THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT Chapter 2- part 3

The following tale is perhaps my favorite of all Story Tellers tales and, as with all of them, it is deceptively simple, carrying a lot of wisdom in only a few words. If you haven't already read the first parts of this book, please scroll down and do so before reading this

AWARENESS

The foot walks. It knows itself but it does not know why it walks or where it walks. It knows the earth on which it walks, but only the part where it presently stands. It knows that it sometimes steps high but it does not know why. It is unaware of the branch lying on the ground which it steps over. It turns this way or that but knows nothing of the rocks and brush it walks around. It bears a burden but does not know that this burden is the body, of which it is a part. It is good to walk, and that is enough. It walks to the hearthstone.
The hand reaches out for the food lying on the hearth. It knows nothing of food and does not know how it came to the hearthstone or why it reaches out.. It is good to reach out and pick up. That is enough.
The mouth tastes the food with its tongue and chews it with its teeth. It knows nothing of the foot which brought it here, or the hand which places the food within it. It does not know where the food came from or where it goes when it is swallowed. It is good to taste and chew. That is enough.
The eye sees all these things but does not know how it sees, or what the things it sees mean. It sees the branch and rocks but cannot direct the foot around them. It sees the food, but cannot direct the hand to pick it up and place it in the mouth. It is good to see. That is enough.
The mind feels the earth beneath the foot and sees the obstacles before it. It directs the foot to step over and walk around. It sees the food and knows what it is. It tells the hand to reach out. It tastes the food with the tongue and chews it with the teeth. It knows where the food goes and why it eats that food. It knows all these thing but - somehow - it is not enough.
For when the foot rests and the tongue lies softly in the bed of the mouth; when the hand rests gently on the thigh of your beloved and all the body lies on the soft fragrant grass of your bed, the mind does not rest. It looks this way and that, seeking something more.
Like a coyote on the trail of a rabbit, it twists and turns this way and that, in and out of the bushes of its thoughts; and as it seeks, the very object of its search walks behind it, whispering softly, " I am here. I am here".
I tell you now; Turn the eyes of your mind away from the branch and the hearth. See not the foot, or the hand, or the mouth. Turn and look within. Look into the eyes of your soul, for there you will find You.

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The words of these tales are the words I remember at the hearthstone of Story Teller. They are not my words - or are they? How can I remember when I was not there - or was I? Like Story Teller I leave spaces between the lines of my thoughts. Fill them in as you will.
One word however is my own and that is the title, for Story Tellers tales have no titles of their own. If you do not approve of my choices, feel free to substitute your own.
Remember that these tales are oral because the Nanina had no written language. Tribal history and genealogy were carried in the head of the Story Teller. "Story Teller" served as both name and title and there was a new one each generation.
Being oral, the tales are meant for the ear. Read them aloud. Try getting a few friends or family member together and take turns reading them. I think you will enjoy them more that way. Use your own gestures and vocal effects. Story Teller will approve. They were meant to be passed on in that way.
The previous tale pointed out some of the problems of physical perceptions. The following tale warns of the interpretation of those perceptions in the mind.

TO BE CONTNUED.

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THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT - Chapter 2 - part 2

Know your Soul - part 2
As promised, here are my comments on the foregoing tale as given in my book. If you haven't already read the first parts of the book, please scroll down and do so now.

Before commenting, let me set up the "ground rules". It would be tedious indeed to preface every remark with "The Nanina believe" or " I think", therefore I will state each thing as though it were a fact. Whether you accept it as such or only as something to think about is up to you. Let me however as you not to think it to death. Just sort of try it on for size. See if it feels right. Learn to know what you know without knowing how you know.
Your soul is not only immortal in the future, as many already believe, but in both directions. You not only always will be but always were. Your soul exists within the Creator and always has. Your soul, and thus you, are a very real part of the Creators being. We are immortal indeed!
Then what do we (in the sense the word is usually used) represent? We are the eyes and ears of the Creator in the physical world. Our task is to create in flesh and matter, thereby adding to the being of the Creator, for he becomes greater and will never cease growing. (Note. The Creator is neither male nor female but a perfect balance of both. Seperation of the sexes was adopted as one of the laws of physical reality and does not exist in the spiritual realm. I find, however, that the English language has no personal pronoun to express this other that it, which I find completely inappropriate. Reluctantly I follow tradition and use the masculine he)
We need have no fear of being destroyed by the Creator at some hypotheticl end of the world or swallowed up, thereby losing our individuality, for we always were and always will be, even after the end of time.
Time itself (at least as we know it) was a creation in order to make physical existence easier to handle. Imagine trying to juggle past, present and future, with all the meriad choices, actions, joys and sorrows in some eternal "now" and you will see the necessity of "our" time.
The physical earth was not created out of thin air like some cellestial magic trick but constructed through us, out of our collective souls; which, don't forget, are part of the Creators very being. It seems somehow fitting that the eath, which was to be our home, was constructed of our very substance. The earth, thus made physical, in turn gave birth to the bodies which we wear, so that we may directly experience physical reality rather than being merely observers. If we are to create in flesh and matter it follows that we must be flesh and matter during our time here.
Everything that we see is essentially a part of our souls made physical and therefore sentient and aware of itself and of its source - us. The idea that the earth itself is alive has been adopted by many people, not a few of whom are scientists.
How are we to determine the truth or falsity of these ideas? We already do know. We have only to remember by temporarily removing our attention from our physical surroundings and returning to the knowledge of our souls. I do not refer to faith but to knowing because we remember.
Story Tellers next tale may help you understand. It will be posted next week.

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THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT Chapter 2 Part 1

This part of the book contains the first actual communication I received from Story Teller. I am always struck by the poetic nature of his stories. Several of the Nanina beliefs about how the world was created do not fit any mold I know of yet they fit in so well with modern Quantum Physics which states that nothing exists without a perception of it, that it is startling. In my book, my comments follow immediately after the tale but I believe I will hold them off till the following post so that the reader may form their own oppinions before hearing mine. Remember, I welcome questions and comments and will post any that seem appropriate.
IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY READ THE FIRST PARTS OF THIS BOOK, PLEASE DO SO NOW.


The Way of the Spirit - Chapter 2 Know Your Soul part 1
These are the tales told at the hearthstone of Story Teller. How do I know? I know because I remember. I remember as you would remember something that happened when you were very young.
When I feel the memories stirring I put pen to paper and write them as I remember tham, never knowing where the stories will end and often not even what the next word will be.
His stories mean whatever they mean to you. In the Nanina manner he leaves room between the lines for you to fill in; but to har them prperly you must learn, as I did, to know what you know without knowing how you know.
CREATION
You are eternal. Before time was, you were, and when time ends you still shall be. You were with the Creator at the beginning of time, dancing with joy and clapping your hands in delight as the shiny new toy came into being. Our mother the earth HIYEI HYASU, mother of all. Your spiritual hands helped the Creator to draw up the hills and mountains just so and placed the grass and trees to clothe and beautify her body.
Your spiritual fingers poked into the earth here and there and traced the lines that ran between the hills, and water filled them and flowed. You scooped out great depresions and water flowed into them and became the sea.
Then the Creator taught you to draw water from the sea and put it into the air as clouds, and to make the air move as wind to move the clouds about so that the water would fall on the grass and trees and flow into the rivers, ponds and lakes, and they would run forever and the earth and her children would have food and drink.
All of these things came out of your soul and knew themselves and knew their source; and HIYEI HYASU, mother of all, was alive and bore children. Fish swam in the water and birds flew in the air. Animals walked the surface of the earth and even deep within the Earth was life, and it knew itself and found joy in its being.
And you, engrossed in your new plaything, drew closer and closer untill a part of your soul became physical; and the earth, which you helped to create, gave you birth.
The larger part of your soul remained with and in the Creator and now looks out through your physical eyes as you walk and create in flesh and matter.
As a child playing in the sand forgets itself in the patterns it is creating with shells and shiny pebbles, so do you forget yourselves in the patterns of your physical existence.
But the child will soon enough remember. Then it will abandon its playthings and turn homeward till tomorrows play brings new patterns and new delights.
I tell you now. REMEMBER. Return to your soul for it is who you are.