Perceptual Portal Geneen Marie Haugen

Canyon Of The Ancients, Colorado, USA

Perceptual Portal

My antennae sweep and scan

for reception, for a portal

in perception, for a porous

passage to a green breathing

land where every presence

offers itself to be known,

where everything speaks,

even galaxies, even stone,

where interspecies

lovetalk leaps like

flashing fish and flying

dragons in blue-pooled

dream canyons, where poems

sprout from cracked bark

of sequoia and oak, and

madcap music mushrooms

from decay and darkness.

Sometimes human beings listen,

ears tilting in a creaturely way,

tuned to something not entirely

audible though there is no barrier

to reception, and through

this listening we might remember

how to live, hearing the old

voice that still bells forth

from the primal body

who birthed us all,

the old voice reverberating

along tendrils of mycelia

that entwine the human psyche

with the mother tree:

living psyche of Earth.

It’s not a far country or fictional

galaxy, but an unfiltered mode

of consciousness with no screen

to block or deaden the Others

and their always-streaming voices,

their ancient kinships, star-studded

extravaganzas, where even human

beings might harmonize their wildly

necessary sound. I have sojourned

plenty in that stone-talking terrain

but lost the way of return

busy as I was with all varieties

of civilized absurdity,

forgetting I even had

antennae, formed long

before we became human.

But here: a passageway

opens on the mossy edge

of imagination. Shadows

illustrate the way, flicker

and hum their own language.

Praise the revived antennae

and sing with the Others now:

cackling trills, creaking

dreams, moon swoons, rough

poems sprouting from

portals in perception.

Geneen Marie Haugen

Posted with kind permission.

Thank you ~

Geneen Marie Haugen, PhD, grew up a little wild, with a run-amok imagination. Her matrilineal ancestors are the indigenous Sami of the European Arctic. She is a content creator and guide to the mysteries of nature and psyche with the Animas Valley Institute (www.animas.org), and has been on

the faculty of Esalen Institute and Schumacher College. Her writing has appeared in Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth; Thomas Berry: Dreamer of the Earth; Parabola; Kosmos Journal;

Ecopsychology, and many others.

Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus. Singing a wave of song at dawn embracing the Earth; singing the Earth with Earth Community. Sing into this self organising ceremony. Resources and more at www.earthsongwave.org

Image: Wendy Robertson Fyfe

~ Ancient Pocket Songs ~ Wendy Robertson Fyfe

Minnamurra Rainforest In Reciprocity Song

Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus began in 2018 as a way to celebrate, praise, give gratitude, live differently, and feed the Earth. She was created as a way for humans to sing our Earth songs as Earth singing together in a wave of and for Earth. Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus is an invitation to sing with the voices of Earth Community, with a “YES” and more, remembering being part of an animate Universal Chorus. The invitation is to sing at dawn around the world on 1 April yearly creating a wave of song embracing Earth. The invitation on one level, there are many others’ you can see on the website www.earthsongwave.org, is of the deep imagination moving between the worlds of possibility, myth and dream. What and who else might be woken, fed, by our song? Over these years Earthsongwave has travelled to 52 countries that we are aware of. What will her reach and embrace be this year? Please share and spread this song seed. As usual, there will be some beauty contributions to blogs coming your way.

~~~~~

We are beginning our approach to this fifth Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus later than usual as l currently find myself abducted by beloved death in or near Buddaroo National Park, New South Wales, Australia. I often find myself in Minnimurra (Plenty of Fish) Rainforest and in the mysts of Cambewarra (Mountain of Fire). I am a long way from my ‘native’ Scotland/Alba as many of my forebearers found themselves, like me, drawn across ocean’s sails, or engine wings, and not always by choice.

I am listening to origin choruses sensing into ancient songs voicing from Earth before The Great Forgetting and abductions. I am listening in pockets of wildness who remain despite an onslaught of destruction over a tiny second of Universal time by certain white human’s hands and machines for human extraction and consumption one way or another. The aliveness of tastes and smells, gazing into different colours and textures, listening to sounds in such pockets resonate in and awaken my very core cells. In one instance, as a friend and l walk very slowly, like a walking equivalent of the ‘slow food movement’, l’m listening, feeling, touching whilst a number of people speed past as if they're ticking a ‘done that’ box in a pocket book noting, 'visited Minnamurra Rainforest'.

Minnamurra Rainforest Song

Another time, l’m stopping to listen to the dense myst song dripping from and to lower scented eucalyptus leaves as, unknown to me, birdsong rings out. I feel their songs singing me even as an occasional car drives fast nearby in Cambewarra and wonder why this sopping wet myst filled mountain was named Mountain of Fire by the original people here. As l find my body herself quite literally singing, vibrating, and pounding with aliveness, l wonder if this body feeling is how our ancestors experienced life daily on Earth before we withdrew our senses to the head mind and lived in a kind of false ‘rational’ way. I’m curious if the Mountain of Fire the ancient ones related with was/is the fire that rises from Earth into a remembering body. Sometimes the myst rising on the mountain looks like smoke.

Here, l see none of the original human culture, the Wodi Wodi people who, as far as l can research currently, were in this area living in sacred reciprocity with the land here for eons speaking a variant of the Dharawal language. I wonder where they live now, whether any remain in a pocket anywhere at all. So much is gone, many Earth lives including humans and human cultures destroyed/extinct already, as much expressions of and relations with land and Pacific Ocean. I’m here in this land honouring, and with deep listening grief songs of what happened here and my birth culture’s part in it, of complexities, of convict ships here and to America whilst slave ships passed the other way. I’m listening for longer lingering memories in the deep imagination of the land and ocean and body flesh.

As l do so, l’m also wondering about the origin of each of us here and now, not only on a cultural level, but in a soulcentric way; soul as our unique eco-niche, the particular aspect of Earth we are born to live into the world that is pre/pro-formative healthy culture, though lived in through culture. What of the fire rising from Earth is entering this body now. What and who is wanting to be born through each of us now, whose/what song?

Whilst in Australia, l’m staying in a place originally called by Aboriginal (Ab-original) heritage ‘kiarama’ meaning "place where the sea makes a noise" and “the place where the mountains touch the sea”. It is now known as Kiama with the tourist Kiama ‘blowhole’ which, like Minimmurra Rainforest, is likely ‘ticked off’ visitor’s pocket book lists these days. The ancient name kiarama is invisible, even on Google, is not mentioned now anywhere that l have seen. I’m broken open by the experiences of the land herself and the ways of living of the white people here today with such invisibility, including myself, of such a past. I am broken open with both beauty and horror here. Such a big heartbreak crack to live down and sing into; feel all and be with rather than fix, escape, cut-off, fly, change, control, as in the current flatland dayworld dominator ways; rather ‘stay with’. The current extraction culture, whilst mining deep, is very thin but not in a magical kind of way though perhaps spell caught. It has no depth, or width creating shallow trauma individualised breathing. We need to learn once more to offer time to our original soul notes, to breath more deeply, root down, open to life fire rising.

One theme of this year’s Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus is an invitation to sing between worlds; the worlds between the living and the dead, the extinct, sacrificed, lost, the contorted to fit a particular Earth-destroying norm; to listen and offer grief songs for origins and longings that Earth’s way be born from this transformational time. To sing, one might also say, to those of us who are living a dead life in a flatland culture; offer a song of life. I note that we currently have humans living a dead life and increasing numbers of dead humans who are not sung or honoured. It is time again to sing songs who are in touch with sensitivities of Earth (and therefore our own birth breath); those with an ear and voice to the heart of the world, the holy ground on which humans walk in a bigger conversation with Earth and Earth Community. I believe these sensitive ones, maybe most of us, do not ‘fit’ a particular already skewed way becoming contorted as our miracle Earth is too. Perhaps an Earthsongwave can turn the song around in a healthy life enhancing way.

Budderoo National Park Symphony

Now, where l am in Budderoo National Park, l remember human and more-than-human origins and am sung by their breath through my body. Here another theme is singing between the worlds of wild places and the everyday monotone culture, breathe song back in. Such wild places are crucial for even beginning to remember the songs of the animate, conversational ‘more-than-human’ world and there-by remember our own wild songs in Earth’s dreaming; how to sing them.

One of the songs l remember here in Cambewarra is just that, the song of breath herself; of my being breathed by her breath weaving me into her Earth mantle. My breath is not something l ‘own’ like a property; breath is not my ‘own’ as if it’s ‘mine’ to be mined for another kind of exploitation or, indeed, ‘self-improvement’ project in order to live a ‘happy’ life. Rather, how can l learn once more that breath, and breath creating song, is always in the flow of Earth’s service. I’m reminded of a way of breathing through the deep imagination; breathing in the sky (which we also are, and all the eons of beings who created it being breathed in now), breathing out into rooted trees rising. I wonder how the ancient ones experienced breathing the breath of song. Remembering my ‘Earth origin’ distinct from cultural origin, even today; to listen and feel for who the original note of me is that l am Earthborn to sing; one who is likely way beyond human comprehension at this time and being called forth in these times. Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus is a way for us to remember our origin song and wave in together.

Where in your own being might there be a pocket of memory of your own original note, your eco-niche song? Perhaps lost or found in ships across oceans or taken into other’s hands both coloniser/colonised, slaver and enslaved, patriarchal and more, distorted yet perceived as natural or norm. The beauty and the terror of all, vulnerable and courageous. Furthermore, just to complexify further, what if these too are all Earth’s voices; what if we humans are, as l believe, Earth moving, listening, singing and more. What on Earth is she up to, and what/why now?

My invitation is to be with it all, let these kinds of songs have you/us. Let them take you through breath anew, maybe in ways remembered that have not been felt or heard for eons. Let Earth breathe you, sing you in a way that can only be Earth born into the ways of your unique origin needed today for Earth and human evolution. Let us die to who we believed ourselves to be in an unhealthy Earth-killing culture.

Meantime, l continue opening, feeling into, the mountain singing me as a beloved’s death cracks evermore deeply and l stay with the multi grief songs. I will lose everything l love, as you will too; this could happen in any given moment and not necessarily tomorrow or some future date (as l now realise l thought), but now. Knowing and feeling that closeness, what song is longing to sing you with the gift of breath that has you right now? What/who of you is dying to be who you are in this Earth.

Cambewarra, Eucalyptus, Kookaburra and Myst Notes

Now, l’m here by the mountain, in a "place where the sea makes a noise", “the place where the mountains touch the sea” feeling and listening for origin pocket songs needed to sing and be sung by them; songs as ancient Eucalyptus trees, their scent releasing in the dripping myst entering my skin, nostrils, eyes, to the core of my cells now buzzing. I’m here where spider’s webs are becoming visible hanging magically between sopping wet and wide branches. They remind me of the connecting webs of seen and unseen worlds for feasting in; let’s sing between these worlds too in this year’s Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus. Rich rotting dank wood and decaying leaf songs are composting under my feet. I too find myself being sung by this mountain and see; feel this pocket of breath life fire expressing herself through my body. The Kookaburra’s original laughing song echoes with dripping leaves, and so sings the body of ‘me’.

Female Kauai ‘O’o Sings In ~ Wendy Robertson Fyfe

"I’m dropping slowly into sleep when an image suddenly appears unbidden waking me again:

“a female bird facing left, softest of soft smooth feathers, light brown grey with lower body light red/dull pink, size seemingly bigger than UK blackbird; fully present, here, alive, warm, with a heartbeat.“

I see stunning beauty in this bird; in her presence l am deeply moved, astonished, in wonder realising it is a female Kauai ‘O’o. I couldn't make this up if l tried.

This dream arrived the night after Rebecca Wildbear’s writing bringing our attention this extinct bird, and more, was published in part 1 of her Soulcraft Musing on the Animas website a few weeks after it first appeared in the Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus blog in March. The image on the Animas piece showed two birds facing right. The bird in the dream image faced left.

I am also surprised since it is very rare indeed that l dream, or remember, as l fall asleep or drop into sleep. More usually l remember dreams during the early hours or near morning waking.

I manage to wake enough to know to write something down, but was so tired l went straight back to sleep after writing. When l look at my notes in the morning l see l’ve also written 'song', but haven't remembered the song, darn; l forgot to record the dream song herself at the time as l’ve learned to do. The bird in the dream image is slightly lighter in grey/brown, slightly darker/vibrant in reddy/dull pink than the image on Rebecca’s article. But how astonishing that this extinct bird is singing and heard again in the world now, and in a very different land/way.

I let the image have her way with me. One thing that blows me over is the power of dream and deep imagination, as if the dream image here is a kind of ‘wave’ of Earthsongwave….the image comes on the second wave of publishing rather than the first. Isn’t that what Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus is about, to bring forth the impossible wave dream; one we humans cannot imagine by ourselves and which goes way beyond; that we are within a community, an entanglement with other more-than-human voices?

I find myself still, weeks later feeling into more questions, like:

Has she heard the longing of the male calling her? Is she calling him now? What/who now?

Has she heard my longing to hear her and the voices of the others who have gone or going and responding in gratitude, for being remembered, or? Oh, the power of longing and praise, of deep conversations shared.

What is the impact of such a song being heard again in the dreaming, echoing forward…..here and now in Earth on another continent?

Can she resonate with my singing for a human lover who may be extinct, like humanity may become, but who might just sing back in again upon hearing?

Is this writing yet another echo wave, of Kauai ‘O’o, Earthsongwave, and Rebecca’s article singing back an echoing song ? A different kind of third wave?

What can this mean that an extinct bird has sung into a dream?

I feel on the sharp cutting edge of utter awe, hope and total grief; a broken wide open scream.

A poem pops in:

The Wind, One Brilliant Day,

The wind one brilliant day called to my soul with an odour of jasmine. 'In return for the odour of my jasmine, I'd like all the odour of your roses.' 'I have no roses; all the flowers in my garden are dead.' 'Well then, I'll take the withered petals and the yellow leaves and the waters of the fountain.' the wind left. And I wept. And I said to myself: 'What have you done with the garden that was entrusted to you?'

Antonio Machado

Oh, what have we done!

I continue living the image, the questions, the awe, the heartbreak.

Ah, the Mystery and wonder of it all. Maybe Kauai ‘O’o and other’s have/will sing in to your dreams too.

There have been more truly beautiful experiences of Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus this year too with some posted in various places via email, Facebook, The Animas Commons, another 1,000 pages of the website visited, 56 countries; the impact, intimacy, love song, fecund wonder of an animate, songful, holy Earth. Experiences shared from Minnammura Estuary in New South Wales; renewed promises in Melbourne; pink double rainbows, raven and magpie song in Western Australia; love songs as sun breaks over the North Sea in Scotland; wide panorama song in Montana; singing across the Colorado Plateau, whispering in New Mexico and more; humans listening more intently.

Whilst Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus happens every one of Earth's orbits around the Sun on 1 April, you are invited to this ceremony more often through the year if you do not do so already. What if we are being invited to tend Earthsongs? And what may happen if we do?

The last circle around the Sun in Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus, we held a Women's New Moon Council. Listening this time we are invited to tend the experiences and songs encountered, like tending the song and warm heartbeat of Kauai ‘O’o. What might happen if we hold, stay with the edge, not drop and move on to something else like a Facebook Timeline. If you would like to meet monthly to 'stay with', make a nesting place for the impossible, tending Earthsongs over the next year, contact me and we can arrange time to gather together around Earth through the Zoom portal. What might birth and emerge from our nest tending, what impact might our tending Earthsongs have and is this tending another form of activism, protecting and living into wild Earth’s veiled dream and imagination?

Also, if you would like to become more involved, Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus is seeking someone who is skilled and willing to offer digital/social media skills; also for collaborators to enable further musings, shapings and waves of Earthsongwaves in different languages as well as English around Earth. What songs could you bring here?

Meanwhile, you are welcome to keep sending Earthsongs and articles, musings, sounds and images down through the Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus’ vibration waves.

May the waves of Kauai ‘O’o continue to ripple around Earth with their haunting longing love songs…

Earthsongwave blessings and gratitude ~

Wendy

Image by kind permission of Doug Van Houten

Wendy is Foundher of the yearly Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus. She is also an International nature-based Soul Initiation and Human Development Guide, Mentor and Supervisor, writer, poet and photographer who passionately tunes into the deeper mysteries through the veils of the human and more-than-human world listening for our unique voices born for and longing to come forth. She is involved in co-creating 'The Centre; Wild and Soulcentric' in West Coast, Scotland. Wendy has published a first book of poetry and images: 'Whispers; Imagining Earth Community, Surrendering to Earth's Wisdom'.

Thank you again Doug Van Houten for your beautiful collages. Doug lives in Kentucky and is an International Nature-Based Soul Initiation Guide with Animas Valley Institute. He is passionately heart-felt about bringing people into their unique conscious living in Earth's Dreaming particularly through dream, body and art; through programmes and mentoring.