The Four Corners
Over the past few days I've been experiencing some exciting things, on friday I was at the regular @helpie meeting led by @meno. If you'd like to know what a helpie is, then please take a gander here. I've been a helpie since it first started and have seen it grow immensely, so this past friday I was fortunate to have received a 250 SP delegation from @derangedvisions, and last week from @soundwavesphoton for 100SP by promoting fellow helpie's. The delegation lasts for a week!
Moving on to yesterday, I was on a podcast show hosted by @jackdub and @makinstuff, check the show out right here. The show is helping Steemians become more aware of being a responsible earth caretaker by connecting people who love growing their own food, building their own home, cooking natural foods, and for me it was sharing some of my natural healing.
What a fun packed weekend this has been, and I wanted to begin this blog-post by giving a shout out to all these great people above. Additionally, sharing something I've been talking about and preparing for, that is my exploration and adventure into the North American four corners area.
Just in case you know very little about me, I encourage you to take a look at some of my recent posts that I've discussed gearing up for this post and those coming up. My recent posts are Come Along With Me ---> Picking The Superfood Aronia-Choke Berries & Making Jam!, Come Along With Me ---> Roasting Mexican Hatch Green Chillies & Making Chili Verde!!, Come Along With Me ---> To The Southern Ute Tribe North Native American Museum!!, and What's Wrong With The Term Anasazi, You Might Ask?. This is not a series, in actuality it’s a storytelling of some of the amazing things I found out about my ancestry and my own personal search for some answers related to the lands occupied by the Hisatsinom.
I've never been one to just be told who I am, I'm one of those people that seeing is believing, so I took it upon myself to explore an area I had not really known still existed. Don't get me wrong I had known about Chimney Rock National Monument, check my post out here, and Mesa Verde you can see my post regarding my visit there right here.
I’m talking about an area that not a lot of people know about called the Canyon Of The Ancients. Let’s check it out ...
Hovenweep Castle
Basically, my goal after finding out about this area since I was already going to be down in the area for a month was to walk the land and find out more about what happened to the Hisatsinom, after all I had the time and why not make it an adventure, right?
I was handed the above map at my first stop in the state of Utah called Hovenweep Castle, maybe arbitrarily chosen although some may feel it was intuitive and I might agree with that thinking.
Signs leading to Hovenweep Castle. Photos taken by @eaglespirit
One thing for sure is that because of my ancestry some things are just innate, I did not read much of the signs since most of it was made for tourists and not from anyone tribal.
The name Hovenweep was tagged by a photographer in 1870, which most of these locations tended to have "been found." As I started my journey through these ancient ruins of my ancestors I didn't allow myself to get caught up in the hype and I just felt the area.
That is, I didn’t cloud my mind with false history or the bitterness from my tribe from past wrongs. I allowed my soul to feel what once was. A happy, peaceful place where nothing existed but us.
Photos taken by @eaglespirit
The photos taken above were inside the National Park Service greeting area and I found them important, if only to show that this land was once filled with people and acknowledged by those walking these grounds years later. It's also a fun way to start to imagine what you will see next. I certainly didn't expect to see what I did.
Photo taken by @eaglespirit
Every time I go to visit one of these sites and that included Chimney Rock and Mesa Verde there is always a link to astronomy.
After all of my searching this is something I have yet to figure out, but I'm sure I will when the time is right. What amazes me is there is always an alignment to the stars, sun, and night skies.
The natural celestial “phenomenon" was always considered when constructing these locations and built with access to all one would need to star gaze.
Hovenweep Castle Park Ranger. Photo taken by @eaglespirit.
I have a special place in my heart for park rangers, as they really try to educate themselves to assist tourists. This kind lady showed me the maps and ensured I was ready for the scorching heat and hike I was about to take.
Nothing really prepared me for the over 100 degree weather, even my hikes through volcanoes in Hawaii weren’t as hot as this. I had my hat, hiking shoes along with water and off we go ...
Photo taken by @eaglespirit
Check it out, they even had borrow-a-walking stick. Personally, I felt that was the shiznit because most people I know are very protective of their walking sticks.
I'm not a walking stick type of person, I will crawl if I have to and well that day did come, but not this day.
Photo taken by @eaglespirit
As I started my hike one thing I started to think about was how did people survive in this area?
I mean it's only normal to think climate change and water drought hit the area, but we've all heard of people living and surviving in the desert.
Well interestingly enough there were plants abound with nicely written placards that explained some of the methods used for survival. Take notes people, because if SHTF this is the stuff you want to know about and use to survive too.
Another feeling I started to have was there must have been natural patterns of things, like entranceway shrubs and flowers. More so where my ancestors cooked, planted, and lived (slept and ate.)
So, in the back of my mind I felt my way along and started to notice these patterns. Oftentimes, I saw a rock formation or path of sage that led me to a doorway. It was quite amazing.
The entire area was a canyon and in that canyon housed at least 10 different structures, and I was really blown away since I thought I was just going to see one building that may have been mostly stone rubble at this point. We are talking hundreds of years if not a thousand.
InsteadI found a wondrous sight and I started to feel and see who lived here, and how everything must have looked back in the day.
I saw water everywhere with my minds eye, food, trees, people working and children laughing. During the peak of the population, this was a great community.
Structure after structure I saw a worship location, food storage, guest house, homes where people lived, water collection areas, and even many locations where waterfalls once gushed from the mesa. Waterfalls so full that crashed to the canyon floor — the sound was spectacular.
The day was very hot and how I wished that water was still flowing ... as we say one day it will again.
A kind reminder, if you ever happen upon this area of the world then remember to take at least a half a gallon of water per person. Even though the human body is sweating dry, you are still sweating and dehydration can set in very fast. Drink plenty of water!
As I look over these photos again I remember the excitement of finding a place not like Mesa Verde but similar in that my people were brilliant and amazing.
So much went into natural living and taking care of community. This is what is important today, and so many have lost their way.
Being programmed to accept the food we are given, water filled with chemicals, and poisoned air. I think of the Hopi prophecy I've shared once already and that is “those that will survive are those that get back to their ancients way of life.”
That doesn't mean abandon it all and go set up camp, it means live free and learn the old ways. Learn to live natural and healthy, and stop being a slave. My prayers are with all humanity as we all find our way.
Back to the canyone hike, I walked all the way around the canyon and step-by-step there were sights to be seen. The cactus above was something that was everywhere, so being careful each step of the way was important.
Since I've been in the area quite a bit I think I have a solid place in my heart for Sleeping Ute Mountain and I was able to capture a photo and quick blurb about today’s story of the mountain. If you look closely, you can see him laying on his back with his face to the heavens, body that travels to his toes.
Of course, since my people were here before the current tribes my thoughts are constantly wondering what did my people feel that mountain was called, what was their name for it, what was their story? I have no doubt the information will come to me in time and as we say when we are ready.
Finally, I reached Hovenweep Castle and sat by the site for awhile just looking all around and enjoying the scenery. It being a very hot day I tried not to stay too long since I was already as red as a lobster and had to preserve my water.
I must admit, even though these places were roped off I did touch the structures. I just had too! I guess I'm more of the tactile type but I did refrain from walking on anything.
Believe it or not if I had been with a local tribe member we are allowed to hold ceremony and walk wherever we like. I look forward to that moment in the near future.
For some reason these photo look better on my computer than on this blog-site. Either way I feel you get a good idea of how energetic and amazing this place still was even over 600 years later, and more likely a lot older.
The day was super bright too, but thankfully no sudden rainstorms or dust storms came through. Those can be quite treacherous in the area.
Believe it or not I have been on this journey of finding my ancestry for a long time, I'm not sure why it's been so important but it has been.
My mother raised me as a single mom and dad was just off doing his own thing. Life is funny that way I suppose.
It wasn't until later on in life that I found out about my Native American background and started my training to live my life according to the old ways.
Becoming reacquainted with dad wasn't easy but it led me here. To this location in time and connecting to my NOW. For that, I will be eternally grateful.
Many of us can tell our tale of woe but imagine scraping yourself up off the floor making something of it, and creating a positive change.
This is also called a higher frequency, vibrating with something we may only know a little about but feel it within our mind, body, and soul.
More fascinating is that the farther we go on this journey the more amazing people we meet, and they too are vibrating at that frequency.
There are many who feel they are, I call them posers and they need to be sifted through or they fall off on their own, but overall the few that make it into our circle are quite amazing.
As I'm sharing more of my story with all of you and allowing this change to go further into my writing, I want to thank you, my Steemit family for being there for me.
Without this platform my writing would not have gotten to this point and serious thoughts of writing a book may not be more and more solidified into my consciousness. It is through all of your support and encouragement that has helped me get here too.
Hovenweep may be the ancient remains of my ancestors but in truth this gave me strength, hope, and something to share with the world.
If we ever get a chance to touch something from our own genetic history it is powerful. My father taught me that much, and actually quite a bit more.
I'll share with you something he told me, "go visit the power centers of the earth, you will learn what Mother Earth is about and even more about yourself."
Isn’t it ironic how things our parents tell us are so very true.
When I first laid eyes on these ancient Twin Towers I couldn't help but think about my very own experience with the 9/11 Towers and that experience.
What a huge difference one may think, yet was it? What really happened here? Many have conjecture but no one except my current tribe can tell me. My instinct, gut, and intuition tell me but I need that confirmation. My quest continues as I travel through the four corners in search of those answers.
For now, I will enjoy the time it takes to get to know my ancestors in what they left behind. Honestly, what is left behind shows amazing intelligence, ingenuity, and culture. My love for the Hisatsinom grows every day thinking about the beauty they built that’s lasted generations.
Photos taken by @eaglespirit
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That's me above after hours of hiking in 100 degree heat so forgive the nearly faint look, and that’s the big fat crow who was talking to me as I was washing up. He wouldn’t shut up.
Really, the crow was funny and look how his beak was wide open — he had a lot to say — but don’t ask. He was kind enough to pose nicely for a photo.
Allow me to thank you for joining me on this journey as I adventure into the ancient lands of my ancestors.
Hope to see you come back to read about my next adventure ... a totem pole dedication, and please don’t forget to leave your comments below as they’re always appreciated.
Yours,
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Eagle Spirit
Greetings,
Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. I’m a First Nation member of the Hopi & Apache Native American tribes, Medicine woman in-training, first time blogger since November 2017, (right here on Steemit), paralegal, researcher, and writer based in the Mountains of Colorado, USA. I work closely with fellow planktons and minnows in a few groups by helping them adjust to Steemit and curate quality content. I’m especially interested in finding others who love natural medicine originating from ancient practices, gold and silver, energy work, and the spirit world. Additionally, I'm the creator of #MedicineCardMonday, so if you are interested in receiving a Native American blessing stop by my blog every Monday, or just say hello!
See you soon, @eaglespirit
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