Aniwa
I love the feeling when I leave an experience that compels me to write. There's this burning urge that rises within me, almost like I must get it all out or risk spontaneously combusting—haha. The first time I remember feeling this was at 16, after leaving Pompeii. My family and I traveled to Italy to visit where my mom was stationed at 19. She worked at a hospital and drove an ambulance around the crazy streets of the Amalfi coast. Explains why I'm a badass B; I get it from my momma 🙂
Leaving Pompeii, I felt this burning desire to put into words what I had witnessed in that ancient city devastated by Mt. Vesuvius. Walking through that civilization from 79 AD, with its working toilets, sauna/spas, brothels, and restaurants, I was amazed. They lived much like we do today, nearly 2,000 years ago. It sparked my curiosity about their intelligence and what else they knew.
Now, here I am 22 years later, having just soaked up wisdom from some of the true wisdom keepers on Earth. Aniwa took place from June 13-16 in Big Bear at the Holcomb Valley Ranch. Days were warm in the 80s, dropping to 30s/40s at night. We camped among pine trees, a short 5-minute walk from Earth, Wind, Fire, Water—the workshops' venue.
True to form, the 3.5 days flew by. I attended as many workshops as humanly possible. This was another instance where my "surrender" experiment didn’t quite work out. I wish I had planned my days better instead of floating around, letting the wind guide me, only to later discover I missed the Huni Kuni and their sacred medicine service.
The workshops I did attend imparted a tremendous amount of beautiful wisdom that's too potent not to share. I took notes, and here are a few of my favorite nuggets of knowledge:
Grandmother Clara: Follow these rules and you can’t lose: Courage, Honesty, Humility (Stay Humble), Love (Love endures all), Respect (be of service), Truth (own your truth), and Wisdom (use wisdom).
Do everything with INTENTION. Everything. For example, when taking anything from nature, ask permission. If you hear a no, honor that.
Have a daily ritual to keep you grounded. Communicate with your ancestors early in the morning.
Never try to outsmart spirit or you’ll get your butt whipped. Always listen to your intuition.
It’s hard to get “self” out of the way, but once you do, you will be a vessel for spirit.
Rupert Encinas: Respect your elders. The problem with today’s society is children aren’t listening to their elders; the roles are reversed, and children are being listened to. We need to reverse it to understand.
Kumu Ramsay: “We are rarely ever where we really are.”
To love yourself is to forgive yourself.
We are all sacred mirrors for one another.
We are like the moon; the moon always has her dark side as do we. Half of us are in shadow. We must embrace the dark side.
Raul Milton Gonzales Barrera: There is no sinning and there is no hell in the eyes of the creator. Be careful what fear-based dogma you live by.
There are more neurons in your colon than in your brain. Heavy metal detox is necessary. 3 6oz cups of aloe vera (clean!) before each meal, the third before bed for 14 days.
We are 60% water. When we sing, we are cleaning our water. Sing even when you feel the dark thoughts coming.
Various Elders' Wisdom:
Know yourself; understand our capacity. Know your weaknesses—this is your strength. When you know your pitfalls, you are that much stronger.
Make offerings to Mother Earth. If you take from her, ask her permission first. If you get a no, listen. Do not try to outsmart spirit.
For the development of our progression: we must integrate to be strong. To help us realize the growth and strength we have. Each of us grows to the capacity we have.
Everything is Perspective: the lens you view life through is the way you will experience life. No one can betray you; you only betray yourself.
Your thoughts create your reality.
Do everything with consciousness. Spiritual consciousness—every moment we are being born. All beingness translates to this moment. Everything is to be done with gratitude, intention. We can bedtime & shift to another dimension. It is our great responsibility to show others this.
Ayni—today for you, tomorrow for me.the exchange of comparable work or goods as part of an ongoing cycle of reciprocity
