This summer has sped by so fast.  It seems that it was just June and here we are near the end of September.  Today is a full moon, actually a Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is said to be both a sign of completion and new beginnings.  For me, this is the end of summer and the beginning of cooler days heading into winter.

As I think about this past summer a couple of really interesting events occurred.  As a child I grew up being told to be aware of my surroundings, to pay attention to nature.  Now, I know this sounds like a stereotyped Native American “thing”, but it is true. Nature tells us so much if we only watch and listen.  There are two occurrences that stand out in my mind from this past summer that include a female cardinal and a wolf. 

In Wisconsin, we have such beautiful June weather.  This past June it was warmer and humid than usual and I finally made the decision to turn the air conditioning on.  As the temperature became cooler in the evening, I turned off the air and opened windows. As I opened my bedroom window, rather fast, I frightened a bird.  As the bird screeched, I screamed because it startled me too.  The next morning, I looked out the window to find a nest with a female cardinal sitting in the nest.

Over the next few days the cardinal and my family became comfortable with each other.  I opened and closed the window slowly.  The cardinal became a costumed to my dog’s barking and jangling of her collar.  I peered carefully out the window to see how Ms. Cardinal was doing from time to time. 

I noticed that she had laid an egg.  I took out my camera to take pictures of this about to be mother and her about to be hatched egg.  On July 7, the baby cardinal broke through its shell and came peeping into this world. We woke every morning to Ms. Cardinal singing to her baby and the baby making peeping to be feed.  On occasion, when checking on the new family, I noticed the father cardinal coming to feed the baby.  Ms. Cardinal would be only a few branches away as dad feed the baby.

Baby birds grow so fast.  In a matter of 3 weeks the baby went from a very small featherless dot to 3 or 4 times its size with beautiful grey brown feathers. There were just hints of what would become red feathers.

On July 16, I heard such commotion outside my bedroom window.  I could hear two cardinals singing and making their own whistling sound across the way from the nest.  The mother and father cardinal were singing encouragement to their young bird to fly as he was sitting on a branch outside the nest.  The next thing I saw was the baby cardinal taking flight to his parents.  I was happy and sad at the same time.  I was happy for the baby fledgy as he flew into the next phase of his life.  I was sad to know that I would not have my neighbor cardinals to visit each day and hear their songs so close by.

Of course, being the good researcher that I am, I looked up Cardinal wisdom.  According to Ted Andrews, the cardinal energy is about renewal, vitality through recognizing self importance. They have a year round power and a rhythm of 12 (12 hours, days, months and years).  Cardinals lay 3-4 eggs that hatch in 12 days.  They reside year round – 12 months, which reflects the rhythm of 12 that is going to become more prominent within your own life.

Cardinal whistles are reminders to listen closely to pay attention to what is blowing on the winds. The female whistle is to remind us to listen to our inner voice, for our health and well being.  The cardinal totem-female, reflects the need to assert the feminine aspects of creativity and intuition more strongly.

Being blessed with the cardinal family, especially mother and baby meant so much to me.  Energetically, their presence was of high importance as they represented the Ascension work and Rainbow, 12 Gifts and A Song.  I had begun my summer wondering if I was meant to continue to guide others through the Rainbow, 12 Gifts and A Song journey.  As I was contemplating this possibility is when the female cardinal came to nest.  So, Spirit answered my query.  As we begin the Autumn days that will roll into winter, I start two new Rainbow, 12 Gifts and A Song ascension groups.  One will be starting in Appleton Wisconsin in October and the other will be starting in Madison Wisconsin in November.

Informational gatherings will be held in Appleton on Sunday, September 30 at the Windows of Light from 1pm-3pm.  In Madison the informational gathering will be on Monday, October 29 from 7pm-9pm at the Quarry Arts Building.

I will tell you about my wolf encounter in my next visit with you at the Two Feathers blog.

Many Blessings, Neshi.

All Rights reserved.  Copyright, Neshi Lokotz, 2007.

Today is a beautiful day here in Tomah Wisconsin.  This is my first Autumn Equinox ceremony done by myself.  I am usually with friends and family.  It is unusual but very serene and peaceful.  I created an Earth Medicine Wheel on my property for the ceremony.  I took my time as I selected stones from the land, listening to which would like to join the ceremony.

I love what Ted Andrews wrote in his book Nature Speak about the Autumn Equinox.  He calls the Autumn Equinox the Beginning the Hero’s Journey.  This is the time of year that is about endings and beginnings.  This is a time of new starts as we clean out the old.  We had a great harvest this year.  We had an abundant year of inner work, peace, solitude and joy.

In the past months, I have come to know what it is to Be.  I had thought I had learned how to do this Being rather than Doing, but I had only learned a layer.  Now, I have learned what it is to be quiet, still and peaceful.  Spirit led me to this new deeper way of Being.  As we begin the Hero’s Journey, I am planning gardens for the next growing season.  This is both symbolic and actual.  I am planning my courses for 2008.  I will continue to teach certification courses in Interior Alignment (instinctive feng shui and space clearing), guiding Rainbow, 12 Gifts and A Song ascension groups, teaching sacred geometry and drum making. 

My new garden to sow seeds will be adding Medicine Wheel Feng Shui and Sacred Space to my list of courses.  I am very excited about this new part of my Soul’s Journey.  It will be a time where I will blend together all that I have learned about feng shui, sacred space, sacred geometry, ceremony, drumming, Synchro Alignment with my cultural heritage. 

I will also be co-teaching with two wonderful souls, Deb Swingholm and Minnie Kansman.  We will offer a course in advanced space clearing called Beauty, Space and Balance.  This course will be offered in June 2008. 

As I stood in the middle of the Earth Medicine Wheel and drummed my prayers, I was filled with joy and excitement to begin anew.  This new year will be different than others that I have experienced as I remember how to be quiet Being yet continue to teach. 

Blessed Autumn Equinox

Neshi

Between the Beats

This is my first Two Feathers article and I am very excited to write it as well as nervous. In many ways this first article catapults my dream of becoming a writer into real life. I know that this isn’t like publishing a book or a major magazine article, but the feeling is the same as if I were doing a major publication.

Between the Beats is the title of my on going writings about the services I bring to the earth as well as my insights into life. My good friend, Theresa Plenty, actually came up with the title. We were sitting in my four season porch working on the updates for Two Feathers when we knew that I would have an editors area to write articles, but needed a name or title.

Theresa connected my Native American culture/heritage, my love of drumming and drum making to my new love of writing. And, what an insightful and lyrical name she came up with for these articles! Migwiitch, thank you, Theresa.

Between the Beats refers to the dynamic area where magic occurs. I have come to learn that we are attracted to things like flower essences, drumming, the use of sacred bells or the use of certain crystals because at a soul level we are responding to that items particular and individual vibration. Like vibration attracts like vibration.

I am attracted to drumming and the sound of the drum since I was a very young child. The space between the drum beat is the sound vibration and is where the sacred geometry that is held by the sound of the drum. This space of sacred geometry is where our prayers and intentions ride as they flow out into the Universe. In Celtic tradition, this is may be the betwixt and between where magic occurs. I also believe this is the “gap” that Dr. Wayne Dyer writes about.

Two Feathers is an organization based on love and service as we assist others to claim and reveal their unique gifts and qualities for their service to others. As a teacher of feng shui, sacred space, soul clearing, drum making and as an ascension guide it is my honor to be of assistance. I am also very grateful for the opportunity to use the gifts that I came onto the Earth plane to use in my service to others. Between the Beats is one vehicle for this service. It is in gratitude that I write this article and future articles. May you find Between the Beats a place that will pique your imagination and curiosity.

Many blessings of peace and joy.
Neshi