Invoking The Azure Dragon

“

"Invoking The Azure Dragon"
 mixed media collage 

4/26/2020

Annie B. Siemer 

'

Yesterday or the day before, I opened up one of my favorite books, Michael Drakes "Shamanic Drumming, Calling the Spirits" to this page (140). 

That has always been one of my personal ways of divination or receiving insight. I have heard others do that too, so...

"Dragon medicine represents wisdom, protection, magic, transformation, shapeshifting, and the inner knowing of the true self.

 Dragon's power is that of shedding it's skin and coming out as a new 

transformed being.  Dragon transmutes with the mastery of the infinite self, bringing us to the culmination of our multi-dimensional existance.

Dragon is among our strongest allies on the path of self realization

and offers us fierce protection".

 Michael Drake 

Anyway, I am asking    y'all to help me to 

Invoke the

 Azure Dragon

as an antidote, anti-viral, as the necessary 

salve 

for these times.

The Azure Dragon on the national flag of China during the Qing dynasty, 1889-1912

“Blue Dragons. ... Light blue dragons represent the vastness of the sky and flight, while dark blue dragons represent still, deep waters. Blue dragons are highly protective creatures and magical. Blue Chinese dragons are of the purest azure colors. They are a symbol of the East and are pacifying.”

this and bright yellow flag from China circa late 1800's are from wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azure_Dragon

The Cherokee Legend of Uktena

“Long ago -- hilahiyu jigesv -- when the Sun became angry at the people on Earth and sent a sickness to destroy them, the Little Men changed a man into a monster snake, which they called Uktena, "The Keen-Eyed," and sent him to kill her (the Sun). He failed to do the work, and the Rattlesnake had to be sent instead, which made the Uktena so jealous and angry that the people were afraid of him and had him taken up to Galunlati, to stay with the other dangerous things. He left others behind him, though, nearly as large and dangerous as himself, and they hide now in deep pools in the river and about lonely passes in the high mountains, the places the Cherokees call "Where the Uktena stays."
Those who know say the Uktena is a great snake, as large around as a tree trunk, with horns on its head, and a bright blazing crest like a diamond on its forehead, and scales glowing like sparks of fire. It has rings or spots of color along its whole length, and can not be wounded except by shooting in the seventh spot from the head, because under this spot are its heart and its life. The blazing diamond is called Ulun'suti -- "Transparent" -- and he who can win it may become the greatest wonder worker of the tribe. But it is worth a man's life to attempt it, for whoever is seen by the Uktena is so dazed by the bright light that he runs toward the snake instead of trying to escape. Even to see the Uktena asleep is death, not to the hunter himself, but to his family.
“The Uhktena are enormous creatures that live in the rivers and lakes of the great Ouascioto valleys and mountains (the Ohio Valley and Appalachians). The Uhktena come and go from this world to the underworld. They enter the underworld through caves that are found under the waters of rivers and lakes and also through certain entrances into the earth where there are springs.
The Uhktena have the body of a snake with very pretty and colorful circles all around their torsos. They also have wings like the great buzzard and horns upon their head like the great deer. Upon their forehead there is a special crystal which people prize because it has very special power over light and dark. This crystal is also a window into the future and the past.”

http://www.powersource.com/cocinc/articles/tlanuhwa.htm

these two also from wiki.....

Chinese National Emblem
1913-1928

and via this new project , I  found an amazing new (to me)  
Artist,

 one Rebecca WANG!!

https://www.psychedeliczen.com/


There are so very many linings nowadays y'all and there are so many more colors than silver.

NOW GO DO SOME ART

my favorite ballad writer....

Pride Cried/Proud Crowd 

"I can't call you from this place
To hear you say that I'm not your kind
It's a thin road before us, we're the wake left behind
It's sad and I fail to see what it had to do with you
And me
But I guess that's like wondering what's a point to a
Line
 

There must be something I wanted more than wanting your
Love
'Cause you stood in my doorway and I stood in my glove
Most afraid to follow, a kingdom my stride
It's so telling what won't live with hunger and pride.

I thought of you often but I never could tell you
The 'you' that I cherished, something hurt me so bad
A few had come close, I couldn't take them in either

I guess the distance between us was my love never had.
And though we live separate I keep two rooms open
One has you in it, the other does not
And I move in the middle, unsure and protected
And I trip on my rope, vaguely sensing I'm caught.

A friend tried to find me and saw through to my wheel
She said you're now on the bottom, it's either that or
The top
You can keep yourself tiny and bang on the big door
Or take the space saved for the queen of the hop
But you know queens have their problems too,
And my size won't stay static
I like to think I never was one for the hoop anyway
And then that night I dreamed again of the far side of
Nothing
And trembling with terror I chose to come back this
Way.

In the streets or the 'after,' in the churches or in
Memory,
The light that will guide you is the source of the
Flame
While stumbling the back alleys in search of right
Action
I fell and wept darkly and acknowledged your name
And the door to my prison dissolved right before me
But like a young fool I quick looked for a power to
Claim
And my wailing increased with the shock of the
Knowledge
That I often have needed something out there to blame.

I give up my fisted touch, my thoughts strong like
Fences
My totem-pole stature, body chipped to the bone
I'm nobody's saviour, and nobody's mine either
I hear the desert wind whisper "But neither are we
Alone."
Sure I long to ask how you're doing, if you got to the
Lightness
That you wanted so fiercely when we drifted that way
There's no telephones ringing now, but I feel something
Calling me
And I'm ready to go, I just need time to say

Hearts are like meadows, with their weathered potential
With their reasons diluted by reason itself
I may be shivering at the foot of this slow-giving
Mountain
But the tiny spring flowers can look just like you
And I won't ask the purpose of all of my footsteps
And I won't let my eyelids cast down
I am looking for something outside of forgiveness
You might call it the jewel of the crown."

Ferron 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QAaF8AmrZs

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVXq76emXDk


https://www.facebook.com/Ferron-and-her-All-Star-Band-1425533974136421/

Who knew....There really WAS something about Maria!

One of the things I have been doing lately is watching  black and white documentaries on Youtube.  I came across this earlier today (ahem) wrote what I thought was a good little post then..... and just lost the entire post with one mis-touch of one fat finger. So the gist or grist for the mill is:
 I have seen The Sound of Music since childhood like everyone else  , but I had NO idea about this story about the Von Trapps and specifically , Maria. 

I think it is very poignant for what is going on on Earth now....

Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q9UVRQ5gZ4&t=713s

 

"What should I do about the wild heart that wants to be free and the tame
heart that wants to come home? 

I want to be held. 

I don’t want you to come
too close.

 I want you to scoop me up and bring me home at night. 

I don't  want to tell you where I am. I want to be with you." 

Jeannette Winterson

6 years 6 months hairs standing up now....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZtv13a_2F0 

a Ferron song for Mary Ann

Mary Ann Crago was my boss at the Columbus Public Library 16 years ago and we are friends on facebook. We connected as  fellow "creatives" back in a time when my hometown was slowly transforming to be more like the culture I had loved and left on the west coast of California.  I Love her art and someday hope to be in a better place to be able to support it.  You can here : www.maryanncrago.com

Somehow through this corona insomnia I stumbled back upon this oh-so-very-poignant-still blog entry. Blogs are so many more things to me than most other folks.  It gave me chills to see that it is nearly spot on 6 years and 6 months ago...


http://maryann0094.blogspot.com/2013/10/long-lost-and-recently-found.html

THE BIG KAHUNA OF PRINE

Back in the fall of 1979 I left home for college and landed in a small college town in eastern Kentucky called Morehead. I was a softball and soccer athlete at Morehead State University there and had a fellow athlete/ resident advisor in  my Freshman dorm of Waterfield, named Del Jean Ross*.  She is the person who gave me the nickname "Annie B." as prior to that my name had been Anne.

She is also the person who (inadvertently) playing some 8 track or cassette at this or that after- practice -gathering or ride to the bootlegger, introduced me  to the music of John Prine long, long before I ever had my first "Illegal Smile".

Years later,  I sang and played guitar ( to the best of my ability)  to kids in Environmental Education/Outdoor Education campfires and programs and folks of all ages camping with friends and families at a few park campgrounds, my own little version of John's "Paradise". Thus the folk process.

It goes without saying that this laughing- spirit- singing -soul,  had a huge impact on us all, whether we know it or not...and his passing a few weeks back from complications with this corona madness has really floored so many, inspired so many,touched so many....bringing musical therapy to us all.

 This morning I found the Big Kahuna of youtube videos and its from my old town of Austin , Texas on one of the most influential tv music programs ever, Austin City Limits. Thank the Great -Spirit for PBS. Enjoy.

  RIP John Prine and Thank You.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QqcKpBD5bI

*also known as "D.J."

Yesterday In the Garden, today a new poem and I can't believe it's been 10 years. RIP Little Brother.

Truth and Beauty 

"I do not have to go
to Sacred Places
in far-off lands.
The ground I stand on
is holy.

Here, in this little garden
I tend
my pilgrimage ends.
The wild honeybees
the hummingbird moths
the flickering fireflies at dusk
are a microcosm
of the Universe.
Each seed that grows
each spade of soil
is full of miracles.
And I toil and sweat
and watch and wonder
and am full of love.
Living in place
in this place.
for truth and beauty
dwell here."

--Mary de La Valette

https://anniebsiemer.blogspot.com/2010/04/