Daniel Llanes

Daniel Llanes recently traveled to Russia with StarBridge, a group of Russian and American artists, mystics, and healers who, like many others, are creating a cultural and spiritual bridge of conciousness around the world. It is widely recognized that the 3 weeks between August 18 and September 10 of this year were pivotal for the spiritual development of Russia, and consequently, the world. A Circle Gathering was performed there during this time. The following is a reflective dialogue from Mr. Llanes experience of the symposium presented by the Theosophical Society in Moscow September 8, 1998.

A Language Beyond Words

by Daniel Llanes

The world’s consciousness has shifted many, many times over the centuries. Today in the world of duality we find culture that integrates with nature and culture that separates itself from nature. When actually everything is a parallel of consciousness that integrates itself with nature and reaches to the Cosmos through the Earth to be integrated with all things.And that part of culture that separates from nature is out of balance with it and lives only in part of this body. Days before I came to Russia and elder in Texas reminded me of this. He reminded me that the culture that separates from nature embraces the concept of, “I think, therefore, I am.” And the culture that embraces the concept of “I Am that I Am” is the one that integrates with nature. And that is to say that we as individuals and as a collective consciousness must live and be in our entire bodies, not only in part of our bodies. And this is the thrust of the “I Am” which all Earth cultures have maintained and continue.

In my work I strive to help individuals experience an integration with all things. I call this coming together a Circle Gathering which is a contemporary and universal re-creation of ancient transformational rituals that have been in existence for thousands of years. Utilizing earth culture archetypes through dance, music, poetry, ritual, and song, the experience is somewhere between a party and a ceremony. In the Circle Gathering, people come together with love and intent to create a healing energy vortex that is fun, profound, and joyous, and is beneficial to the participants, the community and the planet.

As I have traveled , I have come to understand that all cultures and all people who integrate and feel themselves as part of nature really are of the same world, the same consciousness. Because we are all leaves on the same tree, deriving our life from the Sun and Earth. So while I was conducting a Circle Gathering in Russia recently I came to the realization that what seems to be a crisis situation in Russia is an outward reflection of what is happening all over the world. And I would say that it is happening within each one of us as well. So this is the reason that I knew why I went there and did the ceremony. By raising a joyful sound and by dancing and by coming together with love and intent we not only harmonized our personal self with nature, but we harmonized our community and our entire consciousness.

Below is a poem inspired by and written during the symposium by a participant, Folk healer Ivan Lyachov, Dr. of Philosophy, professor, and president of the Philosophical Association of Moscow.

Standing in the hall of Nature
Under heaven full of sun,
We are bathing in the radiance
Of one Spirit, Soul, and Heart.

Being all just Nature’s children,
We unite in joyful rite,
And America with Russia
Lift their life to cosmic height

From us Russians,
from our common, united Heart

From this experience I reaffirmed to myself, I Am that I Am. I am grateful to the Creator within me who brought me here safely to this place. And I felt absolutely wonderful to experience the Russian energy in the sacred circle. I am so gald of who I am and where I came from and the tales about what kind of Indian I am. And I’m proud of my heritage, but beyond my ethnic and cultural identity, I am first a human being, and I am happy and delighted to be amongst other human beings. And I always look for the Universality in all of us as human beings instead of the differences. Even though we need translators to speak, the language of the body and the language of music needs no translator. And it is in my culture as a person of native origin in America that dance and music and art are integral to spiritual and cultural expression. And for me the greatest church is the Earth and Sky, and the greatest prayer is the laughter of our children, the songs and the dances, and the wisdom of our Elders in wonderful stories.

The people in Russia were very curious about who I was and where I came from . I explained that I came from land called Texas, but before it was called Texas it was known as Mexico, and before it was Mexico it was known as A’tzlan, and before it was A’tzlan, it was called A’nauac. This identity goes back two thousand years.

I furthered explained that today, as a citizen of the United States I consider myself an American, and but actually, I consider myself first of all a human being. Now, my ethnic identity is Chicano. Chicanos are American Indians Of Spanish and Mexican Indian origin. They are one of the largest indigenous groups in the North America, though not so readily thought of as such. We long ago were assimilated into the main stream American culture. There are many indigenous groups who still retain their particular Indian identity. And maybe because of Hollywood and movies you know this image best. But Chicanos and other indigenous groups do not necessarily live in teepees on reservations or separate from the rest of the mainstream American culture. And all of us are part of American culture. We are lawyers, gardeners, doctors, maids, artists.

In 1992, on Columbus Day, October 12, all native peoples of both Americas, from Canada to Argentina, celebrated five hundred years of dignity and resistance from the occupation of European invasion. And life, democracy and freedom, freedom of all people even in America is still unfolding. So we have general peace in our land. We don’t have wars like you have here, but we still as a culture strife, pains, occasional rebellion, and so on. But the wonderful thing is that we are still here. And I’m so happy that here in Russia you have this love for Native Culture in America. It’s amazing! I say this to you because as a human being born in the United States, my culture identity is made up of all the influences in America. So I not only ride a horse and wear feathers, but I also have a great car, a home, and I use a computer. So you see, Native American, Russian American, German American, Tarter Russian. We are now in the time and age when we’re understanding that we are human beings first.

Later, in the celebration we sang a song trilogy:“The Laughing Indian”, “No more Wars”, “Let’s hope it’s Love”. The first song was about a specific conflict between people. And The second song was about conflict in the whole world, about wars in general. The third song was actually about the War within each one of us. And about the conflict we face within ourselves and each other personally everyday. Because everyday we can choose to fight with each other or to love each other. And let’s hope it’s love. This is the name of the third song

“Let’s hope it’s Love.”

The War is inside
Each one of us.
We each decide.
Each time we meet
Face to face,
Heart to heart
We each decide
to Love
or
fight-
Let’s hope it’s Love.

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Index by Author | Index by Topic | Service Directory | Calendar of Events | Horoscopes

Email: Phone: 713.526.8822 or 1.800.640.5191

Mail: P. O. Box 540444, Houston, TX 77254

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