From Brother to Brother

by Brendan Fearn on 30. Jan, 2011 in Kogi, One Earth One Tribe, oneearthonetribe.com

Following on from last month’s post about the Kogi, I’d like to share another message that has been passed on to me by Sarena Webb, author of ‘Serene Dawn – Healing Earth’. The Kogi call the Sierra Nevada mountains in which they live ‘The Heart of the World’ because it is home to almost every known climate and according to the Kogi, represents the state of health of the entire planet. Over the years, they have seen the effect that The Younger Brother’s lifestyle has had on their mountain and indeed the earth. Now brother to brother, they come to us offering their wisdom so that we may come together and live in harmony and balance with each other and our Mother Earth.

“Part 2- Indigenous knowledge and prophecy from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

During my stay, the Indians taught me a lot about their world view. Rather than being focused on development and technology, the Kogi have pursued other lines of thought – thoughts that could be beneficial to an over exploited world they believe is headed for destruction. Most important to them, is why it is essential to maintain balance in all aspects of life. This concept is the key to their sustainable lifestyle.

Their principals of sustainability are based on the way nature works. They see themselves as part of the ecosystem rather than an external force exploiting it. They recognise the need to respect and preserve the earth’s resources and give back to the earth appropriately. Glamour, possessions, drugs and money are of little value to these tribal people. They believe it diverts attention away from what is important- the understanding of balance.

As Mama Manuel puts it, “We are all still brothers; it is just that The Younger Brother (meaning civilised society) does not well understand our Mother Earth and her ways. If you don’t give something back when you take from the Earth, eventually she will stop bearing fruit. A payment must be made for everything we take from the land, even the air we breathe and the water we drink. As she is robbed of balance and vital force she will no longer be able to sustain us. Stealing her minerals is like taking her blood. Gold has a function in the Earth, but is of no use in a museum where it cannot serve its true purpose.”

The Kogi have a profound scientific understanding of the world; though for them science and spiritual understanding are not separate modalities. Instead, they complement each other, contributing validity and insight to the other. Illness means something is out of balance and is not only limited to people but the earth as well. Healing is a matter of bringing the body back to its own harmonious state rather than merely treating symptoms. They believe that our spirit, including emotions and thought processes, need to be healed before there can be any healing of the body. The same concept is applied to the earth, except it is humans that cause the earth’s illness and imbalance.

The good news is however, the Kogi believe it is not too late for us to change our ways. Being deeply concerned for the future of our planet they want to share their knowledge about maintaining the delicate balance of life on earth. They want to teach us a fundamental understanding that will enable us to avoid contributing to natural disasters, famine, disease and global chaos. If enough people start to care for the state of our world and contribute what they can to save it, our species will go on. But where do we start?

Living out their principals of balance means they only take what they need and leave the least impact on the environment as possible. They always work with nature rather than against it, preserving the earth’s resources. The Kogi are a living example of how to achieve a sustainable life that is balanced and fulfilled. Is that not what we all desire?

They believe it is achievable if we listen to the elders who know the laws of nature and life itself – knowledge that we have long forgotten.

People may well be the problem they say, but we are also the solution.”

One Love * One Earth * One Tribe

 

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