Following are edited extracts from a letter by Kuuyux and a video called Wisdom Weavers of the World. Kuuyux, an Aleut elder, gathered a small group of indigenous elders from around the world to share their wisdom with each other and with us. As I watched the 10 minute video, I was especially struck by how similar and consistent as well as filled both with warnings and hope their messages are – whether they come from Kyrgyzstan, Hawaii, Ecuador, Australia, or any other place.

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As the whirlwind grows and gets stronger, stay in your center. Because when you get caught up in the whirlwind, it will be difficult to get out of it. Stay in your center, no matter what happens around you.

Know that fear will only fuel the pandemics of the world and anything else that we choose to focus on in reaction to events in our lives. The elders say fear is the most powerful form of praying for things you don’t want.

This pandemic is causing us to slow down in many ways in order to listen to the inner voice. It is causing us to slow down to Mother Earth’s pace so that we can hear what she is saying.

The elders say the women are going to take the lead during this time. The men are to support the sacred space of women so that they can do their work.

We must dream the world we wish to see. To do this requires great courage to trust in ourselves, our fellow humans who dare do the same, in life, in the universe, and the Great Spirit that Lives in All Things.

Humanity has a chance to turn and the turn depends on each one of us, on our ability to open our hearts and to inspire others to open their hearts.

Every one of us has everything we need in order to love. And love means not judging but rather seeing behind the veil and into this incredible being that we each are. It’s so incredible that I don’t even have words for it. But I see it.

Drop into your heart and ask your heart what it is that you are to be doing – or not doing. Our hearts feel and know what we must do.

Give priority to what your own heart tells you. The heart exists in the infinite present moment. If you are present in this moment, in your heart, and trust, all will take care of itself.

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Photo by Barbara by the fire in our backyard.
It wasn’t until the next day when I looked at the photos on my computer that I saw the heart.
It’s also a Wabi-Sabi Desktop image entitled Openness.