As we experience aspects of traditions that have honored the Earth as a teacher for centuries, we begin a profound dialogue with ways, people, and practices we may never have heard of before. This is a beginning—the first sentences in a continuing conversation with those whose cultures, practices, contemporary artists and thinkers have something quite valuable to say about how they experience themselves on the Earth.
Rise Up is an attempt to delve into the following characteristics of these systems. Although during our journey we often explore these characteristics in connection with only one culture, these qualities and beliefs appear in many traditions that exhibit Earth-honoring beliefs.
- A spiritual journey has both an inner and outer nature.
- A healing power is often made available to us through honoring the female and the Earth.
- Spiritual communication is multi-dimensional. Sacred and secular worlds are one.
- Passive and active is not a true female/male dichotomy.
- Spiritual knowledge can present a key to fearlessness.
- Appreciating the process of life, death and rebirth, both in the physical and metaphorical sense, is central.
- Compassion is an important quality to develop.
- Direct experience of the sacred, sometimes called intuition, is of great value.
- When acting, it is important not to be attached to the outcome, but rather to be concerned with integrity.
- Participating in society is important even though, at times, it is difficult to accept the behavior of others.
- The processes of the Earth are sacred.
- The fruit of our harvest becomes the seed of our future undertakings.
- Sacred truths come directly to individuals if they are able to recognize them.
- Returning to our communities and working to communicate the truths we have learned is an important aspect of a spiritual journey.