Thursday, July 22, 2021

MOTHERS OF LIFE

 

I can't remember when or how I discovered Tom Cowan. I must have been searching under Irish mythology, Celtic Mythology, Shamanism, it's been awhile, fair amount of water under the bridge awhile. The first book was Yearning for the Wind a series of interlocking essays that go together like Celtic braidwork. One of his essays addressed creation as the Mothers of Life. 

He has written about the Celts, especially the Irish and on Shamanism. Used to do workshops and give classes. He's in his seventies now and it looks like he's slowed down considerably. Too bad, looks like I found him just as he was winding down. I keep tap dancing on the line. Trouble is the faith I was raised in simpley does not speak to me. I sit building and it's just that. A building. I sit under a Doug fir, or spruce they talk back. I walk on an Oregon beach wind in my face trying to shove me back and their are voices on the wind. Singing to me. Perhaps it's the Mothers. 

We need the bounty of the world, but outside of a few animals that we've created to be largely dependent on us, the world will got on quite nicely without us. .

Mothers of Life,

You bless the earth that gives us food, shelter, clothing and tools for our work and play, and that provides the many paths that lead us through life.

Forgive.

Mothers of Life,

You bring water from the sky and from deep in the Earth to cleanse and refresh us and keep us moist and living.

Forgive

Mothers of Life,

You give days when the air is crisp and sweet scented, and days when it is heavy with dew and the dampness of decay.

Forgive.

Mothers of Life,

You nurture us in the long bright days of summer and in the rich darkness of night and winter, you teach us the mysteries of the moon and stars.

Forgive.

From Yearning for the Wind by Tom Cowan.

Change forgive to Bless Us , or Thank You and it changes the meaning of the prayer. What is being forgiven? Why are we asking for forgiveness?

Are we asking the Mothers, the goddesses of life and the sovereignty of the land to forgive us for the unholy mess we’ve made of the Creator’s gifts to us. 

Here it is. For some reason it just did NOT want to be written.

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