Love's Knight Errant

[entwife]

Muttering and mumbling
like the White Knight of Wonderland
a new voice begins to sing…

“I feed upon
the bread of the Sea,
and in return
I give of myself to feed others…
but does anyone ever listen to me?

I push along
sheltered in my armor,
 with grit in my eye, harried,
I grumble…
‘Til a gem of wisdom
forms within my head.
Then, oh yes,
then they’ll pry me from my bed!

Therefore, Remember!
Each of us contains a
shining form of excellence,
Wisdom,
Perfection…
Luminous and
Serene,
within our roughened exteriors,
it forms and waits
for our attention.

I protect this emblem,
the Queen of the Sea,
like all secrets, with silence.
These are truths
that will set you free.”


Each singing poem is inspired by a Teacher found in Nature. This particular piece is sung by one who also focuses on a co-dependent Teacher that would not exist without it. Can you guess who is singing?

[Morag]

Muttering and mumbling
like the White Knight of Wonderland
a new voice begins to sing…

“I feed upon
the bread of the Sea,
and in return
I give of myself to feed others…
but does anyone ever listen to me?

I push along
sheltered in my armor,
 with grit in my eye, harried,
I grumble…
‘Til a gem of wisdom
forms within my head.
Then, oh yes,
then they’ll pry me from my bed!

Therefore, Remember!
Each of us contains a
shining form of excellence,
Wisdom,
Perfection…
Luminous and
Serene,
within our roughened exteriors,
it forms and waits
for our attention.

I protect this emblem,
the Queen of the Sea,
like all secrets, with silence.
These are truths
that will set you free.”


Each singing poem is inspired by a Teacher found in Nature. This particular piece is sung by one who also focuses on a co-dependent Teacher that would not exist without it. Can you guess who is singing?

 
Oyster.

[Fagan_the_Pagan]

Oyster.

 
Agreed.  I had to read it a couple times before I saw it though.

[entwife]

Oyster.

Well done, Morag! Which clues tipped you off, and do either of you think it needs additional verses?

[entwife]

Agreed.  I had to read it a couple times before I saw it though.

 
Which clues worked for you? I suppose the co-dependent Teacher within this piece is obvious now, yes?

"Til a gem of wisdom
forms within my head.
Then, oh yes,
then they’ll pry me from my bed!

Therefore, Remember!
Each of us contains a
shining form of excellence,
Wisdom,
Perfection…
Luminous and
Serene,
within our roughened exteriors,
it forms and waits
for our attention.

I protect this emblem,
the Queen of the Sea"

[entwife]

Muttering and mumbling
like the White Knight of Wonderland
a new voice begins to sing…

“I feed upon
the bread of the Sea,
and in return
I give of myself to feed others…
but does anyone ever listen to me?

I push along
sheltered in my armor,
 with grit in my eye, harried,
I grumble…
‘Til a gem of wisdom
forms within my head.
Then, oh yes,
then they’ll pry me from my bed!

Therefore, Remember!
Each of us contains a
shining form of excellence,
Wisdom,
Perfection…
Luminous and
Serene,
within our roughened exteriors,
it forms and waits
for our attention.

I protect this emblem,
the Queen of the Sea,
like all secrets, with silence.
These are truths
that will set you free.”

 
“From the oyster to the eagle, from the swine to the tiger, all animals are to be found in men and each of them exists in some man, sometimes several at the time. Animals are nothing but the portrayal of our virtues and vices made manifest to our eyes, the visible reflections of our souls. God displays them to us to give us food for thought.” Victor Hugo

“All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography.” Federico Fellini

“There is nothing in Christianity or Buddhism that quite matches the sympathetic unselfishness of an oyster.” H.H. Munro

Mollusks were, understandably, a more prominent Native American Totem in coastal areas, especially in the Northwest America or island areas. I remember reading about the enormous middens found in the Pacific NW areas as a young girl in history class and wondering what the peoples lives were like. Such middens have been found all over the world though. Oyster is one of the 112,000 species of Mollusks found in our Seas and rivers. So many creatures feed upon them, that they are considered a keystone species, and they can be found in the history and lore of many cultures.

They are filter feeders that draw water in through their gills, breathing very much like fish, and over their cilia. Plankton, and other particles get trapped by the mucus in the gills and transported to the mouth. They prefer warmer waters, temperatures above 50 degrees F increase their feeding activity, and healthy oysters consume algae and other water-borne nutrients, each one filtering up to five liters of water per hour! Oysters filter pollutants too, and either eat them or shape them into small pseudo-feces that are deposited on the bottom where they are harmless.

Bodily, Oysters consist of two rough shells held together with a muscular hinge at the narrow end. The shell is generated by the mantle, a thin layer of tissue that separates the shell from the soft body. Mouth, palps, stomach, intestines, cilia, small three chambered heart, hinge (abductor muscle) anus and gills are all found within the soft body. Oyster’s typically live at depths of only 8-25 feet and stay in one place their entire lives. They breathe in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Their hearts pump oxygen and colorless blood to all parts of their body, while their kidneys under the abductor muscle purifies the blood of any wastes or, hopefully, toxins. Red Tides, dangerously toxic algal blooms, and other such pollutants endanger these filtering creatures.

They can change their sex many times throughout their lives and one cannot tell from the exterior if an Oyster is male or female. Typically they start out as male and end as female though. They are protandric, which means that during their first year they spawn as males and will release sperm into the water. Over the next couple of years they will grow larger, become female and release eggs into the water. An increase in water temperature will trigger a few initial oysters to spawn.

This begins a spawning ‘chain reaction’, which clouds the water with millions of eggs and sperm. A single female oyster can produce up to 100 million eggs a year! The eggs are fertilized in the water and develop into larvae, which eventually find suitable sites on which to settle. Those that attach to another oyster’s shell are called “spats” and never get much larger than 25mm. In the tropics it is rather common for them to develop on mangrove roots which will become exposed during low tide. Hence it is commonly said there that “oysters grow on trees”! The organs responsible for producing both eggs and sperm surround the digestive organs, and are made up of sex cells, branching tubules, and connective tissue. Oysters are usually mature at one year. The largest oysters can be up to 3 feet long, but most span only a few inches.

Oyster reefs form inviting habitats for anemones, barnacles, and mussels which in turn invite more creatures like striped bass, black drum or croakers (fish). When threatened, they will clamp their shell tightly shut with their strong hinge muscle. When a grain of sand or other irritating substance gets between an oyster’s shell and mantle it causes them to secret nacre which coats the irritating bit and forms a pearl. Most mollusks form pearls, but only a select few create the lustrous marketable pearls so prized by humanity, fresh or saltwater. Pearls carry their own symbolism and Wisdom which we will discuss later.

Oysters can be eaten half shelled, raw, smoked, boiled, baked, fried, roasted, stewed, canned, pickled, steamed, broiled (grilled) or used in a variety of drinks! They are low in food energy though, one dozen raw oysters contain approximately 110 calories, but they are rich in zinc, iron, calcium, and vitamin A. They have been considered an aphrodisiac by many cultures and were often eaten to encourage fertility. The many large middens found the world over testify to their popularity as a food source that dates back into prehistory. Over fishing and pressure from diseases and pollution have sharply reduced Oyster populations, but they remain a popular treat the world over and there are several places that celebrate them with oyster festivals.

We can learn many things from the humble Oyster. The importance of remembering that it is only natural to protect ones softer side with a hard exterior. This in only a line of defense though and not meant to separate you from the society of your people. Taking reasonable precautions in protecting our selves is not only our right, it is our duty. The trick is learning when to open up and when to stay safe inside our shells. “Clamming up” is a common expression, and silence is another excellent defense. There are many reasons for, and benefits to silence. When someone confides in us, we honor their trust by keeping their intimate details to ourselves and giving them our best advice. When remembering someone who has passed, a moment of silence is observed. Silence has many personal benefits too. When we are not talking, we are listening… increasing our odds of gaining Wisdom. Sometimes, difficult as it may be in a given situation, saying nothing, refusing to engage in an argument, or petty behavior is our most beneficial response.

“Silence is golden” proverb

“I think the first virtue is to restrain the tongue; he approaches nearest to gods who knows how to be silent, even though he is in the right.” Cato the Elder

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose.” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Personally, I think too may people underestimate the importance of a little silence in each day. From my observations a lot of people seem inexplicably uncomfortable or downright fearful of simple silence. I find silence comfortable, relaxing, and calming to the mind. In countless conversations though, I have had the other person become fidgety and suddenly stop talking to ask me if I’m OK. I’ve maintained eye contact and offered the occasional nod or comment to alert them to the fact that I am in fact listening to what they have to say and not making a mental grocery list. Yet, my attentive silence is apparently not that common, and tends to throw others into confusion and even anxiety! The less a given individual has received proper attention in their life, the more agitated they seem to become too.

“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.” Mahatma Gandhi

“It is a great thing to know the season for speech and the season for silence.” Seneca

People who find themselves alone nowadays seem to turn on the radio/TV or pick up the phone, rather than just enjoy the silence. In fact, most people seem to need some sort of noise to feel comfortable! Yet without giving ourselves a few moments of silence each day we are handicapping our senses, over loading our minds with input, rejecting opportunities to reflect on self, life and the world around, as well as drowning out the gentle heartbeat of the natural world. This distances us from the World, and throws us further off balance. Silence brings healing, calm and the space to regain our balance. It allows us to develop our intuition and most importantly encourages us to focus on things other than ourselves; to listen! Like the modest mollusks though, we become much more efficient filters of society through the simple cultivation of silence. They teach us how to properly filter garbage from vital substance without poisoning ourselves. A truly important lesson!

Even when you try, it is easy to get caught up in the many daily distractions that life throws at you. I struggle some days to enforce 10 minutes of silence for myself twice in a 24 hour period. Typically this is when I greet or offer parting sentiments to the day, express my thankfulness, reaffirm what my current life or spiritual goals are, and then simply breathe and listen. I find this re-energizing truly vital to maintaining proper balance during rough days. I am often grateful for the quiet I find during my walk to and from the trolley stop on workdays, as many of my quiet moments now seem taken up with writing. By following the example of Oyster, we help to create a cleaner environment and healthier society for everyone. Forming a viable and inviting habitat that encourages co-operative diversity.

Oyster’s protandric nature is very instructive too. Firstly, it indicates a two-spirited nature as was discussed in Buffalo Totem. The term “Two-spirited”, is relatively new to me but highly useful and appropriate. It was derived from interpretations of Native languages used to describe people who displayed both characteristics of male and female. Traditionally, the Two-spirited person was one who had received a gift from the Creator, that gift being the privilege to house both male and female spirits in their bodies. Thus, such people were gifted with a greater vision, a more balanced view of the world as a whole.

Much respected and sought after for their broadened perspectives, Two-spirits were considered a gift to society from Creator. There are many Singers in Nature that teach us the value of Two-spirited beings which is much at odds with the popular opinions of many people today. For a truly balanced perspective in Life, we should nurture, develop and honor all sides of our selves; masculine, feminine and divine. Each has their merits, each has their unique pitfalls and each is inextricably entwined with the others. The sooner we come to terms with this reality, the better off we will all be.

In one Native American tale people were released into this world by Raven when he was trying to crack open a tightly sealed clam. In another tale shellfish are banished to a life in the sand by a jury of animals for being a malicious gossip. Venus the Goddess of Love appeared upon the Sea in an enormous clam shell, Balanced Mollusks tend to be homebodies who turn dirt into priceless pearls, learn when to be silent and when to open up, filter through life’s garbage to feed upon the smallest particles of wisdom, and are equally comfortable with both their masculine and feminine natures. Unbalanced Mollusks are constant complainers likely to spread gossip like a disease, improperly familiar, excessively bashful, or hermit-like in behavior, and quite possibly gender confused or facing a difficulty with either masculine or feminine identity. How does Oyster appear in your life?

“The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.” Oscar Wilde

“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.” Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha

“The ’60’s were an oyster decade: slippery, luxurious and reportedly aphrodisiac they slipped down the historical throat without touching the sides.” Julian Barnes

Potential balancing energies

Sea Otter/Otter, Octopus/Squid Water/Ocean , Seastar , Earth, Plankton, Pearl, oyster drill snail, oyster leech, finfish such as drum, and birds such as Raven or the oystercatcher, Dragon, Snake, Turtle, Whale, Moon.

Key Concepts: Silence, Creation, Love Eternal, Feminine and Masculine energy, Two-spirited Wisdom, Wisdom, Knowledge, Fertility, Purity, Excellence, Beauty, Innocence, Chastity, Lunar Energy, Bliss

Associated with: Venus/Aphrodite, Raven, Maat, Ho Hsien-Ku, Kwan Yin, Lakshmi, Maha Sarasvati, the Moon

[Morag]

Well done, Morag! Which clues tipped you off, and do either of you think it needs additional verses?

 

“I feed upon
the bread of the Sea,
and in return
I give of myself to feed others…
but does anyone ever listen to me?

This was the first clue I had.
 

I push along
sheltered in my armor,
 with grit in my eye, harried,
I grumble…
‘Til a gem of wisdom
forms within my head.
Then, oh yes,
then they’ll pry me from my bed!

 
And this cinched it for me.


I think the poem is great without additional verses.

[entwife]

this cinched it for me.
I think the poem is great without additional verses.

Thanks Morag, greatly appreciate the feedback and here is the additional Teacher within this poem...



“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Winston Churchill

“There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball,
And that is to have either a clear conscience or none at all.” Ogden Nash

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” Buddha

Luminous, miraculous, and delicately tinged with mysterious colors it is no surprise that Pearls have been so long admired by humanity. They have represented many things over the course of time; the Moon, a pure soul or simply the state of Grace, Wisdom, Elegance, Serenity, Truth, Innocence, Dignity, Love, Luck, Purity, Honesty, Integrity, and the Sea itself have all been represented by this gemstone. Perhaps more than any other concept though, the lustrous Pearl represents Excellence, Perfection. Pearls are a tangible reminder to create a miraculous life of Beauty around the ever-present irritations we will find along the way. Pearl teaches us to live every day striving to be the best that we can be, for we all carry the potential for perfection within us.

“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” Mary Engelbreit

“We tell lies when we are afraid… afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger. " Tad Williams

“Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom.” Thomas Jefferson

Pearls are considered to be feminine receptive stones, and have been given to women in countless cultures as a visual flag to alert others that here is a woman of Queenly or even Divine Grace. Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma and to cement engagements and love relationships. They are thought to keep children safe.There are many types of pearls: natural (made without human interference), cultured (when a foreign substance is intentionally inserted into a living oyster, a method begun in 1893), baroque (irregularly shaped), freshwater (those that form in freshwater mollusks and resemble puffed rice), Biwa (irregularly shaped freshwater pearls from Lake Biwa), blister (pearls that become attached to the inside of the shell), Mabe (cultivated blister pearls), black pearls (gray-black in color, very impressive), and seed (tiny pearls used commonly during Victorian era for jewelry and on clothing).

“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” Doug Larson

“Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.” David Star Jordan, The Philosophy of Despair

“No man was ever wise by chance.” Seneca

Pearls come in eight basic shapes: round, semi-round, button, drop, pear, oval, baroque, and ringed. Perfectly round is the most rare and most desired, especially for necklaces.Semi-rounds are also used in necklaces or in pieces where the shape of the pearl can be disguised to look like it is a round pearl. Button pearls are like a slightly flattened round pearl, and more commonly used in earrings.

Drop and pear shaped pearls are sometimes referred to as teardrop pearls and are most often seen in earrings, pendants, or as a center pearl in a necklace. Baroque pearls have a different appeal to them than more standard shapes because they are often highly irregular and make unique and interesting shapes. Ringed pearls are characterized by concentric rings, or ridges, around the body of the pearl. Cultivated pearls are less valuable than natural pearls, and imitation pearls are, of course, the least expensive. One way that jewelers can tell whether a pearl is cultivated or natural is by x-raying the pearl. If the grit in the center of the pearl is a perfect sphere, then the jeweler knows it is cultivated as this is done to further ensure the formation of a round pearl.Imitation pearls will not have a concentric formation or grit in the center at all.Although imitation pearls look the part, they do not have the same weight, luster, or smoothness as real pearls.

“Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.” Chinese Proverb

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. " William Shakespeare

“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.” Alan Simpson

Pearl necklaces have their own identity too. While most other necklaces are simply referred to by their measurement, strands of pearls have their own set of names that categorize them based on where they hang when worn around the neck. A collar, as the name implies, will sit directly against the throat and not hang down the neck at all. These are often made up of multiple strands of pearls. Pearl chokers will nestle just at the base of the neck and are also commonly made of multiple strands. The size called a princess comes down to, or just below the collarbone.

A matinee of pearls falls just above the breasts. An opera will be long enough to reach the breastbone or sternum of the wearer, and longer still, a pearl rope is any length that falls down farther than an opera. Necklaces can also be classified as uniform, where all the pearls are the same size. Graduated pearls are where the pearls are arranged in size from large in the center to smaller at the ends. Tin cup is a term used where pearls are generally the same size, but separated by lengths of chain.

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise. " F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Could we change our attitude, we should not only see life differently, but life itself would come to be different. " Katherine Mansfield
The bodycolor of a pearl refers to its main color which can be: white, silver, cream, gold, green, blue or black. Bodycolor is determined by the type of mollusk that produced it as well as the conditions of the water and sometimes the type of grit which forms it.Overtones are translucent colors which appear over the bodycolor. Overtones tend to alter the bodycolor somewhat, but also add depth and glow. A pearl may be silver with blue overtones, for example, but some pearls have no overtones at all.

The term orient refers to the pearls iridescent colors which appear to shimmer and move when the pearl is turned. This is caused by the way light reflects through the various thin layers of nacre which make up the pearl. These aspects remind us that everyone is unique, everyone has their own way of hanging in this life, yet everyone has worth and beauty. Each being is a miracle in and of itself and should be prized as such, especially when they don’t see themselves or anyone else this way.

“A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world; everyone you meet is your mirror.” Ken Keyes, Jr.

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” William Shakespeare

The largest pearl is currently known as the Pearl of Lao-tze, and was recovered from a giant clam on May 7th, 1934 by an unknown diver off the coast of the Palawan Island in the Philippines. The Pearl of Lao-tze is 9.4 inches long and weighs about 14 lbs. The San Francisco Gem Laboratory has valued it at $40 million dollars. Interestingly enough, modern pharmaceutical industries continue to use pearls in medicine. Pearls which are of inferior quality, unfit for jewelery, are ground into fine powder and used to make high-quality pharmaceutical calcium! But myths, beliefs and legends about pearls can be found in just about anywhere.Medieval Europe, Arabia, China, India…almost every culture have used pearls for a wide range of medicinal purposes ranging including aphrodisiacs, cures for insanity, memory loss, insomnia, liver ailments, snake bites and even as proof against lies!

“To everyone is given the key to heaven; the same key opens the gates of hell.” Ancient Proverb
“Truth fears no questions”. Unknown

“I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn’t learn something from him.” Galileo Galilei

Hindu culture associates pearls with the Moon and are symbols of love and purity. It is said that Krishna found the first pearl and presented it to his daughter on her wedding day. Pearls are still a common feature or gift at weddings of many cultures. The Koran speaks of pearls as one of the great rewards to be found in Paradise and is a symbol of perfection. The Parable of the Pearl remains an important symbol to Christians the world over.Pearls are also said to symbolize tears, to provide love and fertility, to symbolize purity, and to ward off evil. Pearls are the official birthstone for the month of June according to the American National Association of Jewelers as of 1912, and is therefore closely associated with both Gemini and Cancer sun signs.

“Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” Voltaire

“Laws control the lesser man. Right conduct controls the greater one.” Chinese Proverb

Pearls symbolize all the best within us, and their Lesson/Wisdom is to use the hardships we face throughout our lives to fully realize and become the best that we carry within us; personal excellence. They remind us to Walk in Beauty, to live with Dignity, and honor even the hardships that allows us yet another lesson or opportunity to live this way. Pearls can lift our spirits, evoke calm, beauty, femininity, or any of the many qualities that they represent. It takes time to form a Pearl, which is a reminder that our own growth and transformations take time too.

A large part of accepting ourselves is being patient with ourselves and allowing a proper amount of time for the changes we wish to bring about in our lives. Sacred to all Sea and Water deities, pearls are also very useful in stimulating and balancing various Chakras. Pink pearls, for example, are especially useful to the heart Chakra.One might select a Pearl to help with digestion issues or emotional stress which is ruled by the solar plexus Chakra located midway between the navel and the base of the sternum.

" The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens." Author Unknown

“Your life may be the only Bible some people read. " Author Unknown

“Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.” Ralph Marston

Potential Balancing Energies: Oyster , Otter , Seastar , Water , Elephant , Earth, Amber, Amethyst, Fish like Salmon, Frog/Toad , Dragon/Snake , Whale, Dolphin, Shark, Turtle , Moose , Crow/Raven , Peacock, Swan , Bison/Buffalo , Lion , Wolf , Fox , Owl, Crane

Associated with: Venus/Aphrodite, Kwan Yin, White Tara, Heqet, Fand, Ambaji, Gemini, Krishna, Water elementals/faeries, Sky Nation especially Rain, Ho Hsien-Ku, Lakshmi, Maat, Manat, Salacia/Amphitrite, Thalassa, Poseidon/Neptune, Artemis/Diana, Athena/Minerva, Pontos, Leto, Selene, Cailleach Bheur, Branwen, Mari, Tiamat, Manannon, Lir

Key Concepts: Excellence, Feminine Wisdom/Power/Excellence, Balance, Beauty, Love, Knowledge/Wisdom, Exemplary Living, Immortality, Spirit, Soul, Lunar energy, Purity, Perfection