 I extend blessings to you and all your relations, and give thanks for another day of life and opportunity. Grandfather sun greeted us this morning with his light to remind us of the light we carry within us, and our responsibility to shine that light on others. We also recognize that the sun will set and grandmother moon will call us to go into the lessons of the darkness, to allow our bodies to rest.
Yes, life is about night and day, and beginnings and endings, that are all part of the circle of life. Our challenge is... “How do we accept and embrace what the circle of life brings us, without resorting to the cycles of pain?” As part of the beautiful circle of life, in September of 2017, the ancestors blessed us with new life, Greyson Antonio Tello. My grandson, who continues that circle of life, was sent by the ancestors as he graced us with his presence. When I picked him up and held him I said, “Welcome grandson. Thank you for blessing us with your sacredness. I am your grandfather, your Tata. Our family welcomes you just as you are. We promise to love you, care for you, protect you and support you in fulfilling your sacred purpose.” What I was doing with my new grandson was fulfilling the first teaching in life, that of acknowledgement and welcoming. The wisdom teachers have shared with us that when babies come into this world, their spirits arrive asking, “Am I wanted and to whom am I connected?” That first teaching is so powerful that if you don’t get it from your relatives or someone when you arrive into this world, then you will search and long for it for the rest of your life. It will also trigger you anytime you go anywhere in life… you feel insecure, wondering if you are really wanted or welcomed. This wound of disconnection then breeds a fear of abandonment so strong that it can make it difficult for many of us to trust others, make a commitment in a relationship, or become intimate at all. So, for me, it was very important that my grandson and all my relations know that from this Tata, they are wanted, loved and connected. For those that struggle with that wound, you really can’t go back and make that right. The reality is that some of our parents and grandparents, when they had us, were in pain and just surviving through life; or maybe didn’t know how to convey love and acceptance because they didn’t get it themselves. Regardless of the circumstances, it is important to understand that the creator doesn't create junk and that each of us is a sacred blessing. And even though we may not have been welcomed in a good way, tata sol (grandfather sun) reminds us every day of the light that we carry within us… and our sacred purpose that is ready to shine. Blessings to you all and have a good day, Maestro Jerry
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 I just returned from the Sons and Brothers camp, which is a week-long camp for over 100 youth from across California. I was one of the elders as part of the Healing Generations Team, which attempts to provide a positive, interactive, rites-of-passage experience for youth of color.
It was at this camp, last year, that we were drumming to provide some dance music, in an attempt to get the youth up, moving, and interacting together. They seemed reluctant to get involved. So in hopes of encouraging them to get up and move, I decided to get up myself. Growing up in Compton and South Central Los Angeles, music, singing and dancing were significant parts of our lives; and I still love them. But as I was grooving and feeling the music, maybe a little bit too much, I decided to make some James Brown type moves when all of a sudden, I hear a “snap” and feel like someone kicked me from behind. And just like that… “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” That’s when I realized I couldn’t walk so well, and limped off the floor. I guess the dancing worked because the youth did get up but, to make a long story short, I had torn my Achilles tendon. Upon arriving home and going to the doctor, he recommended surgery. But after conferring with a couple of healers and health practitioners, they told me “the body will heal itself, as long as you participate in the healing.” By this, they meant that I would need to get my leg casted with my foot pointing down, so that the two wounded parts would face each other. After a couple of weeks getting around in a cast, my body felt crooked. I went to my chiropractor, who affirmed I was indeed out of balance. But then, he went on to tell me that the reason I had been injured was not because I had weak legs or ankles, but because my core was weak. He said, “when your core is weak, the rest of your body will take the hit.” Obviously, there were many lessons for me here, about slowing down and not trying to be a teenager at my age. But the 2 major lessons that really came to me were about healing and growing. In reference to healing, the message was: if you really want to heal, then you need to have your wounded parts face each other. Or in other words, you must be willing to face your wounds. I would even go further and say that we must embrace our wounds without shame or blame. The second lesson in reference to growing is about rooting and strengthening one’s core. How do we build the core of healthy values and practices, that allows us to move and grow in fulfilling our sacred purpose? The process of incorporating these lessons into our lives is addressed in more detail in Recovering Your Sacredness. But the teaching that I want to emphasize for now is: if you don’t face your wounds (issues, fears, problems, etc.) then, just like my Achilles tendon, although healed, it would have been crooked, or imbalanced and caused me pain the rest of my life. How many of us just “get by” in times of crises, but don’t really face our lessons? And in reference to growth, we must change our patterns of responding to life by re-rooting ourselves in the core values of self-love and self-respect; and trust our intuitive voice to guide us.  Greetings and blessings to all of you who have chosen to join me as we share, reflect, and explore the teachings and lessons of our journey through life. It is my intent with these reflections to offer a space for us to contemplate the many lessons that come to us through our ancestral teachings as we integrate them with the challenges in our day-to-day lives.
For many of you, this will be a continuation of the teachings that you have heard me share as part of a presentation, training or online video. For others, this may be your first time hearing from me. Nevertheless, I really appreciate you choosing to participate as I expand on the many teachings, and deeper reflections of those teachings, of learning to live life with value and joy. With that in mind, this blog will focus on three major areas:
With that in mind, I offer these teachings very humbly in hopes that whatever shared here is helpful and contributes, in a positive way, to your journey and your own sacred healing, growth and development. Bendiciones, Maestro Jerry |
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