar year
Our basic Web of twelve segments contains and absorbs within it the eight-spoked ‘Wheel’ which, as we shall see, is a vital ‘component’ in the way the Web functions. In this Web the flow of energy or power moves from the unseen – the non-physical – to the seen, to that which appears; from the realm of that which is not yet manifest to the realm of appearances; from what some American Indians called the ‘Nagual’ to the ‘Tonal’, to the everyday world of ‘ordinary’ existence.
1.3
The Eight Directions
THE TWELVE SEGMENTS OF THE EARTH WEB, LIKE THE ZODIAC AND the Wheel of the Year of Chinese astrology, are an extension of an earlier and more ancient system in which there were only eight divisions or directions – north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-west, west and north-west (see Figure 17).
Figure 17.
The Eight-Directions ‘Wheel’ is a structure that has been used throughout history and by all cultures, and this is evident from the artefacts of past civilizations. Its origins, however, go back far into pre-history, possibly to the legendary Atlantis, or even to an earlier civilization of another ‘lost’ continent called Mu, whose peoples were also said to be red-skinned.
The Eight-Directions Wheel, like all sacred symbols, had an almost inexhaustible number of meanings and teachings. One was the indication that there were eight times during the year when it was possible to become tuned in readily to the changing rhythms and tides of the Earth’s yearly cycle. In Britain and northern Europe in pre-Christian times, for instance, these eight occasions were encapsulated in eight festivals, and the eight-directions circle became the Wheel of the Year.
A pivotal time in the yearly cycle is the Spring Equinox on 21 March and this is assigned the north-east direction of the Earth Web. It was recognized by the pre-Christian Ostara (Easter) which celebrated the end of winter and the arrival of spring and the coming forth of life again. It was a time of joy because it was the time of sprouting and of everything in Nature coming alive. The Festival of Awakening.
The east direction heralds the arrival of summer, which was marked by Beltain or Mayday. The beginning of summer was indicated by the sweet-smelling flowering of the may or hawthorn tree. It was a festival of initiation and the coming into adulthood. It was a celebration of Nature’s flowing energy and rising power and so was a time for singing and dancing. The Festival of Expectation.
The south-east direction marks the longest day, the Summer Solstice on 21 June. Midsummer’s Day was an indication of solar power reaching its peak and the arrival of the long, hot days of summer. The Festival of Attainment.
At the south we can bask in that summer power which was marked on 1 August by the festival of Lammas or Lughnassad – The Festival of First Fruits, and of Reminder.
The Autumn Equinox (22 September) is the time of balancing and marks the south-west point. It was also the time of harvest festivals. The Festival of Thanksgiving.
At the west we arrive at another pivotal point in the yearly cycle which was considered both as an ending and as a beginning. The ancient Celts regarded it as the time when one year ended and another began and marked it with a festival called Samhain (some say it is pronounced ‘Sowen’) on 31 October. Because it was regarded as the point where winter started, it was looked upon as a doorway between the ‘seen’ world of matter and the ‘unseen’ world of the spirit and as a time when powerful natural forces were at work. In popular mythology and superstition it became associated with ghosts and ghouls and it degenerated into Hallowe’en, which has obscured its original importance. The Festival of Remembrance.
Moving to the north-west we arrive at the winter solstice on 22 December. It was marked by a festival that recognized that the seeds that were hidden beneath the surface of the ground and which appeared to be ‘dead’ and buried had come alive again and were beginning to stir although their coming to life was not yet apparent. This was the true meaning of Yule and the celebrations of a festival which later became known as Christmas. The Festival of Rebirthing.
Figure 18. The Wheel of the Year
The north marked the time for cleansing and purification. The pagan festival of Imbolc on 2 February was an occasion for clearing away the dross and dormancy of winter and preparing for the arrival of spring and the freshness of new life. The Festival of Renewal.
And so we move round to the north-east to complete the round and the arrival of spring and to begin again another turn of the Wheel of the Year.
The eight segments of the Eight-Directions Wheel may be considered to be approximately equivalent to the zodiac signs of Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Libra, Scorpio, Capricorn and Aquarius. They might have fitted into an Eight-Directions Wheel as shown in Figure 19.
In Sun astrology, the extension to twelve divisions developed through a finer tuning of the system which was made necessary when the range of energies affecting and influencing the human being was taken into account by the introduction of the four Mutable signs.
Figure 19. The Ancient Sun Astrology Wheel
Figure 20. The Twelve Divisions and Eight Directions
In Earth Medicine and present-day Chinese astrology, the remnant of the earlier system is apparent. Each of the Cardinal directions of east, south, west and north occupies one segment, whereas each of the cross-quarters of north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west, covers two segments.
As we construct our Web it is crucial that we grasp the fundamental relationship between the different segments, the four seasons of the natural cycle of the year, and the directional influences because they do affect the way we experience our life on Earth.
The Amerindian might have poetically described the Four Seasons as the coming together of the Sky Father and the Earth Mother. It is all too easy to dismiss such an explanation as simplistically naive, but actually it is quite profound. Perhaps we may better understand it in the context of the yang and yin concept which I began to outline earlier.
The simple symbol used to represent the active, masculine positive yang principle in ancient China was a solid line , and the symbol used for the receptive, feminine negative yin principle was a broken line . The solid line is equivalent to the light, yang, portion of the Tai Chi, and the broken line is equivalent to the dark, yin, portion (see Figure 21).
Figure 21.
To help our understanding we can include the (+) positive and the (−) negative signs. We might describe yang as light, so therefore yin is dark. And if yang is hot, then yin is cold.
The union of these two opposites brings into being an ‘offspring’ which carries the gene of its dominant ‘parent’ and results in a ‘child’, a new condition, a separate expression, which can be symbolized in just two lines. So, from the yang (+) Father influence comes ‘positive’ yang (+ +), which could be described as very bright, or very hot, or summer, and ‘negative’ yang (+ −) which could be described as bright becoming dark, hot becoming cold, or autumn.
Likewise, from the yin (−) Mother influence comes ‘negative’ yin which could be described as very dark, very cold, or winter, and ‘positive’ yin (− +), which might be described as dark becoming brighter, cold becoming warm, or Spring.
These four symbols in turn produced ‘offspring’ of eight three-line expressions called Trigrams. The trigrams are a further refinement in furthering comprehension of the compositional qualities of the energy or force they represent. They are also a means of access to a vast storehouse of ancient wisdom, for they could be compared with the brain-cells of a living entity, or the microchips of a computer. But more about them later. Let us now return to our discussion of the Four Seasons and the Directions with this concept in mind.
We are born into this life during one of the Four Seasons of the year and, according to American Indian cosmology are ‘carried’ into incarnation, as it were, by the power of whichever of the Four Winds predominates at that time of the year. For instance, in the Northern hemisphere, those born in the spring between 21 March and 20 June are said to be influenced by the warm east winds, people born during the summer 21 June and 21 September by the hot south winds. Autumn people born between 22 September and 21 December come under the influence of the cool west winds, and winter-born people whose birthdays are between 22 December and 20 March with the cold north winds.
Let us understand the meaning behind this. A wind is the movement of air, and can be likened to mind, because mind, like air, cannot be seen. Only its presence can be felt and its power experienced. For instance, the power of Air can be observed by the way the wind sways mighty trees and bends massive trunks and shakes the fruit or seeds from the branches. It has the strength to uproot bushes with a tug and to push huge boulders from their mountain anchorages. Its breath across vast oceans can blow the surface of the sea into foaming, mountainous waves. Anyone who has been outdoors during a severe storm, or at sea in a gale, has experienced the tremendous and awesome power of Air.
According to ancient teachings, the Earth is protected by wind shields which envelope and encompass the planet. These are ascending and descending spirals of movement which are affected by solar and lunar currents. The planet, too, is contained within a cocoon of vibrating electromagnetic energies like the auric egg that surrounds a human being.
The hole in the ozone layer in the Earth’s atmosphere which is now the active concern of the governments of many nations is, in fact, a sickness in the Earth’s aura which weakens the Earth and is getting worse. As a consequence, there are not merely climatic changes and upsets in the natural seasons and weather patterns, but inhabitants of the Earth are exposed to dangerous ultra-violet rays which the ozone layer screens out. This weakness in the Earth’s auric envelope also allows chaotic and disruptive forces to enter, just as would be the case with a human being. These have an adverse and destructive influence at all levels of existence – particularly mental. This, coupled with mankind’s wanton destruction of the environment and wildlife, puts the Earth and humanity in grave peril.
The ancient wisdom informs us that the Four Winds are mighty powers that are inherent in the Four Cardinal Directions through which we can be attuned with them. They are mighty powers that affect all living creatures on Earth and especially humans, as well as the atmosphere and the environment.
The Sun and the Moon regulate the ebb and flow of these energies into the Earth’s aura. So when we relate to a direction we are aligning our selves with the spin and movement of these mighty forces and their energy expressions.
We cannot see these great powers but we can come to comprehend them through their physical counterparts, and we can experience their influence, for they affect our temperament.
Let us examine how each of the Four Winds affects the direction of our temperament.
As the east winds of spring tempt us out into the open after much time spent indoors during the winter months, so the east is associated with frankness and open-mindedness.
The south winds of summer invite us to spend more time outdoors enjoying the hot summer when everything in the natural world is blossoming and bursting with fragrance. So the south is related to rapid growth and to blossoming and development.
The cool west winds in the autumn come at a time when growing things have reached their maturity, and harvest time is when we reap the benefit of past labours. So the west is associated with ingathering and introspection.
The cold north winds of winter purify and cleanse the Earth and force people to spend time indoors and keep warm and to refresh and renew themselves.
Each direction is also linked with a time of day – east with dawn and the rising Sun of a fresh new day, south with noon and the Sun at its peak, west with dusk and the setting Sun at the end of the day and the time for reflection and refreshment, and north with midnight and rest and renewal.
For those born in the Southern hemisphere the Directions are reversed. Those born between 22 September and 21 December are influenced by the east winds, those born between 21 March and 20 June by the west winds, those born between 21 June and 21 September by the north winds, and those born between 22 September and 21 December by the south winds.
So each of the Four winds and the Four Seasons and the Four Times of Day is related to qualities which have a strong influence on the way we live and even conditions, to some extent, the way we feel and the activities we undertake. And according to American Indian cosmology, the special qualities of the influencing wind or power that predominated and ‘carried’ us into birth ‘rubs off’ on us. We carry something of its imprint. It is encoded in us. Absorbed into our brain-cells. Incorporated in the microchips of the bio-computer in our skull.
In the next chapter we are going to examine these qualities and characteristics in detail, together with the signs and totems that represent them and serve as ‘switches’ that enable us to channel in to them. But first we need to understand something else about the way the American Indians came into a comprehension of abstract concepts and mentative and spiritual principles.
