waterfall – THIS HAPPENED

"why are we here?" i ask Shiva as we stand in the long shadows of
the early evening. He has brought us to the field by the old house
in the far north carolina mountain countryside where we lived years
ago. i miss that rustic lifestyle now, living in a nursing home.

Shiva hands me a woven basket. "let's go gather some dhatura
flowers for the Shivling," He says. there's a healthy stand of dhatura
bushes growing near the end of the field where the mountain begins to
rise up to the sun. they are large sturdy plants, some about as tall as
my shoulders. the rough, jagged, dark green leaves surround the medium-sized
pale lavender trumpet-shaped flowers. there are many lush & glowing
flowers standing out palely in the dusky dim light of twilight. the
blossoms will bloom throughout the night, & then wilt by morning, repeating
the same process each night all through fall, even into the frost. they are
hardy survivors, these wild dhatura stramonium bushes. yet the
flowers delicately allure, & Shiva loves them to be nearby,
these curious ghostly wildflowers, mystical & oddly scented.

we carefully remove the trumpet blossoms from the bushes' branches.
the plant is strongly green-smelling, definitely a wild scent: nothing
is cultivated here! as darkness falls, Shiva & i carry our
dhatura flower baskets up to the woods close to the waterfall.
we each fill a flask from the waterfall to pour on the chosen stone,
which is a tall husky one, & it loves being cleansed & sanctified.
we place the dhatura flowers on Shiva's favored stone, which is thrilled,
happy indeed, for Shiva Himself is here, placing His own hands on
this new Shivling. the stone becomes so filled with healing that miracles
of everyday blessing move closer. mist from the waterfall adds a
dreamy touch to our worship. it sets a hallowed & blessed mystic mood.

we softly begin singing bhajans & mantras, & the raccoons come
now to join us because they love our singing. next, a fox & a young
bear amble over, & the flying squirrels sail overhead, soon joined
by the pair of small warbling owls who grace the cool night with their strange song.

Shiva & i sit by the sacred Shiva lingam, which is richly
decorated with many dhatura blossoms. moonlight now shines down
upon us all, highlighting the beauty of the natural Shiva
lingam & its blossoms. the animals are all gathered around us
as we sing the ancient praise songs of the holy guardian beings,
affirming their on-going magical presence, encouraging them.

Shiva gazes over at me & winks. i wink back. "I brought you here,"
says Shiva finally, "to show you that you have been following me
for your whole life without realizing it. you have cherished my things:
the wild places, the animals, the mystery of consciousness,
the open sky, the mountain you stand upon, the dhatura flowers."
Shiva regards me warmly. "you are mine, made of my own true essence.
our destinies are entwined." we fall silent & bemused, opening
to the timely new awareness now spreading its roots down deep within.

the dhatura blossoms keep on releasing their subtle consciousness
altering pheromones. Shiva & we, His charges, share communion.
the night is young & blessed by Shiva to heal all who yearn for wholeness.

empress creek begins as a spring beneath a boulder in the dell above the bluff. it cascades down the worn stone face of the bluff & becomes empress waterfall, flowing as creek down to the valley. this is the place where i am called to honor the old earth mother. at high-water times the waterfall roars & surges down the bluff, overflowing the banks as the stream rushes on. in low-water times the flow trickles down the face of the bluff with hardly a sound, though the cool air still kisses my face & birds come to drink water. one summer between high-water & low, i am called to the creek to place a clear crystal the length of my hand into the water. this crystal is being cleansed & dedicated to the mother here at the foot of the small mossy boulder standing as a guardian. the boulder abides as high as my chest, as broad as it is tall, covered in emerald moss that sparks with bright diamonds of water. i see the salamander now, small as the tip of my finger, glowing bright ruby red, resting on the thick carpet of moss, regarding me with gleaming eyes: here is the mother, observing! i expand beyond the human realm, gaze as if from high above upon this holy emissary, the fire salamander, sharing in its alchemy. a hand divine touches me in this intimate domain of trees & flowing water, boulders ranked like soldiers standing tall. all of life has gathered up its potency to send this jeweled messenger, whom i thank with humility. empress creek holds us both in misty air beneath the canopy of the noble watchful trees. the private holy moment, itself a wordless prayer, holds me open & enraptured here in the warmth of the day under the flickering leaves like fingers stroking the air. Shiva, You gave me this, long before i knew Your name or how to discern the sweet fragrance of Your hidden essence enfolding me. although i served the mother then, she naturally led me to You. You are my holy love, my mighty only love & i will sing my songs to You, for You fill my heart so full it's overflowing. all that once seemed so separate now reveals its true connection.