Tattvas 1999 Lucy Stern and Michael Barth

Exploring the seven senses

A Course in Opening to Deeper Consciousness Taught in Ashland Oregon in the dark of winter

This seems the time of year when people need to share energy that is playful and opening. The holiday season is over and the new year begins, this one going towards millennium 2000 and Y2K fears abound along with earthquake predictions and other fears of disaster. More personally, I need to have creative concentrations and social contact. So we are presenting the following as an experiential spiritual learning class. We choose to do this twice a day 10 am till noon and again 7 pm til 9 pm and it is open donation, attempting to make the real world details as simple as possible to others.

First everyone is greeted with a hug and sits where they feel comfortable, and we chit chat while waiting to see who shows up. I think this is the most difficult part. Then we do the introductions by way of asking who you are in regards to the fire principle we are working with today...who are you in regard to FIRE.?

This turns out to be a much more interesting answer than just a mere introduction. Then we get everyone to stand up as I put the dot of kumkum on their third eye by way of going up the nose from the tip of the vegas nerve where male and female unite up the sides of the nose to lock under the brow, and place the dot with my second finger right on the third eye saying what I am awakening in this process, that energy between the male and female, right and left energy centers.

Everyone holds hands in the center of the room, and MB and I go around the outer circumference ringing Tibetan bells that are a half tone off from each other. This sets the rooms energy. It wakes up inner attentions and sets our intent, I ask everyone to call in their personal form of angel, higher self, power animal or deity to work with. And we join them in the circle after going around three times.

Next we talk about the Zoroastrians and share the song of their morning horse god, Shinning undying swift horse sun, the words are "Shinning undying swift horse sun, Shinning undying swift horse sun, Shine Shine Shine". The first phrase is done while proceeding in circle to the right with one's hands in front up in the air making a triangle with the thumbs and fingers... this triangle is the gateway for the morning horse god to enter into you the power and light. One moves swiftly and surely using the male current of energy, for this exercise is one to strengthen us, unite us, and energize the group feeling of a dynamic awakening. The Shine shine shine part is a spin out to a right turn. Paying attention to the force of energy really radiating through your palms. A really strong healing power is usually felt by the end of the exercise, which is done in a multiple of three.

We sit down and I read from the Rainbow Book in the blue chapter the segment on RED, one page to give a historical account of red, fire principle through many different cultures. Meanwhile MB is going to each person and tying a red cord around their wrist so they have something on that is red and literally ties them into this event. I read how the gypsy would feel happy to find a piece of red string and knot it and tie it to his belt, how the Chinese bride would wear a red dress embroidered with dragons and be carried in a red chair, how the Native Americans greeted the red sun and red earth with their red skin and the Egyptians too, who used henna to tie their skin even redder to match. About the south American Aztecs who sacrificed maidens for their red blood for the corn harvest while wearing red feathers and the Christians martyr took their second baptism in their own blood. How the Romans first had red as the royal color, later deepening it to purple. And how red is used in banners and flags world wide as a color of bravery and strength and that Martian, red for mars the planet, force is celebrated as well as passion of the Valentine etc.

I pass out white blank sheets of paper and red triangles about 2 inches big. and we teach the red triangle as the fire tattva. One stares at the red triangle lying on the white sheet of paper for about a minute, then removes the triangle while continuing to stare at the white paper. An after image of the opposite color appears. This blue green turquoise colored triangle is the floating image that we concentrate on in our meditation or while doing the other exercises. So we practice the red to blue-green triangles for awhile until everyone is comfortable that they have it in their imagination at will. Someone mentioned that they found it easier to look at the red triangle then close eyes to vision the blue-green inner one.

Next one plays with the eyes closed to see the blue-green one get bigger and bigger until one can imagine they can walk inside the triangle. I tell the bible story of Michack, Saddrack, and Abendigo who went to the fiery furnace and all could see them comfortable inside a green pyramid of light instead of burning , they are the Babylonians who knew of these magic tattvas and performed their magic in that story. We too can be safe from fire by learning to project the green pyramid strong enough to stay in it while we leave the burning place.

Also the use of this gateway can protect one from their own anger and in time one can learn to use the safety of sitting inside the imagined green pyramid and see outside their own past angry moments and watch flames consume the memory of that anger, until one uses up all their angry memories and has really deep peace. A great peace and tranquillity is available within this exercise.

Next we stand up and take the fire breath. The big inhale and the stretch upwards with that big in breath, then lovely slow exhale, bending over with an exhale, hanging loose, we place our hands on our inner thighs with the thumbs up, and above the knees. We do the abdominal lifts to move breath in and out. We do 22 such rapid breaths. Then slowly come up and out. Relax for a moment, then place feet firmly on ground under hips and shoulder alignment. Place hands in front as if holding a large beach ball. Allow self to play with tension and relax until right amount of tension is obtained. The knees are bent slightly and the weigh is shifted to the outside of the feet. As if one is standing in a saddle on a horse as the ancient Moguls on the steppes of Mongolia.

Then I lead a meditation while everyone closes their eyes and holds this position, after about 15 minutes the stress of the tension shifts the focus and often the sensation of heat and light and energy moving inside becomes quite intense. This intensity is what we are trying to obtain and maintain as long as the group gathered can handle it. I drum while this meditation is occurring and I occasionally talk to keep the setting focused. I picture us on our horses galloping around a large circle, the outside of the circle is full of fire and flames, we feel safe inside our green triangle which includes the horse we are on. we go round and round inside the flames building up courage to leap with our horse through the flames. We then imagine ourselves to ride back and forth through the flames, playing with the fire. We get hotter and hotter, tenser and tenser, then we relax the flames die down and we enjoy the gallop around a blue green flame in the center, a flame of immortality, a flame without fear, a flame of inner victory. then we return to hear and now.

Now we become playful, my inner child comes forth, we parade through the south paper mache portal and become child like, ready for play. I place the covered bowl and green sheets of paper in the center and we get down on the floor. I cover us up with a big red bed spread, so we are together under the tent of red. We play by hitting the green sheets of paper in front of each of us saying RAM the seed mantra of the red tattva. Then when the energy is built up some, I remove the cover off the dish to reveal the red paint. We one by one place our hands into the paint, and important... look at each hand painted side up for a minute... then place it onto the paper and print yourself.. after everyone has done their print play with each others hands and be the flames of fire game and silly. Come up out of the tent and go into kitchen to wash up.

In kitchen sit down and first we eat the red egg, cut into as many pieces as people present, and place horseradish on egg and eat first of pitta fire food. Egg for the birthing gateway we have been experiencing. Then a sip of the red raspberry wine is shared. Then a bit of the hot spicy curry I made earlier, and the pickled beets and the peppers and radishes. As we eat we chat about what we felt during the exercises. When everyone is back into their body and finished with the discussion and food, we also have hibiscus flower tea to drink. All red and pitta choices. We return to the big room for closure.

We get drums passed out and I take my conch shell to blow. We start out in the south where we were playfully being with our child spirit, then I blow the conch and we drum our way through that portal and continue to the north, each gateway I pause and give thanks to that direction and its guardians, we walk through the paper gateways we have had up and we go the east next and then to the west and then back to the center for the center of the earth and its fiery center and to the sky where we fly.. Tis over, collect whatever their donation is and hug good bye.

Ganesha's Goodies

Tattvas... The Yellow Square for EARTH Element

Everyone came in and sat down and introduced themselves according to how they relate to the Earth element. It is an interesting way to introduce oneself, instead of name and the who and what you do, One identifies themselves in regard to the element addressed that evening.

Then we blew the conch shell at each direction. Starting in the east, for the honoring of the Orient and the dawn and the yellow direction it is. Then proceeded through the doorways of the north, near our door-entrance, as the welcoming gateway, We had up crepe paper to outline the “doorway” and a piece of yellow square on the floor too. Then to the west, a simple yellow square on the floor and each place welcoming the energy to help with our efforts, blowing the conch, om-m0m ing. and recognizing the afterimage color of lavender or lilac of the end of day for remembering our past lives. Then to proceed to the south gateway which we used as our banishing doorway for today because it is near the fireplace we used last week, and fire is a purifier of intentions.

We chose which of the crop circles we were attracted to and placed them around our necks with a crepe-paper ribbon and created a earth shield this way over our center, near our hearts. Then I anointed everyone with calendar flower oil, a circle with the plus sign in the middle, the symbol used in astrology for the planet earth, over their third eye, since using the tattvas is for development of the third eye.

Next we turned on the keyboard to a chord of Diminished, for the banishing ritual turns. Seven very very slow spins or turns to the left (following the left hand, counter-clock wise}, encouraging each person at own timing and urge to sound out “LAM” or any vowel one wanted to, in order to deeper connect as each went within to contact what ever they wished to banish release from their life. LAM is the sound for the Earth Element and this exercise. Then we changed the keyboard to sound continuously the tone of E major for the inviting invoking what we want into our lives. We used weights to hold the selected keys down in place. The effect was truly special, allowing each person to deeply go within and intone again at will with just enough back ground sound to not embarrass anyone or call attention away from anyone. Much better in reality than we thought.

Then we sat down and I passed out individual yellow squares and white paper for the earth tattva exercise. Stare at the yellow square on the white paper for about 40 seconds to a minute, then remove the yellow square, the after image of a lilac or lavender colored square appears. One’s eyes become accustomed to seeing what isn’t real and yet feels safe in doing so. It really seems so magical to have a way to demonstrate the appearance of the subtle colors and light emanating off the white blank page.

We also did the combination of the red triangle of last weeks fire symbol, placed on top of the yellow square. By starring at it for the 40 seconds or so then removing them both to the white paper appears a green triangle on top of a purplish square. This really sets in the sense of the doorways we are creating within ourselves with this practice. While we are working on the starring and white paper over and over again to set in deeply the effect, I read from the Rainbow Book in the blue chapter about the color yellow, this reading was very effective for our morning group but not so interesting to the evening group.

Next we went to a guided meditation. I took us to a hill top, comfortable, safe, and pleasant. We moved out of a lavender fog and felt the sun on our faces, we remembered the feelings of sun moving over our bodies during the course of a day. Warm cheeks etc. feeling the safe comfort of our backs supported by a large yellow square, the comfort of the earth strength beneath us. Deeply sinking into the nature of earth as gentle as an embrace a mother can offer her baby. Then we went in search of our past selves, and in and out of lifetimes, using our imagination and always returning to the safety of our yellow square we were laying upon in our minds. Finally we returned to the hear and now and appreciated the yellow journey and the earth element. In the middle of the room I have laid down an altar made of a yellow square on the floor and placed on it’s sides tincture bells, and bird whistles and a candle and a small flower , to honor the earth plane. We also have moved the sofas to be in a square formation. All parts of the room and arrangements are geared to the square and yellow principle. We are wearing yellow clothing and everyone else has their yellow crop circle emblem on...Very yellow indeed!

The next exercise is to ground the energy. Heh heh, grounding the earth with a grounding exercise in the ground of a sand box that I bring us over to. We sit around it and reach in to discover the buried treasures I placed in this very fine sand. We dig up coins for prosperity and beads of gems for beauty, and little goddess statues for spirit, and other little goodies. Much to my own surprise, everyone seemed to really get into digging in the sand and playing with each other in the sand box. The sand did really feel good after the meditation on floating and sitting and moving into past lives and all over the world in our imaginations.

We went into the kitchen for the yellow foods and earthy smells and tastes, for we are attempting to use all our senses in this tattvas exploration. We had potatoes from the underground, yellow cheese and yellow onions on top. We had apples, raisins and apricot stewed fruits for the sweet tastes of the earth tattva. Guava juice was the yellow sweet fruit choice. And for a sweet dessert, lemon poppyseed cake. Just a little snack to totally take in the essence of yellow earth energy.

We returned to the big room and did our closing by tooting the sacred conch shell in each direction and thanking each energy for being present with us. Accepted the donations and hugged everyone good night. Two hours of earth time for eternity benefits. Smile.!

Tattvas

Blue Tattwas Exercises for AIR Element

The blue tattwas is a round circle and opens our awareness to the air element. When placed on the blue circle is placed on the white paper for about 40 seconds then removed with ones attention focused on the blank sheet, a floating light pale orange circle will appear. This often takes longer to occur than it did with the red triangle or yellow square. Also many people have difficulty at first seeing the orange color. At first they see just a brightness, a floating whiteness or light light yellow, but if the same person actually practices with the tattwa blue circle for a few days, most everyone will start to see the floating after image in light bright orange, or peachy tones, a lot of the color sensitivity depends on the original tone of the blue also. Interestingly, I usually do a light blue circle and a dark blue circle, first one then the other. One for the day sky and one for the night sky. The light blue also stands for fidelity and the indigo blue for loyalty, two similar but quite different concepts.

Our process was to sit and talk for a few minutes while passing on a light and a dark blue piece of crepe paper to create a circle of the blue energies as we spoke our introductions by way of our experiences with the air element. The first two women to speak mentioned how painful it was for them to breathe, and how knowing so many spiritual practices to be based on breathing exercises, it had been difficult for one of them due to asthma and related near death experiences about difficult breathing. The other had lung illness complications with cancer and each breath was difficult and painful now. It was interesting to me that the first two to speak were the ones in pain, for we did a second session in the evening and the same thing occurred, the first person to speak had illness and trouble breathing and sat in the same chair as the morning session person. In the ancient books on tattwas they say to not ever get caught up with phenomena, but observe little details like this.

We went on around the room, with the others sharing more positive connections with the air, breezes, storms, and smells and other experiences of the breathing and being aware of the air element including one man who flew his own plane and enjoyed the refined qualities of the energy in sky presence.

Then we all got up holding our piece of the blue crepe paper circle and moved as a connected group around the room. At the gateway of each direction we blew the conch shell and welcomed in our personal guidance, and thanked the energy awareness in that direction. The east for our morning light and our gratitude to the blue morning` then north for the limitations and acknowledging the pain and our acceptance of our current state of being. Supported by each other the group in silliness and closeness moved about the room and thanked the west, place of the pacific ocean and called on the dolphins to come and be with us in our endeavors, how magnificently long and easily the conch shell seemed to remember its own origins. Then to the south for our inner child and playful connection of the air to the fire element. We return to the center and acknowledged the earth below the conditions around us and the sky presence, final conch shell blowing seems to really change the rooms vibration and solidifies the group.

We observed our breath and circled the room to the right and then to the left, pretending to be as the wind, opening and tightening in places, flowing over some small obstacles and slowing and speeding etc. Then observed our breath and our being present moment conscious. This reminding ourselves to be in the present moment seems to be necessary while doing this kind of tattwas work. It is easy to start drifting off to other worlds and using and enjoying the inner world state and forgetting to be with the others in the room.

We passed out the blue shields, circles attached to string of light blue on one side and indigo deep blue on the other side. Then we practiced the tattwas, Placing the indigo blue on the white sheet and then removing it after 40 seconds and seeing the after image, then trying the light blue circle to see if there is a difference. Then we integrated the blue circle with a red triangle in the middle of it and then a yellow square in the middle of it, then the reverse of a smaller blue circle inside the red triangle and inside the yellow square. Then we tried all the various combinations of all three: The yellow square with a blue circle inside it and a red triangle inside of the blue circle, a triple tattwa experience. the resulting purple square with the orange circle and the green triangle appears on the blank white sheet is quite astounding to see. The red triangle with a blue circle and the yellow square, each inside the other, also produces quite an after image. Then to realize that these are elements we are considering. The red fire triagle in the middle of a yellow earth square on a blue sky circle...is inner green gateway of our personal kundalini burning safely inside the control of the purple faith as we travel through the orange sky....in other words we are creating the after image awareness of these basic elements in combination with each other to create a shield of safety or a place of encouragement or a direction of answering a specific question. We can say what is right livelihood for me at this time, for instance. and then ask is this a question of earth, fire, or air to answer? Which element is the internal one and which is the outer extension, and which one will fuel the answer? When traveling in a storm, a red triangle for our courage to go forward in intent inside the yellow square for the area to be journeyed can be also enhanced by the blue circle, the question to feel the personal answer for each of us may differ, comes by the play of the blue circle of air inside the red fire triangle to blow on the fire and fan the flames up, or the blue circle of air to be surrounding the earth as to represent all that we need to pass trough on the way to the destination. Maybe just leaving it simple is the best answer sometimes, The elements in the dance of their playing and interacting with each other is the most important part, but one needs to keep returning to the present moment to be sure of observing the effects and not getting lost in enjoying the phenomena.

After some time of playing with the various combinations, more exploring than real work, I read out of the Rainbow book in the blue chapter on the color blue and indigo. We settled into comfortable spaces and went on a guided meditation.

I took us to the Egyptian temple of old where the roof is painted indigo and filled with the golden stars of Sirius and Orion’s belt and the Pleiades cluster etc., and the floor is the deep color of the Nile river. we lay on a bench opposite a great statue of maybe amen-ra or Anubis and we put our head on a pillow of lapis lazuli, deep blue stone with gold veins running through it, used in ancient Egypt to help dreams of healing and learning how to bring back the information of the dream time to the moment. We imagine a piece of lapis in each of our hands and a feathered cape about our shoulders clasped with a blue stone circle at our throat, and around each of our ankles is a bracelet-anklet of diamonds and blue sapphires and aquamarine and other precious and semi-precious jewels. We allow our guides to bring in someone we have had difficulties with in the past, and we go to the great statue which has a bowl of blue clear liquid in its lap and we dip a cup into it and bring it over to the person we are to work with. We offer them the drink and they gratefully accept the liquid from us. As we watch them drink it, we see the liquid go through their body as if we could see their body like an xray and we see them swallow and it go into their stomach and through the intestines etc. and as they talk about what ever their version of their conflict with us was we watch them sweat and sweat it out through every pore in their body.

We go back to the statue and dip another cup of liquid and have the person face away from us and we pour this liquid over them cleansing their entire body. They feel this cleaning and turn and bow to us in thanks. The guides take them out of the room. We then go over to the place on the temple floor where the cleaning fluids lay and we mop then up into a vessel cup and bring it to a place behind the statue where we see a kind of fountain with a center piece of the head of a crocodile wide open mouth waiting for the drink of these dirty fluids, and we pour it in. Then a great overhead light comes on and a light blue mist falls on us and cleans us too as we bathe and enjoy this healing cleansing blue light mist. We return to our seat before the statue and give thanks. We have our guides remove the cape and ornaments around our ankles and we release the lapis stones and we surrender to our presence in the temple being reminded that we may travel again in our dreams or meditations in the future to do more work here if we choose.

I had planned to do more active dance of "wearing our long tail feathers as we fly" and some of the physical trust exercises, but we are running out of time.

We go into the kitchen for our experience of blue food. It is interesting to realize there is very little natural blue food. Even blue berries are really quite purple in color. But I found some blue jello and some of it I whipped in cool whip to make it more air containing. It looks quite unappealing but actually tastes good. Also I made a lemon meringue pie blue by adding food coloring. And we had some green pea soup too with puffed rice cakes for more air sensations. We toasted our work with some blueberry syrup from my grandmothers recipe, which is take blueberries and add equal amount of sugar, pour vodka over it and let sit in the sun for weeks or months, then pour our solution and use about a tablespoon of this syrup for healing stomach aches. It keeps for a very long time.

As we eat we talk about the experience we shared. Blue food is very difficult to eat down. and every on enjoys the silly atmosphere such dinning offers. Not much smell to blue food either. But the air is scented by the pea soup, and a feeling of being strangely nurtured occurs.

We return to the big room for our closing down the energy. We circle together and blow the conch shell to the directions and thank our guides and we hug each other good night,

Cocoon

GREEN TATTVAS class on 2/9/99

I use the color green as a secondary colors healing start to opening the heart chakra awareness. We started the session by being a hugging circle and open to the phrase " Oh su a ah" a Basque word that means to open the heart and to listen to the voice within. By sustaining the singing a middle sound on it and then a return sound of a whisper of it. It sort of sounds like the ocean receding.

We then sat and introduced ourselves thorough the water element and the color green. We seem to like to talk like this at the start. It centers us all in a common area to look at how we perceive an idea before we go into it deeper with our tattva exercises. We seem to be bonding with each other and enjoying our various views, even the negative events are accepted and we move on to other's stories until we hear from each of us. It is interesting that each element has had both experiences of joys and sorrows for different group members. We all grow as we openly accept without judgment.

Next we did some of the preparatory 'trust exercises' I've learned over the years for different purposes. We put our feet against another’s feet, and moved with first one leading, then the other leading the movements until a mutual support of movement is established. A sense of joint balance is reached, and it feels like we’re having fun.

Then we did the hand to hand, palm to palm, moving up and down and sideways and like an infinity sign loops etc. Then still the hands but use them as support as we place the top of our heads against each other, as if butting heads only sustaining the contact. Then remove hand supports and get into feeling energy move up and down the spine from each other. Practice this for a few minutes by going around the room and again allowing each one a period of time to lead the moves. We extend our hand holds again for support as you move the heads apart and are back facing each other again. Smile.

We also did the mutual tree from the yoga exercises. One uses the side of their partner to support them on the standing leg and holds their outside foot up to above the knee with the inner connecting arm raised up above the head. You look like a tree together and need each other to sustain the balance.

We sat on the floor back to back and did the breathing of both together, then one inhales as the other exhales and vice versa. And the various arm locks too. All very nice ways to work with a partner and have fun. Being back to back opens our connecting on a deeper level, the concentration on each others breath cycle is a first step towards tantra practice. All these exercises are based on active awareness of self space and our partners space and needs. It helps us to be more aware of what we need and what our partner needs. This often opens up deeper dialogue when again facing each other in non touching modes.

Opening ourselves up to our senses is a new approach to concentration. So often in meditation practices we are told to close our eyes and shut out sounds and inhale only incense and not to move. Although this is a time honored method to eliminate all external stimulation in order to concentrate better, I feel the time has come to not resist the external but to embrace it. When we actively choose to move with intention, we can stretch our perimeters and become wholly present. Being in the moment is a way to ease our tensions, thus freeing our minds. Also opening our entire body to be fully enveloped with our emotions during our chosen process circulates strong energy patterns. The goal is integration of all parts of our selves in the immediate experience and having fun while practicing concentration. ( The ancients say that the only thing that can be truly taught is concentration, all other learning comes by direct experience.)

Next we took out today’s tattva exercise. For the water element, we use a crescent moon shape cut out of a black square. It gives an after image of purple or silver or some other shade depending on the size of the crescent cut out. Sometimes people use an orange crescent to be laid out as the red triangle etc. were before , but traditionally it is the only tattva practice that uses a cut out shape. It is fun to place the cut out crescent on top of the other colors and see the variations possible. Some find it difficult to concentrate on the water element. Perhaps, it is because we are basically made of water and it is difficult to face ourselves.

Isolating each element is a very interesting way to focus as a group. To really experience red is different than the red you identified as a child for the parent or teachers approval noticing that you could label the colors correctly. To immerse ourselves each week in a different color and experience different conditions for practicing and learning can often break through old stereotypical ways of thinking. We are embracing our child like wonder and freedom again and allowing new positions for the heart/mind association to grow. Feeling safe in a group situation to open and unfold our inner limits takes practice and the tattvas are an interesting concentration that allows doorways of perception to shift.

We also worked with the six variations I had prepared for us of the other tattva combinations. The red triangle large in back then the yellow square smaller on top of it and then the blue circle inside smaller still. In combination the starring then looking at a white sheet gives a wonderful sensation of mixed afterimages that really is astounding. We each worked with one set for a few minutes then passed the next one on, until everyone had had a chance to work with each.

There is a red triangle with a smaller blue circle on top and a yellow square tiny in the middle. There is a large blue circle in back with a smaller red triangle on top and a tiny yellow square inside the red triangle. There is a large blue circle with a yellow square and a tiny red triangle all pilled on top. Each triad of the shapes and colors produces the opposite colors in combination in the appropriate after image. It feels awesome to do them one after the other. Six in all covers the ones up to date, then to place the crescent in connection to the others too. It is a real test of concentration and has immediate rewards in what we start to feel.

These tattva exercises prepare the third eye to open. They also help us to see auras. They create a sensitivity to color and light vibrations. And they can open channels of inner healing for ourselves and to help us be aware of how to be really present when we are witnessing the pain and suffering of others, often allowing us to be open to ideas or perhaps be open to the universal unconscious, or even the angels who can suggest healing ideas. All things are possible when we are in our powerful present moment energy.

We then did a meditation using some of MB's larger crystals. We concentrated on the pulsing within the crystal and faced them towards the center and moved into the light sensation we felt after seeing the tattva lights in combination. We went to the ocean of the jewels and enjoyed floating on the sea of bliss and plenty. It feels so nice to go deep within in meditation with a group who have been warmed up to the third eye opening with these tattva exercises. We as a group get to go deeper each time. The crystals amplify Time, allowing a lot to occur quickly now, and then later while dreaming, we contact the dream-time and may deepen our experience.

We keep an active pace in our class time. By building our attention span and keeping our attention focused and not having any breaks, we intensify the experience. Camels can open their throats and swallow enough water in ten minutes to keep themselves alive for weeks as they move across the dessert. I try to have us open ourselves to these experiences as if we were camels and can take in more than we can digest in the class time. I like to see us as grown ups and capable of stretching, strengthening our spiritual awareness getting ourselves ready for the millennium.

We adjourned to the kitchen for our green sea food experience. We had fish cakes and salad and shrimp and cucumbers and kiwi fruit and pistachio pudding pie for dessert with green tea and I had wanted to get seaweed and grapes and many other things but due to the snow storm had not been able to get out to get them. We enjoyed a lot more talk about green, so many had worn green garments, and I discussed the effects of the tattva exercises. We are growing better at this afterwards discussion of what is occurring. Emeralds are green jewel born in the heat and pressure of volcanoes. Tattva studies are part of heating up our inner volcano.

We returned to the big room for our closure and did gratitude to all realms and each other.

Rainbow

The ether tattva experience Color purple 2-16-99

The ether tattva uses a black egg shape, which when placed on the white sheet of paper and stared at for 20 seconds or so, then remove the black egg shape and a very bright glow, sometimes seen as golden or very very light white appears. After several back and for the black egg seems to have a halo or aurora around it even when still on the sheet.

It feels easy to see this glow and it lasts awhile. By now our students of the tattvas are becoming stronger and more able to see quicker, and enjoy more in a relaxed way what is occurring.

We present tonight the room decorated with the purple crepe paper hanging from a central point and out as rays, eight lines. In the center is my feather bed with a white sheep skin rug laid over it and a purple cover with the Celtic knot as design on it.

Each one will take a turn at being in the center and allowing the others to work on him or her. We are having a healing class, using many techniques. First we discuss Lucy's safety ideas. I wear dangling earrings to act like fishing hooks to distract anyone starring too intensely into my eyes, starring into ones eyes usually tires us out. Next I wear perfume on my wrists to off set any unpleasant odors in the atmosphere. I usually wear something that feels energized. Tonight I was wearing a long sash that comes from Guatemala, when a friend took $30 from me to give to a person who I had dreamed would approach her on her journey and give her a trade item in exchange. An old woman approached her and asked for the money a friend she saw in a dream give her. This sash was the result of this transaction, the native lady said with this money she could pay ahead for her funeral and even buy a cow and some chickens for her family to remember her by. I feel extra energy and protection whenever I wear this sash, it is lovely and full of purple and blues and almost every color possible.

Also wearing something of silk acts as a protection, as well as wool on ones feet. I often wear some Tibetan boots of soft wool felt for special indoor holy work. Jewelry, such as rings on fingers and more dangly chains and pendants also are distraction type energy deflectors. Ones hair can also help the antennas of hair pull in energy, sometimes better to be tight against head and sometimes better to have it loose and flowing.

Every item we use can be made special by the intent we place in it. My tarot cards for instance, are just pieces of paper with colored images printed on them, yet because, I have used them for many years with a particular intent, they become empowered by my mind’s concentration. All objects used by shamans and energy workers are thus more than just what they appear, they become like magnets. Fully charged spiritual tools are best left alone unless one has permission from the owner to use or even touch them. The Swami says some of his tools bite the unprepared who even accidentally touch them. I prefer to have tools that can be experienced by others, I like to share, but I do feel some tools become more charged up that others.

Tonight we will use a collection of crystals and rocks I have collected over a long time to place on the body to be worked on, to heighten the experience. We spend some time looking at the combination of tattvas I have made, and discovered that looking at certain combinations gives me consistently certain experiences. I share these as follows.

I have a large indigo blue air circle, with a smaller yellow earth square centered on it, and a smaller still red fire triangle centered on it, and a black ether egg centered on it, with four white water crescent moons on the blue air circle surrounding the yellow square, (see diagram). Then I mention a possible story using these elements. One should be encouraged to use in the moment stories to bring these combined elements to life. For instance, We are sitting around a fire, looking into the center for our guide, This is the red fire triangle with the black ether egg acting as a guide, while sitting on our yellow earth blanket by the fire. We feel all around us protection from the guides of each direction, the four moons in the blue air circle. I say this possible imagination story while we are all circled around starring at it, then I place a white sheet over it and we wait to see the after image together. We do this several times. Each time I say a similar story a little differently to hook the right words and setting for everybody. Maybe I mention distant drums or sounds of nature calling or the angels or animals from the directions, every thing is aimed at making this symbol help us to feel safe and full and watched over and secure.

I am not sure what order I do this experience in, and it is possible I have mistaken which tattva combination does what sensation, but I think this is okay to admit to for it leaves the door open for you to experiment further and not get trapped by one groups experience, after all at a different moon phase or different time of day or a different group of people some other truth may emerge and to honor the unknown possibilities, we will put a little doubt in here, leave a little room for individualization.

We look at the tattva combination with a red fire triangle as the big color in the background, the blue air next and the yellow earth square smaller inside, and the ether black egg centered in the yellow square and the white crescent moon under the square on top of the blue air circle. Here my story may start with the great fiery sun fueled by the atmosphere of air to come to earth and reflect back to source. Or maybe we identify with the ether egg in the center and open up to being on earth and feeling water and air elements supporting us we open to our greater creativity, inspiration caught on fire, expanding to the outer limits. And suddenly everyone notices that their fingers are tingling, or that we are aware of our exterminates. Our arms and shoulders and hands are awake. We share our sensations and experiences. There are some subtler slight differences of how intense etc.

Next we take the earth yellow square with the smaller blue air circle within it and the red fire triangle within that and the ether black egg within it and the white crescent water moon floats in the blue air circle. We stare at it and we look at the white sheet and there is kind of a silence or a un huh etc. So we take on a story of the earth having worms crawling in it breathing air through their skin, feeling the hot center of the earth and our guides helping us to reflect on the water coming through the cracks in the soil, but still no response. So we try another story, less wormy! We picture ourselves sitting on a rock near a waterfall, it is very hot out in the desert and we are very comfortable near this water fall, we can see the energy of the little deva or spirit of the waterfall and feel the good ions in the charged air and we feel safe and vital. Now everyone sees it in the afterimage and feels so wonderful a tingle comes into our throats and we start to saliva.

Now we see the dark indigo blue air circle as biggest with the red triangle inside it and the yellow square with it and the black ether egg center in it. The blue air circle also has a white crescent moon in it that is not touching the Fire red triangle. The offered story may go that a great being of light was moving through the air of deep space and it saw the beautiful fire sun and was attracted to the solid earth plane and came into center here. Or starting in the center of a light being being the black ether egg is comfortable here on earth and feels the lovely warm sun and ponders on the vast sky of air and sees the moon and feels happy in the energy. Now the after image comes alive and we feel it turn into a lovely flower and suddenly everyone notices how loud the rain on the roof sounds. Or how the wind sounds, but everyone is paying attention to sound and listening clearer.

Then we look at the large red fire triangle with the yellow square centered with the smaller blue air element holding the white crescent water moon, the ether black egg is out on top of the red fire triangle. Here we feel in the afterimage how the ether egg and the moon seem to jump towards each other. We feel the movement of this tattva move off in a direction as it fades. Some of us feel it is very familiar, or that it is like a jewelry piece, or that it feels as if it looks like someone, some memory comes up. For some it brings up blocks, they cant get it all to come into focus. There is a jump occurring, many get stuck on the yellow square, earth plane often blocks us exactly this way between the fiery creative force we want to reach and the air to fan it is cut off by earthy events and our emotions get caught in the middle, until a guide aids the leap of faith. Boom a new story and the block becomes part of it instead of separating it becomes a bridge to another way of viewing it.

Finally we look at the yellow earth square holding the red fire triangle with the blue circle holding both the ether black egg and the white crescent water moon, we wait for the after image which reveals the green triangle in the purple square with the brilliant center that takes several tries to see all of the details of the egg and crescent. It is very subtle, the ether and water elements contained within the air, all fluid and transparent in nature, all full of energy we need to exist, yet very very delicately balanced in this subtle vibrational content. To be contained by fire then dense earth is very hard without a story. Often I feel my crown chakra here. It tingles with a distant memory of being before I was born perhaps. Being subtle oneness with essence of guidance (ether) and emotions (water) in air medium (circle is symbol of unity-wholeness), comes through fiery female triangle form into male square of earth limits.

Stories are used to build a framework for the direct experience to unfold. It really doesn't matter how real or unreal, close or personal, distant or peculiar the story sounds, but I find it easier to build from the inside out through the elements or from the outside to the center, or both. Try one story and see how it feels. Ask how universal is it? Try to paint another scene, imaginary scripts, and see how it is effecting the others. If someone mentions where they are stuck, then go with their stuck condition. Question which element it is, then using that element build a story to help open up the situation. Enjoy and have fun being creative with these stories. Our lives are made up of these tattva elements, constantly all our lives we interact through connecting to fire, air, earth, water, and ether. Energy flows through them and everything we know through touch, taste, smell, hearing and seeing is related to the elements. Using our senses consciously to explore deeply each element with the tattva experience is what this study is about. And it sure has been fun for me to make up all the little in-depth explorations into each color. Doing the details of red plates, napkins and cups to eat off of during the fire tattva, or yellow ones for the earth time. to make foods in each color and decorate the room differently each week as we progressed, all of the little challenges become so alive when acted out in our class time. We are studying ways to open us up and perhaps free us from old karmas, old pains, and out worn attitudes. Spiritual liberation can be a lot of fun in my opinion and I love this opportunity to do it.

Once the person is chosen to lay down for today’s treatment, we make sure they are comfortable, blanket or not, extra pillow, whatever. I place a clear large crystal in one hand and a piece of petrified wood in the other hand. Then I place a piece of blue azurite on the third eye, and a piece of shape shifting selinite crystal over their breast bone, and many other little crystals and stones over their face, throat and upper region. I show them themselves in a mirror I hold up for them to see their beauty.

Then we begin to use everyone's healing powers, we circle around the person and play various instruments. Tibetan bowls and cymbals, whistles, flutes, drums and rattles. All at once or one at a time, varying loud and soft, close and far. After a minute or two, we pause. We say together "I am an open channel, for the creative forces of love, to heal and harmonize and set free". Then we practice some form of these various methods each on a different person, but basically the same.

We energize our hands by circling tension fingers until they feel thick. then bring awareness to self and person and each other. Shake the energy down to the body, feel where you open up and where the heat is strong and how close and far the energy waves are moving. Feel where warmer or tingling occurs. We say our little "I am an open channel etc." several times and we vary the attention of energy from above and energy from below.

We sound out aum and sh h sh h and sighs and other phonic expressions that come up spontaneously. We pay attention to our breath, and posture, check and feel our own spine, place our feet to work effectively with our hands and shoulders, being sensitive to the energy.

We view one person in their bone structure and muscles, and look at our own strengths and weaknesses there and open still further for the divine energy to enter. We look at another person’s organs, and anothers blood circulation, and anothers breath and anothers skin etc. always checking out our own condition too. One does not wish to inflict their stuff on anyone else and it is important to acknowledge where the boundaries are, to witness and be open is different than seeing a person as broken or needing fixing. We choose to work in the channel of open surrendering of ego state. We are concentrating on balancing and harmonizing, not diagnosis or treatment. Simple energy exchange in the right amount and acceptance in the moment.

After each person has a turn we go into the kitchen for our purple food treat. I have cranberry colored bowls we eat the red kidney bean chili in and purple cabbage coleslaw with it. And cranberry-grape drink with it and Marie Calendar’s very berry pie for dessert. Simple and tasty treat.

We return to the big room for our closure experience. Closure is important in my opinion to keep students in their own empowerment and not become codependent, to focus honoring their own capabilities. We make a circle and sing and dance the ghost dance of the Lakota Sioux Indians. “We circle around, We circle around, the boundaries of the earth”, (repeat), sang while moving in a circle side stepping, pause, facing and stepping toe then heel four steps into the center then out, saying “Hi Ya Hi Ya Hi Ya Hi Ya” (repeat), then we sing “Wearing our long tail feathers as we fly”, (repeat four times), and free flow wildly dance around the room, feeling as if you have long tail feathers indeed! We catch our breath and hug good bye til next week.

Orange Butterfly

Orange color using the infinity sign as a symbol. 6 class 2/23/99

Today we dressed in orange and worked with the subtle energy of the 6th sense, the intuitive instinct. In the tarot cards the middle row that emphasizes the magnetic force fields is represented by the Empress, Strength, Death and the Moon. The Empress uses the subtle incitements of the smells and tastes and touch of the mother figure and becomes the magnet that draws our sexuality into play. We associate her as the good mother, giving and loving. Then as we grow older we identify with her as females to own the attributes to attract our partners and they in turn hold as males the image of the Empress as their ideal woman. Then in older terms we see ourselves as the mother figure to others and in the expression of our own creativity.

The Strength card is the woman taming the lion, as the lion represents our kundalini force in motion. It is the red lion of youth, the yellow lion of wise old age of experience, and the orange lion, orange mixed from the red of passion and the yellow of wisdom to be blended into the energy to dance the movements that push from within to release the internal power.

The Death card is the releasing and letting go force field. The ultimate end of life appears to be death, but we need to look at the options. Like the sun is a forceful magnetic strength, someday they say that our earth will fall into the sun, yet for billions of years the magnetic fields have kept the earth and sun at a consistent distance. We can dance a defiance of death, by keeping a certain view of energy and patterning alive and by being joyful and by being lucky. Eventually we are ready to release and proper closeur to so many events of our lives is important. To the artist, knowing when to stop the work is critical, as it is for when the cake is done. To be sensitive to when to close a conversation or when to leave an event, all sorts of leaving situations need for us to honor a time to close the energy down. Whenever we enter into a healing situation, I feel it is good if we can be aware of when the energy has run as much as is ripe for a session, and release and give gratitude for the amount shared, and end the time on a positive note, before anyone is exhausted, when things are still full.

The Moon card is the fourth energy that magnetically draws us to it. The ocean tides are moved by the full moon, as are the emotional tides of many humans. The dream state is very active and we can contact others in our dreams and help heal human harmnter towards the new direction. We do this four times for the four directions. Then this is the end of the first round. There are 9 rounds in all, but for tonight we do only this one practice introduction round. The left side is for our personal awareness and the right side if for the awareness of all those on the planet.

We also did a little meditation on the journey to Shambala, mystical healing center in the Himalaya mountains of Tibet.

I made for everyone a little cocoon/butterfly out of sewn cloth, beige like the chrysalis on the outside and inside bright orange wings to pull free. These tiny objects are symbolic of our need to hold tight when we are afraid, all wrapped up in our "poor me" attitudes, feeling rather beige and non descript. But we are more than that, we are also the bright colorful interior self also. When we develop open expressive attitudes, we can trust our own personal internal safety. We can regain a playful attitude, and turn into our greater selves, becoming butterflies and say "I'm flying free". And dance around a room without worrying about what others think.

Using one’s clairvoyant skills, and developing our subtle senses, takes being able to trust our instincts. To be responsible to the inner, less visible, quieter, gentler feelings and essences that makeup vibrations which constantly give off signals about subtle states takes time. And direct experiences build up our confidence in our abilities. These playful classes on the tattvas and color sensations we’ve been exploring, are a method to allow us to come closer to energy awareness. Spiritual studies don’t have to be serious to be real.

Our exercise tonight is to stretch our comfort zones, to exercise our inner to outer experiences. We tied each person up in orange crepe paper ties at chakra places, (neck, heart, hips, ankles, knees) with arms crossed over their hearts. Then holding onto the ends of white, clean toilet paper, we wrapped everyone up like Egyptian mummies. Everyone helped wrap whomever was still available. Then MB and I went among the cocoons friends and blew the conch shell and rang bells and beat drums and made noise while the developed their awareness of being shut away and tied up and unmoving, waiting for the sun of springtime to open them up and allow them to fly freely around the room; We sang "There is an old woman who weaves the night sky, watch her work watch her fingers fly, she is the needle and we are her thread, she is the weaver and we are her web, she changes everything she touches and everything she touches changes, changes, touches, changes us change us touch us."

Holding onto the symbolic cocoons, and being encouraged to leave the safety of their hiding states, everyone breaks free of their bonds and opens up again to be beautiful and free. We sing, "I fly in beauty around me". We free form “fly” dancing around the room, waving our newly formed wings.

Now, having broken free of the bonds of our cocoons, we go to eat the orange food. Chicken tandoori, very yellow-orange color, with saffron rice, carrot salad, tangerines, and peach jello with apricots in it. Cheetos and peanut butter cheese crackers and other junk food is very available in the color orange! We had pumpkin pie for dessert, and I forgot the orange sherbet ice cream in the freezer. We got into enjoying the flavor of what happens in eating, savoring orange.

We returned to the big room for our closure. I gave everyone cocoons with orange butterflies that unfolded to remember our process of “no more poor me, I’m flying free”, then we kicked at the heap of tissue paper and orange crepe paper from the old cocoons on the floor, and built up the group energy again and laughed our way to surrender to the end of the evening. Then we took some group photos, since everyone had really looked for special clothing and we did look like a bunch of hippies from the sixties with our colorful fun orange shirts and skirts etc. We agreed to meet in the dream time and go to new interesting inner world places with the help of our guides to perfect the subtle energy levels we work on better in the deeper than normal states. Next time we look forward to the whole rainbow.

tattvas

Final Tattvas Class 3/1/99 Ashland Oregon RAINBOW

By now everyone is thoroughly into dressing with the color of the class. Tonight it was all the colors...The RAINBOW Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet. The crystal of central light exposed in all its multitude of rays of energy unfolding upon us.

We decorated the room as if it were a forest of crepe paper, hanging colors of red, orange, yellow, green blue, indigo and purple. Some balloons of all colors also were attached to some of the streamers. It felt wonderful to wander through it and feel the colors massage your passage. Our best decorating efforts.

We blew the conch shell and opened up the worlds, now, then and always, or land of humans, calling forth divine graces and guidance, and the elimination of demons and negativity. The trinity of god goddess and creative produce. Any and all are opened to enhance our presence and present time.

We start the first exercise of the way, method to bring in ones own angel, a way to rid any demonic or curses that may have become attached to one. Some people believe others can curse them or cause an evil eye to hurt them, and this is a method to end the curse and free the persons involved. Very ancient method and dont know where it comes from, only that I’ve been using it for 20 or more years, successfully.

Simply it is making seven circle, one for each color in the rainbow, for seven consecutive days, then the angel appears and one is cleansed of any negativity.

We pause and imagine a great crystal above us with the sun shinning through it and each color is broken out and we select them one by one. First we have red, the purest, brightest, and clearest red like cherries, and hibiscus flowers, and red roses and other fruits or vegies. Then this red pours down over us, taking out with it any debris or dirt or foul energy left in us for any reason, and drains it into the ground.

Next Orange, like beautiful fresh tangerines or oranges, citric and clean smelling, and this color rains down upon us and cleans us, dissolving any dirt into the strong ground.

Yellow like the sun, wheat fields and lemons and buttercups, spills over us, and now we have all the sunny bright colors around us. We then call in Green of immortality and healing by resting Then the blue of the day time sky and then the blue of the indigo night sky and each time we visualize it falling down upon our heads and cleaning us as it removes debris from our outer aura, then from our tissues, blood, bones, internal organs, etc. We clean us all out. Then each time for each color we circle around once. finally we finish after the purple one and accept our cleansed state and see the full rainbow around us and see our readiness to see our angel. After seven more days in a row, should we continue to do this exercise once each day, we should actually see our angel. It is really quite an experience.

Then we got out our drums, and proceeded to get into opening deeper. We ran our hands over the face of the drum. We asked ourselves which force of energy seemed to be most strong for us tonight. Did we see earth, water, fire, or air while we brushed the face of the drums? Choosing an element to work with, we proceeded. We turned the drum on its back side and found where our voice echoed best back to us, We did the vowels of the alphabet into it. We asked what power animal wanted to work with us tonight, and what color predominated. We checked into ourselves and we banged on the front of the drum while doing all this self questioning, while the back of the drum faced us, an awkward contortion, taking both concentration and openness.

We did this slowly and heard all the drums in the room resonating with each other. Then we turned the drums over and went from the center to the edges of each direction. To the noon position to be the north and ask for protection and recognize limitations. Then to the south to the 6 o'clock and found our child self and the fire principle. Then to the east at 3 o'clock and then to the west at 9 o'clock positions. we wove stories back and forth as we drummed into the center out to the edge and back to center. then around the clock and then we just drummed.

We drummed the red and green triangle of the birthing doorway, and the orange and blue of the air doorway that opens us up as a healing channel and holds the tube of light at death and for life healings and then we visualize the purple and yellow doorway that holds past lives and gives second chances. We played a little with the drum beats and with these entrances to the other dimensions. Then we stood up and shifted weight from one foot to the other reaching for the shamans sway. we danced around and sung an Indian song. we got quiet and quieter, to a whisper beat and sound. We stopped the drum beating, and sat and sang: "Earth our body, water our blood, air our breath and fire (clap hands) our spirit". We had a lovely time.

Next we sat down wide opened, and listened to only a few minutes of the end of a tape of crickets. One band of the tape has regular crickets sounding at their usual sound and time, and the second band is the same crickets played much slower, and sounds like angels. It is most amazing sound, as if from another planet. They say they are playing the crickets sounds at the speed it might be if they were at human life span time wise, it is very very slow in cricket terms and has a very strange unearthly sound. The ascension people of NC made the tape. Sound can only be heard in the exact moment it is in, it is so hard to describe sound for me.

We went into the kitchen for this evenings rainbow foods. Everyone had brought something to share. We had lime popsicles and purple passion sherbet, and blueberries and kiwi fruit and humus and blue corn chips, and soup and bread and juice and cantaloupe and apple stuff with cranberries on it. A very strange, very tasty odd variety of foods. It was fun to share with everyone.

We returned to the big room. Final exercise was having one person in the center, shut their eyes and the rest of us walk around them. One person is called forth to place one of their arms out towards the person sitting with their eyes closed. That shut eyed one is to reach out towards where they feel the persons hand is located. This sounds very easy, but is it hard to feel the person's closeness at first. Everyone takes a turn. The secret is to exhale and feel the space in own aura where there is disturbance of energy. Inhale and tense awareness of aura space, exhale and feel the space from inside out. Release the ego of being right or wrong, and watch your own breath to be successful in this exercise.

We listened again to the strange sounds of crickets and then closed for the end of this session of classes. I gave everyone a copy of these notes, to help their memories if they want to do more with the combination of this energy awakening. It's been fun.

We ended by singing "Spirit is around us like a rainbow round the sun". Then Jonal led us in singing "Over the Rainbow". It was touching and very very beautiful.