Hearing Earth

Listen to the wind, hear her anger
and desire.

Listen to the forests, hear their pain
and perseverance.

Listen to the mountains, hear their struggle
and solidity.

Listen to the birds, hear their cries
and conversations.

Listen to the streams, hear their dying
and dedication.

Listen to the skies, hear their cacophonies
and choruses.

Listen to our Earth Mother, hear Her sing
us back to Her.

Indigenous people are indigenous because there are no machines between them and their gods. There are no machines barring the door to the spirit world where one can enter in and listen to what is going on within at a deep level, participating in the vibration of Nature. Where machines speak in place of gods, people are hard put to listen, even more hard put to vibrate with the realm of Nature."

- Malidoma Patrice Somé 

We could have been taught to listen. I imagine being in an elementary or middle school classroom and hearing the teacher urging us to: Listen with your ears, your eyes, your throat, your abdomen, your toes... I am right there. We can listen with everything. Imagine listening with your belly to the cricket on the stairs, the raven at the door."

-Joy Harjo, Poet Warrior: A Memoir (p. 42)

The power of quiet is great. It generates the same feelings in everything one encounters. It vibrates with the cosmic rhythm of oneness. It is everywhere, available to everyone at any time. It is the force within us that makes us stable, trusting, and loving. It is contemplation contemplating. Peace is letting go -- returning to the silence that cannot enter the realm of words because it is too pure to be contained in words. This is why the tree, the stone, the river, and the mountain are quiet."

- Malidoma Patrice Somé