A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him.
– Soren Kierkegaard
by Henrik
My boy
born
a window
opened
and
closed
broken
moving backwards
going in reverse
like a car
I’m a human
passionate
and loving
I must be going forward
with the experience
of the past
I’m a flower
for everyone
to see
feel
and
enjoy
I’m me
whole again
glowing
day and night
“A TRIBAL REFLECTION ON CONNECTING TO OUR ROOTS”
by Elizabeth Jackson
Connecting deeper to our roots will enhance meaning and happiness within our lives. Our roots represent where we come from: the earth, the womb, our tribal ancestors, our personal life history, and the modern tribes and surroundings that we live in on a daily basis. The tribal characteristics that develop through studying our roots are a blessing available to us all.
Mother earth is the universal ground for our roots. All that we do rests upon her. Situated at the base of our spine rests the foundation for the entire chakra system, the first of the main 7 chakras in our body. The Sanskrit name for this first chakra is muladhara, meaning “root support.” Our first charka roots us into our body, the physical world, and the earth. To connect with muladhara is to connect with Mother Earth and become grounded in the biological reality of existence.
Human life is dependent upon a supply of energy. Our roots can be seen as the way our system plugs into the larger system of the planet, which is our source, the origin of the liberating current from which all things grow up. The elements needed for physical survival come from the earth in various forms-the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe. Just as a plant grows roots into the earth and absorbs it’s nutrients to then sprouts life above, our connection to our root chakra effects our ability to create strong flowering and fruitful lives. We must have soil firm enough to provide stability, yet yielding enough to be penetrated by roots. Everything that grows above branches out into infinity, growing more rich and complex.
Learning about our roots brings us into a singular simplicity, and anchors us into the commonality of the collective unconscious. To bring muladhara to consciousness is to bring awareness to our roots, to uncover and examine the past in order to become happier and more satisfied in the present. It brings us home to the earth from where our spirit was born and where our body will one day rest in peace and turn to dust.
Our work begins from the ground up, yet it is always changing as a result of what we build above it. Connect to the very ground from which you were born and deepen the meaning and power of the tribe(s) you were born from, as well as, the ones you currently belong to and will continue to develop throughout the remainder of your life. Feed your tribal journey on earth by remaining an open system in constant exploration and contact with your environment.
-“the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are” -Joseph Cambell
The following is a list of self-reflective questions to help increase awareness of your tribal connection with your first chakra:
1) What are the characteristics of your tribal roots?
2) What does a tribal sensation feel like?
3) What are your tribal environments in life?
4) How is your “tribal-being” being enhanced by these environments and groups?
5) What tools do you use to improve upon sharing your tribal connections with your day-in/day-out various communities that you enter upon? This includes Mother Earth.
by Henrik
Yoga
for dancers
bringing a sense of fun
shaking
inside
out
finding yourself
letting go
with a feeling of
urgency
to
feel
the passion
inside yourself
you’re my inspiration
I’ll guide you
if you fall
I’ll catch you
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
– Carl G. Jung
Tantric texts speak on the subject of bliss:
The All-Buddha-Awareness which is experienced within
ourselves
Is called Great Bliss because it is the most excellent
pleasure of all pleasures
Without bliss there is no enlightenment, for enlighten-
ment is bliss itself
Just as in deep darkness the moon-stone spreads its light,
So this supreme Great Bliss in a moment dissipates all
misery.
This post will kick off the beginning of a series of Jatakas that will be posted to ElephantTribe. Jatakas are short stories from India that tell of the past lives of the Buddha. The overall structure of the Jataka Tales is all about the cycle of samsara (cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation) that the Buddha had to experience before reaching enlightenment.
The Elephant
A Tale of Self Sacrifice.
At one time, the Bodhisattva took birth as a large Elephant. He lived in a forest far from civilization. The forest contained a lake that was both deep and wide and the entire wilderness was surrounded on all sides by an expansive desert. This beautiful oasis was well suited for the elephant as well as other smaller creatures. Delicious fruit grew on the trees, young shrubs carpeted the earth, and the whole area was bordered with high mountains. The Elephant lived alone as an ascetic and sustained his large body only on leaves and lotus roots, dedicating his time to contemplation on the virtues of contentment and tranquility.
One day while wandering along the forests edge, the Bodhisattva Elephant heard the cries of humans coming from the desert. Their cries began to get louder; surely they were approaching the oasis.
Urged by compassion, he ran towards them swiftly and when they came into sight he saw that it was a large group of men, women, and children, all nearly dead from starvation and thirst. Noticing that they were fearful of him, he called out in a human voice and stated that they need not be frightened. Upon hearing such peaceful and comforting words the people regained their composure and humbly greeted him.
The elders explained that they had been banished by an angry king and that many of them had already died in the desert. The kind Elephant realized that all the fruit in the forest would not be enough to feed them for even a day. He resolved that he must offer his own flesh as food and his organs and intestines as bags to carry water on their journey. He then instructed the people on how to find the great lake and said that just beyond it they would find the corpse of an elephant that had fallen from a mountaintop, not telling them that it would be his own corpse. As the group set out towards the water, he quickly, by another route, started to ascend the mountain. Upon reaching the top he then, feeling great joy and oblivious of the impending painful death below, hurled himself over the edge of the precipice. The impact sounded like an earthquake throughout the entire forest.
Meanwhile, the group of exiles had reached the lake and refreshed themselves with the cool water. Following the Bodhisattva’s directions, they discovered the body of an elephant not far away. At first, they were surprised that the corpse so closely resembled the kind Elephant they had just met. Before long, a clever one in the group determined that it was in fact the same Elephant. Awestruck by the incredibly generous and selfless act of the great beast, they burst into tears of gratitude.
Some in the group thought that they should not eat such a great Bodhisattva, stating that such a magnificent and compassionate being deserves nothing less than a proper cremation ceremony. Once again, the clever one explained that the true way to honor the elephant would be to eat his flesh as the Elephant had intended. The people ate until they were full, made bags to hold water, and crossed the rest of the desert without trouble.
How about this for a tribute?
Lawrence Anthony, a legend in South Africa and author of 3 books including the bestseller The Elephant Whisperer, bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during the US invasion in 2003.
On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died. He is remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons and numerous elephants.
Two days after his passing, a remarkable thing happened! The wild elephants showed up at his home led by two large matriarchs. Separate wild herds arrived in droves to say ‘goodbye’ to their beloved man-friend. A total of 20 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles to get to his South African house.
Witnessing this spectacle, many people were obviously in awe, not only because of the supreme intelligence and precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence’s passing, but also because of the profound memory and emotion that the beloved animals evoked in such an organized way: Walking slowly – for days – making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his house.
Lawrence’s wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants had not been to his house prior to that day for well over a year, yet they knew where they were going! The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their friend who’d saved their lives – so much respect that they stayed for 2 days and 2 nights. Then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home.
“All it takes is someone believing
that if you keep dreaming,
one day you might be surprised
that it is not a dream at all”
– Goran Milic
When I was going through cancer treatment in 1997, everyday, my dear friend Goran came to my house with a special lunch prepared with love. One would have been rather impressed and happy with that ….. however, before leaving, Goran would always ask: “what would you like for dinner?” He always says: “This is how we do it … we don’t know any other way ….” A true friend for life …. Goran owns Divino Restaurant in Brentwood serving fantastic Italian Food. He also gives to the world community by hiring disabled young men and women from his home country of Montenegro teaching them to cook and run a restaurant. A valuable Gift that they will always be able to utilize throughout their lives.
You can visit Divino Restaurant at
11714 Barrington Court
Brentwood, CA 90028
Tel 310-472-0886
