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To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.sufi,alt.islam.sufism,alt.religion.gnostic,talk.religion.newage,talk.religion.misc,alt.religion.shamanism,alt.consciousness.mysticism From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) Subject: CWoodsong: Jumping Mouse Date: 12 Sep 1997 13:31:24 -0700 [from tariqas@world.std.com: yondanoota@juno.com (Carol Woodsong)] Oh, i love this invitation to share! What follows is a (rather long)story that definately opened something within me--- a re-cognition, i suppose -- of this Being-ness-- we are. <><><> Jumping Mouse--- a Story of Awakening to Self This is an ancient story-- timeless, universal. I am adapting here, a version of the story as told by a Cheyenne Medicine teacher, and retold countless times in the playing out of our individual lives. <><> Once, there was a mouse. This particular Little Mouse was very busy doing all the things that mice seem to busy themselves with. She would scurry here and there, touching her whiskers to the grass-- looking. But once in a while Little Mouse would hear something strange and distant. This sound from far away was a sound she had never known before. Sometimes she would lift her head squinting hard to see-- wondering. Curious, one day she asked another mouse in her mouse village if he could hear the strange sound she heard, "Brother, do you hear that roaring in your ears?" "No," said the other mouse, not bothering to lift his head from the ground. "I am very busy," he said scampering off into the woods. Little Mouse asked another, "Do you hear a roaring in your ears?" "What! What is wrong with you?" was the question that did not wait for an answer. And the other mouse continued on her way. So Little Mouse went back to her mouse business, trying to forget the matter of this strange far-away sound. But still, this roaring, ever so faint, was there! One day she decided to go off by herself to investigate. The other mice were so very busy, they never even noticed when she wandered away--- just a little ways, from mouse village. And there, by herself, she listened. There it was again! "Hello, little sister," the Voice said. Mouse was shocked, wanted to run away! "Whoo.... who are you?" she finally asked timidly. "I am Brother Raccoon. What are you doing here all by yourself, Little Mouse?" Raccoon asked. Little Mouse, shyly put her whiskers down near the ground. "I hear a roaring in my ears. I am investigating," she answered quietly. Raccoon sat down next to Little Mouse and explained that the roaring she heard was the River. "What is a river?" asked Little Mouse so curious she seemed to forget her fear. "Walk with me and I will show you, Little sister," said Raccoon. Little Mouse was still very frightened, but she wanted to know about this roaring and thought that she might even ask Raccoon to return to the mouse village with her and show the other mice that there really was a roaring. They would surely believe a Raccoon! "I will walk with you, Brother Raccoon," said Little Mouse. And they began their journey together toward the River. And so it was that Little Mouse followed Raccoon to the River. Closely she followed, so as not to lose her way. Oh, how her little heart pounded not only with fear, but with excitement too! She was going to the River! They traveled through many unfamiliar places, places Little Mouse had never seen. She smelled the scent of many that had gone this Way. As they traveled closer to the River, the sound grew ever louder. Finally, they came to the magnificent River! It was absolutely breathtaking! "It is... powerful!" Little Mouse said unable to find the words to describe what she was feeling inside. "Yes. It is a great thing," said Brother Raccoon. "But, let me introduce you to a friend." Out in a calm place in the River was a Frog sitting upon a lily pad. Frog called his greetings to Little Mouse, "Welcome to the River." "I must leave you now," said Raccoon, "but do not fear, Frog will take good care of you." Raccoon started off along the riverbank looking for food to wash and eat. Little Mouse walked to the edge of the River and looked into it. What she saw was a frightened mouse looking back at her. "Who are you?" Little Mouse asked the reflection. "Aren't you afraid being so far out in the great River?" "No," answered the Frog, "I am not afraid. I am well suited to live both above and within the water. When the world is Green, I am the Keeper of the Water." "Wow!" was all the little mouse could say. "Would you like some Medicine power, little sister?" asked the Frog. "Medicine power? Me?", asked Little Mouse. " Why Yes, please!" "Then crouch as low as you can, and then jump as high as you are able! You will have your Medicine," said the Frog. So, Little Mouse did exactly as she was instructed. She crouched very very low and then with all her might she jumped up high! When she jumped, her eyes saw something more powerful than the River. Little Mouse saw in an instant the Sacred Mountain. She could hardly believe her eyes. But, then she fell right into the River! This frightened her and she became angry. "You have tricked me," Little Mouse screamed at the Frog. "But, wait... you are not harmed. Let go of your anger and fear. And tell me, what did you see?" asked Frog calmly. "I ... I saw the Sacred Mountains," answered Little Mouse letting go her angry and fear just a little. "And you have a new name!" Frog said. "Your name is now Jumping Mouse." "Oh, thank you" cried Jumping Mouse. "I must return to the mouse village and tell all my people of this wonderful adventure!" "Go then," answered Frog. "You will find the village of the mouse people by keeping the sound of the Medicine River to the back of your head. Go opposite the sound." So Jumping Mouse returned to mouse village and tried to tell the others of what had happened. But who would listen to a wet mouse? -- afterall, there was no rain, it was impossible for mouse to be wet unless she had been taken into the mouth of another animal and spit out again! That settled it. She must be poison! They were frightened of Jumping Mouse. They would not hear her story. Little Mouse tried to live among her people in mouse village, but things were different. She was different! And she could not forget her vision of the Sacred Mountain. The image burned in her heart and mind... until one day she had to go the edge of the River place again. But this time there was no Raccoon waiting... And there she was. Jumping mouse stood on the edge of the prairie and looked all around her. Above were many many spots. She knew these spots in the sky were eagles. She knew that leaving mouse village was a dangerous thing to do. And this time there was no Raccoon here to help her. This time there was no path for her to follow. But Jumping Mouse knew she had to leave. As fast as she could, her little heart pounding with excitement and fear, she ran, ran, ran out across the open prairie! Jumping Mouse ran and did not stop until she came to a place of sage. Safe now, she rested. She looked around at this wondrous place! So many seeds to eat, oh and nesting material and many things to do! "Welcome to my home," said an older mouse. "Oh, hello," said Jumping mouse. "What a great mouse you are. And oh, what a wonderful place this is! The eagles cannot see you here?" "You are safe from eagles here," said old mouse. "And look, you can see all the beings of the prairie from here: Buffalo, elk, rabbit, and coyotes! You can see them all from here and you can know their names. " Jumping Mouse was amazed. Old Mouse knew the names of all the beings! "Why I bet you can see the great River and the Sacred Mountain from here too!" Jumping Mouse said excitedly. "Well," Old Mouse answered. "Certainly you can see the great River from this place, but I am afraid that the Sacred Mountain is only a myth. Please don't trouble yourself with such dreams as Sacred Mountains. Stay here with me in this beautiful place." Jumping mouse wondered to herself how anyone could say such a thing! The vision of the Sacred Mountain was ... well, it just was... so deeply within her now. "Thank you for your kindness, Old Mouse," said Jumping Mouse. "But I must leave now to seek the Sacred Mountain." "You are a foolish little mouse," said Old Mouse. "It is not safe out there! The eagles will find you and eat you!" Jumping Mouse did not want to leave and she was still frightened. But she had to go. Gathering all her courage, she again ran out onto the prairie. She ran and ran feeling the shadow of the spots, eagles in the sky above her. The ground was rough, but she was determined! Finally she came to a place of chokecherries. She looked around. There was fresh water, and cherries and seeds to eat and a great many things to gather. Jumping Mouse was busy exploring this new place when she heard heavy breathing. She investigated the sound and came upon a huge mound of hair with great black horns! What a magnificent creature this was! "Hello, my sister," said Buffalo. "Thank you for visiting me." "Hello, Great Being. Why are you lying here?" asked Jumping Mouse. "I am sick and dying," answered Buffalo. "There is only one thing that can save me. It is the eye of a mouse. But, there is no such thing as that out here on the prairie!" Jumping Mouse was amazed. Wondering how her little eye might save such a magnificent creature as this, Jumping Mouse wandered off back to the Chokecherries. There she again heard the labored breathing of the Buffalo. "She will die, if i do not do something," thought Jumping Mouse. Jumping Mouse scurried back to the Buffalo. "I am a mouse," she said, not all that bravely. "If you are in need of a mouse eye, then you may have one of mine." With that, Mouse's eye flew out of her body and Buffalo was made whole. Buffalo stood up with a great thundering of the earth and spoke to Jumping Mouse. "You have given freely of yourself. Thank you, my little sister. I know that you are seeking the Sacred Mountain. If you run under my belly, you will be safe from the spots in the sky. I will take you to the foot of the Sacred Mountain. You are safe with me." So Jumping Mouse ran along under the belly of Buffalo. With only one eye she was fearful of being stepped on by one of Buffalo's giant hooves. The world shook with each step Buffalo took! It seemed to take a very long time for them to cross the prairie. But, at last, they arrived at the foot of the Sacred Mountain. "I must leave you now," Buffalo told Jumping Mouse. I am a being of the prairie and can go no further. I would fall." "Oh, thank you. I was frightened traveling under your belly, near your great hooves," said Jumping Mouse. "You had no reason to fear, little one. I am a Sundancer. I always know where my hooves will fall. I must now return to the prairie. You can always find me there." With that Buffalo turned and left. Jumping Mouse stood in the place Buffalo left her. She looked around. There were certainly many interesting things here to explore. There were many busy things to do! As she explored, she suddenly came upon a Gray Wolf! Wolf didn't notice Jumping Mouse. In fact, Wolf was not noticing anything at all. Jumping Mouse walked up close to greet her new friend. "Hello, Brother Wolf," she said. Wolf's ears immediately perked up! He looked directly at Jumping Mouse and spoke. "Yes! Wolf! That is who I am! Thank you." Gray Wolf seemed happy to know who he was, but soon again he seemed lost and his mind confused. Every time Jumping Mouse would speak his name, Wolf would perk up and be alert--- only to again and again lose this memory. "Such a great Being," Jumping Mouse thought to herself, "but he has no memory of who he is." Jumping Mouse went to the center of this place and became very, very quiet. She listened to her heartbeat and she felt her breathing. Suddenly, after a time in this Silent place she knew what she must do. She returned to the Wolf. "Brother Wolf," she said. Once again Wolf perked up for a moment. "I know what will heal you, my brother," she continued. "It is one of my eyes. I want to give this gift to you. You are a great Being. I am only a mouse. Please take it." At these words her eye flew out of her head and Wolf was made whole. But Jumping Mouse could not see the tears of gratitude that flowed down Wolf's cheeks. Jumping Mouse was without eyes, and she was completely blind. Wolf spoke to Jumping Mouse, "Oh, sister Mouse, you are a Great Being! Now I have memory. I am the guide to the Sacred Mountain. I will take you there. And there I will show you the great Medicine Lake. It is the most beautiful Lake in the world. All the world is reflected there. The People, the beings of the land, beings of the water and the air, all the places of this world are reflected in this Medicine Lake." "Yes, please take me there," said Jumping Mouse. So Gray Wolf gently guided the little blind mouse through the woods to the Medicine Lake. Jumping Mouse could not see the beautiful Lake, but Wolf described it to her as she drank deeply of this Medicine. After a time Wolf told Jumping Mouse that he needed to return to guide others. "But, I will stay with you awhile if you would like me to." "No," said Jumping Mouse. " I know that you must return. And I know that now it is my time to be alone." With that, Gray Wolf left her alone beside the great Medicine Lake. Jumping Mouse was very frightened. She knew that she was without any protection and soon one of the dark spots in the sky would find her. She could not run, she could not hide. This was it. She felt the shadow on her back and heard the cry Eagle makes when it strikes---- and then.... Thump! Jumping Mouse went to sleep. Then she woke up! Surprised to be alive and now.... now she could see! At first everything was blurry, but she could see beautiful colors. "I can see! I can see!," said Jumping Mouse. A blurry shape moved toward Jumping Mouse. She squinted hard to try to see. "Hello, sister," said the familiar voice. "Do you want some Medicine?" "Some Medicine, for me? Oh yes, please!" "Then," said the Voice, "Crouch down as low as you can and jump up as high as you are able." Jumping Mouse did as she was told. She crouched down low and then jumped just as high as she could. The Wind caught her... and began to carry her higher... and higher! "Do not be afraid!" the Voice called to her. "Hang on to the Wind, and Trust!" Jumping Mouse again did as she was told. She closed her eyes and let go. The Wind carried her higher and higher. When she opened her eyes again, they were clear and the higher she went, the clearer they became. She could see through things, and into things. She could see things in a new way. Jumping Mouse looked down and saw her old friend Frog on the Beautiful Medicine Lake. "You have a new name now," called the Frog. "You are Eagle!" <><><> EOF -- (emailed replies may be posted);join the AMT syncretism!!;call: 408/2-666-SLUG! see http://www.abyss.com/tokus; "Clement of Rome taught that God rules the world with a right and a left hand, the right being Christ, the left Satan." - CGJung
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