Summoned by the Earth with Cynthia Jurs

Speaker: 00:00:10

Hello, and welcome to Home to Her,

the podcast that's dedicated to

2

: 00:00:14

reclaiming the lost and stolen

wisdom of the sacred feminine.

3

: 00:00:19

I'm your host, Liz Kelley, and on

each episode, we explore her stories

4

: 00:00:24

and myths, her spiritual principles,

and most importantly, what this

5

: 00:00:29

wisdom has to offer us right now.

6

: 00:00:32

Thanks for being here.

7

: 00:00:33

Let's get started.

8

: 00:00:34

Hi.

9

: 00:00:37

Okay.

10

: 00:00:37

Okay.

11

: 00:00:38

Okay.

12

: 00:00:38

Okay.

13

: 00:00:40

Liz Childs Kelly: Hey everybody,

it's Liz joining you as usual from

14

: 00:00:42

central Virginia and the unceded

lands of the Monacan nation.

15

: 00:00:46

And I'm so glad that you're here.

16

: 00:00:48

And as always, if you want to know

whose lands you might be residing on,

17

: 00:00:52

please be sure to check out native-land.

18

: 00:00:54

ca.

19

: 00:00:55

It's an excellent map, really helpful

for North America in particular.

20

: 00:00:59

I'll put that in the show notes for you.

21

: 00:01:02

And I am so glad that you are tuning

in today, and if you're listening and

22

: 00:01:06

you want to learn more about the Sacred

Feminine, there are so many ways that you

23

: 00:01:09

can do that, but I'll tell you quickly

about a few that you can do with me.

24

: 00:01:13

First you can check out my

award winning book, Home to

25

: 00:01:16

Her, Walking the Transformative

Path at the Sacred Feminine.

26

: 00:01:19

That is available wherever

you buy your books.

27

: 00:01:22

You can check out the classes

available via the home to her Academy.

28

: 00:01:26

Those are going to be rolling out

all year long in collaboration

29

: 00:01:28

with different teachers.

30

: 00:01:30

And you can follow me on social.

31

: 00:01:32

I'm at home to her on

Facebook and Instagram.

32

: 00:01:34

I forget, I keep forgetting to mention the

Tiki Takis as a previous guest said, but

33

: 00:01:38

I, I try to show up there here and there.

34

: 00:01:40

I also have a Facebook group

that's pretty robust and you can

35

: 00:01:43

find that at home to her as well.

36

: 00:01:45

So if you'd like to be in conversation

on Facebook, you could check that out.

37

: 00:01:49

And then you can check out

articles and all the past

38

: 00:01:51

podcast episodes at hometoher.

39

: 00:01:53

com.

40

: 00:01:54

And I will put all of that

in the show notes for you.

41

: 00:01:57

And if you are a regular listener, I would

love it if you would consider leaving a

42

: 00:02:01

review of the show wherever you access it.

43

: 00:02:03

The reviews are so helpful.

44

: 00:02:04

It helps other people to

find this information.

45

: 00:02:06

And I don't know about you, but

when I got started on this path,

46

: 00:02:08

it was not easy to find information

about the Sacred Feminine.

47

: 00:02:11

I think it's getting easier now,

but if that speaks to you, that

48

: 00:02:14

would mean a great deal to me.

49

: 00:02:15

And As always, feel free to reach out

to me with your thoughts, your comments,

50

: 00:02:19

your feedback, your suggestions.

51

: 00:02:21

I really do love hearing from you and

social is a really good way to do that.

52

: 00:02:25

So let's get on with the show.

53

: 00:02:29

So here's a question for you.

54

: 00:02:30

How far would you be willing to go

to live out your sacred purpose?

55

: 00:02:36

This is a big question, right?

56

: 00:02:37

I actually think about this all the time.

57

: 00:02:40

And I, I have been so inspired

to have so many people on this

58

: 00:02:44

show over the years who are doing

this in a whole variety of ways.

59

: 00:02:48

And my guest today is someone

that I feel like has really taken

60

: 00:02:52

this to a whole different level.

61

: 00:02:54

And I'm, I don't even know how much

we're going to be able to cover in

62

: 00:02:57

this conversation, but I know it's

going to, it's going to be perfect.

63

: 00:03:00

And I think her, her story and her

life's journey has been really,

64

: 00:03:04

really inspiring and spectacular.

65

: 00:03:05

So let me let me go ahead

and introduce her to you now.

66

: 00:03:09

Cynthia Jurs is the author of the new

book, Summoned by the Earth, Becoming

67

: 00:03:13

a Holy Vessel for Healing Our World.

68

: 00:03:16

She became a Dharma teacher in the order

of interbeing of Zen Master Thich Nhat

69

: 00:03:21

Hanh in 1994, and in 2018 was made an

honorary Lama in the Vajrayana tradition

70

: 00:03:27

of Tibetan Buddhism, in recognition of

her dedication in carrying out the earth

71

: 00:03:32

treasure vase practice, which, not to

worry, we are going to discuss that today.

72

: 00:03:37

Inspired by 30 years of pilgrimage into

diverse communities and ecosystems,

73

: 00:03:41

today, Cynthia is forging a new path

of Dharma in service to Gaia, a path

74

: 00:03:46

that deeply rooted in the feminine

honoring indigenous cultures and

75

: 00:03:50

devoted to collective awakening.

76

: 00:03:52

Cynthia leads meditations, retreats,

courses, and pilgrimages to support

77

: 00:03:57

the emergence of a global community of

engaged and embodied sacred activists.

78

: 00:04:01

She's joining us today from her

home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

79

: 00:04:05

Cynthia, thank you so much.

80

: 00:04:06

It is really an honor to

have you here with me.

81

: 00:04:09

Cynthia Jurs: Thank you

so much for inviting me.

82

: 00:04:11

I'm really moved just hearing, you know,

the little I have from you and with

83

: 00:04:16

you, it's really moving to connect.

84

: 00:04:20

Liz Childs Kelly: Thank you.

85

: 00:04:21

Well, I know I, I, I, yeah, I feel,

I have a feeling this conversation

86

: 00:04:25

is going to go really fast.

87

: 00:04:26

But where I usually like to start

with guests is I love to hear about

88

: 00:04:29

people's spiritual backgrounds.

89

: 00:04:31

And I always say part of it is I'm just

curious, but I'm often interested because

90

: 00:04:35

we are talking about the sacred feminine.

91

: 00:04:37

I'm always curious as to whether or

not that was a part of that spiritual

92

: 00:04:41

upbringing and if there was anything you

had to leave behind to access that or not.

93

: 00:04:45

So yeah, I would love to start

there if that's okay with you.

94

: 00:04:47

Okay.

95

: 00:04:48

Cynthia Jurs: Absolutely.

96

: 00:04:49

Yeah.

97

: 00:04:50

Well, let's see.

98

: 00:04:51

I, I grew up in a family that

didn't have much of an interest in

99

: 00:04:57

anything spiritual or religious.

100

: 00:04:59

My father and his family were

Christian scientists, but my his

101

: 00:05:04

mother, my grandmother and his,

one of his brothers died very young

102

: 00:05:09

because, They wouldn't receive medical

treatment and that kind of soured him.

103

: 00:05:15

And so he walked away from the

church and my mom was also from

104

: 00:05:21

a kind of atheist family really.

105

: 00:05:24

I mean, I think her, her ancestors

would have been considered

106

: 00:05:28

Christian, but her immediate

parents were really kind of atheist.

107

: 00:05:33

But my mother had a really strong

connection to nature, and she

108

: 00:05:38

instilled that in me as a child,

and we spent a lot of time outside.

109

: 00:05:44

And I absorbed a lot of my love for

Mother Earth through my own mother.

110

: 00:05:50

So but I was hungry for a

spiritual life as a child.

111

: 00:05:55

And my parents said, you can

go to any church you want.

112

: 00:05:58

You know, you feel free, you know,

explore, do whatever you want.

113

: 00:06:01

But, you know, you kind of

have to find your own way.

114

: 00:06:05

And so then when I was in my twenties,

I started to hone in on things.

115

: 00:06:15

I was very drawn to healing arts and

studied body work and things like

116

: 00:06:19

that, different formats and traditions.

117

: 00:06:23

And then I followed a, a, a Hindu

teacher named Muktananda for a while.

118

: 00:06:29

But it was when I kind of found my way

into the Buddhist world that things

119

: 00:06:34

started to make a lot of sense for

me because it was very much oriented

120

: 00:06:39

towards, you know, not, not requiring

one to believe in an external god, but

121

: 00:06:46

really finding our own buddha nature

Which we all have which is accessed

122

: 00:06:53

most directly in the teachings through

the practice of meditation and You know

123

: 00:07:00

there we can kind of come home to our

true self, as Thich Nhat Hanh would

124

: 00:07:04

say, Thich Nhat Hanh became my teacher

in the: 1980

125

: 00:07:12

of his invitation around two things.

126

: 00:07:15

One is engaged Buddhism,

as he describes it.

127

: 00:07:19

So, you know, it's one thing to

meditate and, you know, breathe and

128

: 00:07:23

practice and whatever it is, but it's

another thing to engage our practice

129

: 00:07:28

to be of benefit to other beings.

130

: 00:07:30

And that really spoke to me.

131

: 00:07:32

My family background was very

engaged in local political

132

: 00:07:37

situations and callings that way.

133

: 00:07:40

So I kind of came up with that.

134

: 00:07:42

with that.

135

: 00:07:43

And the other thing Thich Nhat Hanh always

stressed is the notion of interbeing.

136

: 00:07:49

So this connection between all

things and all beings, interbeing.

137

: 00:07:55

And It, it just, his language and his

approach is so simple, and it really

138

: 00:08:01

opened up a lot for me to meet him, and

you know, I became a, a teacher in his

139

: 00:08:07

lineage after practicing with him for

maybe 10 or 15 years, and, and and then

140

: 00:08:13

I found also the Tibetans and I love,

I love many of their teachings as well

141

: 00:08:19

and and went very deeply into that.

142

: 00:08:21

But I also was, was struggling a

bit inside of the Buddhist world

143

: 00:08:25

because it's very patriarchal

and it's very hierarchical.

144

: 00:08:30

I mean, many of the religious

and spiritual traditions are.

145

: 00:08:34

And I I was also struggling with

that as a woman and as someone who is

146

: 00:08:40

looking to the earth as the embodiment

of, of so much beauty and wisdom

147

: 00:08:48

in all the living systems of Gaia.

148

: 00:08:51

So I've had to kind of make my own way

now and I don't know if that answers

149

: 00:08:56

your initial question, but let me know

where you'd like to go from there.

150

: 00:09:00

Liz Childs Kelly: Well,

it definitely does.

151

: 00:09:02

And I'm wanting to go back and just say,

or ask you, because really, you know,

152

: 00:09:09

if you read your book and you read some

of your background to, to start in a

153

: 00:09:14

household where you really didn't have

much spiritual guidance at all, to,

154

: 00:09:21

to end up living at Plum Village with

Thich Nhat Hanh, I mean, that's, that's,

155

: 00:09:25

that's fairly extraordinary, you know?

156

: 00:09:27

So I'm wondering, you know, there's a.

157

: 00:09:30

I, I want, I'm wanting to ask you

about the spark or the hunger or

158

: 00:09:33

the thing that, that, that set

you on that, that path, right?

159

: 00:09:38

Because I think there are many of us who

maybe perhaps many people who are like,

160

: 00:09:41

well, I want, I want something spiritual,

but I feel it seems like you really were

161

: 00:09:44

called in a very deep and profound way.

162

: 00:09:48

Hmm.

163

: 00:09:48

Cynthia Jurs: It's true.

164

: 00:09:49

I, I couldn't escape it.

165

: 00:09:52

And.

166

: 00:09:53

I think I was sort of possessed, you know,

like I, and plus the times, you know, the

167

: 00:10:00

times that I, I have lived starting in

the 60s, you know, kind of coming of age

168

: 00:10:07

in the 60s, and then breaking out of the

dominant culture paradigm, you know, and

169

: 00:10:13

then finding I, I didn't go to college.

170

: 00:10:15

I went to I traveled and I traveled

the world and I, I ended up, I write

171

: 00:10:21

about this in my book, but I ended

up at one point becoming a cook

172

: 00:10:24

for expeditions by Land Rover into

Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iran.

173

: 00:10:29

This was before everything blew

up in, in that part of the world.

174

: 00:10:33

And, you know, just had some

amazing experiences going very,

175

: 00:10:37

very far away from the culture

and community that I grew up in.

176

: 00:10:41

And that was my, my big

calling early on was just to.

177

: 00:10:45

to go as far and wide as I possibly could.

178

: 00:10:48

And and I was able to do that.

179

: 00:10:50

It was a blessing, you know,

to be exposed to so much.

180

: 00:10:54

And then you know, I was, I was

deeply hungry for some meaning to

181

: 00:10:59

my life that was bigger than me.

182

: 00:11:01

I kept searching and wondering and, you

know, trying to find my way and healing

183

: 00:11:07

was a big part of it, as I mentioned, but

meeting Thich Nhat Hanh was, was seminal.

184

: 00:11:12

You know, and I've been kind of

circling around, circling around.

185

: 00:11:15

But when I met him so much

started to make sense.

186

: 00:11:18

So I began to organize retreats for him.

187

: 00:11:21

He asked me to do that.

188

: 00:11:22

And it was right when he was just starting

to come out and become well known.

189

: 00:11:27

So I had the great good fortune

of being close to him at a time

190

: 00:11:30

when you could get close to him.

191

: 00:11:33

And you know, he married my husband

and me and you know, put a little

192

: 00:11:37

bell in my hands and said, okay,

start a sangha and things like that.

193

: 00:11:41

So, but I was, as I say, I was

also curious, very curious about

194

: 00:11:45

the, the Tibetan tradition.

195

: 00:11:48

And at one point I, I went

into retreat on my own.

196

: 00:11:52

It was the first time actually that

I, I kind of extricated myself from

197

: 00:11:56

my life and went up into the into

the woods and did a personal retreat.

198

: 00:12:02

And during that time, I had an

experience of what I later learned

199

: 00:12:08

was the 21 manifestations of Tara, the

feminine deity that is so venerated

200

: 00:12:15

in the Tibetan Buddhist culture.

201

: 00:12:17

And I was meditating outside on a

rock and I, and, and she just started

202

: 00:12:22

arising into the space in front of me,

like fully grown, You know, all the

203

: 00:12:27

details and sitting on a lotus and,

you know, looking at me and I didn't

204

: 00:12:32

at that time have a lot of experience

within the culture of Tibetan Buddhism.

205

: 00:12:36

So kind of blew my mind.

206

: 00:12:39

And it was happening day and night.

207

: 00:12:41

Meditation, dreams you know, I

couldn't, I couldn't get away from it.

208

: 00:12:47

And that really, really got my attention.

209

: 00:12:50

And, and you know, you'll, you'll

recognize and be interested in the fact

210

: 00:12:55

that this was this beautiful feminine

deity embodiment of the sacred feminine.

211

: 00:13:00

And so, you know, I, it

led me onto the path.

212

: 00:13:03

It, it, I went to Asia.

213

: 00:13:06

I met one of my first Vajrayana

teachers in Bhutan who said, Oh yeah,

214

: 00:13:10

yeah, that was, that was Tara, right?

215

: 00:13:12

Here, here she is, you

know, in all her forms.

216

: 00:13:15

And I just had to say, yeah,

that, that's what I saw.

217

: 00:13:19

And I hadn't, I didn't

have that going already.

218

: 00:13:22

So you know, I began to practice and

began to listen and follow different

219

: 00:13:27

teachers and receive a lot of teachings

and go into retreat and all of that.

220

: 00:13:31

But then in 1990, I, had the

opportunity to go and meet an old

221

: 00:13:38

wise man in a cave who was a llama

living in a remote part of Nepal.

222

: 00:13:44

And I was, immediately knew

that I had to go and meet him,

223

: 00:13:50

but I didn't really know why.

224

: 00:13:52

And it wasn't until I was walking up the

path of those high mountains, you know,

225

: 00:13:58

kind of struggling to keep up that I

realized I had been given this incredible

226

: 00:14:06

opportunity to ask a question of the

proverbial old wise man in the cave, and

227

: 00:14:11

then I thought well, what's my question?

228

: 00:14:12

I had I really didn't know, you

know, I was just putting one foot in

229

: 00:14:16

front of the other literally and but

but then the question came and My

230

: 00:14:23

question was what can we do to bring

healing and protection to the earth?

231

: 00:14:28

And That's still my question, really.

232

: 00:14:32

It's the guiding question of my life.

233

: 00:14:34

And we were already feeling the

signs and omens, you know, back

234

: 00:14:39

then in 1990 when that happened.

235

: 00:14:41

But now, of course, it's even more

powerful what, what the, the, the

236

: 00:14:47

messages that Gaia is sending to us to

wake up and to get involved in turning

237

: 00:14:54

things around, you know, bringing

healing and protection to the earth.

238

: 00:14:58

So that's a good part of the beginning.

239

: 00:15:02

Liz Childs Kelly: Yes, and I want to,

and of course, I want to talk about, you

240

: 00:15:06

know, where that conversation took you

and, and all the ways that's unfolded but

241

: 00:15:10

I do, I want to go back for listeners and

just ask you if you don't mind to tell

242

: 00:15:14

listeners a little bit about Tara, if

they're not familiar with who Tara is is

243

: 00:15:20

she's a beautiful deity and I she hasn't

come up that much on this podcast so huh.

244

: 00:15:25

Cynthia Jurs: Well, okay.

245

: 00:15:26

So in the in the tibetan buddhist

tradition, there are many deities that

246

: 00:15:33

are that are venerated and appreciated

and worked with in meditation and They

247

: 00:15:39

all embody aspects of our own Buddha

nature, you know, we're, as I say, we

248

: 00:15:45

all have that capacity to be awakened, to

be liberated, to be enlightened or free.

249

: 00:15:52

And so the, the teachings

offer us different ways we can

250

: 00:15:55

access that within ourselves.

251

: 00:15:58

And the practices in Tibetan Buddhism,

usually involve visualizing a deity

252

: 00:16:06

that is an embodiment of something

that we want to make part of ourselves,

253

: 00:16:11

you know, and we begin to realize

that actually we're not separate.

254

: 00:16:15

And this is a sort of a skillful

method of the tradition to invite

255

: 00:16:22

us to, into a whole visualization.

256

: 00:16:24

In this case, Tara is an embodiment of

of the feminine, the awakened feminine.

257

: 00:16:31

And she comes in different forms.

258

: 00:16:34

She, they say there's 21 forms

of Tara, and she is known very

259

: 00:16:40

especially for coming when called.

260

: 00:16:43

So when we invoke her, she's

supposed to you know, show up.

261

: 00:16:49

And I can testify to that

because she's shown up for me

262

: 00:16:53

many times over many years.

263

: 00:16:55

And the, the form that is most

often understood or, or worked with,

264

: 00:17:00

with Tara is a called a green Tara.

265

: 00:17:03

And in the Tibetan tradition, there's

different colors you may have seen of the

266

: 00:17:07

deities, like sometimes white, sometimes

red, sometimes green or blue or yellow.

267

: 00:17:13

And each one of those represents a

different quality energy that is has

268

: 00:17:19

several aspects, it's sort of the

elemental energies of you know, the fire,

269

: 00:17:24

the, the air, the earth element, the,

the space element, the water element,

270

: 00:17:32

or the the wisdom of those, elemental

energies or the, the, the so called

271

: 00:17:38

kind of poison or reactive emotions

that are also associated with them.

272

: 00:17:43

It's a whole teaching I could

get into, but I don't want to

273

: 00:17:45

take all of our time on that.

274

: 00:17:46

I do, I do speak to it a bit in my book.

275

: 00:17:49

So green Tara is connected to

the the element of, of air.

276

: 00:17:54

And she's very swift.

277

: 00:17:56

She's all about action.

278

: 00:17:59

And she's pictured always with

one foot coming off the Lotus.

279

: 00:18:03

So she's not just sitting there.

280

: 00:18:05

She's actually ready to jump into action.

281

: 00:18:08

And so when you call on her, she responds.

282

: 00:18:12

And She's very helpful that way.

283

: 00:18:14

She's supposed to remove a

lot of obstacles and you know,

284

: 00:18:18

just be a real ally in helping

us do what we are here to do.

285

: 00:18:23

She's all about engagement,

you know, really.

286

: 00:18:26

And the reactive emotion connected

with the color green has to do with

287

: 00:18:30

competition and jealousy and envy and

those kinds of energies, which You know,

288

: 00:18:35

many, many women and men, all of us,

whoever we are, you know, we get caught

289

: 00:18:41

in that trying to get ourselves ahead.

290

: 00:18:44

You know, trying to accomplish

what it is that we're here to do.

291

: 00:18:48

Her wisdom is all accomplishing wisdom.

292

: 00:18:52

And so we sometimes have to struggle with

issues that come up in relationship to

293

: 00:18:57

other people or other situations that

are, you know, getting in our way or.

294

: 00:19:03

Putting us down or, you

know, these kinds of things.

295

: 00:19:05

So there's lots of richness

in this exploration.

296

: 00:19:08

But anyway, green Tara, the Taras,

they, they're often pictured very

297

: 00:19:13

beautiful often naked or partially naked.

298

: 00:19:17

You know, just expressing the

beauty of the divine feminine.

299

: 00:19:20

And again, in all, all her glory.

300

: 00:19:24

You know, so to identify with an

embodiment of that as who we also

301

: 00:19:32

are, you know, is a way of empowering

ourselves to embrace you know,

302

: 00:19:38

something a lot bigger than what we may

normally have thought of as who we are.

303

: 00:19:44

Liz Childs Kelly: One of the things

that I love about Tara and it shows

304

: 00:19:47

up with Mary, the Virgin Mary as well.

305

: 00:19:50

And, and I believe with Durga as well,

is that idea that if you call in her,

306

: 00:19:54

she's going to come and help you, but

you got to ask, you got to ask for it.

307

: 00:19:57

Like there's a, there's a

co creative aspect to it.

308

: 00:20:02

Yes.

309

: 00:20:03

Cynthia Jurs: One way of, of asking is by

making an offering, to, you know, call on

310

: 00:20:08

her, but to, you know, like when someone

comes to dinner, a guest, you want to

311

: 00:20:12

give them a beautiful plate of food, you

know, you want to please them, you want

312

: 00:20:16

to make them feel happy and sort of like

that with, with these so called deities,

313

: 00:20:21

these energies that are all around us

just waiting, you know, to be invited.

314

: 00:20:28

Liz Childs Kelly: And isn't there also

a story connected to Tara about her

315

: 00:20:31

demonstrating that you can in fact achieve

enlightenment in the body of a woman?

316

: 00:20:36

That's right, that's

317

: 00:20:37

Cynthia Jurs: right.

318

: 00:20:37

Thank you.

319

: 00:20:38

Yeah, she, so the story goes that

she was a noble woman in, you know,

320

: 00:20:44

times past and that all the, she was

very interested in the spiritual life

321

: 00:20:49

and service and everybody said, well,

you should pray to be reborn as a man

322

: 00:20:55

because then you can be enlightened.

323

: 00:20:57

And she said, I'm sorry, but I'm, I

don't want to do it in the body of a man.

324

: 00:21:01

I want to do it in the body of a woman.

325

: 00:21:03

And so she said she vowed to

always take birth as a, as

326

: 00:21:08

a woman, in the female form.

327

: 00:21:10

And sure enough, you know,

she, she showed the way.

328

: 00:21:14

Yeah.

329

: 00:21:16

Yeah.

330

: 00:21:16

Yes.

331

: 00:21:16

Beautiful.

332

: 00:21:18

Liz Childs Kelly: Well, and I, I'd love

to go back to, so you, you, you got

333

: 00:21:22

the opportunity to ask this question to

the holy man in the cave and yeah, what

334

: 00:21:27

did, what did, what did he tell you?

335

: 00:21:30

Cynthia Jurs: Well, he told me that

anyone can make a difference, you know,

336

: 00:21:36

in the whole area where they live.

337

: 00:21:38

If they're connected to their deepest

prayer, I mean, or intention is

338

: 00:21:45

another way of talking about prayer.

339

: 00:21:48

And and he looked at me and he said,

but you, you need to get these earth

340

: 00:21:53

treasure vases and you need to put them

in the ground and they will do the work

341

: 00:21:58

of bringing healing and protection to the

whole area around where they're planted.

342

: 00:22:04

And I was kind of skeptical, to say the

least, because at the time I was very

343

: 00:22:12

concerned, still am, about the fallout

from radioactive waste coming off of the

344

: 00:22:19

Los Alamos National Laboratory, which is

where the atomic bombs were first made.

345

: 00:22:23

And the nuclear industry is still

going on here in New Mexico.

346

: 00:22:29

And I was learning a lot from a woman

you may have heard of named Joanna

347

: 00:22:33

Macy, who has been one of my teachers.

348

: 00:22:36

And She spoke at that time a lot about

her notion of nuclear guardianship and

349

: 00:22:40

the need to protect the web of life

from these horrific substances that

350

: 00:22:46

really change the whole fabric of life

on earth affecting, you know, our DNA.

351

: 00:22:54

And so.

352

: 00:22:55

I didn't really understand how a little

clay pot, which is what these are,

353

: 00:23:00

filled with prayers and offerings that

are symbolic of healing and protection

354

: 00:23:06

could actually affect the kinds of

change that are needed in the world.

355

: 00:23:11

But I also, realized that I had a lot

of respect for this particular tradition

356

: 00:23:17

and that the change that we're needing is

going to come in a lot of different ways.

357

: 00:23:21

We have to, we have to basically

do all of it because it's so vast.

358

: 00:23:26

And this is what was coming to me.

359

: 00:23:27

So I asked where I could get

some, and I was directed to a

360

: 00:23:33

monastery to have them made.

361

: 00:23:36

And one thing led to another

and I received 30, initially 30

362

: 00:23:42

of these earth treasure vases.

363

: 00:23:45

And they, they were concerned about

customs and security because they had

364

: 00:23:50

to travel around the world to get to me.

365

: 00:23:53

Once they're filled, which normally

the, the llamas would, would make the

366

: 00:23:57

pots and then fill them with these

offerings and then, Bless them and

367

: 00:24:00

consecrate them and then seal them.

368

: 00:24:03

And then, then they would be taken out

to places where healing is called for.

369

: 00:24:07

But because they had to travel

so far, they, they blessed them.

370

: 00:24:11

They mixed a certain very

potent substances into the clay.

371

: 00:24:17

And then they consecrated the pots

and then gave them to, to me and to

372

: 00:24:22

our community to fill in our own way.

373

: 00:24:26

And they said, just put them in the

ground, they'll do the work, you know?

374

: 00:24:30

And again, my rational mind was

sort of I don't know what the word

375

: 00:24:33

is in this moment, but, you know,

doubtful, like how, how could that be?

376

: 00:24:39

And, and yet, you know,

okay, so let's try this.

377

: 00:24:44

And it took me about five years before

I started working with them because I was

378

: 00:24:49

really overwhelmed with the assignment.

379

: 00:24:52

But I also felt like the signs were

starting to happen of forest fires

380

: 00:24:56

and droughts and all the other

things that we could name coming

381

: 00:25:01

more and more quickly, you know?

382

: 00:25:03

And so, okay, well, we have

these little, little treasure

383

: 00:25:07

vases and let's see what happens.

384

: 00:25:09

So we started to work with them and

dedicate them to going into different

385

: 00:25:13

places and this global healing

mandala of locations was born and we

386

: 00:25:20

started up above Los Alamos National

Lab and buried the first one there.

387

: 00:25:26

And then we went to the four directions

to the north, south, east, and west around

388

: 00:25:31

that place and put them in the source of

the Rio Grande River, the mouth of the

389

: 00:25:37

Rio Grande River, and on top of the two

highest mountains to the east and west.

390

: 00:25:41

And that began.

391

: 00:25:43

to seed this global intention

for healing and protection.

392

: 00:25:48

And then they started

going out around the world.

393

: 00:25:51

And at a certain point I received

40 more that were actually made at

394

: 00:25:55

the same time as the original ones.

395

: 00:25:58

And the practice has taken me all

around the world to incredible

396

: 00:26:03

locations and communities.

397

: 00:26:05

I mean, because everywhere, you

turn, there's an issue that needs

398

: 00:26:10

healing or protection or renewal.

399

: 00:26:12

And these are the times we're living

in, you know, but then at a certain

400

: 00:26:16

point we made another, uh, generation

of these ourselves at the guy with

401

: 00:26:22

the guidance of a native American.

402

: 00:26:25

Potter here in New Mexico, who taught

us how to make these little clay pots

403

: 00:26:30

and carried the, the practice forward.

404

: 00:26:33

So it's gone on for about 30 years, and

the book is very much about a lot of

405

: 00:26:38

those journeys, and what's happened.

406

: 00:26:40

Liz Childs Kelly: Yes.

407

: 00:26:41

So fascinating.

408

: 00:26:42

And I was thinking, as you were

saying, like with your skepticism, how

409

: 00:26:46

I was just reflecting on how popular

culture like we're simultaneously

410

: 00:26:51

very skeptical of magic or, or, you

know, things that fall in the realm

411

: 00:26:57

outside of rational, logical data.

412

: 00:27:00

I'm going to do X and X

produces Y or whatever.

413

: 00:27:03

And yet our stories in our movies

and everything is just full

414

: 00:27:08

of examples of the same thing.

415

: 00:27:10

And it's like, I wonder

sometimes if it's this buried.

416

: 00:27:14

Knowing, you know, forgotten,

forgotten in air quotes, right?

417

: 00:27:17

Because we didn't really forget, but

we're, we're trying to reclaim a knowing

418

: 00:27:22

that yes, in fact, we are co creating

energetically with all kinds of forces

419

: 00:27:28

that we cannot possibly fully know.

420

: 00:27:30

And so therefore have no

idea how this might play out.

421

: 00:27:33

But I, I think that one of the things

that is maybe challenging, and I'm

422

: 00:27:37

curious what you would say about this too.

423

: 00:27:38

Like I've got, I've got school kids and

You know, they think of magic is like

424

: 00:27:42

Harry Potter, like they think of it

as very dramatic, kind of like you see

425

: 00:27:46

this very visible thing immediately.

426

: 00:27:49

And yet I feel like what, what

you're talking about and what you're

427

: 00:27:52

describing, there also has to be

a faith that it is larger than us.

428

: 00:27:57

Right.

429

: 00:27:57

And so we may well not see how it's going

to play out in our lifetimes or, or know.

430

: 00:28:03

And that's, that isn't

really the point, right.

431

: 00:28:07

For us to know for sure.

432

: 00:28:08

It's to participate in the process.

433

: 00:28:12

Cynthia Jurs: Yeah, and participate

in something so much larger than

434

: 00:28:15

ourselves and get over ourselves, you

know, like, I mean, I'll tell you when

435

: 00:28:20

I thought I knew what was best for

these treasure vases or for the world,

436

: 00:28:25

all kinds of things would go wrong.

437

: 00:28:27

But when I got out of the way and

allowed something larger to operate

438

: 00:28:33

that I was in service to, then

suddenly things would start to

439

: 00:28:36

fall into place and that is magic.

440

: 00:28:39

You know, that is miraculous because so

much of the time we make it so much harder

441

: 00:28:44

for ourselves than, than it needs to be.

442

: 00:28:48

And when we stop doing that and

thinking we have all the answers, then

443

: 00:28:53

something else can start to operate.

444

: 00:28:56

You know, maybe it's the divine feminine,

maybe it's Gaia herself, maybe it's great

445

: 00:29:00

spirit, whatever you want to call it,

you know the miraculous web of life, you

446

: 00:29:05

know, that we suddenly align ourselves

with that then can go where it needs

447

: 00:29:12

to go, you know, I think indigenous

peoples have always understood this,

448

: 00:29:16

you know, and the way in which nature

operates that we have tried to control

449

: 00:29:21

and, and are making such a mess of.

450

: 00:29:24

So, you know, I think

451

: 00:29:27

the way Harry Potter operates in this

case is through the synchronicities and

452

: 00:29:32

the, the, the connections that start to

appear where, you know, I, all I did was

453

: 00:29:39

form an intention that, okay, so I would

like to take one of these treasure vases

454

: 00:29:45

or somebody calls and says, this needs to

happen, you know, to some, some location.

455

: 00:29:50

And then all of a sudden

all this starts happening.

456

: 00:29:53

Like I could never have predicted.

457

: 00:29:55

Yeah.

458

: 00:29:55

And the same with once, once they

get planted, once they, once they

459

: 00:29:59

get filled with all these, these

incredible prayers and intentions

460

: 00:30:04

and heartfelt, you know, tears and

whatever it is that we love and care

461

: 00:30:12

about so much that is connected to the.

462

: 00:30:15

place where this little clay pot is

bound to go, it becomes this receptacle

463

: 00:30:21

for all that we, you know, care the

most about in terms of life on earth

464

: 00:30:26

and how to protect and enhance and

support that, you know, that then it,

465

: 00:30:33

it becomes like a living being and,

and, and then things start happening.

466

: 00:30:39

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

467

: 00:30:40

Yes.

468

: 00:30:41

Well, and I, I wonder if you could

speak to, I'm sure this is how

469

: 00:30:45

many of these have you placed now?

470

: 00:30:46

What, how many total have you done?

471

: 00:30:48

Do you know?

472

: 00:30:49

Cynthia Jurs: I've, I always lose track.

473

: 00:30:50

I'm not very good about numbers and I, I

just, it's so big, you know, I think we

474

: 00:30:55

have, we have a total of about, I think

it's 93 or 94 and there's probably of

475

: 00:31:02

that 25 or so that are still in process.

476

: 00:31:05

So maybe more, maybe 30 ish still

being worked with, but most of

477

: 00:31:10

them are either planted already or

are in the hands of people who are

478

: 00:31:15

stewarding them because I've done.

479

: 00:31:18

I've done many, many, many.

480

: 00:31:19

I did a good majority

of them to begin with.

481

: 00:31:23

And then I realized it was time to

involve others and invite others

482

: 00:31:27

to take up the practice too.

483

: 00:31:30

So my job now is to support a

lot of other people doing that.

484

: 00:31:35

And it's been amazing.

485

: 00:31:37

I mean, we might make another

generation to come in the future.

486

: 00:31:41

We'll see how this goes, but right

now we want to really support those

487

: 00:31:44

who are working to get them in

the ground because they're really

488

: 00:31:47

supposed to be in the ground.

489

: 00:31:49

That's where they do their work.

490

: 00:31:51

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

491

: 00:31:52

Well, and I'm curious if there's I'm sure

you've got, and well, and you have many

492

: 00:31:56

of them in your book, but if there's any

in particular stories that sort of come

493

: 00:32:00

forward for you of, of actually, you know,

placing one of these, like anything that

494

: 00:32:05

you might want to share with listeners.

495

: 00:32:07

Yeah.

496

: 00:32:07

Cynthia Jurs: There's been

so many amazing stories.

497

: 00:32:09

I, I often don't even know where to begin

because there's been so many of them and

498

: 00:32:15

each place is so different, you know.

499

: 00:32:18

I mean, since you're interested in,

in, in the feminine, I would say that

500

: 00:32:25

like one of the very powerful places

that I went with this practice is

501

: 00:32:30

the Democratic Republic of Congo.

502

: 00:32:33

And that's, In some ways, it's

considered the rape capital of the

503

: 00:32:37

world, you know, and rape is really

being used as a weapon to control

504

: 00:32:43

communities and people and women.

505

: 00:32:45

And I wanted to address that as one

of the core wounds that is in need

506

: 00:32:51

of healing all around the world.

507

: 00:32:52

And I met incredible women.

508

: 00:32:55

There who are standing up to tell a

new story, you know, and we also took

509

: 00:33:02

the treasure vase into the forest.

510

: 00:33:05

Congo has the second largest rainforest

in the world outside of Brazil.

511

: 00:33:09

And so it's a very, very important

place to maintain the the balance of.

512

: 00:33:16

you know, the living systems on earth

by protecting those rainforests.

513

: 00:33:20

And Congo is being exploited

terribly by a lot of things.

514

: 00:33:24

One being the, the mining of minerals.

515

: 00:33:28

It's a very rich, rich land

and a very beautiful land.

516

: 00:33:33

And it is not the heart of darkness.

517

: 00:33:34

It is a beautiful place

in the heart of Africa.

518

: 00:33:37

And so we, I ended up making relations

with one woman in particular.

519

: 00:33:44

Her name is Neema Namadamu and she

became my sister and has now started an

520

: 00:33:51

organization called Hero Women Rising.

521

: 00:33:54

And Her work is, is integrating, you

know, all of these things from empowering

522

: 00:33:59

women to stand up to becoming voices of

the future and, and telling their stories

523

: 00:34:05

and healing and also planting trees to

protect the, the land and the forest.

524

: 00:34:10

So there's tremendous amount

that came from taking one of

525

: 00:34:14

the treasure vases to Congo.

526

: 00:34:16

I mean, she is a living treasure.

527

: 00:34:18

And what she's done as a result of all

of this and what her people have done is,

528

: 00:34:24

is transforming the country, basically,

you know I went to Australia and when

529

: 00:34:30

I was getting ready to go to Australia,

I thought, I wasn't really like, okay,

530

: 00:34:34

you know, I guess we have to go to

Australia because it's a whole continent.

531

: 00:34:37

And after all, we have to

spread this around the world.

532

: 00:34:39

And, you know, and then I got an

invitation to meet the custodial elder

533

: 00:34:43

of Uluru, which is Ayers Rock in, in

the center of the Australian desert.

534

: 00:34:50

And he was here in my hometown

here and, and came and visited and

535

: 00:34:54

gave an incredible blessing to this

practice and invited us to come.

536

: 00:34:58

And we did.

537

: 00:34:59

And I, you know, We went from Uluru up

to the Northern Territory of Australia,

538

: 00:35:05

where we were introduced to an elder

woman named auntie Margaret Catherine.

539

: 00:35:12

And she's a Jawun elder who is

actually no longer alive but

540

: 00:35:16

She just took us under her wing.

541

: 00:35:19

She adopted me as her daughter and

she gave all of us in this earth

542

: 00:35:24

treasure vase pilgrimage group, what

are called skin names in her culture.

543

: 00:35:28

She's aboriginal woman to

make us relations, make us

544

: 00:35:32

family, you know, connect us.

545

: 00:35:34

And then she told us where to go.

546

: 00:35:37

She showed us, you know, the way,

and she just opened up the world.

547

: 00:35:42

And I don't know how familiar you

are with Aboriginal culture, but they

548

: 00:35:47

talk a lot about the song lines that

are the tracks, the dreaming tracks

549

: 00:35:52

in the land of the different tribal

groups across the whole country.

550

: 00:35:58

These, these peoples going back 50,

000 years, you know, some of maybe

551

: 00:36:02

the oldest people on the planet.

552

: 00:36:04

And so amazing the, the culture that I

discovered there and was so grateful to

553

: 00:36:12

be you know, adopted by and, and then

just her cackle, you know, and her, her

554

: 00:36:20

incredible connection to this practice.

555

: 00:36:23

And she told us, you know, this treasure

vase is going to enter the dream time.

556

: 00:36:27

It's part of the story now.

557

: 00:36:28

And and then because she made us all

family, it was like, instead of it

558

: 00:36:32

being sort of this project that was

being carried out around the world,

559

: 00:36:35

it became not only a community,

but a we were all like related.

560

: 00:36:40

We were all connected.

561

: 00:36:42

And that still has continued to this day.

562

: 00:36:45

So You know, there's stories of

working with ex combatants and

563

: 00:36:49

former child soldiers in Liberia.

564

: 00:36:51

That's another where real tangible

things came from burying a treasure vase.

565

: 00:36:57

And then there's more subtle experiences

of things that have happened in places

566

: 00:37:02

like The Great Pyramids and, and

Avebury where the Standing Stones are

567

: 00:37:07

in England and, you know, here in New

Mexico where I shared about the cave

568

: 00:37:12

and, or the Los Alamos National Lab.

569

: 00:37:15

I don't know what's going to happen

there, but we've met, we've connected with

570

: 00:37:20

one Native American woman in particular

who taught us how to make the vases

571

: 00:37:24

and, you know, she sees that there's.

572

: 00:37:27

Little openings, you know, and she's

taught us how to feed the spirit of

573

: 00:37:31

what we want to see in the world, you

know, to focus on not getting pulled

574

: 00:37:38

down by all the horrible things that

are happening, but, but contributing

575

: 00:37:42

our awareness and our energy in our,

our lives to feeding that spirit of

576

: 00:37:48

what we want to see in the world.

577

: 00:37:50

And that's really what it's all about.

578

: 00:37:52

And, and then, you know, realizing

that while we can be working with

579

: 00:37:56

these little clay pots, basically

what they're teaching us is how to be

580

: 00:38:00

the vessel ourselves, because we're

each, these holy vessels filled with

581

: 00:38:05

incredible offerings for our families

and our communities and the land that

582

: 00:38:10

we love and you know what we care about.

583

: 00:38:12

So It keeps going in all kinds of ways and

there's many more stories I could share,

584

: 00:38:17

but maybe that's a little, a little taste.

585

: 00:38:19

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

586

: 00:38:20

As you were saying that last part, I

was thinking of a quote by the, anyone's

587

: 00:38:25

familiar with the hugging saint Amma

from India, who one of my favorite quotes

588

: 00:38:30

from her is don't be discouraged by your

Inability to dispel darkness from the

589

: 00:38:35

world, light your candle and step forward.

590

: 00:38:37

And I, I love that so much because it

takes the responsibility and really I

591

: 00:38:43

say responsibility, what I mean is ego.

592

: 00:38:45

You know, it takes the, it is

up to me to save the world.

593

: 00:38:49

It takes that off of the table and just

turns it into, but this is what I have

594

: 00:38:53

to contribute and this is what I will

contribute and that's all I have to do.

595

: 00:38:57

And I get to trust that others, you

know, are lighting their candles

596

: 00:39:00

and making their contributions.

597

: 00:39:01

And then, you know, just even

from hearing you talk, it

598

: 00:39:04

sounds like you get to see that.

599

: 00:39:06

reflected back to you by the

process of saying yes to this

600

: 00:39:09

sacred purpose, you get to see it.

601

: 00:39:12

Definitely,

602

: 00:39:12

Cynthia Jurs: definitely.

603

: 00:39:13

And I watch people who take up

this practice, how their lives are

604

: 00:39:17

transformed and how they get in touch

with the healing that is needed in

605

: 00:39:21

their lives too, and how it's connected

to what's called for in the world.

606

: 00:39:26

And, you know, we just have to take

the first step and then the world

607

: 00:39:31

opens up, even if it's just in our

own backyard, you know, So Yeah.

608

: 00:39:37

Yeah.

609

: 00:39:37

Liz Childs Kelly: Well, and I'm curious

from you how you mentioned Tara and I, I

610

: 00:39:42

would love to hear you talk more about who

or what this sacred feminine is to you.

611

: 00:39:48

And you're welcome to use any other

language, divine feminine or goddess

612

: 00:39:51

or whatever, whatever you want.

613

: 00:39:52

But, and how perhaps that understanding

of her, the feminine aspect of God has

614

: 00:39:59

been shaped by this journey that you've

been on with the earth's treasure vases.

615

: 00:40:03

Cynthia Jurs: Thank you.

616

: 00:40:04

Yeah, it's really a big part of it,

actually, because you know, I was

617

: 00:40:08

very hungry for, for that connection.

618

: 00:40:12

And I wasn't finding it exactly inside

of these lineages that I was, you know,

619

: 00:40:17

practicing in, which I, you know, I love

the teachings and I, you know, I'm so

620

: 00:40:22

grateful for my teachers, but there was

like, ah, you know, so Tara came the

621

: 00:40:28

closest to sort of answering that need.

622

: 00:40:32

But at a certain point after having

traveled around so much with these

623

: 00:40:37

treasure vases all over, which was

very challenging, actually, you

624

: 00:40:41

know, to go into these places like

Congo and Liberia and everything.

625

: 00:40:46

I was asking for a direct

relationship with Mother Earth,

626

: 00:40:54

with Gaia, with the Sacred Feminine.

627

: 00:40:57

And, you know, it was like one

thing to sort of imagine her.

628

: 00:41:01

And it was another to, you

know, have my ground be her.

629

: 00:41:08

And, you know, I didn't quite know how to

get there, and I wasn't getting much help

630

: 00:41:13

from my teachers, you know, but I would

practice, I would do my practices, and I

631

: 00:41:18

would go off and have these experiences,

and anyway, one day I was I was invoking

632

: 00:41:23

Tara, but what happened was that instead

of the mantra that's associated with Tara,

633

: 00:41:30

I started to hear a different mantra.

634

: 00:41:34

And it was a mantra to Gaia that

came, that just came, you know,

635

: 00:41:41

and I wasn't like setting out

to, you know, sort of say, okay,

636

: 00:41:47

well, now I want this to happen.

637

: 00:41:48

You know, it wasn't like that.

638

: 00:41:50

It was just, it was, you know, maybe

it was a little bit of a miracle or

639

: 00:41:53

something, but anyway, I heard this

mantra and I, I immediately started

640

: 00:41:58

reciting it and I started having an

experience of the visualization that

641

: 00:42:04

I was doing of Tara evolving and

transforming into an embodiment of Gaia.

642

: 00:42:12

And so I began to work with, with this and

I was afraid to bring it out because of

643

: 00:42:21

how I might be criticized by the lineage

masters for, you know, being just another

644

: 00:42:27

one of these people who's sort of doing

their own thing, who's trying to, I don't

645

: 00:42:33

know, be somebody, you know, whatever

taking the teachings and turning it into

646

: 00:42:40

my own thing, which really was not at all

what was happening because I was listening

647

: 00:42:47

so deeply to the suffering of the world

through the treasure vases that I, Came

648

: 00:42:56

to, you know, really feel as if the times

that we're living in is calling us to

649

: 00:43:04

respond to her, you know and that the

way in which the spiritual experience is

650

: 00:43:12

being passed on in in a lot of ways is

is Not really working very well anymore.

651

: 00:43:20

You know, it's just kind of part of

the same old story and And So this

652

: 00:43:26

was all kind of swirling around.

653

: 00:43:28

And finally you know, the, the llamas

that I did talk to said, you know, well,

654

: 00:43:32

you just need to practice this for a long

time yourself before you start sharing it

655

: 00:43:35

because it has to really sink in and so I

did that, but I didn't do it for as long

656

: 00:43:42

as they thought I should probably, but

I worked with it very deeply on my own.

657

: 00:43:47

And, and then I I went back to Nepal

in: 2018

658

: 00:43:54

cave where I had met the old Lama.

659

: 00:43:56

And it was at that time that

I was also made a Lama myself.

660

: 00:44:02

And I was conflicted by that

because I I knew that my teacher

661

: 00:44:06

was Gaia, not the gurus, you

know, that it was really shifting.

662

: 00:44:10

The ground was really shifting.

663

: 00:44:13

And I, but I love the culture and I love

the, you know, I love so much of it.

664

: 00:44:16

So I was, I was struggling.

665

: 00:44:18

And where the Lama used to live when I met

him, you know, 30 years ago, 35 years ago,

666

: 00:44:26

his daughter was there and she was now 80.

667

: 00:44:29

I, when I met her, she was 50.

668

: 00:44:32

And I, I, She'd been there since

she was 30, and she was now 80.

669

: 00:44:36

I mean, like, this is a woman

who, you know, if she were a man,

670

: 00:44:40

people would be flocking to her.

671

: 00:44:41

But if she, since she's a woman

living in a remote part of Nepal,

672

: 00:44:45

nobody hardly even knows about her.

673

: 00:44:47

And, and so, I had that experience and

going back to see her and but coming

674

: 00:44:53

down the mountain the same mountain

that I had found my question, my

675

: 00:44:59

guiding question, coming down that same

mountain on that, that next trip back,

676

: 00:45:05

I fell and I fell over the edge of the

trail and I thought I left my body.

677

: 00:45:12

I mean, I thought it was dead because

it was a you know Very steep all the

678

: 00:45:17

way down thousands of feet to the bottom

And there's nothing stopping me and I

679

: 00:45:23

tumbled and but then all of a sudden

I came to a stop and I didn't know How

680

: 00:45:29

that happened how I was, you know spared

And I had to come to terms with that

681

: 00:45:37

and it took a while, but because I was

not that badly injured, I was a little

682

: 00:45:43

injured, but I, I was able to with the

help of a Sherpa porter who was up above

683

: 00:45:50

on the trail that I yelled for help.

684

: 00:45:51

I was afraid I was going to fall.

685

: 00:45:54

Anyway, it's a whole story, but

and that too is in the book.

686

: 00:45:56

But so I had some help

getting up after that.

687

: 00:46:01

And it was it was it was a very intense

and powerful experience because it

688

: 00:46:05

really was a near death experience.

689

: 00:46:07

But I realized in reflecting on it

that yes I had fallen off the path.

690

: 00:46:11

Literally, and that it was the earth

who caught me, because I could feel

691

: 00:46:17

her on the back of me going, you know,

like this, just grabbing onto me going,

692

: 00:46:22

no, it's not time for you to go yet.

693

: 00:46:25

You're with me.

694

: 00:46:27

And so after that, I realized

I had to own this calling to

695

: 00:46:34

bring the sublime mother Gaia

696

: 00:46:37

into the world and to share her mantra

and to invite others to make that

697

: 00:46:42

connection and to really stand up for

what this whole journey has been for

698

: 00:46:50

me in relationship to the earth and the

times and the need for us to listen to

699

: 00:47:00

her voice, you know, and to respond in our

own way, however we can as holy vessels.

700

: 00:47:06

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah, I'm

so glad you spoke to that.

701

: 00:47:09

And it seems to me that there's, and

this is a theme that I think has come up

702

: 00:47:13

this year on other episodes of the show

of and maybe it's probably because it's

703

: 00:47:18

a theme in my life is that dance of the

rootedness of deep spiritual teachings

704

: 00:47:25

that have been passed down through a

lineage by people who are devoted and

705

: 00:47:29

devoted to carrying that wisdom forward

generation after generation and the value

706

: 00:47:34

of that Which I really can't overstate.

707

: 00:47:38

And yet the, the reality that the feminine

is so vastly underrepresented in so many

708

: 00:47:46

of them and how deeply, and I mean, that's

like deeply painful that can be for women.

709

: 00:47:52

And I think it's painful for men

too, whether or not they know it.

710

: 00:47:55

But just how deeply painful that

can be to feel drawn and connected

711

: 00:48:00

to teachings and to not see

yourself in them, and I've, I've.

712

: 00:48:05

I've seen kind of, and I've done

it in my own path, like the kind of

713

: 00:48:09

the reactive will like screw all of

this if I'm not in it, you are not

714

: 00:48:13

a representation of God to me, you

cannot be because I, I belong here too.

715

: 00:48:18

And it's, you know, it's been, of

course, years like we evolve right but

716

: 00:48:22

it to me, I think the more interesting

question to me now is in this is the

717

: 00:48:28

feminine as well to me is the yes and.

718

: 00:48:31

Like, how do we hold the both?

719

: 00:48:34

How do we hold the wisdom of the teachings

and the dedication of those teachers and

720

: 00:48:39

the love and all that was poured into

that over time and the reality that,

721

: 00:48:46

that we need this feminine perspective

that just, you know, Perhaps hasn't been

722

: 00:48:50

there, and it makes me even wonder if

it's the infusion of the feminine and

723

: 00:48:56

kind of in the way that you're describing,

724

: 00:48:58

I know you didn't say it's an infusion,

but I'm imagining it that way.

725

: 00:49:02

Helps those traditions evolve and

survive and be relevant because Goddess

726

: 00:49:08

knows we need some kind of spiritual

grounding for what we're headed for.

727

: 00:49:12

You know, like I don't think that

it's wise to throw everything out.

728

: 00:49:15

I don't know how you feel

about that, but Yeah, no, I'm,

729

: 00:49:18

Cynthia Jurs: I'm, I'm right with you.

730

: 00:49:20

And you know, that's actually

one of the teachings of the,

731

: 00:49:24

of the holy vessel, right?

732

: 00:49:26

Because if you're a vessel, the, the a a

vessel needs to be able to hold it all.

733

: 00:49:32

And, and we don't want to contribute

to more polarity in the world.

734

: 00:49:35

We got enough of that.

735

: 00:49:37

So we're not wanting to say, you

know, be reactive in that way.

736

: 00:49:42

I mean, of course, there's like,

okay, everybody, time's up.

737

: 00:49:46

This isn't, this isn't serving anymore.

738

: 00:49:49

But we want to do that in a way we want

to make the change and, and transform

739

: 00:49:54

in such a way that we come together.

740

: 00:49:58

We hold each other.

741

: 00:50:00

We have love as our guiding

force, not hatred, you know?

742

: 00:50:07

And, and so, how do we do that?

743

: 00:50:11

How do we do that?

744

: 00:50:13

And that's, that's our

assignment in these times.

745

: 00:50:17

You know, and I can really relate to

what you're saying because when I was

746

: 00:50:21

writing the book, I I was very interested

in this whole notion of, of summoned

747

: 00:50:26

by the earth, which if you're familiar

with the story of the Buddha, when

748

: 00:50:31

the Buddha was in the process of, of

becoming enlightened, he was sitting

749

: 00:50:35

under a tree and he had been, you know,

pretty much he hit bottom, let's say.

750

: 00:50:41

And he was then recovering from

starvation and all of these ascetic

751

: 00:50:48

practices that he had been doing.

752

: 00:50:50

And he took food from a young girl who fed

him and kind of brought him back to life.

753

: 00:50:55

And then he had this, this awakening.

754

: 00:50:58

And in the process of his awakening,

he was being challenged, you know,

755

: 00:51:03

in his psyche by all the forces that

wanted to stop him and put him down.

756

: 00:51:08

And in that moment, he summoned the

earth, he touched the earth to summon

757

: 00:51:14

the earth to witness his his experiences

awakening, which I find so such an

758

: 00:51:20

incredible gesture, you know that

that he would have summoned the earth.

759

: 00:51:27

So I was curious about that because my

own experience, not that I'm enlightened

760

: 00:51:32

at all, but I feel, you know, I had

been summoned and also at a certain

761

: 00:51:38

point along the way, it was actually

in Australia when we were completing a

762

: 00:51:41

certain phase of this whole practice of

this mandala with the treasure vases.

763

: 00:51:47

I did summon the earth and I, I

asked the earth, you know, to come

764

: 00:51:51

and to, like celebrate the moment,

you know, like I had, I realized I

765

: 00:51:56

had done this thing, on behalf of

her and that it was this offering.

766

: 00:52:03

It was just an offering, you know,

and it was just such a moment

767

: 00:52:06

and it, it's also in the book.

768

: 00:52:08

But when I was writing about it, I

wrote this whole story about the Buddha,

769

: 00:52:14

this experience I just told you, and

something about it was just sort of

770

: 00:52:18

like, eh, okay, well, whatever, you

know, and then all of a sudden, out

771

: 00:52:22

of the blue, I found myself rewriting

it as if the Buddha were a woman.

772

: 00:52:27

And it had never occurred to me to even

think about the Buddha being a woman,

773

: 00:52:32

because the Buddha was the Buddha.

774

: 00:52:34

It was a man, historically.

775

: 00:52:37

And yet there I was, reframing it

just enough so that it was a woman's

776

: 00:52:44

story instead of a man's story.

777

: 00:52:46

And I realized that I had needed

that so deeply to have a , to not

778

: 00:52:53

have to make that adjustment, you

know, around what I'm identifying as

779

: 00:52:58

the great teacher showing the way.

780

: 00:53:01

And instead to see that it's part

of me, you know, as a woman, that

781

: 00:53:06

I could have that experience.

782

: 00:53:07

And I, I got some pushback from

some of the men who read, read

783

: 00:53:12

the book and, you know, commented

like that wasn't okay with them.

784

: 00:53:16

They didn't like it and, and

wanted me to change it because

785

: 00:53:20

the Buddha was not a woman.

786

: 00:53:22

The Buddha was a man.

787

: 00:53:23

Well, I said, well, I'm not

saying the Buddha was a woman.

788

: 00:53:26

I'm saying, let's just imagine for a

second what it might be like if the

789

: 00:53:29

Buddha were a woman, you know, just

for the sake of the conversation.

790

: 00:53:34

Anyway, it changed the

ground for me a lot.

791

: 00:53:37

And I hope for others who will read it.

792

: 00:53:40

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah.

793

: 00:53:41

Oh, that's such a beautiful story.

794

: 00:53:43

I was just thinking about like, wow,

what if we did that with other stories?

795

: 00:53:46

Like, what if Jesus were a woman?

796

: 00:53:47

Hmm.

797

: 00:53:48

Quite fun to consider.

798

: 00:53:50

Oh my gosh.

799

: 00:53:50

I feel like I could ask you lots and

lots more questions, but I, I think

800

: 00:53:53

this might be a good place to stop.

801

: 00:53:55

'cause I think we're gonna run outta time.

802

: 00:53:57

Mm-Hmm.

803

: 00:53:58

. Oh, Cynthia, thank you so much.

804

: 00:54:00

I just feel like that that whole and

just even just wrapping it all up

805

: 00:54:03

for us by explaining the title of

your book, Summoned by the Earth,

806

: 00:54:06

and drawing the Buddha into that.

807

: 00:54:07

I'm going to be with that.

808

: 00:54:08

I'm going to be with that for a while.

809

: 00:54:09

So thank you so much for your

time and for your gifts and what

810

: 00:54:13

you've been offering the world.

811

: 00:54:14

Such a pleasure to be with you.

812

: 00:54:17

Cynthia Jurs: You're so welcome.

813

: 00:54:18

It's wonderful to talk with you and

to connect with your listeners through

814

: 00:54:24

our conversation and just Yeah, hope

for all the ripples to go out where

815

: 00:54:29

they need to go and be received in

the ways that will be of benefit.

816

: 00:54:33

Liz Childs Kelly: Yeah, may it be so.

817

: 00:54:34

And Cynthia's book is Summoned

by the Earth, Becoming a Holy

818

: 00:54:37

Vessel for Healing Our World.

819

: 00:54:39

And your website to learn more

about you I had it written

820

: 00:54:42

down and it's Gaiamandala.net.

821

: 00:54:46

net.

822

: 00:54:46

GayaMandala.

823

: 00:54:47

net.

824

: 00:54:48

Not to worry if you didn't catch that,

I will put that in the show notes.

825

: 00:54:52

And thanks to all of you

for listening as always.

826

: 00:54:54

I'm so grateful that you're along on

this sacred feminine journey with me.

827

: 00:54:58

And if you liked the show,

you could do a few things.

828

: 00:55:00

You can give it a favorable review.

829

: 00:55:02

You can subscribe.

830

: 00:55:03

You can tell all your friends about it.

831

: 00:55:05

And until next time, take very

good care of yourselves and

832

: 00:55:09

I'll be with you again soon.

833

: 00:55:22

Home to Her is hosted by me, Liz Kelly.

834

: 00:55:25

You can visit me online at hometoher.

835

: 00:55:28

com, where you can find show

notes and other episodes.

836

: 00:55:32

You can read articles about the

Sacred Feminine, and you'll also

837

: 00:55:35

find a link to join the Home to

Her Facebook group for lots more

838

: 00:55:39

discussion and exploration of Her.

839

: 00:55:42

You can also follow me on Instagram,

at home to her, to keep up to

840

: 00:55:46

date with the latest episodes.

841

: 00:55:49

Thanks so much for joining us

and we'll see you back here soon.