June 27, 2021

The Seven Nations
Shoka/Stone
Kata/Fire
Loma/Water
Arrai/Air
Prana/Plants
Asharaji/Creatures
Asha/Earth

Myths, legends, and stories of a mystical relationship with the Asharaji Nation are part of indigenous cultures and traditions around the world. Shapeshifting, animal spirit guides, and conversations with animals are especially common in Irish heritage. This first story was collected by Lady Augusta Gregory from one Mrs. Sheridan and recorded in her book, Visions And Beliefs In The West Of Ireland, 1920. Augusta was prominent among many antiquarians of her time in catching these stories as they were beginning to disappear from the Irish cultural landscape. It was a common belief that wise women, witches if you will, would shapeshift into hares.

The Red Hare
Irish

There are two women I knew, mother and daughter, and they died. And one day I was out by the wood, and I saw two hares sitting by the wall, and the minute I saw them I knew well who they were. And the mother made as thought she’d kill me, but the daughter stopped her. Bad they must have been to have been put into that shape, and indeed I know that they weren’t too good. I saw the mother another time come up near the door as if to see me, and when she got near, she turned herself into a red hare.

Ghost of White Deer
Chickasaw

Blue Jay was in love with the chief’s daughter, Bright Moon, and she with him. Although he was a brave young warrior, the chief did not like him and so asked a bride price he was sure Blue Jay would not be able to pay – the hide of a white deer. White deer, albino deer, were believed to hold magical powers and were very rare and hard to find. 

Blue Jay went to his beloved Bright Moon and told her, “I will return with your bride price in one moon, and we will be married. This I promise you.” He prayed and fasted for several days, then gathered his best bow and sharpest arrows and set out.

The days turned into weeks as Blue Jay searched all the lands where deer were known to live. Then, one night when the moon was full Blue Jay saw a white deer that seemed to drift though the moonlight. Blue Jay held his breath and when the deer came closer he shot with his sharpest arrow. The arrow sank deep into the deer’s heart but instead of falling, the deer began to run. It ran toward Blue Jay, it’s red eyes glowing, his horns sharp and menacing.

A month passed and Blue Jay did not return as he had promised Bright Moon. As the months dragged by, it became clear that Blue Jay would never return and the tribe encouraged Bright Moon to take another young man as a husband. 

But, Bright Moon never took another husband, her love for Blue Jay was too strong. And she had a secret. When the moon was shinning as brightly as her name, she would often see the white deer in the smoke of the campfire, running, with an arrow in his heart. She lived the rest of her life hoping the deer would finally fall, and Blue Jay would return to her.

To this day the white deer is sacred to the Chickasaw People, and white deerskin is the favorite material for a wedding dress.

Beannacht,
Judith – judith@stonefires.com

Note: Mukanda Dawe is an ascended master and one of my spiritual teachers. These are his teachings. The Shakti Tao book that holds these teachings and insights to a practice of connecting with the Nations is available online.