My 12 month angel card spread card for January was ‘Find the Blessing’ and that is precisely what I did at New Years.

Going 4×4 off road driving is not my idea of bliss (too hard to read a book) but I love camping, so I was looking forward to going to the 4×4 park to camp never-the-less.  The whole journey just reminded me to Trust that everything happens for a reason, and the reason for this trip was to reignite my passion for and desire to protect Indigenous culture.

When we arrived I asked if there was a spot we could camp so I wouldn’t have to worry about my small toddlers, who, if I relaxed even for a moment, consumed in a book, could run very fast and find themselves swept away in the river. They suggested we camp down by the spectacle lakes (in the Murray River region of South Australia), which were shallow and only waist height at the deepest centre.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled. When we arrived, there was only two other campers in the vicinity. We had this pristine, beautiful sanctuary to ourselves, to enjoy as we saw in the beginning of 2017.

It had gone from being a trip I was not thrilled about to finding my little piece of solitude and sanctuary in nature’s heaven (literally as we soon found out).

I couldn’t believe no one camped at the lakes – that everyone camped in the family camping area or along the river but we soon found out why.

Aboriginal Sacred Burial Grounds

My husband brought his hobby remote control car and was loving taking it (and my son) to the untouched sandhills behind our campsite to play with his car. We were telling a staff member how he had used the sandhills to play with the hobby car – and how he liked them because they didn’t have any 4×4 ruts in them… and we were told we should not be using those sandhills, because they were Aboriginal sacred burial grounds!

We were floored.

Had he known he would have never gone upon sacred burial grounds (nor had there been a sign keep out). It made sense why they didn’t usually let the public use the lakes to camp, because they would ultimately use the nearby sandhills (for toileting/exploring etc.). They only opened them up for us because it had recently flooded and many of the regular camping grounds were out of use.

I said to my husband I would ask the spirits for our forgiveness (and to forgive the traditional custodians who had been disconnected from the site and therefore were unable to protect it) and I felt at peace because we would ‘leave no trace’ and respect the lands we camped on.

I just felt really blessed to be one of the few who was able to experience that area, where Aboriginals would have sat with their families in times past, looking up at the same skies and scenery we were devouring those nights we stayed:

Being at one with nature, with the animals and the environment, only taking what they needed from the land, and placing their loved ones to rest nearby. It really was a sacred site and a beautiful spot and a special way to spend the New Year with my family.

We were up talking and looking up at the stars on the 1st of the 1st and my husband opened the flap of the drink holder in the camping chair and pulled out a fossil.

A rock my son had brought back from those sacred sandhills during the day.

Whatever that fossil or that rock was or had in it was a reminder for us from the spirits, that this is not our land, the original owners of Australia are in the earth around us.

We Are Lucky To Be In Australia

We are lucky to be in Australia – such a lucky country in the Western world, with free health care and financial support for the unemployed, elderly, carers and students. There is no point complaining about how bad things are, the fact is we are very lucky, to be alive, to be camping on these lands that belonged to Indigenous people for thousands of years.

I don’t agree with what we did to settle in Australia. It was not me, but I bear the guilt of our past. I can’t imagine the genocide and pain Indigenous people went through, children being stolen from their families (and in many cases abused in institutions), beliefs and cultures being squashed like ants by an unenlightened toddler.

To me we go on about the world wars and the evil that was Hitler, but what we did to the Indigenous people in Australia (and many other countries) was far worse.

I personally can never identify with the Christian institutions because of what was done to Indigenous people in Australia. As an archetype Jesus may be the man of love and forgiveness but when politics uses a deity in the name of killing and conquering I think the religion is ultimately tainted.

The teachings can’t contradict the practice; you can’t preach what you don’t practice.

I see Australia Day as Sorry Day. Sorry we took your land, your culture and your practices and destroyed them because we thought our way and beliefs were better, more progressive. I think we are ultimately headed back to the spiritual teachings of archetypes and deities from all religions and mythologies, including Indigenous, to show us how to live interconnected and interdependent in the World, to give us meaning beyond materialism.

Knowing The Past Is Important As A Reminder

I think this New Year was a reminder that knowing the past is important (not to repeat the mistakes of the past), a reminder how blessed we are right now (in the time and place in history we are in), and to be excited for what the future might hold if we rise up and create a world we want to live in.

When we find the blessing in the past, we are able to transcend the lesson, and create a beautiful future for all beings in the Universe.

Recognise The Blessing

The angel card ‘find the blessing’ is about recognising the blessing in order to accelerate healing and future manifestations.

We are at a unique time in history where we need to acknowledge the darkness in the collective past but we need to recognise the blessing in what we have right here right now – the technology of modern culture, the access to information and worldwide spiritual teachings, the access to food and clean water – in order to heal the past and to start manifesting for the future.

We don’t want to lose the cultures and the wisdom of the ages. We don’t want to destroy the planet we live in, in pursuit of meaninglessness. We don’t want some people to go without basic needs – food, shelter and clean water (when we have more than enough to share).

We need to heal the hurts of the past and focus on manifesting the future that we collectively desire for our children and our children’s children.

For a further great reading on the history and difference between the indigenous and non-indigenous meaning of death in Australia: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/SydLawRw/1998/3.html

Join Me In Learning From A Different Deity Or Archetype Each Month

So each month in 2017 I have a deity or archetype I am going to learn from. This month (January), is Krishna, teaching us to ‘find the blessing’.

Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the three Hindu gods who oversees and protects the Earth.

I don’t know much about Krishna but I am excited to learn. I love learning stories, teachings and mythologies from different ages, cultures and religions.

Why not use 2017 to learn about the spirituality and the teachings of our ancestors so we can learn from history, find the blessing and relevance in their teachings right now, and create a future we all want to live in, a world where we revere the teachings of all beings and connect with the essence in all of us.

Do you have a God/ Goddess/ Archetype/ Angel/ Religion or Culture you are interested in that you could investigate their mythology this month? If not, feel free to take the journey with me and learn about Krishna. Please share what you learn with me!