text, images, design CC copyright, Att, Non-Comm, No D, 2005-2009, With love, ...from the garden.

Well worn and worn well, this t shirt, purchased in downtown Boulder, Colorado I've had for10 years! I can't bear to part with it though it's parting it's seams in many places!
A SEPARATE REALITY & COLORADO are the captions and requires no further explanation if you've been there - YOU JUST KNOW!
For those who haven't been; the above are stylized interpretations of pictograms, (I think that's the correct word though I've heard them called petroglyphs as well) which are paintings left by indigenous prehistoric north american people known among archeologists as Anasazi  (link goes to Wikipedia with loads of info). Though some people object to the term - a better one has yet to be found it seems!

These characters are known as Kokopelli, nomadic angel-like figures that traveled from village to village distributing seeds of crops and apparently their own "seed" as well! A symbol of gaiety and fruitfullness, and genetic diversity. One of my favourite "ancient" symbols - the thought of such a "base" sort of angel is so very beautifully natural and human in a world such as theirs was, it would make so much sense!

Perhaps one of the things organized religion has taken away from us is this sense that god and angels are close to us and reachable, tangible. Or that they are fallable, joyful, playful - even mischevious in nature.
While what we know of the traditions and thoughts of these people is limited to what we can find of what they left behind, my imagination allows me room to romanticize the basic concepts we do know. Some would have likely been involved in sacrificial offerings and the like, similar to almost all other cultures as they developed from ancient times. Sacrifice of humans or animals is the one area that isn't so easily romanticized for me, for most people I'm sure. And yet for some reason we civilized peoples in some cultures still practice it.

Sacrifice in modern times is still with us. In modern religions it's applied differently. I begin to wonder at how we've developed and to ponder why, in a modern world, we believe we must sacrifice ourselves in order to "be with god". Why priests must sacrifice their ability to procreate in order to "talk with, and for, god" as human channels of god's word. Why nuns must sacrifice their motherhood potential in order to serve god. The limitations placed upon normal, natural human reality, that they must transcend it somehow. (I'm speaking of the Catholic religion in these examples. as it is the only one I have direct experience with.) The logic - oh I know people will disagree with me here but that's okay - appears to have some odd holes in the fabric - just like my
favourite t shirt!
 
There appears to be an attitude that basic human natural functions, things like sex, are bad, dirty, demeaning. That our bodies somehow are bad, that even a newly born child is bad.... hm-m-m-m-m! Can't buy that line of thinking I just cannot! PS - my maternal grandmother, if she were alive, would be washing my mouth with soap or hoping God would strike me and teach me to behave! But because she's gone beyond the veil that obscures our view of the "otherworld" she would likely understand why I enjoy exploring these concepts and my feelings about them.
 
My faith is in a natural world, a world that unfolds daily with an amazing grace and beauty. My faith is in a human nature that can rise above where we humans currently stand in our evolution. Humanity will be what saves us, ultimately. Once humanity wakes up to it's real potential in a natural world. All life speaks to me of the potential and purpose of growth and development. Even the lowly snail has purpose in the grand picture of our intricate world and each life relies on the other to succeed and flourish. Just as humans are learning that individually we can make a difference, we can help and nuture each other. We can revel in each other's differences because this is what makes us all the same and beautifuly so! As if each is a special note in an incredible piece of music!
 
My heart is inspired to dance with the Kokopelli and return our world to a world more natural yet with a new understanding;  that sacrifice is not a requirement. That sacrifice is actually a detriment. Joy and love, nuturing and respect for another life form, and a deep desire to share and enjoy this world together in harmony instead are new concepts these "Base" angels could spread across the lands... I don't know the flute, though I have a little peruvian clay whistle I've been playing with, and I do garden and collect and share seeds and plants...so maybe I'm part way there!
 
I do believe we are all human angels in our own ways, and it is our beautiful facets and colours and emotions and ideas that make this so! There is room in the world for differences of opinion and belief, provided we can allow each other the opportunity to blossom into the best possible examples of ourselves we can be!

Angels of Another Time may dance yet again upon this fair earth!