THE ESSENCE: Native peoples around the Earth recognize mountains as places of great power where one encounters Spirit or where the gods or goddesses reside. In ancient Greece, Mount Olympus was the home of the 12 main Gods and Goddesses. In Tibet, pilgrims circumambulate Mount Kailash to bring prosperity. In Perú, pilgrims climb the ice-capped…
THE ESSENCE: The Heart of Sky is the love force that made all creation possible. This same force is present when you create with originality, when you bring formlessness to form or inspired ideas to expression. This primeval force does not know good or bad; it is up to us to provide the clear intention…
THE ESSENCE: The Giveaway is the gift you offer to life, without attachment, without expecting anything back. You can only give what is truly yours: a smile, a nod of encouragement, a gentle touch, and a kind word. This is not giving to others what you no longer want, like the sweater that no longer…
THE ESSENCE: The Ghost Dance of the American Plains Indians united the spirits of the living with those of the ancestors to bring peace to the world. When the ancestors are honored, they bring harmony to us. When we hold them responsible for all that is wrong with us today, they haunt us. Honor the…
ESSENCE: Before we cultivated grains, we collected the wild bounty of nature. The Gatherer finds abundant seeds, nuts, berries, and wild greens where the ordinary person sees only barren soil. The gatherer is the provider, the forager, and the gardener who collects roots and vegetables for the long winter when game is scarce. She does…
THE ESSENCE: There is a natural movement of events in the world. You can see it in phenomena such as the tide, the ebb and flow of oceans and rivers that rise up from the earth then flow to the sea. The symbol of Flow represents the effortless and natural movement toward a certain destination.…
THE ESSENCE: Fire consumes anything that it touches. The flames remind us of the impermanent nature of reality, and how situations can quickly transform into beauty or chaos. Fire is passion, and its dancing flames invite us to reach to the sky. Warmth and light are heavenly, yet too much heat can scorch us. To…
THE ESSENCE: Just as you’re involved in co-creating your world, you are also responsible for its well-being. The Earthkeepers are dedicated to the stewardship of the Earth and all life. They choose to hold the sacred dream of a planet where all beings live in peace and where the rivers and the air are clean.…
THE ESSENCE: Earth represents the gift of life. The symbol on this card refers to the body of the planet Earth, the human body, and Nature herself. We’re reminded by this symbol that all creatures are born of the Earth and human beings are the stewards of all life on this planet. It refers to…
THE ESSENCE: Eagle comes from the east, the place of the rising sun, of new beginnings. She soars high in the sky, sees the smallest detail with clarity without losing track of the bigger picture, and nests in the high mountains. For Eagle, there are no obstacles, only opportunities. She calls you to ascend, to…
