TIE of wisdom.

[ladyria ()]

This is the T I E of wisdom that binds us together as a culture and holds us in place.

The most important of these three is TRADITION.

Tradition is the wisdom and knowledge that has been handed down from generation to generation in the form of practical customs and habits. These are usually cultural usages that have survived in the rural areas of our tropical islands since the times before the Taino Indians were conquered by the Spanish.

Some of these living traditions include the age-old method of constructing a "bohio", the palm-wood thatched roof house that peasants still build in the remote areas of Cuba. Also the use of native plants and mineral substances in the treatment of injury and sickness.

The only source of this kind of living wisdom is the people themselves. We look to our surviving elders and experienced ones to teach us the ancient ways and to pass on the living culture.

The second source of information and knowledge from which we learn in the Caney Circle is INSPIRATION.

Inspiration is the information that our shamans and visionaries recieve from the spirit realm. They are messages which teach us the will of the Great Spirit GUA TUREY/Yaya. They are received in dreams and visions and in the trance-state of the Co-Oba ritual in which the shaman journeys to the spirit world. The visionary gets these enlightenments and shares them with the rest of the community. They become part of the tradition of the Caney Circle.

The third source of wisdom is EDUCATION.

In this context we interpret this word to mean the wisdom and knowledge that has been recorded in some manner and can be gleaned without the benefit of the physical presence or immediate assistance of the wise one who made the record. It means that someone has written down or in some way made a picture-writing record that states some ancient tradition or wisdom.

Whether that person is alive or dead, his or her record is there to teach others even when that person is not present to do the teaching.

This kind of wisdom is found in the ancient Taino pictographs which can be found on ancient rock art and cave drawings. It can also be found in the hieroglyphic writings of the neighboring Maya Indians whose civilization influenced the culture of the Tainos.

Modern and contemporary men and women of great wisdom and insight have also written much that informs us and enlightens us, and privides our community with information that is very valuable in attaining a complete image of the culture, it'sw history. the spiritual, and shamanic reality.

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The above is a 'blog' I have over at: http://iamlight.wordpress.com/ - my "Taino/Arawak" blog.
I decided to bring it over here in hopes that many Other cultures Still "practice" traditions, family values... "Heritage".
Do you follow Heritage?

I know I do-
I was brought up that way- where everyone in the family was (kinda/sorta) your parents- they would feed you as well as "slap" you (if needed) as thier own. (many of my family have broken tradition- sad to say- and we have parted- drifted away from eachother) Indifferences- opinions- 'power' struggles etc.

Somehow I have managed to keep hold of "the ways" and still live them. My immediate family (although as pain in the butt it can be at times) live in my house- a house that has been always for all family and friends to live in- Not a castle- a nice small duplex to share- It is not easy (I must say) as everyone always has thier way of "being" (I myself ain't 'no prize' LOL!) but that's what it's all about.... To COEXIST regardless of "indifferences"- while keeping "tradition" alive (aswell as one's sanity) we learn to "grow" with the times... while staying within "traditon" being inspired by our elders.. and educated by mother earth. T.I.E. it is simple and it works. Do You Follow Tradition? :)

[Rainbow]

Yes, I too have been known to keep "the traditions" but I'm finding that they are slowly fading away in this life and not taken to heart as much. I hope I never lose my traditions or the passages of what was left behind for me to continue to gather up the wisdom and learn to use them. Great message and thought Ria. Blessings of love and light, Rainbow