Living on the prairie my whole life, there is
nothing as ominous as the black clouds that begin to billow on the horizon. In
the far off distance, thunder echoes in the sky, as though a voice to announce
the coming of something powerful. Lightning streaks from cloud to cloud, as
though it is clearing the way for this powerful force of nature. The air
becomes dense, permeated with moisture before the first drops of rain ever
fall. The once gentle breeze is pushed across the plains, gaining force and
speed. The sun seems to no longer shine, hidden behind the immense shadow of
impending - change. The only thing we are left with is the sound of the beating
of our own hearts.
Often change has been compared to the impending
thunderstorm. We don't know what change holds, we only know that we don't know.
In that storm there could be the unpredictable tornado that will wreak havoc on
our lives; or perhaps there will be baseball-sized hail that will punch holes
in our best built plans. We hold our breath until the only thing we can hear is
the sound of the beating of our own hearts.
In the silence of those moments before the storm,
something begins to take shape and form within ourselves. Electricity streaks
from synapses to synapses. Blood begins to rush, coursing through veins and
arteries. And, somewhere in the midst of the defense line that forms, the heart
becomes the drum by whose beat we dance.
As the rain is unleashed from the skies above, our
feet begin to pound in unison with the beat of our drum. Water splashes, as our
faces are illuminated by the lightning in the sky above. We turn around and
around, spreading our arms wide to greet the coming change. The beat begins to
increase with pace and intensity, and our mouths stretch open to taste the
droplets as they bounce on our tongue. Hair glistens, drenched in the water as
it washes over us.
The thunder roars, melding with our voices as the
ancestral cry surges into the atmosphere. The wind howls, in submission to the
breath of ascendancy. The beads of change intermingle with tears of joy sliding
down our cheeks, creating the interwoven mandala of spirit and creation. We
have become the masters of our own storm.
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to
pass; it is about learning to dance in the rain." ~ Vivian Greene
"The mandala is one of the most powerful
American Indian items, being a descendant of the plains Indian dance shield and
medicine wheel. Prayers for survival, spiritual blessings, powerful visions,
physical protection, and long life go into the making of the traditional
mandala as it represents the interwoven threads of creation, and the wonder of
diversity in Mother Earth."
Triquetra Celtic Symbol Mandala:
"The
Latin meaning for triquetra is "three-cornered." It's also the symbol
for the holy trinity. Being a holy sign, this Celtic symbol is
perfect for mandala meditation. It stills the chattering as our focus is
funneled to the center of the triquetra. Once centered, we are able to feel the
connection with the spiritual trinity, and thus become one with the source of
power."
We are not so different after all.
