Ancient Wisdom: Gifts of the Earth

Ninth Wave Arts welcomes Zacciah Blackburn of Sunreed, an accomplished and gifted intuitive, teacher, and sound healer, trained in classical healing, shamanic traditions and sacred sound cultures. He teaches internationally and practices in Vermont, USA, at Sunreed Center. 

We are sharing his wisdom through a series of articles. This one is continued from last month. Please check out our blog to see the ongoing series Ancient Wisdom: Gifts of the Earth.

The Opening - Personal Experience & The Stone Libraries

by Zacciah Blackburn

The Opening: Personal Experience

Our experiences with Earth Mysteries (mine, and those accompanying us, on these many passages into the Earth Mysteries) have continued to expand and unfold, as the Earth herself, as well as many of the ancient temple complexes, ceremonial sites, and natural power sites of the Earth, become Gateways into other realms of understanding, as well as other worldly experience in this physical reality.

For me, it began when I was 18 years old, and Ancient Ones from the Other Side began to speak out loud to me. It continued when I was 21, after an old and dilapidated house, I had lived in when I was 2-4 years old, began to 'show' me the ancient wounds of my childhood embedded in its walls. This caused an incredible cathartic healing process for me, entering deep states of realization and release of these deep wounds I carried, which, in the end, brought me into a direct experience of unified states of consciousness. I 'entrained' to the breath of the wind, the warmth of the sun, and the gentle rhythm of the grasses in the field I was sitting in, outside of this house, as I let go of 'all that was holding me back.' As I was about to get up and leave, a tree behind me, 'reached out' and touched me, saying, 'Wait, don't you remember me?' I did. It was an old mimosa tree I had loved and climbed and played in as a child. This extra-ordinary experience was followed by many others.

But the next one I wish to share is simply that of an Elder, here in Vermont, who suggested one day, as I was about to leave to climb a mountain, that what I really needed was to 'go to the canyon.' I didn't know what that meant, but she shared with me an ancient site, a natural power site, embedded with ancient knowledge, in the stones. It is a canyon/gorge we still use today in our sacred journeys to experience the living consciousness of the Earth, as it is a Living Vehicle to experience this through.

It taught me the living nature of the stones and waters, and trees, as more and more 'other world' experiences opened up to me. And, some early experiences where the Living Energies and Beings of the Earth Realms began speaking to me and guiding me into how to access and utilize the Living Energies of the Living Mystery, including the use of sound and consciousness to gather access to the wisdom contained in the Stones.

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The Stone Libraries

The Elders have always said the Stones, the Stone People, as they are called in our indigenous cultures, the Stone People are the Story Keepers for our People. I knew this, understood it, but in actuality it was only a 'cognitive' knowing. It was not until I began going to the ancient power sites, such as Black Mountain, here in Vermont, that the Stones began to speak and teach me ways of communing and understanding, which go beyond normal language and cognition.

Through these many years, the stories and experiences have grown. I now understand that there is more than the modern mind understands or can know through current applied sciences. There is more to the Mystery than the cognitive mind can ever grasp. Because it is beyond grasping. It is beyond normal ways of thinking, communing, or knowing. It requires right attitude, right relation, mindfulness, and awareness of the Living Principals of Light and Being within the Earth Realms. She, and her many Medicine Allies, Ancestral and Elemental Beings, and so many others, are Living Beings of Consciousness. However, the way they are perceived and communicated with, may be different than our normal Western Intelligence can comprehend. It certainly is, more often than not, going to be in language other than English. When we enter the feeling states, the visceral knowledge gained there can give far more insight. Though, there certainly can be experiences which are English based or in translation.

Through the years, the experiences have grown, and I now come to understand the Termas (hidden treasures) are everywhere, planted in the Seed of the Earth, the Ancient Stones, the Living Waters and Trees, the Animal Spirits, the Clouds and Sky, and the Ancient Temples of the Earth, living everywhere. We discover, over and over, each is able to awaken and speak to us, as we come into honoring and right relationship with the Living Consciousness of each with whom we wish to commune. The Ancient Ones living before us, knew this; and lived with, communed with, and consecrated many ancient sites with their own cultural wisdom. These are available to us, through the inherent nature and mysteries of the Living Earth, as a Living Part of the Living Mysteries of the Living Cosmos, and of All Creation, which resides in Harmonic Resonance One within the Other; in the fundamental and inherent nature of the Earth Sites, especially her 'Power Sites,' where the Living Energies of the Earth and the Cosmos are especially ripe and profuse; and, in the Ancient Libraries of Knowledge planted in many ancient temple sites of the Peoples of this Earth.

All are available to us. We simply need to understand the fundamental principles of accessing this Sacred Knowledge, and Way of Being. In actuality, it is through our Way of Being that we gain access to it. We, fundamentally, must come into authentic Resonance with it.

To be continued … stay tuned for more next month! 

Zacciah Blackburn

Zacciah shares authentic trainings in the nature of human consciousness, explorations into the Shamanic worlds of Earth Energies & awareness, and teachings on the nature of sound and sacred sound practices, as a therapeutic healing modality.  His in-depth understanding provides life transforming experiences into the authentic nature, being, and wellness of who we are as spiritual beings and how to develop that nature. 

You can find out more about his and his partner Dorothy Stone's work at: sunreedcenter.com