Sacred Lessons from the Honeybee: A Story of Purpose, Community, and Interconnection

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Lessons from a Sting: Sacred Teachings of the Honeybee

What began as a simple encounter with a honeybee transformed into a journey of understanding the profound wisdom these sacred beings carry. The sting that ended this small being’s life opened my eyes to the greater purpose and beauty of their existence. In seeking to honour the spirit of this teacher, I discovered a world of extraordinary organization, purpose, and collective wisdom. Through the honeybee’s sacrifice, I learned that every interaction in nature offers an opportunity for deeper understanding, if we approach it with an open heart and willing spirit. Their intricate societies mirror ancient teachings about community, purpose, and the delicate balance of life, showing us how individual actions weave into the greater tapestry of existence.

In the intricate dance of life, honeybees emerge as profound teachers of community, purpose, and sacred relationships. Their societies offer deep insights into the power of collective living and the beauty of organized purpose, demonstrating how individual actions contribute to the greater good of all.

Matriarchal Wisdom: Leadership Lessons from the Queen Bee

The matriarchal wisdom of bee colonies provides a powerful model of leadership based on service and collective well-being. At the heart of each colony, the queen bee exemplifies leadership through nurturing and sustaining community life. This matriarchal structure reflects ancient wisdom about power dynamics that prioritize community survival and well-being over individual gain. Through their sophisticated organization, bees demonstrate how true power emerges from service to community and the maintenance of balance in all things.

Seven Sacred Ways of the Bee: Indigenous Teachings in Nature’s Design

The bee community’s behavior beautifully reflects the Seven Grandfather Teachings central to Indigenous wisdom. Their display of Wisdom (Nbwaakaawin) manifests in sophisticated communication and decision-making systems that ensure colony survival. Love (Zaagi’idiwin) flows through their collective care for each member of the community, while Respect (Mnaadendimowin) shows in their clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Bravery (Aakode’ewin) emerges in their fearless protection of the colony, and Honesty (Gwekwaadiziwin) appears in their direct and clear communication systems. Humility (Dbaadendiziwin) shines through their selfless service to the collective good, while Truth (Debwewin) resonates in their authentic purpose and action.

Sacred Relations: Learning Nature’s Balance from the Honeybee

The sacred relationship bees maintain with their environment offers crucial lessons for humanity. Their role as pollinators demonstrates the importance of reciprocal relationships in nature, where each action serves multiple purposes in maintaining ecological balance. Through their seasonal awareness and adaptation, bees teach us about living in harmony with natural cycles and managing resources sustainably. Their intimate connection with flowering plants reminds us of the delicate interconnections that sustain all life.

Architects of Unity: The Honeybee’s Blueprint for Collective Living

The organizational structure of bee communities provides a blueprint for collective living. Their sophisticated communication systems, shared responsibilities, and unified purpose demonstrate how individuals can work together for common goals. The way they distribute resources, protect their community, and adapt to changing conditions offers insights into building resilient societies that can face contemporary challenges.

Sacred Responsibility: Honouring Our Relations with the Honeybee

To honour these sacred teachers, as humanity, we must take practical action to ensure their survival. Creating pollinator gardens, avoiding harmful pesticides, and supporting local beekeepers represent tangible ways to protect these essential beings. By providing appropriate habitats and water sources, we acknowledge their importance and contribute to their well-being. Learning about bee ecology and sharing this knowledge helps build broader understanding and appreciation of their crucial role in ecological systems.

Our sacred responsibilities to honeybees extend beyond practical support to spiritual acknowledgment of their role as teachers and sustainers of life. By learning from their example of collective living and purposeful action, we can better understand how to create harmonious communities that serve all members. Their teachings about balance, cooperation, and environmental stewardship offer guidance for addressing contemporary challenges while maintaining connection to ancient wisdom.

Sacred Purpose: The Honeybee’s Message to Humanity

The honeybee reminds us that every being has a sacred purpose in the web of life. Their example shows us how individual actions, when aligned with collective well-being, create strong and resilient communities. By honouring their wisdom and protecting their existence, we acknowledge our own place in the interconnected tapestry of life and our responsibility to maintain these sacred relationships for future generations.

 

Blog by Rye Karonhiowanen Barberstock

 

(Image Credit: Andrey Larionov, Unsplash)

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Reflecting on the Future: The Importance of Generational Stewardship in Combating Climate Change

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In my quieter moments, often while leafing through the latest research and reports, I ponder the gradual degradation of our natural world. Human interaction, mainly through industrial and technological advancements, has left indelible marks on the Earth, and climate change remains a critical concern. This has led me to wonder about the state of the world for the next seven generations. If we consider a generation to span 25 years, this places the seventh generation in the year 2199. But what if we viewed generational shifts as cyclical, akin to the Earth’s revolutions around the sun? This perspective implies that every year is pivotal in shaping the future of our planet.

Today, the signs of climate change, though not yet disrupting our daily lives with immediate urgency, are undeniably present. From a broader environmental perspective, the consequences of a warming planet are profound, especially for our flora and fauna. Are they adapting to these changing conditions? History shows they have adapted before, but at what cost and to what extent can they continue to do so under the accelerating pace of human activity?

Reflecting on the past year alone, the increase in severe weather events, such as thunderstorms and tornado warnings, starkly contrasts with the isolated incidents of my childhood. This trend towards more extreme weather is problematic to ignore and has heightened my sense of preparedness as we approach another unpredictable season.

Looking ahead to 2199, I often wonder whether our future generations will be equipped to handle and adapt to these challenges. How will they fare against the potential storms of change and uncertainty? The decisions we make today will shape their reality.

As I observe the world around us, it becomes increasingly clear that we need a deeper understanding of our role within our ecosystem. Our survival and the preservation of life systems depend on our ability to sustain our ecological homeland. Without nurturing our natural resources—our water, air, and biodiversity—we risk not just hardship but possible extinction.

This realization brings an acute responsibility to act, not just for ourselves but for the entire planet. It requires acknowledging that humanity is not the center of existence but a part of a larger ecological equation. Each of us has a role to play in caring for our planet, preserving the systems that support all life forms.

The path forward involves embracing ecological knowledge to become effective stewards of our environment. This stewardship must be ingrained in our collective consciousness, influencing actions and policies that not only address the immediate environmental issues but also consider the long-term impact on the Earth and its inhabitants.

By fostering this ecological awareness and responsibility through generational education, I hope that by 2199, humanity will have cultivated a profound respect for our planet. This respect must translate into actions that support sustainable living and consider the welfare of the countless generations to follow.

As we continue on this journey, let us strive to leave a legacy that the seventh generation and beyond can look back on with gratitude—one where they inherit a world not only habitable but flourishing. A world where they, too, can thrive and continue the cycle of stewardship and respect for the richness of our shared Earth.

 

– By Rye Karonhiowanen Barberstock

 

(Image Source: Casey Horner, Unsplash)

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Learning to Embrace the Cycle of Seasonal Changes

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Experiencing four distinct seasons is a powerful way to tell time. Each season brings with it an element of life and death and teaches us to embrace change.  Many of us think of the seasons in terms of what we wear or how the weather affects our commute; however, how many of us stop to think about how the seasons affect our diet and medicines?

Increasingly, we buy our medicines and our food from grocery stores. When we walk into a store and find all that we need, it becomes difficult to notice the true impact of the seasons on what we eat and how we feel. As science progresses, technology continues to fuel the advancement of hybrid seeds resistant to Mother Nature’s woes. Technology supports farming machinery to achieve greater yields of large-scale crops, ensuring the things we enjoy consuming are constantly available on store shelves.  The convenience of shopping disconnects us from the spirit of our food, and ultimately distracts us from the stories that Mother Nature is telling us, especially through her gifts of the changing seasons.

When does winter truly end? How long is spring, really? What if we let go of the idea that the answers to these questions come from a calendar, and instead, turn our collective gaze toward nature? Consider that winter ends when the Red Squirrel awakens and begins to nibble Maple Tree’s stems, signalling the maple sap to begin to flow. Spring arrives when coltsfoot pops out its mysterious yellow flower before its signature leaves arrive. Trilliums and trout lilies tell us how long we have until spring disappears. And as soon as it gets too warm, we learn that summer has arrived. Raspberries emerge telling us summer is ending and it is time to load up on fat stores with Wintergreen signalling our last chance at berries before the deep snow arrives. All these plants are also gifts of Mother Nature and were once received as wild foods and wild medicines, by human beings.

When one remembers what to eat, in what season, and by what is available in nature, then one also begins to see the changes in what Mother Nature can offer as weather patterns shift. To truly understand the weather and the climate, one must return to nature. When one grows a garden and watches peas whither in the early spring heat, or the squash shrivel due to drought, or apple blossoms bloom too early, only to be killed by frost; when one mourns another season without fruit, one can no longer remove oneself from Mother Nature’s narrative.

As someone who gardens and forages, I feel a deep connection to the seasons and all their changes. I may not fully understand the magnitude of the impact of the seasons, but I feel the struggles of Mother Nature; she reminds me of my connection to her well-being. For me, the way I understand how I can be of service to healing the Earth means to first to live with and through Mother Nature’s cycles; to experience her cycles with all my senses; and to accept that to re-learn her ways, I must get away from the fluorescent lights and the straight, cropped garden rows, and bear witness to the messages found throughout the forest landscape.

I invite you to choose to get familiar with food and medicines that are in season and to embrace the cycle of seasonal changes. Then, and only then, can we truly remember how to love Mother Nature and steward the land in ways that can help us heal the planet and humanity.

Edible wild evening primrose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Tawny Stowe

 

Photo Credits:

Edible wild evening primrose photo: Tawny Stowe

Header Photo: Karl Heinz Muller, Unsplash

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Change is Constant

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Change is constant. We know this, but just how aware of change are we? If I asked you whether the moon was waxing or waning and at what time and where you would see it in your sky tonight, would you be able to answer without asking Google? The moon is a constant reminder of change. Each month, Moon guides us through a cycle of death and rebirth; she guides the oceans’ tides to ebb and flow and encourages our own inner waters to pause and stir. If we are unable to feel Moon, to notice her moods and offerings, then what else are we missing?

How attuned are we with the mice, the frogs, and the birds? Do we notice the native hare turning white in the way that we notice the leaves changing colour? Do we notice the shift from hearing singing robins to cawing blue jays? How often do we notice that the frogs have stopped serenading us and leaping about? These are ways that nature reminds us that change is constant. Yet, we seldom pause long enough to be with nature, let alone to pay attention to the implications of nature’s signals and reminders.

To me, understanding climate change is about reconnecting with ourselves. When I am in a constant state of doing, I disconnect from the earth. I run myself ragged with a constant state of busyness which begins to deplete my energy reserves. As my energy tank hits empty, I begin to push and berate myself for my lack of productivity. I begin to put eating and sleeping on the low-priority list, which perpetuates a cycle of distress, and leaves my body wide open for dis-ease.

The more dis-ease I feel, the poorer my choices become. I turn up less than a friend, a mother, a partner, and a community leader, and I become unavailable as a steward of the earth. When I lose my relationship with Earth, I lose my ability to heal. Healing with the earth is a relationship that requires presence—mine and Earth’s. When I am sick, so too are the plants and animals in my care. When I am well, I am supported by Earth’s rhythms and healing gifts.

Climate change, just like the moon’s cycles, is happening. You could debate whether climate change is a natural occurrence or man-made, but what you cannot deny, when you are one with the earth’s rhythms, is the feeling of a mother’s erratic heartbeat as she grieves, or the sight of seasonal changes in the plants and animals. And to see or feel these things, you must be present. Presence is impossible when you are in a constant state of motion. Presence requires slowing down and witnessing.

To find climate change is to learn the names of the 13 Moons, as spoken by Indigenous people in your area, and to witness the syrup run two weeks before its full moon or the blackberries ripen three weeks before their moon.

To find climate change is to notice, in your daily connection to the land, that the different black birds—crows, grackles, rusty blackbird, and redwing blackbird—have migrated 2 weeks earlier than usual.

To find climate change is to watch the frenetic pace at which mice and chipmunks forage, and the intensity of spiders eagerly trying to get indoors while it is still 30 degrees outdoors.

Change is constant, but if we have no awareness of what ‘constant’ even is—what it looks like and feels like—then we cannot possibly notice that it is change; therefore, making it easier to deny that we, as human beings, have any role in contributing to climate change or any need to help stop it. To be constantly unaware is like having a permission slip to ignore the aching heart of the earth. The price we pay is an aching in our own hearts. We are all connected, whether we want to be aware of the depth of our connection to each other or not. Where there are healthy people, there is a healthy natural environment. Regardless, the return to a healthy way of being must start with awareness—awareness of what is and what is not—and that can only happen when we reconnect to Earth’s rhythms of constant change.

 

By Tawny Stowe

(Photo Credit: Tawny Stowe)

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