The Sacred Circle

Definition of esoteric- designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone, requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group, difficult to understand, limited to a small circle, private, confidential, of special, rare, or unusual interest. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esoteric

The elders of early modern human groups held esoteric knowledge which they shared with their communities. This made modern humans holders of special knowledge which other living beings either did not share, or could not express.

A maxilla and associated dentition recently discovered at Misliya Cave, Israel, was dated to 177,000 to 194,000 years ago, suggesting that members of the Homo sapiens clade left Africa earlier than previously thought. This finding changes our view on modern human dispersal and is consistent with recent genetic studies, which have posited the possibility of an earlier dispersal of Homo sapiens around 220,000 years ago. The Misliya maxilla is associated with full-fledged Levallois technology in the Levant, suggesting that the emergence of this technology is linked to the appearance of Homo sapiens in the region, as has been documented in Africa.

The Earliest Modern Humans Outside Africa. Hershkovitz et al. Science 26 Jan 2018: Vol. 359, Issue 6374, pp. 456-459. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6374/456

The elder approached the communal fire situated near the entrance of a cave overlooking a lush plain. From this vantage point, the group had a commanding view of the surrounding area, enabling them to observe the movement of animals and other humans. The elder was dressed in well tanned hides, sewn tight with bone needles and sinew, adorned with seed beads, animal fangs, feathers, died with colors obtained from minerals and seeds mixed with rendered tallow. He sits, the group grows silent, mothers hushing their young children. The people knew how to show respect. The elder begins to speak…

…”When our ancestors first stood and looked around them, they saw that the horizon formed a circle- like the fire in front of us, or the nest that the eagle builds. They saw the sun rise on one side of this circle and set below the horizon on the other side of the circle. They saw they could face in two directions of the sun’s path- to the land from which they had come, and to the land in which we now live. They saw their world was divided into four directions. They looked to the sky above, where there were the sun, moon, and stars- the sky above. They saw that they stood upon the earth, which provided everything they needed to live. They saw that this was good, and they felt blessed that their world was constructed this way. They saw that it was all good, they knew that if this world was ever lost to them, they would not continue as humans, and they decided to teach the children this sacred knowledge so that they would never forget where they came from and what they had been blessed with.”

This knowledge has been forgotten. The blessing of life on planet Earth has been forgotten.

This knowledge had been celebrated and shared from the icy plains of Siberia to the scorching deserts of the American Southwest. It has been manifested throughout the world’s cultures- in the Ankh of Egypt, the Christian Cross, the Medicine Wheel of American aboriginal groups, and many others. How many parents teach this knowledge to their children? How many adolescents listen attentively to their elders? How many show respect to their parents? How many of their parents have earned their childrens’ respect?

These are questions we, as a species, must ask ourselves if we are to avoid our continuing degradation into a life form which is less than we deserve, less than we once were, a species bent on mass suicide, devolution, and destruction. We our fortunate that this knowledge has not disappeared, we merely need to wake up and recognize the wisdom and blessing of this once sacred knowledge.

author’s note- I do not own the rights to the above images. All were downloaded from Google Images

“Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst, and heat!” Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Mary Shelley, 1818.

In the 1980’s I studied with a Lipan scout. The first thing he taught me was what he called The Sacred Order.

1. Shelter

A human will die of exposure long before succumbing to thirst or hunger. The most simple shelter is a small hut made from debris. The key is to make it appropriate to the environmental conditions, with debris found in the area. The secret to insulation is to make the hut small enough in the cold to allow your body to heat the hut, and thick enough to hold the heat in. The same principals apply for protection from the heat and sun.

• Water

A human will next suffer from dehydration. Those of you who have watched those survival shows, which have recently been popular on television, know the contestants normally suffer from dehydration. They waste incredible time and energy trying to start fires and look for food. Meanwhile they are slowing becoming dangerously dehydrated. We as a species have lost this knowledge. We drink water (if at all) from plastic bottles. Governments no longer protect clean water and corporations are quickly buying land in which fresh water exists- to make coco cola and energy drinks.

• Fire

Once you have made a shelter and have secured a fresh water source, you can spend energy building a fire. Can you make fire from rubbing two sticks together? Yes. The most basic method is called a Hand Drill. Much easier is a Bow Drill. However, a person must be familiar enough with their environment to know exactly which woods can be used to create a small coal from friction, which can then delicately be nestled within a tinder bundle and blown into a flame.  

• Food

Now you can seek out food. The easiest thing to obtain is plants. Plants don’t run. Again, a person needs to have a basic knowledge of edible plants within his or her environment. Insects are next on the list of ease, and finally larger animals which can be captured with traps or killed with various ingenious implements that have been perfected throughout human history. 

This was the most basic human survival knowledge that every toddler knew 100,000 years ago.

We will start our discussion of science here.

In the next post, I will relate which is possibly the first teaching of esoteric knowledge known to all ancient humans, told around campfires by teachers to all members of the local group. We will begin our discussions of philosophy there.

We are living in a delicate era of human history. You will hear those at the top of the socioeconomic ladder explain that things have never been better for humans. Really? It may seem that way from atop the ivory tower, but to one who has journeyed from homelessness and desperation to the rank of doctoral candidate, it is shockingly clear that humanity stands on the brink of societal degradation and collapse.

I chose to leave academia and return to my life among the forgotten peoples of the world. It is neither pretty nor pleasant here. Cellphones and social media are the dominating forces. Traditional values are no longer taught or valued. Anyone under the age of 60 spends the majority of their time staring into the little hand-held God, completely entranced by the digitally created persona they obsess over managing.

Google is not used to explore literature, history, or science- to find answers, instead the little monster/god is used to manage a social image influenced by the latest trends.

Young people in historically horticultural communities no longer know how to grow food. The parents and grandparents have given up trying to teach them. Self-reliance no longer is valued. The quest for money and a role in the capitalistic fantasy is dominant.

In this blog I will explore ancient knowledge and philosophy. I will strive to offer a glimpse into the peoples and ideas which brought us the ability to create so much amazing technology. I will also offer a warning of a very grim near-future of us all if we as a species continue to devalue the ideals of human compassion, service, generosity, and caring. I hope you will be enlightened, inspired, and maybe a little terrified by the content of this blog. I thank you for taking this journey with me and encourage you to comment and share.

namuwooki