Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sage, Myrrh and Sandalwood - Purification. Deep Wound Healing and Connection to the Divine.

Spring has moved into summer --- much has happened since our last post…….. life moves on, doesn’t it!!


The sweet sage oil has been coming to my awareness these past few days…. The Romans know sage as herba sacra or the sacred herb. We know today – sage is most often used in the Native American nations for spiritual ceremony – an offering. The sacred sage cleanses and purifies the spirit – for sage holds the wisdom of the spheres within its fragrance, while summoning the powers that heal and protect. Sage is a protective spirit for those who are not afraid of the spiritual forces. The might of the heavens summoned by the sage is wisdom and power, standing fast in times of adversity. Sage’s purpose is all these things for the human. Also, it helps us to integrate a spirit that has the majesty of the heavens behind it, to call for the God and the celestial warriors to defend, protect , and heal the human spirit and Mother Earth. What a gift sage brings to us at this time.

I feel myself moving through yet another transition period, deeply challenged in finding my own self worth , my own value. Interesting as we witness the gushing forth of an artery from Mother Earth in the Gulf of Mexico, spewing forth thousands of gallons of oil, from deep in her belly. Deep is the calling of purification of our being. Yet the sages say: Om purnamadah purnamidam

Purnat purnamudacyate

Purnasya purnamadaya

Purnamevavsisyate

Translated: Om. That is perfect. This is perfect. From the perfect springs the perfect. If the perfect is taken from the perfect, the perfect remains.

Feeling the essence of Sage – I knew this purification – I feel the move from within… It supports me in this transition. I felt waves of deep sadness, past memories – that made no sense – but were there – washing over me. I allowed these waves, flowing with the vibration. The gushng oil in the Gulf, is indeed, an outpicturing of the negative thinking we experience in the world – the blame, fear, anxiety, resentment, upset. These kind of thoughts are much like the oil – thick, toxic, ubiquitous, clouding our vision, like the oil clouds the water, and suffocates life. How can I be responsible for my own thoughts – to be responsible for every thought, spoken word and action. The Hoponopono prayer comes to mind. To live more closely with that – at every moment.

As I contemplated deeper, I felt another oil coming to me: Myrrh – ah, the deep resinous essence of myrrh – that ancient deep healing oil that our blessed ancients knew so well. This deep fragrance resonates with the wounded healer – the wounds running deep, carrying the pain of others, -- for infinity. Isn’t that what we are feeling from Mother Earth at this time. (one of my male friends said: “We are at war right now, in the Gulf of Mexico – it is really like that” – I was surprised at that comment, yet, it truly reflects at a deeper level what we are all feeling both within and without!). So it is fascinating that Myrrh has stepped forth on the heals of our sacred Sage – for in the cleansing and purification – deep wounds do get healed. Myrrh, with all its submerged meanings, links with the pathway of the soul, standing at the very crossroads. It would be so easy to walk down any road, hanging on to our wounds, but myrrh helps us to realize the need to let go, to forgive, and to move forward. I’m sorry, please for give me, thank you, I love you.

In my meditation, I saw myself wrapping my sadness gently carefully. “What to do? “ I said to myself. Then, it came to me . The time I lived in the Ashram – we had many Yagnas – where we offered much to the fire. I remember seeing Gurumayi offering Ghee, Black Sesame seeds, golden saris., precious jewels – I was reminded – this world is not something we are meant to hold on to – we can offer all to the Fire of the Great Self – and we are indeed purified. I saw that I could safely offer my sadness, my love, my thoughts, my concerns to this fire. That I could engage in my gifts as a spiritual offering.

Interesting, at this point, the divine oil of sandalwood appeared in my consciousness. My most favorite oil!! A fragrance that stretches out to the universe, into the hallowed space between heaven and earth, contacting the Divine Presence. So much more to share on sandalwood in the next post.