Recently, I saw the film, The Revenant, with Leonardo Decaprio (who shared an award with the First Nation’s people who acted in the film) and it reminded me a bit of one of my favorite films, The New World. Before I watched The New World I had no idea it was the story of Pocahontas (I will watch any movie by Terrence Malick). And just like in the film, The Revenant, I had no idea there would be profound messages by First Nation’s people in the narrative (it’s certainly not mentioned in the marketing campaign). There’s a beautiful documentary about the making of the film (which is based on a book that is a true story) and the destruction of Native American land, their environment and way of life in Canada where the film takes place.
Hollywood does have the capacity once in a blue moon to surprise you, even in the midst of the #OscarsSoWhite movement (not a single person of color was nominated for a 2016 Oscar). In 1951 Sacheen Littlefeather refused to accept the Best Actor Oscar Award on behalf of Marlon Brando because of the treatment of Native American people in Hollywood and the media. It must have been an incredible moment in time. In the spirit of Brando, Dicaprio recently donated money to the First Nation’s many causes. Brando was doing his part – which even today would have ruffled feathers.
As an artist who is well aware of how little love Native Americans get, I feel no shame in sharing my love of the Great Spirit and Mother Earth. My personal spiritual path is all over the place, from chanting Hindu prayers like the Gayatri Mantra, meditation, yoga, to Ayahuasca ceremonies (Peruvian and Brazilian, both very different). However, Lakota sweat lodge ceremonies with my local Taino community is by far my favorite way to connect to nature and Great Spirit. The time has come for more of these teachings to reach the masses. The Hopi Elder prophecies are incredibly profound and this statement inspired me to write a song I perform with my band Dream Circle. Also one of our next documentary projects, “The Grandmothers Speak” (which is turning out to be almost like a ‘Time is Art’ sequel in a sense) is inspired by these teachings.
If you ever have the chance try a sweat lodge ceremony, take my word for it, you will be transformed!
A Message from the Elders, Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation:
“You have been telling people that this is the eleventh hour.
Now you must go back and tell people that this is the hour!
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your Garden.
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to yourself.
And not look outside of yourself for a leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing very fast.
It is so great and fast that there are those who will be afraid.
They will hold on to the shore.
They will feel that they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know that the river has its destination.
The elders say that we must let go of the shore,
push off into the middle of the river,
keep our eyes open,
and our heads above the water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time we are to take nothing personally,
least of all, ourselves.
For the moment that we do,
our spiritual growth comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones that we have been waiting for.”
Evolve and Ascend is a creative collaboration expanding into the collective consciousness. Providing initiation through the art of conversation, and progression through unlearning. Their Youtube chaneel features interviews from their Liberation Frequency podcast, as well as promotional videos for our upcoming events/webinars, guided meditations, animations, and in-house produced content on all matters relating to our conscious evolution.
Our interview with host, Jennifer Sodini, explores synchronicity, consciousness, and what a new paradigm of society could look like if we followed the “Time is Art” ethos. Please support the film now on Indiegogo!
For those looking to learn more about the film you can check out other Sync Movie crew members on these shows:
Katy Walker & Joel Mejia on Midwest Real podcast with Michael Phillip Nocturnal Frequency Radio ‘Down the rabbit hole with Katy Walker’
Maia Monasterios discusses synchronicity & Time is Art on Being Community Radio
via Sophia Love In order for the system to change without the display of power and weaponry typically used, a complete alteration of power is necessary. Today the majority understands power as force, as might, as guns and the ability to use them. What is on our “side”, the “side” of peaceful revolution, is that what is also held deeply as a universal principle is magic.
Magic is merely the manipulation of matter in atypical ways. This can be accomplished with a being who understands the art of the dream. It is intention and expectation. It demands clarity and purity – the very things that have attempted to be muddled with this experiment. Foods, media, religions and education have taken hold and forced it out of you – instilling instead ideas around power that include superiority, competition and brute force.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Think Gandalf. There are legends in our culture that continue because within them is held the seed of truth – a mystical, internal force overpowers brute force every time. That internal force is one you hold.
To answer the question (How do we accomplish the shift without violent revolution?) will sound circular. Yet it is known to you because it also holds truth. Maintain an internal focus. Let everything you do allow the further development of clarity. The food you eat and practices you engage in either support or suppress internal strength. Choose consciously.
The movement from guns will happen when fear abates. In order to stop the fear we’ll have to replace it with a sense of power – IM-powerment.
There is no mystery that cannot be solved within the language and legends of our culture. Look carefully at what has been more typically laughed at or judged irrelevant for clues. There we will discover treasure and useful information.
Again, it is collaboration and unity that will render any show of military force null. If everyone is on board, the takeover will be ONE seamless, choreographed movement.
You are convinced that the severity of your actions is an indication of how barbaric or civilized you are. What is civilization really? Is it the degree of conveniences available to the common man? Is it, or rather, isn’t it instead supposed to be, the hallmark of advancement? We label superiority of civilization very specifically. It has to do with how much is physically available to plug in or turn on.
Civilized “superiority” in its true sense, is a much different attribute. There are small groups of “uncivilized” humans in isolated pockets who are made up of enlightened people. We may not understand their individual practices or way of living, yet it springs essentially from respect and honor for life – all life.
They do not subscribe to waste; all parts of the vegetation, animal and human are sacred and equally utilized. If there are no libraries filled with literature that just means the art of verbal communication is utilized instead.
The notion that whole groups of humans must be aware of the actions of every other group of humans stems from ego. It is born out of self importance. What someone has to say about nuclear physics has no effect on the talent of the master fisherman. Each adds value to life as a whole. The relative intelligence of one does not depend on its awareness or knowledge about the mechanics of both.
via Sophia Love
The force with which you live your life very much imitates the depth of feeling held regarding liberation. Those who consider themselves to be tightly shackled will not move around much – either figuratively or physically. They will tend to conform – only going places in their minds and with their bodies that are “allowed” or “suggested” by the ones doing the shackling.
A glance at the population gives you a clear picture of which ones of us are in fact unchained. If we take this vision to an extreme – it will show us something quite disturbing to accepted belief systems.
Those among us labeled “crazy” are perhaps in a very real sense the freest of all. They follow none of the rules. Entire industries have grown up around conformity, subjugation, ownership and obedience. These would be our schools, judicial systems, police forces and governments. Each upholds the idea of a specific state of being, level of loyalty, body of answers or behavior as mandatory for acceptance into polite society.
We are conditioned to conform – keeping a watchful eye on each other to see that those who step out of line are obvious and noticed. These behaviors demonstrate weakness, jealousy and dependence, not strength. They are indicative of some very human emotions and not those of an omnipotent being.
The creator has no needs and therefore makes no demands of creation – merely wishing it to thrive. If there was such a thing as “sin” it would be something that prevented that from happening.
Time is Art 