This is a slideshow about our consumption of goods grown in greenhouses. What kind of plants, where, why and so on. We discuss the costs of transportation, production, and how to grow and maintain a high quality product.
Hopi footprints led north
towards the back door of the continent
walking the rounds overland
in a swastika spiral migration
to reach the center
Following the sawtoothed mountain spines
I came across basins and bowls
salt lakes and sage brush flats dimpled with junipers
wind coming off distant ridges
and folks playing hide and seek amidst grass covered lodges
The rivers snaked east
then wound north and south
my hard working salmon brothers were goin up river to visit relatives
portaging past waterfalls and resting under ledges
I walked alongside, and chatted about the state of gravel
Wanted a better view, up on high
and so up past a wash of blazing stars I went
it was spring by now, bugs whistling tunes
tall green grass obscured all sights
wheat, rye, june, fescue, needle and good ol sacaton
Up on the rocky bluff
a family of Shoshone was just in from a hunt
we shared pine nuts and groundhog heart in a stone bowl
in that morning light, all I could do was dream of tracking sheep
meanwhile soaring in the sky was eagles on thermals
This here an interpretation of stories from Frank Waters, Oswald White Bear, and other Hopi elders from the 1960’s or so. Hope is alright and not too far off the path.
One
Spider woman created the twins
one solidified the earth through touch
the other charged it with primordial vibration and sound
they settled at the axes of the earth
and kept the world spinning in planetary motion
Two
Spider woman made humans from earth of four colors
yellow red white and black
and sang them into being
at the dawn of Creation
during the time of dark purple light
As the humans awakened
there was still a dampness on their foreheads
and a soft spot atop their heads
slowly, life entered them as breath,
in and out it went
at the time of the yellow light
In time the sun appeared
humans’ forehead dried
and the head hardened
this was the time of the red light
when humans faced the Creator
for the first time
Three
The earth was mother
humans suckled at her breast
corn was also their mother
her kernels became their flesh
and the sun
was father
Four
The earth and humans
are both imbued with
vibratory centers along their axis centerline
the centers reverberate the ancient rhythms
of the universe in motion
for humans
the first center is at the top of the head
it is the open door with which one communicates with the Creator
The second center is the brain
thinking, analyzing, pondering
wondering how best
to conform to the plan of Creation
The third center is the ear nose throat mouth breath and life
it is is used to sing and speak praises
for Creation
Five
The fourth center is the heart
it pulses beats and thumps
with sincere purpose
and all of life’s goodness
that is the One Heart
there are also those of Two Hearts
they have allowed evil to enter
and no longer serve Creation
The fifth center is under the navel
it is responsible for the basic functions of humans
eating digestion and excretion
and reproduction
it is the throne of Creation itself
Then along came
the yak yak talking bird
and the handsome big headed snake
things were about to change
Six
The talking bird created strife and division amongst all life
where once humans and animals were friends
they now became separated from one another
where people once appreciated
each others different colors customs and languages
they now became distrustful of each other
and became enemies
Seven
The big headed snake
as handsome as he was
introduced humans to
suspicion, doubt, gossip and fear
soon, there was no rest and no peace anymore
Eight
The few good people
who still lived according to the plan of the Creator
went to live and hide underground in a kiva with the ant people
meanwhile, fire rained down
volcanoes blew their tops
poison gases filled the atmosphere
ash dust and lava covered the earth
the first world was destroyed
Nine
The humans emerged from the kiva
into the second world
the plant ruler of this world
was the spruce tree
the bird ruler was the eagle
and the animal ruler was the skunk
in this world
humans prospered –
they built houses,
had baskets of goods,
armloads of weapons
and all the food they could eat
still, they were not happy
and fell into the ways of the Two Hearts
they forgot the Creator’s plan
and started the same ol arguing, fighting, and killing business
Ten
Again
Creator shook its head and sighed
and this second world was destroyed
while the good folks hid underground
the twins fled from their pole positions north and south
and the axes floundered and spun out of control
crazy orbits, heaving magnetic radiation, solar storms of unbelievable magnitude
mega tsunamis, fast moving glaciers, freeze numbing cold, asteroids amok
everything gone
and that was that
Eleven
Humans then emerged into the third world
the plant ruler of this realm was tobacco
the bird ruler was the black crow
and the animal ruler was speed goat pronghorn antelope
this was a world of fantastic techo material progress
enormous tall buildings, colossal cities,
extraordinary roadways and transport
people flying in the sky atop ellipsoid shields
shooting fire arrows, waging warfare
and raining fiery death down on one another
Twelve
Well you can already guess what happens next
this time the world corrupted so quickly
that the Creator was in a hurry to act
no time to send humans to go underground with the ant people
Spider woman put the good people in reed tubes a floating
sealed in with a bit of corn meal
and the rains started coming down
and kept coming
and coming
and coming
until it was all water and no more land
for a long long time
everything drowned
Thirteen
The humans travelled for who know how long
in their reed tubes
bobbing up and down
until the waters slowly began to recede
and bits of land popped up here and there
they were heading east atop the waves
they kept the top of their heads open
to receive and give thanks for
instructions from the Creator
soon enough
they landed on solid land
and started walking in spirals
in a migration to find their homeland
and that is the present day
in the fourth world we are now living in…
Once in a while I cross paths with the extensive complex of ayahuasca purveyor, facilitator, medicine people that are thickly concentrated from los angeles down to peru and at this point worldwide
and watch an occasional video online of a magnificent gleaming jungle lodge resplendent with attendant western trained doctors, healthy vegetarian food, pool and spa, view from a hilltop, amazing musicians, gorgeous tended garden, and well planned itinerary
the day after the ceremonies – be listening to testimonies from folks full of amazement and calm, somewhat relieved of whatever had burdened them for many years, eye opened a bit to another realm
kinda funny, never thought you’d take a fancy vacation to go throw up and diarrhea with a bunch of strangers and pay good money to do so. uggghhhh! that is usually what you dont want to happen on a trip. perhaps something missing in regular day to day society and lifestyle that an ancient bitter amazonian entheogenic brew allows to emerge.
well I ve only drank of the vine pot full of designs a handful of times. in spots that feel more dirt sand and gravel rather than waxed hardwood floor. sorta more boiled wild game without spices instead of organic chef prepared meals. a bit more ‘anything can happen’ rather than ‘you are perfectly safe’. I mean, after all, you are entering the abode of spirits and battling with good and evil, within and without. its constant. thats life and hence the importance of ceremony and reflection
Anyhow I will just turn it over to a couple of friends who know that world much better than I, and have more experience in opening gateways to the celestial as well as wading in the putrid rotten realms fishing people out of their misery.
One feller I just met, his name is Neil Logan and he outa Hawaii, long time ethnobotanist who was friend to Richard Felger my hero of the Seri and Yaqui deserts. This is an article he wrote about varieties and characteristics of the vine of the soul based on indigenous knowledge and modern scientific know how research. Yage by the way is not the same as ayahuasca, they got different geographic lineages, method of preparation, ceremonial protocol, and so on . Even though in common usage people be like ??? you mean like doctor pepper vs coke? is there pepsi option??
This second author is an old time buddy named Sparrow who has been a pioneer on the path for a long time and is still at it. This here an article he wrote about some onca mundial tigre feline prowling about, hungry.
If you want to go on a walkabout, hang out with some natives on their own land steeped in history and tradition, and drink a strong gourd full of yage ( or two or three or ten) where the jungle is fully vibrating alive… Happening near the end of this month, well here we go!
https://rainforestmedicine.net/events/
This is an introduction to a group of plants that live in places with occasional inclement conditions, and hence have some sort of underground storage organ to hold over during the hard times. This slideshow is mostly about the plants with BULBS. We start off in the kitchen and describe the basic bulb structure and life cycle, then showcase the common species around here that are sold in nurseries or seen in gardens. We take a journey into California inland chaparral, Cascade forests, and Franciscan grasslands for the bulbs much appreciated by the natives. Afterwards, its off to South Africa for the incredible beauty and diversity, and Central & South America too. End our tour in the Mediterranean with that winter wet, summer dry climate. Somewhere in here is a plug for the Pacific Bulb Society too. Corms, rhizomes and tubers another time.
Mission Azul 