Benben: The Peace & Journey Run Across Maanu
Oudjaee (Greetings) to all my relations, to the path my ancestors have placed before me, to the Divine World and to the Imentet (world of the dead). It is because of my ancestors that I walk with great peace in my heart and I present that peace to those who cross my path. I continue to face myself, growing towards becoming a humble person, a Kem (a person living up to the spiritual system of the Kemet in harmony with the Earth and the M'TAM readings). My dissatisfaction with and disbelief in this modern system led me to a spiritual path towards the indigenous way of life. That path led me to the awareness that my roots are from Merita (Africa). As I realize the need to connect with our brothers and sisters from all nations; I realize that we must see each other as one people who belong to the same Earth. Soon it will be all of our bodies that will nourish the Earth and its life that continues to grow.
Recently, I took part in a spiritual intercontinental run. As a student of The Earth Center I was running with the spirit of the eagle to meet my brothers and sisters of the Condor. This run begun in 1992, and continues to manifest the prophecy of the eagle and the condor every 4 years. Many Indigenous communities of the world share a two -thousand year old prophecy of the unification of the eagle and the condor.
Peoples from Ancient Mayan communities, to the Andes, from the depths of the Amazon to the Reservations of North America to the Clans in the UK and Alaska foretell a prophecy that has been passed down from generation to genera- tion. They speak of the coming of a time of tremendous conflict and disharmony to all walks of life. They speak of a time in which the eagle represents the mental and materialistic way of life as we have seen in North America and the condor represents the spiritual way of life still seen in South America. In such unbalance the modern world continues to threaten the environment of the native communities which they depend for their material and spiritual sustenance. The day to day choices of every individual perpetuates either the destruction of the Earth or the preservation of a natural lifestyle in harmony with the Earth. Many spiritual leaders risk their lives to protect their traditions, traditions inherited directly from their ancestors, traditions that came under attack after the invasions 500 yrs ago -- not only here in Turtle island but the whole world. There has been a call by many elders and spiritual leaders to return to the original ways. Many who heard began their journey from the cities to the reservations to heal themselves through the sacred ways of ceremonies and prayers.
The time has come, the Pachacuti (Fight Sun) has arisen, and the condor will rise once again and fly together wing to wing in the same sky as the eagle. Humans will walk a path of harmony in order to transition out of an era of turmoil into a sustainable and natural way of life. Our walk, our work, our efforts and our autonomy will balance the Earth Energies (Bayuali).
The Peace and Dignity Journeys started with the formation of a confederation of the eagle and condor that serves the spiritual reconnection of our sacred fires across Turtle Island. This confederation has had many dialogues. The first encounter of indigenous peoples was in Quinton, Ecuador in 1990. Alfonso Perez presented the idea of making an intercontinental spiritual run that would coincide with the timing of the cyclical change. He ran from the North and Francisco Melo ran from the South. It was a "prayer by running" to all nations in Turtle Islands towards healing our people and Tonanzin, Our Sacred Mother Earth. This intercontinental run is the manifestation of many visions, dreams and prayers which carried the words of our ancestors wishes: to fulfill the prophecy and bring unity amongst humanity.
I had the honor to be a spiritual runner, and represent my community, the community of Kem. /peoples. This journey has touched my soul, and guided my spirit to strengthen my connection with my ancestors. This journey has opened many mirrors and reflected in many ways how indigenous people live today. It was a prophecy that gave wings to this journey that now touches the souls and spirits of all peoples in Turtle Island. This prophecy of words has become a message of action: developing peace and dignity, bringing unification of many communities around the continent, and intensifying their need to preserve our ancestral values, traditions, herbs and languages in Turtle Island and the world. While I was running I realized that there was something stronger bringing all of us together, the destiny our ancestors had placed before us 7 generations ago, a destiny which has brought us together to reawaken the collective memory of our consciousness. We are bound by a needed humility and respect to what our ancestors have left before us, now it is us who must continue to preserve the Earth by using their spiritual honesty and quality.
This journey represented a vision that includes all nations, an instruction to continue praying to our ancestors, the Divine World, and to focus on preparing our spirit for the world of the death (Imentet). One of our missions within the Earth Center, is to activate the shrines of the temples and sacred sites of Turtle Island, for the channels of energy to be reopened. With the hope of millions of people throughout Turtle Island and the world, many have place their thoughts and prayers in this prophesy that has spiritually reconnected the scared fires that have been light ever since the becoming of existence. Hard times we are living right know; the need to connect with our roots is a realization that many are having/doing now. It is/Is a harmonious process that is needed from everybody to be in one with all of our relations, Aho.
The journey never ends....
