bee with us
I have a history with bees. When I was a wee lass, I lived near a park that grew a lot of clover. Bees like clover and I liked to run bare foot through it. Neither of us was at fault, really, but I stepped on bees and they stung me. The first time, my foot swelled to an unnatural size. The second time, the swelling claimed foot and calf to the knee. The third time, my entire leg to the hip was swollen to the point that I couldn’t bend it nor use it to walk upon. *sigh*
When I reached the age of 17, I found myself on the island of Montserrat hiking through its lush country with a group of international girl scouts. We, evidently, disturbed a hive of bees and they swarmed us. As I was in the middle of the group, I pretty much got the worst of it. I was stung close to 100 times. I was sick for three days… in a tropical island paradise. Kinda.
You might imagine that by this point in my life, I had a rather well developed bee aversion and you’d be right. I wouldn’t kill bees, but I’d go a long way to avoid encountering them and I had a very physical reaction to their presence and to their sound. You know the one. The hair stands up on the back of your neck and your arms. Your breath gets a little tight in you chest and maybe you feel a little clammy… like you do when you’re figuring out if you really have to throw-up or not.
Older still, I was in the midst of studying intensively with a Native American teacher. I brought myself to ceremony on the Mountain, fasting and praying. On my first full day of this particular ceremony, I sang up the sun, barefoot and shivering slightly in cool morning still untouched by the sun’s warmth. As the light and warmth began to enfold the world around and within me, a honey bee landed on my foot. I was startled, I wasn’t looking at my feet. I was practicing my best lizard imitation, soaking up the sun and merging my awareness with the earth. Bees tickle when they walk on your feet… I didn’t want to move. After all, the Bee decided to come into my ceremony and teach me. It would be the height of rudeness to refuse the teaching and shoo her away. I really didn’t want to be the cause of her death if I startled her. So I deepened my breath and said good morning. The story is so simple, but so completely amazing in its perfection. The bee stayed, roaming over my feet and in and out between my toes for hours. She flew away, briefly, either to return herself or send one of her sisters back to me to continue this delicate healing between her nation and me. All day… until the light of the sun dimmed to darkness, these sweet sisters found my feet and blessed them.
I know now, so much more about them. They way they live and work together. That all of them are female but for the few male drones who fertilize their Queen. The perfection of the honeycomb. The extraordinary healing properties of honey. That they live on every continent and are vital to all of live on earth as the primary pollinators for the plant kingdom. They have been a sacred symbol of the Goddess for as long as history has been recorded. (http://ckuik.com/The_Honey_Bees)
When I first heard about colony collapse disorder – I felt as if my own people were threatened. We are, all of us, threatened by this… All my relations. We are all threatened. What could I do? How could I help?
(http://www.nappc.org/index.html)
I knew I could pray. I know that’s a “real world” effective action. I had the likeness of a honey bee tattooed on my foot and created the ceremony – every step I take for the rest of my life will be taken in honor and support of the Bee Nation.
My beautiful playmate in Spiritual-i-tease, created the sweet symbol of the Bee for our BeeLine. That line is dedicated not only to energetically supporting the restoration of the Bees, but to embracing the lessons they have to offer us. Harmony. Balance. Working together. Building Together. Healing. Dedicating Life to Sweetness and to the continuation of Life.
BLOGGER BIO
I began this life in what was at the time, Leopoville, Belgian Congo. (Currently it is Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.) I started early to study metaphysics in the form of Astrology at age 8 and had my first existential crisis at age 12. I also began to work with Tarot at about that age, though I don’t think that the two are related. I continued to be drawn to metaphysics in its many various forms. I studied “Trance Channeling” (which I now refer to as Mediumship) in the 1980s. It was in the 80s that I found myself a home at the Healing Light Center Church under the direction of Rev. Rosalyn L. Bruyere. My spiritual guidance gave me a lifelong gift when it led me to her doors. I have had the great honor and pleasure of working as her student for over 20 years now. Ordained first in the Universal Life Church, I then earned a degree in Hands on Healing (Energy Medicine) from the HLCC and years later was ordained again – this time as a Healing Light Center Church minister. I have always believed that God doesn’t care what you call her, as long as you call . The seminary program at the HLCC taught me to work in and honor many spiritual traditions – Christian, Jewish, Bon Po, Goddess, Wiccian, Egyptian and the ways of the Native Americans or the Red Road. I later spent several years exclusively following the Red Road and studying with a Native teacher. I call my ministry a Gypsy ministry as I simply go where I’m called.
Contact information for Christina:
Works of Light (& Spiritual-i-tease, Inc.)
(661) 433-2700
Works-of-Light@earthlink.net
www.worksoflight.com and www.spiritual-i-tease.com
LOVE THIS STORY! This is a lovely example of what it means to have a mythic imagination. I am always telling my dreamers that it’s not what we do “about” our fates–it’s what we do “with” them. Thank you for this beautiful, mythic story.
Wow. Thanks Renee!!! A Mythic Imagination, I’m so excited
Blissings!
Christina
What a great story Christina. I can see the bees of your story in my mind’s eye and am so glad that they brought you a new outlook that is so in tune with nature. Bees are a wonderful part of our beautiful world and should be savored. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ABSOLTUELY beautiful.. just beautifully written and expressed… I have a bee tattoo on my inner wrist..symbolizing an experience I had with Goddess and the bee… amazing .. love this!!
My pleasure, Julie! Thanks for checking in
Shanti,
How Glorious. Goddess Bless! <3
Christina, what a wonderful share! I love how you and your Bee(s) were able to transform your relationship,into something treasured. You are a great example of someone really committed overcoming her past! What lessons Nature has, just waiting for us to learn…
Blessed Bees!
Beautiful story, honey. Bees still scare the hell out of me, being allergic as well. You’re a better woman than me, facing your fear of them!
Linda… Yes!!! Blessed Bee.
Kimi my love, In the movie, “The Secret Life of Bees” there is a wonderful scene where August teaches Lilly that all you have to do is love the Bees…
Fear just gets all of us all riled up… all the time.