From Ziva,
comments on Shamanism and Passover

The ritual of Passover is based on journeys that the seventh of us had during the last months. After e-mails conversations over seas (from U.S.A to Ireland and Israelwe weave this ritual.So this ritual is a "Cross Cultural Shamanic meaning of Passover.

The ritual includes moving from the collective level to the personal level.Everyone of us has her/his story of Passover ,what we call in Hebrew "Haggada of Passover" ,the story of liberation from slavery. There are many customs of Passover ,here is a brief description of some of them which have inspired us in planing this ritual.

Soon after our gathering in Oracle ,when the first full moon of spring, will arise in the sky, we’ll celebrate Passover. Three thousands years ago at midnight ,the Israelis left Egypt slavery ,wandering in the desert for 40 years and then came to the promised land ,to Israel, as free people. In memory of this Exodus and liberation from Egyptian bondage we celebrated Passover.

During the seven days of Passover the custom is to eat Matza which is the "bread of affliction".The Matza is unleavened bread ,made out of dough without yeast.This is to remember the hasty Exodus from Egypt.The people have no time to to make leavened bread therefore they made the Matza.

Before Passover people clean their house perfectly, turning everything, upside down, in order not to leave any " leaven" which can be hidden. In the night preceding Passover, it is customary to search for bread and leaven through the house. This activity is called "removal of leaven". The custom is to put seven small pieces of bread in the corners of the house, as a symbol of all the leaven that remains in the house, and then to search for them in the darkness with the light of a candle. When one finds a piece, that person collects them with a feather, wraps them in a paper and the next morning burns it.

Passover also celebrates the beginning of Spring. Just as the Jews were freed from Egypt, so Spring frees the earth from Winter each year.

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May 27, 2000
(Remembering Passover Ritual
as Israeli troops leave Lebanon)

Dear Ziva,
I remember learning about the time and space between liberation
and freedom...and our 'staff of faith' in Oracle
'now that we are liberated, what then shall we create?'
In the mist of change between the two countries
as Israel departed Lebanon
there is that space, that time.....
prayers to be made, held, walked into the present
and the future changing.
Our 'staffs of faith' - whatever they might be
helping to see and read all the omens, the signatures of blessing
not be dismembered by those who still would divide us
walk as long as is necessary, trust the path,
the miracle appears....
Love,
Carol

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Reflections on Oracle 2000
--Anne (of the BearClan)

When the mailing about Oracle came, I was recovering from surgery and had been sick since the previous May and had been recovering from a serious repetitive sprain injury for seven years. Somehow, when the mailing came I just knew I had to go. I doubted I'd be able to drive, as the furthest I'd driven in the previous 7 years was 150 miles and that was a challenge. I was worried about the level of walking I'd have to do as, because of arthritis, I hadn't been able to walk around the block for four years but I just figured if I'm supposed to be there the spirits will just have to work overtime to get me there in good condition. In January, I considered all month on whether I'd be OK to go as the date to send in my deposit was February 1 and I had to make a decision by then. I'd been very sick since Christmas and wasn't doing well, it sure didn't look good but I sent my money in anyway figuring, now, the spirits are really going to have to get busy. Fortunately, the cause of my repeated infections was discovered in March, unfortunately, I had to have 3 root canals in a 10 day period which I somehow survived. Then, I saw a new orthopedic surgeon who gave me exercises which almost immediately alleviated most of my mobility problems. Ok, so the spirits are definitely at work here and it looks like Oracle has a green light. I hadn't made airline reservations because I just hate to fly and wanted to bring my tent and camp out in the desert so I was somewhat concerned about driving but, here again, I just figured the spirits will just have to get me there. They did.

I defined several intentions for going to Oracle. The most important was to be part of a gathering of people from all over the world to pray for our Mother Earth. I felt that if we could create a microcosm of different people coming together in love, peace and healing, that energy couldn't help but ripple throughout this poor, beleagured planet bringing the healing energies she so desperately needs. Next, I was so sick of being sick, I specifically intended not to seek healing for myself but to focus on healing for our Mother Earth. Then, I had moved to Utah from California five years ago and have felt like the strangest stranger in a strange land since. I knew at Oracle I'd be able to connect with other people who lived consciously with the spirit world. Finally, I just needed to get away from the incessant yammering and demands of my very well loved family and to go for one hour without hearing "Why?" from my darling, little granddaughter.

Well, my spirit guides came with me and as always, they had their own intentions and, as we all know, they are the ultimate control queens. At the opening ceremony, when all the spirits were called it occurred to me there just isn't enough room for all of them in this little circle, I'm still amazed they all fit. It also occurred to me that my spirit guides really wanted to be there, I figured they just wanted to hang with all the other spirit guides. I felt like they were all having this big party. Considering how hard mine had to work to get there, I felt they deserved it.

The last mailing we got said to make a nametag. As soon as I saw that, my spirit guides gave me a beaded design for my nametag. When I was getting out the beads a string of rose quartz jumped out and said, "Take Me, Take Me". I thought I just wanted to have some stones with me so I incorporated some of the rose quartz stones into my design. Now, I think those stones just hitched a ride on my necklace. This became apparent at Erika's offering with the stone people. The rose quartz vibrated in the presence of the other stones. For the first journey, I had to take them off as I'd picked up a piece of jasper (which coincidentally is the name of my best horse) to journey with. In that journey, the spirit of the stone healed my esophagus, I'd had esophagitis since last July, it was under moderate control but I felt a definite click and cessation of discomfort. Coincidentally, my nametage rested right over my esophagus. The spirit of the stone also told me quite emphatically that to heal the earth I must heal myself first. So much for focusing away from myself.

When we arrived we were assigned clans. I drew the bear clan. The first time Mother Bear came to me was when my daughter had encephalitis at three weeks of age. At that time, I was still wading through dogma but I knew I had to be like a mother bear protecting her cub and I used that energy to get through the rounds of hospital visits, babies weren't people and didn't suffer in those days, and to get her through the schools with a semblance of an education. I hadn't worked with bear since Rachel was a teenager. When I started getting seriously into shamanism, badger was my guide. I was somewhat surprised to draw the bear but recognized her as an old friend. At the first meeting of my bear clan we journeyed. I'm not sure I've recovered enough from that journey to even write about what happened. Essentially, it felt like Mother Bear grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and gave me a "jolly good" shake. Effectively, she healed my heart chakra. I didn't realize how much I needed that healing. I'm a big, tough woman and thought I handled everything so well.......I never claimed my guides had an easy job. With that healing all the pieces of the necklace puzzle fell into place, the color, I never saw it as anything but pink and green the colors of the heart chakra, the healing energies of the rose quartz and the previous healing of my esophagitis, right over my heart chakra.

For the rest of the gathering I was more or less in shock trying to integrate the healing into my psyche and keep from just dissolving into a puddle. I spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation. On Saturday things finally started coming together except I started feeling like a huge bear. I could see those ceremonies where the Indians would put a bear hide with a head over themselves and go into a bear dance. I had to keep checking my fingernails because I could swear they were turning into claws. The bear clan was part of the ceremony on Saturday night. I was very worried about walking on the sand, I just knew I'd leave bear footprints all over the place and just how would I explain that? I was, however, sufficiently aware of the ceremony on Saturday night to come to the understanding that Mother Earth needs me as much a I need her. I had an awareness of that but not such a clear understanding.

My trip home was beautiful, peaceful. I'm so glad I drove and had that time to reenter my life and integrate my experiences at Oracle. I was given another beaded design to use as an energy exchange for someone I met at Oracle. When I got home I worked it up using different colors, it didn't work until I worked it in pink and green. They wanted pink and green as the color for Oracle 2000. I'm consciously manifesting beauty for Mother Earth because that's what she needs from me. But I'm still positively reeking with all this bear energy and for some reason we just can't seem to keep any honey in the house.