August 2020
In many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, it’s now hot, humid, and “muggy”. In the South (United States), it’s a time when people traditionally indulge in front porch sitting; too muggy indoors to just chill, too hot outside to just chill, makes for a lot of time sittin’ around talkin’, or just sittin’, and thinking’, or just sitting’. During any Dark Moon, it’s Time for just sitting, being still, and allowing yourS’elf to Be—and to be flushed, filled, and inwardly outfitted by Spirit, in order to be enabled to shift into the next phase of your growth. The Dark Moon of Morranúrimë, (aligned with the Ainur, rather than one of the Valar), is such a Time, enabling you to (finally) experience what you’ve been building toward all loa (year) long—Harvest. During this Moon, we receive the culmination of their help to us during this loa, as we empty ourselves of “to-do”, and “got to…” urges, and inclinations, so we’re open for some valuable introspection.
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During the Dark Moon, we take time to look inwardly; using the Tao Te Ching as a means of focusing our thoughts profoundly enhances the experience. This Morranúrimë aligns in Enquë (Chapter) 33. It compares the nature, and values of contrasting mind sets, intentions, and consequent character. In the below excerpt, after each character example, a person (Elf, or human) from the Legendarium has been cited, respectively. Many of you who are new to Silmarillion, and Tolkien’s deeper works than “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings”, may be unfamiliar with some of them; if so, the respective books are indicated in { } beneath them. Ponder each one you’re familiar with; for those that are new to you, do a compound search for [person]+[book], [or go to Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Main_Page, search there), and you’ll find interesting summaries that may give you enough frames of reference to appreciate the examples. (Some character traits, written about men, have been extrapolated to Elves. There are other examples that may be more meaningful for you; it behooves you to explore the Legendarium to find them too.)
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“Se istayë néri na maitë
Se istayë immo harya tercen.”
(He who knows men is clever;
He who knows himself has insight.)
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Feanor;
Finwë.
{Silmarillion}
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“Se orturiyë néri harya sahtië;
Se orturiyë immo na anwalë tulca.”
(He who conquers men has force;
He who conquers himself is truly strong.)
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Turin;
Beren.
{Children of Hurin;
Lay of Beren, and Luthien}
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“Se istayë yassë enetiës farëa n’ alya,
Ar se himyayë altapenna i tië Altatië na
nér tulunca selmandëo.”
(He who knows when he has got enough is rich, And he who adheres assiduously to the path of Tao is a man of steady purpose.)
(He who knows when he has got enough is rich, And he who adheres assiduously to the path of Tao is a man of steady purpose.)
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Aragorn;
Samwise.
{Lord of the Rings}
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“Se lemyayë massë utúviës anwarya már tercola ando,
Ar se firayë mal atalantëaqua úasa anwa coiviëanda.”
(He who stays where he has found his true home endures long,
And he who dies but perishes not enjoys real longevity.)
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Elrond;
Olorin/Gandalf.
{Lord of the Rings}
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~ * ~
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The Cusp of Harvest
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This Morranúrimë, occurring at the end of Úrimë, rather than the beginning, is on the cusp of Harvest. Enquë 33 invites you to ponder yourS’Elf, the person you’re about to pour out to the world in real time, through its critical lens. Are you like the fiery Feanor, or faithful Finwë; hot-headed, defiant Turin, or passionately, and fearlessly devoted Beren? All LoTR examples are to be valued; accordingly, know when you have enough, assiduously adhere to the Path; if you’ve found your true home, even if you must leave you heart there, retreat to somewhere else, and return later, let your mind, and heart be settled there; if your Harvest during this loa means you must give up the whole world, and die to the life you’ve known for a long time, (perhaps one that you decades to build for yourself), focus most on the Divine Peace that comes with the experience rather than the feeling inherent to disruption of your life—it’s not disruption, it’s redirection in right alignment with your Highest S’Elf, and you’ve already done the hard part, I.e. growing into the person you’ve become.
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Hopefully, you’re feeling good about being like the above favorable characters; if not, at least you’ve grown into a better version of you during this loa, and you now have insight into possible Dream Seeds for the next loa.
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May the love of the Ainur descend upon you,
may the fully ripening heat of the Secret Fire rise from the heart of Arda, through your roots, and out through every cell of your body,
may the Wisdom that informs the stars guide you,
may the Joy of Love enfold, infill, and uplift you, now, and throughout Harvest, enabling you to Be the Harvest you’ve longed for during the past 11 months,
may the Road rise to meet you, and be always smooth before you, and
may the stars empower you to fully feel, and express your part of the Song with every breath, and every step you take.
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Laita
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Written by Tárainime Alyras,
Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.
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Reference:
Ashton-Smith, Roger Francis. (2010). “Altatië: The Great Way ~ The Elven Tao Te Ching”. [To be published by] Elven Spirituality Press
