“The pebble in the brook secretly believes itself to be a precious stone.” Japanese
In each of my rainchains, I have added feathers of some kind, or added symbolic feathers. Today is a good day to spend making some craft that includes feathers. In winter, when my art room outside is not habitable, I have to go outside and spend some time under the sky, listening for the birds, or watching the birds come to my feeder. They are getting quite tame, and I am watching for a dropped feather. Dropped feathers come from a promise my soulmate made to me just before he died. I asked him to show me he was near, from time to time, by having a feather come out of the blue, or to be found in odd places. He has done so, consistently. I have had a feather drop out of the sky and land on my shoulder. Feathers I find are promises kept and uplift me greatly. I have always been drawn to feathers and to birds, as much as I have been drawn to stones. I honor my own promises by making the rainchains, and, actually, having my little private art student boys to each make a rainchain, so it is easy to do, for they are both 9 years old. What craft could you make using feathers, to represent your healing and balance and to remind you of your promises/intentions?
This is a prayer chain. Each stone has a story to the maker. Each stone represents the call to Creator. It is left somewhere outside in order to be found and seen by many spirits who will help bring the prayers to Creator.
I have always been drawn to stones, much to my mother’s consternation at having pocketsful of stones beating themselves in her washer. Then, I had some karma happen. My youngest daughter had stones in her pockets that went into my washer.
I have always always had a strong connection to stones/rocks. It has never waivered from when I was a child and had a stone for different things. Where this knowledge or even idea about such things has to be inherited knowledge for I was surely never taught such. But my children were brought up finding stones and seeking stones. The younger ones all have deep connections with rocks. As a family, we have found magnificent story rocks, petrified items you can hardly believe. When you hold such, they hum and buzz in your hands. They are sacred to me and I caretake them well.
In 2005 I was gifted with being able to hike the mountains and deserts of Arizona. My brother and I, Richard and Ev spent hours day after day for months, seeking stones. And, stones and adventures we had. We spent the next years, until spring of 20125 seeking stones and gems and gathering memories to last the rest of our lives. Now I belong to the Vernon Lapidary Club and up until winter snow went at least once a week on rockhounding field trips. I cannot wait to be able to go again.
Stones are magic. Have you heard one speak? Have you heard the story of it? The patterns, some hidden and some not, but you get to know the coverings that hold magic within. I love that they are as old as God. I love that I hold in my hand something that has never been touched by human hand. I love to spray rocks and lick rocks, and uncover the magic of their colors and secrets within. There is nothing like holding the smooth river rocks in one’s hands and knowing that eons of touch has ground the rock smooth. I love that some are celestial and some are holding petrified animals and plants. I have some and they are amazing. I love that some are as clear and as magic as glass. There is not a room in my hoe that does not hold stones. I have jars and bowls and shelves and drawers of semiprecious gems and beautiful stones that speak the language of creation. It is not difficult to imagine the awe in digging through feet deep soil, tree roots, riverbeds, and finding a treasure that you know is meant just for you. They hold the wisdom of eons. To seek and find beautiful stones is to understand that some things abide…that these rocks have remained after eruptions and floods and hurricanes and loss of species, but her they are, speaking in ancient languages we no longer understand and only guess at.
Some of the rocks have jagged edges and have been battered and worn through tie… yet, here they are. All the world uses rocks to symbolize obstacles an many stories and teachable moments come from using rocks as a motivator.
I love rocks that are lying just under the rush of a stream where their colors are bright and calling. I love digging, scarping, tugging, brushing and plying rocks out of rich Mother Earth. There is something sacred about being off and lone while on a dig. We believe rocks to be the bones of Mother Earth and so are very sacred and are honored in my home. I love rocks that I can see images in, that I can paint images on, that beg to be used as gifts.
I have made several rain chains this fall. I often make gifts to leave behind me after an adventure. For whatever reason, I am drawn to rocks and stones and finding beautiful stones that tell me stories. I have passed this legacy on to my youngest daughter (whose childhood name was “Okotokiagi…in Blackfoot this means rock woman) because she was known for finding ancient tools, paintpots and prehistoric treasures), and now, to my grandchildren and hopefully to my greatgrandchildren. It is an honor to be drawn so to such treasures. They honor me for myriads of medicine reasons.
©Carol Desjarlais 10.1.21
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