Dec 1987

Jackie Brazil

Part two -- The Dream Continues

Every event and activity at the DANCE AWAKE THE DREAM GATHERING was a ceremony--a DANCE. Before I arrived at the gathering others from the Boise Family and those who had arrived early had set about gathering firewood, cutting thistles, collecting large rocks for the sweat lodges and setting up the lodges, preparing the dance circle and building the moon lodge. Many were fasting in preparation for the Celebration. Each activity was done with a sense of the dance.

Saturday morning those who were already there circled as a group for the first time. With the circle going clockwise, they stepped with the left foot in harmony with the beat of the drum -- the heartbeat of Mother Earth -- feeling her receptivity, her support, her generosity in supplying all their needs.

Brooke Medicine Eagle spoke and sang eloquently. She told the group that her teachers had reminded her that two things are important to remember at this time:

"1. We must have a golden vision of what we wish to create in our future;

2. We must be strongly com- mitted to that vision and really want it, stick to it and not waiver."

Most of the day Saturday was spent in continued preparation of the site, registration of new arrivals, getting acquainted, setting up camp and participation in the sweat ceremonies.

At the evening gathering two circles were created. One of women and the other of men. The women had collected "moon rocks" during the day. They created a cairn with these in the center of their circle. The men had collected "sun rocks" with which they also built a cairn in the center of their circle. The cairns were to honor the ancestors and spirits who were joining in the ceremonies.

Sunday morning at sunrise all again gathered in a circle around the fire. Brooke sang a powerful song dedicated to the Four Directions -- North, South, East and West. As she sang we faced each direction, in turn, honoring each. Brooke's voice lifted across the open meadows and marshes reaching the mountain tops it seemed.

A purification ceremony followed in which Brooke tossed herbs on the fire instructing us to use the smoke for cleansing, to scoop it up and sweep it over and around us -- washing it over us four times for each herb. First she used frankincense and myrrh which she explained is a very powerful cleanser. Next, she used sage which helps us purify ourselves and our thoughts and thirdly she threw sweet grass to sweeten us -- to fill in the void left by the cleansing with sweetness. She ended this ceremony with cedar, symbolic of love and light. As we washed ourselves with the smoke we spoke the words "I dedicate myself to the Light".

A bowl of tobacco was passed around for us each to take a pinch. In groups of eight we went up to stand beside the fire, to pray in silence for our personal intentions and for our golden vision. The tobacco, signifying unification or one heart, was tossed into the flames as we spoke the words "I dedicate myself to all my relations."

Following the ceremonies Brooke spoke. She said that we have been following some wrong teachings and we need to replace them. We have been taught fear and need to replace it with love; we have been taught scarcity and need to replace it with abundance--Mother Earth and Father Spirit are absolutely abundant; we have been taught separation and need to know Oneness. Mother Earth is the very cell of our bodies and Father Spirit is the spirit that gives us life. Each one of us is a pattern of light, like a snowflake, and Mother/Father shines through that pattern.

Brooke went on to explain that we are in the Age of the 8-pointed star which represents the heart, and Venus. If we allow the Light to shine through us we are able to give the gift of ourselves and then miracles can happen.

She continued, saying that we are separate from one another only to the extent that we feel the need to hide from one another. She encouraged us to be like children -- like the grass waving in the breeze -- receptive and open to each breeze because to be that open is to perceive so very powerfully.

She instructed us "This day pay attention to the feelings in our bellies." She urged us to fast saying that would help us tune in. She continued "Your umbilical cords have been replaced by invisible cords of light to Mother Earth. Open up to it, listen and receive Mother's messages. This is about bonding yourselves through the circle of love and peace. Our intentions will magnify across the planet as we Dance Awake the Dream and will continue in our lives after we leave here."

Brooke could see drummers and dancers from another dimension coming toward our circle and could hear the heartbeat growing stronger. Others said they also saw them. Brooke continued, saying that we are moving from the 8-pointed star age. It is time to graduate. While the work of the heart is not yet complete we must move onto the next task.

We must move the energy up and out our throats and as we apply ourselves to doing that the work of the heart will become natural and easy. We shall set a new tone on the earth and learn a new song. We must bring ourselves to a 8-cycle rhythm into -- Mother's rhythm -- to come into synchrony. Once we find synchronicity we will discover our complex harmonies... listening and feeling each other and expressing ourselves through our voices. She urged us to listen to our voice, our tone. She recommended that each one find a voice teacher -- that the correct use of the voice will be very important in the future.

"During this Celebration," Brooke said, "Each of us will be dancing for 10,000 other two-legged ones across the world who are not aware of the Harmonic Convergence or who are unable to participate. It's as if we are at a birth together -- each of us standing by as the wings of spirit open enormously. Whatever we focus on will be magnified. Our purpose is to bring forth the New Vision and ground it into reality. Dance the Dream into reality, hook it up, set that intention into the Earth. The vision and dream comes from the Great Mystery and is set in time. The dream has already been planted and is inside each of us. Consciously calling that dream awake is what we're all about.

During the dance it is ok to glance at the past, just don't stare at it. Acknowledge it and release it. Surrender all of it. You don't have to be afraid. Surrender everything and worry not about loss.

There is deep history in the metaphor of what's happening. The first law was 'You shall be in good relationship with yourself and others'. The human experiment was the experience' of free choice. We are like a washing machine spinning off balance. We have been given many opportunities to come together in oneness and have kept blowing it. Many say this is our last chance to 're-green' the Earth. The Earth is the green gem of the rainbow in the sky and our pollution keeps her from shining green.

Quetzalcoatl walked over Meso-America with the teachings that will save us. He was the plumed or feathered serpent and his name means Lord of Wind and Water. He taught the Way of Love and put together a spiritual family with Great Spirit as Father and Earth as Mother, that united all people up and down the Americas, swirling out as a spiral of light from the center in Meso-America. He was the one who spoke of the prophecy of 13 Heavens and 9 Hells; August 17, 1987 was to mark the full circle and the first day of the One Heaven once again. Quetzalcoatl spoke that the greatest sacrifice was to give the great gift of yourself to life. He is symbolized by the Dawn star which we pray to at sunrise and represents the Light of the New Day. Many tribes refer to him as Elder Brother. He is the one that says, 'You can do it', in a precarious situation. All bands in North America had a name for him. When he came north he was called Seattle and lived on Mount Rainier. A Azpotec prophecy predicted that at sunrise on August 17, 1987, the heart of Quetzalcoatl buried beneath an enormous tree near Oaxaca, Mexico, will burst open and billions of tiny spirits will emerge from the branches of the tree and implant themselves within each and every human heart -- planting the seed of awakening."

Brooke spoke to this as a time of the feminine. She told of her teacher who had said that in the next five to ten years, if we are to be allowed to stay on the Earth we will need to make a contract with Mother Earth that we are willing to have it all -- to have good relationships with ourselves and others, to have abundance, and to have peace. We must let go of whatever is in the way of making such a contract.

In closing, Brooke urged us to keep the silence during the rest of the day until after the Monday morning ceremonies following the Long Dance. She asked us to keep our thoughts focused on the Dream -- the golden vision. If we needed to communicate to do it with song and music.

I give thanks and credit for much of the information in this article to Elizabeth Faller, (Lizzy), Lopez Island, Washington for taking such fine notes and sharing them.