Remembering

“I cannot tell you any spiritual truth that deep within you don’t already know. 

                     All I can do is remind you of what you have forgotten.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

                                         Remembering

We can remember an era long before time began 

Existing beyond the acceptance of hatred and violence.

We can recall this paradise which was sadly lost,

This nurturing era of abundance and plenty,

When wise women were revered as leaders,

And commonly served as equals with men. 

We can remember an idea of unity

That was shared freely among all people,

Where cooperation and a relationship to nature 

Ensured a value and respect for all living things,

A time when the loving mother/child bond 

Was the template for all relationships of humankind.

We can remember a peace lasting for many millennia 

Before the thundering sky-gods came

Bringing their ways of war and separation.

We can recall a perceptive people who honored

The creative mysteries contained in the cycle of life

And celebrated the miracles of birth, death and rebirth.

We can also remember when aging was not a shameful process

To be hidden away and rendered a burden to the young.

We can recall a culture where elders were deemed vital

Offering their wisdom of experience to all decisions made

And creating a varied tapestry of belief and color

To ensure that the needs of all ages were met.

We can remember being born and evolving in Africa

In the lush, fertile cradle of the beginnings of humankind,

Bravely learning to stand grounded on our own two feet

And discovering our ability to control the energy of fire.

We can recall the tools that were made out of stone

Giving people a knowledge that ensured their survival and growth. 

We can remember those who found shelter in dark caves 

Where they created images of art with red ochre clay,

Recording stories of their amazing journey through the labyrinth of life,

And sharing personal myths to ease their fear of the vast unknown.

We can recall the great mother of creation conceived in reverence,

Who lovingly supported the people through every challenge and strife.

Yes, we all should remember this saga of human history

But not just with our conscious, thinking mind.

We are also guided to live the memory of this unfolding evolution 

Encoded deep within the DNA of every cell of our body.

So, Mother Earth today whispers to our hearts to awaken and release 

Our destructive dependence on a system of living that robs us of life.

The earth asks us to be grounded and still and quiet

Recalling this deeply held memory of our earliest beginnings.

The wind tells us to breathe the air that sustained our ancient ancestors

Allowing their experience to nurture and move through us.

The fire summons us to burn away all those illusions of scarcity

And opens us to the possibility of a lasting return to paradise lost.

The clear, flowing water washes us clean of our belief in separation

And offers its life-giving essence to restore our memory of oneness.

The molten sphere of rock vibrating in the center of the earth calls to us,

Connecting our hearts to a truth that says we are never ever alone.

The blue sky gazes down on us and illumines the idea of coexistence

Encouraging us to expand our vision and see a starry array of possibility.

Looking far into the future, as our descendants uncover our bones

And excavate the many choices we made in living our mythical lives,

We will want the evidence to show that we cared about creation,

To be remembered for the courageous changes we made to preserve it.

We owe it to those who fought so hard to survive and evolve and grow.

In remembering, we owe it to ourselves and, especially, to those who follow.

                                                 ~ Carol E. Fairbanks    

                                                                                  June 11, 2021