Inner and Outer 'Workings' of Our Cycles of Truth

There are 12 Cycles of Truth as shared  by Twylah Nitsch, the Seneca  Elder who brought these teachings into the world.
As I have worked with these cycles, I have come to see the first five Cycles of Truth are invitations and instructions for relating to our inner growing, knowing, being.  They are in some ways correlated with our senses.**
1. Learn Truth--touch
2. Honor Truth--taste
3. Know/Accept Truth--smell/scent
4. See Truth--sight
5. Hear Truth--hearing/auditory
(Working with each of these cycles incorporates and helps us develop our intuitive/sixth sense.)

The remaining seven Cycles of Truth are invitations and instructions relating to knowing, being and expressing in the world around us, in our relationships with all-people,creatures, places and things. As we work with cycles 7-12 our intuitive senses and our connection to our understanding of Source also grows and develops.

6. Speak Truth  --speaking only truth as we understand Truth
7. Love Truth --Truth as expressed through our heart
8. Serve Truth --live servicing truth as we understand what is Truth
9. Live Truth -- awareness of Truth resonating in our being
10. Work/Walk Truth  --conscious and intentional expression and actions in/of/with Truth
11. Share Truth --willingness to share in actions, words and intention our understanding or Truth
12. Thank Truth --living in/with gratitude

When Jamie Sams wrote her The 13 Original Clan Mothers, she honored the 13th Cycle 'Be Truth', is the clan mother, Becomes Her Vision.  This cycle occurs as the final new moon of the year in our Gregorian calendar.  In my work, I use this thirteenth cycle as a month of reflection, self assessment and integration.

**These are my interpretations and understanding.  It is not my intention to represent them in any way as 'official'.

Self Reflection: Moving through the 13th moon cycle,  take time to review and reflect on your experience with each of cycle of Truth.

December Moon Gift of Thank Truth Reveals Our Deep Truth

When Jamie Sams writes of 'Gives Praise' as the Clan Mother for December, her story reminds us that we have levels of being and depths of character which are revealed as we journey through life as a human beings.  Many cultures give a 'spiritual name' to children-when they are born or enter into adolescence.  In Jamie Sam's writng in The 13 Original Clan Mothers, a number of stories tell of different ways a spiritual name may be made known.  In our 'modern' culture, such namings are not usual, but that does not mean we don't have a 'name', different from the one by which we are publically known, that represents the deep spiritual qualities of our being.  Is it not  ironic that knowing this identity helps us to live more as the being we really are.

Self-Reflection: What is the name I call myself?  Is it a name which honors or shames my being? 

Rhythms and Cycles as Guides to Caring for Self and Others

Jamie Sams tells the story of Walks Tall Woman, her conceptualization of the archetypal embodiment of the November moon cycle.  As a storyteller, Sams uses mountain lion, the totem animal of leadership, to bring the cautionary message to Walks Tall Woman concerning the right use of her gifts, and the importance of taking time to rest and replenish.

When we are in our role as leaders, we must take time to replenish ourselves with the energy of creator--with quiet reflection and regenerative sleep.  When we don't, we draw on the life force of those we would help and we invite imbalance and disharmony into their lives and ours. (Pg. 234) 13 Original Clan Mothers

Self Reflection: Am I taking time for meditation, contemplation, reflection?  What is my definition of regenerative sleep?

All Truth Cycles Imply Movement

Rhythms and cycles imply movement
They also imply there is a repeat in pattern, an ongoing return to repeat,
or to begin again further down the path
or further up the spiral.

Life has rhythms and cycles as well.
Perhaps this is why some of us are drawn to journal amidst the moon cycles,
using the Cycles of Truth as our guiding star.

To Share Truth is 'Walking Our Talk'.  We are growing, changing and 'choosing' beings.  The moment we entertain stubbornness or status quo we are no longer in a present time, we then are no longer in Truth. A very blunt spiritual teacher once said to me "You are either dynamic or dead; ultimately there are no other options."

We are all walking a spiritual path in our life, and by being conscious of our path we remain in motion. Our spirituality is a dynamic process; spirituality is NOT passive!

Self Reflection: Do I experience my spirituality as dynamic? passive?

Carolyn comments: Depending on where the teachings on the cycles of truth are sourced, the 10th and 11th cycles both may refer to Walking the Truth.  This could be a confusion in translation or interpretation, but I have come to understand this seeming confusion not as confusion, but as an invitation to be conscious of the ACTIVE action required in both October's cycle of 'Work/Walk Truth' and November's cycle to 'Share Truth' as Bob and Lee Nitsch name these cycles, or 'Walk Truth' as Jamie Sams and Kenneth Cohen acknowledge it. The teaching source (Grandmother Twylah Nitsch) is the same.

Seeking Our Own Morning Star

Carolyn writes: The evening star is called Wata-jis in Jamie Sams’ story of Setting Sun Woman in her book 13 Original Clan Mothers.  This same star is present in the morning sky for six months of the year, and is brightly visible to us in these predawn hours of autumn. If my memory from previous years serves me correctly, those of us in on this continent should be able to see her at least through the end of the October moon cycle.  If you recall from the story of Setting Sun Woman, the evening star became present to Setting Sun Woman as an infant in a cradle-board, also with the fur of the white bear as her robe.  Setting Sun woman put this child on her back.

Metaphorically, the child is symbolic of our purpose and calling in this life.  This little one is also the connection we have to this purpose; a way to express Creator’s design/template for our unique  being.  Setting Sun Woman puts the child in the cradle board on her back, another metaphor for us: our willingness to carry and align the expression and development of our purpose and calling with Divine Will. We are willing to carry our calling and to pay attention to it, and let it direct the way we express it in our life.  In the story, Setting Sun Woman sends the child back to the stars.  As I think about this in terms of my own growing Spirit within, I think of metaphorically offering my life and my spirit back to Creator at the close of my day.

Self Reflection: Am I willing to cradle my life purpose and carry it always with me; nourishing her and seeking to know her better?

Live Truth, Waxing Moon: How to Be the Essence of Our Truth

September Moon carries the auspicious energy of the clan mother Jamie Sams refers to as 'Keeper of Tomorrow’s Goals and Dreams' (pg. 185). This month revitalizes our commitment to live as fully in our life as we are currently able. This kind of re-commitment  seems necessary following the often busy and chaotic energies of the summer months.

The Path of Live Truth is a call to awareness on many levels:  Of our own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self, as well as awareness of all that is going on around us. The close of the day has a vibrational frequency (a unique energetic sense) that is not felt at other times of the day. The awareness we give to this  'close of the day' energy frequency supports our ability to reconnect to to the earth, to our intuition, as well as to the ancient ways. It is only by connecting to the natural world that we are truly able to sustain our connection to a sustainable wisdom [Truth] (MacEowen pg.7).

Carolyn writes: From my own life experience, I find sustaining my connection with the Truth I am aware of is difficult. The teaching of this moon cycle gives us ways to sustain this connection: Keeping our vision and our goals in the forefront of our minds, our eyes to what is ahead and consciously dreaming our dreams—every day!

This energy of Live Truth calls us to connect with our discipline, our determination, and our dependability--which are strongly aligned with our will. In the next few posts for the waxing moon cycle we will explore the role of will in Living Truth.

Self Reflection: How am I keeping and honoring my goals and dreams for my life?

We All, Eventually, Return Home to Ourselves

29 days on a journey committed to loving what is Truth will reveal parts of our character that have previously been hidden in shadow.  As we embrace these parts of our selves, such
harmful behaviors, errant beliefs, or judgments (of self and others), it is common to experience feelings of shame.
Love Truth invites us to compassionate forgiveness of ourselves for all the foibles of our life journey so far.  we are the prodigal goddess of Sara's poem.  The parent we are returning to is ourselves, the woman we are becoming; the woman Love Truth has invited us to see as Truth.  We are returning to a mansion where a life rich with possibility, creativity, growth and abundant love is waiting to be experienced.

Wait no longer to Love all the Truths of your journey thus far. Embrace the imperfections of your life as a human being. This conscious act starts the healing, just as in Jamie Sams' story of Loves All Things.

Sewlf Reflection:  Have I allowed ALL of me to return to rest in my own being, in my heart?

Love Truth and the Way of Our Mind PART TWO

Carolyn Shares: As I sit in meditation and continue watching the thoughts of my mind, always inviting her toward stillness, the flavor of her thought patterns becomes clear. My mind has a story, a number of stories. I recognize these stories aren’t necessarily true. They have been created by my beliefs, which are based largely on my past experiences, things other people have told me, and my observations (which are colored by my experiences, beliefs and information received from others).  As I become aware of the origin of the stories of my mind, I recognize my own influence on my mind’s patterns. What I feed my mind reflects my how I love and care for her. Do I fill her with experiences and images that inspire, uplift and grow? Or do I feed her violence, resentment and fear, a need for power and control?

Self Reflection: To love my mind is to treat her well, and to nourish her with supportive food for thought. To love the Truth of her as she is moment to moment, requires I am willing to see my part in how I have encouraged both her loving and destructive qualities.

Love Truth and the Way of Our Mind

Jamie Sams story of 'Loves All Things' (The 13 Original Clan Mothers)  tells of the destruction we are all capable of when we fail in our ability to truly love ourselves. We falter in our efforts because we have lost awareness of what is the Truth/the much larger picture of our experiences). This is a powerful cautionary tale of despair, destruction and redemption. It is worth reading. 

Our mind is a powerful vehicle for either embracing Truth or obsessing over inaccurate thoughts patterns of a self-created reality. 

How do we know obsessive thought patterns are inaccurate?

• They have a compulsive and intrusive quality. We think of them repeatedly, even when we don't want to.
• Their dominance in our life drives decisions that nearly always end in a bad outcome.
• They support and are justification for destructive actions.
• They tend to exclude others or be against others rather than being inclusive and receptive.
• They encourage us to be defensive and resentful.

Are these are symptoms of an 'unloved' mind? Maybe so. They certainly are symptoms of a mind that has not been provided the support and resources needed to know, receive and experience a Whole Truth.  

The way of shifting the mind's patterns of thinking is very simple, but not easy, as an habituated mind will resist any change that it perceives threatens 'taking care of 'itself'. Just as with our body, we begin by actively and consciously loving our mind. This process of expressly loving our mind is different then our practice of listening to our body. Learning to love the truth of our mind is not through listening to her (we already do that and have, no doubt, experienced the chaos this can cause). Rather, it is by our consistent and deliberate guidance of our mind that we are invited to go ever deeper underneath our thought patterns to know and reveal our Truth. If this sounds like a meditation practice--it is exactly that!

Self Reflection: Am I willing to consistently and deliberately guide my mind toward a larger Truth?

Gathering Our Energy to Speak Truthful Stories

This is the month of Storyteller, the grandmother of the sixth moon cycle.  It seems fitting to have a storyteller as the energetic personality as we begin to work with the energy of relationships over the course of the summer months.  We can tell a story to teach or to share our history, or we can tell stories to deceive and manipulate.  What kind of stories do we tell, and to whom do we tell them?

Just as the waxing moon gathers energy for the full moon, we too gather our own energy to have the courage to speak the truth about what we have been working to create in our life over the past weeks. We also prepare to release and offer up for cleansing what no longer serves us or others.

Are there any stories you need to share-or stop sharing/telling yourself?

In Jamie Sams' book Earth Medicine the reading for June, on page 162, tells of the tale of woodpecker coming to clean the bugs off the White Pine-the Peace Tree, so that the Pine could perform its' duty as peacekeeper for the people without distraction from the bugs that were burrowing under its' bark. This is a good week for cleansing-if you keep or use crystals, set them in a salt water bath over several nights until the moon enters her fullness to clarify and cleanse them.  We too, need clarifying and cleansing so that we can fully shine.  A good sea-salt scrub bath is a wonderful way to clear what is bugging us no matter what the source.

Self Reflection: What is distracting me; getting under my skin?

June Waxing Moon: Speaking Truth, Telling Our Story

To start off the cycle of Speak Truth, Carolyn Shares three quotes from three women who have influenced her love of story as a guiding force in life--and given her courage to keep speaking, even when she didn't think she could.

“Telling a true story about personal experience
is not just a matter of being oneself, or even of
finding oneself. It is also a matter of choosing
oneself..”
-- Harriet Goldhor Lerner (author of The Dance of Anger)

“When the Storyteller tells the truth, she reminds us
that human beings are more alike than unalike....A
story is what it’s like to be a human being—to be
knocked down and to miraculously arise. Each one of
us has arisen, awakened.
We do rise.”
--Maya Angelou (remembering her with immense gratefulness for how she shared so abundantly her gifts with all humankind)

"Storyteller, Clan Mother of the Sixth Moon Cycle, reminds us that if we are willing to expand, growing beyond our former zone of comfort in a healthy way, we must pay attention to all of the events in our lives.  There is a story connected to every living thing and every person in our world. How that story influences out personal Earthwalks is determined by our willingness to see another's experience as a way to learn about ourselves...Storyteller asks us to see the similarities in ourselves and others, finding ways to learn from the stories we all share in common."

--Jamie Sams (Author and inspirer of our circle)

Self Reflection: Whoa are the women in my life who Speak the Truth? 

Speaking a Common Truth

"Storyteller, Clan Mother of the Sixth Moon Cycle, reminds us that if we are willing to expand, growing beyond our former zone of comfort in a healthy way, we must pay attention to all of the events in our lives.  There is a story connected to every living thing and every person in our world. How that story influences our personal Earthwalk is determined by our willingness to see another's experience as a way to learn about ourselves...Storyteller asks us to see the similarities in ourselves and others, finding ways to learn from the stories we all share in common."

--Jamie Sams (Author of Thirteen Original Clan Mothers and inspirer of our moon cycle circle)

...see the similarities in ourselves and others, finding ways to learn from the stories we all share in common. 

All creation is a teaching story. To benefit from and share Creation's story we first must find a place of commonality. This is often not an easy task. But, it is necessary for building up the bravery necessary to speak our own truth out into the world. Seeing where the common places are also builds safety.  It brings mutual respect, or at least, understanding. Feeling afraid or out of place challenges our ability to speak our thoughts or feelings, to speak of the truth of who we are.  We tend to shade our words to be accepted or secure.  Seeing how we are like those with whom we are called to communicate, looking for any small familiarity, similarity, common ground, creates the possibility for speaking in such a way that we may be understood, and that we might begin to understand what it is that is spoken by the other.  

Self Reflection: May I remember that even a very small common thread is enough to begin weaving a truth-full story.  

Responding to What Beckons Us, Traveling in 'Blind Faith'

In our journey toward full humanity, we are willing to travel a path to deeper and fuller knowledge of our divine humanness. We come to see our purpose---and we also become able and willing to be holders of sacred/safe space for others taking this same journey toward embodying their full self.

It does not matter where you are in the process of your human journey —just that you remain willing to look far enough to see the eternal flame of love beckoning you.
We are beckoned in our dreams.
We are beckoned in our longings.
We are beckoned in our visions.

We say 'yes' to what beckons us.
Sometimes it feels we move with blind faith.
As we travel this path of becoming ourselves, we will (eventually) awaken to the awareness
our path leads us deep into the core of our own essence*.
We will recognize we have and are a light of the eternal flame of love.
This is what seeing Truth will reveal when our eyes become willing to see the eternal flame of love
in all of creation.

*This is the 'door in the crack of the universe' of the Story of Looks Far Woman in Jamie Sam's The 13 Original Clan Mothers. (pgs 89-94)

Self Reflection:  I say, "Yes!" to what beckons me forward, 'blind faith' transforms to knowing, love and vision. I learn to move with ease. 

Aligning With the Seer Within

The gift of See Truth stimulates us to connect to the 'SEER' within. This ability is available to all who are willing to develop discipline and focus. This willingness makes it not only possible for us to manifest our life to its’ fullest extent, but probable.

Jamie Sams, author of Earth Medicine, writes succinctly about this: “Every thought has a life force, depending on how much feeling is connected to within the person. If the person envisions the thought, the mind's eye also adds life force to that idea by creating a picture or vision. If the thought has deep emotion and imagination connected to it, there is a very good chance the Dreamer or Visionary will be able to make that thought come to fruition." (Pg. 90, Earth Medicine, 1994 Harper Collins, N.Y. see Resources)

Self Reflection: What do I need to become willing to do to develop my discipline and focus?

Willingness to Know and Accept Truth is a Source of Healing

There is a story in Jamie Sam’s book The 13 Original Clan Mothers of two women, Blue Goose and Running Water, (pages 78-84).  March’s clan mother, Weighs the Truth, created a way for these two feuding women to come to know the more complete truth of themselves, each other, and their community. In their willingness to follow her guidance, both women became willing and able to see clearly and understand their life experience.  From this new understanding, they were able to see the source of their fears and limited thinking.  With the healing that resulted from their work, they took their rightful place as friends and wise women in their community. 

The healing journey of transformation for Blue Goose and Running Water took thirteen moon cycles.  It is easy to be impatient for changes within ourselves, of our beliefs and our old patterns of feeling, thinking and being to change.  In our modern culture, we want change NOW, and if we don't have to give much effort, that is even better.  This kind of change is not sustainable.  The value we receive is equal to the value we give.  Blue Goose and Running Water transformed themselves, each other and their community.  This is the kind of transformation asked of those who live toward honoring the Cycles of Truth and the gift of being human.

Self Reflection: May I never forget how my willingness to Know and Accept the Truth in my self heals me, heals my relationships, heals my community, and heals the world.

All Our Relations: Learning Truth Through Our Relationship with Nature

Carolyn shares: January's Journal pages remind us that we connect with Creator through our connection with nature.  It's cold for  many of us this time of year; too cold for me to willingly go out and commune with nature!  So, how to communicate with nature when we aren't out in nature?

Here is an abbreviated outdoor practice for and expression of gratitude to 'All Our Relations':  When leaving your abode in the morning, and returning at night, Take a breath and give thanks for the earth and her creatures and the sky and all the celestial beings that hang out there.

Also, pay closer attention to your pets this month.  Talk to them with more interest and curiosity than you ordinarily might. Listen to them, listen while looking in their eyes.  You may be surprised at what you hear.  But, then again, if you are an animal lover, you won't be surprised.  You already know the wisdom animals share.

Watch out the windows of your home and your car for the antics of animals.  What might they show you about your own life?

You might also use the Medicine Cards from Jamie Sams, or another deck of animal tarot cards to ask for guidance from the animal kingdom.

Finally, Tune in to your favorite nature channel or pull out your favorite animal movie (mine would be Babe, with Bambi coming in second) and watch with your eyes and ears to hear what spirit might have to tell you through the animal kingdom.

Self-Reflection: I will find my own ways for connecting and relating to the natural world in these days where the cold can inhibit my movement in tature. Intentional practice is good enough, and that's all Great Spirit asks of me.

Forgiveness as an Instant Disolver of Anger

From Mary Z: Jamie Sams writes, “In her wisdom, Loves All Things teaches us that we can find the joys of physical life, without trying to escape our pain through becoming addicted to false pleasures or compulsive behavior patterns.”

I have a pattern of diffusing painful situations with humor or flattery only to succumb to internalizing the hard feelings I could not express to another.  Carolyn talked about forgiveness.  If forgiveness is for the self, how does one forgive when the feelings come from within one’s own self?

I only recently realized how angry I was at someone who had taken advantage of me a few months back.  I feel I cannot forgive him without him understanding how hurt I was.  Yet tonight I was finally able to express my feelings in writing.  A weight was lifted when I wrote down the words.  Is that the healing feeling of forgiveness?

I become overwhelmed trying to figure out where I took the wrong turns in life that leave me so unhappy so often in the present.  Focusing on a current emotion and doing something about it fostered a lightness I have not felt in a while.  Can past sins be forgiven by breaking a few patterns in the present?

Jamie Sams writes, “Forgiving the self for being human…usually dissolved the anger instantly