Qat Wanders's Blog, page 4

Gathering in the Name of Spirituality Instead of Religion

Spirituality comes in so many forms

It is possible to gather in the name of spirituality, but not in the name of religion.

People from all walks of life can come together and celebrate a Divine Universal Presence without believing in the same things.

I have spent a lot of my life traveling. Because of this, I have learned that the most spiritual people, the ones who shine the brightest, are usually the ones who are the most accepting of all other beliefs and individuals, no matter how different they may be from their own.

The Arizona desert is a magical Sanctuary for me. It is a place that I go every year during the winter, for a particular event that occurs on the full moon.

This event happens in either February or March every year, and always on the full moon.

For over a decade I was a part of a traveling community of nomads. In fact, the only remaining full time, working nomadic population in the United States.

There are more than a thousand of us spread out across the country, as well as a few other countries throughout the world. We traveled and worked together, but not always all at once.

But on this very special night of the full moon, when we are all together in the Arizona desert, dozens of us hike out together several miles into the middle of the wilderness to a unique location that was chosen several decades ago.

This community has been going to this particular spot for this event every single time.

The Full Moon Drum Jam

This isn’t just an ordinary drum jam. This is something special. This is a genuinely spiritual experience that is hard to understand if you aren’t a part of the community.

This has been going on for over 40 years. It takes place in a sandy wash in the middle of the desert.

A group of us goes out there to prepare the space around noon in the hot desert sun. We dig a staircase into the side of the dirt wall that leads into the wash. This allows people of all ages to get in and out of the wash easily.

We collect firewood and dig a fire pit to prepare for the night. We clear away any extra brush or brambles that take up the area and burn some sage to clear the energy of the space and keep the energy clear for the evening.

Once it gets dark, people start arriving at the sacred spot. They have brought heavy drums, and other instruments all the way across the desert.

Some people bring wagons, and some just carry big backpacks. We have to make sure we have enough water, so people bring extra jugs of water as well.

Some of the families bring their young children and make sure that they bring a tent or blanket for them to sleep in. This event goes all night long, and it is very loud, but the children usually still sleep very well to the beat of the drums. Like a heartbeat.

The songs that we play are African drum beats, with African lyrics

When this event originally started, some of the drummers had traveled with a nomadic community in Africa. They learned the drum beats from the people they met there.

The songs were traditionally intended to bring peace, prosperity and safe travels throughout the year.

The drummers play together, and those of us who do not drum, dance and sing along with the lyrics.

Many of us fire dance as well. There are so many talented performers in this group.

[image error]Yours Truly Spinning Fire

I personally spin fire poi and a fire hula hoop. (Sometimes at the same time!) Others spin staffs, or nunchucks, rope darts or fans. Others spit fire like a dragon.

The energy of the drums feeds the energy of the dancers and vice versa. The energy builds throughout the night. There is usually even a point where the drumming stops and everybody howls at the full moon!

The drumming and the dancing continue until sunrise. People often leave throughout the night. But those remaining at sunrise are in for a beautiful sight indeed.

A Desert Sunrise is a Truly Magnificent Thing to Behold

Usually, someone is there with a teapot and other cooking utensils. There is coffee and tea and sometimes, a big pot of stew or even breakfast burritos that we pass around the dying fire.

[image error]Desert Sunrise

The food and drinks give us energy for the long walk back. Most of us are camping in the desert only a few miles away, but others walk the few miles back to their cars and then drive all the way back to their homes in the city.

On the route back to the campsite, is a sizable Labyrinth, the Chartres design. We built it together many years ago, out of different rocks and other crystals that we were able to find in the desert.

On the walk back through the wilderness, we take the time to stop at the Labyrinth, pay our respects at the small altar that sits at its entrance, usually leaving some kind of offering, and then mindfully walk the Labyrinth path to the center.

[image error]My Daughter Meditating in the Labyrinth

Some choose to sit in the center of the Labyrinth and meditate for a little while or just enjoy the morning atmosphere.

The center of the Labyrinth is particularly unusual, because when you clap your hands or stomp on the ground the sound echoes and reverberates.

It has been explained to me that this is because of the way the rocks are set up in the circular rows around it. This may be true, but I attribute it to all of the magical energy that so many of us have put into this sacred place over the years.

After spending time in the center of the Labyrinth, we slowly take the path back to the entrance, paying our respects once again with a simple nod of the head, or a moment of silence, and then return to the campground in the blazing sun.

Upon returning to the campsite, there is traditionally a big feast. The day after a drum jam is a lazy day. Most people have not slept, and once the sun comes up, it is too hot for most people to sleep anyway.

So all we can do is try to make it through the heat and enjoy each other’s company.

Even though we might all have different views and ideals and ways of life, we all share a connection. I believe this connection came to be over the course of many lifetimes and will remain for many more lifetimes to come.

This event is not of any particular religious persuasion. But it is spiritual indeed.

It is spiritual in the sense of community. It is a community of very different people that come together for a night to celebrate life together. Life as fellow living beings.

What is the True Purpose of the Ego?

What is Ego, really? Does it have a purpose?
Or is it just there to make our lives more difficult?

The Ego is the part of the self that identifies with this physical world. Therefore:

It is afraid of death.

It tries to avoid pain or discomfort.

It seeks pleasure and satisfaction.

It masquerades as our personal identity. We tend to spend a lot of time developing it too; This is me. This is who I am. This is my story. These are my likes and dislikes. This is my style. This is my personality.

This usually leads to attachment.

But attachment to our personal identities means attachment to the Ego.

Now I am going to say something you may not agree with;

The Ego is not a bad thing.

But it is very misunderstood.

In fact, good vs bad is just a concept of duality that we allow to run our lives (some of us, much more than others).

The Ego is a container we have been given to act in this world.

Sometimes we need to be strong or even forceful. It is never okay, though, to abuse others with our strength. But there is nothing bad about having a focus or ambition.

It all just comes back to attachment to the result.

But if we can do all this with intention and an unselfish ambition to fulfill our life purpose and responsibilities, then this will lead to contentment and detachment from the Ego.

But how do we do that? Well…

We need to honor it. Not despise it.

When we can accept and respect that the Ego is always present, we can use it to navigate this physical, material world.

We can use it to strive for things like good health, wealth, and wisdom. But remember, if these things do not go as planned, it does not change who we truly are, or what we are ultimately striving for.

If we do not allow the Ego to control us, we can use it as a tool. Then we are ultimately free.